Hasil untuk "Environmental technology. Sanitary engineering"

Guofa Wang, Y. Xu, Huaiwei Ren

Abstract Coal is an essential fossil fuel in China; however, coal mining and its utilization are being under the increasing pressure from ecological and environmental protection. Therefore, the consulting project “ Technical Revolution in Ecological and Efficient Coal Mining and Utilization & Intelligence and Diverse Coordination of Coal-based Energy System ,” initiated by Chinese Academy of Engineering, puts forward three stages (3.0, 4.0 and 5.0) of China’s coal industry development strategy. Aimed at “reduced staff, ultra-low ecological damage, and emission level near to natural gas,” breakthroughs should be achieved in the following three key technologies during the China Coal Industry 3.0 stage (2016–2025): including intelligent coal mining, ecological mining, ultra-low emission and environmental protection. This paper focuses on the development trends of the China Coal Industry 3.0 and its support for China Coal Industry 4.0 and 5.0 is analyzed and prospected as well, which may offer technical assistance and strategy orientation for realizing the transformation from traditional coal energy to clean energy.

Md Afif Al Mamun, Sayan Nath, Gias Uddin et al.

The shift from cloud-hosted Large Language Models (LLMs) to locally deployed open-source Small Language Models (SLMs) has democratized AI-assisted coding; however, it has also decentralized the environmental footprint of AI. While prompting strategies - such as Chain-of-Thought and ReAct - serve as external mechanisms for optimizing code generation without modifying model parameters, their impact on energy consumption and carbon emissions remains largely invisible to developers. This paper presents the first systematic empirical study investigating how different prompt engineering strategies in SLM-based code generation impact code generation accuracy alongside sustainability factors. We evaluate six prominent prompting strategies across 11 open-source models (ranging from 1B to 34B parameters) using the HumanEval+ and MBPP+ benchmarks. By measuring Pass@1 accuracy alongside energy (kWh), carbon emissions (kgCO2eq), and inference latency, we reveal that sustainability often decouples from accuracy, allowing significant environmental optimizations without sacrificing performance. Our findings indicate that Chain-of-Thought, being a simpler prompting technique, can provide a near-optimal balance between reasoning capability and energy efficiency. Conversely, multi-sampling strategies often incur disproportionate costs for marginal gains. Finally, we identify grid carbon intensity as the dominant factor in deployment-time emissions, highlighting the need for practitioners to consider regional energy profiles. This work provides a quantitative foundation for "green" prompt engineering, enabling developers to align high-performance code generation with ecological responsibility.

Yifan Ren, Jiachen Wang, Lin Yang et al.

The electrochemical nitrate (NO3-)-to-ammonia conversion reaction (NO3RR) represents a transformative approach addressing dual challenges of environmental remediation and sustainable ammonia (NH3) synthesis. Despite its promise, practical implementation remains constrained by parasitic hydrogen evolution and inherent kinetic limitations. We propose an innovative dual-site architecture through atomic-scale metal-support engineering, constructing single copper (Cu) atoms anchored on zinc-deficient NiFe-layered double hydroxide (CuSA/V-LDH). This strategic design achieves exceptional NO3RR performance, delivering 95.2% Faradaic efficiency and 2.08 mg h-1 cm-2 NH3 yield at environmentally relevant NO3- levels (100 mg-N L-1), surpassing most reported catalysts in low-concentration scenarios. Operando spectroscopy and multiscale modeling uncover key synergistic effects that govern the system's enhanced performance. Vacancy-mediated charge redistribution strengthens metal-support interactions and structural durability, while LDH-derived atomic hydrogen species exhibit prolonged lifetimes through CuSA coordination, which facilitates efficient hydrogenation of nitrogen intermediates. Additionally, the flow-through reactor configuration optimizes mass transport, further boosting the overall reaction kinetics. System-level validation and life cycle assessment highlight the reduced environmental footprint of the proposed technology. This work establishes a paradigm for vacancy-engineered atomic interfaces in advanced electrocatalytic systems in circular water-energy nexus applications.

Aamir Sohel, Sandeep Sahu, G. Mitchell et al.

Wenxin Deng, Jianwei Wei, Zengwei Ma et al.

The formamidinium lead iodide (FAPbI3) perovskite has emerged as a promising material for high‐efficiency photovoltaic applications. Although a power conversion efficiency of more than 26% has been achieved, stability issues have hindered its commercial application. In this study, the stability of FAPbI3 under adverse conditions such as humidity, oxygen, ultraviolet light, and temperature fluctuations is systematically reviewed. The known effective strategies for improving stability are discussed. Current studies have shown that technologies such as doping, halide alloying, additive manufacturing engineering, and interface modification have been identified as effective in mitigating phase transitions of FAPbI3 and enhancing environmental durability. Encapsulation technology further improves moisture and heat resistance. Compared with other stabilization strategies, doping and alloying can address the adverse effects of narrowing of the absorption edge. Interface engineering has an essential understanding of the stability mechanism, which will greatly improve the stability problem in the practical application of FAPbI3. This paper also looks forward to the future research directions and development trends.

Bailing Chen, Chun Wan, Muhammad Aamer Mehmood et al.

Yitayal Belew Siyoum, Fikir Gashaw Kindie, Mebratu Assefa Gebeyehu

Gayatri Thakre, Vinayak Kaushal, Eesha Karkhanis et al.

Sanitary sewer pipelines frequently experience blockages, structural failures, and overflows, underscoring the dire state of U.S. wastewater infrastructure, which has been rated a D-, while America’s overall infrastructure scores only slightly better at C-. Traditional open-trench excavation methods or excavation technology (ET) for replacing deteriorated pipes are notoriously expensive and disruptive, requiring extensive processes like route planning, surveying, engineering, trench excavation, pipe installation, backfilling, and ground restoration. In contrast, trenchless technologies (TT) provide a less invasive and more cost-effective alternative. Among these, cured-in-place pipe technology (CIPPT), which involves inserting resin-impregnated fabric into damaged pipelines, is widely recognized for its efficiency. However, a comprehensive life cycle cost analysis (LCCA) directly comparing ET and TT, accounting for the net present value (NPV) across installation, maintenance, and rehabilitation costs, remains unexplored. This study aims to establish an LCCA framework for both CIPPT and ET, specifically for sanitary sewer pipes ranging from 8 to 42 inches in diameter. The framework incorporates construction, environmental, and social costs, providing a holistic evaluation. The key costs for ET involve pipe materials and subsurface investigations, whereas TT’s costs center around engineering and design. Social impacts, such as road and pavement damage, disruption to adjacent utilities, and noise, are pivotal, alongside environmental factors like material use, transportation, project duration, and equipment emissions. This comprehensive framework empowers decision makers to holistically assess economic and environmental impacts, enabling informed choices for sustainable sewer infrastructure renewal.

M. Fahiminia, Morteza Shanbedi, A. Yari et al.

Nowadays, most developing countries face the challenge of ever-increasing municipal sewage in rural areas. In this respect, many countries cannot afford the cost of establishing a wastewater treatment plant. Therefore, this study aims to obtain executive information and evaluate the efficiency of vermilter (VF) in domestic wastewater treatment. This study investigates the performance of a pilot-scale vermifilter system containing Eisenia fetida earthworms for sanitary wastewater treatment. For this purpose, a pilot-scale vermifilter was installed to ascertain the variation of pH, biological oxygen demand (BOD5), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total suspended solids (TSS), total dissolved solid (TDS), NO3 —N, NH3-N, TN, PO4, 3 − and total phosphorus (TP) in an incubation period of 120 days. In addition, a conventional geofilter without earthworm was used as the experimental control. The process includes using two small cylindrical plastic reactors with a depth of 62.5 cm and a capacity of 80 L. The vermifiltration (VF) caused a significant decrease in the levels of BOD5 (92.5%), COD (77.1%), TSS (88.8%), TDS (70%), NH3-N (95.11%), TN (52%), PO4 3− (77.1%), and TP (69.86%). Meanwhile, the removal efficiencies for the above parameters in the control reactor were 54.94%, 67.5%, 70.4%, 53.37%, 42%, 77.3%, 72.65%, and 62.17%, respectively. Vermifilter is one of the feasible methods for wastewater treatment. Therefore, VF technology can be considered an environmentally friendly method for wastewater treatment.

Alexandros Gazis, Ioannis Papadongonas, Athanasios Andriopoulos et al.

This article provides a comprehensive overview of sensors commonly used in low-cost, low-power systems, focusing on key concepts such as Internet of Things (IoT), Big Data, and smart sensor technologies. It outlines the evolving roles of sensors, emphasizing their characteristics, technological advancements, and the transition toward "smart sensors" with integrated processing capabilities. The article also explores the growing importance of mini-computing devices in educational environments. These devices provide cost-effective and energy-efficient solutions for system monitoring, prototype validation, and real-world application development. By interfacing with wireless sensor networks and IoT systems, mini-computers enable students and researchers to design, test, and deploy sensor-based systems with minimal resource requirements. Furthermore, this article examines the most widely used sensors, detailing their properties and modes of operation to help readers understand how sensor systems function. The aim of this study is to provide an overview of the most suitable sensors for various applications by explaining their uses and operations in simple terms. This clarity will assist researchers in selecting the appropriate sensors for educational and research purposes or understanding why specific sensors were chosen, along with their capabilities and possible limitations. Ultimately, this research seeks to equip future engineers with the knowledge and tools needed to integrate cutting-edge sensor networks, IoT, and Big Data technologies into scalable, real-world solutions.

Yining Hong, Christopher S. Timperley, Christian Kästner

Machine learning (ML) components are increasingly integrated into software products, yet their complexity and inherent uncertainty often lead to unintended and hazardous consequences, both for individuals and society at large. Despite these risks, practitioners seldom adopt proactive approaches to anticipate and mitigate hazards before they occur. Traditional safety engineering approaches, such as Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) and System Theoretic Process Analysis (STPA), offer systematic frameworks for early risk identification but are rarely adopted. This position paper advocates for integrating hazard analysis into the development of any ML-powered software product and calls for greater support to make this process accessible to developers. By using large language models (LLMs) to partially automate a modified STPA process with human oversight at critical steps, we expect to address two key challenges: the heavy dependency on highly experienced safety engineering experts, and the time-consuming, labor-intensive nature of traditional hazard analysis, which often impedes its integration into real-world development workflows. We illustrate our approach with a running example, demonstrating that many seemingly unanticipated issues can, in fact, be anticipated.

Prerana M. Bhagatkar, Akshit Lamba

Acquisition of soils made a new dimension in geotechnical engineering due to increased demands on sustainability as well as effectiveness in infrastructure development. The traditional techniques of soil stabilization, ground reinforcement, and grouting have been in widespread use but often come out as not good enough when considered in terms of long-term performance, environmental impact, and adaptability to conditions at complicated sites. Most of the literature reviews concentrate on one or two techniques/advancements without giving an all-round view of the changing landscape of innovative soil improvement techniques. It tries to bridge this gap by conducting a comprehensive review of conventional as well as emerging techniques in soil stabilization, ground reinforcement, and grouting along with practical applications. The review process has been structured around three key categories. Prepare a list of traditional additive-based technologies for soil stabilization: cement, lime, fly ash, etc., along with modern ideas on using industrial by-products and nanomaterials, and added biotechnological methods like microbial-induced calcite precipitation. Methods of ground reinforcement would be compared with geosynthetics, geogrids, and other newer systems like stone columns, vibro-compaction, and soil nailing. Finally, the advancement of grouting is reviewed and the development of cementitious grouting, special grout mixtures, and modern injection techniques. All these will be integrated together to ensure that the review becomes clearer in presenting the advancements of geotechnical engineering by focusing on aspects of efficiency and sustainability within modern methods. In particular, incorporating the practical applications and case studies enhances the review of these techniques to illustrate relevance in practice, their economic and environmental impacts, and aspects of sustainable construction. In this way, this work lays a more solid foundation and contributes toward bridging the gap that lies between traditional and innovative soil improvement methods and thus pushes forward further effective and eco-friendly solutions in geotechnical engineering.

Ana Moreira, Patricia Lago, Rogardt Heldal et al.

The world faces escalating crises: record-breaking temperatures, widespread fires, severe flooding, increased oceanic microplastics, and unequal resource distribution. Academia introduces courses around sustainability to meet the new demand, but software engineering education lags behind. While software systems contribute to environmental issues through high energy consumption, they also hold the potential for solutions, such as more efficient and equitable resource management. Yet, sustainability remains a low priority for many businesses, including those in the digital sector. Business as usual is no longer viable. A transformational change in software engineering education is urgently needed. We must move beyond traditional curriculum models and fully integrate sustainability into every aspect of software development. By embedding sustainability as a core competency, we can equip future engineers not only to minimise harm but also to innovate solutions that drive positive, sustainable change. Only with such a shift can software engineering education meet the demands of a world in crisis and prepare students to lead the next generation of sustainable technology. This article discusses a set of challenges and proposes a customisable education roadmap for integrating sustainability into the software engineering curricula. These challenges reflect our perspective on key considerations, stemming from regular, intensive discussions in regular workshops among the authors and the community, as well as our extensive research and teaching experience in the field.

Adeniyi Kehinde Adeleke, Danny Jose Portillo Montero, Kehinde Andrew Olu-lawal et al.

Process development in mechanical engineering encompasses a broad spectrum of innovations, challenges, and opportunities that drive advancements in various industries. This review delves into the multifaceted landscape of process development within mechanical engineering, highlighting key themes and trends. Innovations in process development are propelled by the continuous quest for efficiency, sustainability, and enhanced performance. Advances in additive manufacturing, automation, and digitalization have revolutionized traditional manufacturing processes, enabling the creation of complex geometries with unprecedented precision and speed. Additive manufacturing techniques such as 3D printing offer versatility in material selection and design freedom, facilitating rapid prototyping and customization while minimizing material wastage. Automation technologies, including robotics and AI-driven systems, optimize production workflows, augmenting productivity and reducing human error. Moreover, digital twins and simulation tools empower engineers to simulate and optimize processes virtually, accelerating product development cycles and minimizing costly experimentation. However, alongside these innovations, mechanical engineers face a myriad of challenges. The integration of new technologies often requires substantial investment in infrastructure and workforce training. Quality control and assurance remain critical concerns, particularly in additive manufacturing, where ensuring part integrity and repeatability is paramount. Furthermore, the sustainability implications of emerging processes must be carefully evaluated to mitigate environmental impact and resource depletion. Despite these challenges, process development in mechanical engineering presents abundant opportunities for growth and advancement. The rise of Industry 4.0 initiatives fosters collaboration between academia, industry, and government, driving research and development efforts towards sustainable and interconnected manufacturing ecosystems. The advent of advanced materials, including composites and biomaterials, unlocks new possibilities for lightweight structures, enhanced performance, and tailored functionalities. Additionally, the pursuit of circular economy principles promotes resource efficiency and waste reduction throughout the product lifecycle. In conclusion, process development in mechanical engineering is characterized by a dynamic interplay of innovation, challenges, and opportunities. By embracing emerging technologies, addressing key challenges, and leveraging collaborative partnerships, mechanical engineers can drive transformative change across industries, paving the way for a more efficient, sustainable, and interconnected future. Keywords: Process, Development, Mechanical, Engineering, Innovation, Review.

P. Latugan, J. J. Carabacan, G. Bonicillo, J. Cayog, M. Q. Eyawa, M. T. Cairel and J. M. Ngohayon

The end of the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the total return of students and employees in Ifugao State University Potia Campus, a higher education institution located in Potia, Alfonso Lista, Ifugao, Philippines. However, the return of the pre-pandemic operations on campus caused problems in managing the generated municipal solid wastes. Hence, an analysis and characterization of the generated municipal solid wastes was conducted to determine important data that can be used for future waste management planning. The generated municipal solid wastes were gathered from the various waste generators within the campus for five consecutive days. The total generated municipal solid waste on the campus was about 140.10 kg.day-1, most of which was contributed by the canteens (20.86%). The generated municipal solid wastes were dominated by biodegradable waste (48.65%) and recyclable waste (37.26%). In addition, most of the generated municipal solid wastes were related to people’s food and beverage consumption behavior. The total volume of the MSW generated daily was about 5.647 m3. It is recommended that the campus create and enforce its waste management plan to specifically address the aforementioned characteristics of the generated municipal solid wastes.

Mohammed A. Alghassab

The purpose of this study is to explore the architecture and functioning of hybrid solar desalination systems and investigate their potential as a sustainable solution for water purification. The study reveals that solar-powered desalination systems offer a remarkable alternative to traditional methods, as they rely on clean solar energy and produce no noise or sound pollution. In addition, they have demonstrated cost-effectiveness in generating drinking water, especially in desert regions and inaccessible areas. Furthermore, the research highlights the significance of incorporating waste heat energy into the desalination process. Also shows that utilizing waste heat energy can significantly reduce expenses and enhance the overall effectiveness of water desalination. Through an in-depth analysis of the fundamental principles and real-world applications, this study underscores the importance and rationale for implementing hybrid solar desalination systems. By effectively utilizing solar energy, these systems provide a sustainable approach to address water scarcity and ensure the efficient management of water and energy resources. This study emphasizes the fundamental importance of the structure of hybrid solar desalination systems fueled by solar energy in the efficient management of water resources. By combining technological innovations with renewable energy sources, these systems pave the way for a sustainable future. HIGHLIGHTS Hybrid solar desalination systems, which rely on solar energy as their major power source for purifying water.; This review paper explores the architecture and functioning of hybrid solar desalination systems.; This review paper emphasizes the significance and rationale for utilizing hybrid solar desalination systems that rely on solar energy to efficiently handle water and energy resources.;

Suram Anil, Anand Raj P, Vamsi Krishna Vema

This study assessed the impacts of climate change on the water balance of the Krishna River Basin (KRB) in India. A frequency-based metric, known as symmetric uncertainty, was used to select the top 50% of global climate models (GCMs) from a pool of 18 Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) GCMs for hydrological modelling. The impact of climate change was projected for three future time frames, namely, near future (NF: 2026–2050), mid-future (MF: 2051–2075) and far future (FF: 2076–2100), using four scenarios from shared socio-economic pathways (SSPs): SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5, SSP3-7.0, and SSP5-8.5. The Soil and Water Assessment Tool model was used to simulate climate change impact during historical and future periods in the basin. The results showed a significant increase in the annual average precipitation, surface runoff, water yield and streamflow in the future under all SSP scenarios. The increase in the projected annual average precipitation ranges from 12 to 54% for four SSP scenarios compared to the historical ensemble average. Future periods showed a shift in the monthly peak flows compared to the baseline period. More availability of water in the future in the KRB can be effectively used for various water management works. HIGHLIGHTS The impact of climate change on the water balance of the Krishna River Basin was assessed using CMIP6-based climate models.; The symmetric uncertainty concept was used to screen the 50% suitable GCMs from a pool of CMIP6 climate models.; High values of NSE and R2 at different gauging locations across the KRB suggested that the SWAT model is spatially performing well.; The uncertainty bounds of simulated water balance components were estimated to understand the behaviour of selected GCMs.;

James S. Wheaton, Daniel R. Herber

Traditional requirements engineering tools do not readily access the SysML-defined system architecture model, often resulting in ad-hoc duplication of model elements that lacks the connectivity and expressive detail possible in a SysML-defined model. Without that model connectivity, requirement quality can suffer due to imprecision and inconsistent terminology, frustrating communication during system development. Further integration of requirements engineering activities with MBSE contributes to the Authoritative Source of Truth while facilitating deep access to system architecture model elements for V&V activities. The Model-Based Structured Requirement SysML Profile was extended to comply with the INCOSE Guide to Writing Requirements updated in 2023 while conforming to the ISO/IEC/IEEE 29148 standard requirement statement templates. Rules, Characteristics, and Attributes were defined in SysML according to the Guide to facilitate requirements definition and requirements V&V. The resulting SysML Profile was applied in two system architecture models at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, allowing us to explore its applicability and value in real-world project environments. Initial results indicate that INCOSE-derived Model-Based Structured Requirements may rapidly improve requirement expression quality while complementing the NASA Systems Engineering Handbook checklist and guidance, but typical requirement management activities still have challenges related to automation and support with the system architecture modeling software.

Sayan Chatterjee, Ching Louis Liu, Gareth Rowland et al.

The increasing popularity of AI, particularly Large Language Models (LLMs), has significantly impacted various domains, including Software Engineering. This study explores the integration of AI tools in software engineering practices within a large organization. We focus on ANZ Bank, which employs over 5000 engineers covering all aspects of the software development life cycle. This paper details an experiment conducted using GitHub Copilot, a notable AI tool, within a controlled environment to evaluate its effectiveness in real-world engineering tasks. Additionally, this paper shares initial findings on the productivity improvements observed after GitHub Copilot was adopted on a large scale, with about 1000 engineers using it. ANZ Bank's six-week experiment with GitHub Copilot included two weeks of preparation and four weeks of active testing. The study evaluated participant sentiment and the tool's impact on productivity, code quality, and security. Initially, participants used GitHub Copilot for proposed use-cases, with their feedback gathered through regular surveys. In the second phase, they were divided into Control and Copilot groups, each tackling the same Python challenges, and their experiences were again surveyed. Results showed a notable boost in productivity and code quality with GitHub Copilot, though its impact on code security remained inconclusive. Participant responses were overall positive, confirming GitHub Copilot's effectiveness in large-scale software engineering environments. Early data from 1000 engineers also indicated a significant increase in productivity and job satisfaction.