The present study deals with the numerical modelling of hybridlaminated composites, which can be proved especially useful in theengineering and maintenance of advanced aerospace primary structures. Thelamina is comprised of continuous carbon fibers, thermosetting epoxypolymer matrix, as well as carbon nanostructures, such as graphene orcarbon nanotubes, inclusions. Halpin-Tsai equations combined with resultsobtained from nanomechanical analysis are employed in order to evaluatethe elastic properties of the carbon nanostructure/polymer matrix. Then, theobtained elastic properties of the hybrid matrix are used to calculate theorthotropic macro-mechanical properties of the unidirectional compositelamina. A hybrid composite plate is modelled as a 2D structure via theutilization of 4-node, quadrilateral, stress/displacement shell finite elementswith reduced integration formulation. The convergence and analysisaccuracy are tested. The mechanical performance of the hybrid compositesis investigated by considering specific configurations and applyingappropriate loading and boundary conditions. The results are compared withthe corresponding ones found in the open literature, where it is possible.
The city of Amsterdam set the ambitious target of having local zero emission transport in 2025. To achieve thischallenging goal, the network of public charging stations needs to be developed. This expansion will increasethe load on the local electrical network. To avoid overload and instability in the electrical distribution network,smart charging needs to be implemented.During a period of 8 months, from January to Augustus 2018, the Flexpower 1 pilot is one of the 6 pilots of theSEEV4-City project, supported by the North Sea Region Interreg programme.From the 2100 public charging stations present at this time across the city of Amsterdam, 102 were selected fora split-run testing. 50 of the charging stations were used as reference with a constant available charging currentof 25 A. The other 52 were deployed with a time dependent current limitation. During the peak hours, in themorning, from 7:00 to 8:00 and in the evening from 17:00 to 20:00, the current available for the charging stationsis limited to prevent overload. Outside these hours, the current is set to 35 A, a higher value than the referencestations.
İnsan vücudu ile elektromanyetik dalgaların etkileşimi, dokuların ve hücrelerin dielektrik özellikleri gibi faktörlerin yanı sıra diğer etkenler tarafından da şekillenir. Mikrodalga hipertermi ve mikrodalga görüntüleme uygulamalarında, deney ortamı ölçüm düzeneklerinde simülasyon sonuçlarını doğrulamak için doku taklit eden materyallere ihtiyaç vardır. Bu çalışmada hipertermi uygulamalarında kullanılmak üzere kadın memelerine ait bazı doku taklit materyallerinin karakterizasyonu sunulmuştur. Karakterize edilen doku taklit malzemelerinin maliyeti ucuz ve üretim aşamaları kolaydır. Deri, kas, meme yağı ve kanserli dokular ISM bandı 434 MHz'de önerilmektedir. The interaction of electromagnetic waves with the human body is determined by the dielectric properties of tissues and cells along with other considerations. The complex dielectric properties of the materials are very important for the interaction of the electromagnetic waves within the human body. In microwave hyperthermia and microwave imaging applications, there is a need of tissue mimicking materials to validate the simulation results in in vitro measurement setups. In this paper, we presented the characterization of some tissue materials belonging to female breast to be used for hyperthermia applications. The characterized tissue mimicking materials are inexpensive and have simple recipes that are easy to formulate. Skin, muscle, breast fat and cancerous tissues are proposed at ISM band 434 MHz.
Mycelium biocomposites (MBCs) are a fairly new group of materials. MBCs are non-toxic and carbon-neutral cutting-edge circular materials obtained from agricultural residues and fungal mycelium, the vegetative part of fungi. Growing within days without complex processes, they offer versatile and effective solutions for diverse applications thanks to their customizable textures and characteristics achieved through controlled environmental conditions. This project involves a collaboration between MNEXT and First Circular Insulation (FC-I) to tackle challenges in MBC manufacturing, particularly the extended time and energy-intensive nature of the fungal incubation and drying phases. FC-I proposes an innovative deactivation method involving electrical discharges to expedite these processes, currently awaiting patent approval. However, a critical gap in scientific validation prompts the partnership with MNEXT, leveraging their expertise in mycelium research and MBCs. The research project centers on evaluating the efficacy of the innovative mycelium growth deactivation strategy proposed by FC-I. This one-year endeavor permits a thorough investigation, implementation, and validation of potential solutions, specifically targeting issues related to fungal regrowth and the preservation of sustained material properties. The collaboration synergizes academic and industrial expertise, with the dual purpose of achieving immediate project objectives and establishing a foundation for future advancements in mycelium materials.
Epoxy thermosets are extensively used as coatings, adhesives and in structural applications as they typically impart outstanding mechanical and electrical properties as well as chemical resistance. The currently used epoxy thermosets are produced from fossil-based non-recyclable materials. To be able to meet the circularity and sustainability goals set by the EU, this needs to change. Biobased epoxy thermosets from residual streams are considered a promising and urgently needed alternative to regular epoxy thermosets. The Cashew Nut industry could play a significant role in the development of these biobased epoxy thermosets. Global cashew nut production is about 4 million tons/year. The cashew nutshell is currently discarded as waste or used as an inefficient fuel, creating environmental issues. The cashew nutshell contains Cashew Nutshell Liquid (CNSL), which consists of the valuable chemical component cardanol. Cardanol can be used to produce biobased epoxy thermosets with balanced rigid-flexible performance. However, systematic studies about the production, properties, recyclability and commercial opportunities of the cardanol based epoxy thermosets are lacking. In this project consortium partners Avans, RUAS, Maastricht University, TU/e, Nuts2, Charcotec, NPSP, SABA, and Prokol jointly aim to answer the question: How can we develop sustainable and economically viable biobased epoxy thermosets and composites from cashew nutshell residue? First the pyrolysis process will be optimized for the effective production of CNSL. Next, the cardanol in the CNSL will be purified and modified to make the recyclable biobased epoxy thermoset. Finally, by adding biocarbon (which is also produced during the pyrolysis of cashew nutshell) to the biobased epoxy thermoset, a composite with enhanced mechanical, electrical, and thermal properties is expected to be obtained. The success of this project serves as a catalyst for the development of sustainable solutions in the thermoset industry and contribute to a sustainable application of cashew nut residue.
The EU Climate and Energy Policy Framework targets a 40% reduction in Greenhouse Gases (GHGs) emission by companies (when compared to 1990’s values) in 2030 [1]. Preparing for that future, many companies are working to reach climate neutrality in 2030. For water and wastewater treatment plants aeration processes could represent up to 70% of the whole energy consumption of the plant. Thus, a process which must be carefully evaluated if climate neutrality is a target. VortOx is an alternative to reduce power consumption in aeration processes. It is structured to test the applicability of geometrically constrained vortices in a hyperbolic funnel (aka “Schauberger”- funnel) as an innovative aeration technique for this industry. Recent investigations have shown that such systems allow an average of 12x more oxygen transfer coefficients (KLa) than that of comparable methods like air jets or impellers [10]. However, the system has a relatively small hydraulic retention time (HRT), which compromises its standard oxygen transfer ratio (SOTR). Additionally, so far, the system has only been tested in pilot (lab) scale. Vortox will tackle both challenges. Firstly, it will test geometry and flow adaptations to increase HRT keeping the same KLa levels. And secondly, all will be done using a real scale hyperbolic funnel and real effluent from Leeuwarden’s wastewater treatment plant demo-site. If proven feasible, Vortox can be a large step towards climate neutral water and wastewater treatment systems.
