Validation of a dynamic model for wood pellet boilers and stoves

Optimising systems with wood pellet boilers or stoves using simulations requires realistic computer models. The objective of this work was to develop and verify a mathematical model for wood pellet boilers and stoves for use in system simulations with the dynamic simulation programme TRNSYS, calculating both the energy balance and the CO-emissions (carbon monoxide emissions). Laboratory measurements have been carried out and a mathematical two-node model was developed and implemented as a TRNSYS component. Parameters were identified and the model has been compared with measurements. The model shows in general good agreement with measured data, however there are details that could be improved. This involves improved modelling of the dynamic response for boilers with large water volumes and improved modelling of the air factor and the CO-emissions, especially during start and stop conditions. Further improved methodology and accuracy for measuring and parameter identification is recommended.     

Search for Time Reversal Violating Effects: R-Correlation Measurement in Neutron Decay

An experiment aiming at the simultaneous determination of both transversal polarization components of electrons emitted in the decay of free neutrons begins data taking using the polarized cold neutron beam (FUNSPIN) from the Swiss Neutron Spallation Source (SINQ) at the Paul-Scherrer Institute, Villigen. A non-zero value of R due to the e⁻ polarization component, which is perpendicular to the plane spanned by the spin of the decaying neutron and the electron momentum, would signal a violation of time reversal symmetry and thus physics beyond the Standard Model. Present status of the project and the results from analysis of the first data sample will be discussed.     

Personality, self-estimated intelligence, and uses of music: A Spanish replication and extension using structural equation modeling.

This study replicates and extends a recent study on personality, intelligence and uses of music [Chamorro-Premuzic, T., & Furnham, A. (2007). Personality and music: Can traits explain how people use music in everyday life? British Journal of Psychology, 98, 175–185] using Spanish participants and structural equation modeling. Data from 245 university students showed that, in line with our hypotheses, individuals higher in Neuroticism were more likely to use music for emotional regulation (influencing their mood states), those higher in Extraversion were more likely to use music as background to other activities, and those higher in Openness were more likely to experience music in a cognitive or intellectual way. As predicted, self-estimates of intelligence were also linked to cognitive use of music, though not when individual differences were considered. On other hand, contrasting with initial predictions, Extraversion was positively rather than negatively linked to emotional use of music. Small incremental effects of gender (over personality) were also found on the emotional use of music. Results are discussed in regards to previous findings on personality traits as determinants of uses of music. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Biofuels for transport in Europe: Lessons from Germany and the UK

The utilisation of biofuels is attracting growing support from the European Union and member states as a strategy to tackle climate change, enhance energy security, and contribute to regional development. This paper describes, compares, and analyses the markets for biofuels in Germany and the UK. The introduction of biofuels for transport in these member states provides contrasting pictures, and the success or failure of biofuels here is pertinent to the development and diffusion of biofuels across Europe. This paper concentrates on the socio-political context for the biofuels industry in Germany and the UK, discusses the lessons learned from the German and British experiences, and presents general conclusions for policy-makers that are predominantly relevant for the early stages of a biofuels industry.     

Disentangling rhetorical subarenas of public health crisis communication: A study of the 2014–2015 Ebola outbreak in the news media and social media in Sweden

Drawing on rhetorical arena theory, this study investigates the variations of content across communication channels (subarenas), guided by different media logics, during the 2014–2015 Ebola outbreak. Restricting the study to one country, Sweden, a content analysis was conducted of two national newspapers (in total 848 articles), their posts on branded Facebook pages (47) and user comments on these Facebook posts (1,661). Some conclusions to be made are, that content differed between subarenas, with Facebook news being more sensational and focused on human interest stories, and Facebook comments to a greater extent related to other current socio‐political issues. Also, news media were more alarmist than Facebook comments, although alarmism declined on all subarenas as the danger became more tangible.     

Towards freight transport system unification: reviewing and combining the advancements in the physical internet and synchromodal transport research

To achieve socio-economic and environmental sustainability, utilization of existing capacities and assets has become a key challenge for the transportation sector. This challenge has been recognised by many scholars, policy makers and practitioners leading to a substantial body of new concepts and models. The rather parallel evolution of the Physical Internet (PI) and synchromodal transport presents an opportunity to improve the current unsustainable freight transportation, by inducing a positive modal shift from roads to rails and inland waterways, and improving service levels by better connecting production research with freight movement. This paper thus examines the synchromodal and PI state-of-the-art models together with their designs, methodologies and findings proposed in the scientific literature. The main objective is to assess and explore the correlations between these two concepts in order to understand how they can reinforce each other. Despite the integrated vision of the Alliance for Logistics Innovation through Collaboration in Europe, the findings of this paper yield no well-established interconnections in the scientific literature between PI and synchromodality as they both merely coexist in parallel and address different dimensions, scales and levels of abstraction. This paper thus identifies potential synergies, future research directions and critical questions to be considered by modellers, developers and policy makers.     

Mikromechanische Eigenschaften von Weizenkörnern

The investigation of deformation and breakage behavior of wheat grains by compression test was carried out. The force‐displacement curve was obtained at stressing rate 0.02 mm s^–1. The elliptical wheat grains show quasi‐elastic and elastic‐plastic deformation behavior depending on applied force. The simple transformation procedure was applied to adapt the contact model for spherical particles to elliptic wheat grains. The breakage force, energy, strength and displacement distributions were fitted with normal distribution function.     

The relationship between chord length and rime icing on wind turbines

Numerical simulations of ice accumulation on four different wind turbine blade profiles, from 450 kW, 600 kW, 1 MW and 2 MW, fixed speed, stall controlled, wind turbines, were performed to determine how wind turbine size affects atmospheric icing. The simulations indicate that dry rime icing is less severe for larger wind turbines both in terms of local ice mass and in terms of relative ice thickness. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.