International Journal of Engineering Research in Africa Vol. 67

<!DOCTYPE html> <html lang="en" dir="ltr"> <head> <meta name="format-detection" content="telephone=no"> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0" /> <meta charset="utf-8"> <meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="IE=edge"> <meta name="description" content="The 67th issue of the journal includes articles that present the latest research results in chemical engineering for energy production, friction stir welding of polymers, corrosion rate prediction in pipelines, green building materials and structural mechanics, analysis of opening angle on the efficiency of Michell-Banki turbines without guide blades. There are also described neural networks-based modelling to optimise water productivity of passive solar still and model-based approaches for leak detection in water distribution systems, analysis of photovoltaic systems performance in Moroccan regions and a machine learning scheme for speed prediction in intelligent transportation systems. This volume will be helpful to many engineers in machinery, energy production and construction." /> <link rel="canonical" href="https://www.scientific.net/JERA.67" /> <meta property="og:title" content="International Journal of Engineering Research in Africa Vol. 67 | Scientific.Net" /> <meta property="og:type" content="website" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://www.scientific.net/JERA.67" /> <meta property="og:image" content="/Content/app/scinet5/images/metadata_logo.png" /> <meta property="og:image:type" content="image/png" /> <meta property="og:image:width" content="261" /> <meta property="og:image:height" content="260" /> <meta property="og:image:alt" content="Scientific.Net Logo" /> <title>International Journal of Engineering Research in Africa Vol. 67 | Scientific.Net</title> <link href="/Content/app/scinet5/images/favicon.ico" rel="shortcut icon" /> <link href="/Content/public.min.css?v=BKBihgCkUm340JBGsNjEPtWz8I22CUsubMPC3V1WYzw" rel="stylesheet" /> <link rel="preconnect" href="https://www.google-analytics.com"> <link rel="preconnect" href="https://www.gstatic.com"> <link rel="preconnect" href="https://www.googletagmanager.com"> <link rel="icon" href="/Content/app/scinet5/images/favicon.ico"> <link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="/Content/app/scinet5/images/apple-touch-icon.png"> <link rel="preconnect" href="https://fonts.googleapis.com"> <link rel="preconnect" href="https://fonts.gstatic.com" crossorigin> <link href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Open+Sans+Condensed:300,700%7COpen+Sans:300i,400,400i,600,600i,700&display=swap" rel="stylesheet">    <script> (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start': new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0], j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src= 'https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f); })(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-T3VDKWV');</script>  </head> <body> <noscript>  <iframe src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-T3VDKWV" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe> </noscript> <div class="sc-content-container"> <div class="sc-content"> <div class="header-menu-container"> <div class="identity-menu-container header-menu-container-not-logged-in"> <div class="container"> <div class="row"> <ul class="role-menu"> <li class="user-menu between normal-user-menu"> <div class="hdivider-100"></div> <div class="cart-info"> <a href="https://main.scientific.net/Payment/Cart"> <i class="inline-icon cart-icon-white"></i> <span id="cartInfoTotalItemsCount"></span> </a> </div> <div class="user-menu-login-or-register"> <a href="https://main.scientific.net/Account/Registration?ReturnUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.scientific.net%2FJERA.67" rel="nofollow"> Registration </a> <a href="https://main.scientific.net/Account/Login?ReturnUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.scientific.net%2FJERA.67" rel="nofollow"> Log In </a> </div> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> <div class="header-fluid"> <div class="container"> <div class="row"> <div class="block-header"> <div class="logo-block"> <a href="/" class="application-logo inline-icon logo-icon"></a> <div class="burger-menu-button visible-xs"> <div class="hamburger-box"> <div class="hamburger-inner"></div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="menu-and-search-block"> <div class="burger-menu"> <nav class="burger-menu-items"> <div class="public-menu"> <ul> <li><a href="/ForLibraries">For Libraries</a></li> <li><a href="/ForPublication/Paper">For Publication</a></li> <li><a href="/open-access-partners">Open Access</a></li> <li><a href="/DocuCenter">Downloads</a></li> <li><a href="/Home/AboutUs">About Us</a></li> <li><a href="/Home/Contacts">Contact Us</a></li> </ul> </div> </nav> </div> <div class="header-menu-top"> <div class="header-menu-list"> <a href="/ForLibraries">For Libraries</a> <a href="/ForPublication/Paper">For Publication</a> <a href="/open-access-partners">Open Access</a> <a href="/DocuCenter">Downloads</a> <a href="/Home/AboutUs">About Us</a> <a href="/Home/Contacts">Contact Us</a> </div> </div> <div class="search-block"> <input class="search-control" type="search" placeholder="Search" data-url="/Search"> <button class="button button-95 button-grey search-btn button-simple"> <span class="hidden-xs">Search</span> <i class="inline-icon search-icon-grey visible-xs"></i> </button> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="container-fluid"> <div class="row"> <div class="banner-new"></div> </div> </div> <div class="content"> <div class="container"> <div class="row content-container"> <div class="left-content col-md-4 col-sm-5"> <div class="left-content-first-line icon-container mobile-collapse-button"> <div class="page-name-block underline-begin sibling-name-block"> <div class="page-name-block-text"> Volumes <a class="left-content-expand-button"><i class="inline-icon arrow-right-black no-hover-icon on-focus-arrow-down-black"></i></a> </div> </div> </div> <div class="row mobile-collapse-content"> <a href="/JERA.72" class="normal-large-text icon-container"> <div class="element-list"> <div class="element-list-text"> International Journal of Engineering Research in Africa <br /> <span class="paper-volume-number">Vol. 72</span> </div> <div class="element-list-arrow"> <i class="inline-icon arrow-right-black no-focus-icon on-hover-arrow-left-red"></i> </div> </div> </a> <a href="/JERA.71" class="normal-large-text icon-container"> <div class="element-list"> <div class="element-list-text"> International Journal of Engineering Research in Africa <br /> <span class="paper-volume-number">Vol. 71</span> </div> <div class="element-list-arrow"> <i class="inline-icon arrow-right-black no-focus-icon on-hover-arrow-left-red"></i> </div> </div> </a> <a href="/JERA.70" class="normal-large-text icon-container"> <div class="element-list"> <div class="element-list-text"> International Journal of Engineering Research in Africa <br /> <span class="paper-volume-number">Vol. 70</span> </div> <div class="element-list-arrow"> <i class="inline-icon arrow-right-black no-focus-icon on-hover-arrow-left-red"></i> </div> </div> </a> <a href="/JERA.69" class="normal-large-text icon-container"> <div class="element-list"> <div class="element-list-text"> International Journal of Engineering Research in Africa <br /> <span class="paper-volume-number">Vol. 69</span> </div> <div class="element-list-arrow"> <i class="inline-icon arrow-right-black no-focus-icon on-hover-arrow-left-red"></i> </div> </div> </a> <a href="/JERA.68" class="normal-large-text icon-container"> <div class="element-list"> <div class="element-list-text"> International Journal of Engineering Research in Africa <br /> <span class="paper-volume-number">Vol. 68</span> </div> <div class="element-list-arrow"> <i class="inline-icon arrow-right-black no-focus-icon on-hover-arrow-left-red"></i> </div> </div> </a> <a href="/JERA.67" class="normal-large-text icon-container active-element active"> <div class="element-list"> <div class="element-list-text"> International Journal of Engineering Research in Africa <br /> <span class="paper-volume-number">Vol. 67</span> </div> <div class="element-list-arrow"> <i class="inline-icon arrow-right-black no-focus-icon on-hover-arrow-left-red"></i> </div> </div> </a> <a href="/JERA.66" class="normal-large-text icon-container"> <div class="element-list"> <div class="element-list-text"> International Journal of Engineering Research in Africa <br /> <span class="paper-volume-number">Vol. 66</span> </div> <div class="element-list-arrow"> <i class="inline-icon arrow-right-black no-focus-icon on-hover-arrow-left-red"></i> </div> </div> </a> <a href="/JERA.65" class="normal-large-text icon-container"> <div class="element-list"> <div class="element-list-text"> International Journal of Engineering Research in Africa <br /> <span class="paper-volume-number">Vol. 65</span> </div> <div class="element-list-arrow"> <i class="inline-icon arrow-right-black no-focus-icon on-hover-arrow-left-red"></i> </div> </div> </a> <a href="/JERA.64" class="normal-large-text icon-container"> <div class="element-list"> <div class="element-list-text"> International Journal of Engineering Research in Africa <br /> <span class="paper-volume-number">Vol. 64</span> </div> <div class="element-list-arrow"> <i class="inline-icon arrow-right-black no-focus-icon on-hover-arrow-left-red"></i> </div> </div> </a> <a href="/JERA.63" class="normal-large-text icon-container"> <div class="element-list"> <div class="element-list-text"> International Journal of Engineering Research in Africa <br /> <span class="paper-volume-number">Vol. 63</span> </div> <div class="element-list-arrow"> <i class="inline-icon arrow-right-black no-focus-icon on-hover-arrow-left-red"></i> </div> </div> </a> <a href="/JERA.62" class="normal-large-text icon-container"> <div class="element-list"> <div class="element-list-text"> International Journal of Engineering Research in Africa <br /> <span class="paper-volume-number">Vol. 62</span> </div> <div class="element-list-arrow"> <i class="inline-icon arrow-right-black no-focus-icon on-hover-arrow-left-red"></i> </div> </div> </a> <a href="/JERA.61" class="normal-large-text icon-container"> <div class="element-list"> <div class="element-list-text"> International Journal of Engineering Research in Africa <br /> <span class="paper-volume-number">Vol. 61</span> </div> <div class="element-list-arrow"> <i class="inline-icon arrow-right-black no-focus-icon on-hover-arrow-left-red"></i> </div> </div> </a> <a href="/JERA.60" class="normal-large-text icon-container"> <div class="element-list"> <div class="element-list-text"> International Journal of Engineering Research in Africa <br /> <span class="paper-volume-number">Vol. 60</span> </div> <div class="element-list-arrow"> <i class="inline-icon arrow-right-black no-focus-icon on-hover-arrow-left-red"></i> </div> </div> </a> </div> </div> <div class="right-content col-md-8 col-sm-7 col-xs-12"> <div class="bread-crumbs hidden-xs"> <a class="bread-crumbs-first" href="/">Home</a><i class="inline-icon arrow-breadcrumbs"></i><a class="bread-crumbs-first" href="/JERA">International Journal of Engineering Research in...</a><i class="inline-icon arrow-breadcrumbs"></i><span class="bread-crumbs-second">International Journal of Engineering Research in...</span></div> <div class="page-name-block underline-begin"> <h1 class="page-name-block-text">International Journal of Engineering Research in Africa Vol. 67</h1> </div> <div class="clearfix title-details"> <div class="papers-block-info col-lg-12"> <div class="row"> <div class="info-row-name normal-text-gray col-md-2 col-sm-3 col-xs-4"> <div class="row"> <p>DOI:</p> </div> </div> <div class="info-row-content semibold-middle-text col-md-10 col-sm-9 col-xs-8"> <div class="row"> <p><a href="https://doi.org/10.4028/v-r5UTrt">https://doi.org/10.4028/v-r5UTrt</a></p> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div id="titleMarcXmlLink" style="display: none" class="papers-block-info col-lg-12"> <div class="row"> <div class="info-row-name normal-text-gray col-md-2 col-sm-3 col-xs-4"> <div class="row"> <p>Export:</p> </div> </div> <div class="info-row-content semibold-middle-text col-md-10 col-sm-9 col-xs-8"> <div class="row"> <p><a href="/JERA.67/marc.xml">MARCXML</a></p> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="papers-block-info col-lg-12"> <div class="row"> <div class="info-row-name normal-text-gray col-md-2 col-sm-3 col-xs-4"> <div class="row"> <p>ToC:</p> </div> </div> <div class="info-row-content semibold-middle-text col-md-10 col-sm-9 col-xs-8"> <div class="row"> <p><a href="/JERA.67_toc.pdf">Table of Contents</a></p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="volume-tabs"> </div> <div class=""> <div class="volume-papers-page"> <div class="block-search-pagination clearfix"> <div class="block-search-volume"> <input id="paper-search" type="search" placeholder="Search" maxlength="65"> </div> <div class="pagination-container"><ul class="pagination"><li class="active"><span>1</span></li><li><a href="/JERA.67/2">2</a></li><li class="PagedList-skipToNext"><a href="/JERA.67/2" rel="next">></a></li></ul></div> </div> <div class="block-volume-title normal-text-gray"> <p> Paper Title <span>Page</span> </p> </div> <div class="item-block"> <div class="item-link"> <a href="/JERA.67.1">Recovery of Flared Natural Gas with High CO<sub>2</sub> Content Using SOFC CHP System: Feasibility Study for Neem-Field, Sudan</a> </div> <div class="item-link volume-authors"> <div class="semibold-middle-text"> Authors: Mohammed I. Bargo </div> </div> <div id="abstractTextBlock599506" class="volume-info volume-info-text volume-info-description"> Abstract: Flared natural gas emissions are one of the main sources of environmental pollution and global warming. To recover this gas, the presence of impurities like CO<sub>2</sub> in high concentrations forces oil producers to escape from investing in such intensive processing. Several implementations of no flaring methods have been reported in the literature, however, there have been limited concerning the bulk-CO<sub>2</sub> natural gases. This research developed an innovative idea for the use of the SOFC CHP system to recover flared bulk-CO<sub>2</sub> associated gas of Neem-Field in Western Sudan. The exergy of the system and the performance of the SOFCs are investigated in this paper, in addition to environmental and economic analysis. The simulation (Cycle-Tempo<sup>©</sup>) results demonstrate that the proposed system can generate 1 MW electrical power and 0.068 MW thermal energy with efficiency approached 43.3% (based on LHV). The exergy analysis showed that 38% of system losses occurred in the air preheaters. Instead of conventional gas-burning, recovering the flared gas reduced the equivalent CO<sub>2</sub> GHGs emissions by 80%. Overall, the novel solution found to be environmentally friendly, and economically appealing with a total capital investment estimated to be US$1.175 million and a cost of electricity (COE) of 4.07 cents per kWh. </div> <div> <a data-readmore="{ block: '#abstractTextBlock599506', lines: 2, expandText: '...more', collapseText: '...less' }"></a> </div> <div class="page-number semibold-large-text"> 1 </div> </div> <div class="item-block"> <div class="item-link"> <a href="/JERA.67.17">Effect of Water Cooling on the Microhardness of Friction Stir Welded High-Density Polyethylene Sheets: Experimental Study</a> </div> <div class="item-link volume-authors"> <div class="semibold-middle-text"> Authors: Boudjellel Moulai Ali, Djilali Bouha, Abdellah Kaou, El Bahri Ould Chikh, Hadj Miloud Meddah, Athmane Khalifa Bouha </div> </div> <div id="abstractTextBlock603174" class="volume-info volume-info-text volume-info-description"> Abstract: The objective of the current work is to analyze the influence of water cooling of high density polyethylene (HDPE) sheet welding by friction stir process (FSW) on mechanical strength, based on microhardness tests. In the present work, the process using the conventional tool (C-FSW) is presented with the new procedure developed for FSW for HDPE, called water conventional friction stir welding (W-FSW). Test results for water-cooled and non-cooled welded samples were compared. HDPE sheets were initially welded by FSW process, and intensive water cooling was performed to weld after the tool exceeded the initial welding position by 30mm. The tool rotation speed of 1100 rpm and welding speed of 26 mm/min was used. The results were compared and evaluated with the hardness tests. A decrease in the hardness was observed when the sheets were treated by quenching, especially in the weld cores. It was found that the average hardness was much lower than that of untreated welded plates. Additionally, there is a region outside the core that has more or less the same stiffness value. The use of intensive quenching and conventional tooling has proven to be of great importance in improving surface finish, reducing defects, and increasing the mechanical strength of welds. The resulting recrystallization modified the hardness and thus increased the efficiency of the joint. These findings indicate the welding quality of the studied polyethylene. </div> <div> <a data-readmore="{ block: '#abstractTextBlock603174', lines: 2, expandText: '...more', collapseText: '...less' }"></a> </div> <div class="page-number semibold-large-text"> 17 </div> </div> <div class="item-block"> <div class="item-link"> <a href="/JERA.67.27">Corrosion Rate Prediction in Oil and Gas Pipelines Based on Multiphase Flow Modelling</a> </div> <div class="item-link volume-authors"> <div class="semibold-middle-text"> Authors: Martins Obaseki, Peter B. Alfred, Paul T. Elijah, Silas Oseme Okuma </div> </div> <div id="abstractTextBlock601398" class="volume-info volume-info-text volume-info-description"> Abstract: Corrosion has severe consequences for the integrity of pipelines used in the petroleum industry. Modelling and optimising the parameters of a circulating fluid are two of the numerous methods for combating corrosion. The objective of this study was to develop a multiphase flow simulation model for estimating the corrosion rate of oil and gas pipelines, considering the erosional effect. In addition to carbon dioxide (CO<sub>2</sub>) and hydrogen sulphide (H<sub>2</sub>S) corrosion, the present model also takes into account the impacts of chloride concentrations. The current model evaluates and reflects a comprehensive understanding of corrosion in a saline environment, making it readily applicable for estimating corrosion rates for industrial applications. The model's results indicate a prediction accuracy of about 85%. Field data gathered under a broad range of environmental conditions confirms the model's prediction accuracy. The predictions from the present model are in good agreement with the field data. In addition, the present model was found to be more effective than the model created by Dewaard and Milliam. This research is likely to have widespread applications in the oil and gas industry for predicting more accurate corrosion rates. </div> <div> <a data-readmore="{ block: '#abstractTextBlock601398', lines: 2, expandText: '...more', collapseText: '...less' }"></a> </div> <div class="page-number semibold-large-text"> 27 </div> </div> <div class="item-block"> <div class="item-link"> <a href="/JERA.67.49">Evaluating Thermal Performance and Environmental Impact of Compressed Earth Blocks with Cocos and Canarium Aggregates: A Study in Douala, Cameroon</a> </div> <div class="item-link volume-authors"> <div class="semibold-middle-text"> Authors: Bernard Morino Ganou Koungang, Luc Courard, Ulrich Tatchum Defo, Dieunedort Ndapeu, Ebénézer Njeugna, Shady Attia </div> </div> <div id="abstractTextBlock600974" class="volume-info volume-info-text volume-info-description"> Abstract: A novel low-cost earthen construction system integrating biosourced aggregates is proposed for houses’ erection of low-income households. This study is based on in-situ measurements on two representative test cells constructed in Douala, with a typical hot and humid climate. One of these buildings is made with a hollow cement block as a reference, and the other with biosourced earth bricks modified with Cocos nucifera and Canarium schweinfurthii aggregates. Dynamic thermal simulations of the two test cells were performed using the EnergyPlus building performance simulation program. The results are based on measuring air temperature and humidity, and the simulation leads to defining the discomfort hours and the annual energy consumption. The adaptive ASHRAE 55 thermal comfort model was used to evaluate the comfort conditions. The results show that air conditioning systems provide the best comfort systems with minimums of about 95% for plastered and unplastered wall construction systems. Biosourced compressed earth brick constructions offered the best thermal performance with comfort ranges of around 96% and 44% for air conditioning and natural ventilation, respectively. In terms of energy consumed, there was a gain of about 100 kWh over the year. Energy consumption is lower in the biosourced compressed earth brick building than in the hollowed cement block building: this one offered the lowest comfort range of about 40% in natural ventilation. The construction provisions were considered for the life cycle assessment, and two scenarios describing the origin of the cement raw materials were considered. It can be seen that cement accounts for more than 95% of the impacts for both construction systems, as well as for the scenarios of its origin. In all situations, the hollowed cement block construction presented the highest impact on the global warming potential: 66 KgCO<sub>2</sub>eq and 89 KgCO<sub>2</sub>eq, respectively, without plaster and with plaster. It can also be seen that the plastered layer had a carbon footprint (in terms of Green House Gas Emissions (GHG emissions)) of almost 40% on the overall functional unit. Canarium Schweinfurthii and Cocos Nucifera materials accounted for only 1% of the overall impact. </div> <div> <a data-readmore="{ block: '#abstractTextBlock600974', lines: 2, expandText: '...more', collapseText: '...less' }"></a> </div> <div class="page-number semibold-large-text"> 49 </div> </div> <div class="item-block"> <div class="item-link"> <a href="/JERA.67.67">Optimization of the Impact of Dune Sand, Recycled Rubber Aggregates, and Clay Brick Waste on Eco-Mortar Mechanical Strength by the Taguchi Method</a> </div> <div class="item-link volume-authors"> <div class="semibold-middle-text"> Authors: Mohamed Zohair Kaab, Brahim Athamnia, Tarek Djedid, Hamad Khelaifa </div> </div> <div id="abstractTextBlock606645" class="volume-info volume-info-text volume-info-description"> Abstract: Utilizing local materials and recycling waste has the potential to yield both ecological and economic advantages in the field of construction materials. In this context, the object of this work is to apply Taguchi's design of experiments on cement eco-mortar, which were designed using an L-9 orthogonal array, to optimize and model the effect of dune sand of the El Oued region, rubber aggregates, and crushed clay brick waste on the mechanical strength at 28 days. The different interactions were also investigated between the factors targeted in our study, namely: dune sand (DS) content, rubber aggregates (RA) content, and brick waste (BW) content. The results of the analysis of variation (ANOVA) as well as the mathematical models developed in this study showed that the BW factor content has a positive effect on compressive strength and a negative effect on flexural strength. In addition, the interactions between DS and BW contents and between RA and BW contents have a negative effect on the compressive strength of eco-mortar. With regard to flexural strength, the results showed that the interaction between the factors DS and RA contents has a negative effect on flexural strength, in contrast to the interaction between the RA and BW contents, which has a positive effect. </div> <div> <a data-readmore="{ block: '#abstractTextBlock606645', lines: 2, expandText: '...more', collapseText: '...less' }"></a> </div> <div class="page-number semibold-large-text"> 67 </div> </div> <div class="item-block"> <div class="item-link"> <a href="/JERA.67.79">Studying the Effects of Opening Size and Location on Punching Shear Resistance of Flat Slabs Using ANSYS V.19</a> </div> <div class="item-link volume-authors"> <div class="semibold-middle-text"> Authors: Naglaa G. Fahmy, Hanaa Gamal Mohammed, Lailah M. Abd el-Hafez, Alaa Y. Abouelezz </div> </div> <div id="abstractTextBlock601962" class="volume-info volume-info-text volume-info-description"> Abstract: To validate the accuracy of ANSYS V.19, an experimental model based on a previous study was used to determine the typical values of crack pattern, ultimate load, and deflection. The model was a flat slab with an internal column with dimensions of 1000 × 1000 × 100 mm³. Four groups used a slab with an edge column in parametric research. The first group studied the opening size relative to the column face. The second group of specimens studied opening sizes close to column corners. The third group consisted of four specimens: two had openings in front of the column face and two in front of the column corner to study how opening distance affected flat slab behaviour. The fourth group examined the optimum opening arrangement in slabs with two openings around the column. The findings showed that flat slab openings at the column corner had higher ultimate load capacity than those at the column face; however, increasing opening dimensions beyond the column dimension decreases punching shear capacity. If the column needs two openings, place them on opposite faces or near the corners; this minimizes ultimate load reduction. </div> <div> <a data-readmore="{ block: '#abstractTextBlock601962', lines: 2, expandText: '...more', collapseText: '...less' }"></a> </div> <div class="page-number semibold-large-text"> 79 </div> </div> <div class="item-block"> <div class="item-link"> <a href="/JERA.67.101">Numerical Study of the Opening Angle Incidence in Michell-Banki Turbine’s Performance without Guide Blades</a> </div> <div class="item-link volume-authors"> <div class="semibold-middle-text"> Authors: Freddy Sotto Capera, Juan Gonzalo Ardila Marín, Camila Cerquera Sandoval </div> </div> <div id="abstractTextBlock600894" class="volume-info volume-info-text volume-info-description"> Abstract: Technologies that take advantage of alternative sources, such as Michell-Banki turbines, can improve electric power conditions in rural or non-interconnected areas with low environmental impact, but they need to be further studied to better understand their phenomenology and ways to increase their performance. The numerical evaluation of rotors under specific operating conditions results in efficiency curves for the evaluated prototypes such that devices that take full advantage of the flow conditions of a given location are proposed. Considering the above, the main objective of this work was to design the rotor and the injector of a Michell-Banki turbine and to evaluate it numerically for the conditions of 0.24 m<sup>3</sup>/s and 18 m of head available at a point with potential energy use in the irrigation district Canal Iguá in Huila - Colombia. The design was made following OLADE recommendations, and the simulations were made utilizing computational fluid dynamics, the k- ω turbulence model was used and the torque was monitored, then the GCI and TCI were calculated to establish the numerical uncertainty of the results. Finally, the numerical curves of efficiency versus rotor speed were created. Both the design and simulation results show that the design is feasible for the operating conditions and meets the expectations of serving for the installation of a 20 kW micro-hydroelectric power plant at the site, but the design predicted an atypically high 86.3% efficiency, while the simulation reported an atypically low 51.8%, being 78% the average reported according to OLADE. </div> <div> <a data-readmore="{ block: '#abstractTextBlock600894', lines: 2, expandText: '...more', collapseText: '...less' }"></a> </div> <div class="page-number semibold-large-text"> 101 </div> </div> <div class="item-block"> <div class="item-link"> <a href="/JERA.67.123">Deep Neural Networks Based Modeling to Optimize Water Productivity of a Passive Solar Still</a> </div> <div class="item-link volume-authors"> <div class="semibold-middle-text"> Authors: Soufiane Halimi, Noureddine Cherrad, Mohammed Mustapha Belhadj, Abderrahim Belloufi, Mounira Chelgham, Fares Mouissi, Youcef Messaoudi, Soufiane Touati, Khadra Aliouat </div> </div> <div id="abstractTextBlock604645" class="volume-info volume-info-text volume-info-description"> Abstract: Solar stills (SSs) have emerged as highly efficient solutions for converting saline or contaminated water into potable water, addressing a critical need for water purification. This study aims to predict and optimize SS performance, emphasizing the importance of enhancing productivity in various applications, including domestic, agricultural, and industrial settings. Several influencing factors, such as sunlight intensity, ambient temperature, wind speed, and structural design, are crucial in determining SS performance. By harnessing the power of contemporary machine learning techniques, this study adopts Deep Neural Networks, with a special emphasis on the Multilayer Perceptron (MLP) model, aiming to more accurately predict SS output. The research presents a head-to-head comparison of diverse hyperparameter optimization techniques, with Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) notably outpacing the rest when combined with MLP. This optimized PSO-MLP model was particularly proficient when paired with a specific type of solar collector, registering impressive metrics like a COD of 0.98167 and an MSE of 0.00006. To summarize, this research emphasizes the transformative potential of integrating sophisticated computational models in predicting and augmenting SS performance, laying the groundwork for future innovations in this essential domain of water purification. </div> <div> <a data-readmore="{ block: '#abstractTextBlock604645', lines: 2, expandText: '...more', collapseText: '...less' }"></a> </div> <div class="page-number semibold-large-text"> 123 </div> </div> <div class="item-block"> <div class="item-link"> <a href="/JERA.67.159">Model-Based Approach for Leak Detection and Localization in Water Distribution Networks: A Literature Survey</a> </div> <div class="item-link volume-authors"> <div class="semibold-middle-text"> Authors: Thabane H. Shabangu, Yskandar Hamam, Jaco A. Jordaan, Kazeem B. Adedeji </div> </div> <div id="abstractTextBlock603946" class="volume-info volume-info-text volume-info-description"> Abstract: Water loss poses a significant problem for water utilities and has received a lot of attention. To fulfill the increasing global demand for water, water supply system operations must be streamlined, making leak detection and location crucial. Water utilities have developed a number of techniques over time for finding leaks in water distribution networks (WDNs). These methodologies range from simple visual inspection to the use of hardware systems and now software using models and algorithms. Data from flow or pressure measurements, which are required for the analysis of water networks, is becoming more readily available with the introduction of intelligent sensor devices. Along with the introduction of geographic information systems (GIS) and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) in the water sector, the deployment of model-driven methodologies for leak detection and localization has found extensive use. This paper aims to provide a concise introductory reference for early researchers in the development of a model-based approach for leak detection in WDNs. Thus, a survey of model-based approaches is presented, along with current research trends and applications of model-driven methodologies for leak detection in water supply networks. Several model-driven approaches and research studies for each case are discussed. Some challenges and research gaps are also discussed. </div> <div> <a data-readmore="{ block: '#abstractTextBlock603946', lines: 2, expandText: '...more', collapseText: '...less' }"></a> </div> <div class="page-number semibold-large-text"> 159 </div> </div> <div class="item-block"> <div class="item-link"> <a href="/JERA.67.189">Comparative Analysis of Energy Production and Simulation Software for Photovoltaic Systems in Multiple Moroccan Sites</a> </div> <div class="item-link volume-authors"> <div class="semibold-middle-text"> Authors: Younes Faouzi, Omkaltoume El Fatni, Abderrahim Maftouh, Bouchra Laarabi, Abdelfettah Barhdadi </div> </div> <div id="abstractTextBlock603757" class="volume-info volume-info-text volume-info-description"> Abstract: This paper presents a comprehensive study conducted as part of the Propre.ma's project, comparing data from several identical photovoltaic systems installed at multiple sites in Morocco. The project capitalizes on twenty distinct locations equipped with the same solar photovoltaic system and three varieties of solar modules (Mono-si, Poly-si, and Amorphous-si) with nearly identical rated power (2kWp) and a standardized 2 kW inverter. The main objectives are to compare the energy production of different solar photovoltaic systems over two years (2015 to 2016) and to assess the performance of PVsyst and SAM simulation software, renowned for their precision. The study reveals that Mono-si and Poly-si systems produce higher energy outputs than Amorphous-si. Moreover, PVsyst demonstrates closer alignment with real-world energy production rates across all technologies (Mono-si, Poly-si, and Amorphous-si) compared to SAM. This research represents a pioneering effort in evaluating simulation software for photovoltaic systems deployed across multiple sites, providing valuable insights for future solar energy projects and technological advancements. </div> <div> <a data-readmore="{ block: '#abstractTextBlock603757', lines: 2, expandText: '...more', collapseText: '...less' }"></a> </div> <div class="page-number semibold-large-text"> 189 </div> </div> <div class="block-bottom-pagination"> <div class="pager-info"> <p>Showing 1 to 10 of 11 Paper Titles</p> </div> <div class="pagination-container"><ul class="pagination"><li class="active"><span>1</span></li><li><a href="/JERA.67/2">2</a></li><li class="PagedList-skipToNext"><a href="/JERA.67/2" rel="next">></a></li></ul></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="social-icon-popup"> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Scientific.Net.Ltd/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" title="Scientific.Net"><i class="inline-icon facebook-popup-icon social-icon"></i></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Scientific_Net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" title="Scientific.Net"><i class="inline-icon twitter-popup-icon social-icon"></i></a> <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/scientificnet/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" title="Scientific.Net"><i class="inline-icon linkedin-popup-icon social-icon"></i></a> </div> </div> <div class="sc-footer"> <div class="footer-fluid"> <div class="container"> <div class="row"> <div class="footer-menu col-md-12 col-sm-12 col-xs-12"> <ul class="list-inline menu-font"> <li><a href="/ForLibraries">For Libraries</a></li> <li><a href="/ForPublication/Paper">For Publication</a></li> <li><a href="/insights" target="_blank">Insights</a></li> <li><a href="/DocuCenter">Downloads</a></li> <li><a href="/Home/AboutUs">About Us</a></li> <li><a href="/PolicyAndEthics/PublishingPolicies">Policy & Ethics</a></li> <li><a href="/Home/Contacts">Contact Us</a></li> <li><a href="/Home/Imprint">Imprint</a></li> <li><a href="/Home/PrivacyPolicy">Privacy Policy</a></li> <li><a href="/Home/Sitemap">Sitemap</a></li> <li><a href="/Conferences">All Conferences</a></li> <li><a href="/special-issues">All Special Issues</a></li> <li><a href="/news/all">All News</a></li> <li><a href="/open-access-partners">Open Access Partners</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="line-footer"></div> <div class="footer-fluid"> <div class="container"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-xs-12"> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Scientific.Net.Ltd/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" title="Scientific.Net"><i class="inline-icon facebook-footer-icon social-icon"></i></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Scientific_Net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" title="Scientific.Net"><i class="inline-icon twitter-footer-icon social-icon"></i></a> <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/scientificnet/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" title="Scientific.Net"><i class="inline-icon linkedin-footer-icon social-icon"></i></a> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="line-footer"></div> <div class="footer-fluid"> <div class="container"> <div class="row"> <div class="col-xs-12 footer-copyright"> <p> © 2025 Trans Tech Publications Ltd. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies. For open access content, terms of the Creative Commons licensing CC-BY are applied. <br />Scientific.Net is a registered trademark of Trans Tech Publications Ltd. </p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <a class="scrollTop inline-icon scroll-top-icon" href="#" style="display: none"></a> </div> <script src="/Scripts/public.min.js?v=BtSq2PJEHRTW2PekpQGgIQKs7-OSPiKhsoI9rMs6kTU"></script> <script> $(function () { $("#paper-search").autocomplete({ minLength: 1, source: '/Title/Search?kurzel=JERA&volumeBegin=67&volumeEnd=67', delay: 200, select: function (event, ui) { window.location.href = ui.item.url; } }); }); </script> <script asp-render-component-scripts> $(function () { $.get("/Title/ShowMarcXmlLink") .done(function (showMarcXmlLink) { if (showMarcXmlLink) { $("#titleMarcXmlLink").show(); } }); }); Scinet.public = (function () { function loadCartInfo(onLoad) { var formatCartItemCount = function (count) { var format = (count > 1 || count === 0) ? "{0} items" : "{0} item"; $("#cartInfoTotalItemsCount").html(Scinet.stringFormat(format, count)); }, cookieCartItemCount = Cookies.get("Scinet5.CartItemsCount"); if (onLoad && cookieCartItemCount != null) { formatCartItemCount(parseInt(cookieCartItemCount, 10)); } else { $.ajax({ url: "/Cart/GetItemsCount", cache: false }) .done( function (count) { Cookies.set("Scinet5.CartItemsCount", count, { domain: ".scientific.net", secure: true }); formatCartItemCount(count); }); } } return { loadCartInfo: loadCartInfo }; })(); $(function () { Scinet.public.loadCartInfo(true); $("[data-add-book-to-cart]").on("click", function (e) { e.preventDefault(); var data = $(this).data("add-book-to-cart"); console.log(data); var url = "/Cart/AddBook"; $.post(url, data) .done( function () { Scinet.public.loadCartInfo(); $("#addToCart").modal(); }) .fail( function (xhr) { Scinet.error(xhr.responseText); }); }) }); </script> <script> var $buoop = { required: { e: 11, f: -6, o: -6, s: -3, c: -6 }, insecure: false, unsupported: false, api: 2019.11, reminder: 0, onshow: function () { window.browserUpdateOutdated = true; } }; function $buo_f() { var e = document.createElement("script"); e.src = "//browser-update.org/update.min.js"; document.body.appendChild(e); }; try { document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", $buo_f, false) } catch (e) { window.attachEvent("onload", $buo_f) } </script>   <script> window.clientErrorLogActionUrl = "/Errors/LogClientError"; </script> </body> </html>

CINXE.COM

International Journal of Engineering Research in Africa Vol. 67 | Scientific.Net