Optimisation of cogeneration system and fuel inventory with automated targeting model

Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy - Industrial wastes can be used as alternative fuel sources for the substitution of fossil fuel if they contain good calorific values. Through...     

Wireless power transferable from unmanned aerial vehicle

Telecommunication Systems - Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) could wirelessly transfer power to the devices on ground, thus recharging their batteries conveniently. Nevertheless, the efficiency of...     

Air pollution,economic spillovers,and urban growth in China

This paper empirically tests the interactive effects of air pollution and economic spillovers in Chinese cities from 2003 to 2010. The results show that Chinese cities benefit from the economic spillovers from surrounding cities, but bear the costs of negative air pollution externalities created by neighboring cities. We use wind direction and the administrative boundaries of provinces to disentangle possible multicollinearity between air pollution emissions and economic spillovers across cities. However, the results could not reject the growth-restricting effects of air pollution from neighboring cities. The results imply that the development of a city surrounded by polluters is likely to be constrained.     

An extended graphical targeting technique for direct reuse/recycle in concentration and property-based resource conservation networks

Minimum flowrate targeting methods for resource conservation networks (RCNs) have been developed over the last decades. The existing methodologies still have certain drawbacks. Their design insights could be deepened and some steps should be more convenient for the users. A targeting tool called the material surplus composite curve (MSCC), which is an improvement of the surplus diagram for water and hydrogen networks is introduced. The approach is illustrated on several cases selected from the literature. Using this technique, it is possible to determine rigorous flowrate targets for different variants of the RCN problem.     

Performance of Unreinforced Masonry Walls Retrofitted with Externally Anchored Steel Studs under Blast Loading

Six full-scale concrete masonry walls were tested under free-field blast loading using different charge sizes up to 250?kg of ammonium nitrate/fuel oil (ANFO) and at a constant stand-off distance of 15.0?m to cover a wide range of expected damage levels. Five walls were retrofitted with cold-formed steel studs anchored to the wall backs and were compared to the remaining as-built wall. Significant enhancement to the out-of-plane blast resistance of the retrofitted walls, compared to the as-built wall, was observed. This enhancement is attributed to the development of a tied-arch action in the retrofitted walls in which the masonry forms a compression strut while the steel studs serve as the tie. A simplified single-degree-of-freedom model was used to analyze the experimental results, and the model results agreed well with the observed damage levels and the resistances of the walls. In addition, the effectiveness of the proposed retrofit technique was evaluated in terms of strength enhancement and wall deflection reduction. The test results were also compared with those predicted by available blast damage assessment models for unreinforced masonry walls. However, it was found that available models, which do not account for the tied-arch mechanism, greatly underestimate the actual blast capacity of the retrofitted walls because of the assumption of a tensile flexural failure mode. Additionally, the proposed retrofit technique shifts the mode of failure from flexure to shear.     

Modeling the Nonlinear Behavior of Concrete Masonry Walls Retrofitted with Steel Studs under Blast Loading

This paper presents the results of an analytical investigation of one-way unreinforced masonry (URM) walls retrofitted with externally anchored steel studs and subjected to blast loads. Using the wall geometrical and material properties, deflected shape, and crack pattern as input, a nonlinear model is developed to predict the inward force-displacement relationship of the retrofitted walls. In addition, using a rigid body analysis, a simple bilinear force-displacement relationship is developed to model the outward force-displacement relationship of the walls. Utilizing these two force-displacement relationships (resistance functions), a generalized single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) model is developed to capture the nonlinear out-of-plane dynamic response of the retrofitted walls under blast loads. The SDOF model captured the experimentally observed displacement responses of the tested walls with reasonable accuracy. The model was also used to investigate the influence of block thickness, wall slenderness ratio, blast load intensity, and blast pulse shape on the out-of-plane dynamic response of retrofitted walls. The results demonstrated that anchored steel-stud systems could significantly enhance the out-of-plane capacity of the retrofitted walls by increasing their out-of-plane capacity and reducing their displacement.     

Unraveling the daily stress crossover between unemployed individuals and their employed spouses.

This study examined the dynamic relationship of distress levels between spouses when one is unemployed (and looking for a job) while the other is engaged in full-time employment. Using the diary survey method, we sampled 100 couples in China for 10 days and tested a model comprising three stress crossover mechanisms: the direct crossover, the mediating crossover, and the common stressor mechanisms. Results supported the direct crossover and common stressor mechanisms. Other stressors (e.g., work–family conflict and negative job search experience) were also related to distress of the unemployed individuals and their employed spouses. Additionally, we found a three-way interaction involving gender, marital satisfaction, and distress levels of employed spouses. We discuss how the study contributes to the unemployment and stress crossover literatures. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Health and wellness monitoring through wearable and ambient sensors: exemplars from home-based care of elderly with mild dementia

Monitoring and timely intervention are extremely important in the continuous management of health and wellness among all segments of the population, but particularly among those with mild dementia. In relation to this, we prescribe three design principles for the construction of services and applications. These are ambient intelligence, service continuity, and micro-context. In this paper, we provide three exemplars from our research and development activities that illustrate the use of these design principles in the construction of services and applications. All the applications are drawn from the field of care for mild dementia patients in their living quarters.     

New structure transcutaneous transformer for totally implantableartificial heart system

A new structure transcutaneous transformer for a totally implantable artificial heart is presented which has a high coupling coefficient and transmission efficiency. Experimental results indicate that it is possible to transmit an electrical energy of 20 W transcutaneously with a maximum efficiency of more than 90%