Engineering Commons^™

Volcanic Plume Height During The 2021 Tajogaite Eruption (La Palma) From Two Complementary Monitoring Methods-Implications For Satellite-Based Products, África Barreto, Francisco Quirós, Omaira E. García, Jorge Pereda-De-Pablo, Daniel González-Fernández, Andrés Bedoya-Velásquez, Simon Carn, Et. Al.

Michigan Tech Publications

Volcanic emissions from the Tajogaite volcano, located on the Cumbre Vieja edifice on the island of La Palma (Canary Islands, Spain), caused significant public health and aviation disruptions throughout the eruption (19 September–13 December 2021, officially declared over on 25 December). Nonetheless, it is considered the most significant volcanic event in Europe over the past 75 years due to the substantial amount of SO2 released into the atmosphere. The Instituto Geográfico Nacional (IGN), the authority responsible for volcano surveillance in Spain, implemented extensive operational monitoring to track volcanic activity and to provide a robust estimation of the volcanic plume height …

Communicating Wastewater-Based Surveillance Data To Drive Action, Kata Farkas, Devrim Kaya, Rasha Maal-Bared, Ahmad I. Al-Mustapha, Sarmila Tandukar, Ishi Keenum, Teemu Gunnar, Aaron Bivins, Matthew J Wade, Kyle Bibby, Tarja M. Pitkänen, Ananda Tiwari

Michigan Tech Publications

As exemplified during the COVID-19 pandemic, wastewater-based surveillance (WBS) can deliver near real-time, population-level pathogen data to guide public health action. Its impact, however, hinges on timely, transparent, and context-specific communication to stakeholders, including health authorities, policymakers, scientists, clinicians, and the public. This review examines current WBS communication practices, identifies persistent challenges, and proposes strategies to enhance relevance. Key challenges include data complexity, lack of standardised communication frameworks, ethical and privacy concerns, and variable stakeholder capabilities. The strategic use of digital platforms, such as dashboards, reports, press releases, and social media, alongside traditional media, can broaden reach and aid interpretation. …

Analysis Of A Saline Dust Storm From The Aralkum Desert – Part 2: Atmospheric Flow Precursors In The Euro-Atlantic Region, Xin Xi

Michigan Tech Publications

Wind-blown dust emissions from the man-made Aralkum Desert pose significant environment and human health risks across Central Asia. Yet, little is known about the atmospheric circulation patterns favoring dust outbreaks from the region. This study examines the role of upstream atmospheric blocking and recurrent transient Rossby wave packets (RWPs) in initiating a severe dust storm from the Aralkum Desert in May 2018. Results show that the dust event was triggered by an unusual early-summer cold air outbreak and attendant postfrontal northerly winds reaching 24–31 m/s. The compound cold air and dust outbreaks were preceded by repeated meridional flow amplification linked …

Analysis Of A Saline Dust Storm From The Aralkum Desert - Part 1: Consistency Between Multisensor Satellite Aerosol Products, Xin Xi, Jun Wang, Zhendong Lu, Andrew M. Sayer, Jaehwa Lee, Robert C. Levy, Yujie Wang, Alexei Lyapustin, Hongqing Liu, Istvan Laszlo, Changwoo Ahn, Omar Torres, Sabur Abdullaev, James Limbacher, Ralph A. Kahn

Michigan Tech Publications

The Aralkum Desert presents a challenging environment for satellite aerosol observations due to its very bright, heterogeneous, and dynamic surfaces and the lack of in situ constraints on region-specific aerosol properties. We survey current global satellite algorithms capable of detecting the presence, column burden, and elevation of airborne dust over the Aral Sea basin. Discrepancies and potential biases in retrieved UV aerosol index (UVAI), mid-visible and thermal infrared optical depth (AOD), and layer height due to different assumptions on surface and aerosol properties are assessed. The results indicate that (1) UVAI products consistently delineate dust plume extent but show large …

The Relative Importance Of Wind And Hydroclimate Drivers In Modulating Wind-Blown Dust Emissions In Earth System Models, Xinzhu Li, Longlei Li, Yan Feng, Xin Xi

Michigan Tech Publications

Windblown dust emissions are subject to large uncertainties in Earth system models (ESMs), yet model discrepancies in dust variability and its physical drivers remain poorly understood. This study evaluates the consistency of 21 ESMs in simulating the climatological distribution and interannual variability of global dust emissions and applies dominance analysis to quantify the relative influence of near-surface wind speed and five hydroclimate variables (precipitation, soil moisture, specific humidity, air temperature, leaf area index) across different climate zones. In hyperarid regions, the models exhibit poor agreement in dust variability, with only 10 % of pairwise comparisons showing significant positive correlations. Most …

Version 1 Noaa-20/Omps Nadir Mapper Total Column So2 Product: Continuation Of Nasa Long-Term Global Data Record, Can Li, Nickolay A. Krotkov, Joanna Joiner, Vitali Fioletov, Chris Mclinden, Debora Griffin, Peter J.T. Leonard, Simon Carn, Colin Seftor, Alexander Vasilkov

Michigan Tech Publications

For nearly 2 decades, the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) aboard the NASA Aura spacecraft (launched in 2004) and the Ozone Mapping and Profiler Suite (OMPS) aboard the NASA/NOAA Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (SNPP) satellite (launched in 2011) have been providing global monitoring of SO2 column densities from both anthropogenic and volcanic activities. Here, we describe the version-1 NOAA-20 (N20)/OMPS SO2 product (10.5067/OMPS/OMPS_N20_NMSO2_PCA_L2_Step1.1, Li et al., 2023), aimed at extending the long-term climate data record. To achieve this goal, we apply a principal component analysis (PCA) retrieval technique, also used for the OMI and SNPP/OMPS SO2 products, to N20/OMPS. For volcanic …

Verifying An Improved Intermittent Water Distribution Network Analysis Method Based On Epa-Swmm, Dondu Sarisen, Raziyeh Farmani, David W. Watkins, Brian Barkdoll, Brian Rivers, Chao Zhang, Fayyaz Ali Memon

Michigan Tech Publications

Modelling Intermittent Water Supply (IWS) presents challenges, as traditional hydraulic methods based on EPANET are often inadequate due to their inability to simulate the network filling process. While EPA-SWMM (EPA’s Storm Water Management Model)-based methods enhance IWS analysis, they remain network-specific and lack universal applicability. This study aims to calibrate and verify an improved EPA-SWMM-based model on a 6 m × 5 m laboratory-scale IWS. Experiments were conducted to capture flow rate data from demand nodes under various conditions. The EPA-SWMM model, based on uncontrolled outlets with flow rate varying by pressure, was calibrated using, an automated procedure that integrated …

Near-Collapse Of The Geomagnetic Field May Have Contributed To Atmospheric Oxygenation And Animal Radiation In The Ediacaran Period, Wentao Huang, John A. Tarduno, Tinghong Zhou, Mauricio Ibañez-Mejia, Laércio Dal Olmo-Barbosa, Edinei Koester, Eric G. Blackman, Aleksey V. Smirnov, Gabriel Ahrendt, Rory D. Cottrell, Kenneth P. Kodama, Richard K. Bono, David G. Sibeck, Yong Xiang Li, Francis Nimmo, Shuhai Xiao, Michael K. Watkeys

Michigan Tech Publications

Earth’s magnetic field was in a highly unusual state when macroscopic animals of the Ediacara Fauna diversified and thrived. Any connection between these events is tantalizing but unclear. Here, we present single crystal paleointensity data from 2054 and 591 Ma pyroxenites and gabbros that define a dramatic intensity decline, from a strong Proterozoic field like that of today, to an Ediacaran value 30 times weaker. The latter is the weakest time-averaged value known to date and together with other robust paleointensity estimates indicate that Ediacaran ultra-low field strengths lasted for at least 26 million years. This interval of ultra-weak magnetic …

Analytical And Machine Learning Modeling Of Direct Carbonation Of Natural Silicate Minerals, William Hanson

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

The climate-altering effects of atmospheric CO₂ make it necessary to develop innovative technologies that can remove it from the atmosphere. Mineral carbonation is a scalable technology to sequestrate and store CO2 in a stable carbonate mineral form. The efficiency of the mineral carbonation process depends on both feed mineralogy and process parameters. Comprehensive modeling and prediction of mineral carbonation efficiency for different CO₂ – reactive rocks has not been achieved in the past. In this thesis work, analytical and machine learning models are developed to predict the carbonation efficiency of dunite reactions. It is found that random forest …

What Caused The Unseasonal Extreme Dust Storm In Uzbekistan During November 2021?, Xin Xi, Daniel Steinfeld, Steven M. Cavallo, Jun Wang, Jiquan Chen, Kanat Zulpykharov, Geoffrey M. Henebry

Michigan Tech Publications

An unseasonal dust storm hit large parts of Central Asia on 4-5 November 2021, setting records for the column aerosol burden and fine particulate concentration in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. The dust event originated from an agropastoral region in southern Kazakhstan, where the soil erodibility was enhanced by a prolonged agricultural drought resulting from La Niña-related precipitation deficit and persistent high atmospheric evaporative demand. The dust outbreak was triggered by sustained postfrontal northerly winds during an extreme cold air outbreak. The cold air and dust outbreaks were preceded by a chain of processes consisting of recurrent synoptic-scale transient Rossby wave packets over …

Evolution Of Glassy Carbon Derived From Pyrolysis Of Furan Resin, Josh Kemppainen, Ivan Gallegos, Aaron Krieg, Jacob R. Gissinger, Kristopher E. Wise, Margaret Kowalik, Julia A. King, S. Gowtham, Adri Van Duin, Gregory Odegard

Michigan Tech Publications

Glassy carbon (GC) material derived from pyrolyzed furan resin was modeled by using reactive molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The MD polymerization simulation protocols to cure the furan resin precursor material are validated via comparison of the predicted density and Young's modulus with experimental values. The MD pyrolysis simulations protocols to pyrolyze the furan resin precursor is validated by comparison of calculated density, Young's modulus, carbon content, sp carbon content, the in-plane crystallite size, out-of-plane crystallite stacking height, and interplanar crystallite spacing with experimental results from the literature for furan resin derived GC. The modeling methodology established in this work can …

Controls On The Stratiform Copper Mineralization In The Western Syncline, Upper Peninsula, Michigan, William C. Williams, Theodore J. Bornhorst

Michigan Tech Publications

The Western Syncline hosts reduced-facies, or Kupferschiefer-type, sedimentary rock-hosted stratiform Cu deposits (SSC) in the lowermost meters of the Nonesuch Formation, which is part of a thick section of clastic sedimentary rocks that comprise the upper fill of the Mesoproterozoic Midcontinent Rift of North America. Located in the Porcupine Mountains Cu district in Upper Peninsula, Michigan, these blind deposits were discovered in 1956, but are not yet developed, although recent renewed interest may result in near-term production. The deposits are distinguished by their relatively undeformed nature and lack of superposed hydrothermal events. Prior to lithification, chalcocite mineralization replaced diagenetic pyrite …

Version 2 Of The Global Catalogue Of Large Anthropogenic And Volcanic So2 Sources And Emissions Derived From Satellite Measurements, Vitali E. Fioletov, Chris A. Mclinden, Debora Griffin, Ihab Abboud, Nickolay Krotkov, Peter J.T. Leonard, Can Li, Joanna Joiner, Nicolas Theys, Simon Carn

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

Sulfur dioxide (SO2) measurements from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI), Ozone Mapping and Profiler Suite (OMPS), and TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) satellite spectrometers were used to update and extend the previously developed global catalogue of large SO2 emission sources. This version 2 of the global catalogue covers the period of 2005-2021 and includes a total of 759 continuously emitting point sources releasing from about 10 ktyr-1 to more than 4000 ktyr-1 of SO2, that have been identified and grouped by country and primary source origin: volcanoes (106 sources); power plants (477); smelters (74); and sources related to the oil and …

A Smart Parallel Gripper Industrial Automation System For Measurement Of Gripped Work Piece Thickness, Erik Kocher, Chukwuemeka George Ochieze, Ahmat Oumar, Travis Winter, Aleksandr Sergeyev, Mark Gauthier, Nathir Rawashdeh

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

As part of the advanced programmable logic controllers (PLC) course at Michigan Tech, this class project is performed on a mechatronics system gifted by Donald Engineering, a Michigan-based supplier of industrial automation systems and components. This paper explores the functionality and ladder programming of the smart parallel gripper system to measure the width of components grasped with the gripper. In addition, details of the system’s components, operation, more advanced uses are discussed. On the automation line, this smart gripper can be used to measure the thickness of work pieces while handling them and classifying these as either acceptable, too large …

Technical And Economic Viability Of Distributed Recycling Of Low-Density Polyethylene Water Sachets Into Waste Composite Pavement Blocks, Celestin Tsala-Mbala, Koami Soulemane Hayibo, Theresa K. Meyer, Nadine Couao-Zotti, Paul Cairns, Joshua M. Pearce

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

In many developing countries, plastic waste management is left to citizens. This usually results in landfilling or hazardous open-air burning, leading to emissions that are harmful to human health and the environment. An easy, profitable, and clean method of processing and transforming the waste into value is required. In this context, this study provides an open-source methodology to transform low-density polyethylene drinking water sachets, into pavement blocks by using a streamlined do-it-yourself approach that requires only modest capital. Two different materials, sand, and ashes are evaluated as additives in plastic composites and the mechanical strength of the resulting blocks are …

Out Of The Blue: Volcanic So2 Emissions During The 2021–2022 Eruptions Of Hunga Tonga—Hunga Ha’Apai (Tonga), S. A. Carn, N. A. Krotkov, B. L. Fisher, C. Li

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

Most volcanism on Earth is submarine, but volcanic gas emissions by submarine eruptions are rarely observed and hence largely unquantified. On 15 January 2022 a submarine eruption of Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai (HTHH) volcano (Tonga) generated an explosion of historic magnitude, and was preceded by ∼1 month of Surtseyan eruptive activity and two precursory explosive eruptions. We present an analysis of ultraviolet (UV) satellite measurements of volcanic sulfur dioxide (SO2) between December 2021 and the climactic 15 January 2022 eruption, comprising an unprecedented record of Surtseyan eruptive emissions. UV measurements from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) on NASA’s Aura satellite, the …

Application Of Fuzzy Logic And Fractal Modeling Approach For Groundwater Potential Mapping In Semi-Arid Akka Basin, Southeast Morocco, Fatima Zahra Echogdali, Said Boutaleb, Rosine Basseu Kpan, Mohammed Ouchchen, Amine Bendarma, Hasna El Ayady, Kamal Abdelrahman, Mohammed S. Fnais, Kochappi Sathyan Sajinkumar, Mohamed Abioui

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

Groundwater potential delineation in the Akka basin, southwest Morocco, has been determined through the combination of geospatial techniques and geological data. The geometric average and expected value are two multi-criteria approaches used to integrate a set of factors–data for which the weights of each factor are assigned using the fuzzy logic function, which transforms values of factors influencing groundwater presence in a range of [0, 1]. The efficiency factors used in this study are the lineament density, node density, drainage density, distance from rivers, distance from lineament, permeability, slope, topographic witness index, plan curvature, and profile curvature. Thereafter, the groundwater …

Flood Hazard Index Application In Arid Catchments: Case Of The Taguenit Wadi Watershed, Lakhssas, Morocco, Mustapha Ikirri, Farid Faik, Fatima Zahra Echogdali, Isabel Margarida Horta Ribeiro Antunes, Mohamed Abioui, Kamal Abdelrahman, Mohammed S. Fnais, Abderrahmane Wanaim, Mouna Id-Belqas, Said Boutaleb, Kochappi Sathyan Sajinkumar, Adolfo Quesada-Román

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

During the last decade, climate change has generated extreme rainfall events triggering flash floods in short periods worldwide. The delimitation of flood zones by detailed mapping generally makes it possible to avoid human and economic losses, especially in regions at high risk of flooding. The Taguenit basin, located in southern Morocco, is a particular case. The mapping of the flood zones of this basin by the method of the Flood Hazard Index (FHI) in a GIS geographic information systems environment was based on the multi-criteria analysis, taking into consideration the seven parameters influencing these extreme phenomena, namely rainfall, slope, flow …

Economic Feasibility Analysis Of Variable-Speed Pumps By Simulating 15 Multiple Water Distribution Systems, Conrad B. Truettner, Brian D. Barkdoll

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

The UN Sustainability Goals address measures to reduce environmental pollution. Water distribution systems (WDSs) use electric energy, which pollutes the atmosphere through, at least partly, the burning of coal. This study simulates, through modeling, variable-speed pumps (VSPs) on 15 different real WDSs on the network solver EPANET and analyzes the payback period. An algorithm is introduced here to select the optimal pump speed pattern to save the most energy while satisfying the constrain of sufficient pressure at all times and all locations. It was found that five of the 15 systems operated unsuccessfully using a VSP, due to the VSP …

Integrated Parametric Graph Closure And Branch-And-Cut Algorithm For Open Pit Mine Scheduling Under Uncertainty, Devendra Joshi, Amol Paithankar, Snehamoy Chatterjee, Sk Md Equeenuddin

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

Open pit mine production scheduling is a computationally expensive large-scale mixed-integer linear programming problem. This research develops a computationally efficient algorithm to solve open pit production scheduling problems under uncertain geological parameters. The proposed solution approach for production scheduling is a two-stage process. The stochastic production scheduling problem is iteratively solved in the first stage after relaxing resource constraints using a parametric graph closure algorithm. Finally, the branch-and-cut algorithm is applied to respect the resource constraints, which might be violated during the first stage of the algorithm. Six small-scale production scheduling problems from iron and copper mines were used to …

Single-Particle Characterization Of Sars-Cov-2 Isoelectric Point And Comparison To Variants Of Interest, Oluwatoyin Areo, Pratik U. Joshi, Mark Obrenovich, Moncef Tayahi, Caryn L. Heldt

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

SARS-CoV-2, the cause of COVID-19, is a new, highly pathogenic coronavirus, which is the third coronavirus to emerge in the past 2 decades and the first to become a global pandemic. The virus has demonstrated itself to be extremely transmissible and deadly. Recent data suggest that a targeted approach is key to mitigating infectivity. Due to the proliferation of cataloged protein and nucleic acid sequences in databases, the function of the nucleic acid, and genetic encoded proteins, we make predictions by simply aligning sequences and exploring their homology. Thus, similar amino acid sequences in a protein usually confer similar biochemical …

Potentials Of Airborne Hyperspectral Aviris-Ng Data In The Exploration Of Base Metal Deposit—A Study In The Parts Of Bhilwara, Rajasthan, Arindam Guha, Uday Kumar Ghosh, Joyasree Sinha, Amin Beiranvand Pour, Ratnakar Bhaisal, Snehamoy Chatterjee, Nikhil Kumar Baranval, Nisha Rani, K. Vinod Kumar, Pamaraju V.N. Rao

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

In this study, we have processed the spectral bands of airborne hyperspectral data of Advanced Visible Infrared Imaging Spectrometer-Next Generation (AVIRIS-NG) data for delineating the surface signatures associated with the base metal mineralization in the Pur-Banera area in the Bhilwara district, Rajasthan, India.The primaryhost rocks of the Cu, Pb, Zn mineralization in the area are Banded Magnetite Quartzite (BMQ), unclassified calcareous silicates, and quartzite. We used ratio images derived from the scale and root mean squares (RMS) error imagesusing the multi-range spectral feature fitting (MRSFF) methodto delineate host rocks from the AVIRIS-NG image. The False Color Composites (FCCs) of different …

Spatially Variable Hydrologic Impact And Biomass Production Tradeoffs Associated With Eucalyptus (E. Grandis) Cultivation For Biofuel Production In Entre Rios, Argentina, Azad Heidari, David Watkins, Alex Mayer, Tamara Propato, Santiago Verón, Diego De Abelleyra

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

Climate change and energy security promote using renewable sources of energy such as biofuels. High woody biomass production achieved from short-rotation intensive plantations is a strategy that is increasing in many parts of the world. However, broad expansion of bioenergy feedstock production may have significant environmental consequences. This study investigates the watershed-scale hydrological impacts of Eucalyptus (E. grandis) plantations for energy production in a humid subtropical watershed in Entre Rios province, Argentina. A Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model was calibrated and validated for streamflow, leaf area index (LAI), and biomass production cycles. The model was used to simulate …

Integration And Optimal Control Of Microcsp With Building Hvac Systems: Review And Future Directions, Mohamed Toub, Chethan Reddy, Rush D. Robinett Iii, Mahdi Shahbakhti

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

Heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems are omnipresent in modern buildings and are responsible for a considerable share of consumed energy and the electricity bill in buildings. On the other hand, solar energy is abundant and could be used to support the building HVAC system through cogeneration of electricity and heat. Micro-scale concentrated solar power (MicroCSP) is a propitious solution for such applications that can be integrated into the building HVAC system to optimally provide both electricity and heat, on-demand via application of optimal control techniques. The use of thermal energy storage (TES) in MicroCSP adds dispatching capabilities to the …

Advancement Of Full-Vector Variable-Temperature Magnetometry For Rock-Magnetic And Paleointensity Applications, Leonid Surovitskii

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Data on the variation of the direction and strength of Earth’s ancient magnetic field (absolute paleointensity) provide crucial information into the mechanisms of the geodynamo and the Earth’s thermal history. However, the use of conventional methods and instrumentation for absolute paleointensity determination has been hampered by physicochemical alteration of the samples caused by multiple high-temperature cycles and long experiment durations. The reliability and efficiency of the measurement process can be improved by the measurement of the full remanent magnetization vector simultaneously with the temperature cycling of a sample. Such as approach can also substantially expand the scope of materials available …

New Horizons For Processing And Utilizing Red Mud, M. Archambo

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Red mud is an industrial slurry waste that is produced as a byproduct of the Bayer process for alumina. The waste is generated in large quantities, up to a ratio of 2:1 against the valued product alumina. Red mud exhibits many chemical and physical properties that categorize it as a hazardous material. Due to the addition of sodium hydroxide in processing, the pH is typically at values close to 13. Small particle size discourages separation from water for disposal, so drying red mud happens over many years.

The pH of red mud can be reduced with inexpensive reagents. Carbon dioxide …

Case Study Of Gravity-Fed Mountain Spring Tap System In Ha Leronti, Lesotho, Africa, Sarah Peterson

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Water security has been declining rapidly in Lesotho, Africa in recent years. Lack of water has led to food insecurity, livestock deaths, and the spread of disease. Rural Basotho depend on rainfall to sustain their livelihoods; however, precipitation variability has recently increased due to climate change. For those who reside in the highlands of Lesotho, mountain springs can be a clean source of water. The tap system in the village of Ha Leronti relies on gravity to distribute water from two mountain springs to the ten village taps and nearby school campus. However, it is incapable of transporting the basic …

The Extraction Of Waxes And Lipids From Sorghum Using Green And Renewable Solvents Followed By Conversion To Biofuels Using Gamma-Valerolactone Pretreatment, Marissa Gallmeyer

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

Plant matter contains waxes and lipids that can be extracted and used or sold as a value-added product prior to conversion of the remaining plant material to biofuels. Wax and lipid extraction of plant materials is currently performed using volatile, non-renewable hydrocarbons, primarily hexane, which is produced from fossil fuels and can pose a health and safety hazard. The purpose of this study is to compare the amount and characteristics of waxes extracted by hexane with those extracted using organic solvents that are less toxic and can be produced from renewable sources.

Sorghum samples were extracted separately with hexane, 2-methyltetrahydrofuran …

A Low-Cost Secure Iot Mechanism For Monitoring And Controlling Polygeneration Microgrids, Josué Martínez-Martínez, Diego Aponte-Roa, Idalides Vergara-Laurens, Wayne Weaver

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

The use of Internet-connected devices at homes has increased to monitor energy consumption. Furthermore, renewable energy sources have also increased, reducing electricity bills. However, the high cost of the equipment limits the use of these technologies. This paper presents a low-cost secured-distributed Internet of Things (IoT) system to monitor and control devices connected in a polygeneration microgrid, as a combined power system for local loads with renewable sources. The proposed mechanism includes a Wireless Sensor Actuator Networked Control System that links network nodes using the IEEE 802.15.4 standard. The Internet communication enables the monitor and control of devices using a …

Water Conservation Potential Of Self-Funded Foam-Based Flexible Surface-Mounted Floatovoltaics, Kaomi Soulemane Hayibo, Pierce Mayville, Ravneet Kaur Kailey

Michigan Tech Publications, Part 1

A potential solution to the coupled water–energy–food challenges in land use is the concept of floating photovoltaics or floatovoltaics (FPV). In this study, a new approach to FPV is investigated using a flexible crystalline silicon-based photovoltaic (PV) module backed with foam, which is less expensive than conventional pontoon-based FPV. This novel form of FPV is tested experimentally for operating temperature and performance and is analyzed for water-savings using an evaporation calculation adapted from the Penman–Monteith model. The results show that the foam-backed FPV had a lower operating temperature than conventional pontoon-based FPV, and thus a 3.5% higher energy output per …