A new method for distributing power usage across a sensor network

We present a method for more uniformly distributing the energy burden across a wireless ground-based sensor network communicating with an overhead unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). A subset of sensor nodes, termed a transmit cluster, receives and aggregates data gathered by the entire network, and forms a distributed antenna array, concentrating the radiated transmission into a narrow beam aimed towards the UAV. Because these duties are power-intensive, the role of transmit cluster must be shifted to different nodes as time progresses. We present an algorithm to reassign the transmit cluster, specifying the time that should elapse between reassignments and the number of hops that should be placed between successive transmit clusters in order to achieve three competing goals: first, we wish to better and more broadly spread the energy load across the sensor network while, second, minimizing the energy expended in moving the transmit cluster, all the while, third, reducing to the extent practicable the time to bring the UAV and the sensor network’s beam into alignment. Additionally, we present a method for reconfiguring the communication burden between the ground-based sensor network and the UAV. We describe and analyze two alternative strategies to bring the UAV and the sensor network’s beam into alignment, while minimizing the energy expended by the sensor network. The performance of the two strategies is compared in terms of probability of beam-UAV alignment as a function of time, and the expected time to alignment. We examine the performance tradeoff between the choice of strategy and parameters of the sensor network that affect power conservation.     

Public and private attitudes towards “green” electricity: the case of Swedish wind power

There exists a political goal in Sweden and elsewhere to increase the use of renewable energy and wind power seems to be a favourable choice from an environmental perspective. However, although the public generally expresses a positive attitude towards wind power, the experience often shows that specific wind power projects face resistance from the local population. This paper analyses the attitudes towards wind power among the electricity consumers as well as the foundations of these attitudes. Results are based on a postal survey that was sent out to 1000 Swedish house owners. According to the results, the public is generally positive towards wind power. The probability of finding an average individual in support of wind power decreases with age and income. People with an interest in environmental issues are, however, more likely to be positive towards wind power than the average respondent and the results do not support the NIMBY-hypothesis. In addition, people that are more inclined to express public preferences are also more likely to be positive towards wind electricity than people who are less inclined to do so. These results imply, for instance, that the potential of markets for “green” electricity may be limited, other support schemes is thus required if the politically stated goal to increase wind power capacity is to be fulfilled.     

GridJet: An underlying data-transporting protocol for accelerating Web communications

The World-Wide Web provides us with a distributed, hyperlinked document repository. Users attempting to access and share these hyperlinked documents via conventional HTTP and FTP often encounter long waits and frustration. To provide “local-like” access, a WAN/Grid-optimized protocol known as “GridJet” was incorporated into the Firefox Web browser that utilizes a wide range of technologies including the one of paralleling the remote file access. No change in the way of using software is required since the multi-streamed GridJet protocol remains fully compatible with existing IP infrastructures. Peer-to-peer clustered Web servers are also constructed to remove the scalability limitations and management problems associated with individual Web servers. Our recent progress includes a real-world test that Web applications over the GridJet protocol beats those over the classic ones by as much as five times where the transfer distance is over 10 000 km.     

Moving beyond the fourth dimension with an IFC-based single project database

4D CAD has been an active research area for many years. The first generation 4D tools simulated construction schedules and demonstrated the potential benefits in several case studies. Researchers tried to improve the functionality of the first generation 4D tools by adding annotations and highlighting the building elements that have problems. The future generation 4D tools are expected to include more than these. It has been envisioned that 4D models would be part of project databases in order to take decisions related with different project dimensions.This paper presents the development and implementation of a new 4D planning tool which is a part of a product model-based project database. This tool brings the 4D simulation and cost estimation together and aims to contribute to what-if analysis in construction projects. The last part of the paper presents a case study in which the proposed prototype is evaluated.     

Global experience curves for wind farms

In order to forecast the technological development and cost of wind turbines and the production costs of wind electricity, frequent use is made of the so-called experience curve concept. Experience curves of wind turbines are generally based on data describing the development of national markets, which cause a number of problems when applied for global assessments. To analyze global wind energy price development more adequately, we compose a global experience curve. First, underlying factors for past and potential future price reductions of wind turbines are analyzed. Also possible implications and pitfalls when applying the experience curve methodology are assessed. Second, we present and discuss a new approach of establishing a global experience curve and thus a global progress ratio for the investment cost of wind farms. Results show that global progress ratios for wind farms may lie between 77% and 85% (with an average of 81%), which is significantly more optimistic than progress ratios applied in most current scenario studies and integrated assessment models. While the findings are based on a limited amount of data, they may indicate faster price reduction opportunities than so far assumed. With this global experience curve we aim to improve the reliability of describing the speed with which global costs of wind power may decline.     

A transaction-based method for allocation of transmission grid cost and losses

The problem of grid cost and losses allocation may be divided into independent subproblems: allocation of branch flow and losses to transactions, definition of these transactions and cost allocation to transactions. From this final allocation, the charges to participants in transactions may be made straightforwardly. A differential, slack-invariant method for the allocation of flow and losses to transactions that makes use of the AC load flow equation is presented here. The definition of transactions must be addressed using a non-discriminatory rule in pool systems. There are many possible options for this definition, and the choice made has great influence on the results. Cost allocation, on the other hand, may be made in different ways, as well. The paper presents an allocation process that addresses all these issues. Results for the IEEE-RTS96 test system are obtained and discussed.     

基于双基点法的项目目标柔性控制的定量分析

在项目实施过程中,根据当前项目系统和环境的主要矛盾设计相应的控制目标,构造多个试图实现柔性控制的方案,利用问卷调查和专家打分方法形成决策的原始数据,以条件熵度量分析目标的相对重要性,运用双基点法建立柔性控制决策的定量分析方法,以此确定出各方案的轻重缓急顺序,最后通过例子验证了定量分析方法的有效性.     

Papermaking characteristics of three Populus clones grown in the north-central United States

The papermaking properties of 22 pure and hybrid poplars are being evaluated in an on-going investigation. Twenty of the poplars were harvested after 7.5 years from three different sites in the Midwestern and North Central US. The other 2 poplars survived at only two of three sites (64 total samples). The Crandon hybrid had the highest growth rate (t ha⁻¹ y⁻¹) and wood density (both averaged across the 3 sites). This poplar had a high cellulose content (compared to the average), a low lignin content and produced bleached kraft fibers at a high yield (wt.% on wood chips). Further, this poplar responded very well to kraft pulping and oxygen delignification and bleached to the highest final brightness ever observed in our laboratory (94.5% Elrepho). It also produced an 18 kappa number unbleached pulp with <0.5% rejects in only two-thirds the time required for sugar maple (Acer saccharum).We also report on clone 220-5 that had the highest area-weighted average microfibril angle. Pulps from this poplar had excellent tensile properties and further improvements are expected with 1–2 years of additional growth that should result in a small, but significant increase in average fiber length. Some results are also presented for clone 313.55 and aspen (Populus tremuloides) to demonstrate the many substantial benefits that can be accrued from proper wood selection.     

The Food Choice Questionnaire: Factorial invariant over western urban populations?

To assess the degree of measurement invariance of the Food Choice Questionnaire (FCQ) across western urban populations, it was filled out by demographically comparable samples in Canada (163 English speaking students, original version), Belgium (Flanders, N = 176, Dutch translation), and Italy (N = 163, Italian translation). Reliability of the FCQ-scales was moderate to good, but sometimes differed from the normative values. Item analysis pinpointed items with skewed distributions and low item-total correlations. Subsequent confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses revealed a suboptimal fit for the FCQ-model in all samples, with small to considerable divergences from the original configuration. The findings do not support the generalizability of the FCQ’s factor structure, but suggest that its items and underlying constructs may have different connotations across western urban populations. Explanations for the lack of convergence in factor structure and implications for research are discussed.