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The Educational Journal of Renewable Energy Short Reviews (EduJRESR, formally published as `EGU Journal of Renewable Energy Short Reviews') is a teaching project rather than a regular scientific journal. To publish in this journal, it is a premise to take part in the master course wind power, hydro power and biomass usage at the department of Energy, Building Services and Environmental Engineering of the Münster University of Applied Sciences.
Students receive an equivalent of 2.5 credit points (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System - ECTS) for their engagement in the course and for publishing a short review article of at most 3000 words in this periodical. The publication process closely mimics the typical publication procedure of a regular journal. The peer-review process, however, is conducted within the group of course-participants.
Although being just an exercise, we think that publishing the outcome of this course in a citable manner is not only promoting the motivation of our students, but may also be a helpful source of introductory information for researchers and practitioners in the field of renewable energies. We encourage students to write their articles in English, but this is not mandatory. The reader will thus find a few articles in German language. To further encourage students practicing English writing, perfect grammar is not part of the assessment.
We especially thank our students for working with LaTeX on Overleaf, although LaTeX is new to some of them. In this way, the editorial workload was reduced to a minimum. We also thank our students for sharing their work under the creative commons attribution licence (CC-BY). We appreciate their contribution to scientific information, being available to every person of the world, almost without barriers. We also thank the corresponding authors and publishers of the cited work, for granting permission to reuse graphics free of charge. All other figures had to be replaced or removed prior to publication.
Die klimabedingte Zunahme extremer Wetterereignisse ist eine der Herausforderungen in der gegenwärtig durch Krisen geprägten Zeit. Gefahren gehen von großräumigen Hochwasserereignissen und von kleinräumigen Überflutungen innerhalb besiedelter Bereiche aus. Ursache sind ausgeprägte Extremniederschläge. Das Schadpotenzial hängt maßgeblich von den lokalen Bedingungen ab. Ein Starkregen richtet im Flachland mit versickerungsfähigen Böden wesentlich weniger Schäden an als im Bereich eines Kerbtalgewässers, wenn dort die Hochwasserwelle auf bebaute Talbereiche trifft. Auch sind die Folgen einer als urbane Sturzflut bezeichneten Überflutung in dicht besiedelten Räumen in der Regel dramatischer als bei ländlich geprägten Siedlungsstrukturen. Aber nicht nur dem Problem „zu viel Wasser“, sondern auch der zunehmenden Herausforderung „zu wenig Wasser“ muss sich die Wasserwirtschaft stellen. Trockenheit und Hitze führen vor allem in Innenstädten immer häufiger zu Bedingungen, in denen das Leben und Arbeiten zur Belastung wird. Vielerorts sinkende Grundwasserspiegel stellen die Bewirtschaftung natürlicher Wasserressourcen und nicht zuletzt die öffentliche Wasserversorgung in Deutschland vor bislang weitgehend unbekannte Herausforderungen. Einen absoluten Schutz gegen Überflutungen und vor Hitzeperioden gibt es nicht. Wir müssen Vorsorge betreiben, um die Belastungen zu begrenzen. In der letzten Zeit hat dafür der Begriff der „Resilienz“ im wasserwirtschaftlichen Kontext eine besondere Bedeutung gewonnen. Dazu erforderliche Konzepte greifen die Wassertage Münster im Jahr 2023 auf. Zu den Maßnahmen der wasserbewussten Stadtentwicklung zählen beispielsweise die gezielte Versickerung und Verdunstung von Niederschlagswasser oder die Ableitung von Oberflächenabflüssen bei seltenen Starkregen in weniger kritische Bereiche. Thematisiert wird auch der Umgang mit (Ab-)Wasser als Ressource. Hierbei werden die Bedeutung und Chancen der Wasserwiederverwendung betrachtet.
This report examines the strength of young and early age concrete that has been systematically exposed to horizontal, sinusoidal vibrations with varying vibration parameters. Specimens were subjected to vibrations of predefined vibration times (4–14 h) and the compressive strength was determined after a period of 28 days. It was found that the different parameters have no critical influence on compressive strength and that vibration prior to initial setting of the concrete can increase its strength. Additional information to examine the reasons for this increase was obtained by further investigations (nuclear magnetic resonance, x-ray diffraction, and thermogravimetric analysis).
Involving Health Care Professionals in the Development of Electronic Health Records: Scoping Review
(2023)
Electronic health records (EHRs) are a promising approach to document and map (complex) health information gathered in health care worldwide. However, possible unintended consequences during use, which can occur owing to low usability or the lack of adaption to existing workflows (eg, high cognitive load), may pose a challenge. To prevent this, the involvement of users in the development of EHRs is crucial and growing. Overall, involvement is designed to be very multifaceted, for example, in terms of the timing, frequency, or even methods used to capture user preferences. Setting, users and their needs, and the context and practice of health care must be considered in the design and subsequent implementation of EHRs. Many different approaches to user involvement exist, each requiring a variety of methodological choices. The aim of the study was to provide an overview of the existing forms of user involvement and the circumstances they need and to provide support for the planning of new involvement processes. We conducted a scoping review to provide a database for future projects on which design of inclusion is worthwhile and to show the diversity of reporting. Using a very broad search string, we searched the PubMed, CINAHL, and Scopus databases. In addition, we searched Google Scholar. Hits were screened according to scoping review methodology and then examined, focusing on methods and materials, participants, frequency and design of the development, and competencies of the researchers involved. In total, 70 articles were included in the final analysis. There was a wide range of methods of involvement. Physicians and nurses were the most frequently included groups and, in most cases, were involved only once in the process. The approach of involvement (eg, co-design) was not specified in most of the studies (44/70, 63%). Further qualitative deficiencies in the reporting were evident in the presentation of the competences of members of the research and development teams. Think-aloud sessions, interviews, and prototypes were frequently used. This review provides insights into the diversity of health care professionals’ involvement in the development of EHRs. It provides an overview of the different approaches in various fields of health care. However, it also shows the necessity of considering quality standards in the development of EHRs together with future users and the need for reporting this in future studies.
Objectives: In recent years, the European Union has revised its regulatory framework for medical devices, primarily to improve patient safety and public health. The Medical Device Regulation (MDR) is fully applicable since May 2021, strengthening the requirements for all stakeholders. As a result, many companies are facing enormous challenges. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of the MDR on the orthopaedic aids industry.
Methods: Two surveys were conducted: one shortly before the MDR became applicable (146 respondents) and a second survey almost two years later (233 respondents).
Results: Both surveys revealed that all businesses in the orthopaedic aids sector, regardless of size, have difficulty implementing the MDR. Key challenges include additional workload for technical documentation, increased resource expenditure and cost, and lack of clarity regarding the new requirements. Many companies are downsizing their product portfolio, resulting in potential supply shortages and a loss of competitive advantage and innovation for the medical device industry in Europe.
Conclusions: The full extent of the MDR’s impact on clinical practice is still unclear. However, many companies lack the necessary resources. The MDR can potentially be a bottleneck in the availability of medical devices.
The use of computational modeling and simulation (CMS) as a tool for gaining insight into the technical performance and safety of medical devices has emerged continuously over the past years. However, to rely on information and decisions derived from model predictions, it is essential to establish model credibility for the specific context of use. Limited regulatory requirements and lack of consensus on the level of verification and validation activities required result in rare use of CMS as a source of evidence in the medical device approval process. The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) developed a risk-informed framework to establish appropriate credibility requirements of a computational model: the ASME V&V 40?2018 standard. This paper aims to outline the concepts of this standard and to demonstrate its application using an example from the orthotics field. The necessary steps to establish model credibility for a custom?made 3D printed wrist hand orthosis (WHO) are presented. It is shown that the credibility requirements of each verification and validation activity depend on model risk by applying two different contexts of use to the same computational model.
This study investigated the ability of electrically conductive carbon rovings to detect cracks in textile-reinforced concrete (TRC) structures. The key innovation lies in the integration of carbon rovings into the reinforcing textile, which not only contributes to the mechanical properties of the concrete structure but also eliminates the need for an additional sensory system, such as strain gauges, to monitor the structural health. Carbon rovings are integrated into a grid-like textile reinforcement that differs in binding type and dispersion concentration of the styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) coating. Ninety final samples were subjected to a four-point bending test in which the electrical changes of the carbon rovings were measured simultaneously to capture the strain. The mechanical results show that the SBR50-coated TRC samples with circular and elliptical cross-sectional shape achieved, with 1.55 kN, the highest bending tensile strength, which is also captured with a value of 0.65 Ω by the electrical impedance monitoring. The elongation and fracture of the rovings have a significant effect on the impedance mainly due to electrical resistance change. A correlation was found between the impedance change, binding type and coating. This suggests that the elongation and fracture mechanisms are affected by the number of outer and inner filaments, as well as the coating.
For the increasingly important storage of renewably generated electricity, this review explains the construction of a surface and underground pumped storage
power plant. The problems for the construction of an underground pumped storage power plant are further listed. These are geological, environmental and
economic problems as well as a low acceptance by the population. The geological problems are concerns about leaching of minerals and heavy metals as well as the statics of the cavities. Mining companies in Germany are obligated to renaturalize the landscape areas again, which could be realised by a lake. Furthermore, care must be taken to ensure that the mine water does not come into contact with the groundwater. According to a survey by RISP on the subsequent use of the mine areas for an underground pumped
storage power plant, the acceptance of the population is over 70 percent. The economic consideration concludes that the arbitrage profit for a difference between off-peak and peak of 10 €/MWh is about 2.7 M€/a and for 100 €/MWh about 27.3 M€/a. With investment costs of about 630 M€, despite the assumption of 100 €/MWh, more than 20 years are needed for an underground pumped storage power plant to be amortized. The acceptance could be increased by creating a lake as a recreation area as well as being used as an upper storage reservoir. Thus, the cost of renaturation decrease when combined with the creation of the storage basin. The problem of ground conditions can be solved by creating new cavities by means of tunnel boring at an inclination. For static safety as well as against leaching of minerals and heavy metals, the cavity walls can be sealed with reinforced concrete. The technology of underground pumped storage power plants can be used for better utilisation of renewable energies. This is especially in flat and densely populated regions a possibility to store energy, because the main part of the power plant is underground.
Entwicklung eines Konzeptes zur Nachrüstung von Regenklärbecken mit technischen Regenwasserfiltern
(2023)
The use of wind power is rapidly expanding worldwide. It is important to examine the impact of wind turbines on the environment to see if they provide a net benefit and to identify potential for improving. Therefore life cycle assessments (LCA) of different wind turbine types are compared in this short review. The results are then shown side by side in tables for comparison. Overall the LCAs show that wind turbines compensate the required energy and emitted pollutants after approx. 6-16 months. The energy payback period (EPP) for 2 MW onshore wind turbines remained roughly the same since 2009 with approximately 7 months. Onshore wind turbines have a higher impact due to emissions but a shorter EPP than offshore wind turbines. The estimated service life of 20 years should be maximized to ensure a high energy yield ratio. The biggest impact on the environment results from the processes to provide the building material e.g. steel and cement. That impact could be reduced by 20 % if recycled steel would be used. It is shown that wind power is one of the cleanest energy sources. But further investigations in material processing and recycling are important to improve the eco-balance of wind turbines.
Oxidative stress plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of chronic diseases. Therefore, improvement of oxidative stress status through lifestyle intervention can play a vital role in preventing and treating chronic diseases. This systematic review aims to provide an overview of articles published in the last decade examining the association between lifestyle intervention and oxidative stress biomarkers in the context of non-communicable diseases. The electronic databases PubMed and Web of Science were searched for relevant studies, following the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. This systematic review focused on the four important oxidative stress biomarkers; glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, and malondialdehyde. 671 articles were identified, of which nine met the inclusion criteria. A trend emerged, showing that lifestyle modifications that focus on diet and physical health can improve oxidative stress in the form of an increase in superoxide dismutase and CAT levels and a decrease in Malondialdehyde levels in participants with non-communicable diseases (NCDs), GSH levels were not affected. However, the results are difficult to compare because of the heterogeneity of the methods of the biomarkers studied. Our review indicates that oxidative stress can be influenced by lifestyle modifications and may be an effective tool for the prevention and management of non-communicable diseases. This review also elucidated the importance of analyzing multiple oxidative stress biomarkers to evaluate oxidative stress, it further highlights the need to conduct long-term lifestyle intervention studies on oxidative stress biomarkers to understand the connection between oxidative stress biomarkers, NCDs and Lifestyle intervention.