Author archives: BCAM

Optimal mixer placement in industrial-size biogas fermenters

Optimal mixer placement in industrial-size biogas fermenters

Chemical engineeringEnergyMathematics

By BCAM

Renewable energy sources are crucial to react to the continuous increase of energy consumption and pollution by carbon dioxide emissions worldwide. Biofuels, where the energy content is derived from a biological source, are one of the alternatives to oil and natural gas. Still, some biofuels are controversial, like biodiesel, because they imply cultivating certain crops […]

How to investigate the effect of climate change on multiple species without a mechanistic model

How to investigate the effect of climate change on multiple species without a mechanistic model

EcologyMathematics

By BCAM

Species distribution models (SDM) are computer algorithms that relate species distribution, occurrence or abundance, with information on environmental conditions and spatial characteristics of locations where the species has been, or is suspected to be, found. These models can be used to predict or to have a better understanding of the species distribution, and are widely […]

Heterogeneous sorroundings are critical in the analysis of nerve ablation for treating chronic pains

Heterogeneous sorroundings are critical in the analysis of nerve ablation for treating chronic pains

Computer scienceMathematicsMedicine

By BCAM

Chronic pain is one of the most common problems of advanced age. Even though the combination of physical therapy and analgesics such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs is effective in chronic pain treatments, it only confers short-term benefits. On the other hand, it could be quite expensive and may have significant adverse side effects. Effective, lasting […]

Cost of energy and its variability can be reduced in tidal power

Cost of energy and its variability can be reduced in tidal power

EconomicsEnergyMechanical Engineering

By BCAM

Tides are more predictable than winds or sunshine. Then, why are not they already widely used as a source of renewable energy? The simple answer is that designing and building an ocean energy array is quite complex. This complexity has an associated variability in the cost of energy that makes projects difficult to evaluate from […]

Finding collision-free tangential cutting directions when machining

Finding collision-free tangential cutting directions when machining

Computer scienceMathematicsMechanical EngineeringRobotics

By BCAM

One thing is designing an object in a computer, and another, quite different, is producing it as a real 3D object. All other things being equal, in general the more curves the designed object has, the more difficult it is to produce. Mathematics can be very helpful in this task. The geometric modeling of a […]