National Challenges

The Academy of Scientific Research and Technology (ASRT) launched an initiative to support innovative ideas that contribute to solving societal problems through scientific research & innovation, Therefore, Yomken.com contributed to share those challenges on the site in order to collect the largest number of proposals for innovative solutions from its network of inventors and people with brilliant ideas.

The chosen Problem Solver will be rewarded with a technical and financial support from the Academy in addition to its research centers

(A) The challenges of using Small Solar Panels

It is known that solar energy is the one most important source of renewable energy in the globe. However, only a small portion of the solar radiation penetrates Earth’s atmosphere (only around 1 kW/m2 out of 1376 kW/m2 which surrounds Earth) 1. The peak of this penetration happens during noon where sunlight is perpendicular on the Earth’s surface, and then it gradually decreases during the rest of the day.

Egypt is located geographically between 22 and 31, 5 North, thus Egypt is at the heart of the Sunbelt, and thus it is one of the richest countries in the world with solar energy. However, Egypt doesn’t exploit this source of energy in an optimal way, and for that reason the Academy of Scientific Research and Technology (ASRT) is looking for solutions and to better use solar energy in Egypt.

The Challenge:

Submit your solutions, prototypes and ideas for the usage and employment of solar panels and units in small villages in order to use it in agricultural mechanization and the exploitation of solar energy in water extraction from wells. ** The ASRT prefers that you cooperate with an academic, marketing and/or funding institution and it is required to obtain the consent of the Egyptian company for electricity. If you have a solution to this challenge and have a idea for new projects in this area, you can send it by clicking on the button “Add a Solution,” no later than October 10th 2013 and the ASRT will support the implementation of your solution financially.

(B) Cooling and Preserving of Meat in Butcher Shops

Keeping meat fresh in local butcher shops is a real challenge as it can represent –if not treated well- a major risk to the human health 2. From one side, the butcher must preserve meat at a temperature below 4 °C, but he also must cut meat in normal temperature. Generally, solutions to this problem are extremely expensive, the real challenge is how we to cool fresh meat in a local butcher shops without transmitting microbes and, therefore, diseases to customers without significant extra-costs for refrigeration units.

The Challenge:

If you come up with solutions or technologies for fresh meat conservation and refrigeration that would help Egyptian butcher shops, taking into account their economic capacity and the consumers’ health. *

* The solution needs pre-approval by veterinary services If you have a solution to this challenge and have a idea for new projects in this area, you can send it by clicking on the button “Add a Solution,” no later than October 10th 2013 and the ASRT will support the implementation of your solution financially.

 

(c) Maximum Benefit of ADI

Alloys On October 25, 1949, Keith Dwight Millis, Albert Paul Gagnebin and Norman Boden Pilling received US patent 2,485,760 on a Cast Ferrous Alloy for ductile iron production via magnesium treatment. 3 Now Austempered ductile iron (ADI) is finding an ever-increasing worldwide market in the automotive and other sectors. It offers a range of mechanical properties superior to those of other cast irons, and shows excellent economic competitiveness with steels and aluminum alloys.

The Challenge:

How can we achieve the maximum benefits of ADI Alloys to serve with Iron and Steel Companies?

 

 

(D) Technology Development Needed to Benefit from Water Hyacinth (Nile Flowers)

Aquatic grass is a major problem in the Nile basin countries, due to its consumption of vast quantities of water specific to agriculture, and irrigation. It also blocks boats traffic in waterways as canals and drains. In addition, it consumes oxygen dissolved in water, which threaten the life of fish and other aquatic organisms. It also harbors many dangerous snails such as bilharzia, lizards and snakes.4 Although there are some discovery of getting a benefit from the Nile Flowers in Egypt (such as manufacturing wood or using it as fodder), there are still some restrictions:

(A) Hyacinth consumes roughly 4 liters of water per day,

(B) Hyacinth are often in canals and waterways and there are risks to workers in the hyacinth. 

The Challenge:

Develop a high-value technology to take advantage of the water hyacinth and other aquatic agricultural waste in general. ** Requires the approval of the Ministry of irrigation and others if necessary an industrial partner.

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Sources:
1: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_energy

2: http://www.fao.org/docrep/004/t0098e/t0098e02.htm

3: http://www.keytometals.com/page.aspx?ID=CheckArticle&site=kts&NM=243

4:  http://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/aquatics/waterhyacinth.shtml

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