The present work presents design and implementation of an automated two-axis solar tracking system using local materials with minimum cost, light weight and reliable structure. The tracking system consists of two parts, mechanical units (fixed and moving parts) and control units (four LDR sensors and Arduino UNO microcontroller to control two DC servomotors). The tracking system was fitted and assembled together with a parabolic trough solar concentrator (PTSC) system to move it according to information come from the sensors so as to keep the PTSC always perpendicular to sun rays. The experimental tests have been done on the PTSC system to investigate its thermal performance in two cases, with tracking system (case 1) and without tracking system (case 2). The experimental results showed that the average solar radiation falling on the PTSC prototype in the two cases during the same time was 854 and 701 watt/m2, respectively, which means an increase in the solar radiation about 21.8 % when using tracking system. It was found that the average useful heat gain output of solar collector was equal to (376.2, 252.6 watt) for the two cases, respectively, so there was an increase of about 48.9 % when using the tracking system. Also, the average thermal efficiency of the PTSC was found to be (20.7, 26.5 %) for the two cases, respectively, which means an increase in the average efficiency by 28% with use of tracking system compared to the fixed case.
The paper uses the Direct Synthesis (DS) method for tuning the Proportional Integral Derivative (PID) controller for controlling the DC servo motor. Two algorithms are presented for enhancing the performance of the suggested PID controller. These algorithms are Back-Propagation Neural Network and Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO). The performance and characteristics of DC servo motor are explained. The simulation results that obtained by using Matlab program show that the steady state error is eliminated with shorter adjusted time when using these algorithms with PID controller. A comparative between the two algorithms are described in this paper to show their effectiveness, which is found that the PSO algorithm gives be
... Show MoreBackground: Mouthwashes used widely as ancillary to mechanical oral hygiene methods. Little information provided about the effect of mouthwashes on ions released from orthodontic brackets. Therefore, the present study has been established to evaluate the effect of different mouthwashes on the corrosion resistance and the biocompatibility of two brands of brackets. Materials and Methods: Eighty premolar stainless steel brackets were used (40 brackets from each brand). They were subdivided into four subgroups (n=10) according to immersion media (deionized distilled water, Corsodyl, Listerine and Silca herb mouthwashes). Each bracket was stored in a closely packed glass tube filled with 15ml of the immersion media and incubated for 45 days at
... Show MoreObjective. Fibromyalgia (FM) is a nociplastic pain condition characterised by widespread pain, fatigue, cognitive dysfunction and multisystem involvement. Increasing evidence implicates the microbiota-gut-brain axis (MGBA) as a potential contributor to its complex pathophysiology. This scoping review maps contemporary evidence (2020–2026) on MGBA alterations in FM across microbial, metabolic, neuroimmune and translational dimensions. Methods. This review was conducted following the Arksey and O'Malley framework, as refined by Levac et al. and the Joanna Briggs Institute, and reported in accordance with PRISMA-ScR guidelines. A systematic search of PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science and Scopus identified studies published between Janua
... Show MoreProtection of the oil pipelineswhich extracted from the wells was found to shut the well and prevent the leakage of oil when broken using safety valve. This valve is automatically activated by loss of pressure between the well and pipelines, which take the pressure, signal from hydraulic pressure sensor through pressure control valve which has constant or variable value but it is regulated manually. The manual regulatory process requires the presence of monitoring workers continuously near the wells which are always found in remote areas. In this paper, a smart system has been proposed that work with proportional pressure control valve and also electronic pressure sensor through Arduino controller, which is programmed in a way that satisfie
... Show MoreObjectives: to assess nurses' knowledge toward infection control measures for hepatitis a virus in hemodialysis
units and to detemine the relationship between nurses' knowledge and their demographical characteristics.
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A non-probability `tturposive" sample of (51) nurses, who were working in hemodialysis units were selected
from Baghdad teaching hosphals. The data were collected through the use of constructed questionnaire, which
consists of two parts (I) Demographic data fom that consists of 10 items and (2) Nurses' knowledge form that
consists of 6 sections contain 79 items, by means of direct interview techniq
In every country in the world, there are a number of amputees who have been exposed to some accidents that led to the loss of their upper limbs. The aim of this study is to suggest a system for real-time classification of five classes of shoulder girdle motions for high-level upper limb amputees using a pattern recognition system. In the suggested system, the wavelet transform was utilized for feature extraction, and the extreme learning machine was used as a classifier. The system was tested on four intact-limbed subjects and one amputee, with eight channels involving five electromyography channels and three-axis accelerometer sensor. The study shows that the suggested pattern recognition system has the ability to classify the sho
... Show MoreThe theatre costume with the rest of the theatre show elements constitute a system of the meaning relations that produce a visual image that helps the recipient to decipher the theatre scene, let alone the manifestation of time in its levels (past, present, future) through the design construction of the theatre elements among which is the theatre costume. In order to know the way of manifesting time through the formulation of the theatre costumes, the research question has been put as follows: how to manifest time through the design construction for the theatre costumes unit, from which the research objective is derived as follows: Revealing the possibility of the designing unit of the costumes in manifesting the levels of time wit
... Show MoreThe significant addition of immersive technologies, Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality(AR) and Mixed Reality(MR) are transforming the domain of design education. Still, finding an equilibrium between these new tools alongside with traditional methods of teaching is a menace which educational institutes needs to solve. This paper proposes a structure that would help the ease with which to include immersive technologies within design education, keeping in mind the solid points of more conventional pedagogical methods. Based on a survey of interior design programs, this research highlights the potential for VR, AR and MR in student engagement, creativity skills and professional practices. The results suggest that adoption of an im
... Show MoreA bolted–welded hybrid demountable shear connector for use in deconstructable steel–concrete composite buildings and bridges was proposed. The hybrid connector consisted of a partially threaded stud, which was welded on the flange of a steel section, and a machined steel tube with compatible geometry, which was bolted on the stud. Four standard pushout tests according to Eurocode 4 were carried out to assess the shear performance of the hybrid connector. The experimental results show that the initial stiffness, shear resistance, and slip capacity of the proposed connector were higher than those of traditional welded studs. The hybrid connector was a ductile connector, according to Eurocode 4, with slip capacity higher than 6 mm. A nonli
... Show MoreAbstract
The vegetative filter strips (VFS) are a useful tool used for reducing the movement of sediment and pesticide in therivers. The filter strip’s soil can help in reducing the runoff volume by infiltration. However, the characteristics of VFS (i.e., length) are not recently identified depending on the estimation of VFS modeling performance. The aim of this research is to study these characteristics and determine acorrelation between filter strip length and percent reduction (trapping efficiency) for sediment, water, and pesticide. Two proposed pesticides(one has organic carbon sorption coefficient, Koc, of 147 L/kg which is more moveable than XXXX, and another one
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