Water quality assessment of a recently refilled reservoir: The case of Bütgenbach Reservoir, Belgium

Bütgenbach Reservoir is situated in the High Ardennes plateau in eastern Belgium (50°25′N; 6°13′E). It is used principally for flood control and for production of hydroelectric energy. It has been subjected to a previous series of studies because of its eutrophication problems and their impacts on the local economy. Bütgenbach Reservoir was emptied during spring 2004 for dam restoration, being refilled in mid‐September of the same year. Selected physicochemical and biological parameters (temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, inorganic and organic nutrients, chlorophyll‐a) were measured fortnightly during the lake's productive season (mid‐April to mid‐October 2005) at three sampling sites throughout the water column. The water quality conditions after refilling of the lake were compared to previous studies accomplished at the same sampling sites (prior to emptying the lake). The actual trophic status was mesotrophic to eutrophic, based on the combination of total phosphorous and chlorophyll‐a concentrations, as well as water transparency. Bütgenbach Reservoir generally exhibits good water quality, based on the French water quality system SEQ‐eau. A longitudinal decrease in water quality was observed from upstream to downstream, because mainly of the differences in lake bottom morphology and water residence time, and their impacts on nutrient distribution in the lake.     

Structural properties of nickel manganite Ni x Mn3−x O4 with 0.5 ⩽x ⩽ 1

Single-phase nickel manganite spinels, Ni _x Mn_3–x O₄, with 0.5 x 1, were prepared by a careful thermal processing of nickel-manganese coprecipitated oxalate precursors. Powder X-ray diffraction analysis of the spinel revealed the presence of cubic single spinel phase with parametera which decreases with nickel content. The lattice parameter variation can be explained in terms of the distribution of Ni²⁺ ions on the octahedral sites. Therefore, a fine analysis of data shows that some Ni²⁺ ions (forx>0.56) are located in tetrahedral sites. The percentage of nickel in A-sites increases with nickel content (x) following the relation % Ni²⁺ in A sites =P = – 82.1x ²+192.4x–81.5 and thus the general formula for cation distribution is

Stability analysis of bilinear systems under aperiodic sampled-data control

This note considers the problem of local stability of bilinear systems with aperiodic sampled-data linear state feedback control. The sampling intervals are time-varying and upper bounded. It is shown that the feasibility of some linear matrix inequalities (LMIs), implies the local asymptotic stability of the sampled-data system in an ellipsoidal region containing the equilibrium. The method is based on the analysis of contractive invariant sets, and it is inspired by the dissipativity theory. The results are illustrated by means of numerical examples.     

Testing usability and trainability of indirect touch interaction: perspective for the next generation of air traffic control systems

This study aims to determine whether indirect touch device can be used to interact with graphical objects displayed on another screen in an air traffic control (ATC) context. The introduction of such a device likely requires an adaptation of the sensory-motor system. The operator has to simultaneously perform movements on the horizontal plane while assessing them on the vertical plane. Thirty-six right-handed participants performed movement training with either constant or variable practice and with or without visual feedback of the displacement of their actions. Participants then performed a test phase without visual feedback. Performance improved in both practice conditions, but accuracy was higher with visual feedback. During the test phase, movement time was longer for those who had practiced with feedback, suggesting an element of dependency. However, this ‘cost’ of feedback did not extend to movement accuracy. Finally, participants who had received variable training performed better in the test phase, but accuracy was still unsatisfactory. We conclude that continuous visual feedback on the stylus position is necessary if tablets are to be introduced in ATC.     

Circulating fluidized bed combustion of a high-sulphur eastern canadian coal

Combustion tests were carried out with Minto coal in combination with three different limestones in the University of British Columbia (UBC) pilot scale (152 mm square x 7.3 m tall) circulating fluidized bed combustion (CFBC) unit. Operating conditions were chosen to be typical of those employed in large-scale CFBC power boilers. Recycling of fine particles captured by the secondary cyclone was found to be of considerable importance in increasing sulphur capture, enhancing combustion efficiency and reducing the amount of calcium sulphide in the solids residues. NO_x emissions increased as the Ca:S ratio increased. Local gas concentrations inside the reactor were strongly influenced by the core-annulus solids distribution patterns which characterize circulating fluidized beds.     

Aerosols sampling using a new cryogenic instrument

A new cryogenic instrument was designed for the trapping of aerosols such as cigarette mainstream smoke at low temperature. The technique enabled the trapping of the mainstream smoke of a single cigarette and the particulate and vapor phases were trapped simultaneously. 2R4F reference cigarettes were smoked under International Standard Organization (ISO) regime and trapped at low temperature using the cryogenic instrument. After trapping, the mainstream smoke of the 2R4F reference cigarette was diluted with a solvent and selected smoke components could be quantified using gas-mass spectrometry (GCMS) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The capability of the instrument for trapping the mainstream smoke was demonstrated. The feasibility of the procedure for the detection and the quantification of a large range of smoke components including carbonyls, alkaloids and organic volatile compounds (VOC) in the mainstream of a single cigarette was also shown.     

Decentralised decision-making with information sharing vs. centralised decision-making in supply chains

In recent years, implementing coordination mechanisms in decentralised supply chains to reduce the well-known negative effects of decentralisation, such as the ‘bullwhip effect’, has become a considerable challenge. Furthermore, with the dramatic developments in information and communication technologies, real-time information sharing has become increasingly easier to implement. In this work, we study a mono-product divergent supply chain composed of a supplier, a warehouse, retailers and customers in the context of decentralised and centralised decisions. The main objective of this study is to compare a decentralised supply chain combined with different scenarios of simultaneous upstream and downstream information sharing vs. a centralised supply chain. A mathematical model is developed to compare the logistics costs in the two decision contexts. The experimental results clearly show that the simultaneous sharing of customer demand and supplier-warehouse lead time information in a decentralised supply chain yields nearly equivalent logistics costs as the centralised supply chain context. However, the main beneficiary of the sharing is the warehouse, which receives approximately two-thirds of the benefit. Thus, incentives and revenue sharing contracts should be implemented to motivate and balance the benefits between supply chain partners.     

Thin and thick YBCO films grown by MOCVD processes. Study of the angular magnetic field dependence of current transport properties

Thin and thick YBCO Films have been grown by Aerosol Assisted as well as by thermal MOCVD. The Aerosol Assisted MOCVD technique allows the growth of YBCO films from a single liquid source at deposition rates of up to 10m/h.Transport measurements (I-V) on etched microbridges using a single pulse technique have been performed. The angular magnetic field dependence J_c() of the critical current density from T_c down to 50 K has been measured. Transport properties are reported and discussed with respect to the microstructural features as determined by X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy.