Accurate information on battery state-of-charge, expected battery lifetime, and expected battery cycle life is essential for many practical applications. In this paper, we develop a nonchemically based partially linearized (in battery power) input-output battery model, initially developed for lead-acid batteries in a hybrid electric vehicle. We show that with properly tuned parameter values, the model can be extended to different battery types, such as lithium-ion, nickel-metal hydride, and alkaline. The validation results of the model against measured data in terms of power and efficiency at different temperatures are then presented. The model is incorporated with the recovery effect for accurate lifetime estimation. The obtained lifetime estimation results using the proposed model are similar to the ones predicted by the Rakhmatov and Virudhula battery model on a given set of typical loads at room temperature. A possible incorporation of the cycling effect, which determines the battery cycle life, in terms of the maximum available energy approximated at charge/discharge nominal power level is also suggested. The usage of the proposed model is computationally inexpensive, hence implementable in many applications, such as low-power system design, real-time energy management in distributed sensor network, etc.

The Journal of Pattern Recognition Research (JPRR) provides an open access forum for the publication of research articles in areas of pattern recognition, machine learning, artificial intelligence, computational algorithms, and fuzzy learning

Human factors and ergonomics have played an essential role in increasing the safety and performance of operators in the nuclear energy industry. In this critical review, we examine how artificial intelligence (AI) technologies can be leveraged to mitigate human errors, thereby improving the safety and performance of operators in nuclear power plants (NPPs). First, we discuss the various causes of human errors in NPPs. Next, we examine the ways in which AI has been introduced to and incorporated into different types of operator support systems to mitigate these human errors. We specifically examine (1) operator support systems, including decision support systems, (2) sensor fault detection systems, (3) operation validation systems, (4) operator monitoring systems, (5) autonomous control systems, (6) predictive maintenance systems, (7) automated text analysis systems, and (8) safety assessment systems. Finally, we provide some of the shortcomings of the existing AI technologies and discuss the challenges still ahead for their further adoption and implementation to provide future research directions.

Because of the growing concerns regarding climate change and energy sustainability, a transition toward a modern energy sector that reduces environmental effects while promoting social and economic growth has gained traction in recent years. Sustainable energy solutions, which include renewable and low-carbon sources such as nuclear energy and natural gas, could minimize emissions of greenhouse gases, enhance air and water quality, and encourage energy independence. Yet, the shift to a sustainable energy industry is fraught with difficulties, including governmental and regulatory obstacles, technological and economic limits, and societal acceptability hurdles. Addressing these issues would necessitate the development of long-term, durable, and cost-effective energy systems containing nuclear energy and associated with the generation of both electricity and other by-products required by industry. Integrated energy systems (IES) are a novel way to maximize the use of various energy resources and technologies in order to deliver dependable, efficient, and sustainable energy services. IES entail the integration of various energy systems, such as electricity, heating, cooling, and transportation, in respect to energy sustainability and a system’s resilience and flexibility. Their development and implementation require the cooperation of several parties, including energy providers and policymakers. This study provides a state-of-the-art literature review of the most creative nuclear-driven hybrid energy system applications and methodologies, from which the research challenges and prospects for effective IES implementation emerge.

Sensor nodes are small and low-cost portable devices that are connected wirelessly to form a wireless sensor network. Sensor nodes are typically powered by a chemical battery source that has a load-dependent finite lifetime. Most applications require wireless sensor networks to operate reliably for an extended period of time beginning with their deployment. To ensure both the longevity of a wireless sensor network via power management techniques and development of a self-powered sensor node, it is important to understand a sensor node's operational energy consumption. It is well understood that wireless sensor network lifetime has a strong functional dependence on sensor node lifetime. This paper presents the development of a stochastic model to capture the expected energy consumption of a schedule-driven sensor node per cycle of operation by utilizing renewal theory, random stopping criteria, and Wald's inequality. The model captures the expected energy consumed due to generic operation of a schedule-driven sensor node when an external event occurs (i.e., node level activities) and energy consumed due to carrier sense multiple access/collision avoidance medium access control protocol (i.e., retransmission attempts, channel listening, and other network level activities). The stochastic energy model is used to compute the expected lifetime and cycle lifetime of the sensor node. This paper also computes the deterministic energy bounds corresponding to the minimum and maximum energy consumption of a sensor node per cycle of operation. Analytical and numerical model validations are performed and presented.