Sharif Digital Repository

Engines that extract energy from low-grade heat sources, e.g., from other processes, have received considerable attention recently. The use of Fluidyne, which is a liquid piston Stirling engine, is quite popular. Herein, we explore the use of liquid-to-vapor phase change in a Fluidyne. This provides two considerable differentiators; (1) exploitation of very low temperature difference ΔT≈30 K, and (2) relatively low temperature ΔT≈330 K heat sources, for producing mechanical work, and thus electrical energy. The influence of three operating parameters, i.e., input heat flux, working fluid, and filling ratio, on the performance of the engine was characterized. Their optimum values, which yield... 

Because of the recent frequent observations of major dust storms in southwestern cities in Iran such as Ahvaz, and the importance of the ionic composition of particulate matters regarding their health effects, source apportionment, etc., the present work was conducted aiming at characterizing the ionic composition of total suspended particles (TSP) and particles on the order of ∼10 μm or less (PM10) during dust storms in Ahvaz in April-September 2010. TSP and PM10 samples were collected and their ionic compositions were determined using an ion chromatography. Mean concentrations of TSP and PM10 were 1,481.5 and 1,072.9 μg/m 3, respectively. Particle concentrations during the Middle Eastern... 

In this study, PM10, PM2.5, and PM1 concentrations were measured from April through September 2010. These measurements were made every six days and on days with dust events using a Grimm Model 1.177 aerosol spectrometer. Meteorological data were also collected. Overall mean values of 319.6 ± 407.07, 69.5 ± 83.2, and 37.02 ± 34.9 μg/m3 were obtained for PM10, PM2.5, and PM1, respectively, with corresponding maximum values of 5337.6, 910.9, and 495 μg/m3. The presence of the westerly prevailing wind implied that Iraq is the major source of dust events in this area. A total of 72 dust days and 711 dust hours occurred in the study area. The dust events occurred primarily during July. The longest...