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Slurry transportation is an essential process in numerous industrial applications, widely studied for its efficiency in material conveyance. Despite substantial research, the impact of pipe wall roughness on critical metrics such as pressure drop, specific energy consumption (SEC), and the Nusselt number remains relatively underexplored. This study provides a detailed analysis using a three-dimensional computational model of a slurry pipeline, with a 0.0549 m diameter and 3.8 m length. The model employs an Eulerian multiphase approach coupled with the RNG k-ε turbulence model, assessing slurry concentrations Cw = 40–60% (by weight). Simulations were conducted at flow velocities Vm = 1–5 m/s, with pipe roughness (Rh) ranging between 10 and 50 µm. Computational findings indicate that both pressure drop and SEC increase proportionally with roughness height, Vm, and Cw. Interestingly, the Nusselt number appears unaffected by roughness height, although it rises corresponds to Vm, and Cw. These insights offer a deeper understanding of slurry pipeline dynamics, informing strategies to enhance operational efficiency and performance across various industrial contexts.

Ozone (O3), a major air pollutant, can negatively impact plant growth and yield. While O3 impacts have been widely documented in crops such as wheat and soybean, few studies have looked at the effects of O3 on sorghum, a C4 plant and the fifth most important cereal crop worldwide. We exposed grain sorghum (Sorghum bicolor cv. HAT150843) to a range of O3 concentrations (daytime mean O3 concentrations ranged between 20 and 97 ppb) in open-top chambers, and examined how whole plant and leaf morphological traits varied in response to O3 exposure. Results showed no significant impact of realistic O3 exposure on whole plant biomass and its partitioning in sorghum. These findings suggest that sorghum is generally resistant to O3 and should be considered as a favourable crop in O3 polluted regions, while acknowledging further research is needed to understand the mechanistic basis of O3 tolerance in sorghum.

The study compares the performance parameters of an Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV) equipped with optical navigation, focusing on two solutions: one utilizing reflective optocouplers and the other employing a camera. These components, commonly used in AGV optical navigation systems, differ in factors such as cost and the sophistication of control methods. The primary objective of the research was to evaluate the performance criteria of the analyzed optical navigation methods, with particular attention paid to electricity consumption, power profiles during specific transit tasks, and total transit time. The analysis also investigated two potential installation locations for the reflective optocouplers and the camera on the vehicle. The results indicate that the camera-based optical navigation method is more efficient. Specifically, the average energy consumption was approximately 26% lower when using the camera compared to the reflective optocouplers. Furthermore, the study revealed that the location of the camera had minimal influence on the vehicle’s energy consumption, whereas the location of the reflective optocouplers significantly affected energy usage.

Green hydrogen is a promising energy carrier for the decarbonization of hard-to-abate sectors and supporting renewable energy integration, aligning with carbon neutrality goals like the European Green Deal. Iceland’s abundant renewable energy and decarbonized electricity system position it as a strong candidate for green hydrogen production. Despite early initiatives, its hydrogen economy has yet to significantly expand. This study evaluated Iceland’s hydrogen development through stakeholder interviews and a techno-economic analysis of alkaline and PEM electrolyzers. Stakeholders were driven by decarbonization goals, economic opportunities, and energy security but faced technological, economic, and governance challenges. Recommendations include building stakeholder confidence, financial incentives, and creating hydrogen-based chemicals to boost demand. Currently, alkaline electrolyzers are more cost-effective (EUR 1.5–2.8/kg) than PEMs (EUR 2.1–3.6/kg), though the future costs for both could drop below EUR 1.5/kg. Iceland’s low electricity costs and high electrolyzer capacity provide a competitive edge. However, this advantage may shrink as solar and wind costs decline globally, particularly in regions like Australia. This work’s findings emphasize the need for strategic planning to sustain competitiveness and offer transferable insights for other regions introducing hydrogen into ecosystems lacking infrastructure.

The lowland hay meadows conservation status is increasingly at risk due to improper management and climate change, threatening plant communities, including Arrhenatherion alliance. As a result, species enrichment is required. However, natural plant self-establishment remains challenging due to the high variability in germination, largely caused by climate factors. Thus, a germination test is suggested before directly sowing local seeds in the field. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate how germination characteristics of five local species are affected by the interplay between species and weather factors, specifically mean temperature and total rainfall during seed filling and ripening. During warm, dry periods, the seed mass of Campanula patula L. and Centaurea jacea L. was higher (0.04 g and 1.87 g, respectively), whereas in wet periods, the seed mass of Achillea millefolium L. (0.10 g), Plantago lanceolata L. (1.24 g), and Tragopogon pratensis L. (7.41 g) was higher. The germination capacity was significantly affected by species-specific factors. Seeds of A. millefolium and T. pratensis during wetter years showed higher germination rates than other species, which exhibited the opposite trend. Additionally, a wetter collection period shortened t50 (time required for 50% germination) in all species except A. millefolium and T. pratensis, while C. patula remained unaffected in both years. A positive correlation was observed between seed mass, germination capacity, and speed, while a negative correlation with t50. Hence, an increase in seed mass leads to a reduced t50 duration. According to our findings, seed mass may serve as a reliable predictor of plant establishment in the field.

ABSTRACTThe growing demand for energy in developing societies, coupled with dwindling conventional resources, necessitates the adoption of renewable energy (RE) sources. A comprehensive understanding of these sources and their optimal utilization is crucial. The awareness of the users plays a very important role in the effective utilization of different energy sources. Hence, this study examines the level of RE awareness in Palestine, identifying factors influencing public perception and exploring potential strategies for promoting RE adoption. This awareness depends on different factors related to the users' education level, community type, and type of building. Different factors that affect the willingness and attitude to gain knowledge about RE are presented. In addition, various practices highlighting the increasing level of awareness regarding the adoption of RE sources are investigated. In addition, the status of RE education and its potential impact on engineers have also been discussed. Various individual and institutional efforts are highlighted in the study as strategies to bridge the gap and overcome obstacles to adopting RE sources. Suggestions for better use of these resources have been highlighted. Thereafter, recommendations for effective RE implementation in Palestine are analyzed and conclusions are drawn. The main challenges in integrating RE into Palestine's existing energy grid and system include infrastructure limitations, resources and financial constraints, and political issues. Still, there are possibilities in the form of international collaboration and investment. A flexible and modular RE grid could also address some of these challenges by integrating small‐scale systems that can be scaled up as needed.

In many technological processes, liquids or mixtures of mutually insoluble liquids, suspensions, emulsions, etc., are used as working media. The transformation of the energy supplied to such media and the related effects can be usefully realised not only for the implementation of technological processes but also for their intensification. In this context, an important task in increasing the efficiency of the use of the supplied energy is the analysis of the processes that take place in liquids or their mixtures at the level of thermodynamic saturation. In this work, it is shown that the creation of thermodynamic conditions for local energy transformation in a disperse system significantly increases the intensity of heat and mass transfer processes, and in some technologies, e.g., homogenisation, dispersion can be increased by 2–3 times in comparison with traditional methods at the same energy consumption.