Sustainable optimization of waste management network over extended planning time horizon

This study proposes a multiperiod mixed integer linear programming model for the management of a single municipal solid waste (MSW) treatment plant with sustainability as the objective. Discrete and continuous variables define the capacity selections for diverse MSW technologies, and the operation of the MSW network, respectively. The economic target is considered to maximize the net present value. The environmental impact is the minimization of a normalized environmental objective function (NEOF). The social target is the maximization of jobs. An interesting feature about the research work is the requirement of biodrying technologies for MSW moisture content control. Due to the conflicted nature among the sustainability components, a multiobjective optimization (MO) is carried out to find the Pareto optimal solutions. The MO results show that the Pareto optimal solutions vary around profit range of $4.9–8.5 billion, NEOF impact range of 3.2–3.6 units, and social benefit range of 2700–4828 jobs.     

NaWuReT-Workshop: Forschung in der Reaktionstechnik für und mit der Gesellschaft

In this article, the results of the NaWuReT (Early Career Reaction Engineers) workshop on the topic “Are we doing relevant science?” are presented. The topics “(In)surmountable hurdles for Citizen Scientists in reaction engineering?” and “Circular Economy in reaction engineering with/for society?” were discussed. Therefrom, a variety of ideas and suggestions were extracted.     

抑霜型空气源热泵机组应用实测研究

空气源热泵结霜过程会恶化机组的实际运行性能，重霜工况下尤为严重，发展抑霜型空气源热泵是保障其高效适用和良性发展的关键。本文依托四川省康定市的某住宅示范工程，开展抑霜型空气源热泵和常规型空气源热泵的现场实测研究，研究抑霜型空气源热泵实际应用中的抑霜、制热性能表现，并进行技术经济性分析。结果表明：抑霜型空气源热泵抑霜效果显著，制热性能得到显著改善，能效提升达到21%~37.3%，费用年值比常规空气源热泵降低了13%，1年左右即可回收追加的投资，具有更好的技术经济性，有助于空气源热泵技术在严重结霜气候区域的高效应用。     

基于KANO模型的后共享时代单车设计决策研究——从设计师与消费者视角

目的 探究消费者对共享单车的需求偏好，获取用户和设计师对产品的认知差距，并提出相应的设计决策，为共享单车以及两轮车行业的产品创新提供启迪与参考。方法 从设计师思维与消费者偏好的视角出发，对共享单车消费者偏好的各项设计原则(属性)进行细致分类，建立8个评价维度与41个评价特征，采用KANO模型对有效回收样本进行定量统计及定性分析。结果 基于前期调研与KANO模型分析，提出后共享时代单车设计的相关策略。结论 在后共享单车时代下，设计师需要根据用户真实的产品偏好与体验感知进行设计策略的研究，以设计出真正满足用户需求和体验期望的产品。同时也证明KANO模型作为一种阐明用户不同感性需求的方法，有助于设计师进行设计决策的综合判断，提升设计的竞争力。     

Can hydrogen be the sustainable fuel for mobility in India in the global context?

This article provides a critical assessment of H₂ from the standpoint of more widespread use as a sustainable fuel for Indian mobility applications in the global context. The potential techno-economic advantages of utilizing H₂ for automobiles rather than battery electric vehicles or conventional internal combustion engine vehicles are emphasized. The present assessment demonstrates that H₂ production, storage, and distribution costs are the primary challenges, and a significant improvement is still necessary for H₂ to compete either against the internal combustion engine vehicle or the battery electric vehicle to win the race, arguably. The secondary challenges have also been demonstrated, which include the cost of the fuel cell stack and the modifications associated with internal combustion engine vehicles, as well as regulatory and safety concerns, which impede the widespread usage of H₂. It is critical that policy-making for sustainable mobility in India is possible with the aid of a National H₂ Energy Road-Map. This in turn can achieve a cost target of $0.5/kg for H₂.     

Environmental impact estimation of ceramic lightweight aggregates production starting from residues

Within a circular economy approach, this study investigates the environmental impact of lightweight aggregates (LWAs) produced starting from different mixes of different clays with brewery sludge and cattle bone flour ash (CBA), used as poring and fertilizing agents, respectively. The environmental impact was evaluated by means of release tests, insulation capacity, carbon footprint (CFP), and particulate matter emission during pellet firing. Release tests representative of LWAs realistic application showed very high release of phosphate and satisfactory release of potassium. The thermal insulation of the LWAs was tested by thermal imaging camera and resulted highly variable depending on the composition, with the mix containing CBA performing best. This latter composition leads also to the smallest CO₂ equivalent emission, due to the calorific power of CBA, allowing lower consumption of fossil fuels during the LWA production. Finally, total particulate emissions during the thermal treatment resulted similar in terms of mass for all mixes, while differences in terms of particle morphology and composition occurred. Samples containing residue resulted with a quite good release behavior, CFP, and insulation properties, but higher emission of particles, particularly when glass is added.     

The social profitability of rural roads in a small open economy: Do urban agglomeration economies matter?

The effects of a rural roads programme depend on labour mobility, how the programme is financed, and agglomeration economies. If financed by a rural poll tax and cross-price effects and agglomeration economies are sufficiently small, the wage will rise, with some return migration. Taxes on trade act as countervailing distortions, yielding urban households some relief. Rural-urban commuting promotes the exploitation of agglomeration economies; taxes on international trade are then inferior to a poll tax. The change in the value, at producer prices, of the rural sector's net supply vector can be a poor measure of the programme's social profitability.     

Crowdwork platform governance toward organizational value creation

Crowdwork, a new form of digitally mediated employment and part of the so-called gig economy, has the capacity to change the nature of work organization and to provide strategic value to workers, job providers, and intermediary platform owners. However, because crowdwork is temporary, large-scale, distributed, and mediated, its governance remains a challenge that often casts a shadow over its strategic value. The objective of this paper is to shed light on the making of value-adding crowdwork arrangements. Specifically, the paper explores crowdwork platform governance mechanisms and the relationships between these mechanisms and organizational value creation. Building on a comprehensive review of the extant literature on governance and crowdwork, we construct an overarching conceptual model that integrates control system and coordination system as two complementary mechanisms that drive crowdwork platform governance effectiveness and the consequent job provider benefits. Furthermore, the model accentuates the role of the degree of centralization and the degree of routinization as critical moderators in crowdwork platform governance. Overall, the paper highlights the potential of crowdwork to contribute not only to inclusion, fair wages and flexible work arrangements for workers but also to organizations’ value and competitive edge.