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The Nigerian government is committed to sustaining rice production to meet national demand. Nevertheless, political tension and climate-induced stressors remain crucial constraints in achieving policy targets. This study examines whether climate change and political instability significantly threaten rice production in Nigeria. First, we employed nonparametric methods to estimate the country's rainfall and temperature trends between 1980Q1 and 2015Q4. Second, we employed the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) technique to examine the effects of climate change and political instability on rice production. The results show that while temperature has an increasing pattern, rainfall exhibits no significant trend. The findings from the ARDL estimate reveal that rice production responds negatively to temperature changes but is less sensitive to changes in rainfall. In addition, political instability adversely affects rice production in Nigeria. We argue that Nigeria's slow growth in rice production can be traced back to the impact of climate change and political tension in rice farming areas. As a result, reducing the overall degree of conflict to ensure political stability is critical to boosting the country's self-sufficiency in rice production. We also recommend that farmers be supported and trained to adopt improved rice varieties less prone to extreme climate events while supporting them with irrigation facilities to facilitate rice production.

This paper presents the design of an extended Kalman filter (EKF) as a state-of-charge (SoC) estimator for a lithium–titanate (LTO) battery cell. The design is based on a Thevenin model of the equivalent battery electrical circuit with two parallel resistive-capacitive (RC) elements for the emulation of electrolyte polarization effects. The effectiveness of the proposed SoC estimator is verified through computer simulations on the comprehensive nonlinear battery simulation model featuring battery parameter vs. SoC variations, which is subject to highly dynamic loading regimes.

In this chapter, turbulent flow of water-based optimization (TFWO) inspired based on whirlpools created in turbulent flow of water is used to solve the maximum power point tracking (MPPT) of photovoltaic systems in partial shading conditions. The TFWO is used to determine the optimal duty cycle of the DC/DC converter with the objective of maximizing the extracted power of the photovoltaic system. The capability of proposed method is evaluated in different patterns of partial shading to achieve global optimal power. The simulation results showed that TFWO is able to track the global maximum power point (GMPP), successfully in PSC and also fast climate changing. The TFWO has a better tracking capability with faster tracking speed and accuracy than particle swarm optimization (PSO) in obtaining the GMPP. Moreover, the results indicate that the use of buck–boost converter led to faster and more accurate access to the global optimal point than the system equipped with boost converter. The results showed that photovoltaic system with boost converter cannot obtain global maximum power in climate changing condition and limited the efficiency of the MPPT algorithm, while the photovoltaic system with buck–boost converter could be tracked GMPP due to its wider operating area.

Nanotechnology, and particularly nanoparticles (NPs), command significant attention across diverse fields such as medicine, chemistry, and engineering. NPs are integrated into a base material through various techniques, such as dispersion, coating, and encapsulation. This review intends to offer an evaluation of the implementation of NPs in nuclear energy and radiation protection. Particular focus is given to nanofluids - suspensions of NPs in a base fluid - and their impact on the thermal–hydraulic and neutronic attributes of nuclear reactor cores. Discussion centers on how substituting water with nanofluids as a coolant can modify these characteristics. Computational modeling and experimental methods of nanofluids are examined, highlighting an enhanced heat transfer capacity under both regular and emergency reactor conditions. The influence of nanofluids on neutronic parameters, aiming for optimized operation and safety of nuclear reactors, is also explored. Furthermore, the potential of NPs for radiation shielding is considered, underlining their capability to attenuate radiation effects. Examples are drawn from the addition of NPs to containment structures in nuclear facilities and their use in radiotherapy, as well as enhancing radiation shielding in imaging techniques. Finally, the review encompasses the effects of nanofluids on surface oxidation and corrosion. The importance of these factors lies in their substantial impact on heat transport properties and potential for corrosive damage.