Feasibility study of wind farms: A case study for Izmir, Turkey

Wind is one of the world's fastest growing renewable energy sources. The rapid growth in wind power is a result of improvements accomplished in technology. This paper presents the technical and economical feasibility of wind farms. The method is applied to a potential wind farm site located in Izmir, Turkey. The site is considered on technical and economical parameters for the complete plant and its running costs. For technical consideration wind speed, prevailing wind direction, and temperature measurements are performed. For economical consideration, three different scenarios namely, autoproducer, autoproducer group, and independent power producer (IPP) cases, are investigated and compared with respect to net present value (NPV), internal rate of return (IRR), and pay back period (PBP) criteria. The study indicates the costs of generated energy by wind turbines with different characteristics as a function of the installed capacity. It is concluded that, the larger the installed capacity, the smaller the generating cost per kWh. The generating cost was calculated as low as 2.68 UScent/kWh for the IPP scenario. The profitability analysis also shows that, larger installed capacity with larger rated power wind turbines present higher IRR of the investment. The sensitivity analysis backs up the findings.     

Differential management of waste by construction sectors: a case study in Michigan,USA

Waste is a great problem in the world of construction. If dealt with appropriately, there can be many benefits, including lower overall cost, faster production, a higher quality and more sustainable buildings. There are many solutions available for minimizing waste during construction. However, a great amount of waste still exists, whether in residential, commercial, industrial, infrastructural or other constructions. The purpose of this investigation is to ascertain key sources of waste, and whether generation varies with the type and size of the constructors. A sample of 30 general contractors was studied, and several null hypotheses on waste generation and minimization differences among sectors were tested using the Kruskal–Wallis H‐test. Although subtle shifts were observed in the aspects of waste behaviour that seemed predicated on construction sectors and capital base, to some extent the proposition that the construction type and size can influence waste generation and minimization was validated. Based on this study, some solutions are provided as viable avenues to managing and minimizing construction waste across sectors.     

英美开发控制体系比较及对中国的启示

经过长期的实践,西方发达国家的开发控制体系已积累了丰富的经验教训,对我国规划管理体系的建立具有重要的借鉴意义和参考价值。通过对英美开发控制体系产生和发展的背景,包括土地、人口状况等方面的分析,并通过开发控制框架的比较和近年来发展趋势的介绍,较为全面地剖析英美开发控制体系的优缺点,从开发控制体系的刚性与弹性、公众参与规划管理、政府自由裁量权的界定等方面探讨了对我国规划管理的启示。     

Management of hazardous waste: a case study in India

A study of identification of hazardous waste generators, quantification and classification of hazardous wastes in accordance with Indian hazardous waste classification system in the five major industrial districts of Gujarat (covering 15 industrial estates) was carried for the purpose of hazardous waste management planning in the region. The contribution of hazardous waste generation by different sizes of generators is estimated. The total quantity of hazardous waste generated in these districts was about 0.44 million tonne per annum. On the basis of waste classification, it was found that waste category number 12 (sludge from effluent treatment plant) and waste category number 9 (waste from dye and dye intermediate units) were dominant among the other categories of wastes generation in each district. In order to reduce burden on land, the hazardous wastes suitable for recovery and recycling in the industrial regions have also been quantified at about 45% of the total quantity generated. Among this the maximum proportion of recyclable waste is from dye and dye intermediate units as sludge and residue which were being disposed off in low lying area in the country.

The study also provides information on the quantity of hazardous wastes which were suitable for secure landfill, with or without pre‐treatment, and for incineration. A plan for hazardous waste management for the region is proposed for implementation.     

美国嘉乐士环保内外墙漆

美国嘉乐士集团公司是专业从事涂料技术研发、生产和销售的跨国集团公司,总部位于环境优美的新泽西州。利用美国本土研究中心雄厚的技术实力和现代化的生产基地,通过高效的物流系统,使产品面向全球市场。“美国嘉乐士漆”在中国市场重点推出以环保漆为主的水性建筑涂料,主要有内外墙环保漆、水性木器漆和建筑地坪漆。同时,嘉乐士针对中国市场的需求和气候特征,推出各种耐候性超强的高级油性外墙漆、金属漆、氟碳漆、工业防腐漆、道路标线漆、家具漆、聚酯木器漆和硝基漆等系列产品。嘉乐士的理念:嘉乐士致力于与世界各国建筑大师、施工企业…     

A new prediction model for rock slope failure time: a case study in West Open-Pit mine,Fushun, China

Establishing an accurate method for predicting the failure times of rock slopes subject to creep deformation is challenging, but at the same time crucial for preventing damage to properties and loss of life. In this paper, the Medium–short Term Prediction of Landslide by Polynomial (MsTPLP) model is proposed based on the Levenberg–Marquardt (LM) algorithm. The West Open-Pit mine in Fushun, NE China is currently the largest open-pit coal mine in Asia. The landslide on the southern slope of the West Open-Pit mine was selected as the study case. Global Positioning System (GPS) monitoring is employed in landslide displacement monitoring. Based on the analysis process of the MsTPLP model, the displacement time series derived from GPS monitoring points is selected as the input. The model parameters of the MsTPLP model are obtained using the Levenberg–Marquardt (LM) algorithm. The predicted failure time of a landslide, which is the output, can be determined according to the prediction criteria of the model. The prediction results show that the MsTPLP model can provide accurate landslide displacement predictions (correlation coefficient R ² > 0.98 and average relative error ARE < 17 %). The forecasting results of the landslide show that the estimated failure time is Mar 5, 2014. Based on field investigation and displacement analysis, the landslide on the southern slope of the West Open-Pit mine occurred on Mar 9, 2014. The predicted and actual failure times are significantly close, demonstrating the potential of the new method in landslide prediction.     

英美对公共交通型自动扶梯的技术要求

GB16899-2011《自动扶梯和自动人行道的制造与安装安全规范》对公共交通型自动扶梯或自动人行道的定义是：“适用于下列情况之一的自动扶梯或自动人行道：a）是公共交通系统包括出口和入口处的组成部分;b）高强度的使用,即每周运行时间约140h,且在任何3h的间隔内,其载荷达100％制动载荷的持续时间不少于0．5h．”     

Amphibians as a model to study endocrine disruptors: I. Environmental pollution and estrogen receptor binding

Many chemicals released into the environment without toxicological risks have the capacities to disrupt the function of endocrine systems. These endocrine disruptors disturb normal endocrine mechanisms and have been observed in nearly all classes of vertebrates. The aim of this research is to develop a comprehensive model to study endocrine disruption using the amphibian Xenopus laevis. The assessment of estrogenic potencies of endocrine disruptors includes several levels of investigation: (I) binding to liver estrogen receptor, (II) estrogenic activity in vitro by inducing vitellogenin synthesis in primary cultured hepatocytes, and (III) in vivo effects on sexual development caused by exposure of larvae. The present paper is focused on the first part by establishing a radioreceptorassay for [3H]17 beta-estradiol ([3H]E2) binding using liver cytosol fraction. In order to get optimum binding conditions we performed kinetic, saturation, and competitive displacement experiments. Association of [3H]E2 to estrogen receptor revealed that maximum specific binding is achieved between 18 and 48 h of incubation. Scatchard analyses of saturation experiments resulted in a homogenous saturable population of estrogen receptors having no significant differences of binding parameters between both sexes. The values of Kd (dissociation constant) in males and females were 22.4 +/- 6.0 and 15.0 +/- 2.8 nM (mean +/- S.E.M.; n = 5), respectively, while corresponding Bmax (maximum binding capacity) revealed 89 +/- 46 and 136 +/- 46 fmol [3H]E2/mg protein. The specificity of estrogen receptors as shown by competitive displacement experiments demonstrated receptors being highly specific just for estrogens, but not for other endogenous steroids having the following ranking of binding affinities: E2 > estrone > dehydroepiandrosterone > aldosterone > or = testosterone > or = corticosterone > or = progesterone. The affinity ranking of environmental chemicals compared to E2 was: E2 > tetrachlorbiphenyl > diethylphthalate > 2,2-bis-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-propan (bisphenol A) > or = 4-nonylphenol > or = 3-t-butyl-4-hydroxyanisole > or = 4-octylphenol > dichlor-diphenyl-trichlor-ethan (4,4'-DDT). Analyses of five sewage effluents for displacement of [3H]E2 binding resulted in three samples displacing more than 50% of specific binding at their original concentration. Taken together the established radioreceptorassay for [3H]E2 binding in Xenopus laevis liver cytosol is useful to screen estrogen receptor binding of pure compounds or complex mixtures of them, which is the prerequisite for causing either estrogenic or antiestrogenic effects.     

Measurement and modelling of air pollution and atmospheric chemistry in the U.K. West Midlands conurbation: overview of the PUMA Consortium project

The PUMA (Pollution of the Urban Midlands Atmosphere) Consortium project involved intensive measurement campaigns in the Summer of 1999 and Winter of 1999/2000, respectively, in which a wide variety of air pollutants were measured in the UK West Midlands conurbation including detailed speciation of VOCs and major component analysis of aerosol. Measurements of the OH and HO2 free radicals by the FAGE technique demonstrated that winter concentrations of OH were approximately half of those measured during the summer despite a factor of 15 reduction in production through the photolysis of ozone. Detailed box modelling of the fast reaction chemistry revealed the decomposition of Criegee intermediates formed from ozone-alkene reactions to be responsible for the majority of the formation of hydroxyl in both the summer and winter campaigns, in contrast to earlier rural measurements in which ozone photolysis was predominant. The main sinks for hydroxyl are reactions with NO2, alkenes and oxygenates. Concentrations of the more stable hydrocarbons were found to be relatively invariant across the conurbation, but the impacts of photochemistry were evident through analyses of formaldehyde which showed the majority to be photochemical in origin as opposed to emitted from road traffic. Measurements on the upwind and downwind boundaries of the conurbation revealed substantial enhancements in NOx as a result of emissions within the conurbation, especially during westerly winds which carried relatively clean air. Using calcium as a tracer for crustal particles, it proved possible to reconstruct aerosol mass from the major chemical components with a fairly high degree of success. The organic to elemental carbon ratios showed a far greater influence of photochemistry in summer than winter, presumably resulting mainly from the greater availability of biogenic precursors during the summer campaign. Two urban airshed models were developed and applied to the conurbation, one Eulerian, the other Lagrangian. Both were able to give a good simulation of concentrations of both primary and secondary pollutants at urban background locations.     

英国推出新型消防宣传车

据报道,英国最近设计出一款新型的消防宣传车.这种具有特殊功能的宣传车由东萨塞克斯郡消防署投资建造,它不仅可以作为初级学校教育计划的核心,而且能够通过多种方式广泛地宣传防火安全知识,征募消防员以及普遍提高消防署在社区中的形象.     

A review of contractor selection practice in the U.K. construction industry

Background, prime influences upon present day methods and current trends in United Kingdom tendering practices are reviewed. Significant weaknesses are identified, confirming the need for some revision of existing contractor selection methods. The findings compliment recommendations of the recent government/industry review of the construction sector headed by Sir Michael Latham. Specifically, that tendering procedure should embrace investigation of contractors' potential to deliver a service of acceptable standard, on time, within budget. Present selection methods often fail in this objective, being inclined to discriminate predominantly on cost.     

The lead, copper and zinc content of tree rings and bark. A measurement of local metallic pollution.

Analysis of samples of wood taken from different tree rings for lead by atomic absorption spectrometry showed that there was little correlation between the sample site or ring age and air borne lead concentrations. However, the concentration of lead in tree bark at several sites was particularly sensitive to traffic flow at that site. The concentration of lead, zinc and copper in the tree bark decreased with increased distance from the road and with height above the ground. The method offers a simple technique for effectively tracing atmospheric metal concentrations.