Hugo Muñoz, Paulo Molina, Ignacio A. Urzúa-Parra, Diego A. Vasco, Magdalena Walczak, Gonzalo Rodríguez-Grau, Francisco Chateau, Mamié Sancy
Cellulose and paper produce significant waste such as ash, activated sludge, and sludge from the pulp and paper industry. Depending on the raw material, legislation, and subprocesses, these sludges contain around 30–50% organic matter, mainly composed of less than 0.02 mm cellulose fibers and hemicellulose and lignin. This work used sludge from the pulp and paper industry as a substrate for manufacturing mycelium-based biomaterials using the white rot fungus Trametes versicolor. Chemical and surface analyses revealed the formation of new materials. Acoustic impedance analyses revealed that these materials have a noise reduction coefficient and sound absorption average comparable to extruded polystyrene and polyurethane. In addition, the material’s thermal conductivity was near that of sheep wool. Therefore, the biomaterials fabricated using sludge and Trametes versicolor have the potential to be a game-changer in the industry as promising thermoacoustic insulators.
{"title":"Applicability of Paper and Pulp Industry Waste for Manufacturing Mycelium-Based Materials for Thermoacoustic Insulation","authors":"Hugo Muñoz, Paulo Molina, Ignacio A. Urzúa-Parra, Diego A. Vasco, Magdalena Walczak, Gonzalo Rodríguez-Grau, Francisco Chateau, Mamié Sancy","doi":"10.3390/su16188034","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/su16188034","url":null,"abstract":"Cellulose and paper produce significant waste such as ash, activated sludge, and sludge from the pulp and paper industry. Depending on the raw material, legislation, and subprocesses, these sludges contain around 30–50% organic matter, mainly composed of less than 0.02 mm cellulose fibers and hemicellulose and lignin. This work used sludge from the pulp and paper industry as a substrate for manufacturing mycelium-based biomaterials using the white rot fungus Trametes versicolor. Chemical and surface analyses revealed the formation of new materials. Acoustic impedance analyses revealed that these materials have a noise reduction coefficient and sound absorption average comparable to extruded polystyrene and polyurethane. In addition, the material’s thermal conductivity was near that of sheep wool. Therefore, the biomaterials fabricated using sludge and Trametes versicolor have the potential to be a game-changer in the industry as promising thermoacoustic insulators.","PeriodicalId":22183,"journal":{"name":"Sustainability","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2024-09-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142180756","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The monitoring of maize health status is crucial for achieving sustainable agricultural development. Canopy nitrogen content (CNC) is essential for the synthesis of proteins and chlorophyll in maize leaves and, thus, significantly influences maize growth and yield. In this study, we developed a CNC spectral estimation model based on transform-based dynamic spectral indices (TDSI) and the random forest (RF) algorithm, enabling the rapid monitoring of CNC in maize canopy leaves. A total of 60 maize canopy leaf samples and the corresponding field canopy spectra were collected. Subsequently, the canopy spectra data were transformed using centralization transformation (CT), first derivative (D1), second derivative (D2), detrend transformation (DT), and min-max normalization (MMN) methods. Three types of band combination methods (band difference, band ratio, and normalized difference) were used to construct the TDSIs. Finally, the optimal TDSI was selected and used as the independent variable, and the measured CNC was used as the dependent variable to build a CNC spectral estimation model based on the RF algorithm. Results indicated that (1) TDSIs can more accurately characterize the CNC in maize, with a correlation coefficient approximately 102% higher than those of raw spectral bands. (2) The optimal TDSIs included TDSI1247,1249CT-RI, TDSI625,641CT-NDI, TDSI540,703D1-RI, TDSI514,540D1-RI, TDSI514,530D1-DI, TDSI540,697D1-NDI, TDSI970,1357D2-DI, TDSI523,1031D2-NDI, TDSI617,620DT-RI, and TDSI2109,2127MMN-NDI. (3) The CNC spectral estimation model based on the optimal TDSIs, and the RF algorithm achieved accuracy indices with R2 and RPIQ of 0.92 and 4.99, respectively, representing a maximum improvement of approximately 67.27% over the traditional CNC spectral estimation model (based on the R2 value). This study provides an approach for the rapid and accurate estimation of CNC in maize, contributing to the sustainable development of agriculture.
{"title":"Estimating the Canopy Nitrogen Content in Maize by Using the Transform-Based Dynamic Spectral Indices and Random Forest","authors":"Shuting Yang, Jianbei Li, Ji Li, Xuejian Zhang, Cong Ma, Zhengyu Liu, Mengyan Ren","doi":"10.3390/su16188011","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/su16188011","url":null,"abstract":"The monitoring of maize health status is crucial for achieving sustainable agricultural development. Canopy nitrogen content (CNC) is essential for the synthesis of proteins and chlorophyll in maize leaves and, thus, significantly influences maize growth and yield. In this study, we developed a CNC spectral estimation model based on transform-based dynamic spectral indices (TDSI) and the random forest (RF) algorithm, enabling the rapid monitoring of CNC in maize canopy leaves. A total of 60 maize canopy leaf samples and the corresponding field canopy spectra were collected. Subsequently, the canopy spectra data were transformed using centralization transformation (CT), first derivative (D1), second derivative (D2), detrend transformation (DT), and min-max normalization (MMN) methods. Three types of band combination methods (band difference, band ratio, and normalized difference) were used to construct the TDSIs. Finally, the optimal TDSI was selected and used as the independent variable, and the measured CNC was used as the dependent variable to build a CNC spectral estimation model based on the RF algorithm. Results indicated that (1) TDSIs can more accurately characterize the CNC in maize, with a correlation coefficient approximately 102% higher than those of raw spectral bands. (2) The optimal TDSIs included TDSI1247,1249CT-RI, TDSI625,641CT-NDI, TDSI540,703D1-RI, TDSI514,540D1-RI, TDSI514,530D1-DI, TDSI540,697D1-NDI, TDSI970,1357D2-DI, TDSI523,1031D2-NDI, TDSI617,620DT-RI, and TDSI2109,2127MMN-NDI. (3) The CNC spectral estimation model based on the optimal TDSIs, and the RF algorithm achieved accuracy indices with R2 and RPIQ of 0.92 and 4.99, respectively, representing a maximum improvement of approximately 67.27% over the traditional CNC spectral estimation model (based on the R2 value). This study provides an approach for the rapid and accurate estimation of CNC in maize, contributing to the sustainable development of agriculture.","PeriodicalId":22183,"journal":{"name":"Sustainability","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2024-09-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142180896","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The purpose of this study is to conduct a literature review on urban last-mile logistics in the context of smart cities to help with defining the industry in new ways which involve space-wise innovations and the use of new technologies such as robotics, drones, IoT etc., toward a sustainable future. This literature review follows the SALSA approach and the CASP checklist, as well as several inclusion criteria for article collection. The results highlight the positive role of the industry 4.0 technologies and the role of smart cities in alleviating the last-mile logistics problem, while pinpointing that new initiatives such as dark stores and micro-fulfilment centers can also be a positive determinant of a more sustainable urban life. This is an original literature review which combines many important elements that come together in the context of smart cities and try to give some new perspectives to their last-mile logistics from viewpoints that have never been used before in similar research works. In addition, it can be used as a yardstick for future researchers who might try to dig dipper into the context of last-mile logistics, especially in smart cities.
{"title":"Sustainability and New Technologies: Last-Mile Delivery in the Context of Smart Cities","authors":"Karaoulanis Andreas","doi":"10.3390/su16188037","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/su16188037","url":null,"abstract":"The purpose of this study is to conduct a literature review on urban last-mile logistics in the context of smart cities to help with defining the industry in new ways which involve space-wise innovations and the use of new technologies such as robotics, drones, IoT etc., toward a sustainable future. This literature review follows the SALSA approach and the CASP checklist, as well as several inclusion criteria for article collection. The results highlight the positive role of the industry 4.0 technologies and the role of smart cities in alleviating the last-mile logistics problem, while pinpointing that new initiatives such as dark stores and micro-fulfilment centers can also be a positive determinant of a more sustainable urban life. This is an original literature review which combines many important elements that come together in the context of smart cities and try to give some new perspectives to their last-mile logistics from viewpoints that have never been used before in similar research works. In addition, it can be used as a yardstick for future researchers who might try to dig dipper into the context of last-mile logistics, especially in smart cities.","PeriodicalId":22183,"journal":{"name":"Sustainability","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2024-09-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142180824","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This study explores the potential of biochar derived from microwave-assisted catalytic pyrolysis of solid digestate as an additive to enhance the stability and performance of the anaerobic digestion process. The focus was placed on the effects of biochar dosage, pyrolysis temperature, and pyrolysis catalyst on methane production. Biochemical methane potential (BMP) tests using synthetic food waste as the substrate revealed a dosage-dependent relationship with specific methane yield (SMY). At a low biochar dosage of 0.1 g/g total solids (TS), improvement in methane (CH4) production was marginal, whereas a high dosage of 0.6 g/g TS increased CH4 content by at least 10% and improved yield by 35–52%. ANOVA analysis indicated that biochar dosage level significantly influenced CH4 yield, while pyrolysis temperature (400 °C vs. 500 °C) and catalyst (20 wt% K3PO4 vs. 10 wt% K3PO4/10 wt% clinoptilolite) did not lead to significant differences in CH4 yield between the treatments. Correlation analysis results suggested that biochar’s most impactful properties on methane yield would be dosage-adjusted specific surface area (or total surface area per unit volume of substrate) and aromaticity index. The findings underscore the potential of solid-digestate-derived biochar as a beneficial additive for anaerobic digestion and hence the sustainability of food waste management system.
{"title":"Anaerobic Digestion of Food Waste with the Addition of Biochar Derived from Microwave Catalytic Pyrolysis of Solid Digestate","authors":"Sofia Lucero Saucedo, Anthony Lau","doi":"10.3390/su16187997","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/su16187997","url":null,"abstract":"This study explores the potential of biochar derived from microwave-assisted catalytic pyrolysis of solid digestate as an additive to enhance the stability and performance of the anaerobic digestion process. The focus was placed on the effects of biochar dosage, pyrolysis temperature, and pyrolysis catalyst on methane production. Biochemical methane potential (BMP) tests using synthetic food waste as the substrate revealed a dosage-dependent relationship with specific methane yield (SMY). At a low biochar dosage of 0.1 g/g total solids (TS), improvement in methane (CH4) production was marginal, whereas a high dosage of 0.6 g/g TS increased CH4 content by at least 10% and improved yield by 35–52%. ANOVA analysis indicated that biochar dosage level significantly influenced CH4 yield, while pyrolysis temperature (400 °C vs. 500 °C) and catalyst (20 wt% K3PO4 vs. 10 wt% K3PO4/10 wt% clinoptilolite) did not lead to significant differences in CH4 yield between the treatments. Correlation analysis results suggested that biochar’s most impactful properties on methane yield would be dosage-adjusted specific surface area (or total surface area per unit volume of substrate) and aromaticity index. The findings underscore the potential of solid-digestate-derived biochar as a beneficial additive for anaerobic digestion and hence the sustainability of food waste management system.","PeriodicalId":22183,"journal":{"name":"Sustainability","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2024-09-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142180887","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Mustafa Muthanna Najm Shahrabani, Rasa Apanaviciene
The integration of smart buildings (SBs) into smart cities (SCs) is critical to urban development, with the potential to improve SCs’ performance. Artificial intelligence (AI) applications have emerged as a promising tool to enhance SB and SC development. The authors apply an AI-based methodology, particularly Large Language Models of OpenAI ChatGPT-3 and Google Bard as AI experts, to uniquely evaluate 26 criteria that represent SB services across five SC infrastructure domains (energy, mobility, water, waste management, and security), emphasizing their contributions to the integration of SB into SC and quantifying their impact on the efficiency, resilience, and environmental sustainability of SC. The framework was then validated through two rounds of the Delphi method, leveraging human expert knowledge and an iterative consensus-building process. The framework’s efficiency in analyzing complicated information and generating important insights is demonstrated via five case studies. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the effects of SB services on SC infrastructure domains, highlighting the intricate nature of SC, as well as revealing areas that require further integration to realize the SC performance objectives.
{"title":"An AI-Based Evaluation Framework for Smart Building Integration into Smart City","authors":"Mustafa Muthanna Najm Shahrabani, Rasa Apanaviciene","doi":"10.3390/su16188032","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/su16188032","url":null,"abstract":"The integration of smart buildings (SBs) into smart cities (SCs) is critical to urban development, with the potential to improve SCs’ performance. Artificial intelligence (AI) applications have emerged as a promising tool to enhance SB and SC development. The authors apply an AI-based methodology, particularly Large Language Models of OpenAI ChatGPT-3 and Google Bard as AI experts, to uniquely evaluate 26 criteria that represent SB services across five SC infrastructure domains (energy, mobility, water, waste management, and security), emphasizing their contributions to the integration of SB into SC and quantifying their impact on the efficiency, resilience, and environmental sustainability of SC. The framework was then validated through two rounds of the Delphi method, leveraging human expert knowledge and an iterative consensus-building process. The framework’s efficiency in analyzing complicated information and generating important insights is demonstrated via five case studies. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the effects of SB services on SC infrastructure domains, highlighting the intricate nature of SC, as well as revealing areas that require further integration to realize the SC performance objectives.","PeriodicalId":22183,"journal":{"name":"Sustainability","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2024-09-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142180755","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Rosangela de Araújo Santos, Eduardo Oliveira Teles, Francisco Gaudêncio Mendonça Freires
Agriculture is one of the most economically important practices in the world; it is essential for food security and socioeconomic development in several countries. However, the use of pesticides, which are essential for fighting pests and weeds and guaranteeing agricultural yields, has brought about an environmental issue pertaining to the management of empty pesticide packaging. The improper disposal of pesticide packaging can put both environmental and human health at risk. Therefore, the implementation of reverse logistics systems will be essential if we are to ensure that packages are collected, recycled, and disposed of safely. Blockchain technology is an innovative solution that offers transparent and immutable recording of data, thereby facilitating traceability. In this study, we present the application of a circular economy-based framework to agricultural production via blockchain (and involving all actors within production and consumption) to enable the more responsible disposal of empty pesticide packaging for eventual reuse, recovery, or recycling. Bibliographical research was carried out through Scopus and Web of Science from 2018 to 2023; we principally aimed to provide an overview of this pertinent area of research using the following keywords: “blockchain”, “circular economy”, “pesticide packaging”, and “reverse logistics”. Bibliometrics using graphs and tables made it possible to refine the information collected from the databases. We analyzed how blockchain can be integrated alongside reverse logistics, highlighting how it can promote the principles of the circular economy through various methods of sustainable and responsible agriculture.
农业是世界上最重要的经济活动之一，对一些国家的粮食安全和社会经济发展至关重要。然而，杀虫剂是防治害虫和杂草以及保证农业产量所必不可少的，它的使用带来了一个与杀虫剂空包装管理有关的环境问题。农药包装的不当处置会危及环境和人类健康。因此，如果我们要确保安全地收集、回收和处置包装，就必须实施逆向物流系统。区块链技术是一种创新的解决方案，可提供透明、不可更改的数据记录，从而促进可追溯性。在本研究中，我们介绍了通过区块链将基于循环经济的框架应用于农业生产的情况（并涉及生产和消费中的所有参与者），从而能够更负责任地处置空农药包装，以便最终进行再利用、回收或再循环。从 2018 年到 2023 年，我们通过 Scopus 和 Web of Science 开展了文献研究；我们的主要目的是使用以下关键词概述这一相关研究领域："区块链"、"循环经济"、"农药包装 "和 "逆向物流"。通过使用图表进行文献计量学分析，可以完善从数据库中收集到的信息。我们分析了如何将区块链与逆向物流相结合，强调了区块链如何通过各种可持续和负责任的农业方法促进循环经济的原则。
{"title":"Applying the Circular Economy Framework to Blockchain Agricultural Production","authors":"Rosangela de Araújo Santos, Eduardo Oliveira Teles, Francisco Gaudêncio Mendonça Freires","doi":"10.3390/su16188004","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/su16188004","url":null,"abstract":"Agriculture is one of the most economically important practices in the world; it is essential for food security and socioeconomic development in several countries. However, the use of pesticides, which are essential for fighting pests and weeds and guaranteeing agricultural yields, has brought about an environmental issue pertaining to the management of empty pesticide packaging. The improper disposal of pesticide packaging can put both environmental and human health at risk. Therefore, the implementation of reverse logistics systems will be essential if we are to ensure that packages are collected, recycled, and disposed of safely. Blockchain technology is an innovative solution that offers transparent and immutable recording of data, thereby facilitating traceability. In this study, we present the application of a circular economy-based framework to agricultural production via blockchain (and involving all actors within production and consumption) to enable the more responsible disposal of empty pesticide packaging for eventual reuse, recovery, or recycling. Bibliographical research was carried out through Scopus and Web of Science from 2018 to 2023; we principally aimed to provide an overview of this pertinent area of research using the following keywords: “blockchain”, “circular economy”, “pesticide packaging”, and “reverse logistics”. Bibliometrics using graphs and tables made it possible to refine the information collected from the databases. We analyzed how blockchain can be integrated alongside reverse logistics, highlighting how it can promote the principles of the circular economy through various methods of sustainable and responsible agriculture.","PeriodicalId":22183,"journal":{"name":"Sustainability","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2024-09-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142180892","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Electric road systems (ERSs) are a group of technologies that allow powering adequately equipped road transport vehicles with electricity from the road infrastructure while in motorway traffic. They can be categorised into three technology groups: overhead catenary, ground conductive, and ground inductive, depending on the mode of power transfer used. The supplied energy is used for propulsion and for charging the vehicle batteries to be used once the vehicle leaves the electrified road section. Also, another energy source, e.g., diesel, natural gas, or hydrogen, can be used while away from the ERS. This research investigates the potential impacts of implementing the different ERS technologies on the Rotterdam–Antwerp motorway corridor that links the two largest ports in Europe. The aim is to identify which of the routes between the ports is best suited for the implementation of an ERS, whether there are substantial differences in the economic performance of the different ERS technologies, determine what ERS vehicle traffic volumes are required and potentially available for successful implementation, what investment is required to build the system and whether the ERS operator can be profitable, and whether transport operators could operate their trucks on ERS profitability in this corridor setting. The research shows that the route between Rotterdam and Antwerp that runs on motorway E19 is the best to be electrified from an economic standpoint. Our calculations show that the traffic on the Rotterdam–Antwerp corridor is sufficient for economically justifying ERS infrastructure rollout and operation. For transport operators who happen to have specific client bases, e.g., those who usually serve clients from one of the ports along the electrified route, the construction of an ERS on the route could prove to be very lucrative if they adopt the technology early.
电动道路系统（ERS）是一组技术，可在高速公路交通中利用道路基础设施提供的电力为装备齐全的道路运输车辆供电。根据所使用的电力传输模式，它们可分为三类技术：架空导线、地面传导和地面感应。提供的能量用于车辆的推进和充电，一旦车辆驶离电气化路段即可使用。此外，在离开 ERS 时，还可以使用另一种能源，如柴油、天然气或氢气。本研究调查了在连接欧洲两大港口的鹿特丹-安特卫普高速公路走廊上采用不同的 ERS 技术可能产生的影响。其目的是确定港口之间的哪条路线最适合实施 ERS，不同 ERS 技术的经济性能是否存在实质性差异，确定成功实施 ERS 所需和可能获得的 ERS 车辆流量，建立该系统所需的投资，ERS 运营商是否能够盈利，以及运输运营商是否能够在该走廊环境中通过 ERS 盈利。研究表明，从经济角度来看，鹿特丹和安特卫普之间的 E19 高速公路是最适合电气化的路线。我们的计算显示，鹿特丹-安特卫普走廊的交通量足以从经济角度证明 ERS 基础设施的推广和运营是合理的。对于拥有特定客户群的运输运营商而言，例如那些通常为电气化路线沿线某个港口的客户提供服务的运营商，如果能尽早采用该技术，在该路线上建设 ERS 将会非常有利可图。
{"title":"Economic Impacts of the Electric Road System Implementation on the Rotterdam–Antwerp Corridor","authors":"Raimonds Aronietis, Thierry Vanelslander","doi":"10.3390/su16188029","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/su16188029","url":null,"abstract":"Electric road systems (ERSs) are a group of technologies that allow powering adequately equipped road transport vehicles with electricity from the road infrastructure while in motorway traffic. They can be categorised into three technology groups: overhead catenary, ground conductive, and ground inductive, depending on the mode of power transfer used. The supplied energy is used for propulsion and for charging the vehicle batteries to be used once the vehicle leaves the electrified road section. Also, another energy source, e.g., diesel, natural gas, or hydrogen, can be used while away from the ERS. This research investigates the potential impacts of implementing the different ERS technologies on the Rotterdam–Antwerp motorway corridor that links the two largest ports in Europe. The aim is to identify which of the routes between the ports is best suited for the implementation of an ERS, whether there are substantial differences in the economic performance of the different ERS technologies, determine what ERS vehicle traffic volumes are required and potentially available for successful implementation, what investment is required to build the system and whether the ERS operator can be profitable, and whether transport operators could operate their trucks on ERS profitability in this corridor setting. The research shows that the route between Rotterdam and Antwerp that runs on motorway E19 is the best to be electrified from an economic standpoint. Our calculations show that the traffic on the Rotterdam–Antwerp corridor is sufficient for economically justifying ERS infrastructure rollout and operation. For transport operators who happen to have specific client bases, e.g., those who usually serve clients from one of the ports along the electrified route, the construction of an ERS on the route could prove to be very lucrative if they adopt the technology early.","PeriodicalId":22183,"journal":{"name":"Sustainability","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2024-09-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142180758","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Chi-Hui Chiang, Zhi-Yuan Su, Chu-Fen Li, I-Hsien Liu, Chuan-Kang Liu
Upon observing the daily lives of older adults, they often experience comfort and emotional stability through nostalgic memories. Hence, this study develops a nostalgic VR game from which older adults can obtain a similar sense of comfort and emotional satisfaction. This study extends the technology acceptance model (TAM) to analyze factors influencing older adults’ intention to adopt this VR game. The study involved 102 older adults who participated in the VR experience. The VR game was developed using the Unity engine, designed specifically to trigger nostalgic memories. The analysis shows that the questionnaire was highly reliable. The analysis also revealed that PEOU significantly influences PU (β = 0.559, p < 0.001) and PE (β = 0.694, p < 0.001). PU positively impacts HIPG (β = 0.321, p < 0.05), while ATG strongly influences HIPG (β = 0.270, p < 0.01). The extended TAM model explained 57.3% of the variance in HIPG (R2 = 0.573), indicating the substantial impact of these factors on older adults’ intention to engage with the VR game. These results provide valuable insights for developers and healthcare providers aiming to integrate VR as a health tool for older adults.
{"title":"Enhancing Emotional Stability and Mental Comfort in Older Adults through a Nostalgic VR Game: A Technology Acceptance Model Analysis","authors":"Chi-Hui Chiang, Zhi-Yuan Su, Chu-Fen Li, I-Hsien Liu, Chuan-Kang Liu","doi":"10.3390/su16188014","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/su16188014","url":null,"abstract":"Upon observing the daily lives of older adults, they often experience comfort and emotional stability through nostalgic memories. Hence, this study develops a nostalgic VR game from which older adults can obtain a similar sense of comfort and emotional satisfaction. This study extends the technology acceptance model (TAM) to analyze factors influencing older adults’ intention to adopt this VR game. The study involved 102 older adults who participated in the VR experience. The VR game was developed using the Unity engine, designed specifically to trigger nostalgic memories. The analysis shows that the questionnaire was highly reliable. The analysis also revealed that PEOU significantly influences PU (β = 0.559, p < 0.001) and PE (β = 0.694, p < 0.001). PU positively impacts HIPG (β = 0.321, p < 0.05), while ATG strongly influences HIPG (β = 0.270, p < 0.01). The extended TAM model explained 57.3% of the variance in HIPG (R2 = 0.573), indicating the substantial impact of these factors on older adults’ intention to engage with the VR game. These results provide valuable insights for developers and healthcare providers aiming to integrate VR as a health tool for older adults.","PeriodicalId":22183,"journal":{"name":"Sustainability","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2024-09-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142180801","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Yu Nie, Xiaotian Zhang, Yihua Hu, Mohammad Nasr Esfahani
With their multidirectional power flow capability, dual active bridge (DAB) and triple active bridge (TAB) converters find application in energy routers as DC/DC transfer components for emergency energy supply during significant power outages. These converters ensure stable sustainable power transmission across various energy sources while enabling high-power conversion. However, controlling power direction poses a challenge in DAB/TAB converters for emergency energy supply, typically a rapid change of power direction of any port of DAB/TAB converters. To address this problem, this study proposes a novel automatic power direction control method for DAB/TAB converters, enabling bidirectional power transmission without manual intervention based on the state of charge (SOC) of battery for emergency energy supply. This method realizes the change of power direction of each port in DAB/TAB converter automatically according to different situations, even in emergencies. Given the now widespread shortage of emergency energy and the higher cost of labor regulation, this approach simplifies operations and enhances system safety and sustainability by eliminating the need for human supervision. A well-implemented automatic control method ensures efficient and consistent power transfer within the system by change the direction in about 3 s, whenever power direction adjustment is necessary.
{"title":"Automatic Power Direction Control of Dual Active Bridge/Triple Active Bridge Converter in Emergency Energy Supply for Sustainability","authors":"Yu Nie, Xiaotian Zhang, Yihua Hu, Mohammad Nasr Esfahani","doi":"10.3390/su16187932","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/su16187932","url":null,"abstract":"With their multidirectional power flow capability, dual active bridge (DAB) and triple active bridge (TAB) converters find application in energy routers as DC/DC transfer components for emergency energy supply during significant power outages. These converters ensure stable sustainable power transmission across various energy sources while enabling high-power conversion. However, controlling power direction poses a challenge in DAB/TAB converters for emergency energy supply, typically a rapid change of power direction of any port of DAB/TAB converters. To address this problem, this study proposes a novel automatic power direction control method for DAB/TAB converters, enabling bidirectional power transmission without manual intervention based on the state of charge (SOC) of battery for emergency energy supply. This method realizes the change of power direction of each port in DAB/TAB converter automatically according to different situations, even in emergencies. Given the now widespread shortage of emergency energy and the higher cost of labor regulation, this approach simplifies operations and enhances system safety and sustainability by eliminating the need for human supervision. A well-implemented automatic control method ensures efficient and consistent power transfer within the system by change the direction in about 3 s, whenever power direction adjustment is necessary.","PeriodicalId":22183,"journal":{"name":"Sustainability","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2024-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142180808","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Addressing the issue of oil pollutants and their impact on environmental sustainability, this study prepared sustainable oil-absorbent concrete through particle size adjustment and chemical modification methods. The effects of alkaline activators and seashell powder on the strength and oil absorption performance of the sustainable oil-absorbent concrete were investigated. Based on this, retaining wall blocks with different structural forms were designed for use as oil-absorbing functional concrete materials. Retaining walls with different structural forms and arrangements were calculated by ABAQUS, and their stress and displacement were compared to select the best structural form and arrangement. The research findings indicate that NaOH adversely affected the oil absorption capacity of sustainable oil-absorbent concrete, resulting in a decrease in oil absorption from 207.70 kg/m3 to 104.56 kg/m3; however, it enhanced the compressive strength of the concrete, increasing the 28-day compressive strength by 5.02%. The incorporation of seashell powder exerted a detrimental effect on both the compressive strength and oil absorption performance of the sustainable oil-absorbent concrete. The finite element analysis results show that L-shaped retaining wall bricks with vegetation cavity had better anti-deformation ability, and under the inverted arrangement, the maximum deformation of the retaining wall was 1.148 mm, which was the smallest of all working conditions. This study provides an effective reference for the design of sustainable oil-absorbing concrete retaining walls with oil adsorption capacity.
{"title":"Finite Element Structural Analysis and Optimization of Sustainable Oil-Absorbing Concrete Slope Retaining Wall","authors":"Tong Li, Zeyu Yang, Xiaochen Liu, Bingqiang Dong, Donghui Wu, Dongli Wang","doi":"10.3390/su16187923","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/su16187923","url":null,"abstract":"Addressing the issue of oil pollutants and their impact on environmental sustainability, this study prepared sustainable oil-absorbent concrete through particle size adjustment and chemical modification methods. The effects of alkaline activators and seashell powder on the strength and oil absorption performance of the sustainable oil-absorbent concrete were investigated. Based on this, retaining wall blocks with different structural forms were designed for use as oil-absorbing functional concrete materials. Retaining walls with different structural forms and arrangements were calculated by ABAQUS, and their stress and displacement were compared to select the best structural form and arrangement. The research findings indicate that NaOH adversely affected the oil absorption capacity of sustainable oil-absorbent concrete, resulting in a decrease in oil absorption from 207.70 kg/m3 to 104.56 kg/m3; however, it enhanced the compressive strength of the concrete, increasing the 28-day compressive strength by 5.02%. The incorporation of seashell powder exerted a detrimental effect on both the compressive strength and oil absorption performance of the sustainable oil-absorbent concrete. The finite element analysis results show that L-shaped retaining wall bricks with vegetation cavity had better anti-deformation ability, and under the inverted arrangement, the maximum deformation of the retaining wall was 1.148 mm, which was the smallest of all working conditions. This study provides an effective reference for the design of sustainable oil-absorbing concrete retaining walls with oil adsorption capacity.","PeriodicalId":22183,"journal":{"name":"Sustainability","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2024-09-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142180798","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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