The performance of nano-ionic liquids as working fluids for solar thermal energy storage systems is analyzed and compared to that of traditional water-based solar storage systems. Critical variables are evaluated via the experimental setup (e.g., heat capacity, collector instantaneous efficiency,...

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) are fundamental to the Internet of Things (IoT) and are widely used in environmental, industrial, and healthcare applications. However, their operational lifetime is constrained by the limited energy resources of sensor nodes. The Low-Energy Adaptive Clustering Hierarchy (LEACH) protocol reduces energy consumption through clustering but suffers from random cluster head (CH) selection, leading to uneven energy usage and reduced stability. This study introduces a hybrid optimization approach, LEACH-CSA, which integrates the Crow Search Algorithm (CSA) with LEACH to enhance CH selection and positioning. The proposed method employs CSA’s intelligent search behavior to minimize intra-cluster distances and balance energy consumption across nodes. MATLAB simulations with 100 sensor nodes in a 100 × 100 m² area demonstrate that LEACH-CSA significantly reduces energy consumption and extends network lifetime compared with LEACH and its variants. Furthermore, CSA parameters were optimized using a progressive randomized tuning strategy with 1000, 2000, and 4000 candidate configurations. A comparative evaluation against LEACH-based GA, PSO, GWO, and WOA demonstrated that LEACH-CSA consistently improved the FND metric under different node density and area-scaling scenarios.

This study delves into the impact of incorporating natural nanoparticles (mineral clays) into contaminated water during the Solar water disinfection (SODIS) process. The experiment involved introducing contaminated water samples into glass containers containing 1 × 10⁻³ gm/ml of a specific clay type. These containers were then exposed to solar radiation for varying time intervals. Subsequently, samples were extracted from each container, and the total counts of Total Coliform, P. aeruginosa aeruginosa, and E.coli were measured using the IDEXX setup. The results revealed that Zeolite, a specific type of clay, exhibited the shortest disinfection process among the mineral clay samples. The optimal concentration of Zeolite, which effectively reduced the concentration of Total Coliform, P. aeruginosa, and E.coli concentration, was 1 × 10⁻³ gm/ml. In conclusion, adding Zeolite to wastewater was observed to positively impact the disinfection process, accelerating the inactivation process by reducing the number of pathogenic microorganisms.

In the present study, the effect of biofuel and nano biofuel on the performance of a domestic boiler was investigated and compared with those emitted during the burning of diesel fuel. The biofuel was produced from waste cooking oil using Potassium hydroxide (KOH) as a catalyst. Carbon Nanotubes...

Thermal energy storage (TES) plays a crucial role in improving the efficiency and reliability of solar thermal systems, particularly when low-cost and readily available materials are desired. This study experimentally investigates the performance of a water–salt thermal energy storage system using sodium chloride (NaCl) at different concentrations in a simple solar collector setup. Experiments were conducted using a laboratory-scale solar thermal energy system under controlled conditions, with water serving as the heat transfer fluid and a fixed flow rate of 15 L/h. The storage medium consisted of water mixed with salt, which was obtained from the Dead Sea before any treatment. In its raw form, this type of salt contains impurities, mainly sand, at a fixed concentration of approximately 1% by weight. The effects of salt concentration on storage temperature, system efficiency, and effective heat capacity were analyzed. The results show that moderate NaCl concentrations improved the average storage temperature by up to 12–18%, increased thermal storage efficiency by approximately 1%, and enhanced the effective specific heat capacity compared to pure water. In contrast, higher salt concentrations resulted in a performance reduction of up to 8–12% due to increased thermal resistance and reduced heat transfer effectiveness. An optimal salt concentration range was identified at which maximum storage efficiency and heat capacity were achieved. These findings demonstrate that common sodium chloride can serve as an effective and economical enhancement material for thermal energy storage when properly optimized. The study provides quantitative evidence and practical insights for the development of low-cost, salt-based thermal energy storage systems for solar thermal applications. This study highlights the importance of concentration optimization and provides practical insights for the development of low-cost, salt-based thermal storage systems for solar energy applications.