Plasma actuators are electrical devices that generate a wall bounded jet without the use of any moving parts. For aerodynamic applications they can be used as flow control devices to delay separation and augment lift on a wing. The standard plasma actuator consists of a single encapsulated (ground) electrode. The aim of this project is to investigate the effect of varying the number and distribution of encapsulated electrodes in the dielectric layer. Utilising a transformer cascade, a variety of input voltages are studied for their effect. In the quiescent environment of a Faraday cage the velocity flow field is recorded using particle image velocimetry. Through understanding of the mechanisms involved in producing the wall jet and the importance of the encapsulated electrode a novel actuator design is proposed. The actuator design distributes the encapsulated electrode throughout the dielectric layer. The experiments have shown that actuators with a shallow initial encapsulated electrode induce velocities greater than the baseline case at the same voltage. Actuators with a deep initial encapsulated electrode are able to induce the highest velocities as they can operate at higher voltages without breakdown of the dielectric

Water resource allocation is the process of assessing and determining a mechanism on how water should be distributed among different regions, sectors and users. Over the recent decades, the optimal solution for water resource allocation has been explored both in centralised and decentralised mechanisms. Conventional approaches are under central planner suggesting a solution which maximises total welfare to the users. Moving towards the decentralised modelling, the techniques consider individuals as if they act selfishly in their own favour. While central planner provides an efficient solution, it may not be acceptable for some selfish agents. The contrary is true as well in decentralised solution, where the solution lacks efficiency leading to an inefficient usage of provided resources. This paper develops a parallel evolutionary search algorithm to introduce a mechanism in re-distributing the central planner revenue value among the competing agents based on their contribution to the central solution. The result maintains the efficiency and is used as an incentive for calculating a fair revenue for each agent. The framework is demonstrated and discussed to allocate water resources along the Nile river basin, where there exist eleven competing users represented as agents in various sectors with upstream-downstream relationships and different water demands and availability.

Blending poly (lactic acid) (PLA) with poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) improves the strength and hydrophilicity of nanofibers, making them suitable for biomedical applications like wound dressings. This study explores how electrospinning parameters—applied voltage, flow rate, and needle-to-collector distance—affect PVA/PLA nanofiber properties, optimizing them using a Taguchi design of experiment (DoE) approach to enhance their mechanical and surface properties for clinical use. Given the high costs and time associated with conducting extensive experimental tests, an artificial neural network based surrogate model is developed to predict experimental outcomes more efficiently, facilitating faster identification of optimal design configurations. Analysis of Variance reveals flow rate as the most significant determinant of fiber diameter. The optimal electrospinning configuration yields nanofibers with an average diameter of 127.6 ± 19.8 nm. These fibers exhibit exceptional tensile strength, flexibility, and a water contact angle of 37°, demonstrating superior hydrophilicity conducive to cell adhesion and proliferation—key factors in promoting wound healing. Comparative analyses confirm that the optimized scaffold (18 cm needle-to-collector distance, 0.6 ml/h flow rate, and 18 kV applied voltage) significantly outperforms alternative configurations, such as 10 cm needle-to-collector distance, 1.2 ml/h flow rate, and 22 kV applied voltage, which display larger diameters, reduced hydrophilicity (contact angle of 72°), and diminished suitability for medical use. Validation experiments affirm the accuracy and reproducibility of the Taguchi optimization, substantiating the methodological rigor and reliability of the findings. This work contributes novel insights into the tunable design of electrospun nanofibers, providing a pathway to developing advanced wound dressings that facilitate tissue integration and accelerate healing. The optimized PVA/PLA nanofibers have the potential to revolutionize wound care by offering a cost-effective and clinically viable solution for enhancing patient recovery, reducing treatment durations, and improving global healthcare outcomes.