This book constitutes the proceedings of the XV Multidisciplinary International Congress on Science and Technology (CIT 2020), held in Quito, Ecuador, on 26-30 October 2020, proudly organized by Universidad de las Fuerzas Armadas ESPE in collaboration with GDEON. CIT is an international event with a multidisciplinary approach that promotes the dissemination of advances in Science and Technology research through the presentation of keynote conferences. In CIT, theoretical, technical, or application works that are research products are presented to discuss and debate ideas, experiences, and challenges. Presenting high-quality, peer-reviewed papers, the book discusses the following topics: * Electrical and Electronic* Energy and Mechanics

The negative environmental impacts of energy use, particularly soil and water pollution, continue to present serious policy dilemmas. The release of emissions and effluents and the build-up of solid waste throughout the fuel cycle have disruptive effects on natural habitats and human health. Further, fuel combustion can result in the emission of carbon dioxide, ozone, methane and nitrogen dioxide ? the 'greenhouse gases' which have been linked to climate change. The safe and sustainable use of energy has become an important issue in the wider environmental debate. In this report, researchers from the Stockholm Environment Institute explore the issues raised by the use of low-grade fuels such as peat, wood, biomass, lignite, oil shale and municipal and industrial wastes. The present strategies and policy options for all stages of the process, from mining and transport to processing and combustion. With those who would like to learn more about these fuels in mind, the material is presented clearly, and discussions of environmental protection measures are given in table form throughout the ease of reference. A directory of environmental guidelines, regulations and standards is given in an appendix. While a high calorific value fuels remain the most significant source of energy in many countries, economic and other constraints on the use of these fuels may result in more nations turning to low-grade sources of energy to operate their industrial or transportation sectors. The greater potential for environmental degradation that accompanies the use of low-grade fuels means that it is crucial that environmentally sound methods for their management, such as those presented here, be more widely available. The Environmental Management of Low-Grade Fuels will be valuable for industry specialists, policy makers, students and all who are concerned with the life cycle of these materials. Mary MacDonald is an affiliated scientist, and Michael Chadwick is a former director, at the Stockholm Environment Institute. Garegin Aslanian is a senior associate with the Institute for High Temperature Research in Moscow. Originally published in 1996

The way in which energy is governed in China is driving its rising level of carbon dioxide emissions. This book analyses the nature of energy governance in China by combining ideas relating to transition management with institutionalist theories, which helps to identify factors which assist or constrain the country's path to a low-carbon economy.

As mankind searches for energy alternatives with minimal environmental consequences and acceptable cost, it is necessary to identify valid areas of endeavor that can activate favorable energy sources and technological developments. Toward that end, The Dynamics of Energy: Supply, Conversion, and Utilization develops competence in energy matters on three levels: basic concepts, essential computations, and dynamic modeling. The book reviews the laws of thermodynamics and rate relationships between flows and gradients as a foundation for subsequent topics. Using dynamic analysis, it examines the potential of current energy sources to serve the needs of a growing world economy. The text also describes key fossil conversion, renewable conversion, and utilization technologies. It presents a technique to assess efficiencies from ground (or harvest) to end use, explores the effects of energy use on the environment, and offers an introduction to dynamic modeling. The book concludes with a description of energy technologies that, if suitably employed, could configure a sustainable energy future. Studying the dynamics of thermal systems is conducive to ascertaining what technologies could indeed make a difference for a desirable energy future. Suitable response time to demand and acceptable fuel lifetimes are necessary conditions for energy systems to compete in the marketplace. The planning effort that should lead the energy endeavor requires projection of the time span of pollution effects. Harnessing the flexibility and speed of VisSim (TM) for dynamic modeling, this book provides the tools to model most thermal systems with moderate complexity. It also evaluates energy supplies, conversion, and end use.

"Temperature and Humidity Independent Control (THIC) of Air-conditioning System" focuses on temperature and humidity independent control (THIC) systems, which represents a new concept and new approach for indoor environmental control. This book presents the main components of the THIC systems, including dehumidification devices, high-temperature cooling devices and indoor terminal devices. Other relevant issues, such as operation and control strategy and case studies, are also included.

This book is intended for air-conditioning system designers and engineers as well as researchers working with indoor environments.

Xiaohua Liu is an associate professor at the Building Energy Research Center, Tsinghua University, China. Yi Jiang is a member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, the director of the Building Energy Research Center, Tsinghua University, China and the director of the China-USA Joint Research Center on Clean Energy. Tao Zhang is a Ph.D. candidate at the Building Energy Research Center, Tsinghua University, China.

This book describes a series of research topics investigated during the 6 years from 2010 through 2015 in the project "Advanced Materials Development and Integration of Novel Structured Metallic and Inorganic Materials". Every section of the book is aimed at understanding the most advanced research by describing details starting with the fundamentals as often as possible. Because both fundamental and cutting-edge topics are contained in this book, it provides a great deal of useful information for chemists as well as for materials scientists and engineers who wish to consider future prospects and innovations. The contents of Novel Structured Metallic and Inorganic Materials are unique in materials science and technology. The project was carried out through the cooperation of research groups in the following six institutes in Japan: the Institute for Materials Research (IMR), Tohoku University; the Materials and Structures Laboratory (MSL), Tokyo Institute of Technology; the Joining and Welding Research Institute (JWRI), Osaka University; the Eco-Topia Science Institute (EST), Nagoya University; the Institute of Biomaterials and Bioengineering (IBB), Tokyo Medical and Dental University; and the Institute for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (INN), Waseda University. Major objectives of the project included creation of advanced metallic and inorganic materials with a novel structure, as well as development of materials-joining technologies for development of cutting-edge applications as environmental and energy materials, biomedical materials, and electronic materials for contributing to the creation of a safer and more secure society.

Despite scientific evidence that business-as-usual is unsustainable, there is a huge and widespread inertia to 'greening' the planet. Warming to Ecocide considers climate change from a thermodynamic perspective and asks whether market-driven organisations have carried us to the point of no return through the flawed economics of endless growth. Warming to Ecocide begins by exploring the thermodynamic origins of climate change. It demonstrates that equilibrium thermodynamics can provide full explanations for the basic processes of life such as photosynthesis and metabolism, and that non-equilibrium thermodynamics is close to providing an explanation for how life started. Armed with a solid appreciation of the power of thermodynamics, the second half of Warming to Ecocide discusses whether multinational corporations have convinced the public that climate change is insignificant and thereby neutered any all attempts by governments to espouse environmentally-friendly policies. It then goes on to offer strategies whereby mankind may avoid propelling the global average temperature above the pre-industrial level by more than 2 DegreesC, which scientists view as a threshold presaging catastrophic run-away processes.

As the world accelerates towards a renewable energy transition, the demand for critical raw materials (CRMs) for energy generation, conversion, and storage technologies is seeing a drastic increase. Such materials are not only subject to limited supply and extreme price volatility but can also represent serious burdens to the environment, to human health, and also to socio-political systems. Taking an interdisciplinary perspective, this book provides a novel perspective on the discussion about material dependencies of energy technologies. It examines CRMs use in fuel cells, an emerging energy conversion technology, and discusses governance strategies for early-stage fuel cell development to predict and avoid potential issues. This will be an invaluable resource for researchers in energy studies, engineering, sociology and political science as well as those with a general interest in this field looking for an accessible overview.

Proceedings of the 3rd International Seminar, held in Lyon, May 25-27, 1983

This book introduces a family of large-signal stability-based control methods for different power inverters (grid-connected inverter, standalone inverter, single-phase inverter, and three-phase inverter) in practical applications. Power inverters have stability issues, which include the inverter's own instability as well as the inverter's instability in relation to the other power electronic devices in the system (i.e., weak grid and the EMI filter). Most of the stability analyses and solutions are based on small-signal stability technology. Unfortunately, in actuality, the majority of practical instability concerns in power inverter systems are large-signal stability problems, which, when compared to small-signal stability problems, can cause substantial damage to electrical equipment. As a result, researchers must conduct a comprehensive investigation of the large-signal stability challenge and solutions for power inverters. This book can be used as a reference for researchers, power inverters manufacturers, and end-users. As a result, the book will not become obsolete in the near future, regardless of technology advancements.

This thesis presents pioneering experimental and numerical studies on three aspects of the combustion characteristics of lean premixed syngas/air flames, namely the laminar flame speed, extinction limit and flammability limit. It illustrates a new extinction exponent concept, which enriches the combustion theory. Above all, the book provides the following: a) a series of carefully measured data and theoretical analyses to reveal the intrinsic mechanisms of the fuel composition effect on the propagation and extinction of lean syngas/air flames; b) a mixing model and correlation to predict the laminar flame speed of multi-component syngas fuels, intended for engineering computations; c) a new "extinction exponent" concept to describe the critical effects of chemical kinetics on the extinction of lean premixed syngas/air flames; and d) the effects and mechanism of the dilution of incombustible components on lean premixed syngas/air flames and the preferential importance among the thermal, chemical and diffusion effects.

What seems routine today was not always so. The field of Si-based heterostructures rests solidly on the shoulders of materials scientists and crystal growers, those purveyors of the semiconductor "black arts" associated with the deposition of pristine films of nanoscale dimensionality onto enormous Si wafers with near infinite precision. We can now grow near-defect free, nanoscale films of Si and SiGe strained-layer epitaxy compatible with conventional high-volume silicon integrated circuit manufacturing. SiGe and Si Strained-Layer Epitaxy for Silicon Heterostructure Devices tells the materials side of the story and details the many advances in the Si-SiGe strained-layer epitaxy for device applications.

Drawn from the comprehensive and well-reviewed "Silicon Heterostructure Handbook," this volume defines and details the many advances in the Si/SiGe strained-layer epitaxy for device applications. Mining the talents of an international panel of experts, the book covers modern SiGe epitaxial growth techniques, epi defects and dopant diffusion in thin films, stability constraints, and electronic properties of SiGe, strained Si, and Si-C alloys. It includes appendices on topics such as the properties of Si and Ge, the generalized Moll-Ross relations, integral charge-control relations, and sample SiGe HBT compact model parameters.

Study of nature and the world around us has been a primary motivation for scientists and researchers for centuries. Advanced methods in the study of elementary particles have led to even greater discoveries in recent years. Innovative Applications and Developments of Micro-Pattern Gaseous Detectors focuses on the analysis and use of various gas detection systems, providing a detailed description of some of the most commonly used gas detectors and the science behind them. From early detectors to modern tools and techniques, this book will be of particular use to practitioners and researchers in chemical engineering and materials science, in addition to students and academicians concentrating in the field.

Sport technology has to be seen from the holistic, as well as inter- and transdisciplinary point of view. Product development requires close collaboration between engineers, athletes, sports scientists, and business managers. It requires an in-depth understanding of engineering disciplines, life and sport sciences, as well as economics. The Impact of Technology on Sport II has in its core precisely this philosophy and approach. It aims to provide a deeper insight into the current status of sports technology and to present recent developments in this area from the perspective of different disciplines, industrial practice, academia and athletes. This book brings together work from researchers around the world and, in particular from the Asia-Pacific region. Most sport technologies are covered, including equipment and materials in various ball sports (golf, cricket, baseball, soccer, tennis, etc.), water sports, athletics, winter sports, mountaineering, motor sports and martial arts. The different technological areas extend to design; dynamics, vibrations and control; aerodynamics; instrumentation and measurements; modelling, simulation and optimisation; biomechanics and human performance; sports medicine; coaching and sports education.

Understanding the relationship between landslides and climate change is crucially important in planning a proactive approach to hazard and risk management. Advances in geohazard modelling and prediction enable us to be better prepared for the impacts of climate change, but there is still a need for effective risk management and informed planning policy to improve the safety and sustainability of communities at risk. The increasing frequency of extreme weather events has highlighted our vulnerability to the impact of climate change, and has resulted in enormous human and economic loss. This book presents the Proceedings of the International Conference on 'Landslides and Climate Change - Challenges and Solutions', which was held in Ventnor, Isle of Wight, UK in May 2007. The volume considers the practical experiences of hazard management, risk governance and response to climate change, and will be of interest to engineers, planners, practitioners, regional and local authorities, academics and politicians.

This book makes a substantial and timely contribution to discussions on energy security in Oman, providing a systematic analysis of energy security in Oman from 1920 to 2020. It is particularly relevant in light of the recent global geopolitics of the Gulf particularly, and the Middle Eastern region broadly, as well as connecting to current climate change research and debates. Combining a political sociological account with postcolonial concepts within a theoretical and empirical exploration of energy politics, the book weaves a study of energy security into the historical and contemporary development of political, economic, security, and social structures in Oman. Including interviews with Omani and Oman-based practitioners, as well as grounded in historical documents which include Arabic-language sources, this book evaluates the energy question beyond the typical economic perspective, considering socio-political opportunities and challenges. It also makes economic-related recommendations in tandem with rentier state theory. Unlike the dominant accounts of energy security in Oman, this book sets itself apart by moving away from utilising liberal and realist approaches for its analysis and engages systematically with critical security studies to introduce a non-Eurocentric perspective to the arena. Of interest to scholars in Middle Eastern history, energy security, and security studies, this book assumes an important place in the critical literature on the Gulf, particularly within environmental studies and energy policy literature.

Crandall's Power Supply Testing Handbook comes into the marketplace at an optimum time. Now, more than ever, there is an urgency for a comprehensive handbook on power supply testing that will fulfill the reference needs of the wide variety of professionals testing power supplies, including designers, manufacturers, purchasers, and field service organizations.

This book reflects the futuristic scientific view of the consequences of transition to Industry 4.0 for climate change. The authors present a systemic overview of the current negative consequences of digitization for the environment, new outlines of the energy sphere in Industry 4.0 and the change of the environment pollution level in Industry 4.0. The book also analyses the ecological consequences of growth and development of Industry 4.0, and considers Industry 4.0 as an alternative to fighting climate change. The book presents a view on fighting climate change in Industry 4.0 from the positions of shifting the global community's attention from environment protection to formation of the digital economy. A logical continuation of this book is a view from the opposite side, which would allow reflecting the contribution of Industry 4.0 into fighting climate change and the perspectives of harmonization of these top-priority directions of the global economy's development. This book will be of interest to academics and practitioners interested in climate change and development of Industry 4.0, as well contributing to a national economic policy for fighting climate change and corporate strategies of sustainable development in Industry 4.0.

Students embarking on their studies in chemical, mechanical, aerospace, energy, and environmental engineering will face continually changing combustion problems, such as pollution control and energy efficiency, throughout their careers. Approaching these challenges requires a deep familiarity with the fundamental theory, mathematics, and physical concepts of combustion. Based on more than two decades of teaching experience, Combustion Science and Engineering lays the necessary groundwork while using an illustrative, hands-on approach.

Taking a down-to-earth perspective, the book avoids heavy mathematics in the first seven chapters and in Chapter 17 (pollutants formation and destruction), but considers molecular concepts and delves into engineering details. It begins with an outline of thermodynamics; basics of thermochemistry and chemical equilibrium; descriptions of solid, liquid, and gaseous fuels; chemical kinetics and mass transfer; and applications of theory to practical systems. Beginning in chapter 8, the authors provide a detailed treatment of differential forms of conservation equations; analyses of fuel combustion including jet combustion and boundary layer problems; ignition; flame propagation; interactive and group combustion; pollutant formation and control; and turbulent combustion.

In addition, this textbook includes abundant examples, illustrations, and exercises, as well as spreadsheet software in combustion available for download. This software allows students to work out the examples found in the text. Combustion Science and Engineering imparts the skills and foundational knowledge necessary for students to successfully approach and solve new problems.

This open access book introduces the major environmental green development issues from six major themes carbon neutrality, nature-based solution, watershed management and climate adaptation, BRI green development, sustainable food supply chain, ecosystem-based integrated ocean management focusing on the progress of China’s environment and development policies from 2021 accomplishments. It is based on the research outputs of CCICED in the year of 2021, which marks China’s start point of implementation of its 14th Five-Year Plan when world economy also strived to recover from the pandemic.  

For the first time in power electronics, this comprehensive treatment of switch-mode DC/DC converter designs addresses many analytical closed form equations such as duty cycle prediction, output regulation, output ripple, control loop-gain, and steady state time-domain waveform. Each of these equations are given various topologists and configurations, including forward, flyback, and boost converters. Pulse Width Modulated DC/DC Converters begins with a detailed approach to the quiescent operating locus of a power plant under open-loop. The reader is then led through other supporting circuits once again in the quiescent condition. These exercises result in the close-loop formulations of the subject system, providing designers with the ability to study the sensitivities of a system against disturbances. With the quiescent conditions well established, the book then guides the reader further into the territories of system stability where small signal behaviors are explored. Finally, some important large signal time-domain studies cap the treatment. Some distinctive features of this book include: *detailed coverage of dynamic close-loop converter simulations using only personal computer and modern mathematical software *Steady-state, time-domain analysis based on the concept of continuity of states Voltage-mode and current-mode control techniques and their differences of merits A detailed description on setting up different equations for DC/DC converters'simulation using only PC

This state of the art report from an international task group (TG44) of CIB, the International Council of Building Research Organizations, presents a highly authoritative guide to the application of innovative technologies on response control and seismic isolation of buildings to practice worldwide.

Many countries and cities are located in earthquake-prone areas making effective seismic design a major issue in structural engineering. Reassuringly, structural response control and seismic isolation have advanced remarkably in recent years following numerous studies internationally. Several major conferences have been held and reports have been written but little has been issued on the application of the technologies to good structural engineering practice.

Plugging that gap, Response Control and Seismic Isolation of Buildings presents researchers in structural engineering (dynamics) and construction management with up-to-date applications of the latest technologies.