Journal of Engineering & Technological Advances

OPTIMIZING POWER OUTPUT IN PARTIAL SHADING CONDITIONS: PARALLEL CONNECTED PHOTOVOLTAIC TCT (P-TCT)

Dr. Gilbert Thio Tzer Hwai — 2023-12-31

The effective reduction of mismatch losses in photovoltaic (PV) arrays is crucial for maximizing power generation. This study introduces a novel interconnection design called “Parallel Connected Photovoltaic Total Cross Tied” (P-TCT) to address this challenge. P-TCT optimizes a PV array by splitting PV modules into parallel TCT subgroups with even number of rows and optimal parallel branching. In this investigation, twenty-four PV modules in a 4 × 6 configuration with three parallelly connected TCT subgroups were arranged. MATLAB Simulink was employed for comprehensive modelling and simulations to compare the power generation performance of PV arrays employing Series Parallel (SP), Total Cross Tied (TCT) and P?TCT interconnection. Under ideal and shadeless condition, the twenty?four?module PV arrays generated a maximum power (P_mp) of 3,594 W. Simulations under various random partial cloud shading scenarios revealed the P?TCT array outperformed SP and TCT. In the first random partial cloud shading scenario, the P-TCT PV array produced 2,145 W, marking a significant 36.8% and 27.1% improvement over SP and TCT PV arrays, respectively. In the second random partial cloud shading scenario, P?TCT excelled, yielding 2,197 W, a remarkable 69.9% and 58.8% increase over SP and TCT PV arrays. In summary, this research demonstrates that the P?TCT interconnection is the optimal design among the three methods, significantly improving power generation and reducing mismatch losses in PV arrays.

SMART CAMPUS: A REVIEW ON SMART ATTENDANCE SYSTEMS AS AN EFFICIENT APPROACH

AIDA MARYANI RASHID — 2024-03-08

Smart attendance systems that utilize advanced technologies such as RFID, BLE, and NFC have been developed to provide more efficient and accurate way of tracking attendance with real-time monitoring and tracking capabilities. The implementation of smart attendance systems can help universities stay relevant and competitive in the future as the world becomes more interconnected and technology-driven. This paper provides an overview and study on the benefits of smart attendance systems and a comprehensive analysis of the different types of systems currently being used by universities worldwide. Overall, this paper contributes to the body of knowledge on smart attendance systems and their potential impact on the educational sector.

A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF SINGLE SWITCHED CAPACITOR AND SWITCHED SHUNTING RESISTOR BATTERY CELL BALANCING METHODS

Jessie Siaw Fei Lu — 2023-12-31

Battery cell balancing holds significant importance in electric vehicles (EVs) due to its potential impact on cell imbalance. Battery packs containing multiple cells require continuous balancing to minimize variations between cells. However, over time and after multiple charge and discharge cycles, individual cells may exhibit varying state of charge (SOC). Battery cells within the same battery pack with different SOC values are at risk of overcharging or over-discharging, leading to a reduction in their useful lifespan. This paper presents a comparative analysis of the single switched capacitor (SSC) cell balancing method and the conventional switched shunting resistor (SSR) cell balancing method. Analysis is conducted through simulations of cell balancing models using MATLAB/Simulink. Simulation results show that the SSR cell balancing method achieved shorter balancing time, approximately one-quarter to one-third of the time needed by the SSC cell balancing method. On the other hand, the SSC cell balancing method demonstrated higher output power with an 8.32% higher SOC in case study 1 and 29.03% higher SOC in case study 2. Therefore, our findings favour the SSC method as it results in a higher final SOC after equalization.

THE FLEXURAL STRENGTH BEHAVIOUR OF BALAU AND CHENGAL TIMBER SPECIES USING THE ANALYSIS OF MODULUS OF RUPTURE (MOR) AND MODULUS OF ELASTICITY (MOE) PARAMETERS

Tengku Anita Binti Raja Hussin — 2023-12-31

Wood is one of the oldest materials used as a major structural element before concrete and steel which has a greater ability to withstand loads. Engineered wood products (EWP) are a new type of wood created by wood engineers to address the increasing need for wood as a building resource. The growing interest in timber beams, aligned with sustainable development goals 9 & 11, reflects the rising demand for building materials that are both sustainable and structurally efficient. The strength of each wood species that has been classified in the strength grade is the most critical issue in the wood structure. The main objective of this research is to determine the optimum strength, modulus of rupture (MOR), modulus of elasticity (MOE), and failure of the Balau and Chengal species. For Balau and Chengal wood, the three-point bending test was applied to determine the bending strength for different species. From the results, it is observed that Balau is stronger than Chengal, with a strength of 218.17 kN and 189.05 kN, respectively. Balau has a greater MOR and MOE than Chengal species by 10.29% and 23.27%, respectively. When compared to Balau wood, Chengal wood cracks and deforms more readily when subjected to lesser loads.

ADSORPTIVE REMEDIATION OF ANILINE USING GRAPHITE: RESPONSE SURFACE METHODOLOGY AND PRINCIPAL COMPONENT ANALYSIS

Chuan Xian Tan — 2023-12-31

The effectiveness of graphite in aniline removal through adsorption was studied in batch mode based on four parameters: pH (3 to 11), temperature (30 to 50^oC), initial aniline concentration (5 to 25 ppm) and graphite dosage (0.5 to 2.5 g). Box-Behnken design was adopted to build 27 experiments and investigated the manipulated parameters. Highest removal efficiency (95%) of aniline was achieved for 15 ppm solution at temperature of 40 ^oC and pH 3 using 1.5 g of graphite. Confirmation studies was conducted to evaluate the regression model’s reliability. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was used to explore the significant experimental variables and spot the outliers. Based on the research outcome, graphite can be feasible for aniline removal as it requires simple processing and available richly in nature.

PREPARING A MAP OF HIGH-POTENTIAL AREAS FOR GROUNDWATER RECHARGE IN NEYSHABUR PLAIN

Farhad Hajian — 2023-12-31

Most water is obtained from groundwater in dry and semi-dry regions when permanent water sources like rivers and lakes do not exist. It is vital that groundwater is recharged to ensure that it remains abundant. By utilizing remote sensing techniques, geographic information system, analytical hierarchy process, and considering seven layers, this article presents a method for identifying suitable groundwater recharge areas. The mentioned layers include rainfall maps, slope, land cover, soil texture, lithology, drainage network density, and lineament density of Neyshabur Plain with an area of 7134 square kilometers. The artificial recharge map of Neyshabur Plain was created with four suitable categories: excellent, good, moderate, and poor. According to the study, 5.8% and 69.9% of the study area would be excellent and good for artificial recharge, respectively, while 21% and 3.3% of the area would be poor and unsuitable for artificial recharge, respectively. Most areas with excellent to good recharge have a slope between 0 to 3.4 degrees and are used for irrigated agriculture, dry farming, and low-density pastures. The main soil type in areas with excellent to good recharge is loam followed by sandy loam. Validation was done with 56 piezometers throughout the study area. In addition, the relative operating characteristic curve (ROC) was performed which indicates a good prediction accuracy.

SIMULATION OF HYSPLIT OF AIR POLLUTION IMPACT TOWARDS AGRICULTURAL GROWTH IN KEDAH DURING SOUTHWEST MONSOON SEASON IN 2019

Thurgeswary Kumarasamy — 2023-12-31

Air pollution has been a significant problem in Malaysia and has a substantial impact on agricultural production. Particulate matter 10 (PM₁₀) is one of the major pollutants released by industries where it affects agricultural production by disrupting the photosynthesis process and the plant growth. In Malaysia, Kedah as the second largest producer of paddy and rice has four monitoring stations only to analyse the air quality. The lack of air monitoring stations around the state has put agricultural areas at elevated risk of being affected by air pollutants. Hence this research aims to simulate a backward trajectory HYSPLIT simulation from the air monitoring station to identify the source of PM₁₀ emission coordinate and to conduct a forward concentration simulation to analyse the agricultural area affected by the pollutants. A starting date, meteorological data file, total runtime of simulation and coordinates of the monitoring stations during southwest monsoon season in 2019 were used as input for backward trajectory simulation while the obtained source emission coordinate was used as the input for forward concentration simulation. The result from the backward trajectory simulation shows that the source of emission coordinate was within Bayan Lepas after analysing every potential intersection on the map and the industries surrounding it. As revealed in the forward concentration simulation result, there were six agricultural areas exposed to an air pollutant concentration level that are low and moderate. It can be concluded that these exposed agricultural areas are within the safe limit.

A REVIEW ON THE ROLES OF AI AND MACHINE LEARNING IN OPTIMIZING RESOURCE ALLOCATION, FORECASTING WORKLOAD DEMANDS, AND ENHANCING SECURITY MEASURES IN THE CLOUD

AIDA MARYANI RASHID — 2024-03-08

The symbiotic link between artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing emerges as a revolutionary force in the continuously evolving world of digital infrastructure. This paper intends to highlight the complicated roles that artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning have played in reshaping the landscape of cloud computing. In particular, the inquiry tackles three essential areas: cloud resource allocation optimization, workload demand forecast accuracy, and security measure fortification. A fundamental problem as businesses move more and more toward cloud systems is the dynamic resource allocation to manage changing workloads. Underutilization and overutilization lead to inefficiencies that are detrimental for both overall performance and cost-effectiveness.