Modeling the Wavelength Dependence of the Index of Refraction of Water in the Range 200 nm to 200 mum

We modeled the index of refraction of water at a temperature of25 degrees C, employing a Lorentz model for wavelengths ranging from 200 nmto 200 mum. We determined model parameters by minimizingdiscrepancies between calculated and experimental data, using an elitegenetic algorithm with adaptive mutations. We found that a Lorentzmodel with six oscillators fits the available data well in the wholerange of interest.     

Sustainable consumption and production: how to make it possible

Consumer demand and consumption, if shifted to a sustainable pattern, in theory, should influence producers to meet that demand with sustainable production processes, greater choice of green products, and different consumption options, for instance, services instead of products. At the same time, increased choice and expanded consumption options should drive down relative prices, make green goods and services more affordable and accessible, and create a closed cycle leading to sustainable consumption and production (SCP) system. The paper reviews different cases of resource efficient and cleaner production as well as sustainable products and services developed in Austria, Bulgaria, Estonia, Lithuania, and Spain. These research cases were selected from the presentations at the second international conference “Sustainable consumption and production: how to make it possible,” held on September 28–30 in Kaunas, Lithuania. An overwhelming message of the review is that the best results could be achieved when all stakeholders work together for a common vision of SCP for current and future generations. Multistakeholder cooperation together with new economics approach is challenging, but essential for the planet currently imperiled by overpopulation and over-consumption and, for the first time in human history, facing the situation of breaching the planetary boundaries.     

Reliability indicator for layered composites with strongly non-linear behaviour

This paper set out a method to determine safety factors when designing composite laminate with strongly non-linear behaviour. The failure probability is used to assess the laminate reliability.     

Cleaner production financing: possibilities and barriers

There are several players who could facilitate the promotion of cleaner production (CP) by establishing an effective financing mechanism; for instance, government, international assistance bodies, banks and other financing organizations. In a few developing countries in South East Africa and Latin America and in Vietnam several international organizations, development banks and donors have initiated and implemented projects to facilitate the introduction of CP investments. Most projects have been in the form of technical assistance grants and training to industries and/or loans at below market rates from dedicated trust funds. Yet the present level of lending through such projects is far from sufficient to trigger widespread adoption of CP. Therefore, experts from The Institute of Environmental Engineering, Lithuania performed an investigation to create a CP development scheme for developing countries.     

Industrial ecology in university curriculum: new M.Sc. Programme in Environmental Management and Cleaner Production

To ensure long-term capacity building in the area of industrial ecology, a new M.Sc. Programme in Environmental Management and Cleaner Production has been developed in the framework of the BALTECH consortium, which consists of technical universities in the Baltic Sea region. The programme was started at Kaunas University of Technology in September 2002. This paper presents prerequisites for the establishment of the new M.Sc. programme , its aims, goals and structure as well as the relation of different subjects of the programme to the concept of industrial ecology.     

Integrating resource criticality assessment into evaluation of cleaner production possibilities for increasing resource efficiency

A stable and secure source of raw materials is the key to any successful industrial activity. Resource criticality is often discussed in the context of the impact on the economies of certain geographic regions. However, the availability of required resources first of all concerns the competitiveness of industrial companies, especially in those countries which do not possess abundant natural resources. The Lithuanian economy relies heavily on imports since the country does not have abundant natural resources. The paper introduces resource criticality as an additional dimension for evaluating and prioritizing resource efficiency improvement options. Evaluation of resource criticality was integrated into the methodology for evaluation of Cleaner Production. Simple additive weighting (SAW) was used to solve the multi-criteria decision-making problem. The previous study on the natural resources that are imported to Lithuania revealed that metals are among the most important raw materials in terms of economic importance, supply, and environmental risks. Therefore, a typical metal processing company in Lithuania was selected for the detailed investigation of technological processes and Cleaner Production possibilities. The selected company processes about 3000 tons of various metals per year. The results of Process Material Flow Analysis show that most of the metal waste is generated during the metal plate cutting process (about 30.3 % of total metal consumption). Three resource efficiency improvement alternatives were evaluated and compared. The suggested decision support system was tested in order to decide on a definitive solution. The results reveal that evaluation of resource criticality in terms of geostrategic supply risk and economic importance can be used as an advantageous criterion to support the prioritization of Cleaner Production alternatives.     

Beitrag zur Bestimmung der Schwingungsrichtung bei ruhenden Dampfturbinenschaufeln mit Deckband

Zusammenfassung Für ruhende Dampfturbinenschaufeln mit einem Deckband wird ein Verfahren zum Berechnen der Richtung der Schaufeleigenschwingungen unter der Annahme entwickelt, da? bei den Schwingungen die gesamte Form?nderungsarbeit einen Kleinstwert annimmt. Ein Vergleich mit Versuchsergebnissen zeigt, da? diese Theorie bessere Werte liefert als bisher verwendete Verfahren.     

Sustainable consumption and production as a system: experience in Lithuania

Activities in the area of sustainable consumption and production in Lithuania started in 1993 when the first cleaner production projects were implemented. The capacity in the area of cleaner production enabled further development and implementation of preventive environmental initiatives. Cleaner production activities have been followed by establishment of a system for development, financing and implementation of preventive innovations, implementation of environmental management systems (including development of new approaches for implementation, particularly in small and medium-sized enterprises), product-oriented measures such as life cycle assessment, eco-design, and sustainability reporting. A very important role in building the basic capacity level and implementing the sustainable consumption and production initiatives in Lithuania has been played by the Institute of Environmental Engineering (APINI) at Kaunas University of Technology. This article presents an overview of activities in the area of sustainable consumption and production in Lithuania since 1992 as well as results/lessons learnt from these activities. To overcome barriers and to ensure progress in the area of sustainable consumption and production, a model of a system of sustainable consumption and production has been developed. The objective of the system is to minimise energy and material use as well as waste output, and to eliminate the “rebound” effect.