Adaptability of competitive electricity reforms a modular analysis

Among the competitive electricity reforms that have been implemented in Europe and the US for the last 18 years, none has “survived” over several years without major changes. Their changing nature raises the question of their adaptability. Two characteristics of reforms play a key role on their adaptation properties. Firstly, they are “modular” objects in the sense of [Baldwin, C., 2008. Where do transactions come from? Modularity, transactions, and the boundaries of firms. Industrial and Corporate Change 17 (1), 155–195]. Secondly, they are produced in an institutional process which leads to “incomplete” rules and designs [Pistor, K., Xu, C., 2003. Incomplete law. International Law and Politics 35, 931–1013]. We propose a typology of adaptations based on the framework proposed by [Williamson, O.E., 1991. Comparative economic organization: the analysis of discrete structural alternatives. Administrative Science Quarterly 36 (2), 269–296] for contracts: (1) in case of small disturbances, adaptations are realized quasi-automatically, by autonomous decisions of the institutions governing the implementation of reforms; (2) in case of middle-range disturbances, adaption is made by Coasian bargaining; (3) finally, in case of strong disturbances, or when bargaining is not feasible, the adaptation of reforms is in the hands of legislative and executive institutions [North, D.C., 2005. Le processus du développement économique. Editions d’Organisation]. These institutions can reform the reforms [Joskow, P.L., 2006. Introduction to electricity sector liberalization: lessons learned from cross-country studies. In: Sioshansi, F.P. (Ed.), Electricity Market Reform: An International Perspective. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp. 1–32; Hogan, W.W., 2002. Electricity market restructuring: reforms of reforms. Journal of Regulatory Economics 21, 103–132]. The role of these types of adaptations in each electricity reform is a consequence of the allocation of rights to the regulator, to stakeholders and to legislative and executive institutions.     

Berechnung von dreidimensionalen elektromagnetischen Feldern bei der induktiven Erwärmung

Übersicht Es wird ein numerisches 3D-Berechnungsverfahren vorgestellt, mit dem die elektromagnetischen (EM-) Felder bei induktiver Hochfrequenz-(HF-) oder Banderwärmung, also im Fall dünner stromführender Schichten, simuliert werden. Darüber hinaus lassen sich Leistungs- und Kraftverteilungen sowie integrale Größen, wie z. B. Impedanz, Spannung und Wirkleistung, ermitteln. Für das Berechnungsprogramm werden die prozeßrelevanten Teile der betrachteten Anlagen entsprechend ihrer elektromagnetischen Eigenschaften bestimmten Gruppen zugeordnet. Für jede Gruppe gelten spezifische Randbedingungen an der Oberfläche bezüglich der EM-Felder. Das Berechnungsprogramm basiert auf der Boundary-Element-Methode (BEM) und berücksichtigt die anlagenspezifischen Symmetrien, so daß Rechner genutzt werden können, die in Forschung und Entwicklung heute allgemein zugänglich sind (PC, Workstation). Am Beispiel zweier Anwendungsfälle wird die Leistungsfähigkeit des entwickelten Programmpaketes aufgezeigt.

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Calculation of threedimensional electromagnetic fields during induction heating

Contents A numerical 3D-calculation method for the simulation of the electromagnetic field during high frequency induction heating or induction strip heating, i.e. in case of thin current-carrying layers, is presented. In addition, the described programme allows to calculate the distributions of power and force as well as integral quantities, for example the impedance, the voltage and the active power. The parts of the setup to be considered are assigned to certain groups according to their electromagnetic properties. Each group has its specific boundary conditions at the surface describing the electromagnetic field. The calculation program uses the boundary element method and takes into account the set-up specific symmetries. Therefore the program runs on computers (PC, Workstations), which are widely available for research and development purposes nowadays. Finally, two examples basing on industrial applications show the efficiency of the developed program.

     

Das digitale geologische Strukturmodell Bitterfeld als neuer Baustein in der Sanierungsforschung

Identification, assessment and remediation of a large-scale groundwater contamination requires a profound knowledge of the geological structure to predict the fate of contaminants in the subsurface. Within the SAFIRA-project, a model sector of the Bitterfeld/Wolfen area was chosen to transfer the structural geological data of the Tertiary and Quarternary aquifer units into a digital geological model. Using 125 selected drillholes as a base of 28 networked cross-sections, small-scale lithological and structural heterogeneities, in particular of the Quarternary layers, could be assigned to 31 litho-stratigraphic sedimentation units and depicted using a 10 × 10 m GIS grid. An assignment of hydraulic parameters to individual sedimentary bodies allows a combination with flow and transport models. The structural model was generated by combining gridding sections and additional point and lateral information of sediment distribution and allows -beyond visualisation purposes- volumetric calculations of distinct sedimentary units, which are relevant for an assessment of retardation processes in the remaining lignite seam. The present structural model is the base for a “Spatial Model Bitterfeld” and anables further investigations on the environmental impact of different scenarios.