Energy use, cost and CO2 emissions of electric cars

We examine efficiency, costs and greenhouse gas emissions of current and future electric cars (EV), including the impact from charging EV on electricity demand and infrastructure for generation and distribution.Uncoordinated charging would increase national peak load by 7% at 30% penetration rate of EV and household peak load by 54%, which may exceed the capacity of existing electricity distribution infrastructure. At 30% penetration of EV, off-peak charging would result in a 20% higher, more stable base load and no additional peak load at the national level and up to 7% higher peak load at the household level. Therefore, if off-peak charging is successfully introduced, electric driving need not require additional generation capacity, even in case of 100% switch to electric vehicles.GHG emissions from electric driving depend most on the fuel type (coal or natural gas) used in the generation of electricity for charging, and range between 0 g km⁻¹ (using renewables) and 155 g km⁻¹ (using electricity from an old coal-based plant). Based on the generation capacity projected for the Netherlands in 2015, electricity for EV charging would largely be generated using natural gas, emitting 35-77 g CO_2 eq km⁻¹.We find that total cost of ownership (TCO) of current EV are uncompetitive with regular cars and series hybrid cars by more than 800 € year⁻¹. TCO of future wheel motor PHEV may become competitive when batteries cost 400 € kWh⁻¹, even without tax incentives, as long as one battery pack can last for the lifespan of the vehicle. However, TCO of future battery powered cars is at least 25% higher than of series hybrid or regular cars. This cost gap remains unless cost of batteries drops to 150 € kWh⁻¹ in the future. Variations in driving cost from charging patterns have negligible influence on TCO.GHG abatement costs using plug-in hybrid cars are currently 400-1400 € tonne⁻¹ CO_2 eq and may come down to −100 to 300 € tonne⁻¹. Abatement cost using battery powered cars are currently above 1900 € tonne⁻¹ and are not projected to drop below 300-800 € tonne⁻¹.     

The Royal Fine Art Commission and 75 years of English design review: the final 15 years, 1984–1999

This paper is the second of two linked papers that focus on the work of the Royal Fine Art Commission (RFAC), which for three quarters of a century held the mantel of the UK Government’s advisor on design in the built environment. This paper tells the story of the organization’s final 15 years when, under a new and charismatic leader, the Commission substantially changed its modus operandi, and came out of the shadows, although without ever fully embracing the modern era of government. Analysis of the archives are supplemented by what the limited available literature tells us about the RFAC and by a small number of interviews with key stakeholders with first-hand experience of the operation of the RFAC; those who either worked for it, were responsible for it within Government, or were reviewed by it. The experience offers valuable insights into the practices and problematics of design governance that today, internationally, forms one of the keystones of modern day planning.     

智能电子设备面向对象的软件设计方法

为解决数据映射带来的智能电子设备软件复杂、低效和无法利用SCL文件对功能进行灵活组态的问题,基于IEC61850标准的面向对象思想,在信息源头采用面向对象设计;根据IED能力描述文件,构建智能电子设备对象;使用IED组态工具,导入IED实例配置文件,灵活配置IED运行需要的对象;当IED运行时,通过多个对象交互完成装置功能,进一步讨论了该方法在不同硬件平台上的适用性。最后,将该方法应用于间隔层保护测控IED的软件设计,达到IED功能软件与IEC61850面向对象信息模型无缝融合和可灵活组态的效果。     

国际电工委员会(IEC)简介

文章介绍了国际电工委员会(IEC)成立过程、宗旨、目标、成员。详细介绍了IEC组织机构,IEC与国际标准化组织(ISO)的关系,以及我国参加IEC活动、采标转化情况。     

会计信息失真的原因及对策

本文主要就当前我国会计信息失真较普遍的问题从委托－代理关系、会计制度等方面分析其产生的外部、内在原因,并且针对这些原因,提出了一些根本性治理措施。     

U.S. regulatory perspectives on the back end of the fuel cycle: EUROSAFE 2013 proceeding

For the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the reactor licensees it regulates, there are a number of contemporary issues associated with the back end of the fuel cycle including, the agency's revision to its “Waste Confidence” decision and the path-forward for high-level waste disposal. Additionally, the 2012 Blue Ribbon Commission on America's Nuclear Future recommendations, the future of reprocessing, consolidated interim spent fuel storage, and maintaining technical competence within the NRC in challenging budgetary conditions are addressed. I conclude that there is confidence in the feasibility of safe storage of spent nuclear fuel following the licensed operational life of a reactor and any change in high-level waste policy will require Congressional action to amend the Nuclear Waste Policy Act.     

Gas-cooled reactor thermal hydraulic analyses with MELCOR

Pursuant to the Energy Policy Act of 2005, the High Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor (HTGR) has been selected as the reference design for the Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP). Stemming from a U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) HTGR research initiative, a need was identified for validation of systems-level computer code modeling capabilities in anticipation of the eventual need to perform licensing analyses. Because the NRC has used MELCOR for light water reactors (LWR) in the past and because MELCOR was recently updated to include gas-cooled reactor (GCR) physics models, MELCOR is among the system codes of interest to the NRC. This paper describes MELCOR modeling of the General Atomics' Modular High Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor (MHTGR). The MHGTR is a suitable design for demonstration of MELCOR GCR modeling competency for two reasons: 1) the MHTGR is a predecessor to the more advanced General Atomics’ Gas-Turbine Modular High Temperature Reactor (GTMHR), and 2) experimental data useful for benchmark calculations may soon become available. Using the most complete literature references available for the MHTGR design, researchers at Texas A&M University (TAMU) constructed a MELCOR input deck for the MHTGR to partially validate MELCOR GCR modeling capabilities. Normal and off-normal system operating conditions were modeled with appropriate boundary and initial conditions. MELCOR predictions of system response were obtained for steady-state, pressurized conduction cool-down (PCC), and depressurized conduction cool-down (DCC) scenarios. Code results were checked against nominal MHTGR design parameters, physical intuition, and anticipated GCR thermal hydraulic response. No inherent deficiencies in MELCOR modeling capability were observed, suggesting that the newly-implemented GCR models are adequate for systems-level analysis. If and when experimental benchmark data becomes available, further validation activities may proceed given the modeling efforts discussed herein.     

Measurements and predictions of electric and magnetic fields from power lines

Electric and magnetic field measurements around overhead and underground power lines have been performed extensively within a transmission and distribution electric grid. Measurements have been performed at different heights of the human body close to such transmission and distribution power lines that operate at a frequency of 50 Hz, at different currents and at three different voltages of 11, 66 and 132 kV. These measurements were performed in an attempt to firstly verify that the existing measurements fall within the signified guidelines for electric and magnetic field exposure, published in 1998 by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection. Furthermore, and most importantly, were used to validate/develop a model capable of predicting the magnetic field produced in both overhead and underground transmission and distribution power lines using experimental measurements. This is achieved by establishing a linear correlation between the current load of one of the two three phase circuits and the magnetic field, in an attempt to predict the magnetic fields produced in power lines using the SCADA system at overloaded periods.     

Improving the scalability of a rating system for assessing safety of Internet of Toys

Scalability is an important feature for the long term adoption of a rating system that determines the privacy and security of Internet of Toys (IoToys). As technology evolves and innovations are introduced in the IoToy market, the rating system must be capable of including the impact of new factors in the overall safety of the toy. Similarly obsolete factors should be easily removable. The rating system should also account for the difference in the weightage of individual factors. This research enhances the ChildShield rating system proposed by Allana & Chawla (2021) to reflect these additional features. The corresponding consumer label is expanded to include a secondary layer to present supplementary details to the consumer during purchase and use. A case study of grading an IoToy with the enhanced system is conducted in collaboration with a manufacturer and the steps for rating and labelling of IoToys using self-evaluation and guided modes are proposed.     

Risk assessment of China-Pakistan Fiber Optic Project (CPFOP) in the light of Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM)

The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is considered as an excellent breakthrough for improving the economic and security situation in the region. The estimated worth of CPEC is 62$ billion which is comprising of 49 developmental projects. China-Pakistan Fiber Optic Project (CPFOP) is one of the core projects among these, which will deliver safe route of voice traffic between both countries. CPFOP is greatly beneficial in terms of enhanced security and revenue generation. Currently, Pakistan’s international connectivity is via submarine cables. CPFOP will provide an alternative route for international telecom traffic and also assist in achieving the rapidly growing internet traffic demand in Pakistan. It is estimated that 17 million people will get benefit from this project. However, every project has some undesirable impacts. The aim of this research paper is twofold; 1st to trace out the pros and cons of CPFOP. 2ndly, performing a risk assessment of CPFOP by using Fuzzy VIKOR technique. This approach will help in prioritizing a list of failure modes of Fiber Optic Cable (FOC). Lastly, this paper will help authorities for optimizing and safeguarding national interest in the wake of CPFOP.