Digital Commons Network^™

Exchange Faculty Perspectives On International Collaborations, Donal Mchale

Conference Papers

The main purpose of the paper is to document key issues in developing successful transatlantic faculty exchanges and to document perspectives and key learnings’ emanating from the development and implementation of an international exchange process.

Solar Energy Conversion Through Seaweed Photosynthesis With Combustion In A Zero-Emission Power Plant, Evgeny Yantovski, Jim Mcgovern

Other resources

A proposed ‘closed cycle’ power plant scheme, referred to as SOFT (Solar Oxygen Fuel Turbine), is described. The scheme involves the cultivation of macroalgae in a pond, combustion of their organic matter in a fluidised bed boiler that generates steam for a Rankine cycle steam power plant and the return of the combustion products to the pond to feed the algae. Oxygen, equivalent to that used for combustion, is re-released to the atmosphere by photosynthesis, while the carbon dioxide that is produced by combustion is absorbed by photosynthesis and thereby recycled. It is proposed that the seaweed Ulva, which is …

Indentation Fracture Of Bovine Cortical Bone: Acoustic Emission Technique, Ashkan Safari, Ger Reilly, Brendan Mccormack

Conference Papers

Indentation cutting may result in microcracking and main crack growth which was previously reported. In this study, we recorded the AE signals produced by cracking processes during cutting on cortical bone, measuring the cutting force and correlating between load-displacement curves and AE activities.

A Numerical Acoustic Fluid-Structure Simulation Of Therapeutic Ultrasound Angioplasty, Graham Gavin, Finbar Dolan, M.S J. Hashmi, Garrett Mcguinness

Conference Papers

INTRODUCTION Therapeutic ultrasound angioplasty is the delivery of high amplitude ultrasonic displacements to the distal-tip of small diameter wire waveguides with the goal of disrupting atherosclerotic plaques. This is a minimally invasive procedure that may have potential' in the treatment of complicated chronic total occlusions. The disruption of plaque is due to direct contact ablation and also cavitation, pressure waves and acoustic streaming in the fluid surrounding the vibrating waveguide distal-tip [1]. Cavitation appears to play a major role and some authors have suggested that plaque ablation is only evident above the cavitation threshold [2]. Makin and Everbach [3] performed …

Reducing Energy Costs By Optimizing Controller Tuning, Aidan O'Dwyer

Conference papers

The proportional integral derivative (PID) controller is the most dominant form of automatic controller in industrial use today. With this technique, it is necessary to adjust the controller parameters according to the nature of the process. This tailoring of controller to process is known as controller tuning. Controller tuning is easily and effectively performed using tuning rules (i.e. formulae for controller tuning, based on process information). Such tuning rules allow the easy set up of controllers to achieve optimum performance at commissioning. Importantly, they allow ease of re-commissioning if the characteristics of the process change. The paper outlines the results …

A Numerical Acoustic Fluid-Structure Model Of A Therapeutic Ultrasound Angioplasty Device, Graham Gavin, M.S. J. Hashmi, Finbar Dolan, Garrett Mcguinness

Conference Papers

Ultrasonic angioplasty involves the use of ultrasonic vibrations delivered to the distal-tip of small diameter wire waveguides and is an emerging technology the may have potential use in the treatment of complicated atherosclerotic plaques during cardiovascular surgery. Complicated plaques, including chronic total occlusions and calcified lesions, seriously reduce success rates during standard intervention involving guidewire access, followed by balloon dilation or stent delivery. The large amplitude (0-150 μm) wire waveguide distal-tip displacements in the low-frequency ultrasonic (18-45 kHz) range have been shown to disrupt plaque material by direct contact ablation and cavitation, acoustic streaming and pressure wave components in adjacent …

Geographic Variation Of Solar Water Heater Performance In Europe, Y. Yohanis, O. Popel, S. Frid, Brian Norton

Articles

Solar water heater (SWH) performance has been analysed using the ‘number of days’ method for 147 different sites in all European countries. The total number of days that the temperature of delivered solar heated water reaches or exceeds specified demand temperatures is correlated with solar radiation on a horizontal surface for summer, warm half-year, and whole year periods. Maps are presented and discussed showing the contours for the number of days that an illustrative SWH met different hot water demand temperatures. Correlations between number of days water is provided at a specified temperature and solar fractions for the same periods …

Including Embodied Energy Considerations At The Conceptual Stage Of Building Design, Y. Yohanis, Brian Norton

Articles

Elevated operating temperatures reduce the solar to electrical conversion efficiency of building integrated photovoltaic devices (BIPV). Phase change materials (PCM) can be used to passively limit this temperature rise although their effectiveness is limited by their low thermal conductivities and by crystallization segregation during solidification. This paper presents an experimental evaluation of the effects of convection and crystalline segregation in a PCM as a function of efficiency of heat transfer within the finned PV/PCM system. The thermal performances of bulk PCM with crystallization segregation for different internal fin arrangements are presented. It is noted that the addition of internal fins …

Alkaline Fuel Cell Engineering And Testing, James Brunton, David Kennedy, Eugene Coyle

Conference Papers

A fuel cell is a device that directly converts the chemical energy of reactants (a fuel and an oxidant) into low d. c. electricity [1]. Used in conjunction with other sustainable energy options, hydrogen and fuel cell technology can provide a realistic alternative to fossil fuels. Although research is continuing in many areas we are no closer now to commercialisation than ten to twenty years ago. This is due to a number of key reasons, some of which include efficiency, scale, accessories and power output. This paper outlines the benefits that could be derived from switching to a hydrogen based …

The Tromped, An In-Flight Exercise Device To Prevent Flight Related Deep Vein Thrombosis, Carolyn Collins, David Kennedy, Thomas Corrigan, Stephen Jerrams

Conference Papers

Medical and Engineering research studies have shown the potential risks of long haul flight travel and methods of preventing it occurring. The risk of serious health problems or even death is known to arise from lack of venous movement and increased coagulation (clotting) of the blood. These factors contribute to the development of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and this is more likely to occur in situations where people are seated for long periods during travel on land or in air. Currently long haul airlines have yet to be seen to introduce physical preventative measures against this syndrome.

A prototype design …

The Role And Future Of Nanotechnology In Research, Industry And Education, David Kennedy

Conference Papers

Major developments in Nanotechnology have taken place across the world
over the last few years. From a humble beginning, Ireland inc. became a leader in the Microelectronics industry and now has to face the challenge of developing a strategic plan to maintain its lead position in the nano field which in most cases will supersede the micro phase. Most countries are taking a similar path of development all be it alone or in collaboration with other countries. This process is expensive and requires market drivers and experts to lead and deliver demands from the industries of the future. The approach …