Sharif Digital Repository

Current energy systems face multiple problems related to inflation in energy prices, reduction of fossil fuels, and greenhouse gas emissions which are disturbing the comfort zone of energy consumers and the affordability of power for large commercial customers. These kinds of problems can be alleviated with the help of optimal planning of demand response policies and with distributed generators in the distribution system. The objective of this article is to give a strategic proposition of an energy management system for a campus microgrid (µG) to minimize the operating costs and to increase the self-consuming energy of the green distributed generators (DGs). To this end, a real-time based... 

A modified two-surface critical state plasticity model for saturated and unsaturated soil is presented in this study. The key modification in new model is inclusion of an alternative yield surface used to simulate the behavior of unsaturated soils in addition to corresponding saturated conditions. Moreover, a numerical technique is used to obtain an incremental stress–strain response from loading curves. Modification is applied continuously in each incremental step to return the final stress states and hardening parameters to the yield surface. Results revealed that the adopted modeling approach can predict two independent sets of laboratory unsaturated experiments under various conditions... 

Resonance Raman spectroscopy has long been established as one of the most sensitive techniques for detection, structure characterization, and probing the excited-state dynamics of biochemical systems. However, the analysis of resonance Raman spectra is much facilitated when measurements are accompanied by Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations that are expensive for large biomolecules. In this work, resonance Raman spectra are therefore computed with the Density Functional Tight-Binding (DFTB) method in the time-dependent excited-state gradient approximation. To test the accuracy of the tight-binding approximations, this method is first applied to typical resonance Raman benchmark... 

This research addresses the location problem of congested facilities, assuming service interruptions and customer withdrawals. Service interruptions can occur as a result of events such as machine failures, power outages, and communication system disconnections. As long as no interruption occurs, each facility functions as a M/M/1 queuing system. Upon an interruption, the server stops working, and customers receiving service or waiting in line leave the queue before being served. Moreover, customers who visit the facility during the repair avoid entering the facility. The problem is first formulated as a mixed-integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) model, for which two piecewise mixed-integer... 

In this study, we perform numerical simulations to investigate the thermal and flow characteristics of a parabolic trough solar collector equipped with a porous receiver tube and internal longitudinal fins. The heat transfer medium is a synthetic oil-Cu-Al2O3 hybrid nanofluid. We examine the thermal characteristics of the nanofluid in response to variations in several system parameters. We find that at Reynolds numbers between 5 × 103 and 5 × 105, increasing the volume fraction of Cu nanoparticles can increase the temperature gain at the exit of the receiver tube by 6.4%. Furthermore, the temperature gradient in the cross-section of the collector increases as the direct normal solar... 

Minimization of drop contact time is so important and critical for applications such as self-cleaning and anti-corrosion. In recent years, surface acoustic waves are presented as a powerful method for the manipulation of the drops. In this manuscript, a numerical study of drop shedding under the effect of acoustic waves is presented, which may have potential use in the anti-icing systems. Therefore, the effects of different parameters, such as acoustic wave frequency, amplitude, and direction of the wave on the water removal, are investigated. For this purpose, a color gradient lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) is developed and used in these simulations. The acoustic actuator effect is added as... 

The use of energy storage systems (ESS) and distributed generators (DGs) to improve reliability is one of the solutions that has received much attention from researchers today. In this study, we utilize a multi-objective optimization method for optimal planning of distributed generators in electric distribution networks from the perspective of multi-objective optimization. The objective is to improve the reliability of the network while reducing the annual cost and network losses. A modified version of the multi-objective sine–cosine algorithm is used to determine the optimal size, location, and type of DGs and the optimal capacity, location, and operation strategy of the ESS. Three case... 

Paper-recycling mills are serious environmental threats due to their high water consumption and highly polluted wastewater. Particles are the most common issue of paper-recycling wastewater, and their removal is of particular interest for recycling. Rotating dissolved air flotation (RDAF) is a system for separating particles, and the mixing zone of this system, where particles collide with air bubbles, is the most important part. As a widely used system in various industries, RDAF has rarely been investigated in the literature in terms of its optimization and efficiency improve-ment. In general, RDAF processes are basically the same as those of conventional dissolved air flotation (DAF)... 

Induced Polarization (IP) is a non-intrusive geophysical method to monitor Dense Non-Aqueous Phase Liquid (DNAPL) contamination and remediation processes underground. In this study, an advanced numerical code simulating DNAPL flow and complex electrical resistivity is presented. The model was validated against existing IP results and image measurements that were carried out previously in a series of 2D tank experiment. Multiphase flow modeling in porous media is coupled with electrical current modeling to simulate the process of DNAPL migration and the associated IP response. This brings a broader view of the contamination in space and time compared to surface and borehole measurements,... 

Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) approach with the k-ε closure model is employed for the first time to simulate direct Solid-Phase Micro-Extraction (SPME) computationally. Simulations are performed by using COMSOL Multiphysics in order to examine methods to decrease the extraction time. Experiments are also conducted to support data obtained from the numerical framework. Di-n-Butyl Phthalate (DNBP) and etched steel wire are chosen as the analyte and the adsorbent, respectively. Stirring rate, fiber's location, stirrer magnet's size, and the method of sample rotation are examined to decrease the extraction time. In addition, the effects of adding a baffle to the vial and implementing a... 

The Computational fluid dynamics (CFD)–discrete element method (DEM) numerical simulation may be applied to predict the hydrodynamic behavior of dense particle–fluid flows. The main drawback of this simulation is the long computational time required owing to the large number of particles and the minute time-step required to maintain a stable solution. In this work, a new method to improve the efficiency and accuracy of CFD–DEM simulations is presented. The particle stiffness coefficient is used as a flexible parameter to improve the accuracy and efficiency of the model. The particle concentration distribution results are compared with experimental one’s to derive the optimum effective... 

This paper presents a case study and numerical simulations of a corner of a deep excavation in Tehran supported by soldier piles and ground anchors. This study focuses on the differences between 2D and 3D numerical modelling in estimating the wall deflection at the corner locations of the excavation. Furthermore, the performance of modelling with Mohr–Coulomb constitutive law was compared with the result of a hardening soil model. The modelling procedure was calibrated against a full-scale instrumented tieback wall at Texas A&M University and the monitoring data of the excavation project. The results indicated that the hardening soil model yields reasonable predictions of wall deflection in... 

The Mapping and Modeling Subcommittee of the US National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program convened a workshop in January 2017 to evaluate the present state of numerical models for the simulation of tsunamis generated by submarine or subaerial landslides. A range of benchmark tests were provided to participants, with three tests emphasized: (i) a laboratory submarine solid slide in a 2D horizontal tank, (ii) a laboratory submarine granular slide in a 1D flume, and (iii) a field case based on submarine slides which occurred in Port Valdez, AK during the 1964 Alaska earthquake. Nine landslide tsunami models configured with 21 different combinations of physical options were benchmarked,... 

In this paper, a computational technique is presented for the isothermal and non-isothermal water injection into naturally fractured oil reservoirs. A remarkable number of naturally fractured reservoirs contain relatively heavy oils that could not be extracted economically; hence, the thermal recovery methods are extensively used for such reservoirs. In this study, the effectiveness of hot water injection over cold (isothermal) water injection in oil production is quantified. The influence of long and short fractures and their alignments on oil recovery are discussed. To this end, a 2D model for two-phase fluid flow and heat transfer is presented. The medium is assumed to be partially... 

Neurological disorders and nerve injuries, such as spinal cord injury, stroke, and multiple sclerosis can result in the loss of muscle function. Electrical stimulation of the neuronal cells is the currently available clinical treatment in this regard. As an effective energy harvester, the triboelectric nanogenerators (TENG) can be used for self-powered neural/muscle stimulations because the output of the TENG provides stimulation pulses for nerves. In the present study, using a computational modelling approach, the effect of surface micropatterns on the electric field distribution, induced voltage and capacitance of the TENG structures have been investigated. By incorporating the effect of...