Flexibility of production systems and prepare-finish time

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vukićević Milan R.

2006-01-01

Full Text Available One of the specificities of the large-serial and mass production is the almost neglected percentage of prepare-finish time in the production cycle. In the conditions of today dominant discontinuous production, it becomes a significant element of the production cycle. The eastern (Japan doctrine of increasing the flexibility of the production systems, is based inter alia also on the extreme reduction of the prepare-finish time. For this reason, the aim of this study was to identify the types and percentages of individual jobs within the group of prepare-finish jobs. The sample consisted of 3 (three production systems for the production of joinery, with the discontinuous production system. The research shows that the percentage of time of the jobs installation of work instruments, regulation of processing regime, and removal of work instruments is extremely long and that it ranges between 11.83% and 18.93% of the shift time. The reasons of the high percentage of these jobs are the wide range of products and the absence of the rationalisation of prepare-finish jobs. Within the efforts to minimize the effects of disruption and to increase the flexibility of the production systems, the rationalisation of prepare-finish jobs is the unavoidable condition.

Responses of herbage and browse production to six range management strategies.

Science.gov (United States)

H. Reed Sanderson; Thomas M. Quigley; Arthur R. Tiedemann

1990-01-01

From 1977 through 1986, herbage and browse production was sampled on 619 sites representing 10 ecosystems and 51 resource units on the Oregon Range Evaluation study area. We determined the effects of six range management strategies and cultural treatments on combined herbage and browse production. Mean herbage and browse production on the forest ecosystems was 145...

Product configuration of infra structure systems for data centres

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hvam, Lars; Christensen, Tim Teglgaard; Jensen, Søren Brogaard

2007-01-01

centres, and components and systems for these systems. At the heart of its mass customisation strategy are a module-based product range and the use of product configuration systems for sales and order processing. In addition, the company has implemented a manufacturing concept, which involves the mass...

Behaviour - The keystone in optimizing free-ranging ungulate production

Science.gov (United States)

Free-ranging animal behaviour is a keystone to optimizing free-ranging domestic animal production. This chapter focuses on several aspects that emanate from foraging including defining terms, concepts and the complexity that underlie managing animals and landscapes. Behaviour is investigated in li...

Consumer attitudes to different pig production systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

de Barcellos, Marcia Dutra; Grunert, Klaus G; Zhou, Yanfeng

2013-01-01

In many Western countries, consumers have shown an increasing interest to the way in which food products are being produced. This study investigates Chinese consumers' attitudes towards different pig production systems by means of a conjoint analysis. While there has been a range of studies...... on Western consumers' attitudes to various forms of food production, little is known about the level of Chinese consumers' attitudes. A cross-sectional survey was carried out with 472 participants in six Chinese cities. Results indicate that Chinese consumers prefer industrial pig production systems, where...... from Cluster 1 focus almost exclusively on the food safety aspect (food safety focused). Consumers from cluster 2 (indifferent) show generally weak attitudes to pig production systems in general. Cluster 3 (industrial production oriented) stands out by being very positive about industrial, large size...

Knowledge of Chemical Indicators of Eggs from Hens Reared in Conventional and Free Range System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lucia Iuliana Cotfas

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Introduction Many consumers prefer nowadays eggs from alternative production systems because of their concerns about its own food safety and welfare of laying hens (Anderson. K. E., 2009. According to the regulations, a free range egg is obtained in poultry farms were laying hens have access to outdoor paddock, where they can show all the instincts of physiological and ethological (Usturoi M.G., 2004. Aims: The aim of this research was the correct information on the quality of these products and comparative study of chemical characteristics of eggs obtain from different production systems (conventional and free range. Materials and Methods: Chemical indicators’ determination was made through specific methods, in according with actual standards and consists in establishing of water, proteins, fats, ash and non-nitrogenous extractive substances contents. The biological material was represented by 90 eggs produced by Lohmann Brown laying hens aged 33 weeks: 45 gathered from birds exploited in free range system and 45 from birds reared in cages agreed by EU. Results: Egg obtained from free range system have a slightly higher content of protein (10.35±0.12 % vs. 9.97±0.03 % compared with conventional system, from albumen and from yolk (17.46±0.00 % vs. 17.19±0.01 %, this fact was happened because of aport of green grass from the outside paddock (Morris T.R., 2004. Comparative with conventional system, eggs from free range system have a higher content of lipids of yolk with 2.23%.Chemical analysis of melange from studied eggs showed a higher rate of dry matter at free range eggs (23.374% vs. 22.969%, but also for proteins (12.952% vs. 12.520% and lipids (7.676% vs. 7.398%. Conclusions: The increase in freedom of laying hens (free range caused a qualitative improvement of dry components of both the egg components (yolk and albumen but also the quantitative one, and eggs obtained has a high nutritional value  

Lichen ranges, animal densities and production in Finnish reindeer management

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T. Helle

1990-09-01

Full Text Available In the 1970s, mean lichen biomass ranged by the earmark districts (comprising of 2-9 adjacent herding associations between 54 kg and 380 kg DM per ha correlating negatively with animal density per lichen ranges (range 1.5 - 14.3 ind. per km2. Biomasses were far below economic carrying capacity of lichen ranges (900 kg DM per ha. The condition of lichen ranges was poorest in the southern half of the area where alternative food to reindeer lichens (Deschampsia flexuosa, arboreal lichens and supplementary feeding was available. In 1980-86, recruitment (calves per 100 females was 33% higher than in the 1970's, on an average (65 vs. 49, despite a 90% increase in animal numbers between 1970 and 1986; recruitment has not been dependent on the condition of lichen ranges. The increase in production has been some higher than expected on the basis of animal numbers. The reasons for the increasing trends in animal numbers, recruitment and production remains some unclear, but they may include favorable winter conditions, supplementary feeding, medical treatment against parasites and proper harvesting policy.

Free Dietary Choice and Free-Range Rearing Improve the Product Quality, Gait Score, and Microbial Richness of Chickens

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Siyu Chen

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Poultry welfare has been extensively studied; however, there is a lack of rigorous scientific knowledge relating to the different aspects of welfare factors and how this may contribute to the production quantity and product quality as well as the welfare of chickens. Therefore, we conducted an integrated study to compare welfare factors in chickens by providing free dietary choice under cage rearing, and further comparing cage rearing with free-range rearing. One hundred chickens each were allocated to a cage rearing group with conventional feeding (CC, a cage rearing group with free dietary choice of mealworms (FDM, a cage rearing group with free dietary choice of mealworms and fresh grass (FDMG, and a free-range rearing system group with free dietary choice of mealworms and fresh grass (FRMG. Results showed that under cage rearing, free dietary choice contributed to better meat quality and gait score, higher values of blood platelets, and a richer gut microbial composition, but poorer egg production than CC chickens. As compared to FDMG, FRMG chickens showed better meat quality, gait score, and feather conditions, as well as a richer gut microbial composition; however, they had poorer egg production and a poorer foot pad and foot feather condition. We conclude that free dietary choice and free-range rearing systems improve the product quality, gait score, and microbial richness of chickens.

Product Service Systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Departing from Product Development models based on physical artefacts. Moving towards integrated Product Development and System Operations models suited Product/Service-systems......Departing from Product Development models based on physical artefacts. Moving towards integrated Product Development and System Operations models suited Product/Service-systems...

Range-Image Acquisition for Discriminated Objects in a Range-gated Robot Vision System

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Seung-Kyu; Ahn, Yong-Jin; Park, Nak-Kyu; Baik, Sung-Hoon; Choi, Young-Soo; Jeong, Kyung-Min [KAERI, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2015-05-15

The imaging capability of a surveillance vision system from harsh low-visibility environments such as in fire and detonation areas is a key function to monitor the safety of the facilities. 2D and range image data acquired from low-visibility environment are important data to assess the safety and prepare appropriate countermeasures. Passive vision systems, such as conventional camera and binocular stereo vision systems usually cannot acquire image information when the reflected light is highly scattered and absorbed by airborne particles such as fog. In addition, the image resolution captured through low-density airborne particles is decreased because the image is blurred and dimmed by the scattering, emission and absorption. Active vision systems, such as structured light vision and projected stereo vision are usually more robust for harsh environment than passive vision systems. However, the performance is considerably decreased in proportion to the density of the particles. The RGI system provides 2D and range image data from several RGI images and it moreover provides clear images from low-visibility fog and smoke environment by using the sum of time-sliced images. Nowadays, the Range-gated (RG) imaging is an emerging technology in the field of surveillance for security applications, especially in the visualization of invisible night and fog environment. Although RGI viewing was discovered in the 1960's, this technology is, nowadays becoming more applicable by virtue of the rapid development of optical and sensor technologies. Especially, this system can be adopted in robot-vision system by virtue of its compact portable configuration. In contrast to passive vision systems, this technology enables operation even in harsh environments like fog and smoke. During the past decades, several applications of this technology have been applied in target recognition and in harsh environments, such as fog, underwater vision. Also, this technology has been

Range-Image Acquisition for Discriminated Objects in a Range-gated Robot Vision System

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Seung-Kyu; Ahn, Yong-Jin; Park, Nak-Kyu; Baik, Sung-Hoon; Choi, Young-Soo; Jeong, Kyung-Min

2015-01-01

The imaging capability of a surveillance vision system from harsh low-visibility environments such as in fire and detonation areas is a key function to monitor the safety of the facilities. 2D and range image data acquired from low-visibility environment are important data to assess the safety and prepare appropriate countermeasures. Passive vision systems, such as conventional camera and binocular stereo vision systems usually cannot acquire image information when the reflected light is highly scattered and absorbed by airborne particles such as fog. In addition, the image resolution captured through low-density airborne particles is decreased because the image is blurred and dimmed by the scattering, emission and absorption. Active vision systems, such as structured light vision and projected stereo vision are usually more robust for harsh environment than passive vision systems. However, the performance is considerably decreased in proportion to the density of the particles. The RGI system provides 2D and range image data from several RGI images and it moreover provides clear images from low-visibility fog and smoke environment by using the sum of time-sliced images. Nowadays, the Range-gated (RG) imaging is an emerging technology in the field of surveillance for security applications, especially in the visualization of invisible night and fog environment. Although RGI viewing was discovered in the 1960's, this technology is, nowadays becoming more applicable by virtue of the rapid development of optical and sensor technologies. Especially, this system can be adopted in robot-vision system by virtue of its compact portable configuration. In contrast to passive vision systems, this technology enables operation even in harsh environments like fog and smoke. During the past decades, several applications of this technology have been applied in target recognition and in harsh environments, such as fog, underwater vision. Also, this technology has been

A high-resolution full-field range imaging system

Science.gov (United States)

Carnegie, D. A.; Cree, M. J.; Dorrington, A. A.

2005-08-01

There exist a number of applications where the range to all objects in a field of view needs to be obtained. Specific examples include obstacle avoidance for autonomous mobile robots, process automation in assembly factories, surface profiling for shape analysis, and surveying. Ranging systems can be typically characterized as being either laser scanning systems where a laser point is sequentially scanned over a scene or a full-field acquisition where the range to every point in the image is simultaneously obtained. The former offers advantages in terms of range resolution, while the latter tend to be faster and involve no moving parts. We present a system for determining the range to any object within a camera's field of view, at the speed of a full-field system and the range resolution of some point laser scans. Initial results obtained have a centimeter range resolution for a 10 second acquisition time. Modifications to the existing system are discussed that should provide faster results with submillimeter resolution.

Production control system specified quality sausage products

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. V. Tokarev

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The problem of management of production target in technological system of production of sausages of the set quality is considered in article. Decomposition of technological system is considered. Functions of management are allocated: formation of an optimum compounding of forcemeat, expert analysis of a compounding, laboratory analysis of a compounding and its statement. Information technology of interaction of these functions is offered. The mathematical problem definition of finding of an optimum compounding meat product with use of possible substitutes of ingredients is presented. This mathematical problem is a classical linear programming problem whose solution has the standard program. Since the manufacture of the finished product are various nonlinear effects are taken into account at the present time it is practically impossible, the methodology provided in this operation "Expert analysis of the formulation" and "Laboratory analysis of the finished product." An example of calculating the optimum alternative base recipe "Sausages “Viennese with cheese”" TS 9213-010-40155161-2002. For an alternative formulation demands were made at a cost of meat, the ingredient composition, as well as the final product organoleptic and physic-chemical indicators should comply with regulatory requirements "Sausages “Viennese with cheese”" TS 9213-010-40155161-2002. Indicator acid activity (pH calculated stuffing formulation should be in the range 6.0-6.3. As a partial replacement for the main raw material have been proposed acceptable substitutes. It was necessary to calculate on the basis of the formulation "Sausages “Viennese with cheese”" TS 9213-010-40155161-2002 optimal price and quality alternative formulation. As a result of depreciation of the value of alternative stuffing recipe was 14,5 % when all of the restrictions on the consumer properties. The proposed information technology implemented in the software package "Multi

Dairy production systems in the United States: Nutrient budgets and environmental impacts

Science.gov (United States)

Across the diversity of US dairy production systems, nutrient management priorities range widely, from feeding regimes to manure handling, storage and application to crop systems. To assess nutrient management and environmental impacts of dairy production systems in the US, we evaluated nutrient bud...

Task Management in the New ATLAS Production System

CERN Document Server

De, K; The ATLAS collaboration; Klimentov, A; Potekhin, M; Vaniachine, A

2013-01-01

The ATLAS Production System is the top level workflow manager which translates physicists' needs for production level processing into actual workflows executed across about a hundred processing sites used globally by ATLAS. As the production workload increased in volume and complexity in recent years (the ATLAS production tasks count is above one million, with each task containing hundreds or thousands of jobs) there is a need to upgrade the Production System to meet the challenging requirements of the next LHC run while minimizing the operating costs. Providing a front-end and a management layer for petascale data processing and analysis, the new Production System contains generic subsystems that can be used in a wider range of applications. The main subsystems are the Database Engine for Tasks (DEFT) and the Job Execution and Definition Interface (JEDI). Based on users' requests, the DEFT subsystem manages inter-dependent groups of tasks (Meta-Tasks) and generates corresponding data processing workflows. Th...

Task Management in the New ATLAS Production System

CERN Document Server

De, K; The ATLAS collaboration; Klimentov, A; Potekhin, M; Vaniachine, A

2014-01-01

The ATLAS Production System is the top level workflow manager which translates physicists' needs for production level processing into actual workflows executed across about a hundred processing sites used globally by ATLAS. As the production workload increased in volume and complexity in recent years (the ATLAS production tasks count is above one million, with each task containing hundreds or thousands of jobs) there is a need to upgrade the Production System to meet the challenging requirements of the next LHC run while minimizing the operating costs. Providing a front-end and a management layer for petascale data processing and analysis, the new Production System contains generic subsystems that can be used in a wider range of applications. The main subsystems are the Database Engine for Tasks (DEFT) and the Job Execution and Definition Interface (JEDI). Based on users' requests, the DEFT subsystem manages inter-dependent groups of tasks (Meta-Tasks) and generates corresponding data processing workflows. Th...

Calibration Standards for Surface Topography Measuring Systems down to Nanometric Range

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Trumpold, H.; De Chiffre, Leonardo; Andreasen, Jan Lasson

compression and injection moulded plastic negatives and Ni-negatives have been made from which again Ni-positives were produced. The replication processes showed negligible deviations from the Pt and Pa values compared to the primary standards. An important prerequisite is the cleanliness of the surfaces......Background For the precise and accurate measurement of surface topography a whole range of surface detection systems is available. With their application in research and production problems arise due to the lack of traceable standard artefacts for the instrument calibration in X, Y and Z directions...... and for the calibration of filters. Existing ISO standards on calibration specimens are inadequate and limited in that they only cover contacting instruments and only partially the measuring ranges for these instruments. The whole range of non-contacting instruments are not covered despite their increasing use...

Short-Term Robustness of Production Management Systems : New Methodology

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kleijnen, J.P.C.; Gaury, E.G.A.

2000-01-01

This paper investigates the short-term robustness of production planning and control systems. This robustness is defined here as the systems ability to maintain short-term service probabilities (i.e., the probability that the fill rate remains within a prespecified range), in a variety of

Wide range neutron detection system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Todt, W.H. Sr.

1978-01-01

A neutron detection system for reactor control is described which is operable over a wide range of neutron flux levels. The system includes a fission type ionization chamber neutron detector, means for gamma and alpha signal compensation, and means for operating the neutron detector in the pulse counting mode for low neutron flux levels, and in the direct current mode for high neutron flux levels

Nitrogen distribution as affected by stocking density in a combined production system of energy crops and free-range pigs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jørgensen, Uffe; Thuesen, Janni; Eriksen, Jørgen

2018-01-01

Free-range pig production is typically associated with high risks of nitrogen (N) leaching due to the pigs excretory behaviour creating nitrogen ‘hotspots’ and rooting behaviour destroying the grass sward. This challenge is reinforced at high animal densities causing high nitrogen deposition. A c...

The analysis on dynamic range of industrial CT system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Huiqian; Wang Jue; Tan Hui

2011-01-01

Concerning the limitations of the definition of the dynamic range of industrial computed tomography (ICT) system, it researches the definition, measuring method and influencing factors of the dynamic range of industrial computed tomography (ICT) system from the concept of quantization and system. First, the character of the input-output curve was analyzed, and the method of obtaining the dynamic range of industrial computed tomography (ICT) system was proposed. Then, an experiment model was designed to gain dynamic range, based on 6 MeV high-energy industrial computed tomography (ICT) system. The results show that the larger the photosurface is, the smaller the dynamic range is, when the other parameters are unchanged. (authors)

Challenges in miniaturized automotive long-range lidar system design

Science.gov (United States)

Fersch, Thomas; Weigel, Robert; Koelpin, Alexander

2017-05-01

This paper discusses the current technical limitations posed on endeavors to miniaturize lidar systems for use in automotive applications and how to possibly extend those limits. The focus is set on long-range scanning direct time of flight LiDAR systems using APD photodetectors. Miniaturization evokes severe problems in ensuring absolute laser safety while maintaining the systems' performance in terms of maximum range, signal-to-noise ratio, detection probability, pixel density, or frame rate. Based on hypothetical but realistic specifications for an exemplary system the complete lidar signal path is calculated. The maximum range of the system is used as a general performance indicator. It is determined with the minimum signal-to-noise ratio required to detect an object. Various system parameters are varied to find their impact on the system's range. The reduction of the laser's pulse width and the right choice for the transimpedance amplifier's amplification have shown to be practicable measures to double the system's range.

Predicting the environmental impacts of chicken systems in the United Kingdom through a life cycle assessment: broiler production systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Leinonen, I; Williams, A G; Wiseman, J; Guy, J; Kyriazakis, I

2012-01-01

The aim of this study was to apply the life cycle assessment (LCA) method, from cradle to gate, to quantify the environmental burdens per 1,000 kg of expected edible carcass weight in the 3 main broiler production systems in the United Kingdom: 1) standard indoor, 2) free range, and 3) organic, and to identify the main components of these burdens. The LCA method evaluates production systems logically to account for all inputs and outputs that cross a specified system boundary, and it relates these to the useful outputs. The analysis was based on an approach that applied a structural model for the UK broiler industry and mechanistic submodels for animal performance, crop production, and major nutrient flows. Simplified baseline feeds representative of those used by the UK broiler industry were used. Typical UK figures for performance and mortality of birds and farm energy and material use were applied. Monte Carlo simulations were used to quantify the uncertainties in the outputs. The length of the production cycle was longer for free-range and organic systems compared with that of the standard indoor system, and as a result, the feed consumption and manure production per bird were higher in the free-range and organic systems. These differences had a major effect on the differences in environmental burdens between the systems. Feed production, processing, and transport resulted in greater overall environmental impacts than any other components of broiler production; for example, 65 to 81% of the primary energy use and 71 to 72% of the global warming potential of the system were due to these burdens. Farm gas and oil use had the second highest impact in primary energy use (12-25%) followed by farm electricity use. The direct use of gas, oil, and electricity were generally lower in free-range and organic systems compared with their use in the standard indoor system. Manure was the main component of acidification potential and also had a relatively high eutrophication

Particle size distribution of selected electronic nicotine delivery system products.

Science.gov (United States)

Oldham, Michael J; Zhang, Jingjie; Rusyniak, Mark J; Kane, David B; Gardner, William P

2018-03-01

Dosimetry models can be used to predict the dose of inhaled material, but they require several parameters including particle size distribution. The reported particle size distributions for aerosols from electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS) products vary widely and don't always identify a specific product. A low-flow cascade impactor was used to determine the particle size distribution [mass median aerodynamic diameter (MMAD); geometric standard deviation (GSD)] from 20 different cartridge based ENDS products. To assess losses and vapor phase amount, collection efficiency of the system was measured by comparing the collected mass in the impactor to the difference in ENDS product mass. The levels of nicotine, glycerin, propylene glycol, water, and menthol in the formulations of each product were also measured. Regardless of the ENDS product formulation, the MMAD of all tested products was similar and ranged from 0.9 to 1.2 μm with a GSD ranging from 1.7 to 2.2. There was no consistent pattern of change in the MMAD and GSD as a function of number of puffs (cartridge life). The collection efficiency indicated that 9%-26% of the generated mass was deposited in the collection system or was in the vapor phase. The particle size distribution data are suitable for use in aerosol dosimetry programs. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Banana production systems: identification of alternative systems for more sustainable production.

Science.gov (United States)

Bellamy, Angelina Sanderson

2013-04-01

Large-scale, monoculture production systems dependent on synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, increase yields, but are costly and have deleterious impacts on human health and the environment. This research investigates variations in banana production practices in Costa Rica, to identify alternative systems that combine high productivity and profitability, with reduced reliance on agrochemicals. Farm workers were observed during daily production activities; 39 banana producers and 8 extension workers/researchers were interviewed; and a review of field experiments conducted by the National Banana Corporation between 1997 and 2002 was made. Correspondence analysis showed that there is no structured variation in large-scale banana producers' practices, but two other banana production systems were identified: a small-scale organic system and a small-scale conventional coffee-banana intercropped system. Field-scale research may reveal ways that these practices can be scaled up to achieve a productive and profitable system producing high-quality export bananas with fewer or no pesticides.

Development of an extended-range electric vehicle : a systems engineering approach

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Voorderhake, S.F.

2013-01-01

This report presents the complete design (i.e., from product level to implementation level) of a sportive hatchback extended-range electric vehicle, including the design rationales and product creation process used. The project had two main goals: First, the development of a modular extended-range

High dynamic range coding imaging system

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Renfan; Huang, Yifan; Hou, Guangqi

2014-10-01

We present a high dynamic range (HDR) imaging system design scheme based on coded aperture technique. This scheme can help us obtain HDR images which have extended depth of field. We adopt Sparse coding algorithm to design coded patterns. Then we utilize the sensor unit to acquire coded images under different exposure settings. With the guide of the multiple exposure parameters, a series of low dynamic range (LDR) coded images are reconstructed. We use some existing algorithms to fuse and display a HDR image by those LDR images. We build an optical simulation model and get some simulation images to verify the novel system.

Production of Modularised Product Systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jacobsen, Peter

2004-01-01

but a solution. Modularisation is one tool used in designing the products. Designing and controlling a production system making customized products in an economical way is not an easy task. In order to fulfil the Lean and Agile manufacturing philosophies the production is often carried out in networks. Here...

Risk-Optimized Design of Production Systems by Use of GRAMOSA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael Lütjen

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Today production and logistic systems are getting more complex. This is a problem which the planning and design of such systems have to deal with. One main issue of production system development in series production is the planning of production processes and systems under uncertainty. New and existing production technologies are often not fully adoptable to new products. This is why some of the main characteristics, like, for example, cost, time, or quality, are not definable at the beginning. Only value ranges and probabilities can be estimated. However, the adaptation process is controllable, which means that the adaptation results are depending on the existing development budget and its resources. This paper presents an approach for the optimized allocation of development resources regarding the adaptation risks of production technologies and processes. The modeling concept GRAMOSA is used for integrated modeling and discrete event-based simulation of the aspired production system. To this end a domain-specific modeling language (DSML is applied. The further risk-based analysis of the simulation results and the optimized allocation of the development budget are done by use of mathematical optimization.

Temperature range extension of an organically crosslinked polymer system and its successful field application for water and gas shutoff

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Vasquez, Julio; Eoff, Larry; Dalrymple, Dwyann [Halliburton, Rio de Janeiro. RJ (Brazil)

2008-07-01

Excessive water production from hydrocarbon reservoirs is one of the most serious problems in the oil industry. Water production greatly affects the economic life of producing wells and brings along secondary problems such as sand production, corrosion, and tubular scale. Remediation techniques for controlling water production, generally referred to as conformance control, include the use of polymer systems to reduce or plug permeability to water. This paper presents the laboratory evaluation of an organically crosslinked polymer (OCP) system used as a sealant for water control problems in hydrocarbon wells. Originally, the OCP system had a limited working temperature range (140 deg to 260 deg F). Recently, an alternative base polymer (for low temperatures) and a retarder (for high temperatures) have been introduced to expand the temperature range of applicability of the OCP system from 70 deg F to 350 deg F without compromising its effectiveness or thermal stability. More than 400 jobs have been performed with the OCP system around the world to address conformance problems such as water coning/cresting, high-permeability streaks, gravel pack isolation, fracture shutoff, and casing leak repairs. This paper presents an overview of case histories that used the OCP system in various regions of the world for a wide variety of applications. (author)

Short-range communication system

Science.gov (United States)

Alhorn, Dean C. (Inventor); Howard, David E. (Inventor); Smith, Dennis A. (Inventor)

2012-01-01

A short-range communication system includes an antenna, a transmitter, and a receiver. The antenna is an electrical conductor formed as a planar coil with rings thereof being uniformly spaced. The transmitter is spaced apart from the plane of the coil by a gap. An amplitude-modulated and asynchronous signal indicative of a data stream of known peak amplitude is transmitted into the gap. The receiver detects the coil's resonance and decodes same to recover the data stream.

Continuous limit of discrete systems with long-range interaction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tarasov, Vasily E

2006-01-01

Discrete systems with long-range interactions are considered. Continuous medium models as continuous limit of discrete chain system are defined. Long-range interactions of chain elements that give the fractional equations for the medium model are discussed. The chain equations of motion with long-range interaction are mapped into the continuum equation with the Riesz fractional derivative. We formulate the consistent definition of continuous limit for the systems with long-range interactions. In this paper, we consider a wide class of long-range interactions that give fractional medium equations in the continuous limit. The power-law interaction is a special case of this class

Availability and range of tobacco products for sale in Massachusetts pharmacies.

Science.gov (United States)

Seidenberg, Andrew B; Hong, Weiwei; Liu, Jiayue; Noel, Jonathan K; Rees, Vaughan W

2013-11-01

New tobacco control policies have been introduced in Massachusetts which restrict tobacco product sales in pharmacies. The purpose of this investigation was to outline the scope of pharmacy involvement in the tobacco market by assessing the availability and range of tobacco products sold in Massachusetts pharmacies. Public listings of licenced pharmacies and tobacco retailers in Massachusetts were examined to determine the proportion of pharmacies licenced to sell tobacco, and the proportion of tobacco retailers possessing a pharmacy licence. Telephone interviews were conducted with a random sample (n=70) of pharmacies possessing a tobacco licence to assess the availability and range of tobacco products for sale. The availability of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) products was assessed as a comparison. The majority of pharmacies in Massachusetts possessed a tobacco licence (69%), and pharmacies made up 9% of licenced tobacco retailers. Among pharmacies surveyed that reported selling tobacco (90%), cigarettes were the most available tobacco product for sale (100%), followed by cigars (69%), little cigars/cigarillos (66%), moist snuff (53%), pipe tobacco (49%), roll-your-own tobacco (34%), snus (14%), dissolvable tobacco (11%) and electronic cigarettes (2%). Nearly all pharmacies selling tobacco offered the nicotine patch (100%), gum (100%) and lozenge (98%). Tobacco-free pharmacy policies would affect a majority of Massachusetts pharmacies and remove a variety of tobacco products from their store shelves. Further, nearly one in ten tobacco retailers would be eliminated by prohibiting tobacco sales in Massachusetts pharmacies statewide.

Product conveying system for 10 MeV electron beam accelerator for electron beam centre, Kharghar, Navi Mumbai

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bandi, L.N.; Lavale, D.S.; Sarma, K.S.S.; Khader, S.A.; Assadullah, M.; Sabharwal, S.

2003-01-01

In industrial radiation processing applications using accelerators, product conveying system plays a vital role in exposing the product to high energy electron beam for imparting specified dose to the product and delivering required through puts. The speed of the conveyor corresponds to a definite time of exposure of the product in the radiation zone. Design of suitable conveyor system for a variety of products with differing dose requirements call for a conveyor with wide speed range. This paper discusses the design features of a suitable under beam conveyor system for 10 MeV, 10 kW accelerator for processing a range of products including medical and food products

A Wide Spectral Range Reflectance and Luminescence Imaging System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tapani Hirvonen

2013-10-01

Full Text Available In this study, we introduce a wide spectral range (200–2500 nm imaging system with a 250 μm minimum spatial resolution, which can be freely modified for a wide range of resolutions and measurement geometries. The system has been tested for reflectance and luminescence measurements, but can also be customized for transmittance measurements. This study includes the performance results of the developed system, as well as examples of spectral images. Discussion of the system relates it to existing systems and methods. The wide range spectral imaging system that has been developed is however highly customizable and has great potential in many practical applications.

Long-range interactions in dilute granular systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Müller, M.K

2008-01-01

In this thesis, on purpose, we focussed on the most challenging, longest ranging potentials. We analyzed granular media of low densities obeying 1/r long-range interaction potentials between the granules. Such systems are termed granular gases and differ in their behavior from ordinary gases by

Range Information Systems Management (RISM) Phase 1 Report

Science.gov (United States)

Bastin, Gary L.; Harris, William G.; Nelson, Richard A.

2002-01-01

RISM investigated alternative approaches, technologies, and communication network architectures to facilitate building the Spaceports and Ranges of the future. RISM started by document most existing US ranges and their capabilities. In parallel, RISM obtained inputs from the following: 1) NASA and NASA-contractor engineers and managers, and; 2) Aerospace leaders from Government, Academia, and Industry, participating through the Space Based Range Distributed System Working Group (SBRDSWG), many of whom are also; 3) Members of the Advanced Range Technology Working Group (ARTWG) subgroups, and; 4) Members of the Advanced Spaceport Technology Working Group (ASTWG). These diverse inputs helped to envision advanced technologies for implementing future Ranges and Range systems that builds on today s cabled and wireless legacy infrastructures while seamlessly integrating both today s emerging and tomorrow s building-block communication techniques. The fundamental key is to envision a transition to a Space Based Range Distributed Subsystem. The enabling concept is to identify the specific needs of Range users that can be solved through applying emerging communication tech

Chinese consumers' attitude towards different pig production systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

de Barcellos, Marcia Dutra; Grunert, Klaus G.; Yanfeng, Z.

2008-01-01

This study investigates Chinese consumers' attitude towards different pig production systems by means of a conjoint analysis. While there has been a range of studies on western consumers' attitudes to various forms of food production, little is known about such attitudes in other cultural contexts...... to food safety which furthermore can provide lean meat with consistent quality are also preferred compared to farms that have less focus on food safety. Chinese consumers also rejected imported pig breeds and tasty but variable meat....

Egg production and egg quality in free-range laying hens housed at different outdoor stocking densities.

Science.gov (United States)

Campbell, D L M; Lee, C; Hinch, G N; Roberts, J R

2017-09-01

Free-range laying hen systems are increasing in number within Australia. Variation in outdoor stocking densities has led to development of a national information standard on free-range egg labeling, including setting a maximum density of 10,000 hens per hectare. However, there are few data on the impacts of differing outdoor densities on production and egg quality. ISA Brown hens in small (150 hens) flocks were housed in identical indoor pens, each with access (from 21 weeks) to different sized ranges simulating one of three outdoor stocking densities (2 replicates each: 2,000 hens/hectare (ha), 10,000 hens/ha, 20,000 hens/ha). Hen-day production was tracked from 21 through 35 weeks with eggs visually graded daily for external deformities. All eggs laid on one day were weighed each week. Eggs were collected from each pen at 25, 30, and 36 weeks and analyzed for egg quality. There were no effects of outdoor stocking density on average hen-day percentage production (P = 0.67), egg weight (P = 0.09), percentages of deformed eggs (P = 0.30), shell reflectivity (P = 0.74), shell breaking strength (P = 0.07), shell deformation (P = 0.83), or shell thickness (P = 0.24). Eggs from hens in the highest density had the highest percentage shell weight (P = 0.004) and eggs from the lowest density had the highest yolk color score (P egg quality is warranted. © 2017 Poultry Science Association Inc.

Smallholder pig production

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Braae, Uffe Christian; Ngowi, Helena; Johansen, Maria Vang

2013-01-01

A cross-sectional study was carried out in the Mbeya Region, Tanzania, with the aim of describing the distribution and diversity of ectoparasites on pigs, within confinement and free-range production systems of smallholder farms. A total of 128 farms were surveyed, with 96 practising confinement...... and 32 practising free-range production systems. The prevalence of ectoparasites on pigs within confinement and free-range production systems was 24% and 84%, respectively. Logistic regression analyses revealed that keeping pigs in a free-range system and the presence of neighbouring pigs were risk...... although highly prevalent within both production systems. Keeping pigs in a free-range system and contact with neighbouring pigs were main risk factors for the presence of ectoparasites. Confinement was highly effective as a preventive tool against hard ticks....

Prototype firing range air cleaning system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Glissmeyer, J.A.; Mishima, J.; Bamberger, J.A.

1984-07-01

PNL's study proceeded by examining the characteristics of the aerosol challenge to the filtration system and the operating experience at similar firing ranges. Candidate filtration systems were proposed; including baghouses, cartridge houses, electrostatic precipitators, cleanable high efficiency filters, rolling filters and cyclones--each followed by one or more of the existing filter banks. Methodology was developed to estimate the operating costs of the candidate systems. Costs addressed included the frequency (based on fractional efficiency and loading data) and cost of media replacement, capital investment, maintenance, waste disposal and electrical power consumption. The recommended system will be installed during calendar year 1984

Evaluation of the performance of Hy-Line Brown laying hens fed soybean or soybean-free diets using cage or free-range rearing systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Ajeeli, M N; Leyva-Jimenez, H; Abdaljaleel, R A; Jameel, Y; Hashim, M M; Archer, G; Bailey, C A

2018-03-01

This study evaluated egg production and quality variables of caged and free-range Hy-Line Brown laying hens fed soybean meal (SBM) and soybean-meal-free (SBMF) diets. Hens were randomly assigned to the same 2 dietary treatments within 3 location blocks. SBM and SBMF diets with equivalent calculated nutrient content were prepared based on Hy-Line Brown rearing guidelines. The SBMF diets utilized cottonseed meal, corn distillers dried grains with solubles, corn gluten meal, and wheat middlings in place of dehulled soybean meal. The experiment was conducted between August 2015 and January of 2016 within the TAMU Poultry Research Center and data analyzed over 6 consecutive 28-day periods. Data were analyzed as a split-plot with rearing systems designated whole plots and diets designated as subplots. Hens reared in the free-range rearing system peaked a couple of wk later than those hens within the more conventional indoor caged system, and cumulative production data were considerably more variable for hens raised in the free-range environment. Cumulative egg production, feed per dozen eggs and feed conversion ratio (g feed/g egg) were 92 ± 1.23 and 86 ± 1.84%, 1.45 ± 0.02 and 1.89 ± 0.05 kg, and 2.14 ± 0.04 and 2.77 ± 0.08 (P free-range rearing systems. Cumulative egg weight, feed per dozen eggs, and feed conversion ratio were 59.9 ± 0.59 and 56.5 ± 0.60 g, 1.57 ± 0.04 and 1.77 ± 0.05 kg, and 2.24 ± 0.06 and 2.67 ± 0.08 kg (P  0.05). With respect to egg quality, there were no differences in cumulative albumen height, Haugh unit, or breaking strength, but there was a significant rearing system by diet interaction for shell thickness, with the free-range hens averaging 40.77 ± 0.19 and 39.86 ± 0.31 μm (P free-range production is more variable than traditional closed-house cage systems based on standard errors, and SBMF diets containing cottonseed meal can be used in both caged and free-range production systems without

Development and Implementation of Production Area of Agricultural Product Data Collection System Based on Embedded System

Science.gov (United States)

Xi, Lei; Guo, Wei; Che, Yinchao; Zhang, Hao; Wang, Qiang; Ma, Xinming

To solve problems in detecting the origin of agricultural products, this paper brings about an embedded data-based terminal, applies middleware thinking, and provides reusable long-range two-way data exchange module between business equipment and data acquisition systems. The system is constructed by data collection node and data center nodes. Data collection nodes taking embedded data terminal NetBoxII as the core, consisting of data acquisition interface layer, controlling information layer and data exchange layer, completing the data reading of different front-end acquisition equipments, and packing the data TCP to realize the data exchange between data center nodes according to the physical link (GPRS / CDMA / Ethernet). Data center node consists of the data exchange layer, the data persistence layer, and the business interface layer, which make the data collecting durable, and provide standardized data for business systems based on mapping relationship of collected data and business data. Relying on public communications networks, application of the system could establish the road of flow of information between the scene of origin certification and management center, and could realize the real-time collection, storage and processing between data of origin certification scene and databases of certification organization, and could achieve needs of long-range detection of agricultural origin.

Ultrasonic Ranging System With Increased Resolution

Science.gov (United States)

Meyer, William E.; Johnson, William G.

1987-01-01

Master-oscillator frequency increased. Ultrasonic range-measuring system with 0.1-in. resolution provides continuous digital display of four distance readings, each updated four times per second. Four rangefinder modules in system are modified versions of rangefinder used for automatic focusing in commercial series of cameras. Ultrasonic pulses emitted by system innocuous to both people and equipment. Provides economical solutions to such distance-measurement problems as posed by boats approaching docks, truck backing toward loading platform, runway-clearance readout for tail of airplane with high angle attack, or burglar alarm.

Productivity raising approaches in the logistic production system

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Miroslav Rakyta

2001-01-01

Full Text Available This paper deals with the productivity of the logistic production system. The aim is to define the intermediate state of the production machines and equipment (OOE, identification of the material flows, idle time and breakdown forecasting, with the following purchase of the required spare parts. The goal of the system is the satisfaction of the customer´s needs and the minimalisation of not fulfilling the required terms for delivery with simultaneous increasing of the logistic production system productivity.

Automated tracking for advanced satellite laser ranging systems

Science.gov (United States)

McGarry, Jan F.; Degnan, John J.; Titterton, Paul J., Sr.; Sweeney, Harold E.; Conklin, Brion P.; Dunn, Peter J.

1996-06-01

NASA's Satellite Laser Ranging Network was originally developed during the 1970's to track satellites carrying corner cube reflectors. Today eight NASA systems, achieving millimeter ranging precision, are part of a global network of more than 40 stations that track 17 international satellites. To meet the tracking demands of a steadily growing satellite constellation within existing resources, NASA is embarking on a major automation program. While manpower on the current systems will be reduced to a single operator, the fully automated SLR2000 system is being designed to operate for months without human intervention. Because SLR2000 must be eyesafe and operate in daylight, tracking is often performed in a low probability of detection and high noise environment. The goal is to automatically select the satellite, setup the tracking and ranging hardware, verify acquisition, and close the tracking loop to optimize data yield. TO accomplish the autotracking tasks, we are investigating (1) improved satellite force models, (2) more frequent updates of orbital ephemerides, (3) lunar laser ranging data processing techniques to distinguish satellite returns from noise, and (4) angular detection and search techniques to acquire the satellite. A Monte Carlo simulator has been developed to allow optimization of the autotracking algorithms by modeling the relevant system errors and then checking performance against system truth. A combination of simulator and preliminary field results will be presented.

Systems Biology of Microbial Exopolysaccharides Production.

Science.gov (United States)

Ates, Ozlem

2015-01-01

Exopolysaccharides (EPSs) produced by diverse group of microbial systems are rapidly emerging as new and industrially important biomaterials. Due to their unique and complex chemical structures and many interesting physicochemical and rheological properties with novel functionality, the microbial EPSs find wide range of commercial applications in various fields of the economy such as food, feed, packaging, chemical, textile, cosmetics and pharmaceutical industry, agriculture, and medicine. EPSs are mainly associated with high-value applications, and they have received considerable research attention over recent decades with their biocompatibility, biodegradability, and both environmental and human compatibility. However, only a few microbial EPSs have achieved to be used commercially due to their high production costs. The emerging need to overcome economic hurdles and the increasing significance of microbial EPSs in industrial and medical biotechnology call for the elucidation of the interrelations between metabolic pathways and EPS biosynthesis mechanism in order to control and hence enhance its microbial productivity. Moreover, a better understanding of biosynthesis mechanism is a significant issue for improvement of product quality and properties and also for the design of novel strains. Therefore, a systems-based approach constitutes an important step toward understanding the interplay between metabolism and EPS biosynthesis and further enhances its metabolic performance for industrial application. In this review, primarily the microbial EPSs, their biosynthesis mechanism, and important factors for their production will be discussed. After this brief introduction, recent literature on the application of omics technologies and systems biology tools for the improvement of production yields will be critically evaluated. Special focus will be given to EPSs with high market value such as xanthan, levan, pullulan, and dextran.

Systems biology of microbial exopolysaccharides production

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ozlem eAtes

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Exopolysaccharides (EPS produced by diverse group of microbial systems are rapidly emerging as new and industrially important biomaterials. Due to their unique and complex chemical structures and many interesting physicochemical and rheological properties with novel functionality, the microbial EPSs find wide range of commercial applications in various fields of the economy such as food, feed, packaging, chemical, textile, cosmetics and pharmaceutical industry, agriculture and medicine. EPSs are mainly associated with high-value applications and they have received considerable research attention over recent decades with their biocompatibility, biodegradability, and both environmental and human compatibility. However only a few microbial EPSs have achieved to be used commercially due to their high production costs. The emerging need to overcome economic hurdles and the increasing significance of microbial EPSs in industrial and medical biotechnology call for the elucidation of the interrelations between metabolic pathways and EPS biosynthesis mechanism in order to control and hence enhance its microbial productivity. Moreover a better understanding of biosynthesis mechanism is a significant issue for improvement of product quality and properties and also for the design of novel strains. Therefore a systems-based approach constitutes an important step towards understanding the interplay between metabolism and EPS biosynthesis and further enhances its metabolic performance for industrial application. In this review, primarily the microbial EPSs, their biosynthesis mechanism and important factors for their production will be discussed. After this brief introduction, recent literature on the application of omics technologies and systems biology tools for the improvement of production yields will be critically evaluated. Special focus will be given to EPSs with high market value such as xanthan, levan, pullulan and dextran.

Oil production system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ballantyne, J F

1983-12-21

A new oil producing system is proposed which consists of a group of underwater wells, an underwater riser and a floating storage facility for the production of the wells. The group of wells and the riser are interconnected through a manifold system in such a way that the production from any well or from the entire group of wells go to the base (foundation) of the riser. From above the riser is connected with the floating storage facility which is equipped, besides tanks for storing the well products, with a separation device for separating the oil and the accompanying gas. The gas is used as a fuel for producing electric power required by the dynamic positioning systems. The products from each well are tested by means of a regulable coupling controlled by means of a cable, which is passed from the surface through the riser. The wellhead equipment for the unslanted wells is mounted on a template previously installed on the sea floor. From the template the well products enter the riser through the manifold unit system.

Autonomous system for launch vehicle range safety

Science.gov (United States)

Ferrell, Bob; Haley, Sam

2001-02-01

The Autonomous Flight Safety System (AFSS) is a launch vehicle subsystem whose ultimate goal is an autonomous capability to assure range safety (people and valuable resources), flight personnel safety, flight assets safety (recovery of valuable vehicles and cargo), and global coverage with a dramatic simplification of range infrastructure. The AFSS is capable of determining current vehicle position and predicting the impact point with respect to flight restriction zones. Additionally, it is able to discern whether or not the launch vehicle is an immediate threat to public safety, and initiate the appropriate range safety response. These features provide for a dramatic cost reduction in range operations and improved reliability of mission success. .

Hybrid gesture recognition system for short-range use

Science.gov (United States)

Minagawa, Akihiro; Fan, Wei; Katsuyama, Yutaka; Takebe, Hiroaki; Ozawa, Noriaki; Hotta, Yoshinobu; Sun, Jun

2012-03-01

In recent years, various gesture recognition systems have been studied for use in television and video games[1]. In such systems, motion areas ranging from 1 to 3 meters deep have been evaluated[2]. However, with the burgeoning popularity of small mobile displays, gesture recognition systems capable of operating at much shorter ranges have become necessary. The problems related to such systems are exacerbated by the fact that the camera's field of view is unknown to the user during operation, which imposes several restrictions on his/her actions. To overcome the restrictions generated from such mobile camera devices, and to create a more flexible gesture recognition interface, we propose a hybrid hand gesture system, in which two types of gesture recognition modules are prepared and with which the most appropriate recognition module is selected by a dedicated switching module. The two recognition modules of this system are shape analysis using a boosting approach (detection-based approach)[3] and motion analysis using image frame differences (motion-based approach)(for example, see[4]). We evaluated this system using sample users and classified the resulting errors into three categories: errors that depend on the recognition module, errors caused by incorrect module identification, and errors resulting from user actions. In this paper, we show the results of our investigations and explain the problems related to short-range gesture recognition systems.

AN EXPERT SYSTEM FOR SUPPORTING THE PRODUCTION OF PLEASURE BOATS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tomasz GONCIARZ

2013-07-01

Full Text Available Expert systems can be defined as computer programs, whose main task is to simulate a human expert, usually in a narrow field of expertise. Possible applications of modern information technology are very extensive, ranging from medicine, geology and technology to applications in the field of economic and financial decision support. The purpose of this paper is to present the practical application of an expert system that supports the process of managing the production of yachts and has a high suitability for use in this application. Using the expert system described in the paper reduces the time during the design and production preparation process.

Long-Range Lightning Products for Short Term Forecasting of Tropical Cyclogenesis

Science.gov (United States)

Businger, S.; Pessi, A.; Robinson, T.; Stolz, D.

2010-12-01

This paper will describe innovative graphical products derived in real time from long-range lightning data. The products have been designed to aid in short-term forecasting of tropical cyclone development for the Tropical Cyclone Structure Experiment 2010 (TCS10) held over the western Pacific Ocean from 17 August to 17 October 2010 and are available online at http://www.soest.hawaii.edu/cgi-bin/pacnet/tcs10.pl. The long-range lightning data are from Vaisala’s Global Lightning Data 360 (GLD360) network and include time, location, current strength, polarity, and data quality indication. The products currently provided in real time include i. Infrared satellite imagery overlaid with lighting flash locations, with color indication of current strength and polarity (shades of blue for negative to ground and red for positive to ground). ii. A 15x15 degree storm-centered tile of IR imagery overlaid with lightning data as in i). iii. A pseudo reflectivity product showing estimates of radar reflectivity based on lightning rate - rain rate conversion derived from TRMM and PacNet data. iv. A lightning history product that plots each hour of lightning flash locations in a different color for a 12-hour period. v. Graphs of lightning counts within 50 or 300 km radius, respectively, of the storm center vs storm central sea-level pressure. vi. A 2-D graphic showing storm core lightning density along the storm track. The first three products above can be looped to gain a better understanding of the evolution of the lightning and storm structure. Examples of the graphics and their utility will be demonstrated and discussed. Histogram of lightning counts within 50 km of the storm center and graph of storm central pressure as a function of time.

Compact hydrogen production systems for solid polymer fuel cells

Science.gov (United States)

Ledjeff-Hey, K.; Formanski, V.; Kalk, Th.; Roes, J.

Generally there are several ways to produce hydrogen gas from carbonaceous fuels like natural gas, oil or alcohols. Most of these processes are designed for large-scale industrial production and are not suitable for a compact hydrogen production system (CHYPS) in the power range of 1 kW. In order to supply solid polymer fuel cells (SPFC) with hydrogen, a compact fuel processor is required for mobile applications. The produced hydrogen-rich gas has to have a low level of harmful impurities; in particular the carbon monoxide content has to be lower than 20 ppmv. Integrating the reaction step, the gas purification and the heat supply leads to small-scale hydrogen production systems. The steam reforming of methanol is feasible at copper catalysts in a low temperature range of 200-350°C. The combination of a small-scale methanol reformer and a metal membrane as purification step forms a compact system producing high-purity hydrogen. The generation of a SPFC hydrogen fuel gas can also be performed by thermal or catalytic cracking of liquid hydrocarbons such as propane. At a temperature of 900°C the decomposition of propane into carbon and hydrogen takes place. A fuel processor based on this simple concept produces a gas stream with a hydrogen content of more than 90 vol.% and without CO and CO2.

Radiocaesium transfer from whole milk to a range of milk products

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McEnri, Catherine; Cunningham, J.D.; Mitchell, P.I.

1990-12-01

Milk and milk products constitute a substantial portion of the human diet and represent one of the principal means by which food-borne radionuclides are ingested. The Chernobyl accident and subsequent widespread contamination demonstrated clearly that the dairy industry is highly sensitive to air-borne pollution. In this report, the results of a project to study the transfer of radiocaesium from whole milk to a wide range of milk products manufactured by the Irish Dairy Industry are presented together with a review of the relevant literature

Reengineering a PC-based System into the Mobile Device Product Line

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zhang, Weishan; Jarzabek, Stanislaw; Loughran, Neil

2003-01-01

There is a growing demand to port existing PC-based software systems to mobile device platforms. Systems running on mobile devices share basic characteristics with their PC-based counterparts, but differ from them in details of user interfaces, application models, etc. Systems running on mobile...... devices must also perform well using less memory than PC-based systems. Mobile devices themselves are different from each other in many ways, too. We describe how we made an existing PC-based City Guide System available on a wide range of mobile devices, in a cost-effective way. We applied "reengineering...... into a product line architecture" approach to achieve the goal. Our product line architecture facilitates reuse via generation. We generate specific City Guide Systems for target platforms including PC, Pocket PC and other mobile devices, from generic meta-components that form the City Guide System product line...

Medium-range dielectric order in systems with collectivized electrons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ismagilov, A.M.; Kopaev, Yu.V.

1993-01-01

The problem of formation of a medium-range dielectric order (on a scale much larger than the interatomic one) due to electron-electron correlations and to scattering by an impurity in a system near a phase transition into a long-range order state is solved by a microscopic approach. It is shown that for a weak impurity potential the effect of medium-range order formation is stronger than the effect of long-range order suppression related to scattering by an impurity. The influence of medium-range order on the one-particle excitation spectrum and on the density of states is considered. It is found that since the medium-range order in a system is due to correlations of electron and hole states open-quotes coupledclose quotes by a continuous set of inhomogeneity vectors (in contrast to the long-range order formed on a discrete set of such vectors), the density of states varies on an energy scale determined by the mean absolute value of these vectors. Therefore in a system undergoing phase transition into an inhomogeneous state with the modulus q 0 of inhomogeneity vectors the medium-range order forms in the density of states a pseudogap of scale length v F q 0 (v F is the Fermi velocity). This distinguishes such a system substantially from one, which tends to a phase transition into a homogeneous state (q 0 ≡0), where the medium-range order forms a pseudogap of scale length v F /ξ much-lt v F q 0 (ξ is the correlation length). The possible role of medium dielectric order effects in high-T c superconductors is discussed. 30 refs., 6 figs

Development and implementation of product configuration systems - a change management perspective

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Møldrup, Morten; Møller, Niels

2004-01-01

Product configuration systems (PCS) are IT-based expert systems, which contain product information and knowledge and in turn provide the basis for automating the decision-making processes in the order acquisition phase. Thereby PCS support and streamline the efforts of an organisations sales force...... in translating customer demands into customized products within a bounded range of product variation. Supported by a PCS the sales representatives are empowered to configure products without having to consult experts about product specific dependencies. Although several research projects have been carried out...... within the field of PCS, these efforts have primarily been focused on technical aspects. Based on experiences gained from twelve case studies in the context of the PETO (*) project, this article therefore sets out to broaden the scope of the PCS field to embrace managerial and organizational aspects...

Effect of the product type, of the amount of applied sunscreen product and the level of protection in the UVB range on the level of protection achieved in the UVA range.

Science.gov (United States)

Couteau, C; Diarra, H; Coiffard, L

2016-03-16

Using a topical product is part of the overall strategy for skin cancer prevention. The level of protection attainable when using commercial products is indicated by the Sun Protection Factor (SPF) value, in use everywhere. This value reflects the level of protection primarily in the UVB range. However, UVA radiation also has deleterious effects on the skin, and it is essential to prevent it, which is why products must offer a wide spectrum of protection. Tests conducted in vivo, before any marketing, are done by applying the studied product at a rate of 2.0 mg cm(-2), while users, in practice, only use 1.0-1.5 mg cm(-2). We now know that this reduction in the amount of applied product greatly affects the SPF. To complete the state of knowledge in this area, we sought to evaluate the effect of a decrease in the amount of applied sunscreen product by studying sunscreen creams and oils on the level of protection attainable in the UVA range. We have shown that the PF-UVA is divided by a factor of 2.2, on average, when the amount of applied product is reduced by half, with differences depending on the product type under consideration (cream or oil) and depending on the SPF of the preparation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Quantum Phase Transitions in Conventional Matrix Product Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Jing-Min; Huang, Fei; Chang, Yan

2017-02-01

For matrix product states(MPSs) of one-dimensional spin-1/2 chains, we investigate a new kind of conventional quantum phase transition(QPT). We find that the system has two different ferromagnetic phases; on the line of the two ferromagnetic phases coexisting equally, the system in the thermodynamic limit is in an isolated mediate-coupling state described by a paramagnetic state and is in the same state as the renormalization group fixed point state, the expectation values of the physical quantities are discontinuous, and any two spin blocks of the system have the same geometry quantum discord(GQD) within the range of open interval (0,0.25) and the same classical correlation(CC) within the range of open interval (0,0.75) compared to any phase having no any kind of correlation. We not only realize the control of QPTs but also realize the control of quantum correlation of quantum many-body systems on the critical line by adjusting the environment parameters, which may have potential application in quantum information fields and is helpful to comprehensively and deeply understand the quantum correlation, and the organization and structure of quantum correlation especially for long-range quantum correlation of quantum many-body systems.

Accelerating the introduction of HTS products for a broad range of electric power and industrial applications

Science.gov (United States)

Eaton, Russell

2002-01-01

The Department of Energy (DOE), as part of its Superconductivity Program for Electric Systems, is successfully pursuing the development of electric power and industrial devices, incorporating significant high-temperature superconducting (HTS) components or subsystems, through its innovative Superconducting Partnership Initiative (SPI). The objective of the SPI is to accelerate the commercial introduction of the HTS products for a broad range of electric power and industrial applications. DOE's approach to accomplishing the SPI objective is to support cost shared projects carried out by industry led teams. DOE will fund projects to develop HTS devices that are either in (1) the research and development stage (Phase 1), (2) the pre-commercialization stage (Phase II), or (3) the commercial entry stage (Phase III). DOE's industry partners must contribute at least half a project's costs. These teams will include capabilities needed to develop the device as well as to develop the business plan for the commercial product introduction. DOE's partners consist of vertically integrated teams consisting of equipment manufacturers, HTS wire and coil suppliers, national laboratories, and end users, primarily utilities. These partners carry out the multi-year technology development efforts, consisting generally of design, construction, and testing of the HTS system. Finally, commercialization of HTS products will be discussed primarily in terms of benefits these products will have over competing products based upon conventional conductors and the critical need for affordable, practical HTS materials and conductors for these applications. .

STRATEGIES FOR INCREASING PRODUCTIVITY IN PRODUCTION SYSTEMS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Diego Pacheco

2014-05-01

Full Text Available The main objective of this article is to point a set of practical strategies that can be adopted to increase the capacity of constraints resources on production systems, when the constraint is inside the factory and not is in the market. To serve this purpose will be presented strategies based on best practices of the Theory of Constraints, Lean Manufacturing and Total Productive Maintenance. This article also presents the mains tools for the deployment of these methodologies. The survey results have provided an objective set of practical strategy that can be used to increase the capacity and productivity of production systems according to the needs of each manufacturing system.

Biological hydrogen production in continuous stirred tank reactor systems with suspended and attached microbial growth

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ren, Nan-Qi; Tang, Jing; Liu, Bing-Feng; Guo, Wan-Qian [State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, No.202 Haihe Road, Harbin 150090 (China)

2010-04-15

Fermentative H{sub 2} production in continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) system with bacteria attached onto granular activated carbon (GAC) was designed to produce H{sub 2} continuously. The H{sub 2} production performances of CSTR with suspended and attached-sludge from molasses were examined and compared at various organic loading rates (8-40 g COD/L/d) at hydraulic retention time of 6 h under mesophilic conditions (35 C). Both reactor systems achieved ethanol-type fermentation in the pH ranges 4.5-4.8 and 3.8-4.4, respectively, while ORP ranges from -450 to -470 mV and from -330 to -350 mV, respectively. The hydrogen production rate in the attached system was higher compared to that of the suspended system (9.72 and 6.65 L/d/L, respectively) while specific hydrogen production rate of 5.13 L/g VSS/d was higher in the suspended system. The attached-sludge CSTR is more stable than the suspended-sludge CSTR with regard to hydrogen production, pH, substrate utilization efficiency and metabolic products (e.g., volatile fatty acids and ethanol) during the whole test. (author)

An interactive system for creating object models from range data based on simulated annealing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoff, W.A.; Hood, F.W.; King, R.H.

1997-01-01

In hazardous applications such as remediation of buried waste and dismantlement of radioactive facilities, robots are an attractive solution. Sensing to recognize and locate objects is a critical need for robotic operations in unstructured environments. An accurate 3-D model of objects in the scene is necessary for efficient high level control of robots. Drawing upon concepts from supervisory control, the authors have developed an interactive system for creating object models from range data, based on simulated annealing. Site modeling is a task that is typically performed using purely manual or autonomous techniques, each of which has inherent strengths and weaknesses. However, an interactive modeling system combines the advantages of both manual and autonomous methods, to create a system that has high operator productivity as well as high flexibility and robustness. The system is unique in that it can work with very sparse range data, tolerate occlusions, and tolerate cluttered scenes. The authors have performed an informal evaluation with four operators on 16 different scenes, and have shown that the interactive system is superior to either manual or automatic methods in terms of task time and accuracy

Method of high precision interval measurement in pulse laser ranging system

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Zhen; Lv, Xin-yuan; Mao, Jin-jin; Liu, Wei; Yang, Dong

2013-09-01

Laser ranging is suitable for laser system, for it has the advantage of high measuring precision, fast measuring speed,no cooperative targets and strong resistance to electromagnetic interference,the measuremen of laser ranging is the key paremeters affecting the performance of the whole system.The precision of the pulsed laser ranging system was decided by the precision of the time interval measurement, the principle structure of laser ranging system was introduced, and a method of high precision time interval measurement in pulse laser ranging system was established in this paper.Based on the analysis of the factors which affected the precision of range measure,the pulse rising edges discriminator was adopted to produce timing mark for the start-stop time discrimination,and the TDC-GP2 high precision interval measurement system based on TMS320F2812 DSP was designed to improve the measurement precision.Experimental results indicate that the time interval measurement method in this paper can obtain higher range accuracy. Compared with the traditional time interval measurement system,the method simplifies the system design and reduce the influence of bad weather conditions,furthermore,it satisfies the requirements of low costs and miniaturization.

Performance of free-range chickens reared in production modules enriched with shade net and perches

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

MJB Santos

2014-03-01

Full Text Available An experiment was carried out to evaluate the effect of environmental enrichment in a free-range chicken production system on live performance as a function of microclimate, physiological parameters, and performance parameters. Four production modules were divided into four pens with 10 birds each, totaling 60 birds. The following treatments were applied: access to a paddock (TEST, access to a paddock with perches (PER, access to a paddock with artificial shade (SHA, and access to the paddock with perches and artificial shade (PESH. The PESH production module presented the best globe temperature (Tbg,ºC and enthalpy (h, kJ/kg, and thereby, the best thermal environmental conditions, which ensured the longest permanence time of the birds in the paddock. The SHA and PESH modules promoted the lowest respiratory rate and shank and comb temperatures. Live performance was influenced by the presence of environmental enrichment (modules SHA and PESH, with the highest live weight (LW and weight gain (WG and the lowest feed conversion ratio (FCR and metabolizable energy intake (MEI. Parts yield, such as giblets, were not influenced by production modules, except for PESH, which promoted higher offal weight. In general, chickens reared in enriched production modules presented greatest performance and comfort results and were considered close to optimal rearing conditions.

Prevalence of coliforms, Salmonella, Listeria, and Campylobacter associated with eggs and the environment of conventional cage and free-range egg production.

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, D R; Anderson, K E; Guard, J Y

2012-05-01

There is a desire by US consumers for eggs produced by hens in alternative production systems. As the retail shell-egg market offers these products to accommodate consumer demands, additional information is needed to ensure processing methodologies result in safe eggs from all egg sources. A study was conducted to determine if there were differences in the prevalence of coliforms, Salmonella, Listeria, and Campylobacter on and within eggs and in the environment of a sister flock of conventional cage and free-range laying hens. Microbial sampling occurred approximately every 6 wk between 20 and 79 wk of age. A random sampling of typical coliform colonies produced 371 viable isolates for biochemical identification. Twenty-nine genera or species of bacteria were identified. There was a significantly greater (P free-range nest box swabs compared with that in the free-range grass and conventional cage swab samples (number of positives: 8 nest box, 1 grass, 0 cage). Seven isolates of Listeria innocua were detected with no significant difference in prevalence between the treatments. Isolates were associated with eggshells (2 free-range floor, 1 cage) and the free-range environment (2 nest box, 2 grass). There were 21 Salmonella isolates detected between all sample locations, with no significant difference in the prevalence of Salmonella detection between the treatments. Additional studies are needed to fully understand the effect of alternative production methods on the prevalence of pathogens and coliforms associated with nest-run eggs and the production environment.

Production monitoring system for understanding product robustness

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Boorla, Srinivasa Murthy; Howard, Thomas J.

2016-01-01

study is used to demonstrate how the monitoring system can be used to efficiently guide corrective action to improve product performance. It is claimed that the monitoring system can be used to dramatically cut the time taken to identify, planand execute corrective action related to typical quality......In the current quality paradigm, the performance of a product is kept within specification by ensuring that its parts are within specification. Product performance is then validated after final assembly. However, this does not control how robust the product performance is, i.e. how much...... it will vary between the specification limits. In this paper, a model for predicting product performance is proposed, taking into account design, assembly and process parameters live from production. This empowers production to maintain final product performance, instead of part quality. The PRECI‐IN case...

Influence of range-gated intensifiers on underwater imaging system SNR

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Xia; Hu, Ling; Zhi, Qiang; Chen, Zhen-yue; Jin, Wei-qi

2013-08-01

Range-gated technology has been a hot research field in recent years due to its high effective back scattering eliminating. As a result, it can enhance the contrast between a target and its background and extent the working distance of the imaging system. The underwater imaging system is required to have the ability to image in low light level conditions, as well as the ability to eliminate the back scattering effect, which means that the receiver has to be high-speed external trigger function, high resolution, high sensitivity, low noise, higher gain dynamic range. When it comes to an intensifier, the noise characteristics directly restrict the observation effect and range of the imaging system. The background noise may decrease the image contrast and sharpness, even covering the signal making it impossible to recognize the target. So it is quite important to investigate the noise characteristics of intensifiers. SNR is an important parameter reflecting the noise features of a system. Through the use of underwater laser range-gated imaging prediction model, and according to the linear SNR system theory, the gated imaging noise performance of the present market adopted super second generation and generation Ⅲ intensifiers were theoretically analyzed. Based on the active laser underwater range-gated imaging model, the effect to the system by gated intensifiers and the relationship between the system SNR and MTF were studied. Through theoretical and simulation analysis to the image intensifier background noise and SNR, the different influence on system SNR by super second generation and generation Ⅲ ICCD was obtained. Range-gated system SNR formula was put forward, and compared the different effect influence on the system by using two kind of ICCDs was compared. According to the matlab simulation, a detailed analysis was carried out theoretically. All the work in this paper lays a theoretical foundation to further eliminating back scattering effect, improving

Modeling European ruminant production systems: facing the challenges of climate change

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kipling, Richard Philip; Bannink, Andre; Bellocchi, Gianni

2016-01-01

Ruminant production systems are important producers of food, support rural communities and culture, and help to maintain a range of ecosystem services including the sequestering of carbon in grassland soils. However, these systems also contribute significantly to climate change through greenhouse...... gas (GHG) emissions, while intensification of production has driven biodiversity and nutrient loss, and soil degradation. Modeling can offer insights into the complexity underlying the relationships between climate change, management and policy choices, food production, and the maintenance...... of ecosystem services. This paper 1) provides an overview of how ruminant systems modeling supports the efforts of stakeholders and policymakers to predict, mitigate and adapt to climate change and 2) provides ideas for enhancing modeling to fulfil this role. Many grassland models can predict plant growth...

Sustainable Industrial Product Systems. Integration of Life Cycle Assessment in Product development and Optimization of Product Systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hanssen, Ole Joergen

1997-12-31

This thesis contributes to the development and testing of environmental life cycle assessment (LCA) in product development and management in industry. It is based on systems theory and systems engineering. It develops a method for sustainable product development that has been successfully tested in the Nordic project called NEP. The LCA method is also a basis for an optimization model, where life cycle economy and environmental impacts from product systems are optimized with a non-linear model. A more complete mathematical model for LCA, based on the functional requirements on a product system, is also developed. The statistical properties of emission factors are studied using a data set from the Swedish Kraft Mill industry. It is shown that emission factors may be assumed constants in the LCA model, but with rather large variations within a population of Kraft mills. It is shown that there are a few environmental impacts which are important for most types of products under Scandinavian conditions, especially global warming potential, acidification, human toxicity and fossil energy depletion. There are significant differences between the contribution to these impacts from different life cycle stages, where raw material processing and use of products are generally more important than the other stages. Test cases indicate that there are no large conflicts between improvements in environmental impacts and customer requirements. Environmental improvements seem to increase purchase cost of products in some cases, but the life cycle cost of the products seem in most cases to be reduced. It is concluded that there are opportunities for 30-50% improvements in product system, based on relatively simple modifications of the systems. 246 refs., 63 figs., 19 tabs.

A method of short range system analysis for nuclear utilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eng, R.; Mason, E.A.; Benedict, M.

1976-01-01

An optimization procedure has been formulated and tested that is capable of solving for the optimal generation schedule of several nuclear power reactors in an electric power utility system, under short-range, resource-limited, conditions. The optimization procedure utilizes a new concept called the Opportunity Cost of Nuclear Power (OCNP) to optimally assign the resource-limited nuclear energy to the different weeks and hours in the short-range planning horizon. OCNP is defined as the cost of displaced energy when optimally distributed nuclear energy is marginally increased. Under resource-limited conditions, the short-range 'value' of nuclear power to a utility system is not its actual generation cost, but the cost of the next best alternative supply of energy, the OCNP. OCNP is a function of a week's system reserve capacity, the system's economic loading order, the customer demand function, and the nature of the available utility system generating units. The optimized OCNP value of the short-range planning period represents the utility's short-range energy replacement cost incurred when selling nuclear energy to a neighbouring utility. (author)

Microbiological and chemical properties of litter from different chicken types and production systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Omeira, N.; Barbour, E.K.; Nehme, P.A.; Hamadeh, S.K.; Zurayk, R.; Bashour, I.

2006-01-01

Chicken litter is produced in large quantities from all types of poultry raising activities. It is primarily used for land application, thus it is essential to analyze its properties before it is released to the environment. The objective of this study is to compare the microbiological and chemical properties of litter generated from layer and broiler chickens reared under intensive and free-range production systems. The microbiological analysis consisted of the enumeration of total bacteria, total coliforms, Staphylococcus species, Salmonella species and Clostridium perfringens. Chicken litter from layers reared under intensive and free range systems showed lower mean total bacterial count than the litter collected from chicken broilers reared under either of the two systems (P = 0.0291). The litter from intensive layers had the lowest mean total coliform counts (P = 0.0222) while the lowest Staphylococcus species count was observed in the litter from free-range layers (P = 0.0077). The C. perfringens count was the lowest in chicken litter from intensively raised broilers and layers (P = 0.0001). The chemical properties of litter from the different chicken types and production systems were compared based on determination of pH, electrical conductivity, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, cadmium and zinc. Litter from free-range broilers showed the highest pH value (P = 0.0005); however, the electrical conductivity was higher in the litter from both intensive and free-range layers compared to the litter from both broiler production systems (P = 0.0117). Chicken litter from intensive systems had higher nitrogen content than litter from free-range systems (P = 0.0000). The total phosphorus was the lowest in free-range broiler litter (P = 0.0001), while the total potassium was the lowest in litter from intensively managed broilers (P = 0.0000). Zinc appeared higher in litter from layers compared to that from broilers (P = 0.0101). The cadmium content was higher

Microbiological and chemical properties of litter from different chicken types and production systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Omeira, N; Barbour, E K; Nehme, P A; Hamadeh, S K; Zurayk, R; Bashour, I

2006-08-15

Chicken litter is produced in large quantities from all types of poultry raising activities. It is primarily used for land application, thus it is essential to analyze its properties before it is released to the environment. The objective of this study is to compare the microbiological and chemical properties of litter generated from layer and broiler chickens reared under intensive and free-range production systems. The microbiological analysis consisted of the enumeration of total bacteria, total coliforms, Staphylococcus species, Salmonella species and Clostridium perfringens. Chicken litter from layers reared under intensive and free range systems showed lower mean total bacterial count than the litter collected from chicken broilers reared under either of the two systems (P=0.0291). The litter from intensive layers had the lowest mean total coliform counts (P=0.0222) while the lowest Staphylococcus species count was observed in the litter from free-range layers (P=0.0077). The C. perfringens count was the lowest in chicken litter from intensively raised broilers and layers (P=0.0001). The chemical properties of litter from the different chicken types and production systems were compared based on determination of pH, electrical conductivity, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, cadmium and zinc. Litter from free-range broilers showed the highest pH value (P=0.0005); however, the electrical conductivity was higher in the litter from both intensive and free-range layers compared to the litter from both broiler production systems (P=0.0117). Chicken litter from intensive systems had higher nitrogen content than litter from free-range systems (P=0.0000). The total phosphorus was the lowest in free-range broiler litter (P=0.0001), while the total potassium was the lowest in litter from intensively managed broilers (P=0.0000). Zinc appeared higher in litter from layers compared to that from broilers (P=0.0101). The cadmium content was higher in the litter from

Microbiological and chemical properties of litter from different chicken types and production systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Omeira, N. [Department of Land and Water Resources, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut (Lebanon); Barbour, E.K. [Department of Animal Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut (Lebanon)]. E-mail: eb01@aub.edu.lb; Nehme, P.A. [Department of Land and Water Resources, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut (Lebanon); Hamadeh, S.K. [Department of Animal Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut (Lebanon); Zurayk, R. [Department of Land and Water Resources, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut (Lebanon); Bashour, I. [Department of Land and Water Resources, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, American University of Beirut, Beirut (Lebanon)

2006-08-15

Chicken litter is produced in large quantities from all types of poultry raising activities. It is primarily used for land application, thus it is essential to analyze its properties before it is released to the environment. The objective of this study is to compare the microbiological and chemical properties of litter generated from layer and broiler chickens reared under intensive and free-range production systems. The microbiological analysis consisted of the enumeration of total bacteria, total coliforms, Staphylococcus species, Salmonella species and Clostridium perfringens. Chicken litter from layers reared under intensive and free range systems showed lower mean total bacterial count than the litter collected from chicken broilers reared under either of the two systems (P = 0.0291). The litter from intensive layers had the lowest mean total coliform counts (P = 0.0222) while the lowest Staphylococcus species count was observed in the litter from free-range layers (P = 0.0077). The C. perfringens count was the lowest in chicken litter from intensively raised broilers and layers (P = 0.0001). The chemical properties of litter from the different chicken types and production systems were compared based on determination of pH, electrical conductivity, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, cadmium and zinc. Litter from free-range broilers showed the highest pH value (P = 0.0005); however, the electrical conductivity was higher in the litter from both intensive and free-range layers compared to the litter from both broiler production systems (P = 0.0117). Chicken litter from intensive systems had higher nitrogen content than litter from free-range systems (P = 0.0000). The total phosphorus was the lowest in free-range broiler litter (P = 0.0001), while the total potassium was the lowest in litter from intensively managed broilers (P = 0.0000). Zinc appeared higher in litter from layers compared to that from broilers (P = 0.0101). The cadmium content was higher

Design and Development of High-Repetition-Rate Satellite Laser Ranging System

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Eun-Jung; Bang, Seong-Cheol; Sung, Ki-Pyoung; Lim, Hyung-Chul; Jung, Chan-Gyu; Kim, In-Yeung; Choi, Jae-Seung

2015-09-01

The Accurate Ranging System for Geodetic Observation ? Mobile (ARGO-M) was successfully developed as the first Korean mobile Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) system in 2012, and has joined in the International Laser Ranging Service (ILRS) tracking network, DAEdeoK (DAEK) station. The DAEK SLR station was approved as a validated station in April 2014, through the ILRS station ¡°data validation¡± process. The ARGO-M system is designed to enable 2 kHz laser ranging with millimeter-level precision for geodetic, remote sensing, navigation, and experimental satellites equipped with Laser Retroreflector Arrays (LRAs). In this paper, we present the design and development of a next generation high-repetition-rate SLR system for ARGO-M. The laser ranging rate up to 10 kHz is becoming an important issue in the SLR community to improve ranging precision. To implement high-repetition-rate SLR system, the High-repetition-rate SLR operation system (HSLR-10) was designed and developed using ARGO-M Range Gate Generator (A-RGG), so as to enable laser ranging from 50 Hz to 10 kHz. HSLR-10 includes both hardware controlling software and data post-processing software. This paper shows the design and development of key technologies of high-repetition-rate SLR system. The developed system was tested successfully at DAEK station and then moved to Sejong station, a new Korean SLR station, on July 1, 2015. HSLR-10 will begin normal operations at Sejong station in the near future.

Composite Broadcasting and Ranging via a Satellite Dual-Frequency MPPSK System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yu Yao

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Since digital video broadcasting via satellite (DVB-S signals are “inefficient”, regarding the amount of information they convey on the bandwidth they occupy, a joint broadcasting and ranging system would constitute a unique platform for future digital video broadcasting satellite services effecting the essential tasks of satellite navigation system and direct to home (DTH services, in terms of both spectrum efficiency and cost effectiveness. In this paper, the design of dual frequency M-ary position phase shift keying (MPPSK system which is suitable for, respectively, performing both data transmission and range measurement is proposed. The approach is based on MPPSK modulation waveforms utilized in digital video broadcasting. In particular, requirements that allow for employing such signals for range measurements with high accuracy and high range are investigated. Also, the relationship between the frequency difference of dual frequency MPPSK system and range accuracy is discussed. Moreover, the selection of MPPSK modulation parameter for data rate and ranging is considered. In addition to theoretical considerations, the paper presents system simulations and measurement results of new systems, demonstrating the high spectral utilization of integrated broadcasting and ranging applications.

Long-Range Nondestructive Testing System, Phase I

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — This proposal is for the development of a long range, multi-point non-destructive system for the detection of subsurface flaws in metallic and composite materials of...

A DNA Mini-Barcoding System for Authentication of Processed Fish Products.

Science.gov (United States)

Shokralla, Shadi; Hellberg, Rosalee S; Handy, Sara M; King, Ian; Hajibabaei, Mehrdad

2015-10-30

Species substitution is a form of seafood fraud for the purpose of economic gain. DNA barcoding utilizes species-specific DNA sequence information for specimen identification. Previous work has established the usability of short DNA sequences-mini-barcodes-for identification of specimens harboring degraded DNA. This study aims at establishing a DNA mini-barcoding system for all fish species commonly used in processed fish products in North America. Six mini-barcode primer pairs targeting short (127-314 bp) fragments of the cytochrome c oxidase I (CO1) DNA barcode region were developed by examining over 8,000 DNA barcodes from species in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Seafood List. The mini-barcode primer pairs were then tested against 44 processed fish products representing a range of species and product types. Of the 44 products, 41 (93.2%) could be identified at the species or genus level. The greatest mini-barcoding success rate found with an individual primer pair was 88.6% compared to 20.5% success rate achieved by the full-length DNA barcode primers. Overall, this study presents a mini-barcoding system that can be used to identify a wide range of fish species in commercial products and may be utilized in high throughput DNA sequencing for authentication of heavily processed fish products.

Laser-ranging scanning system to observe topographical deformations of volcanoes.

Science.gov (United States)

Aoki, T; Takabe, M; Mizutani, K; Itabe, T

1997-02-20

We have developed a laser-ranging system to observe the topographical structure of volcanoes. This system can be used to measure the distance to a target by a laser and shows the three-dimensional topographical structure of a volcano with an accuracy of 30 cm. This accuracy is greater than that of a typical laser-ranging system that uses a corner-cube reflector as a target because the reflected light jitters as a result of inclination and unevenness of the target ground surface. However, this laser-ranging system is useful for detecting deformations of topographical features in which placement of a reflector is difficult, such as in volcanic regions.

Adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system for forecasting rubber milk production

Science.gov (United States)

Rahmat, R. F.; Nurmawan; Sembiring, S.; Syahputra, M. F.; Fadli

2018-02-01

Natural Rubber is classified as the top export commodity in Indonesia. Its high production leads to a significant contribution to Indonesia’s foreign exchange. Before natural rubber ready to be exported to another country, the production of rubber milk becomes the primary concern. In this research, we use adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) to do rubber milk production forecasting. The data presented here is taken from PT. Anglo Eastern Plantation (AEP), which has high data variance and range for rubber milk production. Our data will span from January 2009 until December 2015. The best forecasting result is 1,182% in term of Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE).

Energy production systems engineering

CERN Document Server

Blair, Thomas Howard

2017-01-01

Energy Production Systems Engineering presents IEEE, Electrical Apparatus Service Association (EASA), and International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standards of engineering systems and equipment in utility electric generation stations. Electrical engineers that practice in the energy industry must understand the specific characteristics of electrical and mechanical equipment commonly applied to energy production and conversion processes, including the mechanical and chemical processes involved, in order to design, operate and maintain electrical systems that support and enable these processes. To aid this understanding, Energy Production Systems Engineeringdescribes the equipment and systems found in various types of utility electric generation stations. This information is accompanied by examples and practice problems. It also addresses common issues of electrical safety that arise in electric generation stations.

PLANT RAW MATERIAL EXTRACTS AS COMPONENTS OF COSMETIC PRODUCTS AND FORMULATIONS FOR TOPICAL ADMINISTRATION: THE PRODUCT RANGE, THE PRODUCTION CHARACTERISTICS (REVIEW

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. B. Evseeva

2016-01-01

Full Text Available In contemporary pharmaceutical practice extracts are used as a separate cosmetic product and as an intermediate for external medicinal forms (ointments, gels, liniments and cosmetic forms. Their range is highly diverse.The aim is an overview of the scientific and technical information concerning plant  raw materials extracts using in the external drug and cosmetic products.Methods. To describe the range of extracts proposed for external use the analysis of the proposals of Russian and foreign producers submitted their official websites and online trading platforms was used. The specificity of extraction of biologically active substances of plant extracting agents: water, ethyl alcohol, glycols, vegetable oils, carbon dioxide used to obtain extracts was described on the basis of available scientific literature (eLIBRARY, PubMed, Cyberleninca, Google Books. Results. Examples of external drugs and cosmetic products based on plant raw materials extracts from a range of pharmaceutical organizations are given. It was found that from the extracting solvent used the range is presented by hydrophilic, such as glycol (propylene glycol, glycerin, water, alcoholic extracts; lipophilic (oil, CO2-extracts, and two-phase (caprylic/caprate triglyceride/water extracts. The main features of the extracting solvent used for this category of extracts: the specifics of the use in cosmetics (the skin specific effect, in particular selectivity to groups of biologically active plant substances, microbiological purity, are noted. Results of research data on the study of the prospects for the use of cosmetic ingredients – silicones, caprylic/ capric triglyceride, isopropyl myristate both solvents. The extraction techniques: classical (maceration, percolation and intensified (electro-plasma dynamic extraction, vacuum extraction circulation, CO2 supercritical extraction used in industry to produce cosmetic extracts are described

Environmental impacts and sustainability of egg production systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Xin, H; Gates, R S; Green, A R; Mitloehner, F M; Moore, P A; Wathes, C M

2011-01-01

As part of a systemic assessment toward social sustainability of egg production, we have reviewed current knowledge about the environmental impacts of egg production systems and identified topics requiring further research. Currently, we know that 1) high-rise cage houses generally have poorer air quality and emit more ammonia than manure belt (MB) cage houses; 2) manure removal frequency in MB houses greatly affects ammonia emissions; 3) emissions from manure storage are largely affected by storage conditions, including ventilation rate, manure moisture content, air temperature, and stacking profile; 4) more baseline data on air emissions from high-rise and MB houses are being collected in the United States to complement earlier measurements; 5) noncage houses generally have poorer air quality (ammonia and dust levels) than cage houses; 6) noncage houses tend to be colder during cold weather due to a lower stocking density than caged houses, leading to greater feed and fuel energy use; 7) hens in noncage houses are less efficient in resource (feed, energy, and land) utilization, leading to a greater carbon footprint; 8) excessive application of hen manure to cropland can lead to nutrient runoff to water bodies; 9) hen manure on open (free) range may be subject to runoff during rainfall, although quantitative data are lacking; 10) mitigation technologies exist to reduce generation and emission of noxious gases and dust; however, work is needed to evaluate their economic feasibility and optimize design; and 11) dietary modification shows promise for mitigating emissions. Further research is needed on 1) indoor air quality, barn emissions, thermal conditions, and energy use in alternative hen housing systems (1-story floor, aviary, and enriched cage systems), along with conventional housing systems under different production conditions; 2) environmental footprint for different US egg production systems through life cycle assessment; 3) practical means to mitigate air

Optimizing the biocatalytic productivity of an engineered sialidase from Trypanosoma rangeli for 3′-sialyllactose production

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zeuner, Birgitte; Luo, Jianquan; Nyffenegger, Christian

2014-01-01

An engineered sialidase, Tr6, from Trypanosoma rangeli was used for biosynthetic production of 3′-sialyllactose, a human milk oligosaccharide case compound, from casein glycomacropeptide (CGMP) and lactose, components abundantly present in industrial dairy side streams. Four different enzyme re......-use methods were compared to optimize the biocatalytic productivity, i.e. 3′-sialyllactose formation per amount of Tr6 employed: (i) His-tag immobilization on magnetic Cu2+-iminodiacetic acid-functionalized nanoparticles (MNPs), (ii) membrane immobilization, (iii) calcium alginate encapsulation of cross......-linked Tr6, and (iv) Tr6 catalysis in a membrane reactor. Tr6 immobilized on MNPs gave a biocatalytic productivity of 84mg 3′-sialyllactose/mg Tr6 after seven consecutive reaction runs. Calcium-alginate and membrane immobilization were inefficient. Using free Tr6 in a 10kDa membrane reactor produced a 9...

Expansion of the range of pasta products through the use of vegetable raw materials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

B. A. Iztaev

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The nutritional value of food products is one of the most important factors that determine a health of the population. Based on the importance of the nation's health for the development and county’s security, the Concept of the State Policy on Healthy Nutrition of the Kazakhstan population is defined, providing for a set of activities aimed at creating conditions that meet the needs of various groups of the population in rational, healthy nutrition, taking into account their traditions, habits and economic situation. In the macaroni products market, the dietary and functional products, enriched pasta and high nutritional products occupy a small segment that does not exceed 1%. In connection with this fact, the development of a range of macaroni products of increased nutritional value, with a purposefully changed chemical composition remains topical. In the macaroni industry, the increase in the food and biological value of products is achieved through the introduction of non-traditional types of raw materials and special food additives into the formulation. The research objects are wheat flour of the highest grade, a polydisperse corn flour, chick-pea flour and amaranth flour and the influence of these polydisperse systems on the properties of gluten, the rheological properties of the dough and the quality of the finished products have been determined. Based on the experimental data obtained, it is established that for the production of pasta from bakery flour of high quality with good physical-chemical and organoleptic characteristics, no more than 10.0% of corn and chick-pea flour and not more than 7.5% of amaranth flour can be added to the recipe; further increasing the dosage of flour from cereals and legumes leads to a deterioration in the quality of finished products. The use of polydisperse flour from cereals and legumes is expedient for the enrichment of macaroni products with valuable food ingredients - proteins, essential amino acids

Heart rate, multiple body temperature, long-range and long-life telemetry system for free-ranging animals

Science.gov (United States)

Lund, G. F.; Westbrook, R. M.; Fryer, T. B.

1980-01-01

The design details and rationale for a versatile, long-range, long-life telemetry data acquisition system for heart rates and body temperatures at multiple locations from free-ranging animals are presented. The design comprises an implantable transmitter for short to medium range transmission, a receiver retransmitter collar to be worn for long-range transmission, and a signal conditioner interface circuit to assist in signal discrimination and demodulation of receiver or tape-recorded audio outputs. Implanted electrodes are used to obtain an ECG, from which R-wave characteristics are selected to trigger a short RF pulse. Pulses carrying heart rate information are interrupted periodically by a series of pulse interval modulated RF pulses conveying temperature information sensed at desired locations by thermistors. Pulse duration and pulse sequencing are used to discriminate between heart rate and temperature pulses as well as radio frequency interference. The implanted transmitter may be used alone for medium and short-range tracking, or with a receiver-transmitter collar that employs commercial tracking equipment for transmissions of up to 12 km. A system prototype has been tested on a dog.

Characterization of indigenous chicken production systems in Kenya.

Science.gov (United States)

Okeno, Tobias O; Kahi, Alexander K; Peters, Kurt J

2012-03-01

Indigenous chicken (IC) and their production systems were characterized to understand how the whole system operates for purposes of identifying threats and opportunities for holistic improvement. A survey involving 594 households was conducted in six counties with the highest population of IC in Kenya using structured questionnaires. Data on IC farmers' management practices were collected and analysed and inbreeding levels calculated based on the effective population size. Indigenous chicken were ranked highest as a source of livestock income by households in medium- to high-potential agricultural areas, but trailed goats in arid and semi-arid areas. The production system practised was mainly low-input and small-scale free range, with mean flock size of 22.40 chickens per household. The mean effective population size was 16.02, translating to high levels of inbreeding (3.12%). Provision for food and cash income were the main reasons for raising IC, whilst high mortality due to diseases, poor nutrition, housing and marketing channels were the major constraints faced by farmers. Management strategies targeting improved healthcare, nutrition and housing require urgent mitigation measures, whilst rural access road network needs to be developed for ease of market accessibility. Sustainable genetic improvement programmes that account for farmers' multiple objectives, market requirements and the production circumstances should be developed for a full realization of IC productivity.

Assessing the sustainability of egg production systems in The Netherlands.

Science.gov (United States)

van Asselt, E D; van Bussel, L G J; van Horne, P; van der Voet, H; van der Heijden, G W A M; van der Fels-Klerx, H J

2015-08-01

Housing systems for laying hens have changed over the years due to increased public concern regarding animal welfare. In terms of sustainability, animal welfare is just one aspect that needs to be considered. Social aspects as well as environmental and economic factors need to be included as well. In this study, we assessed the sustainability of enriched cage, barn, free-range, and organic egg production systems following a predefined protocol. Indicators were selected within the social, environmental, and economic dimensions, after which parameter values and sustainability limits were set for the core indicators in order to quantify sustainability. Uncertainty in the parameter values as well as assigned weights and compensabilities of the indicators influenced the outcome of the sustainability assessment. Using equal weights for the indicators showed that, for the Dutch situation, enriched cage egg production was most sustainable, having the highest score on the environmental dimension, whereas free-range egg production gave the highest score in the social dimension (covering food safety, animal welfare, and human welfare). In the economic dimension both enriched cage egg and organic egg production had the highest sustainability score. When weights were attributed according to stakeholder outputs, individual differences were seen, but the overall scores were comparable to the sustainability scores based on equal weights. The provided method enabled a quantification of sustainability using input from stakeholders to include societal preferences in the overall assessment. Allowing for different weights and compensabilities helps policymakers in communicating with stakeholders involved and provides a weighted decision regarding future housing systems for laying hens. © 2015 Poultry Science Association Inc.

Demographics and practices of semi-intensive free-range farming systems in Australia with an outdoor stocking density of ≤1500 hens/hectare.

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Mini; Ruhnke, Isabelle; de Koning, Carolyn; Drake, Kelly; Skerman, Alan G; Hinch, Geoff N; Glatz, Philip C

2017-01-01

Baseline information on demographics and practices on semi-intensive free-range egg farms with an outdoor stocking density of ≤1500 hens/hectare in Australia is presented. Free-range egg production is changing the structure of the egg industry in Australia and a broad variety and tiers of free-range systems have emerged due to lack of concrete legislative standards on outdoor stocking densities in the past. Information was extracted from a pre-existing online free-range poultry survey dataset, consisting of a total of 79 questions related to nutrition, pasture management, welfare and health, animal housing, environmental impact and economics. Forty-one free-range egg farms, with an outdoor stocking density of ≤1500 hens/hectare, were identified in the dataset from all major Australian states. Two types of semi-intensive free-range housing systems were documented: mobile (modified caravan/trailer) housing (56%), and fixed sheds (44%). Seventy-two percent of respondents reported >75% of the hens in the flock used the outdoor range. All respondents reported ingestion of range components by hens in the form of vegetation, insects, stones and grit. Up to 10% mortality was reported by 40% respondents with predation (34%), cannibalism (29%), heat stress (24%) and grass impaction (19.5%) as major causes. Biosecurity on farms was sub-optimal with 8 of the 10 actions implemented by free-range egg production. This study resulted in identification of current practices and key challenges on semi-intensive free-range egg farms. Applied research and communication of results to farmers is highly recommended to ensure optimum health and welfare of free-range laying hens and sustained egg production.

Process design and optimization of novel wheat-based continuous bioethanol production system.

Science.gov (United States)

Arifeen, Najmul; Wang, Ruohang; Kookos, Ioannis K; Webb, Colin; Koutinas, Apostolis A

2007-01-01

A novel design of a wheat-based biorefinery for bioethanol production, including wheat milling, gluten extraction as byproduct, fungal submerged fermentation for enzyme production, starch hydrolysis, fungal biomass autolysis for nutrient regeneration, yeast fermentation with recycling integrated with a pervaporation membrane for ethanol concentration, and fuel-grade ethanol purification by pressure swing distillation (PSD), was optimized in continuous mode using the equation-based software General Algebraic Modelling System (GAMS). The novel wheat biorefining strategy could result in a production cost within the range of dollars 0.96-0.50 gal(-1) ethanol (dollars 0.25-0.13 L(-1) ethanol) when the production capacity of the plant is within the range of 10-33.5 million gal y(-1) (37.85-126.8 million L y(-1)). The production of value-added byproducts (e.g., bran-rich pearlings, gluten, pure yeast cells) was identified as a crucial factor for improving the economics of fuel ethanol production from wheat. Integration of yeast fermentation with pervaporation membrane could result in the concentration of ethanol in the fermentation outlet stream (up to 40 mol %). The application of a PSD system that consisted of a low-pressure and a high-pressure column and employing heat integration between the high- and low-pressure columns resulted in reduced operating cost (up to 44%) for fuel-grade ethanol production.

Product Configuration Systems - Implications for Product Innovation and Development

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Edwards, Kasper; Pedersen, Jørgen Lindgaard

2004-01-01

configurations. However, costs are but one parameter on which firms compete and firms must continually innovate new and develop existing products. This paper presents original empirical insights on implementation and use of product configuration systems in a number of Danish industrial firms. The paper discusses...... the organisational changes associated with PCS and how this affects product innovation and development. The paper begins by introducing product configuration systems, which are then placed in context to the firm as a process technology which coordinate different processes: product development, order acquisition......Product Configuration Systems (PCS) is a step in the direction of mass customization in the sense that PCS allows a firm to significantly lower the unit cost of configuration. Thus PCS is a valuable technology for lowering operating costs while retaining a high number of possible product...

Carbon footprint and ammonia emissions of California beef production systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Stackhouse-Lawson, K R; Rotz, C A; Oltjen, J W; Mitloehner, F M

2012-12-01

Beef production is a recognized source of greenhouse gas (GHG) and ammonia (NH(3)) emissions; however, little information exists on the net emissions from beef production systems. A partial life cycle assessment (LCA) was conducted using the Integrated Farm System Model (IFSM) to estimate GHG and NH(3) emissions from representative beef production systems in California. The IFSM is a process-level farm model that simulates crop growth, feed production and use, animal growth, and the return of manure nutrients back to the land to predict the environmental impacts and economics of production systems. Ammonia emissions are determined by summing the emissions from animal housing facilities, manure storage, field applied manure, and direct deposits of manure on pasture and rangeland. All important sources and sinks of methane, nitrous oxide, and carbon dioxide are predicted from primary and secondary emission sources. Primary sources include enteric fermentation, manure, cropland used in feed production, and fuel combustion. Secondary emissions occur during the production of resources used on the farm, which include fuel, electricity, machinery, fertilizer, and purchased animals. The carbon footprint is the net exchange of all GHG in carbon dioxide equivalent (CO(2)e) units per kg of HCW produced. Simulated beef production systems included cow-calf, stocker, and feedlot phases for the traditional British beef breeds and calf ranch and feedlot phases for Holstein steers. An evaluation of differing production management strategies resulted in ammonia emissions ranging from 98 ± 13 to 141 ± 27 g/kg HCW and carbon footprints of 10.7 ± 1.4 to 22.6 ± 2.0 kg CO(2)e/kg HCW. Within the British beef production cycle, the cow-calf phase was responsible for 69 to 72% of total GHG emissions with 17 to 27% from feedlot sources. Holstein steers that entered the beef production system as a by-product of dairy production had the lowest carbon footprint because the emissions

The productivity and work load in flexible production systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rhijn, J.W. van; Looze, M.P. de; Schoenmaker, N.; Bosch, T.; Deursen, J. van

2006-01-01

A negative aspect of serial flow production systems is its lack of flexibility. Other production systems like the flexing flow and the shopping system are more flexible as the number of workers can be easily adjusted to temporal demands. But how efficient are these flexible systems? In a laboratory

Biomass use, production, feed efficiencies, and greenhouse gas emissions from global livestock systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Herrero, Mario; Havlík, Petr; Valin, Hugo; Notenbaert, An; Rufino, Mariana C; Thornton, Philip K; Blümmel, Michael; Weiss, Franz; Grace, Delia; Obersteiner, Michael

2013-12-24

We present a unique, biologically consistent, spatially disaggregated global livestock dataset containing information on biomass use, production, feed efficiency, excretion, and greenhouse gas emissions for 28 regions, 8 livestock production systems, 4 animal species (cattle, small ruminants, pigs, and poultry), and 3 livestock products (milk, meat, and eggs). The dataset contains over 50 new global maps containing high-resolution information for understanding the multiple roles (biophysical, economic, social) that livestock can play in different parts of the world. The dataset highlights: (i) feed efficiency as a key driver of productivity, resource use, and greenhouse gas emission intensities, with vast differences between production systems and animal products; (ii) the importance of grasslands as a global resource, supplying almost 50% of biomass for animals while continuing to be at the epicentre of land conversion processes; and (iii) the importance of mixed crop–livestock systems, producing the greater part of animal production (over 60%) in both the developed and the developing world. These data provide critical information for developing targeted, sustainable solutions for the livestock sector and its widely ranging contribution to the global food system.

A plasmid-transposon hybrid mutagenesis system effective in a broad range of Enterobacteria

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rita eMonson

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Random transposon mutagenesis is a powerful technique used to generate libraries of genetic insertions in many different bacterial strains. Here we develop a system facilitating random transposon mutagenesis in a range of different Gram-negative bacterial strains, including Pectobacterium atrosepticum, Citrobacter rodentium, Serratia sp. ATCC39006, Serratia plymuthica, Dickeya dadantii and many more. Transposon mutagenesis was optimized in each of these strains and three studies are presented to show the efficacy of this system. Firstly, the important agricultural pathogen D. dadantii was mutagenized. Two mutants that showed reduced protease production and one mutant producing the previously cryptic pigment, indigoidine, were identified and characterized. Secondly, the enterobacterium, Serratia sp. ATCC39006 was mutagenized and mutants incapable of producing gas vesicles, proteinaceous intracellular organelles, were identified. One of these contained a β-galactosidase transcriptional fusion within the gene gvpA1, essential for gas vesicle production. Finally, the system was used to mutate the biosynthetic gene clusters of the antifungal, anti-oomycete and anticancer polyketide, oocydin A, in the plant-associated enterobacterium, Dickeya solani MK10. The mutagenesis system was developed to allow easy identification of transposon insertion sites by sequencing, after facile generation of a replicon encompassing the transposon and adjacent DNA, post-excision. Furthermore, the system can also create transcriptional fusions with either β-galactosidase or β-glucuronidase as reporters, and exploits a variety of drug resistance markers so that multiple selectable fusions can be generated in a single strain. This system of various transposons has wide utility and can be combined in many different ways.

Rangeland livestock production: Developing the concept of sustainability on the Santa Rita Experimental Range

Science.gov (United States)

George B. Ruyle

2003-01-01

The Santa Rita Experimental Range (SRER) was established in 1903 at the behest of concerned stockmen and researchers as the first facility in the United States set aside to study range livestock production. At the time, severe overgrazing of the public domain had seriously reduced carrying capacities of Southwestern rangelands. Researchers on the SRER developed and...

ATLAS production system

CERN Document Server

Borodin, Mikhail; The ATLAS collaboration; De, Kaushik; Klimentov, Alexei; Golubkov, Dmitry; Maeno, Tadashi; Mashinistov, Ruslan; Wenaus, Torre; Padolski, Siarhei

2016-01-01

The second generation of the ATLAS production system called ProdSys2 is a distributed workload manager which used by thousands of physicists to analyze the data remotely, with the volume of processed data is beyond the exabyte scale, across a more than hundred heterogeneous sites. It achieves high utilization by combining dynamic job definition based on many criterias, such as input and output size, memory requirements and CPU consumption with manageable scheduling policies and by supporting different kind of computational resources, such as GRID, clouds, supercomputers and volunteering computers. Besides jobs definition Production System also includes flexible web user interface, which implements user-friendly environment for main ATLAS workflows, e.g. simple way of combining different data flows, and real-time monitoring, optimised for using with huge amount of information to present. We present an overview of the ATLAS Production System major components: job and task definition, workflow manager web user i...

A high dynamic range pulse counting detection system for mass spectrometry.

Science.gov (United States)

Collings, Bruce A; Dima, Martian D; Ivosev, Gordana; Zhong, Feng

2014-01-30

A high dynamic range pulse counting system has been developed that demonstrates an ability to operate at up to 2e8 counts per second (cps) on a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer. Previous pulse counting detection systems have typically been limited to about 1e7 cps at the upper end of the systems dynamic range. Modifications to the detection electronics and dead time correction algorithm are described in this paper. A high gain transimpedance amplifier is employed that allows a multi-channel electron multiplier to be operated at a significantly lower bias potential than in previous pulse counting systems. The system utilises a high-energy conversion dynode, a multi-channel electron multiplier, a high gain transimpedance amplifier, non-paralysing detection electronics and a modified dead time correction algorithm. Modification of the dead time correction algorithm is necessary due to a characteristic of the pulse counting electronics. A pulse counting detection system with the capability to count at ion arrival rates of up to 2e8 cps is described. This is shown to provide a linear dynamic range of nearly five orders of magnitude for a sample of aprazolam with concentrations ranging from 0.0006970 ng/mL to 3333 ng/mL while monitoring the m/z 309.1 → m/z 205.2 transition. This represents an upward extension of the detector's linear dynamic range of about two orders of magnitude. A new high dynamic range pulse counting system has been developed demonstrating the ability to operate at up to 2e8 cps on a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer. This provides an upward extension of the detector's linear dynamic range by about two orders of magnitude over previous pulse counting systems. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Demographics and practices of semi-intensive free-range farming systems in Australia with an outdoor stocking density of ≤1500 hens/hectare.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mini Singh

Full Text Available Baseline information on demographics and practices on semi-intensive free-range egg farms with an outdoor stocking density of ≤1500 hens/hectare in Australia is presented. Free-range egg production is changing the structure of the egg industry in Australia and a broad variety and tiers of free-range systems have emerged due to lack of concrete legislative standards on outdoor stocking densities in the past. Information was extracted from a pre-existing online free-range poultry survey dataset, consisting of a total of 79 questions related to nutrition, pasture management, welfare and health, animal housing, environmental impact and economics. Forty-one free-range egg farms, with an outdoor stocking density of ≤1500 hens/hectare, were identified in the dataset from all major Australian states. Two types of semi-intensive free-range housing systems were documented: mobile (modified caravan/trailer housing (56%, and fixed sheds (44%. Seventy-two percent of respondents reported >75% of the hens in the flock used the outdoor range. All respondents reported ingestion of range components by hens in the form of vegetation, insects, stones and grit. Up to 10% mortality was reported by 40% respondents with predation (34%, cannibalism (29%, heat stress (24% and grass impaction (19.5% as major causes. Biosecurity on farms was sub-optimal with 8 of the 10 actions implemented by <50% respondents. Customer demand, consumer sentiment and welfare were the major factors for farmers moving into free-range egg production. This study resulted in identification of current practices and key challenges on semi-intensive free-range egg farms. Applied research and communication of results to farmers is highly recommended to ensure optimum health and welfare of free-range laying hens and sustained egg production.

Long range position and Orientation Tracking System

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Armstrong, G.A.; Jansen, J.F.; Burks, B.L.

1996-01-01

The long range Position and Orientation Tracking System is an active triangulation-based system that is being developed to track a target to a resolution of 6.35 mm (0.25 in.) and 0.009 degrees(32.4 arcseconds) over a range of 13.72 m (45 ft.). The system update rate is currently set at 20 Hz but can be increased to 100 Hz or more. The tracking is accomplished by sweeping two pairs of orthogonal line lasers over infrared (IR) sensors spaced with known geometry with respect to one another on the target (the target being a rigid body attached to either a remote vehicle or a remote manipulator arm). The synchronization and data acquisition electronics correlates the time that an IR sensor has been hit by one of the four lasers and the angle of the respective mirror at the time of the hit. This information is combined with the known geometry of the IR sensors on the target to determine position and orientation of the target. This method has the advantage of allowing the target to be momentarily lost due to occlusions and then reacquired without having to return the target to a known reference point. The system also contains a camera with operator controlled lighting in each pod that allows the target to be continuously viewed from either pod, assuming their are no occlusions

Meat production in sheep hybrids in agro-ecological feeding and growing system

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Sauer

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Research points out the effect of feeding young hybrid sheep (Black-faced German x Ţurcană in the conditions of permanent hill grasslands with two technological systems of improving grasslands: the conventional chemical (NPK fertilisation system and the agro-ecological organic fertilisation (sheep folding and over-sowing system. Studies show that the changes in the floristic structure of the grasslands have influenced both fodder yield and quality and meat production and quality. Meat production depending on experimental factors ranged between 189 and 393 kg/ha in the grasslands improved conventionally and between 191 and 461 kg/ha in the grasslands fertilised organically.

Characterization of indigenous chicken production systems in Rwanda.

Science.gov (United States)

Mahoro, J; Muasya, T K; Mbuza, F; Habimana, R; Kahi, A K

2017-12-01

Characterization of indigenous chicken (IC) production systems in Rwanda was conducted from November 2015 to January 2016 with the aim of understanding socio-economic characteristics, management of IC, production parameters, feed resources, and constraints faced by farmers rearing IC. A survey involving 206 households was carried out in 5 districts with the highest populations of IC using structured questionnaires. Data were analyzed using SAS software. The results showed that the majority of respondents (62.4%) were males and 37.6% were females. The majority of respondents (83.6%) had formal education. All family members were involved in the chicken husbandry practices. However, women (78%) were highly responsible for IC management activities. The family size averaged 5 persons (ranging 2 to 13) per household. Land was privately owned by farmers (84%) with a mean holding of 0.87 ha per household. The production system was mainly extensive with minimum provision of supplementary feeds. Chickens were being housed in separate houses at night and mating was uncontrolled. Breeding and replacement stocks were mainly sourced from the hatching of eggs using broody hens (60.68% of respondents). There were no vaccination programs, and ecto- and endo-parasites control was done when need arose. Egg production, income generation, meat production, and production of breeding stock were the main reasons of keeping IC. The first 3 main challenges facing IC production were diseases outbreaks, lack of investment capital, and predators. Others challenges, such as feed shortage, thieves, fluctuation of market price, lack of information on poultry rearing, and lack of chicken houses, also were mentioned. The IC production constraints mentioned need urgent mitigation measures to sustain utilization of IC against the changing climatic and economic conditions. Therefore, individual, public institution, and non-governmental organization efforts are required to develop sustainable breeding

Merits of the fat-tailed Barbarine sheep raised in different production systems in Tunisia: digestive, productive and reproductive characteristics.

Science.gov (United States)

Ben Salem, Hichem; Lassoued, Narjess; Rekik, Mourad

2011-10-01

Barbarine sheep is the dominant breed in Tunisia. This fat-tailed breed present in all production systems is characterised by metabolic and digestive adaptation to the contrasting environment conditions prevailing in the country (heat stress, water deprivation, salinity etc.). The fat tail (1.5 to 7 kg) is an energy reservoir that is used in periods of feed scarcity. Moreover, the rumen of this breed harbours a microflora enabling it to valorize low-quality roughages and native range vegetation. Barbarine sheep could make benefit from a wide range of local feed resources like fodder shrubs (e.g. cactus and oldman saltbushes), tannin-containing shrubs (e.g. Acacia cyanophylla) and agro-industrial by-products (e.g. olive cake, bran etc. conserved in the form of feed blocks or pellets). It has a very shallow anoestrous, the intensity of which is dependant upon nutrition conditions rather than day length as temperate breeds. Productive and reproductive performances of late pregnant-early suckling, pre-mating ewes and also rams of this breed are not affected when some alternative feed resources replace common feedstuffs which are expensive and cannot afford regularly to smallholders. In brief, the merits of the Barbarine sheep in the production systems and other main adaptive mechanisms of this breed are discussed in this paper. The prospective of Barbarine sheep husbandry in the system dynamics, climate change and the evolution of the socioeconomic context are also envisaged.

Note: A wide temperature range MOKE system with annealing capability.

Science.gov (United States)

Chahil, Narpinder Singh; Mankey, G J

2017-07-01

A novel sample stage integrated with a longitudinal MOKE system has been developed for wide temperature range measurements and annealing capabilities in the temperature range 65 K temperatures without adversely affecting the cryostat and minimizes thermal drift in position. In this system the hysteresis loops of magnetic samples can be measured simultaneously while annealing the sample in a magnetic field.

Technical Note: Range verification system using edge detection method for a scintillator and a CCD camera system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Saotome, Naoya, E-mail: naosao@nirs.go.jp; Furukawa, Takuji; Hara, Yousuke; Mizushima, Kota; Tansho, Ryohei; Saraya, Yuichi; Shirai, Toshiyuki; Noda, Koji [Department of Research Center for Charged Particle Therapy, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, 4-9-1 Anagawa, Inage-ku, Chiba 263-8555 (Japan)

2016-04-15

Purpose: Three-dimensional irradiation with a scanned carbon-ion beam has been performed from 2011 at the authors’ facility. The authors have developed the rotating-gantry equipped with the scanning irradiation system. The number of combinations of beam properties to measure for the commissioning is more than 7200, i.e., 201 energy steps, 3 intensities, and 12 gantry angles. To compress the commissioning time, quick and simple range verification system is required. In this work, the authors develop a quick range verification system using scintillator and charge-coupled device (CCD) camera and estimate the accuracy of the range verification. Methods: A cylindrical plastic scintillator block and a CCD camera were installed on the black box. The optical spatial resolution of the system is 0.2 mm/pixel. The camera control system was connected and communicates with the measurement system that is part of the scanning system. The range was determined by image processing. Reference range for each energy beam was determined by a difference of Gaussian (DOG) method and the 80% of distal dose of the depth-dose distribution that were measured by a large parallel-plate ionization chamber. The authors compared a threshold method and a DOG method. Results: The authors found that the edge detection method (i.e., the DOG method) is best for the range detection. The accuracy of range detection using this system is within 0.2 mm, and the reproducibility of the same energy measurement is within 0.1 mm without setup error. Conclusions: The results of this study demonstrate that the authors’ range check system is capable of quick and easy range verification with sufficient accuracy.

Technical Note: Range verification system using edge detection method for a scintillator and a CCD camera system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saotome, Naoya; Furukawa, Takuji; Hara, Yousuke; Mizushima, Kota; Tansho, Ryohei; Saraya, Yuichi; Shirai, Toshiyuki; Noda, Koji

2016-01-01

Purpose: Three-dimensional irradiation with a scanned carbon-ion beam has been performed from 2011 at the authors’ facility. The authors have developed the rotating-gantry equipped with the scanning irradiation system. The number of combinations of beam properties to measure for the commissioning is more than 7200, i.e., 201 energy steps, 3 intensities, and 12 gantry angles. To compress the commissioning time, quick and simple range verification system is required. In this work, the authors develop a quick range verification system using scintillator and charge-coupled device (CCD) camera and estimate the accuracy of the range verification. Methods: A cylindrical plastic scintillator block and a CCD camera were installed on the black box. The optical spatial resolution of the system is 0.2 mm/pixel. The camera control system was connected and communicates with the measurement system that is part of the scanning system. The range was determined by image processing. Reference range for each energy beam was determined by a difference of Gaussian (DOG) method and the 80% of distal dose of the depth-dose distribution that were measured by a large parallel-plate ionization chamber. The authors compared a threshold method and a DOG method. Results: The authors found that the edge detection method (i.e., the DOG method) is best for the range detection. The accuracy of range detection using this system is within 0.2 mm, and the reproducibility of the same energy measurement is within 0.1 mm without setup error. Conclusions: The results of this study demonstrate that the authors’ range check system is capable of quick and easy range verification with sufficient accuracy.

Smart sustainable bottle (SSB) system for E. coli based recombinant protein production.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Zhaopeng; Carstensen, Bettina; Rinas, Ursula

2014-11-05

Recombinant proteins are usually required in laboratories interested in the protein but not in the production process itself. Thus, technical equipment which is easy to handle and straight forward protein production procedures are of great benefit to those laboratories. Companies selling single use cultivation bags and bioreactors are trying to satisfy at least part of these needs. However, single-use systems can contribute to major costs which might be acceptable when "good manufacturing practices" are required but not acceptable for most laboratories facing tight funding. The assembly and application of a simple self-made "smart sustainable bottle" (SSB) system for E. coli based protein production is presented. The core of the SSB system is a 2-L glass bottle which is operated at constant temperature, air flow, and stirrer speed without measurement and control of pH and dissolved oxygen. Oxygen transfer capacities are in the range as in conventional bioreactors operated at intermediate aeration rates and by far exceed those found in conventional shaking flasks and disposable bioreactors. The SSB system was applied for the production of various recombinant proteins using T7-based expression systems and a defined autoinduction medium. The production performance regarding amount and solubility of proteins with robust and delicate properties was as good as in state-of-the-art stirred tank commercial bioreactors. The SSB system represents a low cost protein production device applicable for easy, effective, and reproducible recombinant protein production.

Fluctuation-induced long-range interactions in polymer systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Semenov, A N; Obukhov, S P

2005-01-01

We discover a new universal long-range interaction between solid objects in polymer media. This polymer-induced interaction is directly opposite to the van der Waals attraction. The predicted effect is deeply related to the classical Casimir interactions, providing a unique example of universal fluctuation-induced repulsion rather than normal attraction. This universal repulsion comes from the subtracted soft fluctuation modes in the ideal counterpart of the real polymer system. The effect can also be interpreted in terms of subtracted (ghost) large-scale polymer loops. We establish the general expressions for the energy of polymer-induced interactions for arbitrary solid particles in a concentrated polymer system. We find that the correlation function of the polymer density in a concentrated solution of very long chains follows a scaling law rather than an exponential decay at large distances. These novel universal long-range interactions can be of importance in various polymer systems. We discuss the ways to observe/simulate these fluctuation-induced effects

Biomass use, production, feed efficiencies, and greenhouse gas emissions from global livestock systems

Science.gov (United States)

Herrero, Mario; Havlík, Petr; Valin, Hugo; Notenbaert, An; Rufino, Mariana C.; Thornton, Philip K.; Blümmel, Michael; Weiss, Franz; Grace, Delia; Obersteiner, Michael

2013-01-01

We present a unique, biologically consistent, spatially disaggregated global livestock dataset containing information on biomass use, production, feed efficiency, excretion, and greenhouse gas emissions for 28 regions, 8 livestock production systems, 4 animal species (cattle, small ruminants, pigs, and poultry), and 3 livestock products (milk, meat, and eggs). The dataset contains over 50 new global maps containing high-resolution information for understanding the multiple roles (biophysical, economic, social) that livestock can play in different parts of the world. The dataset highlights: (i) feed efficiency as a key driver of productivity, resource use, and greenhouse gas emission intensities, with vast differences between production systems and animal products; (ii) the importance of grasslands as a global resource, supplying almost 50% of biomass for animals while continuing to be at the epicentre of land conversion processes; and (iii) the importance of mixed crop–livestock systems, producing the greater part of animal production (over 60%) in both the developed and the developing world. These data provide critical information for developing targeted, sustainable solutions for the livestock sector and its widely ranging contribution to the global food system. PMID:24344273

Observed benefits from product configuration systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hvam, Lars; Haug, Anders; Mortensen, Niels Henrik

2013-01-01

This article presents a study of the benefits obtained from applying product configuration systems based on a case study in four industry companies. The impacts are described according to main objectives in literature for imple-menting product configuration systems: lead time in the specification...... affected by the use of product configu-ration systems e.g. increased sales, decrease in the number of SKU's, improved ability to introduce new products, and cost reductions.......This article presents a study of the benefits obtained from applying product configuration systems based on a case study in four industry companies. The impacts are described according to main objectives in literature for imple-menting product configuration systems: lead time in the specification...... processes, on-time delivery of the specifica-tions, and resource consumption for making specifications, quality of specifications, optimization of products and services, and other observations. The purpose of the study is partly to identify specific impacts observed from implementing product configuration...

The system Around the Product

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Morelli, Nicola

      The design discipline has traditionally focused on products physical aspects, giving for granted that the context of services, infrastructures and technology will support the product life. A systemic perspective would revise such a focus, in order to project design competences over systemic...... aspects usually neglected by designers. This perspective shift is a challenge for designers, who have very efficient methods and tools to handle physical aspects of product design, but need to define an ?operative paradigm? to operate in a systemic context. An operative paradigm consists of a set of tools...... and methods to handle immaterial aspects such as time sequences, actors? role and logical links in a product service system (PSS). Tools and methods can be borrowed from other disciplinary contexts, their relevance, though, derives from their adaptation to this specific study area: designing in a systemic...

Modeling Novo Nordisk Production Systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Miller, Thomas Dedenroth

1997-01-01

This report describes attributes of models and systems, and how models can be used for description of production systems. There are special attention on the 'Theory of Domains'.......This report describes attributes of models and systems, and how models can be used for description of production systems. There are special attention on the 'Theory of Domains'....

Middle Range Sea Ice Prediction System of Voyage Environmental Information System in Arctic Sea Route

Science.gov (United States)

Lim, H. S.

2017-12-01

Due to global warming, the sea ice in the Arctic Ocean is melting dramatically in summer, which is providing a new opportunity to exploit the Northern Sea Route (NSR) connecting Asia and Europe ship route. Recent increases in logistics transportation through NSR and resource development reveal the possible threats of marine pollution and marine transportation accidents without real-time navigation system. To develop a safe Voyage Environmental Information System (VEIS) for vessels operating, the Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology (KIOST) which is supported by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, Korea has initiated the development of short-term and middle range prediction system for the sea ice concentration (SIC) and sea ice thickness (SIT) in NSR since 2014. The sea ice prediction system of VEIS consists of AMSR2 satellite composite images (a day), short-term (a week) prediction system, and middle range (a month) prediction system using a statistical method with re-analysis data (TOPAZ) and short-term predicted model data. In this study, the middle range prediction system for the SIC and SIT in NSR is calibrated with another middle range predicted atmospheric and oceanic data (NOAA CFSv2). The system predicts one month SIC and SIT on a daily basis, as validated with dynamic composite SIC data extracted from AMSR2 L2 satellite images.

Demographics and practices of semi-intensive free-range farming systems in Australia with an outdoor stocking density of ≤1500 hens/hectare

OpenAIRE

Singh, Mini; Ruhnke, Isabelle; de Koning, Carolyn; Drake, Kelly; Skerman, Alan G.; Hinch, Geoff N.; Glatz, Philip C.

2017-01-01

Baseline information on demographics and practices on semi-intensive free-range egg farms with an outdoor stocking density of ≤1500 hens/hectare in Australia is presented. Free-range egg production is changing the structure of the egg industry in Australia and a broad variety and tiers of free-range systems have emerged due to lack of concrete legislative standards on outdoor stocking densities in the past. Information was extracted from a pre-existing online free-range poultry survey dataset...

University of Hawaii Lure Observatory. [lunar laser ranging system construction

Science.gov (United States)

Carter, W. E.; Williams, J. D.

1973-01-01

The University of Hawaii's Institute for Astronomy is currently constructing a lunar laser ranging observatory at the 3050-meter summit of Mt. Haleakala, Hawaii. The Nd YAG laser system to be employed provides three pulses per second, each pulse being approximately 200 picoseconds in duration. The energy contained in one pulse at 5320 A lies in the range from 250 to 350 millijoules. Details of observatory construction are provided together with transmitter design data and information concerning the lunastat, the feed telescope, the relative pointing system, the receiver, and the event timer system.

Molecular-Based Identification and Detection of Salmonella in Food Production Systems: Current Perspectives.

Science.gov (United States)

Ricke, Steven C; Kim, Sun Ae; Shi, Zhaohao; Park, Si Hong

2018-04-19

Salmonella remains a prominent cause of foodborne illnesses and can originate from a wide range of food products. Given the continued presence of pathogenic Salmonella in food production systems, there is a consistent need to improve identification and detection methods that can identify this pathogen at all stages in food systems. Methods for subtyping have evolved over the years, and the introduction of whole genome sequencing and advancements in PCR technologies has greatly improved the resolution for differentiating strains within a particular serovar. This, in turn, has led to the continued improvement in Salmonella detection technologies for utilization in food production systems. In this review, the focus will be on recent advancements in these technologies, as well as potential issues associated with the application of these tools in food production. In addition, the recent and emerging research developments on Salmonella detection and identification methodologies and their potential application in food production systems will be discussed. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Problems in implementing improved range management on ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Keywords: Africa; Australia; Livestock development; Pastoral communities; Rangeland development; Rangeland systems; Sustainability; development; ecology; holism; pastoralism; range management; strategies; environment; water; health; crop production; rangelands; resource management; north africa; holistic approach ...

Automated plant, production management system

Science.gov (United States)

Aksenova, V. I.; Belov, V. I.

1984-12-01

The development of a complex of tasks for the operational management of production (OUP) within the framework of an automated system for production management (ASUP) shows that it is impossible to have effective computations without reliable initial information. The influence of many factors involving the production and economic activity of the entire enterprise upon the plan and course of production are considered. It is suggested that an adequate model should be available which covers all levels of the hierarchical system: workplace, section (bridgade), shop, enterprise, and the model should be incorporated into the technological sequence of performance and there should be provisions for an adequate man machine system.

The precision of today's satellite laser ranging systems

Science.gov (United States)

Dunn, Peter J.; Torrence, Mark H.; Hussen, Van S.; Pearlman, Michael R.

1993-06-01

Recent improvements in the accuracy of modern satellite laser ranging (SLR) systems are strengthened by the new capability of many instruments to track an increasing number of geodetic satellite targets without significant scheduling conflict. This will allow the refinement of some geophysical parameters, such as solid Earth tidal effects and GM, and the improved temporal resolution of others, such as Earth orientation and station position. Better time resolution for the locations of fixed observatories will allow us to monitor more subtle motions at the stations, and transportable systems will be able to provide indicators of long term trends with shorter occupations. If we are to take advantage of these improvements, care must be taken to preserve the essential accuracy of an increasing volume of range observations at each stage of the data reduction process.

Product Configuration Systems and Productivity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Jørgen Lindgaard; Edwards, Kasper

2004-01-01

Twelve companies have been interviewed with the purpose to get information about technical, economic and organisational matters in respect of Product Configuration Systems (PCS).Combinations of qualitative interviews and quantitative scoring have been used in ranking expected and realized results...

Nonequilibrium thermodynamics and maximum entropy production in the Earth system: applications and implications.

Science.gov (United States)

Kleidon, Axel

2009-06-01

The Earth system is maintained in a unique state far from thermodynamic equilibrium, as, for instance, reflected in the high concentration of reactive oxygen in the atmosphere. The myriad of processes that transform energy, that result in the motion of mass in the atmosphere, in oceans, and on land, processes that drive the global water, carbon, and other biogeochemical cycles, all have in common that they are irreversible in their nature. Entropy production is a general consequence of these processes and measures their degree of irreversibility. The proposed principle of maximum entropy production (MEP) states that systems are driven to steady states in which they produce entropy at the maximum possible rate given the prevailing constraints. In this review, the basics of nonequilibrium thermodynamics are described, as well as how these apply to Earth system processes. Applications of the MEP principle are discussed, ranging from the strength of the atmospheric circulation, the hydrological cycle, and biogeochemical cycles to the role that life plays in these processes. Nonequilibrium thermodynamics and the MEP principle have potentially wide-ranging implications for our understanding of Earth system functioning, how it has evolved in the past, and why it is habitable. Entropy production allows us to quantify an objective direction of Earth system change (closer to vs further away from thermodynamic equilibrium, or, equivalently, towards a state of MEP). When a maximum in entropy production is reached, MEP implies that the Earth system reacts to perturbations primarily with negative feedbacks. In conclusion, this nonequilibrium thermodynamic view of the Earth system shows great promise to establish a holistic description of the Earth as one system. This perspective is likely to allow us to better understand and predict its function as one entity, how it has evolved in the past, and how it is modified by human activities in the future.

Production versus environmental impact trade-offs for Swiss cropping systems: a model-based approach

Science.gov (United States)

Necpalova, Magdalena; Lee, Juhwan; Six, Johan

2017-04-01

There is a growing need to improve sustainability of agricultural systems. The key focus remains on optimizing current production systems in order to deliver food security at low environmental costs. It is therefore essential to identify and evaluate agricultural management practices for their potential to maintain or increase productivity and mitigate climate change and N pollution. Previous research on Swiss cropping systems has been concentrated on increasing crop productivity and soil fertility. Thus, relatively little is known about management effects on net soil greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and environmental N losses in the long-term. The aim of this study was to extrapolate findings from Swiss long-term field experiments and to evaluate the system-level sustainability of a wide range of cropping systems under conditions beyond field experimentation by comparing their crop productivity and impacts on soil carbon, net soil GHG emissions, NO3 leaching and soil N balance over 30 years. The DayCent model was previously parameterized for common Swiss crops and crop-specific management practices and evaluated for productivity, soil carbon dynamics and N2O emissions from Swiss cropping systems. Based on a prediction uncertainty criterion for crop productivity and soil carbon (rRMSEGM). The productivity of Swiss cropping systems was mainly driven by total N inputs to the systems. The GWP of systems ranged from -450 to 1309 kg CO2 eq ha-1 yr-1. All studied systems, except for ORG-RT-GM systems, acted as a source of net soil GHG emissions with the relative contribution of soil N2O emissions to GWP of more than 60%. The GWP of systems with CT decreased consistently with increasing use of organic manures (MIN>IN>ORG). NT relative to RT management showed to be more effective in reducing GWP from MIN systems due to reduced soil N2O emissions and positive effects on soil C sequestration. GM relative to CC management was shown to be more effective in mitigating NO3

The need for a holistic view on disease problems in free-range chickens

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Permin, A.; Pedersen, G.

2002-01-01

In contrast to modern poultry production, village-based poultry production is often characterised by a range of diseases occurring at the same time. Most often free-range poultry have sub-clinical infections with a high number of endo- and ecto-parasites. The significance of these infections is not known in detail, but there are some indications that parasites have an immuno-suppressive effect on the animals thus enhancing the pathogenicity of other diseases. Further, it is postulated that other diseases than Newcastle disease (ND) are present in free-range poultry production systems and that a successful development of this production system is only achieved when the exact causes of death and the effect of concurrent diseases are known. (author)

The SPOOKI post production system

Science.gov (United States)

Beauchemin, M.; Klasa, M.; Fortier, S.; Fortin, F.; Hardy, G.; Pelletier, L.; Edouard, S.; Archambault, B.; Yazidi, H.

2010-09-01

The Canadian Meteorological Centre (CMC) delivers a large number of numerical weather prediction products to the various weather offices and clients throughout Canada and abroad. The current post production system was built according to the needs and ideology of the 1980's and it is becoming obsolete with time. Its cumbersome architecture is difficult to maintain and requires a lot of human and computing resources. The "Weather Elements" section of CMC is aware of the problems associated with its maintenance in the long term and has therefore decided to review in depth the whole approach to the operational post production. The analysis of present and future needs have led to the development of an innovative concept in the operational production field inspired by the "Plug and Play" process. SPOOKI (Système de Production Orienté-Objet contennant une Kyrielle d'Informations - Object oriented production system containing a myriad of information) was created in its present form in 2007. It is based on a modular approach where each plug-in component is specialized, reusable and autonomous. These object oriented programming characteristics greatly simplify the maintenance of the system. Particular attention was also given to create a user-friendly system for novice users. An experimental version of SPOOKI is currently running in development mode and an operational one is planned to be implemented in the coming year. The poster presentation will describe SPOOKI, the future CMC operational post production system. Several examples of usage will be shown.

NDSI products system based on Hadoop platform

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Yan; Jiang, He; Yang, Xiaoxia; Geng, Erhui

2015-12-01

Snow is solid state of water resources on earth, and plays an important role in human life. Satellite remote sensing is significant in snow extraction with the advantages of cyclical, macro, comprehensiveness, objectivity, timeliness. With the continuous development of remote sensing technology, remote sensing data access to the trend of multiple platforms, multiple sensors and multiple perspectives. At the same time, in view of the remote sensing data of compute-intensive applications demand increase gradually. However, current the producing system of remote sensing products is in a serial mode, and this kind of production system is used for professional remote sensing researchers mostly, and production systems achieving automatic or semi-automatic production are relatively less. Facing massive remote sensing data, the traditional serial mode producing system with its low efficiency has been difficult to meet the requirements of mass data timely and efficient processing. In order to effectively improve the production efficiency of NDSI products, meet the demand of large-scale remote sensing data processed timely and efficiently, this paper build NDSI products production system based on Hadoop platform, and the system mainly includes the remote sensing image management module, NDSI production module, and system service module. Main research contents and results including: (1)The remote sensing image management module: includes image import and image metadata management two parts. Import mass basis IRS images and NDSI product images (the system performing the production task output) into HDFS file system; At the same time, read the corresponding orbit ranks number, maximum/minimum longitude and latitude, product date, HDFS storage path, Hadoop task ID (NDSI products), and other metadata information, and then create thumbnails, and unique ID number for each record distribution, import it into base/product image metadata database. (2)NDSI production module: includes

Pesticide Product Label System

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — The Pesticide Product Label System (PPLS) provides a collection of pesticide product labels (Adobe PDF format) that have been approved by EPA under Section 3 of the...

Detailed design of product oriented manufacturing systems

OpenAIRE

Silva, Sílvio Carmo; Alves, Anabela Carvalho

2006-01-01

This paper presents a procedure for the detailed design and redesign of manufacturing systems within a framework of constantly fitting production system configuration to the varying production needs of products. With such an approach is achieved the design of Product Oriented Manufacturing Systems – POMS. This approach is in opposition to the fitting, before hand, of a production system to all products within a company. In this case is usual to adopt a Function Oriented Manufactur...

Long-range analysis of density fitting in extended systems

Science.gov (United States)

Varga, Scarontefan

Density fitting scheme is analyzed for the Coulomb problem in extended systems from the correctness of long-range behavior point of view. We show that for the correct cancellation of divergent long-range Coulomb terms it is crucial for the density fitting scheme to reproduce the overlap matrix exactly. It is demonstrated that from all possible fitting metric choices the Coulomb metric is the only one which inherently preserves the overlap matrix for infinite systems with translational periodicity. Moreover, we show that by a small additional effort any non-Coulomb metric fit can be made overlap-preserving as well. The problem is analyzed for both ordinary and Poisson basis set choices.

Improvement of Artistic Cast Production System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Władysiak R.

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The paper presents the technology and organization of the artistic cast production. On the basis of the actual cast production system, the manufacturing process was shown, in particular sand–piece moulding, which is a very important process and a time-consuming part of the entire manufacture of the casts. The current state of the production process as well as the organization of the work and production technology were analysed with the use of methods and techniques of production improvement, the Lean Manufacturing concept and computer systems. The results of the analysis and studies were shown with use of schemes and graphs of the layout of the production resources, a flow chart of the production process, value stream mapping, and a costs table for the production and modernization of the moulding stage. The work has shown that there are possibilities to improve the artistic cast production system. This improvement leads to increased productivity, lower production costs of artistic casts and increased competitiveness of the foundry.

MANAGING PRODUCT SAFETY SYSTEM HACCP ON THE EXAMPLE OF BEET-SUGAR PRODUCTION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. A. Golybin

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The most effective safety management system of food production in all industrialized countries in the world recognized by the system based on the principles of HACCP. In Russia, the conformity assessment carried out by the HACCP system certification. The essence of the HACCP system is to identify and control the critical points. Critical Control Point – this is the stage of the process, which is subject to control for hazard identification and risk management in order to avoid the production of unsafe products. Implementation of HACCP system allows to tighten and coordinate the quality control system, which will improve the competitiveness of the products produced in the sugar market in Russia and abroad. In the early stages of food production HACCP system to prevent the occurrence of danger. It is based on the preventive approach to ensuring quality and safety in the production process, and can also be used in the development of new products. HACCP system is based on seven main principles to ensure the implementation and management of the system in production. 1. Creation of a working group of the coordinator and the technical secretary and various consultants. 2. Information on materials and products, in this case of sugar beet and sugar. 3. Information about the production. 4. Risk analysis of the available chemical, physical and microbiological factors. To determine the critical control points according to the results obtained for each factor is determined by a special chart the extent of its accounting. The need to consider the potential hazard is determined by the order in which area it has got. 5. The production program of mandatory preliminary activities in the production of sugar. 6. Determination of critical control points. 7. Making worksheets HACCP. It is shown that the use of HACCP in sugar beet production has several advantages.

The research of binocular vision ranging system based on LabVIEW

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Shikuan; Yang, Xu

2017-10-01

Based on the study of the principle of binocular parallax ranging, a binocular vision ranging system is designed and built. The stereo matching algorithm is realized by LabVIEW software. The camera calibration and distance measurement are completed. The error analysis shows that the system fast, effective, can be used in the corresponding industrial occasions.

Innovativeness in production systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Blichfeldt, Henrik; Knudsen, Mette Præst

Alignment of market demand and manufacturing capabilities are directly linked to the potential competitive advantage. Pressure for manufacturing companies to customize increase the need for productions systems to handle innovations, especially in SMEs. The paper claims that innovativeness has...... a positive influence of the ability of the manufacturing system to provide specific capabilities that enables the entire production system to positively influence the competitiveness. A comparative case study of three SMEs shows that competitive advantages are obtained through innovative technologies......, but revealed also automation potential in data and information management to be more responsive and cost-effective....

Development and application of a crossbreeding simulation model for goat production systems in tropical regions.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsukahara, Y; Oishi, K; Hirooka, H

2011-12-01

A deterministic simulation model was developed to estimate biological production efficiency and to evaluate goat crossbreeding systems under tropical conditions. The model involves 5 production systems: pure indigenous, first filial generations (F1), backcross (BC), composite breeds of F1 (CMP(F1)), and BC (CMP(BC)). The model first simulates growth, reproduction, lactation, and energy intakes of a doe and a kid on a 1-d time step at the individual level and thereafter the outputs are integrated into the herd dynamics program. The ability of the model to simulate individual performances was tested under a base situation. The simulation results represented daily BW changes, ME requirements, and milk yield and the estimates were within the range of published data. Two conventional goat production scenarios (an intensive milk production scenario and an integrated goat and oil palm production scenario) in Malaysia were examined. The simulation results of the intensive milk production scenario showed the greater production efficiency of the CMP(BC) and CMP(F1) systems and decreased production efficiency of the F1 and BC systems. The results of the integrated goat and oil palm production scenario showed that the production efficiency and stocking rate were greater for the indigenous goats than for the crossbreeding systems.

Highly modular high-brightness diode laser system design for a wide application range

Science.gov (United States)

Fritsche, Haro; Kruschke, Bastian; Koch, Ralf; Ferrario, Fabio; Kern, Holger; Pahl, Ullrich; Ehm, Einar; Pflueger, Silke; Grohe, Andreas; Gries, Wolfgang

2015-03-01

For an economic production it is important to serve as many applications as possible while keeping the product variations minimal. We present our modular laser design, which is based on single emitters and various combining technics. In a first step we accept a reduction of the very high brightness of the single emitters by vertical stacking. Those emitters can be wavelength stabilized by an external resonator, providing the very same feedback to each of those laser diodes which leads to an output power of about 100W with BPP of BPP. These "500W building blocks" are consequently designed in a way that without any system change new wavelengths can be implemented by only exchanging parts but without change of the production process. This design principal offers the option to adapt the wavelength of those blocks to any applications, from UV, visible into the far IR. From laser pumping and scientific applications to materials processing such as cutting and welding of copper aluminum or steel and also medical application. Operating at wavelengths between 900 nm and 1100 nm, these systems are mainly used in cutting and welding, but the technology can also be adapted to other wavelength ranges, such as 793 nm and 1530 nm. Around 1.5 μm the diodes are already successfully used for resonant pumping of Erbium lasers.[1] Furthermore, the fully integrated electronic concept allows addressing further applications, as it is capable of very short μs pulses up to cw mode operation by simple software commands.

Hydrogen Production System with High Temperature Electrolysis for Nuclear Power Plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kentaro, Matsunaga; Eiji, Hoashi; Seiji, Fujiwara; Masato, Yoshino; Taka, Ogawa; Shigeo, Kasai

2006-01-01

Steam electrolysis with solid oxide cells is one of the most promising methods for hydrogen production, which has the potential to be high efficiency. Its most parts consist of environmentally sound and common materials. Recent development of ceramics with high ionic conductivity suggests the possibility of widening the range of operating temperature with maintaining the high efficiency. Toshiba is constructing a hydrogen production system with solid oxide electrolysis cells for nuclear power plants. Tubular-type cells using YSZ (Yttria-Stabilized- Zirconia) as electrolyte showed good performance of steam electrolysis at 800 to 900 deg C. Larger electrolysis cells with present configuration are to be combined with High Temperature Reactors. The hydrogen production efficiency on the present designed system is expected around 50% at 800 to 900 deg C of operating temperature. For the Fast Reactors, 'advanced cell' with higher efficiency at lower temperature are to be introduced. (authors)

Production Systems and Supplier Selection

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedraza-Acosta, Isabel; Pilkington, Alan; Barnes, David

2016-01-01

strategic stamping suppliers. Findings: Our contribution is the multi-phased production and product innovation process. This is an advance from traditional supplier selection and also an extension of ideas of supplier-located product development as it includes production system development, and complements...

Energy System Expectations for Nuclear in the 21. Century: A Plausible Range

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Langlois, Lucille M.; McDonald, Alan; Rogner, Hans-Holger; Vera, Ivan

2002-01-01

This paper outlines a range of scenarios describing what the world's energy system might look like in the middle of the century, and what nuclear energy's most profitable role might be. The starting point is the 40 non-greenhouse-gas-mitigation scenarios in the Special Report on Emissions Scenarios (SRES) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC, 2000). Given their international authorship and comprehensive review by governments and scientific experts, the SRES scenarios are the state of the art in long-term energy scenarios. However, they do not present the underlying energy system structures in enough detail for specific energy technology and infrastructure analyses. This paper therefore describes initial steps within INPRO (The International Project on Innovative Nuclear Reactors and Fuel Cycles of the International Atomic Energy Agency) to translate the SRES results into a range of possible nuclear energy technology requirements for mid-century. The paper summarizes the four SRES scenarios that will be used in INPRO and the reasons for their selection. It provides illustrative examples of the sort of additional detail that is being developed about the overall energy system implied by each scenario, and about specific scenario features particularly relevant to nuclear energy. As recommended in SRES, the selected scenarios cover all four SRES 'story-line families'. The energy system translations being developed in INPRO are intended to indicate how energy services may be provided in mid-century and to delineate likely technology and infrastructure implications. They will indicate answers to questions like the following. The list is illustrative, not comprehensive. - What kind of nuclear power plants will best fit the mid-century energy system? - What energy forms and other products and services provided by nuclear reactors will best fit the mid-century energy system? - What would be their market shares? - How difficult will it be to site new nuclear

Micro Fine Sized Palm Oil Fuel Ash Produced Using a Wind Tunnel Production System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. Ahmadi

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Micro fine sized palm oil fuel ash (POFA is a new supplementary cementitious material that can increase the strength, durability, and workability of concrete. However, production of this material incurs high cost and is not practical for the construction industry. This paper investigates a simple methodology of producing micro fine sized POFA by means of a laboratory scale wind tunnel system. The raw POFA obtained from an oil palm factory is first calcined to remove carbon residue and then grinded in Los Angeles abrasion machine. The grinded POFA is then blown in the fabricated wind tunnel system for separation into different ranges of particle sizes. The physical, morphological, and chemical properties of the micro fine sized POFA were then investigated using Laser Particle Size Analyser (PSA, nitrogen sorption, and Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy Dispersive X-Ray (SEM-EDX. A total of 32.1% micro fine sized POFA were collected from each sample blown, with the size range of 1–10 micrometers. The devised laboratory scale of wind tunnel production system is successful in producing micro fine sized POFA and, with modifications, this system is envisaged applicable to be used to commercialize micro fine sized POFA production for the construction industry.

Description, Modelling and Design of Production Systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jacobsen, Peter; Rudolph, Carsten

1997-01-01

Design of production systems are rarely an activity in which decision makers in most production companies have much experience. In future, this activity is to be more recurrent due to more and more frequent changes in the production task. Consequently, the decision makers are in need of better...... management tools and methods for description and modelling of production systems supporting the decisions. In this article a structural framework to describe and model production systems will be introduced, and it is shown how the production system of a minor Danish manufacturer of electromechanical...

Integrated Monitoring System of Production Processes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Oborski Przemysław

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Integrated monitoring system for discrete manufacturing processes is presented in the paper. The multilayer hardware and software reference model was developed. Original research are an answer for industry needs of the integration of information flow in production process. Reference model corresponds with proposed data model based on multilayer data tree allowing to describe orders, products, processes and save monitoring data. Elaborated models were implemented in the integrated monitoring system demonstrator developed in the project. It was built on the base of multiagent technology to assure high flexibility and openness on applying intelligent algorithms for data processing. Currently on the base of achieved experience an application integrated monitoring system for real production system is developed. In the article the main problems of monitoring integration are presented, including specificity of discrete production, data processing and future application of Cyber-Physical-Systems. Development of manufacturing systems is based more and more on taking an advantage of applying intelligent solutions into machine and production process control and monitoring. Connection of technical systems, machine tools and manufacturing processes monitoring with advanced information processing seems to be one of the most important areas of near future development. It will play important role in efficient operation and competitiveness of the whole production system. It is also important area of applying in the future Cyber-Physical-Systems that can radically improve functionally of monitoring systems and reduce the cost of its implementation.

Commercial cyclotrons. Part I: Commercial cyclotrons in the energy range 10 30 MeV for isotope production

Science.gov (United States)

Papash, A. I.; Alenitsky, Yu. G.

2008-07-01

A survey of commercial cyclotrons for production of medical and industrial isotopes is presented. Compact isochronous cyclotrons which accelerate negative hydrogen ions in the energy range 10 30 MeV have been widely used over the last 25 years for production of medical isotopes and other applications. Different cyclotron models for the energy range 10 12 MeV with moderate beam intensity are used for production of 11C, 13N, 15O, and 18F isotopes widely applied in positron emission tomography. Commercial cyclotrons with high beam intensity are available on the market for production of most medical and industrial isotopes. In this work, the physical and technical parameters of different models are compared. Possibilities of improving performance and increasing intensity of H- beams up to 2 3 mA are discussed.

10.23  Mcps laser pseudo-code ranging system with 0.33  mm (1σ) pseudo-range measurement precision.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Xiaonan; Tong, Shoufeng; Zhang, Lei; Dong, Yan; Zhao, Xin; Qiao, Yue

2017-07-01

The inter-satellite laser link is the backbone of the next inter-satellite information network, and ranging and communication are the main functions of the inter-satellite laser link. This study focuses on the inter-satellite laser ranging based on the pseudo-code correlation technology. In this paper, several typical laser-ranging methods have been compared and we determined that the laser pseudo-code ranging architecture is more suitable for the inter-satellite laser communication link. The pseudo-code ranging system is easy to combine with a digital communication system, and we used it to calculate integer ambiguity by modulating the time information. The main challenge of the ranging system is range precision, which is the main focus of this paper. First, the framework of the pseudo-code ranging system is introduced; the ranging architecture of dual one-way ranging is used to eliminate the clock error between the two transceivers, and then the uncertainty of the phase detector is analyzed. In the analysis, the carrier to noise ratio and the ranging code rate are constrained by the laser communication link margin and the electronic hardware limitation. Therefore, the relationship between the sampling depth and the phase detector uncertainty is verified. A series of optical fiber channel laser pseudo-code ranging experiments demonstrated the effects of sampling depth on the ranging precision. By adjusting the depth of storage, such as the depth of 1.6 Mb, we obtained a pseudo-range measurement precision of 0.33 mm (1σ), which is equivalent to 0.0001 times code subdivision of 10.23 Mcps pseudo-code. This paper has achieved high precision in a pseudo-range measurements, which is the foundation of the inter-satellite laser link.

Design and Implementation of a Thermal Load Reduction System for a Hyundai Sonata PHEV for Improved Range

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rugh, John P [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Kreutzer, Cory J [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Scott, Matthew [Hyundai America Technical Center Inc.; Gallagher, James [Gentherm Incoporated

2018-04-03

Increased adoption of electric-drive vehicles requires overcoming hurdles including limited vehicle range. Vehicle cabin heating and cooling demand for occupant climate control requires energy from the main battery and has been shown to significantly degrade vehicle range. During peak cooling and heating conditions, climate control can require as much as or more energy than propulsion. As part of an ongoing project, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and project partners Hyundai America Technical Center, Inc., Gentherm, Pittsburgh Glass Works, PPG Industries, Sekisui, 3 M, and Hanon Systems developed a thermal load reduction system to reduce the range penalty associated with electric vehicle climate control. Solar reflective paint, solar control glass, heated and cooled/ventilated seats, heated surfaces, and a heated windshield with door demisters were integrated into a Hyundai Sonata plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. Cold weather field-testing was conducted in Fairbanks, Alaska, and warm weather testing was conducted in Death Valley, California, to assess the system performance in comparison to the baseline production vehicle. In addition, environmental chamber testing at peak heating and cooling conditions was performed to assess the performance of the system in standardized conditions compared to the baseline. Experimental results are presented in this paper, providing quantitative data to automobile manufacturers on the impact of climate control thermal load reduction technologies to increase the advanced thermal technology adoption and market penetration of electric drive vehicles.

Application of the NAVSTAR/GLOBAL positioning system on instrumented ranges

OpenAIRE

Reinhart, William L.

1981-01-01

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited This report treats the application of the NAVSTAR/Global Positioning System as the Position/Location System in Real Time Casualty Assessment experiments. The desirable characteristics of a position/location system are listed. A current position/location system, the Range Measuring System, is used as a comparison reference for the Global Positioning System. Operation and parameters of the Global Positioning System are presented. A d...

Demographics and practices of semi-intensive free-range farming systems in Australia with an outdoor stocking density of ≤1500 hens/hectare

Science.gov (United States)

Ruhnke, Isabelle; de Koning, Carolyn; Drake, Kelly; Skerman, Alan G.; Hinch, Geoff N.; Glatz, Philip C.

2017-01-01

Baseline information on demographics and practices on semi-intensive free-range egg farms with an outdoor stocking density of ≤1500 hens/hectare in Australia is presented. Free-range egg production is changing the structure of the egg industry in Australia and a broad variety and tiers of free-range systems have emerged due to lack of concrete legislative standards on outdoor stocking densities in the past. Information was extracted from a pre-existing online free-range poultry survey dataset, consisting of a total of 79 questions related to nutrition, pasture management, welfare and health, animal housing, environmental impact and economics. Forty-one free-range egg farms, with an outdoor stocking density of ≤1500 hens/hectare, were identified in the dataset from all major Australian states. Two types of semi-intensive free-range housing systems were documented: mobile (modified caravan/trailer) housing (56%), and fixed sheds (44%). Seventy-two percent of respondents reported >75% of the hens in the flock used the outdoor range. All respondents reported ingestion of range components by hens in the form of vegetation, insects, stones and grit. Up to 10% mortality was reported by 40% respondents with predation (34%), cannibalism (29%), heat stress (24%) and grass impaction (19.5%) as major causes. Biosecurity on farms was sub-optimal with 8 of the 10 actions implemented by farms. Applied research and communication of results to farmers is highly recommended to ensure optimum health and welfare of free-range laying hens and sustained egg production. PMID:29065169

Modelling production system architectures in the early phases of product development

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Guðlaugsson, Tómas Vignir; Ravn, Poul Martin; Mortensen, Niels Henrik

2016-01-01

are needed and appropriate to enable determination of obtainable product quality. In order to meet this challenge, it is suggested that a visual modelling framework be adopted that clarifies which product and production features are known at a specific time of the project and which features will be worked...... on – leading to an improved basis for prioritizing activities in the project. Requirements for the contents of the framework are presented, and literature on production and system models is reviewed. The production system architecture modelling framework is founded on methods and approaches in literature......This article suggests a framework for modelling a production system architecture in the early phases of product development.The challenge in these phases is that the products to be produced are not completely defined and yet decisions need to be made early in the process on what investments...

Product Configuration Systems and Consequences for Productivity and Quality

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Jørgen Lindgaard; Edwards, Kasper

2004-01-01

with informations about expected and realised costs and benefits in implemented PCS's we have the following results: the three highest aggregated scoring expected benefits are: 1)improved quality in specifications, 2)lower turnaround time, and 3)using less resources.The results achieved are in accordance......Product Configuration Systems (PCS) are systems to produce quotations to potential buyers of the products an enterprise produces. Typically the products are complex and will first be produced according to specific needs from the customers. From twelve case studies in Danish industry...

Task path planning, scheduling and learning for free-ranging robot systems

Science.gov (United States)

Wakefield, G. Steve

1987-01-01

The development of robotics applications for space operations is often restricted by the limited movement available to guided robots. Free ranging robots can offer greater flexibility than physically guided robots in these applications. Presented here is an object oriented approach to path planning and task scheduling for free-ranging robots that allows the dynamic determination of paths based on the current environment. The system also provides task learning for repetitive jobs. This approach provides a basis for the design of free-ranging robot systems which are adaptable to various environments and tasks.

The system around the product

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Morelli, Nicola

2006-01-01

The design discipline has traditionally focused on products’ physical aspects, giving for granted that the context of services, infrastructures and technology will support the product life. A systemic perspective would revise such a focus, in order to project design competences over systemic...... aspects usually neglected by designers. This perspective shift is a challenge for designers, who have very efficient methods and tools to handle physical aspects of product design, but need to define an ‘operative paradigm’ to operate in a systemic context. An operative paradigm consists of a set of tools...... and methods to handle immaterial aspects such as time sequences, actors’ role and logical links in a product service system (PSS). Tools and methods can be borrowed from other disciplinary contexts, their relevance, though, derives from their adaptation to this specific study area: designing in a systemic...

Sterile Product Packaging and Delivery Systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Akers, Michael J

2015-01-01

Both conventional and more advanced product container and delivery systems are the focus of this brief article. Six different product container systems will be discussed, plus advances in primary packaging for special delivery systems and needle technology.

Beyond the second law entropy production and non-equilibrium systems

CERN Document Server

Lineweaver, Charles; Niven, Robert; Regenauer-Lieb, Klaus

2014-01-01

The Second Law, a cornerstone of thermodynamics, governs the average direction of dissipative, non-equilibrium processes. But it says nothing about their actual rates or the probability of fluctuations about the average. This interdisciplinary book, written and peer-reviewed by international experts, presents recent advances in the search for new non-equilibrium principles beyond the Second Law, and their applications to a wide range of systems across physics, chemistry and biology. Beyond The Second Law brings together traditionally isolated areas of non-equilibrium research and highlights potentially fruitful connections between them, with entropy production playing the unifying role. Key theoretical concepts include the Maximum Entropy Production principle, the Fluctuation Theorem, and the Maximum Entropy method of statistical inference. Applications of these principles are illustrated in such diverse fields as climatology, cosmology, crystal growth morphology, Earth system science, environmental physics, ...

New focal plane detector system for the broad range spectrometer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sjoreen, T.P.

1984-01-01

A focal plane detector system consisting of a vertical drift chamber, parallel plate avalanche counters, and an ionization chamber with segmented anodes has been installed in the Broad Range Spectrometer at the Holifield Facility at Oak Ridge. The system, which has been designed for use with light-heavy ions with energies ranging from 10 to 25 MeV/amu, has a position resolution of approx. 0.1 mm, a scattering angle resolution of approx. 3 mrad, and a mass resolution of approx. 1/60

A state-of-the-art production information management system: Conception to completion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parker, A.R.; Corston, S.P.; Abdallah, F.F.

1994-01-01

The task of hydrocarbon production accounting for oil and gas development projects can be extremely complex and time consuming, especially if Joint Venture Partner (JVP) ownership varies over several inter-related producing projects. For this task to be carried out quickly and accurately a diverse range of computer software and hardware is usually employed. This paper explains the planning, specifications and construction of an online Management Information System for hydrocarbon production balancing, reconciliation and reporting over the North West Shelf Gas Project

A state-of-the-art production information management system: Conception to completion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Parker, A.R.; Corston, S.P.; Abdallah, F.F.

1994-12-31

The task of hydrocarbon production accounting for oil and gas development projects can be extremely complex and time consuming, especially if Joint Venture Partner (JVP) ownership varies over several inter-related producing projects. For this task to be carried out quickly and accurately a diverse range of computer software and hardware is usually employed. This paper explains the planning, specifications and construction of an online Management Information System for hydrocarbon production balancing, reconciliation and reporting over the North West Shelf Gas Project.

Long range position and orientation tracking system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Armstrong, G.A.; Jansen, J.F.; Burks, B.L.; Bernacki, B.E.; Nypaver, D.J.

1995-01-01

The long range position and orientation tracking system (LRPOTS) will consist of two measurement pods, a VME-based computer system, and a detector array. The system is used to measure the position and orientation of a target that may be attached to a robotic arm, teleoperated manipulator, or autonomous vehicle. The pods have been designed to be mounted in the man-ways of the domes of the Fernald K-65 waste silos. Each pod has two laser scanner subsystems as well as lights and camera systems. One of the laser scanners will be oriented to scan in the pan direction, the other in the tilt direction. As the lasers scan across the detector array, the angles of incidence with each detector are recorded. Combining measurements from each of the four lasers yields sufficient data for a closed-form solution of the transform describing the location and orientation of the Content Mobilization System (CMS). Redundant detectors will be placed on the CMS to accommodate occlusions, to provide improved measurement accuracy, and to determine the CMS orientation

Long-range position and orientation tracking system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Armstrong, G.A.; Jansen, J.F.; Burks, B.L.

1995-01-01

The long-range position and orientation tracking system will consist of two measurement pods, a VME-based computer system, and a detector array. The system is used to measure the position and orientation of a target that may be attached to a robotic arm, teleoperated manipulator, or autonomous vehicle. The pods have been designed to be mounted in the manways of the domes of the Fernald K-65 waste silos. Each pod has two laser scanner subsystems as well as lights and camera systems. One of the laser scanners will be oriented to scan in the pan direction, the other in the tilt direction. As the lasers scan across the detector array, the angles of incidence with each detector are recorded. Combining measurements from each of the four lasers yields sufficient data for a closed-form solution of the transform describing the location and orientation of the content mobilization system (CMS). Redundant detectors will be placed on the CMS to accommodate occlusions, to provide improved measurement accuracy, and to determine the CMS orientation

Short range spread-spectrum radiolocation system and method

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Stephen F.

2003-04-29

A short range radiolocation system and associated methods that allow the location of an item, such as equipment, containers, pallets, vehicles, or personnel, within a defined area. A small, battery powered, self-contained tag is provided to an item to be located. The tag includes a spread-spectrum transmitter that transmits a spread-spectrum code and identification information. A plurality of receivers positioned about the area receive signals from a transmitting tag. The position of the tag, and hence the item, is located by triangulation. The system employs three different ranging techniques for providing coarse, intermediate, and fine spatial position resolution. Coarse positioning information is provided by use of direct-sequence code phase transmitted as a spread-spectrum signal. Intermediate positioning information is provided by the use of a difference signal transmitted with the direct-sequence spread-spectrum code. Fine positioning information is provided by use of carrier phase measurements. An algorithm is employed to combine the three data sets to provide accurate location measurements.

An integrated production, inventory and preventive maintenance model for a multi-product production system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Xuejuan; Wang, Wenbin; Peng, Rui

2015-01-01

This paper considers a production system that can produce multiple products alternately. Products go through the system in a sequence and a complete run of all products forms a production cycle. An integrated production, inventory and preventive maintenance model is constructed, which is characterized by the delay-time concept. Two different situations are studied based on whether the unqualified products and downtime caused by the failures of the system, set-up and preventive maintenance can be ignored or not. Three cases are considered for each situation, depending on the position of the preventive maintenance epochs: the first case, where preventive maintenance is carried out at the end of each production cycle; the second case, where preventive maintenance is carried out at each set-up time of the products; and the third case, where preventive maintenance is carried out at some set-up times only, since it may not always be optimal to carry out preventive maintenance at the end of the production cycle or at each set-up time. The modeling objectives are to find the optimal number of production cycles per year and the optimal position of preventive maintenance that will maximize the expected profit per unit time. Numerical examples, using real data, are presented to illustrate the model. - Highlights: • We propose an integrated economic production quantity and preventive maintenance model. • The situation that multiple products are produced on the same system alternately is studied. • Two situations are studied based on whether the downtime and the product quality can be ignored or not. • We use enumeration method and analytical method to select the optimal preventive maintenance policy, respectively. • We use the delay-time concept to model the preventive maintenance policy

A novel biological hydrogen production system. Impact of organic loading

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hafez, Hisham; Nakhla, George; El Naggar, Hesham [Western Ontario Univ. (Canada)

2010-07-01

The patent-pending system comprises a novel biohydrogen reactor with a gravity settler for decoupling of SRT from HRT. Two biohydrogenators were operated for 220 days at 37 C, hydraulic retention time 8 h and solids retention time ranged from 1.4 to 2 days under four different glucose concentrations of 2, 8, 16, 32, 48 and 64 g/L, corresponding to organic loading rates of 6.5-206 kg COD/m{sup 3}-d, and started up using anaerobically-digested sludge from the St. Marys wastewater treatment plant (St.Mary, Ontario, Canada) as the seed. The system steadily produced hydrogen with no methane. A maximum hydrogen yield of 3.1 mol H{sub 2} /mol glucose was achieved in the system for all the organic loading rates with an average of 2.8mol H{sub 2} /mol glucose. Acetate and butyrate were the main effluent liquid products at concentrations ranging from 640-7400 mg/L and 400-4600 mg/l, respectively, with no lactate detection. Microbial community analysis using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) confirmed the absence of lactate producing bacteria Lactobacillus fermentum and other non-hydrogen producing species, and the predominance of various Clostridium species. Biomass concentrations in the biohydrogenators were steady, during the runs, varying form 1500 mg/L at the OLR of 6.5 kg COD/m{sup 3}-d to 14000 mg/L at the 104 kg COD/m{sup 3}-d, thus emphasizing the potential of this novel system for sustained stable hydrogen production and prevention of biomass washout. (orig.)

Development of Production Systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christiansen, Thomas Bøhm

1997-01-01

This paper presents the initial considerations related to a Ph.D. study initiated at IPV, DTU in February 1997, concerning the research subject "Development of Production Systems". The content and aim of this paper is to 1) to introduce the study by......This paper presents the initial considerations related to a Ph.D. study initiated at IPV, DTU in February 1997, concerning the research subject "Development of Production Systems". The content and aim of this paper is to 1) to introduce the study by...

A novel track imaging system as a range counter

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chen, Z. [National Institute of Radiological Sciences (Japan); Matsufuji, N. [National Institute of Radiological Sciences (Japan); Tokyo Institute of Technology (Japan); Kanayama, S. [Chiba University (Japan); Ishida, A. [National Institute of Radiological Sciences (Japan); Tokyo Institute of Technology (Japan); Kohno, T. [Tokyo Institute of Technology (Japan); Koba, Y.; Sekiguchi, M.; Kitagawa, A.; Murakami, T. [National Institute of Radiological Sciences (Japan)

2016-05-01

An image-intensified, camera-based track imaging system has been developed to measure the tracks of ions in a scintillator block. To study the performance of the detector unit in the system, two types of scintillators, a dosimetrically tissue-equivalent plastic scintillator EJ-240 and a CsI(Tl) scintillator, were separately irradiated with carbon ion ({sup 12}C) beams of therapeutic energy from HIMAC at NIRS. The images of individual ion tracks in the scintillators were acquired by the newly developed track imaging system. The ranges reconstructed from the images are reported here. The range resolution of the measurements is 1.8 mm for 290 MeV/u carbon ions, which is considered a significant improvement on the energy resolution of the conventional ΔE/E method. The detector is compact and easy to handle, and it can fit inside treatment rooms for in-situ studies, as well as satisfy clinical quality assurance purposes.

Environmental performances of Sardinian dairy sheep production systems at different input levels.

Science.gov (United States)

Vagnoni, E; Franca, A; Breedveld, L; Porqueddu, C; Ferrara, R; Duce, P

2015-01-01

Although sheep milk production is a significant sector for the European Mediterranean countries, it shows serious competitiveness gaps. Minimizing the ecological impacts of dairy sheep farming systems could represent a key factor for farmers to bridging the gaps in competitiveness of such systems and also obtaining public incentives. However, scarce is the knowledge about the environmental performance of Mediterranean dairy sheep farms. The main objectives of this paper were (i) to compare the environmental impacts of sheep milk production from three dairy farms in Sardinia (Italy), characterized by different input levels, and (ii) to identify the hotspots for improving the environmental performances of each farm, by using a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) approach. The LCA was conducted using two different assessment methods: Carbon Footprint-IPCC and ReCiPe end-point. The analysis, conducted "from cradle to gate", was based on the functional unit 1 kg of Fat and Protein Corrected Milk (FPCM). The observed trends of the environmental performances of the studied farming systems were similar for both evaluation methods. The GHG emissions revealed a little range of variation (from 2.0 to 2.3 kg CO2-eq per kg of FPCM) with differences between farming systems being not significant. The ReCiPe end-point analysis showed a larger range of values and environmental performances of the low-input farm were significantly different compared to the medium- and high-input farms. In general, enteric methane emissions, field operations, electricity and production of agricultural machineries were the most relevant processes in determining the overall environmental performances of farms. Future research will be dedicated to (i) explore and better define the environmental implications of the land use impact category in the Mediterranean sheep farming systems, and (ii) contribute to revising and improving the existing LCA dataset for Mediterranean farming systems. Copyright © 2014

Prevalence of gastrointestinal helminth infections in free-range laying hens under mountain farming production conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Wuthijaree, K; Lambertz, C; Gauly, M

2017-12-01

1. A cross-sectional study was conducted from September 2015 to July 2016 in South Tyrol, Northern Italy to examine the prevalence of gastrointestinal helminths in free-range laying hens under mountain farming production conditions. 2. A total of 280 laying hens from 14 free-range mountain farms (4 organic, 10 conventional) were randomly collected at the end of the laying period. Faecal samples were taken to analyse faecal egg counts (FEC) and faecal oocyst counts (FOC). The gastrointestinal tracts were removed post mortem and examined for the presence of helminths. 3. In faeces, FEC values averaged 258 eggs per g of faeces, which were dominated by Ascaridia galli and Heterakis gallinarum. Mean FOC was 80 oocysts/g. In the gastrointestinal tract, at least one nematode species was found in 99.3% of the examined hens. H. gallinarum was the most prevalent nematode (95.7%), followed by Capillaria spp. (66.8%) and A. galli (63.6%). Thirty per cent of the chickens were infected with cestodes (tapeworms). Correlation coefficients between worm counts of H. gallinarum, Capillaria spp. and A. galli ranged from 0.41 to 0.51. 5. The helminth prevalence did not differ between conventional and organic farms, whereas total worm burden was higher in organic compared with conventional farms (318.9 vs. 112.0). Prevalence and infection intensity did not differ between farms that used anthelmintic treatments and those that did not. 6. In conclusion, free-range laying hens under the studied mountain farming conditions are at high risk of nematode infection, especially in organic systems. The vast majority of hens are subclinical infected with at least one helminth species.

An emittance measurement system for a wide range of bunch charges

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dunham, B.; Engwall, D.; Hofler, A.; Keesee, M.; Legg, R.

1997-01-01

As a part of the emittance measurements planned for the FEL injector at the Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (Jefferson Lab), the authors have developed an emittance measurement system that covers the wide dynamic range of bunch charges necessary to fully characterize the high-DC-voltage photocathode gun. The measurements are carried out with a variant of the classical two-slit method using a slit to sample the beam in conjunction with a wire scanner to measure the transmitted beam profile. The use of commercial, ultra-low noise picoammeters makes it possible to cover the wide range of desired bunch charges, with the actual measurements made over the range of 0.25 pC to 125 pC. The entire system, including its integration into the EPICS control system, is discussed

Modelling Product Families for Product Configuration Systems with Product Variant Master

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mortensen, Niels Henrik; Hvam, Lars; Haug, Anders

2010-01-01

This article presents an evaluation of applying a suggested method for modelling product families for product configuration based on theory for modelling mechanical products,systems theory and object-oriented modelling. The modelling technique includes a so-called product variant master and CRC-cards...... the three views. Modelling of characteristics of the product variants in a product family Modelling of constraints between parts in the product family Visualisation of the entire product family on a poster e.g. 1x2 meters The product variant master and CRC-cards are means to bridge the gap between domain...... experts and IT-developers, thus making it possible for the domain experts (e.g. engineers from product development) to express their knowledge in a form that is understandable both for the domain experts and the IT-developers. The product variant master and CRC-cards have currently been tested and further...

Economic feasibility of a solar still desalination system with enhanced productivity

KAUST Repository

Ayoub, George M.

2014-02-01

Solar still desalination systems offer sustainable tools for fresh water production. However, their widespread application is often hindered by their relatively low production rates compared to other desalination methods. In this study, a simple amendment, in the form of a slowly-rotating hollow cylinder, was introduced within the solar still, significantly increasing the evaporative surface area. This new modified still was analyzed in terms of both operation and economic feasibility. The introduced cylinder resulted in a 200-300% increase in water output relative to a control, which did not include the cylinder. The resulting percent improvement far exceeds that obtained by other modifications. Unit production cost estimates varied between 6 and 60$/m3 depending on discount rates, productivity, service lifetime and initial capital costs. These projections are well within reported cost ranges for renewable-based technologies. In order to evaluate the system\\'s feasibility in real market value, different scenarios that introduce carbon-trading schemes and environmental degradation costs for fuel-based desalination, were performed. Reported costs for fuel-based brackish water and seawater desalination were thus adjusted to include unaccounted-for costs related to environmental damage. This analysis yielded results that further justify the economic feasibility of the new modified solar still, particularly for seawater desalination. © 2013 Elsevier B.V.

Multi-input wide dynamic range ADC system for use with nuclear detectors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Austin, R W [National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Huntsville, Ala. (USA). George C. Marshall Space Flight Center

1976-04-15

A wide dynamic range, eight input analog-to-digital converter system has been developed for use in nuclear experiments. The system consists of eight dual-range sample and hold modules, an eight input multiplexer, a ten-bit analog-to-digital converter, and the associated control logic.

Laser Ranging in Solar System: Technology Developments and New Science Measurement Capabilities

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, X.; Smith, D. E.; Zuber, M. T.; Mcgarry, J.; Neumann, G. A.; Mazarico, E.

2015-12-01

Laser Ranging has played a major role in geodetic studies of the Earth over the past 40 years. The technique can potentially be used in between planets and spacecrafts within the solar system to advance planetary science. For example, a direct measurement of distances between planets, such as Mars and Venus would make significant improvements in understanding the dynamics of the whole solar system, including the masses of the planets and moons, asteroids and their perturbing interactions, and the gravity field of the Sun. Compared to the conventional radio frequency (RF) tracking systems, laser ranging is potentially more accurate because it is much less sensitive to the transmission media. It is also more efficient because the laser beams are much better focused onto the targets than RF beams. However, existing laser ranging systems are all Earth centric, that is, from ground stations on Earth to orbiting satellites in near Earth orbits or lunar orbit, and to the lunar retro-reflector arrays deployed by the astronauts in the early days of lunar explorations. Several long distance laser ranging experiments have been conducted with the lidar in space, including a two-way laser ranging demonstration between Earth and the Mercury Laser Altimeter (MLA) on the MESSENGER spacecraft over 24 million km, and a one way laser transmission and detection experiment over 80 million km between Earth and the Mars Orbiting Laser Altimeter (MOLA) on the MGS spacecraft in Mars orbit. A one-way laser ranging operation has been carried out continuously from 2009 to 2014 between multiple ground stations to LRO spacecraft in lunar orbit. The Lunar Laser Communication Demonstration (LLCD) on the LADEE mission has demonstrated that a two way laser ranging measurements, including both the Doppler frequency and the phase shift, can be obtained from the subcarrier or the data clocks of a high speed duplex laser communication system. Plans and concepts presently being studied suggest we may be

A system for accurate on-line measurement of total gas consumption or production rates in microbioreactors

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Leeuwen, Michiel; Heijnen, Joseph J.; Gardeniers, Johannes G.E.; Oudshoorn, Arthur; Noorman, Henk; Visser, Jan; van der Wielen, Luuk A.M.; van Gulik, Walter M.

2009-01-01

A system has been developed, based on pressure controlled gas pumping, for accurate measurement of total gas consumption or production rates in the nmol/min range, applicable for on-line monitoring of bioconversions in microbioreactors. The system was validated by carrying out a bioconversion with

Productivity and parasitic infections of pigs kept under different management systems by smallholder farmers in Mbeya and Mbozi districts, Tanzania

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lipendele, Calvin Paul; Lekule, Faustine Paul; Mushi, Daniel Elias

2015-01-01

-confinement and total confinement. Fifteen pig keeping households were randomly selected from each village to participate in the study. A participatory rural appraisal and structured questionnaire were used for collecting information from the households on pig production and reproduction performance. In addition......, a total of 180 weaner pigs, 2-3 months old, were purchased and randomly allocated to the 90 participating households. The pigs were subjected to three production systems: free range (M1), confinement with local diet (M2) and confinement with a compounded diet and anthelmintic treatment (M3......An on farm experiment was carried out to assess the effects of production systems on the performance of local pigs kept by smallholder farmers. Six villages from Mbeya and Mbozi districts, Tanzania were purposely selected based on the prominent pig production systems: free range, semi...

Expanding the range of 'druggable' targets with natural product-based libraries: an academic perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Bauer, Renato A; Wurst, Jacqueline M; Tan, Derek S

2010-06-01

Existing drugs address a relatively narrow range of biological targets. As a result, libraries of drug-like molecules have proven ineffective against a variety of challenging targets, such as protein-protein interactions, nucleic acid complexes, and antibacterial modalities. In contrast, natural products are known to be effective at modulating such targets, and new libraries are being developed based on underrepresented scaffolds and regions of chemical space associated with natural products. This has led to several recent successes in identifying new chemical probes that address these challenging targets. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Research on hydrogen production system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakagiri, Toshio

2002-07-01

Hydrogen is closely watched for environmental issues in recent years. In this research, hydrogen production systems and production techniques are widely investigated, and selected some hydrogen production process which have high validity for FBR system. Conclusions of the investigation are shown below. (1) Water-electrolysis processes and steam reform processes at low temperatures are already realized in other fields, so they well be easily adopted for FBR system. FBR system has no advantage when compared with other systems, because water-electrolysis processes can be adopted for other electricity generation system. On the other hand, FBR system has an advantage when steam reforming processes at low temperatures will be adopted, because steam reforming processes at 550-600degC can't be adopted for LWR. (2) Thermochemical processes will be able to adopted for FBR when process temperature will be lowered and material problems solved, because their efficiencies are expected high. Radiolysis processes which use ray (for example, gamma rya) emitted in reactor can be generate hydrogen easily, so they will be able to be adopted for FBR if splitting efficiency will be higher. Further investigation and R and D to realize these processes are considered necessary. (author)

Pesticide Product Information System (PPIS)

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — The Pesticide Product Information System contains information concerning all pesticide products registered in the United States. It includes registrant name and...

Microbiological Difference of Eggs From Traditional Cage and Free Range Production

Science.gov (United States)

Eggs from alternative production systems are a growing market share in the US. Meeting consumer requests for greater diversity in retail egg options has resulted in some unique challenges such as understanding the food safety implications of eggs from alternative housing practices. A study was con...

Estimate of the influence of muzzle smoke on function range of infrared system

Science.gov (United States)

Luo, Yan-ling; Wang, Jun; Wu, Jiang-hui; Wu, Jun; Gao, Meng; Gao, Fei; Zhao, Yu-jie; Zhang, Lei

2013-09-01

Muzzle smoke produced by weapons shooting has important influence on infrared (IR) system while detecting targets. Based on the theoretical model of detecting spot targets and surface targets of IR system while there is muzzle smoke, the function range for detecting spot targets and surface targets are deduced separately according to the definition of noise equivalent temperature difference(NETD) and minimum resolution temperature difference(MRTD). Also parameters of muzzle smoke affecting function range of IR system are analyzed. Base on measured data of muzzle smoke for single shot, the function range of an IR system for detecting typical targets are calculated separately while there is muzzle smoke and there is no muzzle smoke at 8-12 micron waveband. For our IR system function range has reduced by over 10% for detecting tank if muzzle smoke exists. The results will provide evidence for evaluating the influence of muzzle smoke on IR system and will help researchers to improve ammo craftwork.

110 °C range athermalization of wavefront coding infrared imaging systems

Science.gov (United States)

Feng, Bin; Shi, Zelin; Chang, Zheng; Liu, Haizheng; Zhao, Yaohong

2017-09-01

110 °C range athermalization is significant but difficult for designing infrared imaging systems. Our wavefront coding athermalized infrared imaging system adopts an optical phase mask with less manufacturing errors and a decoding method based on shrinkage function. The qualitative experiments prove that our wavefront coding athermalized infrared imaging system has three prominent merits: (1) working well over a temperature range of 110 °C; (2) extending the focal depth up to 15.2 times; (3) achieving a decoded image being approximate to its corresponding in-focus infrared image, with a mean structural similarity index (MSSIM) value greater than 0.85.

Model-based restoration using light vein for range-gated imaging systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Canjin; Sun, Tao; Wang, Tingfeng; Wang, Rui; Guo, Jin; Tian, Yuzhen

2016-09-10

The images captured by an airborne range-gated imaging system are degraded by many factors, such as light scattering, noise, defocus of the optical system, atmospheric disturbances, platform vibrations, and so on. The characteristics of low illumination, few details, and high noise make the state-of-the-art restoration method fail. In this paper, we present a restoration method especially for range-gated imaging systems. The degradation process is divided into two parts: the static part and the dynamic part. For the static part, we establish the physical model of the imaging system according to the laser transmission theory, and estimate the static point spread function (PSF). For the dynamic part, a so-called light vein feature extraction method is presented to estimate the fuzzy parameter of the atmospheric disturbance and platform movement, which make contributions to the dynamic PSF. Finally, combined with the static and dynamic PSF, an iterative updating framework is used to restore the image. Compared with the state-of-the-art methods, the proposed method can effectively suppress ringing artifacts and achieve better performance in a range-gated imaging system.

Production System Design for Multiple Brands

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Karlsson, Christer; Christensen, Irene

Production systems enabling both cost efficiency and flexibility in terms of high product variation are explored. The study follows an explorative longitudinal field study approach. The database consists of three large global corporations, each consisting of several companies producing household ......-outs, worker skills, integration of distribution channels, after sales service and degree of servitization. Three production system design principles called VXY emerge....

A Conceptual Model for Production Leveling (Heijunka) Implementation in Batch Production Systems

OpenAIRE

De Araujo , Luciano Fonseca; De Queiroz , Abelardo Alves

2009-01-01

International audience; This paper explains an implementation model for a new method for Production Leveling designed for batch production system. The main structure of this model is grounded on three constructs: traditional framework for Operations Planning, Lean Manufacturing concepts for Production Leveling and case study guidelines. By combining the first and second construct, a framework for Production Leveling has been developed for batch production systems. Then, case study guidelines ...

PLACE OF PRODUCTION COSTS SYSTEM ANALYSIS IN SYSTEM ANALYSIS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mariia CHEREDNYCHENKO

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Current economic conditions require the development and implementation of an adequate system of production costs, which would ensure a steady profit growth and production volumes in a highly competitive, constantly increasing input prices and tariffs. This management system must be based on an integrated production costs system analysis (PCSA, which would provide all operating costs management subsystems necessary information to design and make better management decisions. It provides a systematic analysis of more opportunities in knowledge, creating conditions of integrity mechanism knowledge object consisting of elements that show intersystem connections, each of which has its own defined and limited objectives, relationship with the environment.

A Classification Scheme for Production System Processes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Daniel Grud Hellerup; Brunø, Thomas Ditlev; Nielsen, Kjeld

2018-01-01

Manufacturing companies often have difficulties developing production platforms, partly due to the complexity of many production systems and difficulty determining which processes constitute a platform. Understanding production processes is an important step to identifying candidate processes...... for a production platform based on existing production systems. Reviewing a number of existing classifications and taxonomies, a consolidated classification scheme for processes in production of discrete products has been outlined. The classification scheme helps ensure consistency during mapping of existing...

Lot-sizing for a single-stage single-product production system with rework of perishable production defectives

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Teunter, R.; Flapper, S.D.P.

2003-01-01

We consider a single-stage single-product production system. Produced units may be non-defective, reworkable defective, or non-reworkable defective. The system switches between production and rework. After producing a fixed number (N) of units, all reworkable defective units are reworked. Reworkable

Nonequilibrium statistical mechanics of systems with long-range interactions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Levin, Yan, E-mail: levin@if.ufrgs.br; Pakter, Renato, E-mail: pakter@if.ufrgs.br; Rizzato, Felipe B., E-mail: rizzato@if.ufrgs.br; Teles, Tarcísio N., E-mail: tarcisio.teles@fi.infn.it; Benetti, Fernanda P.C., E-mail: fbenetti@if.ufrgs.br

2014-02-01

Systems with long-range (LR) forces, for which the interaction potential decays with the interparticle distance with an exponent smaller than the dimensionality of the embedding space, remain an outstanding challenge to statistical physics. The internal energy of such systems lacks extensivity and additivity. Although the extensivity can be restored by scaling the interaction potential with the number of particles, the non-additivity still remains. Lack of additivity leads to inequivalence of statistical ensembles. Before relaxing to thermodynamic equilibrium, isolated systems with LR forces become trapped in out-of-equilibrium quasi-stationary states (qSSs), the lifetime of which diverges with the number of particles. Therefore, in the thermodynamic limit LR systems will not relax to equilibrium. The qSSs are attained through the process of collisionless relaxation. Density oscillations lead to particle–wave interactions and excitation of parametric resonances. The resonant particles escape from the main cluster to form a tenuous halo. Simultaneously, this cools down the core of the distribution and dampens out the oscillations. When all the oscillations die out the ergodicity is broken and a qSS is born. In this report, we will review a theory which allows us to quantitatively predict the particle distribution in the qSS. The theory is applied to various LR interacting systems, ranging from plasmas to self-gravitating clusters and kinetic spin models.

A short-range ensemble prediction system for southern Africa

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Park, R

2012-10-01

Full Text Available system for southern Africa R PARK, WA LANDMAN AND F ENGELBRECHT CSIR, PO Box 395, Pretoria, South Africa, 0001 Email: xxxxxxxxxxxxxx@csir.co.za ? www.csir.co.za INTRODUCTION This research has been conducted in order to develop a short-range ensemble... stream_source_info Park_2012.pdf.txt stream_content_type text/plain stream_size 7211 Content-Encoding ISO-8859-1 stream_name Park_2012.pdf.txt Content-Type text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 A short-range ensemble prediction...

Potential of sustainable biomass production systems in Texas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sanderson, M.A.; Hussey, M.A.; Wiselogel, A.E.

1992-01-01

Biomass production for liquid fuels feedstock from systems based on warm-season perennial grasses (WSPG) offers a sustainable alternative for forage-livestock producers in Texas. Such systems also would enhance diversity and flexibility in current production systems. Research is needed to incorporate biomass production for liquid fuels, chemicals, and electrical power into current forage-livestock management systems. Our research objectives were to (i) document the potential of several WSPG in diverse Texas environments for biomass feedstock production, (ii) conduct fundamental research on morphological development of WSPG to enhance management for biomass feedstock production, (iii) examine current on-farm production systems for opportunities to incorporate biomass production, and (iv) determine feedstock quality and stability during storage

Characterization of broiler poultry production system in Rwanda.

Science.gov (United States)

Mbuza, Francis; Manishimwe, Rosine; Mahoro, Janvier; Simbankabo, Thomas; Nishimwe, Kizito

2017-01-01

A study was conducted on 37 randomly selected broiler poultry farmers in Rwanda to characterize the production system using pre-tested semi-structured questionnaires. The data were processed in SPSS and presented as means, percentages and ranges in tables and text. All respondents kept Cobb breed and young stock was mainly (73 %) imported from abroad. The majority of respondents were males (68 %) and most farmers had attended only primary level of education (40.5 %). Most of the farms were in the peri-urban (48.6 %) and urban (37.8 %) areas and hired male youth (62.2 %) mainly aged 19-35 years. The majority of respondents (68 %) kept less than 500 birds per batch. Recordkeeping was well practiced (91.9 %) and (62.6 %) had permanent poultry houses and all farmers used deep litter system. Purchased feedstuffs were reportedly (92 %) mixed at farm level as the main feed resource. Maize bran was reported (97.06 %) the main, basal feedstuff. The mortality rates of chick and growers were 12.3 and 9.4 %, respectively. The slaughter age was reportedly 60 days with an average dressing percentage of 75.67 %. The main challenges reported were scarcity and unaffordability of quality feeds (59.5 %), lack of market access (45 %) and lack of credit (21 %). The farmers had various views on improving broiler production in Rwanda ranging from establishing feed processing industries 62.2 %, improving marketing facilities 35.1 %, increasing availability of day-old chick and access credit 27 %, to intensification of farmer training 16.2 %.

Brazilian Citizens' Opinions and Attitudes about Farm Animal Production Systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Yunes, Maria C; von Keyserlingk, Marina A G; Hötzel, Maria J

2017-09-28

The inclusion of societal input is needed for food animal production industries to retain their "social license to operate"; failure to engage with the public on this topic risks the long-term sustainability of these industries. The primary aim of this study was to explore the beliefs and attitudes of Brazilians citizens not associated with livestock production towards farm animal production. A related secondary aim was to identify the specific beliefs and attitudes towards systems that are associated with restriction of movement. Each participant was shown pictures representing two of five possible major food animal industries (laying hens, beef cattle, pregnant sows, lactating sows, and poultry meat). Participants were presented a six pages survey that included demographic questions plus two sets of two pictures and a series of questions pertaining to the pictures. Each set of pictures represented a particular industry where one picture represented a housing type that is associated with behavioural restrictions and the other picture represented a system that allowed for a greater degree of movement. Participants were asked their perceptions on the prevalence of each system in Brazil, then their preference of one picture vs. the other, and the reasons justifying their preference. Immediately following, the participant repeated the same exercise with the second set of two pictures representing another industry followed by the same series of questions as described above. Quantitative data were analysed with mixed effects logistic regression, and qualitative responses were coded into themes. The proportion of participants that believed animals are reared in confinement varied by animal production type: 23% (beef cattle), 82% (poultry), 81% (laying hens), and 60% (swine). A large majority (79%) stated that farm animals are not well-treated in Brazil. Overall, participants preferred systems that were not associated with behavioural restriction. The preference for free-range

Influence of dispatching rules on average production lead time for multi-stage production systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Hübl, Alexander; Jodlbauer, Herbert; Altendorfer, Klaus

2013-08-01

In this paper the influence of different dispatching rules on the average production lead time is investigated. Two theorems based on covariance between processing time and production lead time are formulated and proved theoretically. Theorem 1 links the average production lead time to the "processing time weighted production lead time" for the multi-stage production systems analytically. The influence of different dispatching rules on average lead time, which is well known from simulation and empirical studies, can be proved theoretically in Theorem 2 for a single stage production system. A simulation study is conducted to gain more insight into the influence of dispatching rules on average production lead time in a multi-stage production system. We find that the "processing time weighted average production lead time" for a multi-stage production system is not invariant of the applied dispatching rule and can be used as a dispatching rule independent indicator for single-stage production systems.

Toyota production system beyond large-scale production

CERN Document Server

Ohno, Taiichi

1998-01-01

In this classic text, Taiichi Ohno--inventor of the Toyota Production System and Lean manufacturing--shares the genius that sets him apart as one of the most disciplined and creative thinkers of our time. Combining his candid insights with a rigorous analysis of Toyota's attempts at Lean production, Ohno's book explains how Lean principles can improve any production endeavor. A historical and philosophical description of just-in-time and Lean manufacturing, this work is a must read for all students of human progress. On a more practical level, it continues to provide inspiration and instruction for those seeking to improve efficiency through the elimination of waste.

Effect of production system and flock age on eggshell and egg internal quality measurements.

Science.gov (United States)

Samiullah, Sami; Omar, Amal Saleh; Roberts, Juliet; Chousalkar, Kapil

2017-01-01

Egg quality was measured in eggs from different flocks that were reared together and then allocated to different production systems. Eggs were processed for measurements of eggshell and egg internal quality variables, scoring of ultrastructural mammillary layer features, completeness of cuticle cover, and protoporphyrin IX (PP IX) quantification. There was a significant main effect (P egg weight, and egg internal quality and significant effects of flock age on most measurements. The mammillary layer ultrastructural variables showed no clear relationship with production system and flock age. However, there was a significant interaction between production system and flock age for mammillary cap, early and late fusions. Cuticle cover ([Formula: see text]), was significantly higher in barn eggs (19.20), followed by free range (17.57), and cage eggs (15.99). Completeness of cuticle cover was significantly higher in eggs from the 44 week old flock than for 64 week and 73 week old flocks. For eggshells with cuticle intact, there was a significant main effect of both production system and flock age, and significant interaction between the two, for shell reflectivity, L*a*b* values and amount of PP IX. For PP IX, when this difference was calculated for the cuticle alone, there were no statistically significant differences. In 1 g of shell with and without cuticle, there was more PP IX in cage eggs (9.49 × 10 -8 , 7.90 × 10 -8  mM) followed by free range (8.24 × 10 -8 , 6.90 × 10 -8  mM), and barn eggs (8.64 × 10 -8 , 7.28 × 10 -8  mM). Similar trends were recorded for the amount of PP IX in 1 g of cuticle, but the difference was not statistically significant. The amount of PP IX decreased significantly with increasing flock age. Comparing the cage and barn production systems at 68 week of flock age, there was no difference for the amount of PP IX in shell with or without cuticle, or in the cuticle alone. Eggs from the cage production system were darker in color

Modified Atmosphere Systems and Shelf Life Extension of Fish and Fishery Products

Science.gov (United States)

DeWitt, Christina A. Mireles; Oliveira, Alexandra C.M.

2016-01-01

This review aims at summarizing the findings of studies published over the past 15 years on the application of modified atmosphere (MA) systems for shelf life extension of fish and fishery products. This review highlights the importance of CO2 in the preservation of seafood products, and underscores the benefits of combining MA technology with product storage in the superchilled temperature range. It is generally accepted that MA technology cannot improve product quality and should not be utilized as a substitute for good sanitation and strict temperature control. Benefits derived from application of MA, however, can significantly impact preservation of product quality and it subsequent shelf-life. For this reason, this review is the first of its kind to propose detailed handling and quality guidelines for fresh fish to realize the maximum benefit of MA technology. PMID:28231143

Predicting the environmental impacts of chicken systems in the United Kingdom through a life cycle assessment: egg production systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Leinonen, I; Williams, A G; Wiseman, J; Guy, J; Kyriazakis, I

2012-01-01

The aim of this study was to apply a life cycle assessment (LCA) method, from cradle to gate, to quantify the environmental burdens per 1,000 kg of eggs produced in the 4 major hen-egg production systems in the United Kingdom: 1) cage, 2) barn, 3) free range, and 4) organic. The analysis was based on an approach that applied a structural model for the industry and mechanistic submodels for animal performance, crop production, and nutrient flows. Baseline feeds representative of those used by the UK egg production industry were used. Typical figures from the UK egg production industry, feed intake, mortality of birds, farm energy, and material use in different systems were applied. Monte Carlo simulations were used to quantify the uncertainties in the outputs and allow for comparisons between the systems. The number of birds required to produce 1,000 kg of eggs was highest in the organic and lowest in the cage system; similarly, the amount of feed consumed per bird was highest in the organic and lowest in the cage system. These general differences in productivity largely affected the differences in the environmental impacts between the systems. Feed production, processing, and transport caused greater impacts compared with those from any other component of production; that is, 54 to 75% of the primary energy use and 64 to 72% of the global warming potential of the systems. Electricity (used mainly for ventilation, automatic feeding, and lighting) had the second greatest impact in primary energy use (16-38%). Gas and oil (used mainly for heating in pullet rearing and incineration of dead layer birds) used 7 to 14% of the total primary energy. Manure had the greatest impact on the acidification and eutrophication potentials of the systems because of ammonia emissions that contributed to both of these potentials and nitrate leaching that only affected eutrophication potential. The LCA method allows for comparisons between systems and for the identification of hotspots

Online hyperspectral imaging system for evaluating quality of agricultural products

Science.gov (United States)

Mo, Changyeun; Kim, Giyoung; Lim, Jongguk

2017-06-01

The consumption of fresh-cut agricultural produce in Korea has been growing. The browning of fresh-cut vegetables that occurs during storage and foreign substances such as worms and slugs are some of the main causes of consumers' concerns with respect to safety and hygiene. The purpose of this study is to develop an on-line system for evaluating quality of agricultural products using hyperspectral imaging technology. The online evaluation system with single visible-near infrared hyperspectral camera in the range of 400 nm to 1000 nm that can assess quality of both surfaces of agricultural products such as fresh-cut lettuce was designed. Algorithms to detect browning surface were developed for this system. The optimal wavebands for discriminating between browning and sound lettuce as well as between browning lettuce and the conveyor belt were investigated using the correlation analysis and the one-way analysis of variance method. The imaging algorithms to discriminate the browning lettuces were developed using the optimal wavebands. The ratio image (RI) algorithm of the 533 nm and 697 nm images (RI533/697) for abaxial surface lettuce and the ratio image algorithm (RI533/697) and subtraction image (SI) algorithm (SI538-697) for adaxial surface lettuce had the highest classification accuracies. The classification accuracy of browning and sound lettuce was 100.0% and above 96.0%, respectively, for the both surfaces. The overall results show that the online hyperspectral imaging system could potentially be used to assess quality of agricultural products.

Systems evolution of waste and by-product management and bioenergy production

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Okkonen, L.

2009-07-01

Evolutionary economic geography provides an inspiring extension to geographical systems analysis. The objective of this dissertation is to apply the systems approach and theory as an integrative framework of sustainable development, and as a capable analytical tool in the analysis of evolutionary resource management and energy production systems in their geographical contexts. The systems investigated are waste and by-product management and bioenergy production systems located in Finland and Scotland. Industrial ecosystem (IE) indicators are constructed for the analysis of waste and by-product management. They present both direct and indirect environmental, economic and social impacts of local waste management operations. The indicators are further applied in scenarios that dynamise the evolution of systems material and energy flows towards the balanced environmental, economic and social development, i.e. the vision of the industrial ecology. The results indicate that the energy use of waste derived fuels in regional cooperation has much potential in the development towards the optimal roundput model of industrial ecosystem. The business opportunities based on local woodfuels are investigated in the context of Scottish forestry policy. The evolution of institutional environments and arrangements of forest management in the Scottish Highlands enables a new type of rural entrepreneurship. The case study of Finnish heat entrepreneurship constructs a heat energy business model, including both the business architecture for product/service flows and the earning logics. Finally, a synthesis of the evolution of natural resource management systems is presented. The evolution process has many geographical contingent conditions, such as resources, technologies, institutions and organisations. Together with general socio-economic mechanisms, they affect the actors in spatial economic processes and interactions. Realisations of the system evolution are structures of economies

Towards a medium-range coastal station fog forecasting system

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Landman, S

2013-09-01

Full Text Available -1 29th Annual conference of South African Society for Atmospheric Sciences (SASAS) 2013 http://sasas.ukzn.ac.za/homepage.aspx Towards a Medium-Range Coastal Station Fog Forecasting System Stephanie Landman*1, Estelle Marx1, Willem A. Landman2...

Green cheese: partial life cycle assessment of greenhouse gas emissions and energy intensity of integrated dairy production and bioenergy systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Aguirre-Villegas, H A; Passos-Fonseca, T H; Reinemann, D J; Armentano, L E; Wattiaux, M A; Cabrera, V E; Norman, J M; Larson, R

2015-03-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of integrating dairy and bioenergy systems on land use, net energy intensity (NEI), and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. A reference dairy farm system representative of Wisconsin was compared with a system that produces dairy and bioenergy products. This integrated system investigates the effects at the farm level when the cow diet and manure management practices are varied. The diets evaluated were supplemented with varying amounts of dry distillers grains with solubles and soybean meal and were balanced with different types of forages. The manure-management scenarios included manure land application, which is the most common manure disposal method in Wisconsin, and manure anaerobic digestion (AD) to produce biogas. A partial life cycle assessment from cradle to farm gate was conducted, where the system boundaries were expanded to include the production of biofuels in the analysis and the environmental burdens between milk and bioenergy products were partitioned by system expansion. Milk was considered the primary product and the functional unit, with ethanol, biodiesel, and biogas considered co-products. The production of the co-products was scaled according to milk production to meet the dietary requirements of each selected dairy ration. Results indicated that land use was 1.6 m2, NEI was 3.86 MJ, and GHG emissions were 1.02 kg of CO2-equivalents per kilogram of fat- and protein-corrected milk (FPCM) for the reference system. Within the integrated dairy and bioenergy system, diet scenarios that maximize dry distillers grains with solubles and implement AD had the largest reduction of GHG emissions and NEI, but the greatest increase in land use compared with the reference system. Average land use ranged from 1.68 to 2.01 m2/kg of FPCM; NEI ranged from -5.62 to -0.73 MJ/kg of FPCM; and GHG emissions ranged from 0.63 to 0.77 kg of CO2-equivalents/kg of FPCM. The AD contributed 65% of the NEI and 77% of the GHG

Mini Tuber Production in Potato Via Aeroponic System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hussein Abdullah Ahmed AHMED

2018-02-01

Full Text Available The aeroponic production system is one of the new applications in soilless agriculture. This system is also an alternative seed production system for mini-tuber production of potato in terms of providing optimum growth conditions, enabling potato production to be free from diseases and pests and to make economic use of agricultural inputs. This system, which is independent of climatic conditions, has the advantage of improving the vegetative growth, delaying tuber formation, prolonging the vegetative period, increasing the tuber yield per plant and total tuber yield while decreasing the tuber weight. Due to the problems experienced in potato seedling tuber production in recent years, it emerged as an alternative production system for our country.

A comparison of production system life cycle models

Science.gov (United States)

Attri, Rajesh; Grover, Sandeep

2012-09-01

Companies today need to keep up with the rapidly changing market conditions to stay competitive. The main issues in this paper are related to a company's market and its competitors. The prediction of market behavior is helpful for a manufacturing enterprise to build efficient production systems. However, these predictions are usually not reliable. A production system is required to adapt to changing markets, but such requirement entails higher cost. Hence, analyzing different life cycle models of the production system is necessary. In this paper, different life cycle models of the production system are compared to evaluate the distinctive features and the limitations of each model. Furthermore, the difference between product life cycle and production life cycle is summarized, and the effect of product life cycle on production life cycle is explained. Finally, a production system life cycle model, along with key activities to be performed in each stage, is proposed specifically for the manufacturing sector.

Managing complexity of product mix and production flow in configure-to-order production systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Myrodia, Anna; Bonev, Martin; Hvam, Lars

2014-01-01

In designing configure-to-order production systems for a growing product variety, companies are challenged with an increased complexity for obtaining high productivity levels and cost-effectiveness. In academia several optimization methods and conceptual frameworks for substituting components, or...

Syngas Conversion to Gasoline-Range Hydrocarbons over Pd/ZnO/Al2O3 and ZSM-5 Composite Catalyst System

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dagle, Robert A.; Lizarazo Adarme, Jair A.; Lebarbier, Vanessa MC; Gray, Michel J.; White, James F.; King, David L.; Palo, Daniel R.

2014-07-01

A composite Pd/ZnO/Al2O3-HZSM-5 (Si/Al=40) catalytic system was evaluated for the synthesis of gasoline-range hydrocarbons directly from synthesis gas. Bifunctional catalyst comprising PdZn metal and acid sites present the required catalytically active sites necessary for the methanol synthesis, methanol dehydration, and methanol-to-gasoline reactions. This system provides a unique catalytic pathway for the production of liquid hydrocarbons directly from syngas. However, selectivity control is difficult and poses many challenges. The composite catalytic system was evaluated under various process conditions. Investigated were the effects of temperature (310-375oC), pressure (300-1000 psig), time-on-stream (50 hrs), and gas-hour space velocity (740-2970 hr-1), using a H2/CO molar syngas ratio of 2.0. By operating at the lower end of the temperature range investigated, liquid hydrocarbon formation was favored, as was decreased amounts of undesirable light hydrocarbons. However, lower operating temperatures also facilitated undesirable CO2 formation via the water-gas shift reaction. Higher operating pressures slightly favored liquid synthesis. Operating at relatively low pressures (e.g. 300 psig) was made possible, whereas for methanol synthesis alone higher pressure are usually required to achieve similar conversion levels (e.g. 1000 psig). Thermodynamic constraints on methanol synthesis are eased by pushing the equilibrium through hydrocarbon formation. Catalytic performance was also evaluated by altering Pd and Zn composition of the Pd/ZnO/Al2O3 catalyst. Of the catalysts and conditions tested, selectivity toward liquid hydrocarbon was highest when using a 5% Pd metal loading and Pd/Zn molar ratio of 0.25 and mixed with HZMS-5, operating at 310oC and 300 psig, CO conversion was 43 % and selectivity (carbon weight basis) to hydrocarbons was 49 wt. %. Of the hydrocarbon fraction, 44wt. % was in the C5-C12 liquid product range and consisted primarily of aromatic

Conception of Self-Construction Production Scheduling System

Science.gov (United States)

Xue, Hai; Zhang, Xuerui; Shimizu, Yasuhiro; Fujimura, Shigeru

With the high speed innovation of information technology, many production scheduling systems have been developed. However, a lot of customization according to individual production environment is required, and then a large investment for development and maintenance is indispensable. Therefore now the direction to construct scheduling systems should be changed. The final objective of this research aims at developing a system which is built by it extracting the scheduling technique automatically through the daily production scheduling work, so that an investment will be reduced. This extraction mechanism should be applied for various production processes for the interoperability. Using the master information extracted by the system, production scheduling operators can be supported to accelerate the production scheduling work easily and accurately without any restriction of scheduling operations. By installing this extraction mechanism, it is easy to introduce scheduling system without a lot of expense for customization. In this paper, at first a model for expressing a scheduling problem is proposed. Then the guideline to extract the scheduling information and use the extracted information is shown and some applied functions are also proposed based on it.

Development of anti-counterfeit consumer product authentication system

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Olena V. Narimanova

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Aim of the research is to develop an anti-counterfeit consumer product authentication system. The main requirements for this system are formulated, the choice of method of consumer product authentication is substantiated. The scheme of anti-counterfeit consumer product authentication system is developed basing on previously proposed method of checking the QR-code integrity and authenticity. The proposed within the system consumer product authentication technology is simple, economical for implementation, does not require the external changes of product packaging, does not affect existing production process. The technology can be recommended for the use to private businesses and government institutions that are interested in the security of their products from counterfeiting, as well as tracking and removing from circulation the counterfeit consumer products.

EOSCUBE: A Constraint Database System for High-Level Specification and Efficient Generation of EOSDIS Products. Phase 1; Proof-of-Concept

Science.gov (United States)

Brodsky, Alexander; Segal, Victor E.

1999-01-01

The EOSCUBE constraint database system is designed to be a software productivity tool for high-level specification and efficient generation of EOSDIS and other scientific products. These products are typically derived from large volumes of multidimensional data which are collected via a range of scientific instruments.

Future Interagency Range and Spaceport Technologies (FIRST) Formulation Products: 1. Transformational Spaceport and Range Concept of Operations. 2. F.I.R.S.T. Business Case Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

2005-01-01

The Baseline Report captures range and spaceport capabilities at five sites: KSC, CCAFS, VAFB, Wallops, and Kodiak. The Baseline depicts a future state that relies on existing technology, planned upgrades, and straight-line recapitalization at these sites projected through 2030. The report presents an inventory of current spaceport and range capabilities at these five sites. The baseline is the first part of analyzing a business case for a set of capabilities designed to transform U.S. ground and space launch operations toward a single, integrated national "system" of space transportation systems. The second part of the business case compares current capabilities with technologies needed to support the integrated national "system". The final part, a return on investment analysis, identifies the technologies that best lead to the integrated national system and reduce recurring costs..Numerous data sources were used to define and describe the baseline spaceport and range by identifying major systems and elements and describing capabilities, limitations, and capabilities

Rangelands Vegetation under Different Management Systems and Growth Stages in North Darfur State, Sudan (Range Attributes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohamed AAMA Mohamed

2014-09-01

Full Text Available This study was conducted at Um Kaddada, North Darfur State, Sudan, at two sites (closed and open for two consecutive seasons 2008 and 2009 during flowering and seed setting stages to evaluate range attributes at the locality. A split plot design was used to study vegetation attributes. Factors studied were management systems (closed and open and growth stages (flowering and seed setting. Vegetation cover, plant density, carrying capacity, and biomass production were assessed. Chemical analyses were done for selected plants to determine their nutritive values. The results showed high significant differences in vegetation attributes (density, cover and biomass production between closed and open areas. Closed areas had higher carrying capacity compared to open rangelands. Crude protein (CP and ash contents of range vegetation were found to decrease while Crude fiber (CF and Dry matter yield (DM had increased with growth. The study concluded that closed rangelands are better than open rangelands because it fenced and protected. Erosion index and vegetation degradation rate were very high. Future research work is needed to assess rangelands characteristics and habitat condition across different ecological zones in North Darfur State, Sudan.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/ije.v3i3.11093 International Journal of Environment Vol.3(3 2014: 332-343

Tunnel production enhances quality in organic carrot seed production

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Deleuran, L C; Boelt, B

2009-01-01

production of open-pollinated carrot varieties increased the yield and germination percentages when compared with normal field conditions. Yield was in the range of 100-250 g and 2-17 g seeds m-2 respectively, and germination percentage was 84-95 and 43-55, respectively. However, hybrid carrot seed...... production showed lower yields than did their open-pollinated counterparts. Yields ranging from 60-123 g seeds m-2 can be obtained, but the production needs to be carefully planned and monitored. Different growing systems in tunnels have been studied in both open-pollinated and hybrid carrot (Daucus carota L......In Denmark, organic vegetable seed production is possible for some of the late-maturing species when the maturing is performed in lightweight tunnels which are also relevant for the isolation of small-scale production. The tunnel system offers several advantages, e.g., it is possible to control...

Principles and practices of lean production applied in a metal structures production system

OpenAIRE

Carvalho, Rogério; Alves, Anabela Carvalho; Lopes, Isabel da Silva

2011-01-01

This paper presents a work undertaken in a metal structures production system in a company producing several assorted products for the civil construction. The work aim was to improve the production process, solving several productive problems encountered in the production system, such as: deliveries delays, long lead times, too many material handling, high stocks, errors and defects in metal structures assembly and production, and unnecessary motions. The identified problems were analyzed and...

Fast accelerator driven subcritical system for energy production: nuclear fuel evolution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barros, Graiciany de P.; Pereira, Claubia; Veloso, Maria A.F.; Costa, Antonella L.

2011-01-01

Accelerators Driven Systems (ADS) are an innovative type of nuclear system, which is useful for long-lived fission product transmutation and fuel regeneration. The ADS consist of a coupling of a sub-critical nuclear core reactor and a proton beam produced by a particle accelerator. These particles are injected into a target for the neutrons production by spallation reactions. The neutrons are then used to maintain the fission chain in the sub-critical core. The aim of this study is to investigate the nuclear fuel evolution of a lead cooled accelerator driven system used for energy production. The fuel studied is a mixture based upon "2"3"2Th and "2"3"3U. Since thorium is an abundant fertile material, there is hope for the thorium-cycle fuels for an accelerator driven sub-critical system. The target is a lead spallation target and the core is filled with a hexagonal lattice. High energy neutrons are used to reduce the negative reactivity caused by the presence of protoactinium, since this effect is most pronounced in the thermal range of the neutron spectrum. For that reason, such material is not added moderator to the system. In this work is used the Monte Carlo code MCNPX 2.6.0, that presents the the depletion/ burnup capability. The k_e_f_f evolution, the neutron energy spectrum in the core and the nuclear fuel evolution using ADS source (SDEF) and kcode-mode are evaluated during the burnup. (author)

ECONOMIC-MATHEMATICAL MODELING FLEXIBILITY AND PRODUCTIVITY RATIOS IN THE FORMATION OF A SYSTEM OF INTERNAL LOGISTICS OF HIGH-TECH ENTERPRISES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. Baranov

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The article describes the features of construction of the system internal logistics of high-tech enterprises. It describes a range of problems solved by these systems. As part of the internal logistics system is considered one of the tasks of operational and production management calendar. Considered in the article the problem associated with the formation of the production program of diversified production. As part of this task is received economic and mathematical model that establishes the relation between the parameters of fl exibility and performance to organizational and production structure of the high-tech enterprises.

Biological Hydrogen Production from Corn-Syrup Waste Using a Novel System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

George Nakhla

2009-06-01

Full Text Available The reported patent-pending system comprises a novel biohydrogen reactor with a gravity settler for decoupling of SRT from HRT. The biohydrogenator was operated for 100 days at 37 °C, hydraulic retention time 8 h and solids retention time ranging from 2.2–2.5 days. The feed was a corn-syrup waste generated as a byproduct from an industrial facility for bioethanol production located in southwestern Ontario, Canada. The system was initially started up with a synthetic feed containing glucose at concentration of 8 g/L and other essential inorganics. Anaerobicaly-digested sludge from the St. Mary’s wastewater treatment plant (St. Mary, Ontario, Canada was used as the seed, and was heat treated at 70 °C for 30 min to inhibit methanogens. After 10 days, when the hydrogen production was steady, the corn-syrup waste was introduced to the system. Glucose was the main constituent in the corn-syrup; its concentration was varied over a period of 90 days from 8 to 25 g/L. The change in glucose concentration was used to study the impact of variable organic loading on the stability of hydrogen production in the biohydrogenator. Hydrogen production rate increased from 10 L H2/L·d to 34 L H2/L·d with the increase of organic loading rate (OLR from 26 to 81 gCOD/L·d, while a maximum hydrogen yield of 430 mL H2/gCOD was achieved in the system with an overall average of 385 mL H2/gCOD.

Diffractive production of p-mesons and of pπ-systems by neutrinos and antineutrinos on protons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jones, G.T.; Jones, R.W.L.; Kennedy, B.W.; Morrison, D.R.O.; Borner, H.P.; Myatt, G.; Bullock, F.W.; Burke, S.

1993-01-01

Evidence is presented for diffractive production of ρ-mesons and of ρπ-systems in νp and anti νp charged-current interactions. In the (anti-)neutrino energy range 10 GeV ν 1 production. However, the data cannot distinguish between diffractive a 1 and diffractive nonresonant ρπ production. The experimental distributions of W, Q 2 , x Bj and y Bj for diffractive ρ and ρπ events are consistent with model predictions. (orig.)

Animal Board Invited Review: Comparing conventional and organic livestock production systems on different aspects of sustainability.

Science.gov (United States)

van Wagenberg, C P A; de Haas, Y; Hogeveen, H; van Krimpen, M M; Meuwissen, M P M; van Middelaar, C E; Rodenburg, T B

2017-10-01

To sustainably contribute to food security of a growing and richer world population, livestock production systems are challenged to increase production levels while reducing environmental impact, being economically viable, and socially responsible. Knowledge about the sustainability performance of current livestock production systems may help to formulate strategies for future systems. Our study provides a systematic overview of differences between conventional and organic livestock production systems on a broad range of sustainability aspects and animal species available in peer-reviewed literature. Systems were compared on economy, productivity, environmental impact, animal welfare and public health. The review was limited to dairy cattle, beef cattle, pigs, broilers and laying hens, and to Europe, North America and New Zealand. Results per indicators are presented as in the articles without performing additional calculations. Out of 4171 initial search hits, 179 articles were analysed. Studies varied widely in indicators, research design, sample size and location and context. Quite some studies used small samples. No study analysed all aspects of sustainability simultaneously. Conventional systems had lower labour requirements per unit product, lower income risk per animal, higher production per animal per time unit, higher reproduction numbers, lower feed conversion ratio, lower land use, generally lower acidification and eutrophication potential per unit product, equal or better udder health for cows and equal or lower microbiological contamination. Organic systems had higher income per animal or full time employee, lower impact on biodiversity, lower eutrophication and acidification potential per unit land, equal or lower likelihood of antibiotic resistance in bacteria and higher beneficial fatty acid levels in cow milk. For most sustainability aspects, sometimes conventional and sometimes organic systems performed better, except for productivity, which was

Sensitivity and Dynamic Range Considerations for Homodyne Detection Systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jaggard, Dwight L.; King, Ray J

1973-01-01

The effects of modulation frequency, RF reference power, and external bias upon the sensitivity and dynamic range of microwave homodyne detection systems was measured for point contact diodes and low l/f noise Schottky and backward diodes. The measurements were made at 4.89 GHz using a signal...... to noise ratio of 3 dB and a detection system bandwidth of 10 Hz. Maximum sensitivities of -135, -150, and -145 dBm, and dynamic ranges of 92, 110, and 124 dB were measured for the point contact, Schottky, and backward diodes at modulation frequencies of 30, 30, and 3 kHz, respectively. It was found...... that the level of RF reference signal needed to obtain the maximum sensitivity was equal to or somewhat above the point where the diode changes from square law to linear detection. The results are significant in that previously reported homodyne sensitivities (not necessarily maximum) were on the order of -90...

Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory long-range alarm system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

DesJardin, R.; Machanik, J.

1980-01-01

The Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory (LASL) Long-Range Alarm System is described. The last few years have brought significant changes in the Department of Energy regulations for protection of classified documents and special nuclear material. These changes in regulations have forced a complete redesign of the LASL security alarm system. LASL covers many square miles of varying terrain and consists of separate technical areas connected by public roads and communications. A design study over a period of 2 years produced functional specifications for a distributed intelligence, expandable alarm system that will handle 30,000 alarm points from hundreds of data concentrators spread over a 250-km 2 area. Emphasis in the design was on nonstop operation, data security, data communication, and upward expandability to incorporate fire alarms and the computer-aided dispatching of security and fire vehicles. All aspects of the alarm system were to be fault tolerant from the central computer system down to but not including the individual data concentrators. Redundant communications lines travel over public domain from the alarmed area to the central alarm station

Characterizing tight-gas systems with production data: Wyoming, Utah, and Colorado

Science.gov (United States)

Nelson, Philip H.; Santus, Stephen L.; Baez, Luis; Beeney, Ken; Sonnenberg, Steve

2013-01-01

The study of produced fluids allows comparisons among tight-gas systems. This paper examines gas, oil, and water production data from vertical wells in 23 fields in five Rocky Mountain basins of the United States, mostly from wells completed before the year 2000. Average daily rates of gas, oil, and water production are determined two years and seven years after production begins in order to represent the interval in which gas production declines exponentially. In addition to the daily rates, results are also presented in terms of oil-to-gas and water-to-gas ratios, and in terms of the five-year decline in gas production rates and water-to-gas ratios. No attempt has been made to estimate the ultimate productivity of wells or fields. The ratio of gas production rates after seven years to gas production rates at two years is about one-half, with median ratios falling within a range of 0.4 to 0.6 in 16 fields. Oil-gas ratios show substantial variation among fields, ranging from dry gas (no oil) to wet gas to retrograde conditions. Among wells within fields, the oil-gas ratios vary by a factor of three to thirty, with the exception of the Lance Formation in Jonah and Pinedale fields, where the oil-gas ratios vary by less than a factor of two. One field produces water-free gas and a large fraction of wells in two other fields produce water-free gas, but most fields have water-gas ratios greater than 1 bbl/mmcf—greater than can be attributed to water dissolved in gas in the reservoir— and as high as 100 bbl/mmcf. The median water-gas ratio for fields increases moderately with time, but in individual wells water influx relative to gas is erratic, increasing greatly with time in many wells while remaining constant or decreasing in others.

Food safety in free-range and organic livestock systems: risk management and responsibility

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kijlstra, A.; Meerburg, B. G.; Bos, A. P.

2009-01-01

Animal production systems that offer outdoor access to the animals have become increasingly popular in the Western world due to the growing general discontent of consumers with conventional bioindustrial farming practices. These open production systems offer improved animal welfare but may create

Food Safety in Free-Range and Organic Livestock Systems: Risk Management and Responsibility

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kijlstra, A.; Meerburg, B.G.; Bos, A.P.

2009-01-01

Animal production systems that offer outdoor access to the animals have become increasingly popular in the Western world due to the growing general discontent of consumers with conventional bioindustrial farming practices. These open production systems offer improved animal welfare but may create

Development of a Compact Range-gated Vision System to Monitor Structures in Low-visibility Environments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahn, Yong-Jin; Park, Seung-Kyu; Baik, Sung-Hoon; Kim, Dong-Lyul; Choi, Young-Soo; Jeong, Kyung-Min

2015-01-01

Image acquisition in disaster area or radiation area of nuclear industry is an important function for safety inspection and preparing appropriate damage control plans. So, automatic vision system to monitor structures and facilities in blurred smoking environments such as the places of a fire and detonation is essential. Vision systems can't acquire an image when the illumination light is blocked by disturbance materials, such as smoke, fog and dust. To overcome the imaging distortion caused by obstacle materials, robust vision systems should have extra-functions, such as active illumination through disturbance materials. One of active vision system is a range-gated imaging system. The vision system based on the range-gated imaging system can acquire image data from the blurred and darken light environments. Range-gated imaging (RGI) is a direct active visualization technique using a highly sensitive image sensor and a high intensity illuminant. Currently, the range-gated imaging technique providing 2D and range image data is one of emerging active vision technologies. The range-gated imaging system gets vision information by summing time sliced vision images. In the RGI system, a high intensity illuminant illuminates for ultra-short time and a highly sensitive image sensor is gated by ultra-short exposure time to only get the illumination light. Here, the illuminant illuminates objects by flashing strong light through disturbance materials, such as smoke particles and dust particles. In contrast to passive conventional vision systems, the RGI active vision technology enables operation even in harsh environments like low-visibility smoky environment. In this paper, a compact range-gated vision system is developed to monitor structures in low-visibility environment. The system consists of illumination light, a range-gating camera and a control computer. Visualization experiments are carried out in low-visibility foggy environment to see imaging capability

Development of a Compact Range-gated Vision System to Monitor Structures in Low-visibility Environments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ahn, Yong-Jin; Park, Seung-Kyu; Baik, Sung-Hoon; Kim, Dong-Lyul; Choi, Young-Soo; Jeong, Kyung-Min [KAERI, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2015-05-15

Image acquisition in disaster area or radiation area of nuclear industry is an important function for safety inspection and preparing appropriate damage control plans. So, automatic vision system to monitor structures and facilities in blurred smoking environments such as the places of a fire and detonation is essential. Vision systems can't acquire an image when the illumination light is blocked by disturbance materials, such as smoke, fog and dust. To overcome the imaging distortion caused by obstacle materials, robust vision systems should have extra-functions, such as active illumination through disturbance materials. One of active vision system is a range-gated imaging system. The vision system based on the range-gated imaging system can acquire image data from the blurred and darken light environments. Range-gated imaging (RGI) is a direct active visualization technique using a highly sensitive image sensor and a high intensity illuminant. Currently, the range-gated imaging technique providing 2D and range image data is one of emerging active vision technologies. The range-gated imaging system gets vision information by summing time sliced vision images. In the RGI system, a high intensity illuminant illuminates for ultra-short time and a highly sensitive image sensor is gated by ultra-short exposure time to only get the illumination light. Here, the illuminant illuminates objects by flashing strong light through disturbance materials, such as smoke particles and dust particles. In contrast to passive conventional vision systems, the RGI active vision technology enables operation even in harsh environments like low-visibility smoky environment. In this paper, a compact range-gated vision system is developed to monitor structures in low-visibility environment. The system consists of illumination light, a range-gating camera and a control computer. Visualization experiments are carried out in low-visibility foggy environment to see imaging capability.

Advanced Range Safety System for High Energy Vehicles

Science.gov (United States)

Claxton, Jeffrey S.; Linton, Donald F.

2002-01-01

The advanced range safety system project is a collaboration between the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the United States Air Force to develop systems that would reduce costs and schedule for safety approval for new classes of unmanned high-energy vehicles. The mission-planning feature for this system would yield flight profiles that satisfy the mission requirements for the user while providing an increased quality of risk assessment, enhancing public safety. By improving the speed and accuracy of predicting risks to the public, mission planners would be able to expand flight envelopes significantly. Once in place, this system is expected to offer the flexibility of handling real-time risk management for the high-energy capabilities of hypersonic vehicles including autonomous return-from-orbit vehicles and extended flight profiles over land. Users of this system would include mission planners of Space Launch Initiative vehicles, space planes, and other high-energy vehicles. The real-time features of the system could make extended flight of a malfunctioning vehicle possible, in lieu of an immediate terminate decision. With this improved capability, the user would have more time for anomaly resolution and potential recovery of a malfunctioning vehicle.

Measuring healthcare productivity - from unit to system level.

Science.gov (United States)

Kämäräinen, Vesa Johannes; Peltokorpi, Antti; Torkki, Paulus; Tallbacka, Kaj

2016-04-18

Purpose - Healthcare productivity is a growing issue in most Western countries where healthcare expenditure is rapidly increasing. Therefore, accurate productivity metrics are essential to avoid sub-optimization within a healthcare system. The purpose of this paper is to focus on healthcare production system productivity measurement. Design/methodology/approach - Traditionally, healthcare productivity has been studied and measured independently at the unit, organization and system level. Suggesting that productivity measurement should be done in different levels, while simultaneously linking productivity measurement to incentives, this study presents the challenges of productivity measurement at the different levels. The study introduces different methods to measure productivity in healthcare. In addition, it provides background information on the methods used to measure productivity and the parameters used in these methods. A pilot investigation of productivity measurement is used to illustrate the challenges of measurement, to test the developed measures and to prove the practical information for managers. Findings - The study introduces different approaches and methods to measure productivity in healthcare. Practical implications - A pilot investigation of productivity measurement is used to illustrate the challenges of measurement, to test the developed measures and to prove the practical benefits for managers. Originality/value - The authors focus on the measurement of the whole healthcare production system and try to avoid sub-optimization. Additionally considering an individual patient approach, productivity measurement is examined at the unit level, the organizational level and the system level.

Toyota production system - one example to shipbuilding industry

OpenAIRE

Delmo Alves de Moura; Rui Carlos Botter

2017-01-01

The shipbuilding system can use the techniques used in the Toyota Production System as an example for its production process. Production should be lean, minimize defects, stop production and reduce or eliminate inventories. Lean production is regarded by many as simply an enhancement of mass production methods, whereas agility implies breaking out of the mass production mould and producing much more highly customized products - where the customer wants them in any quantity. In a product line ...

Free Range, Organic? Polish Consumers Preferences Regarding Information on Farming System and Nutritional Enhancement of Eggs: A Discrete Choice Based Experiment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sylwia Żakowska-Biemans

2017-11-01

Full Text Available The main purpose of this study was to determine the structure of consumer preferences regarding information on farming system and nutritional enhancement of eggs to verify if consumers are willing to accept products combing sustainability and nutrition related claims. The data was collected within a CAPI (Computer Assisted Personal Interviews survey on a representative sample of 935 consumers responsible for food shopping. A discrete choice-based conjoint method was selected in eliciting consumer preferences among different product profiles with varying levels of attributes. A hierarchical cluster analysis was used to identify four distinct clusters that differed significantly in terms of importance attached to production system attributes and socio-demographic profiles. The results of the experiment showed that price and farming system had the most significant mean relative importance in shaping consumers’ preferences, while other attributes such as nutrition and health claims, egg size, package size and hen breed were far less important. Free range eggs had the highest relative importance for consumers despite the fact that organic egg production systems are governed by much stricter animal welfare standards. Our segmentation revealed that two of our four clusters may be more easily reached by information on animal welfare related attributes in egg production than the others. The results of our study provide the policy makers and marketing practitioners with insights applicable for communication and pricing strategies for eggs with sustainability claims.

Animal production systems in the industrialised world.

Science.gov (United States)

Sørensen, J T; Edwards, S; Noordhuizen, J; Gunnarsson, S

2006-08-01

The production of food from animal origin is relatively stable in the industrialised world. However, animal production systems are changing dramatically with respect to location, herd size and specialisation. Increased pressure from a critical public is moving animal-based production towards systems such as organic production and loose-housing systems which allow the animals to better express normal behaviour. The focus on food safety promotes systems with a high degree of biosecurity, often associated with an increase in herd size and self-containment. The globalisation of agricultural trade and increased competition also favours an increase in herd size and specialisation. These trends also lead to regions with livestock-dense areas, giving rise to environmental concerns. Therefore, good farming practice regulations and systems to provide a higher level of transparency, such as quality risk management programmes, are being developed.

Optical bi-sensorial measurement system for production control of extruded profiles

Science.gov (United States)

Weckenmann, A.; Bernstein, J.

2008-09-01

Extruded profiles are semi-finished products (made out of steel, brass, aluminum, synthetics...) which are appointed for wide applications in manufacturing of technical products. As yet used optical sensors in process control working to the shading technology detect the object's shadow orthographically to the axis of illumination. As a consequence they record it unattached by the profiles coat in measurement range at any point of the measured profile with high precision. As a matter of fact, concave zones cannot be captured. Alternatively the measurement of concave zones can be arranged by light-section systems. These do not comply with the required accuracy, are comparatively slow and moreover affected by dislocations of the section of the profile. A measurement system including a light-section and a shading system combines the advantages of both optical systems. It is to serve with a reliable conception for the assembly of a bi-sensorial measurement system consisting of both systems as well as suitable methods of analysis for the in-line inspection of concave profiles. As a result it contains conclusions concerning requirements of the light source, the arrangement of this source and the cameras, obtainable precision and sampling rate as well as the essential synchronization of both systems. After designing an appropriate prototype, the selected light-section system and the shading system will be synchronized and aligned. Therefore, the metered geometrical data will be merged for the evaluation of form deviation. So, developed and adapted software supports and contains proposals to the uncertainty after successful tests. The system and a calibration method will be proved in production where robustness will be a most critical despite of heat, dust and vibrations. The target uncertainty of less than 0.1 mm at every section of the profiles coat has to be met.

Brazilian Citizens’ Opinions and Attitudes about Farm Animal Production Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria C. Yunes

2017-09-01

preference for free-range or cage-free systems was justified based on the following reasons: naturalness, animals’ freedom to move, and ethics. A minority of participants indicated a preference for more restrictive systems, citing reasons associated with food security and food safety, increased productivity and hygiene. Our results suggest that the majority of our participants, preferred farm animal production systems that provide greater freedom of movement, which aligned with their perception that these systems are better for the animal. Our results provide some evidence that the current farm animal housing practices that are associated with restriction of movement, which are gaining traction in Brazil, may not align with societal expectations.

Matrix product representation of the stationary state of the open zero range process

Science.gov (United States)

Bertin, Eric; Vanicat, Matthieu

2018-06-01

Many one-dimensional lattice particle models with open boundaries, like the paradigmatic asymmetric simple exclusion process (ASEP), have their stationary states represented in the form of a matrix product, with matrices that do not explicitly depend on the lattice site. In contrast, the stationary state of the open 1D zero-range process (ZRP) takes an inhomogeneous factorized form, with site-dependent probability weights. We show that in spite of the absence of correlations, the stationary state of the open ZRP can also be represented in a matrix product form, where the matrices are site-independent, non-commuting and determined from algebraic relations resulting from the master equation. We recover the known distribution of the open ZRP in two different ways: first, using an explicit representation of the matrices and boundary vectors; second, from the sole knowledge of the algebraic relations satisfied by these matrices and vectors. Finally, an interpretation of the relation between the matrix product form and the inhomogeneous factorized form is proposed within the framework of hidden Markov chains.

Ruminant production systems in developing countries: Resource utilization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Devendra, C.

1989-01-01

Ruminant production systems are discussed with specific reference to the resource utilization required to support them. Particular focus is placed on the main production resources (animals and feeds) and their underutilization. The ruminant animals include buffaloes, cattle, goats, sheep and camels. With the exception of cattle and sheep, their numbers in developing countries account for between 94 and 100% of total world population. Their biological attributes, including inherent characteristics, feeding behaviour and metabolism, are summarized. The extent and availability of feed resources are considered; resources include permanent pastures, crop residues, agroindustrial by-products and non-conventional feeds. The prevailing ruminant production systems are classified into three main categories: extensive systems, systems incorporating arable cropping (roadside, communal and arable grazing systems; tethering and cut-and-carry feeding), and systems integrated with tree cropping. Their genesis and endurance with patterns of crop production and farming systems are discussed. Integrated systems, involving animals and tree crops, are potentially important. Prevailing ruminant production systems are unlikely to change in the foreseeable future, unless there are major shifts in resource use and the proposed new systems are demonstrably superior. Factors likely to influence future ruminant production systems are market requirements, available feed resources and growth in human populations. Two associated strategies for improvement are proposed: increased priority to buffaloes, goats, sheep and camels, consistent with their potential contribution to meat, milk and fibre supplies and draught power; and more complete utilization of the available feed ingredients and increased feed supplies

Introduction of China's Compulsory Product Certification System (Ⅰ)

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

无

2004-01-01

@@ Why does China establish a new Compulso-ry Product Certification System? For a long time, our compulsory product certification system has had problems such as lack of a unified management department, repeated assessments,repeated charging and no separation between certification activities and behaviors of law enforcement.The most obvious problem is that two certification management systems exist respectively for domestic products and imported products.

Long range inductive power transfer system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lawson, James; Pinuela, Manuel; Yates, David C; Lucyszyn, Stepan; Mitcheson, Paul D

2013-01-01

We report upon a recently developed long range inductive power transfer system (IPT) designed to power remote sensors with mW level power consumption at distances up to 7 m. In this paper an inductive link is established between a large planar (1 × 1 m) transmit coil (Tx) and a small planer (170 × 170 mm) receiver coil (Rx), demonstrating the viability of highly asymmetrical coil configurations that real-world applications such as sensor networks impose. High Q factor Tx and Rx coils required for viable power transfer efficiencies over such distances are measured using a resonant method. The applicability of the Class-E amplifier in very low magnetic coupling scenarios and at the high frequencies of operation required for high Q operation is demonstrated by its usage as the Tx coil driver

Effect of Mixed Systems on Crop Productivity

Science.gov (United States)

Senturklu, Songul; Landblom, Douglas; Cihacek, Larry; Brevik, Eric

2017-04-01

The goals of this non-irrigated research has been to determine the effect of mixed systems integration on crop, soil, and beef cattle production in the northern Great Plains region of the United States. Over a 5-year period, growing spring wheat (HRSW-C) continuously year after year was compared to a 5-year crop rotation that included spring wheat (HRSW-R), cover crop (dual crop consisting of winter triticale/hairy vetch seeded in the fall and harvested for hay followed by a 7-species cover crop that was seeded in June after hay harvest), forage corn, field pea/barley, and sunflower. Control 5-year HRSW yield was 2690 kg/ha compared to 2757 kg/ha for HRSW grown in rotation. Available soil nitrogen (N) is often the most important limitation for crop production. Expensive fertilizer inputs were reduced in this study due to the mixed system's complementarity in which the rotation system that included beef cattle grazing sustained N availability and increased nutrient cycling, which had a positive effect on all crops grown in the rotation. Growing HRSW continuously requires less intensive management and in this research was 14.5% less profitable. Whereas, when crop management increased and complementing crops were grown in rotation to produce crops and provide feed for grazing livestock, soil nutrient cycling improved. Increased nutrient cycling increased crop rotation yields and yearling beef cattle steers that grazing annual forages in the rotation gain more body weight than similar steers grazing NGP native range. Results of this long-term research will be presented in a PICO format for participant discussion.

TAXATION SYSTEM AT INTRA PRODUCTION LEVEL

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L. I. Podderegina

2006-01-01

Full Text Available The paper presents results of the analysis concerning taxation in the country at the level of an enteфrise and its structural sub-divisions in the period of transforming economy.Recommendations are given on the following aspects: modernization of income taxation system for natural persons; tax payment in case of wage computation; exclusion of tax payments and assignments fi-om production cost value which are not connected with the production process; tax computation for real property; evaluation of enterprise taxation level.The paper shows the possible cases concerning formation of tax payments and assignments of an enterprise and its structural sub-divisions.Taxation system is shown at the level of enterprise structural sub-divisions (shop, department, at the level of shop structural sub-divisions (section, team, for works to be executed by an individual person of the production process (operation, product, works, services. This system promotes to efficient functioning of intra-production economical relations.The paper provides possible variants of formation of taxation payments and assignments for an enterprise and its structural sub-divisions.

Profitability indicators of milk production cost center in intensive systems of production

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Glauber dos Santos

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The objective was to estimate some profitability indicators of dairy cost center farms with a high volume of daily production in feedlot. The Intended was also to identify the components that had the greatest influence on the operational cost. We used data from three milk systems production, with the origin of the purebred Holsteins. It was considered as a milk cost center production all expenses related in lactating and dry cows. The methodology used total cost and operating cost in profitability analysis. A production system, by presenting gross margin, net positive result, was able to produce short, medium and long term. Another production system had a positive gross margin and net, with conditions to survive in the short and medium term. Finally, the third system of production has shown a negative gross margin presenting decapitalizing and entering into debt, as revenues were not enough to pay operating expenses even effective. The component items of the effective operational cost that exercised higher “impact” cost and income from milk were, in decreasing order, the feeding, labor, miscellaneous expenses, sanitation, energy, milking, reproduction, equipment rental, BST and taxes.

Vegetable Production System (Veggie)

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — The Vegetable Production System (Veggie) was developed to be a simple, easily stowed, high growth volume, low resource facility capable of producing fresh vegetables...

From Product to System Approaches in European Sustainable Product Policies: Analysis of the Package Concept of Heating Systems in Buildings

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Calero-Pastor

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Different policies with the goal of reducing energy consumption and other environmental impacts in the building sector coexist in Europe. Sustainable product polices, such as the Ecodesign and Energy Labelling Directives, have recently broadened the scope of their target product groups from a strict product approach to extended product and system approaches. Indeed, there is a potential for greater savings when the focus is at a system level rather than on regulating individual products. Product policies for space and water heating systems have recently introduced and implemented the package label, which is a modular approach, standing between the extended product and the system approaches. This paper presents a systematic analysis of the different system approaches of various policies from an engineering perspective. It analyses in detail the package concept and its features through a practical application using a real case study. It focuses on how the package concept can support decisions made in the building design phase and, in particular, how can support the choice of appropriate components based on estimating system performances. This brings building engineers and regulators closer regarding the use of more consistent data on energy performance. Finally, this paper highlights the need to improve the alignment of the building-related product policies with the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive.

Short-range order and local conservation of quantum numbers in multiparticle production

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Le Bellac, M.

1976-01-01

These lectures discuss the implications of the hypotheses of short-range order (SRO) and local conservation of quantum numbers (LCQN) for multiple production of elementary particles at high energies. The consequences of SRO for semi-inclusive correlations and the distribution of rapidity gaps are derived, essentially in the framework of the cluster model. Then the experimental status of local conservation of charge and transverse momentum is reviewed. Finally, by making use of the unitarity relation, it is shown that LCQN has important consequences for the elastic amplitude. The derivation is given both in a model-independent way, and in specific multiperiheral models. (Author)

Prospecting for a Blind Geothermal System Utilizing Geologic and Geophysical Data, Seven Troughs Range, Northwestern Nevada

Science.gov (United States)

Forson, Corina

To aid in the discovery and evaluation of blind resources, it is important to utilize geologic, geophysical, and geochemical techniques to find the required elements (e.g., heat source, fluid to transport the heat, and permeability in a reservoir) for geothermal energy production. Based on a regional low resistivity anomaly discovered through a reconnaissance magnetotelluric (MT) survey, detailed geologic mapping, structural analysis, and a 2 m temperature survey were conducted to delineate the most likely areas for blind geothermal activity in the Seven Troughs Range, Nevada. The Seven Troughs Range resides in the northwestern Basin and Range province 190 km northeast of Reno and 50 km northwest of Lovelock in western Nevada. There is no known geothermal system in the area. Mesozoic metasedimentary strata and intrusions dominate the northern and southern parts of the range but are nonconformably overlain by a thick sequence (~ 1.5 km) of Oligocene to Miocene volcanic and volcaniclastic rocks and Quaternary sediments in the central part of the range. The southern part of the range consists of a basement horst block bounded by two major range-front faults, with Holocene fault scarps marking the more prominent fault on the east side of the range. In contrast, several gently to moderately west-tilted fault blocks, with good exposures of the Tertiary volcanic strata and bounded by a series of steeply east-dipping normal faults, characterize the central part of the range. Kinematic analysis of faults in the range and regional relations indicate a west-northwest-trending extension direction. Accordingly, slip and dilation tendency analyses suggest that north-northeast striking faults are the most favorably oriented for reactivation and fluid flow under the current stress field. Two areas in the Seven Troughs Range have a favorable structural setting for generating permeability and channeling geothermal fluids to the near surface: 1) A major right step in the range

System-theoretic analysis of due-time performance in production systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David Jacobs

1995-01-01

Full Text Available Along with the average production rate, the due-time performance is an important characteristic of manufacturing systems. Unlike the production rate, the due-time performance has received relatively little attention in the literature, especially in the context of large volume production. This paper is devoted to this topic. Specifically, the notion of due-time performance is formalized as the probability that the number of parts produced during the shipping period reaches the required shipment size. This performance index is analyzed for both lean and mass manufacturing environments. In particular, it is shown that, to achieve a high due-time performance in a lean environment, the production system should be scheduled for a sufficiently small fraction of its average production rate. In mass production, due-time performance arbitrarily close to one can be achieved for any scheduling practice, up to the average production rate.

Conceptual Modelling for Product Configuration Systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Shafiee, Sara

Individual customization of goods and processes in different industries leads to complexity due to a growing mix of products both regarding characteristics of products and support services. In order to eliminate complexity and challenges in product/process customizing, smart IT systems called...... Product Configuration Systems (PCS), have been proposed as the solution both by researchers and practitioners and various benefits are mentioned from utilizing PCSs. Based on the latest literature, there are challenges reported in all phases of PCS projects including planning, development......, and documentation. Moreover, the challenges become more serious when it involves complicated products/processes in engineer-to-order (ETO) companies. The purpose of this thesis is to contribute to the existing knowledge of managing PCS projects by proposing frameworks and tools to address some of the main...

Systems, methods and apparatus for developing and maintaining evolving systems with software product lines

Science.gov (United States)

Hinchey, Michael G. (Inventor); Rash, James L. (Inventor); Pena, Joaquin (Inventor)

2011-01-01

Systems, methods and apparatus are provided through which an evolutionary system is managed and viewed as a software product line. In some embodiments, the core architecture is a relatively unchanging part of the system, and each version of the system is viewed as a product from the product line. Each software product is generated from the core architecture with some agent-based additions. The result may be a multi-agent system software product line.

Milk quality according to the daily range in farm production in the Mesoregion Central Mineira and Oeste of Minas Gerais regions, Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L.R. Borges

2013-08-01

Full Text Available The objective of this work was to characterize milk production from the Central Mineira and Oeste Mesoregions regions in Minas Gerais State, Brazil, according to quality parameters such as somatic cell count, total bacteria count, and composition for specific production ranges. Average results for milk fat, protein, total and nonfat solids were compliant with Brazilian legal requirements (IN-62/2011 in all the production ranges selected. Average somatic cell counts (SCC complied with the legal requirements of 600,000 cells/mL, except for the range with a daily production above 1,000 liters. However, average maximum values of 400,000 cells/mL are recommended for good milk quality. Total bacterial count was the most critical quality factor, with the highest values found in breeds with milk production above 500 liters per day.

Simulation Based Optimization for World Line Card Production System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sinan APAK

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Simulation based decision support system is one of the commonly used tool to examine complex production systems. The simulation approach provides process modules which can be adjusted with certain parameters by using data relatively easily obtainable in production process. World Line Card production system simulation is developed to evaluate the optimality of existing production line via using discrete event simulation model with variaty of alternative proposals. The current production system is analysed by a simulation model emphasizing the bottlenecks and the poorly utilized production line. Our analysis identified some improvements and efficient solutions for the existing system.

Microbial diversity on commercial eggs as affected by the production system. A first approach using PGM.

Science.gov (United States)

Neira, Carmen; Laca, Amanda; Laca, Adriana; Díaz, Mario

2017-12-04

A novel DNA-based technique (PGM) has been employed for first time to analyse commercial eggs with the advantage of allowing an exhaustive identification of the microbiota present. Eggs from two different production systems, i.e. a free range system and a cage system, were analysed. Twenty-one and twenty-two phyla were identified on the surface of cage system and free range system eggs, respectively. In both cases, Firmicutes was the dominant phylum (representing around 50% of total phyla), being found families frequently reported to be present in the intestinal microbiota of chickens or hens, such as Clostridiaceae, Ruminococcaceae and Lachnospiraceae. Additionally, other phyla and families not previously described in association with eggshells could also be identified in this work. Most of the potential pathogenic genera associated with eggs (Salmonella, Clostridium, Helicobacter, Pseudomonas and Staphylococcus) showed higher incidence in eggs coming from cage systems than in eggs coming from free range systems, although the abundance of these genera were very low in both cases (<5% of total bacteria). Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Implementation of a departmental picture archiving and communication system: a productivity and cost analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Macyszyn, Luke; Lega, Brad; Bohman, Leif-Erik; Latefi, Ahmad; Smith, Michelle J; Malhotra, Neil R; Welch, William; Grady, Sean M

2013-09-01

Digital radiology enhances productivity and results in long-term cost savings. However, the viewing, storage, and sharing of outside imaging studies on compact discs at ambulatory offices and hospitals pose a number of unique challenges to a surgeon's efficiency and clinical workflow. To improve the efficiency and clinical workflow of an academic neurosurgical practice when evaluating patients with outside radiological studies. Open-source software and commercial hardware were used to design and implement a departmental picture archiving and communications system (PACS). The implementation of a departmental PACS system significantly improved productivity and enhanced collaboration in a variety of clinical settings. Using published data on the rate of information technology problems associated with outside studies on compact discs, this system produced a cost savings ranging from $6250 to $33600 and from $43200 to $72000 for 2 cohorts, urgent transfer and spine clinic patients, respectively, therefore justifying the costs of the system in less than a year. The implementation of a departmental PACS system using open-source software is straightforward and cost-effective and results in significant gains in surgeon productivity when evaluating patients with outside imaging studies.

Design of Agricultural Cleaner Production Technology System

OpenAIRE

Hu, Jun-mei; Wang, Xin-jie

2009-01-01

Based on the introduction of agricultural cleaner production, technology system design of planting cleaner production is discussed from five aspects of water-saving irrigation technology, fertilization technology, diseases and insects control technology, straw comprehensive utilization technology and plastic film pollution control technology. Cleaner production technology system of livestock and poultry raise is constructed from the aspects of source control technology, reduction technique in...

Simulating local measurements on a quantum many-body system with stochastic matrix product states

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gammelmark, Søren; Mølmer, Klaus

2010-01-01

We demonstrate how to simulate both discrete and continuous stochastic evolutions of a quantum many-body system subject to measurements using matrix product states. A particular, but generally applicable, measurement model is analyzed and a simple representation in terms of matrix product operators...... is found. The technique is exemplified by numerical simulations of the antiferromagnetic Heisenberg spin-chain model subject to various instances of the measurement model. In particular, we focus on local measurements with small support and nonlocal measurements, which induce long-range correlations....

Measurement based scenario analysis of short-range distribution system planning

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Chen, Peiyuan; Bak-Jensen, Birgitte; Chen, Zhe

2009-01-01

This paper focuses on short-range distribution system planning using a probabilistic approach. Empirical probabilistic distributions of load demand and distributed generations are derived from the historical measurement data and incorporated into the system planning. Simulations with various...... feasible scenarios are performed based on a local distribution system at Støvring in Denmark. Simulation results provide more accurate and insightful information for the decision-maker when using the probabilistic analysis than using the worst-case analysis, so that a better planning can be achieved....

Exergy analysis of thermal management system for range-extended electric vehicles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hamut, H. S.; Dincer, I.; Naterer, G. F. [Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Ontario Institute of Technology (Canada)], email: Ibrahim.Dincer@uoit.ca

2011-07-01

In the last few decades, the energy crisis, increasing gas prices and concerns over environmental pollution have encouraged the development of electric vehicle (EV) and hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) technologies. In this paper, a thermal management system (TMS) installed in a range-extended electric vehicle is examined and is found to have a substantial impact on battery efficiency and vehicle performance. An exergy analysis was conducted on the refrigeration and coolant circuits and the Coefficient of Performance (COP) of the baseline system was determined to be 2.0 with a range of 1.8 to 2.4. The overall exergy was found to be 32% with a range of 26% to 39%. Ambient temperature had the largest impact on overall exergy efficiency but there is a need to further investigate temperature effects on battery efficiency, since the battery's performance has such a high impact on vehicle performance overall.

System for extracting protein from a fermentation product

Science.gov (United States)

Lawton, Jr., John Warren; Bootsma, Jason Alan; Lewis, Stephen Michael

2016-04-26

A method of producing bioproducts from a feedstock in a system configured to produce ethanol and distillers grains from a fermentation product is disclosed. A system configured to process feedstock into a fermentation product and bioproducts including ethanol and meal is disclosed. A bioproduct produced from a fermentation product produced from a feedstock in a biorefining system is disclosed.

Effects of free-range access on production parameters and meat quality, composition and taste in slow-growing broiler chickens

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Stadig, Lisanne M.; Rodenburg, Bas; Reubens, Bert; Aerts, Johan; Duquenne, Barbara; Tuyttens, Frank A.M.

2016-01-01

Demand for meat from free-range broiler chickens is increasing in several countries. Consumers are motivated by better animal welfare and other product attributes such as quality and taste. However, scientific literature is not unanimous about whether free-range access influences quality,

Alpha Beam Energy Determination Using a Range Measuring Device for Radioisotope Production

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Choi, Jun Yong; Kim, Byeon Gil; Hong, Seung Pyo; Kim, Ran Young; Chun, Kwon Soo [Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

2016-05-15

The threshold energy of the {sup 209}Bi(α,3n){sup 210} At reaction is at about 30MeV. Our laboratory suggested an energy measurement method to confirm the proton-beam's energy by using a range measurement device. The experiment was performed energy measurement of alpha beam. The alpha beam of energy 29 MeV has been extracted from the cyclotron for the production of {sup 211}At. This device was composed of four parts: an absorber, a drive shaft, and a servo motor and a Faraday cup. The drive shaft was mounted on the absorber and connects with the axis of the servo motor and rotates linearly and circularly by this servo motor. A Faraday cup is for measuring the beam flux. As this drive shaft rotates, the thickness of the absorber varies depending on the rotation angle of the absorber. The energy of the alpha particle accelerated and extracted from MC-50 cyclotron was calculated with the measurement of the particle range in Al foil and using ASTAR, SRIM, MCNPX software. There were a little discrepancy between the expected energy and the calculated energy within the 0.5MeV error range. We have a plan to make an experiment with various alpha particle energies and another methodology, for example, the cross section measurement of the nuclear reaction.

Algal Hydrogen Production -- Stand Alone or Integrated System?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ghirardi, Maria L.; Maness, Pin Ching; Kosourovo, Sergey

2016-01-01

Photosynthetic bacteria and green algae photoproduce H2. but do so utilizing different catalysts and substrates. Green algae use reductant generate mostly by water oxidation to catalyze the reduction of protons to H2 gas, while photosynthetic bacteria catalyze H2 production from organic acids using the nitrogenase enzyme. Moreover, these two organisms utilize different regions of the solar spectrum to perform photosynthesis: green algae's light harvesting antenna is comprised of chlorophyll molecules that absorb mostly blue and red light; photosynthetic bacteria harvest blue and far-red light through their light-harvesting pigments to run its non-oxygenic photosynthetic reactions. There is thus an opportunity to increase the range of solar spectrum used to photoproduce H2 by combining the light-harvesting and catalytic properties of these two organisms in a single process. In the current manuscript, we describe an experimental system that validates this hypothesis and demonstrates quantitatively the advantages of a two organism process for production of higher amounts of H2 and thus achieving solar light conversion efficiencies.

Energy condensed packaged systems. Composition, production, properties

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Igor L. Kovalenko

2015-03-01

Full Text Available In this paper it is presented the substantiation of choice of fuel phase composition and optimal technology of emulsion production on the basis of binary solution of ammonium and calcium nitrates, which provide the obtaining of energy condensed packaged systems with specified properties. The thermal decomposition of energy condensed systems on the basis of ammonium nitrate is investigated. It is shown that the fuel phase of emulsion systems should be based on esters of polyunsaturated acids or on combinations thereof with petroleum products. And ceresin or petroleum wax can be used as the structuring additive. The influence of the technology of energy condensed systems production on the physicochemical and detonation parameters of emulsion explosives is considered. It is shown the possibility of obtaining of emulsion systems with dispersion of 1.3...1.8 microns and viscosity higher than 103 Pa∙s in the apparatus of original design. The sensitizing effect of chlorinated paraffin CP-470 on the thermolysis of energy condensed emulsion system is shown. The composition and production technology of energy condensed packaged emulsion systems of mark Ukrainit-P for underground mining in mines not dangerous on gas and dust are developed.

Analysis of pattern formation in systems with competing range interactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao, H J; Misko, V R; Peeters, F M

2012-01-01

We analyzed pattern formation and identified various morphologies in a system of particles interacting through a non-monotonic potential with a competing range interaction characterized by a repulsive core (r c ) and an attractive tail (r > r c ), using molecular-dynamics simulations. Depending on parameters, the interaction potential models the inter-particle interaction in various physical systems ranging from atoms, molecules and colloids to vortices in low κ type-II superconductors and in recently discovered ‘type-1.5’ superconductors. We constructed a ‘morphology diagram’ in the plane ‘critical radius r c -density n’ and proposed a new approach to characterizing the different types of patterns. Namely, we elaborated a set of quantitative criteria in order to identify the different pattern types, using the radial distribution function (RDF), the local density function and the occupation factor. (paper)

Consistent quantification of climate impacts due to biogenic carbon storage across a range of bio-product systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guest, Geoffrey, E-mail: geoffrey.guest@ntnu.no; Bright, Ryan M., E-mail: ryan.m.bright@ntnu.no; Cherubini, Francesco, E-mail: francesco.cherubini@ntnu.no; Strømman, Anders H., E-mail: anders.hammer.stromman@ntnu.no

2013-11-15

Temporary and permanent carbon storage from biogenic sources is seen as a way to mitigate climate change. The aim of this work is to illustrate the need to harmonize the quantification of such mitigation across all possible storage pools in the bio- and anthroposphere. We investigate nine alternative storage cases and a wide array of bio-resource pools: from annual crops, short rotation woody crops, medium rotation temperate forests, and long rotation boreal forests. For each feedstock type and biogenic carbon storage pool, we quantify the carbon cycle climate impact due to the skewed time distribution between emission and sequestration fluxes in the bio- and anthroposphere. Additional consideration of the climate impact from albedo changes in forests is also illustrated for the boreal forest case. When characterizing climate impact with global warming potentials (GWP), we find a large variance in results which is attributed to different combinations of biomass storage and feedstock systems. The storage of biogenic carbon in any storage pool does not always confer climate benefits: even when biogenic carbon is stored long-term in durable product pools, the climate outcome may still be undesirable when the carbon is sourced from slow-growing biomass feedstock. For example, when biogenic carbon from Norway Spruce from Norway is stored in furniture with a mean life time of 43 years, a climate change impact of 0.08 kg CO{sub 2}eq per kg CO{sub 2} stored (100 year time horizon (TH)) would result. It was also found that when biogenic carbon is stored in a pool with negligible leakage to the atmosphere, the resulting GWP factor is not necessarily − 1 CO{sub 2}eq per kg CO{sub 2} stored. As an example, when biogenic CO{sub 2} from Norway Spruce biomass is stored in geological reservoirs with no leakage, we estimate a GWP of − 0.56 kg CO{sub 2}eq per kg CO{sub 2} stored (100 year TH) when albedo effects are also included. The large variance in GWPs across the range of

Consistent quantification of climate impacts due to biogenic carbon storage across a range of bio-product systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guest, Geoffrey; Bright, Ryan M.; Cherubini, Francesco; Strømman, Anders H.

2013-01-01

Temporary and permanent carbon storage from biogenic sources is seen as a way to mitigate climate change. The aim of this work is to illustrate the need to harmonize the quantification of such mitigation across all possible storage pools in the bio- and anthroposphere. We investigate nine alternative storage cases and a wide array of bio-resource pools: from annual crops, short rotation woody crops, medium rotation temperate forests, and long rotation boreal forests. For each feedstock type and biogenic carbon storage pool, we quantify the carbon cycle climate impact due to the skewed time distribution between emission and sequestration fluxes in the bio- and anthroposphere. Additional consideration of the climate impact from albedo changes in forests is also illustrated for the boreal forest case. When characterizing climate impact with global warming potentials (GWP), we find a large variance in results which is attributed to different combinations of biomass storage and feedstock systems. The storage of biogenic carbon in any storage pool does not always confer climate benefits: even when biogenic carbon is stored long-term in durable product pools, the climate outcome may still be undesirable when the carbon is sourced from slow-growing biomass feedstock. For example, when biogenic carbon from Norway Spruce from Norway is stored in furniture with a mean life time of 43 years, a climate change impact of 0.08 kg CO 2 eq per kg CO 2 stored (100 year time horizon (TH)) would result. It was also found that when biogenic carbon is stored in a pool with negligible leakage to the atmosphere, the resulting GWP factor is not necessarily − 1 CO 2 eq per kg CO 2 stored. As an example, when biogenic CO 2 from Norway Spruce biomass is stored in geological reservoirs with no leakage, we estimate a GWP of − 0.56 kg CO 2 eq per kg CO 2 stored (100 year TH) when albedo effects are also included. The large variance in GWPs across the range of resource and carbon storage

Fatty acid composition of cooked chicken meat and chicken meat products as influenced by price range at retail.

Science.gov (United States)

Gibbs, Rachael A; Rymer, Caroline; Givens, D I

2013-06-01

The primary objective was to determine fatty acid composition of skinless chicken breast and leg meat portions and chicken burgers and nuggets from the economy price range, standard price range (both conventional intensive rearing) and the organic range from four leading supermarkets. Few significant differences in the SFA, MUFA and PUFA composition of breast and leg meat portions were found among price ranges, and supermarket had no effect. No significant differences in fatty acid concentrations of economy and standard chicken burgers were found, whereas economy chicken nuggets had higher C16:1, C18:1 cis, C18:1 trans and C18:3 n-3 concentrations than had standard ones. Overall, processed chicken products had much higher fat contents and SFA than had whole meat. Long chain n-3 fatty acids had considerably lower concentrations in processed products than in whole meat. Overall there was no evidence that organic chicken breast or leg meat had a more favourable fatty acid composition than had meat from conventionally reared birds. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Inter-generational change in African elephant range use is associated with poaching risk, primary productivity and adult mortality.

Science.gov (United States)

Goldenberg, Shifra Z; Douglas-Hamilton, Iain; Wittemyer, George

2018-05-30

Repeated use of the same areas may benefit animals as they exploit familiar sites, leading to consistent home ranges over time that can span generations. Changing risk landscapes may reduce benefits associated with home range fidelity, however, and philopatric animals may alter movement in response to new pressures. Despite the importance of range changes to ecological and evolutionary processes, little tracking data have been collected over the long-term nor has range change been recorded in response to human pressures across generations. Here, we investigate the relationships between ecological, demographic and human variables and elephant ranging behaviour across generations using 16 years of tracking data from nine distinct female social groups in a population of elephants in northern Kenya that was heavily affected by ivory poaching during the latter half of the study. Nearly all groups-including those that did not experience loss of mature adults-exhibited a shift north over time, apparently in response to increased poaching in the southern extent of the study area. However, loss of mature adults appeared to be the primary indicator of range shifts and expansions, as generational turnover was a significant predictor of range size increases and range centroid shifts. Range expansions and northward shifts were associated with higher primary productivity and lower poached carcass densities, while westward shifts exhibited a trend to areas with higher values of primary productivity and higher poached carcass densities relative to former ranges. Together these results suggest a trade-off between resource access, mobility and safety. We discuss the relevance of these results to elephant conservation efforts and directions meriting further exploration in this disrupted society of a keystone species. © 2018 The Author(s).

Production of jet fuel range paraffins by low temperature polymerization of gaseous light olefins using ionic liquid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jiang, Peiwen; Wu, Xiaoping; Zhu, Lijuan; Jin, Feng; Liu, Junxu; Xia, Tongyan; Wang, Tiejun; Li, Quanxin

2016-01-01

Graphical abstract: A novel catalytic transformation of light olefins into jet fuel range iso-paraffins by the low-temperature olefin polymerizations under atmospheric conditions. - Highlights: • A novel transformation of light olefins to jet fuel range paraffins was demonstrated. • The synthetic fuels can be produced by atmospheric olefin polymerizations. • C 8 –C 15 iso-paraffins from light olefins was achieved with a selectivity of 80.6%. - Abstract: This work demonstrated a novel catalytic transformation of gaseous olefins into jet fuel range iso-paraffins by the low-temperature olefin polymerizations under atmospheric conditions. The production of the desired C 8 –C 15 iso-paraffins with the selectivity of 80.6 C mol% was achieved by the room-temperature polymerizations of gaseous light olefins using the [BMIM] Al 2 Cl 7 ionic liquid. The influences of the reaction conditions on the olefinic polymerizations were investigated in detail. The properties of hydrocarbons in the synthetic fuels were determined by the GC–MS analyses combined with 1 H NMR, and 13 C NMR analyses. The formation of C 8 –C 15 hydrocarbons from gaseous light olefins was illustrated by the identified products and the functional groups. This transformation potentially provides a useful avenue for the production of the most important components of iso-paraffins required in jet fuels.

The effects of potential changes in United States beef production on global grazing systems and greenhouse gas emissions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dumortier, Jerome; Hayes, Dermot J; Carriquiry, Miguel; Elobeid, Amani; Fabiosa, Jacinto F; Dong, Fengxia; Du Xiaodong; Martin, Pamela A; Mulik, Kranti

2012-01-01

We couple a global agricultural production and trade model with a greenhouse gas model to assess leakage associated with modified beef production in the United States. The effects on emissions from agricultural production (i.e., methane and nitrous oxide emissions from livestock and crop management) as well as from land-use change, especially grazing system, are assessed. We find that a reduction of US beef production induces net carbon emissions from global land-use change ranging from 37 to 85 kg CO 2 -equivalent per kg of beef annualized over 20 years. The increase in emissions is caused by an inelastic domestic demand as well as more land-intensive cattle production systems internationally. Changes in livestock production systems such as increasing stocking rate could partially offset emission increases from pasture expansion. In addition, net emissions from enteric fermentation increase because methane emissions per kilogram of beef tend to be higher globally. (letter)

Open source Matrix Product States: Opening ways to simulate entangled many-body quantum systems in one dimension

Science.gov (United States)

Jaschke, Daniel; Wall, Michael L.; Carr, Lincoln D.

2018-04-01

Numerical simulations are a powerful tool to study quantum systems beyond exactly solvable systems lacking an analytic expression. For one-dimensional entangled quantum systems, tensor network methods, amongst them Matrix Product States (MPSs), have attracted interest from different fields of quantum physics ranging from solid state systems to quantum simulators and quantum computing. Our open source MPS code provides the community with a toolset to analyze the statics and dynamics of one-dimensional quantum systems. Here, we present our open source library, Open Source Matrix Product States (OSMPS), of MPS methods implemented in Python and Fortran2003. The library includes tools for ground state calculation and excited states via the variational ansatz. We also support ground states for infinite systems with translational invariance. Dynamics are simulated with different algorithms, including three algorithms with support for long-range interactions. Convenient features include built-in support for fermionic systems and number conservation with rotational U(1) and discrete Z2 symmetries for finite systems, as well as data parallelism with MPI. We explain the principles and techniques used in this library along with examples of how to efficiently use the general interfaces to analyze the Ising and Bose-Hubbard models. This description includes the preparation of simulations as well as dispatching and post-processing of them.

Bioelectrochemical Systems for Indirect Biohydrogen Production

KAUST Repository

Regan, John M.

2014-01-01

Bioelectrochemical systems involve the use of exoelectrogenic (i.e., anode-reducing) microbes to produce current in conjunction with the oxidation of reduced compounds. This current can be used directly for power in a microbial fuel cell, but there are alternate uses of this current. One such alternative is the production of hydrogen in a microbial electrolysis cell (MEC), which accomplishes cathodic proton reduction with a slight applied potential by exploiting the low redox potential produced by exoelectrogens at the anode. As an indirect approach to biohydrogen production, these systems are not subject to the hydrogen yield constraints of fermentative processes and have been proven to work with virtually any biodegradable organic substrate. With continued advancements in reactor design to reduce the system internal resistance, increase the specific surface area for anode biofilm development, and decrease the material costs, MECs may emerge as a viable alternative technology for biohydrogen production. Moreover, these systems can also incorporate other value-added functionalities for applications in waste treatment, desalination, and bioremediation.

Production grid systems and their programming

CERN Document Server

Kacsuk, P; Stefan, P

2004-01-01

Summary form only given. There are a large variety of grid test-beds that can be used for experimental purposes by a small community. However, the number of production grid systems that can be used as a service for a large community is very limited. The current tutorial provides introduction to three of these very few production grid systems. They represent different models and policies of using grid resources and hence understanding and comparing them is an extremely useful exercise to everyone interested in grid technology. The Hungarian ClusterGrid infrastructure connects clusters during the nights and weekends. These clusters are used during the day for educational purposes at the Hungarian universities and polytechnics. Therefore, a unique feature of this grid is the switching mechanism by which the day time and night time working modes are loaded to the computers. In order to manage the system as a production, one, the system is homogeneous, all the machines should install the same grid software package...

Free-range pork: Innovation and control of a new credence good

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Philipsen, Kristian; Andersen, Esben Sloth

-range pork should be analysed as a "credence good". In this way a whole set of problems related to production and sale of this kind of pork becomes clear. 2. The problem of evaluating a credence good is intensified in the case of free-range pork, because the responsibility for the credence quality is divided...... among a large number of parties, and the fact that there is no common "standard" or "definition" of what is meant by free-range pork. Thi aggravates the control aspect of free-range pork. This report focuses on this point. 3. The study's empirical basis is three cases, one Dutch and two Danish, about...... withdrawn from the Danish free-range pork market. 8. The Dutch system with an independent control organisation may be a paradigm or a standard for establishing an inspection system for credence goods. The Dutch system, therefore, seems to be more advanced than the other control systems with regard...

Lesions found at routine meat inspection on finishing pigs are associated with production system

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kongsted, Hanne; Sørensen, Jan Tind

2017-01-01

raised in conventional free-range and organic free-range production systems had higher odds for white liver-spots (ORPA, 5–7), tail lesions (ORPA, 3–4), arthritis (ORPA, 3), skin lesions (ORPA, 3), bone fractures (ORPA, 2), septicaemia (ORPA, 1.1–1.5) and abscesses (ORPA, 1.1–1.3) at slaughter. Pairwise...... correlation coefficients 21–35%) on the occurrence of white liver-spots, tail lesions, skin lesions and airway infections. These results suggest possibilities for herd-level management interventions of the problems studied...

The ATLAS Production System Evolution

CERN Document Server

Borodin, Mikhail; The ATLAS collaboration

2017-01-01

The second generation of the ATLAS Production System called ProdSys2 is a distributed workload manager that runs daily hundreds of thousands of jobs, from dozens of different ATLAS-specific workflows, across more than a hundred heterogeneous sites. It achieves high utilization by combining dynamic job definition based upon many criteria, such as input and output size, memory requirements and CPU consumption, with manageable scheduling policies and by supporting different kinds of computational resources, such as GRID, clouds, supercomputers and volunteer computers. The system dynamically assigns a group of jobs (task) to a group of geographically distributed computing resources. Dynamic assignment and resource utilization is one of the major features of the system. The Production System has a sophisticated job fault recovery mechanism, which efficiently allows running multi-terabyte tasks without human intervention. We have implemented new features which allow automatic task submission and chaining of differe...

Microbial quality and bioactive constituents of sweet peppers from sustainable production systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Marín, Alicia; Gil, María I; Flores, Pilar; Hellín, Pilar; Selma, María V

2008-12-10

Integrated, organic, and soil-less production systems are the principal production practices that have emerged to encourage more sustainable agricultural practices and safer edible plants, reducing inputs of plaguicides, pesticides, and fertilizers. Sweet peppers grown commercially under integrated, organic, and soil-less production systems were compared to study the influence of these sustainable production systems on the microbial quality and bioactive constituents (vitamin C, individual and total carotenoids, hydroxycinnamic acids, and flavonoids). The antioxidant composition of peppers was analyzed at green and red maturity stages and at three harvest times (initial, middle, and late season). Irrigation water, manure, and soil were shown to be potential transmission sources of pathogens to the produce. Coliform counts of soil-less peppers were up to 2.9 log units lower than those of organic and integrated peppers. Soil-less green and red peppers showed maximum vitamin C contents of 52 and 80 mg 100 g(-1) fresh weight (fw), respectively, similar to those grown in the organic production system. Moreover, the highest content of total carotenoids was found in the soil-less red peppers, which reached a maximum of 148 mg 100 g(-1) fw, while slightly lower contents were found in integrated and organic red peppers. Hydroxycinnamic acids and flavonoids represented 15 and 85% of the total phenolic content, respectively. Total phenolic content, which ranged from 1.2 to 4.1 mg 100 g(-1) fw, was significantly affected by the harvest time but not by the production system assayed. Soil-less peppers showed similar or even higher concentrations of bioactive compounds (vitamin C, provitamin A, total carotenoid, hydroxycinnamic acids, and flavonoids) than peppers grown under organic and integrated practices. Therefore, in the commercial conditions studied, soil-less culture was a more suitable alternative than organic or integrated practices, because it improved the microbial

Wireless sensing on surface hydrocarbon production systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kane, D; McStay, D; Mulholland, J; Costello, L

2009-01-01

The use of wireless sensor networks for monitoring and optimising the performance of surface hydrocarbon production systems is reported. Wireless sensor networks are shown to be able to produce comprehensively instrumented XTs and other equipment that generate the data required by Intelligent Oilfield systems. The information produced by such systems information can be used for real-time operational control, production optimization and troubleshooting.

Task management in the new ATLAS production system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

De, K; Golubkov, D; Klimentov, A; Potekhin, M; Vaniachine, A

2014-01-01

This document describes the design of the new Production System of the ATLAS experiment at the LHC [1]. The Production System is the top level workflow manager which translates physicists' needs for production level processing and analysis into actual workflows executed across over a hundred Grid sites used globally by ATLAS. As the production workload increased in volume and complexity in recent years (the ATLAS production tasks count is above one million, with each task containing hundreds or thousands of jobs) there is a need to upgrade the Production System to meet the challenging requirements of the next LHC run while minimizing the operating costs. In the new design, the main subsystems are the Database Engine for Tasks (DEFT) and the Job Execution and Definition Interface (JEDI). Based on users' requests, DEFT manages inter-dependent groups of tasks (Meta-Tasks) and generates corresponding data processing workflows. The JEDI component then dynamically translates the task definitions from DEFT into actual workload jobs executed in the PanDA Workload Management System [2]. We present the requirements, design parameters, basics of the object model and concrete solutions utilized in building the new Production System and its components.

Photochemical hydrogen production system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Copeland, R.J.

1990-01-01

Both technical and economic factors affect the cost of producing hydrogen by photochemical processes. Technical factors include the efficiency and the capital and operating costs of the renewable hydrogen conversion system; economic factors include discount rates, economic life, credit for co-product oxygen, and the value of the energy produced. This paper presents technical and economic data for a system that generates on-peak electric power form photochemically produced hydrogen

Antimicrobial peptide production and plant-based expression systems for medical and agricultural biotechnology.

Science.gov (United States)

Holaskova, Edita; Galuszka, Petr; Frebort, Ivo; Oz, M Tufan

2015-11-01

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are vital components of the innate immune system of nearly all living organisms. They generally act in the first line of defense against various pathogenic bacteria, parasites, enveloped viruses and fungi. These low molecular mass peptides are considered prospective therapeutic agents due to their broad-spectrum rapid activity, low cytotoxicity to mammalian cells and unique mode of action which hinders emergence of pathogen resistance. In addition to medical use, AMPs can also be employed for development of innovative approaches for plant protection in agriculture. Conferred disease resistance by AMPs might help us surmount losses in yield, quality and safety of agricultural products due to plant pathogens. Heterologous expression in plant-based systems, also called plant molecular farming, offers cost-effective large-scale production which is regarded as one of the most important factors for clinical or agricultural use of AMPs. This review presents various types of AMPs as well as plant-based platforms ranging from cell suspensions to whole plants employed for peptide production. Although AMP production in plants holds great promises for medicine and agriculture, specific technical limitations regarding product yield, function and stability still remain. Additionally, establishment of particular stable expression systems employing plants or plant tissues generally requires extended time scale for platform development compared to certain other heterologous systems. Therefore, fast and promising tools for evaluation of plant-based expression strategies and assessment of function and stability of the heterologously produced AMPs are critical for molecular farming and plant protection. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Modeling of Agile Intelligent Manufacturing-oriented Production Scheduling System

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Zhong-Qi Sheng; Chang-Ping Tang; Ci-Xing Lv

2010-01-01

Agile intelligent manufacturing is one of the new manufacturing paradigms that adapt to the fierce globalizing market competition and meet the survival needs of the enterprises, in which the management and control of the production system have surpassed the scope of individual enterprise and embodied some new features including complexity, dynamicity, distributivity, and compatibility. The agile intelligent manufacturing paradigm calls for a production scheduling system that can support the cooperation among various production sectors, the distribution of various resources to achieve rational organization, scheduling and management of production activities. This paper uses multi-agents technology to build an agile intelligent manufacturing-oriented production scheduling system. Using the hybrid modeling method, the resources and functions of production system are encapsulated, and the agent-based production system model is established. A production scheduling-oriented multi-agents architecture is constructed and a multi-agents reference model is given in this paper.

Development of an Operational TS Dataset Production System for the Data Assimilation System

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Sung Dae; Park, Hyuk Min; Kim, Young Ho; Park, Kwang Soon

2017-04-01

An operational TS (Temperature and Salinity) dataset production system was developed to provide near real-time data to the data assimilation system periodically. It collects the latest 15 days' TS data of the north western pacific area (20°N - 55°N, 110°E - 150°E), applies QC tests to the archived data and supplies them to numerical prediction models of KIOST (Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology). The latest real-time TS data are collected from Argo GDAC and GTSPP data server every week. Argo data are downloaded from /latest_data directory of Argo GDAC. Because many duplicated data exist when all profile data are extracted from all Argo netCDF files, DB system is used to avoid duplication. All metadata (float ID, location, observation date and time, etc) of all Argo floats is stored into Database system and a Matlab program was developed to manipulate DB data, to check the duplication and to exclude duplicated data. GTSPP data are downloaded from /realtime directory of GTSPP data service. The latest data except ARGO data are extracted from the original data. Another Matlab program was coded to inspect all collected data using 10 QC tests and produce final dataset which can be used by the assimilation system. Three regional range tests to inspect annual, seasonal and monthly variations are included in the QC procedures. The C program was developed to provide regional ranges to data managers. It can calculate upper limit and lower limit of temperature and salinity at depth from 0 to 1550m. The final TS dataset contains the latest 15 days' TS data in netCDF format. It is updated every week and transmitted to numerical modeler of KIOST for operational use.

Survey on the life cycle system of a product with shared information; Joho kyoyugata product life cycle system ni kansuru chosa hokokusho

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-03-01

This report provides and proposes new concept and optimization technology on the life cycle system of product for emission minimum. For the proposed life cycle system of product with shared information, the global emission minimum is realized by considering the final emission, the information is given to the product and shared in all the life cycle system, the information sending function is considered from the product, and the information necessary for material processing are actively used. For this life cycle system of product, development of the information model for the system, development of the technology of data saving, renewing, searching and sending, development of sensing and re-using technologies of the product for life cycle, development of the technology attaching information in the product for emission minimum, design of the guidelines of material composition, and research and development of materials for emission minimum are extracted and provided as tasks. 26 refs., 69 figs., 8 tabs.

Experimental study of the use of refrigeration systems as cooling and heating systems in the production process of the VCO

Science.gov (United States)

Mulawarman, AANB; Arsana, M. E.; Temaja, I. W.; Sukadana, IBP

2018-01-01

Coconut oil extracted from the coconut milk obtained from fresh coconuts s often called virgin coconut oil (VCO). VCO is beneficial to health as an anti-oxidant and can lower HDL cholesterol in the blood while increasing blood LDL levels. In Indonesia most of VCO being produced on a small scale of home industries. Its production capacity still needs to be increased by improving production processes and implementing an appropriate technology accordingly. This research aims to conduct a study on making small-scale production machinery needed to produce VCO with reduced production time and improved quality of VCO in accordance with ISO 7381 quality criteria. The experimental results of the VCO machine has been develop and tested show good Coefficient of Performance of the system in amount of 3.93 and 2.8 for heating and cooling system respectively. Temperature of the VCO cooling chamber can be maintained in the range of 8°C to 10°C, as well as for heating, the reactor temperature can be maintained from 39°C to 42°C. The expected goal of this research developing a prototype of VCO production machine was done with ability to provide more efficient production process able to increase volume of VCO result by 23%.

Towards unification of product and enterprise system descriptions

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Erasmus, J

2015-06-01

Full Text Available are utilised by enterprises and some product systems contain entire businesses, such as the operating and maintenance business of a power station. Thus, products are part of enterprises, but enterprises may also be part of product systems. To enable the design...

Linking environment-productivity trade-offs and correlated uncertainties: Greenhouse gas emissions and crop productivity in paddy rice production systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hayashi, Kiyotada; Nagumo, Yoshifumi; Domoto, Akiko

2016-01-01

In comparative life cycle assessments of agricultural production systems, analyses of both the trade-offs between environmental impacts and crop productivity and of the uncertainties specific to agriculture such as fluctuations in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and crop yields are crucial. However, these two issues are usually analyzed separately. In this paper, we present a framework to link trade-off and uncertainty analyses; correlated uncertainties are integrated into environment-productivity trade-off analyses. We compared three rice production systems in Japan: a system using a pelletized, nitrogen-concentrated organic fertilizer made from poultry manure using closed-air composting techniques (high-N system), a system using a conventional organic fertilizer made from poultry manure using open-air composting techniques (low-N system), and a system using a chemical compound fertilizer (conventional system). We focused on two important sources of uncertainties in paddy rice cultivation—methane emissions from paddy fields and crop yields. We found trade-offs between the conventional and high-N systems and the low-N system and the existence of positively correlated uncertainties in the conventional and high-N systems. We concluded that our framework is effective in recommending the high-N system compared with the low-N system, although the performance of the former is almost the same as the conventional system. - Highlights: • Correlated uncertainties were integrated into environment-productivity trade-offs. • Life cycle GHG emissions and crop yields were analyzed using field and survey data. • Three rice production systems using chemical or organic fertilizers were compared. • There were portfolio (insurance) effects in matured technologies. • Analysis of trade-offs and correlated uncertainties will be useful for decisions.

Linking environment-productivity trade-offs and correlated uncertainties: Greenhouse gas emissions and crop productivity in paddy rice production systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hayashi, Kiyotada, E-mail: hayashi@affrc.go.jp [Institute for Agro-Environmental Sciences, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, 3-1-3 Kannondai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8604 (Japan); Nagumo, Yoshifumi [Crop Research Center, Niigata Agricultural Research Institute, 857 Nagakura-machi, Nagaoka, Niigata 940-0826 (Japan); Domoto, Akiko [Mie Prefecture Agricultural Research Institute, 530 Kawakita-cho, Ureshino, Matsusaka, Mie 515-2316 (Japan)

2016-11-15

In comparative life cycle assessments of agricultural production systems, analyses of both the trade-offs between environmental impacts and crop productivity and of the uncertainties specific to agriculture such as fluctuations in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and crop yields are crucial. However, these two issues are usually analyzed separately. In this paper, we present a framework to link trade-off and uncertainty analyses; correlated uncertainties are integrated into environment-productivity trade-off analyses. We compared three rice production systems in Japan: a system using a pelletized, nitrogen-concentrated organic fertilizer made from poultry manure using closed-air composting techniques (high-N system), a system using a conventional organic fertilizer made from poultry manure using open-air composting techniques (low-N system), and a system using a chemical compound fertilizer (conventional system). We focused on two important sources of uncertainties in paddy rice cultivation—methane emissions from paddy fields and crop yields. We found trade-offs between the conventional and high-N systems and the low-N system and the existence of positively correlated uncertainties in the conventional and high-N systems. We concluded that our framework is effective in recommending the high-N system compared with the low-N system, although the performance of the former is almost the same as the conventional system. - Highlights: • Correlated uncertainties were integrated into environment-productivity trade-offs. • Life cycle GHG emissions and crop yields were analyzed using field and survey data. • Three rice production systems using chemical or organic fertilizers were compared. • There were portfolio (insurance) effects in matured technologies. • Analysis of trade-offs and correlated uncertainties will be useful for decisions.

Genotype by environment interaction for carcass traits and intramuscular fat content in heavy Iberian pigs fattened in two different free-range systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juan M. García Casco

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Genotype by environment interaction (G×E is a potential source of reduced efficiency in genetic improvement programs in livestock. The objective of the current work consisted of checking the existence of G×E interaction in carcass traits and in intramuscular fat content (IMF in Iberian pigs fattened in two free-range systems. Genetic component and estimated breeding values (EBV of the percentage of hams, shoulders and loins and IMF in loin were obtained from records of 4,348 and 1,818 pigs fattened in campo (C and montanera (M systems, respectively. A multitrait model where the performances of each system are considered as different traits was implemented. Three selection indexes were built with different treatments about the quality trait, two of them based in the optimal trait theory. The Pearson correlation between EBV and indexes and the Spearman correlation between the rankings of progenies of 21 boars fattened in both systems were calculated. Heritability results were different in both systems (h2 range from 0.43 to 0.66 and from 0.24 to 0.33 in C and M system, respectively and genetic correlation of same traits expressed in the two systems also pointed out to a weak G×E interaction (0.64, 0.67 and 0.66 in hams, shoulders and IMF, respectively. Pearson and Spearman correlations were always significantly different to 1. The obtained results advised to consider this G×E interaction in the analysis model of a breeding program focused on free range production system and to include IMF in the index selection assuming an optimum range for this quality trait, in order to avoid negative effects of selection for carcass performances.

Linear response theory for long-range interacting systems in quasistationary states.

Science.gov (United States)

Patelli, Aurelio; Gupta, Shamik; Nardini, Cesare; Ruffo, Stefano

2012-02-01

Long-range interacting systems, while relaxing to equilibrium, often get trapped in long-lived quasistationary states which have lifetimes that diverge with the system size. In this work, we address the question of how a long-range system in a quasistationary state (QSS) responds to an external perturbation. We consider a long-range system that evolves under deterministic Hamilton dynamics. The perturbation is taken to couple to the canonical coordinates of the individual constituents. Our study is based on analyzing the Vlasov equation for the single-particle phase-space distribution. The QSS represents a stable stationary solution of the Vlasov equation in the absence of the external perturbation. In the presence of small perturbation, we linearize the perturbed Vlasov equation about the QSS to obtain a formal expression for the response observed in a single-particle dynamical quantity. For a QSS that is homogeneous in the coordinate, we obtain an explicit formula for the response. We apply our analysis to a paradigmatic model, the Hamiltonian mean-field model, which involves particles moving on a circle under Hamiltonian dynamics. Our prediction for the response of three representative QSSs in this model (the water-bag QSS, the Fermi-Dirac QSS, and the Gaussian QSS) is found to be in good agreement with N-particle simulations for large N. We also show the long-time relaxation of the water-bag QSS to the Boltzmann-Gibbs equilibrium state. © 2012 American Physical Society

26 CFR 1.167(l)-4 - Public utility property; election to use asset depreciation range system.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... depreciation range system. 1.167(l)-4 Section 1.167(l)-4 Internal Revenue INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, DEPARTMENT... Individuals and Corporations § 1.167(l)-4 Public utility property; election to use asset depreciation range system. (a) Application of section 167(l) to certain property subject to asset depreciation range system...

Ventilation system for 99Mo production apparatus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Izumo, Mishiroku; Okane, Shougo; Sorita, Takami; Aoyama, Saburou

1978-04-01

In production of 20 Ci 99 Mo from 235 U fission, about 120 Ci of radioiodine ( 131 I, 132 I, and 133 I) is involved. To remove airborne radioiodine from the exhaust air from production apparatus and minimize radioiodine release to the atmosphere, the ventilation system is equipped with 2 units of Model-FD charcoal filter (KI 3 -Impregnated charcoal 2 inch thick of Barnebey-Cheney Co.). From September 1976 to December 1977, 21 runs of 99 Mo production involving airborne radioiodine were carried out. The ventilation system was operated continuously for the whole 15 months period; variation in removal efficiency of airborne radioiodine from the exhaust air stream was observed. In the runs valuable experiences were gained in operation and maintenance of the ventilation system including activated charcoal filter and health-physics management of such facility. Following are the results: (1) Airborne radioiodine from 99 Mo production apparatus is reduced to 10 -3 % of the original quantity. (2) When the ventilation system is operated at a maximum air flow rate through the filter, the average efficiency during 15 months is over 98%. (3) Airborne radioiodine released from 99 Mo production apparatus to the ventilation system is less than 5% particulate iodine and alkyl iodines and more than 95% inorganic iodine. (4) Airborne radioiodine released from the stack is less than 28 μCi/run, which is below the limit in regulations on Radioisotope Production Laboratory. (auth.)

Expected energy production evaluation for photovoltaic systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ding, Yi; Østergaard, Jacob; Peng, Wang

2011-01-01

A photovoltaic (PV) system consists of many solar panels, which are connected in series, parallel or a combination of both. Energy production for the PV system with various configurations is different. In this paper, a methodology is developed to evaluate and analyze the expected energy production...

Productivity changes in OECD healthcare systems: bias-corrected Malmquist productivity approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Younhee; Oh, Dong-Hyun; Kang, Minah

2016-10-01

This study evaluates productivity changes in the healthcare systems of 30 Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries over the 2002-2012 periods. The bootstrapped Malmquist approach is used to estimate bias-corrected indices of healthcare performance in productivity, efficiency and technology by modifying the original distance functions. Two inputs (health expenditure and school life expectancy) and two outputs (life expectancy at birth and infant mortality rate) are used to calculate productivity growth. There are no perceptible trends in productivity changes over the 2002-2012 periods, but positive productivity improvement has been noticed for most OECD countries. The result also informs considerable variations in annual productivity scores across the countries. Average annual productivity growth is evenly yielded by efficiency and technical changes, but both changes run somewhat differently across the years. The results of this study assert that policy reforms in OECD countries have improved productivity growth in healthcare systems over the past decade. Countries that lag behind in productivity growth should benchmark peer countries' practices to increase performance by prioritizing an achievable trajectory based on socioeconomic conditions. For example, relatively inefficient countries in this study indicate higher income inequality, corresponding to inequality and health outcomes studies. Although income inequality and globalization are not direct measures to estimate healthcare productivity in this study, these issues could be latent factors to explain cross-country healthcare productivity for future research. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

PLM system support for modular product development

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bruun, Hans Peter Lomholt; Mortensen, Niels Henrik; Harlou, Ulf

2015-01-01

A modular design strategy both enables, but also demands, parallelism in design activities and collaboration between a diversity of disciplines in companies, which often involves supporting computer-based tools for enhancing interaction, design management, and communication. Product data management...... (PDM) and product lifecycle management (PLM) systems offer support by automating and managing some of the operational complexity of modular design activities. PLM system tools are used for handling a variety of product definitions, to manage workflow of development activities, and to measure relational...... properties such as cost and performance. Companies often use a PLM tool for management of CAD files, documents, and drawings, but they do not take advantage of the full potential of the PLM system to support the development activities of modular product designs. The key result of this paper...

Analysis and solution of spike current of intermediate range for nuclear instrumentation system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Xingqiang; Xiao Yu; Xue Bin; Wang Yinli

2015-01-01

During the initial start-up of HYH NPP unit 1, spike currents occurred in intermediate range channel of RPN system and reactor trip was triggered. After analyzing the operation principle of intermediate range channel and site inspection, and doing simulating test, the root cause was fixed on the bug of range switching of intermediate range channel. Then a solution based on parameters optimizing was made and executed on site. (authors)

Prediction of critical transport velocity for preventing sand deposition in gas-oil multiphase production and well systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bello, O.O.; Reinicke, K.M. [Technische Univ. Clausthal, Clausthal-Zellerfeld (Germany). Inst. of Petroleum Engineering; Teodoriu, C. [Texas A and M Univ., College Station, TX (United States). Dept. of Petroleum Engineering

2008-10-23

The critical transport velocity is one of the key parameters for gas-oil-sand multiphase production and well system design and safe operation. Existing American Petroleum Institute Recommended Practice 14E (API RP 14E) for the sizing of multiphase flow systems suggests an equation to calculate threshold transport velocity. This equation only considers mixture density and does not account for factors such as fluid properties, gas-liquid flow patterns, sand loading, sand particle size, size distributions, shape factor and density. This work presents an improved computational methodology, which can be applied to estimate the critical transport velocity required to ensure efficient performance of gas-oil-sand multiphase production and well systems. The improved method is based on the modelling of three-phase gas-oil-sand pipe flow physics from first principle. Computations of the critical transport velocities show reasonable agreement with values calculated from mechanistic model (Danielson, 2007) for a relatively wide range of design and operating conditions. Compared with the mechanistic model (Danielson, 2007), the present method has no imposed limitations to the range of applicability. It is also takes into adequate account the effects of operating pressure, flow geometry, sand particle size, size distribution and shape factor, which have considerable influence on the critical transport velocity in gas-oil-sand multiphase production and well systems. (orig.)

Maximising methane production in stressed fermentation systems for swine production units

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hill, D T

1984-01-01

For economic reasons, digestion systems must be designed to allow the most compact plant. This forces heavy organic loading and relatively short detention times. Consequently, the digestion system is operating in the region approaching instability. An investigation into the effects on methane productivity of the method used to load anaerobic digesters has shown that when operating in regions approaching stress the method of loading plays a major role in maximising energy output. Since the digestion system is designed for steady-state loading, while the actual operating conditions are dynamic, the loading of the system actually varies greatly and is never at steady state. In loading the digestion system, two methods are available. Either Volatile Solids (VS) loading concentration will vary and loading volume remain constant or loading volume will vary and VS loading concentration remain constant. The choice of which operational method is used in a digestion system already operating under heavy loading greatly affects methane productivity. The internal energy usage of the plant also is affected. Results indicate that gross methane production is approximately 33% higher and VS reduction is increased by 28% for the fermentation plant operating with a varying detention time when compared to operating the same plant with a varying loading concentration. (Refs. 14).

Long range correlation in Higgs boson plus two jets production at the LHC

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sun, Peng [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Nuclear Science Division; Yuan, C. -P. [Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI (United States). Dept. of Physics and Astronomy; Yuan, Feng [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Nuclear Science Division

2016-09-09

Here, we study Higgs boson plus two high energy jets production at the LHC in the kinematics where the two jets are well separated in rapidity. The partonic processes are dominated by the t-channel weak boson fusion (WBF) and gluon fusion (GF) contributions. We derive the associated QCD resummation formalism for the correlation analysis where the total transverse momentum q⊥ of the Higgs boson and two jets is small. Because of different color structures, the resummation results lead to distinguished behaviors: the WBF contribution peaks at relative low q⊥ while all GF channel contributions are strongly de-correlated and spread to a much wider q⊥ range. Furthermore, by applying a kinematic cut on q⊥, one can effectively increase the WBF signal to the GF background by a significant factor. This, then strengthens the ability to investigate the WBF channel in Higgs boson production and study the couplings of Higgs to electroweak bosons.

Productivity and parasitic infections of pigs kept under different management systems by smallholder farmers in Mbeya and Mbozi districts, Tanzania.

Science.gov (United States)

Lipendele, Calvin Paul; Lekule, Faustine Paul; Mushi, Daniel Elias; Ngowi, Helena; Kimbi, Eliakunda Casmir; Mejer, Helena; Thamsborg, Stig Milan; Johansen, Maria Vang

2015-08-01

An on farm experiment was carried out to assess the effects of production systems on the performance of local pigs kept by smallholder farmers. Six villages from Mbeya and Mbozi districts, Tanzania were purposely selected based on the prominent pig production systems: free range, semi-confinement and total confinement. Fifteen pig keeping households were randomly selected from each village to participate in the study. A participatory rural appraisal and structured questionnaire were used for collecting information from the households on pig production and reproduction performance. In addition, a total of 180 weaner pigs, 2-3 months old, were purchased and randomly allocated to the 90 participating households. The pigs were subjected to three production systems: free range (M1), confinement with local diet (M2) and confinement with a compounded diet and anthelmintic treatment (M3). The anthelmintic treatment (piperazine citrate) was administered at 1 g per kg body weight. Faecal and blood samples were collected at month three of the experiment to assess the burden of intestinal helminths and sero-prevalence of Taenia solium cysticercosis, respectively. Sows kept under free range system were reported to have smaller litter size both at farrowing and at weaning compared to those kept under confinement. The experiment showed pigs under M3 had higher (P pigs in M2 (73 g/day) and M1 (68 g/day). In addition, pigs in M3 had higher body length and heart girth size with the feed to gain ratio of 8.5. Free range pigs tended to have lower faecal egg counts for most worm species compared to permanently confined pigs. Sero-prevalence of Taenia solium cysticercosis was 26%, with village prevalence ranging from 8 to 52%. Although pigs kept in M3 performed better than the rest, the compounded feed was too expensive for the farmers to afford. Locally available feed types combined with vitamin and mineral supplements may be a more sustainable option.

Customized Pull Systems for Single-Product Flow Lines

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gaury, E.G.A.; Kleijnen, J.P.C.; Pierreval, H.

1998-01-01

Traditionally pull production systems are managed through classic control systems such as Kanban, Conwip, or Base stock, but this paper proposes ‘customized’ pull control. Customization means that a given production line is managed through a pull control system that in principle connects each stage

Importance of silvopastoral systems on caloric stress reduction in tropical livestock productions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexander Navas Panadero

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Livestock systems in Colombia have been developed taking concepts and technologies from the green revolution, where gramineous monocrop is privileged over arboreal cover in grazing lands. This model has not taken into account the climatic conditions of the different tropical ecosystems, in which variables as temperature, relative humidity and evaporation can limit the animal´s productive and reproductive efficiency, besides being a risk factor for illness occurrence in the herd. Bos Taurus and Bos Indicus breeds show termoneutral ranges where its genetic potential can be express. However, out of this comfort area animals can enter in caloric stress which in consequence reduces its performance and sometimes can end up causing death. Silvopastoral systems comprise several functions; it contributes to lessen caloric stress since temperature under the tree canopy can reach between 2 and 9°C lower in comparison to open pastures. Differences in temperature reduction have been found among silvopastoral systems and species, being the tree group arrangements and the species with high density canopy, those with superior effect. Interactions among components should be analyzed in order to design systems that incorporate enough arboreal cover to achieve caloric stress reductions, but without affecting forage production in pastures. Silvopastoral systems contribute to improve animal welfare.

Development of a Locomotion Interface for Portable Virtual Environment Systems Using an Inertial/Magnetic Sensor-Based System and a Ranging Measurement System

Science.gov (United States)

2014-03-01

is no obstacle within the maximum sensing range of the system, the max range value will be represented. The filled circle represents the user...dimensional 3D three-dimensional AHRS attitude heading reference system API application programming interface CAVE cave automatic virtual...such as doors, windows, and furniture ) contained in this environment. The form and structure of a virtual environment entirely depends on the purpose

Using embedded design structures to unravel a complex decision in a product development system

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

McKay, Alison; Sammonds, George; Ahmed-Kristensen, Saeema

2017-01-01

because of ambiguity in available design definitions. This paper reports research that investigated the role of complex decision making in a quality incident that occurred in the development of a complex product system. A case study approach with document analysis and semi-structured interviews was used....... Data were analysed using lenses from both social sciences and engineering design. In this paper, we report the use of embedded design structures to gain insights into the downstream consequences of design decisions. Results indicate that embedded product, process and supply network structures have......Early design decisions have an impact on downstream product development processes. Poor decisions can reduce efficiency and effectiveness, and have a detrimental effect on product quality, delivery time, and cost. However, the range of tools suitable for use in early design is limited, in part...

A system dynamics model to determine products mix

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mahtab Hajghasem

2014-02-01

Full Text Available This paper presents an implementation of system dynamics model to determine appropriate product mix by considering various factors such as labor, materials, overhead, etc. for an Iranian producer of cosmetic and sanitary products. The proposed model of this paper considers three hypotheses including the relationship between product mix and profitability, optimum production capacity and having minimum amount of storage to take advantage of low cost production. The implementation of system dynamics on VENSIM software package has confirmed all three hypotheses of the survey and suggested that in order to reach better mix product, it is necessary to reach optimum production planning, take advantage of all available production capacities and use inventory management techniques.

Expert system for estimating LWR plutonium production

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sandquist, G.M.

1988-01-01

An Artificial Intelligence-Expert System called APES (Analysis of Proliferation by Expert System) has been developed and tested to permit a non proliferation expert to evaluate the capability and capacity of a specified LWR reactor and PUREX reprocessing system for producing and separating plutonium even when system information may be limited and uncertain. APES employs an expert system coded in LISP and based upon an HP-RL (Hewlett Packard-Representational Language) Expert System Shell. The user I/O interface communicates with a blackboard and the knowledge base which contains the quantitative models required to describe the reactor, selected fission product production and radioactive decay processes, Purex reprocessing and ancillary knowledge

Prevalence and sources of Campylobacter spp. contamination in free-range broiler production in the southern part of Belgium

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vandeplas, S.

2010-01-01

Full Text Available A one year epidemiological study was carried out between February 2005 and February 2006 in the southern part of Belgium to assess the Campylobacter prevalence in free-range broiler production. Three successive broiler flocks from six Belgian farms were investigated for the presence of Campylobacter spp. during the rearing period. Each flock was visited four times, before and after the outdoor rearing period. During each visit, samples were taken in the broiler house (litter, cecal droppings, water-lines, feed, anteroom as well as from the outer rearing environment (open-air range. The Campylobacter detection in all samples was carried out according to the ISO 10272 standard. Identification was based on colonial morphology, microscopic examination, and biochemical tests. PCR multiplex was used for genetic confirmation. Campylobacter jejuni was the main species isolated from all contaminated samples. Overall, mixed infections C. jejuni / Campylobacter coli represented 40.6%, while C. jejuni and C. coli represented 46.9% and 12.5% of chicken samples respectively. A 100% flock contamination was observed in the 6 farms during the summer-autumn period, whereas only 66.7% and 33.3% of the flocks became Campylobacter-positive in spring and winter respectively, at the end of the rearing period. Half of contaminated flocks were infected before chickens have access to the open-air range. Environmental samples, especially the open-air range soil, were found to be Campylobacter-positive before flock infection. The other potential sources of contamination were delivery tray, anteroom floor and water-lines. Other animal productions like cattle on the farm, no applied rodent control, no cleaning and disinfection of water-lines between flocks, no detergent used for cleaning and thinning were recorded as risk factors. In conclusion, the contact with the environment, particularly the access to an open-air range, appeared to be the major way of Campylobacter

MILK PRODUCTION IN INTEGRATED SYSTEMS: REVIEW

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. A. Z. Biavatti

2014-09-01

Full Text Available The pasture degradation and thermic stress are in economic trouble for milk producers. The use of silvopastoral system (SSP is an important tool to minimize this loss, since it combines the production and conservation of natural resources, furthermore, provides the producer the potential to diversify the source of income of rural property, it is possible sale or own use of the products generated by the trees as timber, firewood and fruit. With the implementation of the SSP is possible to attenuate the effects of high temperatures caused by direct solar incidence on the animals, providing an ideal thermal comfort zone, resulting in increased production, it will expend less energy so that the animals are able to be as close as possible the necessary thermal comfort. Besides, with the adoption of this system, occurs a minor pasture degradation by promoting the formation of a microclimate favoring their establishment and maintenance, in addition to stabilizing soils, unpacked action of roots and preventing erosion. The purpose of this work was study the main aspects that affect the production of milk, proposing the use of integrated systems to minimize losses from thermal stress and degradation of pastures.

Toyota production system - one example to shipbuilding industry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Delmo Alves de Moura

2017-09-01

Full Text Available The shipbuilding system can use the techniques used in the Toyota Production System as an example for its production process. Production should be lean, minimize defects, stop production and reduce or eliminate inventories. Lean production is regarded by many as simply an enhancement of mass production methods, whereas agility implies breaking out of the mass production mould and producing much more highly customized products - where the customer wants them in any quantity. In a product line context, it amounts to striving for economies of scope, rather than economies of scale ideally serving ever smaller niche markets, even quantities of one, without the high cost traditionally associated with customization. A lean company may be thought of as a very productive and cost efficient producer of goods or services.

Automated information system for analysis and prediction of production situations in blast furnace plant

Science.gov (United States)

Lavrov, V. V.; Spirin, N. A.

2016-09-01

Advances in modern science and technology are inherently connected with the development, implementation, and widespread use of computer systems based on mathematical modeling. Algorithms and computer systems are gaining practical significance solving a range of process tasks in metallurgy of MES-level (Manufacturing Execution Systems - systems controlling industrial process) of modern automated information systems at the largest iron and steel enterprises in Russia. This fact determines the necessity to develop information-modeling systems based on mathematical models that will take into account the physics of the process, the basics of heat and mass exchange, the laws of energy conservation, and also the peculiarities of the impact of technological and standard characteristics of raw materials on the manufacturing process data. Special attention in this set of operations for metallurgic production is devoted to blast-furnace production, as it consumes the greatest amount of energy, up to 50% of the fuel used in ferrous metallurgy. The paper deals with the requirements, structure and architecture of BF Process Engineer's Automated Workstation (AWS), a computer decision support system of MES Level implemented in the ICS of the Blast Furnace Plant at Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel Works. It presents a brief description of main model subsystems as well as assumptions made in the process of mathematical modelling. Application of the developed system allows the engineering and process staff to analyze online production situations in the blast furnace plant, to solve a number of process tasks related to control of heat, gas dynamics and slag conditions of blast-furnace smelting as well as to calculate the optimal composition of blast-furnace slag, which eventually results in increasing technical and economic performance of blast-furnace production.

Increasing productivity by matching farming system management and genotype in water-limited environments.

Science.gov (United States)

Kirkegaard, J A; Hunt, J R

2010-10-01

Improvements in water productivity and yield arise from interactions between varieties (G) and their management (M). Most G×M interactions considered by breeders and physiologists focus on in-crop management (e.g. sowing time, plant density, N management). However, opportunities exist to capture more water and use it more effectively that involve judicious management of prior crops and fallows (e.g. crop sequence, weed control, residue management). The dry-land wheat production system of southern Australia, augmented by simulation studies, is used to demonstrate the relative impacts and interactions of a range of pre-crop and in-crop management decisions on water productivity. A specific case study reveals how a novel genetic trait, long coleoptiles that enable deeper sowing, can interact with different management options to increase the water-limited yield of wheat from 1.6 t ha(-1) to 4.5 t ha(-1), reflecting the experience of leading growers. Understanding such interactions will be necessary to capture benefits from new varieties within the farming systems of the future.

Impact of product platforms on lean production systems : evidence from industrial machinery manufacturing

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Alblas, A.A.; Wortmann, J.C.

2012-01-01

The present study describes the effects of product platform changes on lean production systems. Current research into product platforms focuses mostly on the development stage. However, although the initial development of platforms is an important issue, product platforms often evolve during later

Production components and yield of bushing snap bean in conventional and organic production systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guilherme Renato Gomes

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Production systems influence crops differently, mainly in terms of yield. However, there are few studies that have evaluated different bushing snap bean genotypes in different systems. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the production components and yield of bushing snap beans in conventional and organic production systems. The experimental design was a randomized complete block, in a factorial 6 × 2 arrangement, corresponding to six genotypes and two production systems, with three replications. The genotypes Isla Manteiga Baixo®, Isla Macarrão Baixo®, Feltrin Vicenza Amarelo Baixo®, and Feltrin Macarrão Napoli®, UEL 1, and UEL 2 were submitted to the following determinations: days to flowering; plant height; medium number of pods per plant; average pod mass, length, and diameter; and yield of commercial pods. A joint analysis of variance was conducted by applying the F test, with mean comparison performed using the Tukey’s test (p < 0.05. Anthesis of the genotypes Feltrin Vicenza Amarelo Baixo, UEL 2, Isla Macarrão Baixo, and Feltrin Macarrão Napoli is anticipated in the conventional production system. The genotype UEL 2 shows higher precocity in anthesis within the conventional system. The genotypes Isla Manteiga Baixo and UEL 1 produce more pods per plant in the conventional system. In the organic system, the genotype Feltrin Macarrão Napoli produces double the number of pods per plant compared with Isla Manteiga Baixo. The organic system leads to greater plant height and average mass, length, and diameter of pods in relation to the conventional system. The commercial pod yield of bushing snap bean is not altered by differences in the production system or genotype.

Global versus local environmental impacts of grazing and confined beef production systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Modernel, P; Astigarraga, L; Picasso, V

2013-01-01

Carbon footprint is a key indicator of the contribution of food production to climate change and its importance is increasing worldwide. Although it has been used as a sustainability index for assessing production systems, it does not take into account many other biophysical environmental dimensions more relevant at the local scale, such as soil erosion, nutrient imbalance, and pesticide contamination. We estimated carbon footprint, fossil fuel energy use, soil erosion, nutrient imbalance, and risk of pesticide contamination for five real beef background-finishing systems with increasing levels of intensification in Uruguay, which were combinations of grazing rangelands (RL), seeded pastures (SP), and confined in feedlot (FL). Carbon footprint decreased from 16.7 (RL–RL) to 6.9 kg (SP–FL) CO 2 eq kg body weight −1 (BW; ‘eq’: equivalent). Energy use was zero for RL–RL and increased up to 17.3 MJ kg BW −1 for SP–FL. Soil erosion values varied from 7.7 (RL–RL) to 14.8 kg of soil kg BW −1 (SP–FL). Nitrogen and phosphorus nutrient balances showed surpluses for systems with seeded pastures and feedlots while RL–RL was deficient. Pesticide contamination risk was zero for RL–RL, and increased up to 21.2 for SP–FL. For the range of systems studied with increasing use of inputs, trade-offs were observed between global and local environmental problems. These results demonstrate that several indicators are needed to evaluate the sustainability of livestock production systems. (letter)

Application of preference selection index method for decision making over the design stage of production system life cycle

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rajesh Attri

2015-07-01

Full Text Available The life cycle of production system shows the progress of production system from the inception to the termination of the system. During each stage, mainly in the design stage, certain strategic decisions have to be taken. These decisions are more complex as the decision makers have to assess a wide range of alternatives based on a set of conflicting criteria. As the decision making process is found to be unstructured, characterized by domain dependent knowledge, there is a need to apply an efficient multi-criteria decision making (MCDM tool to help the decision makers in making correct decisions. This paper explores the application of a novel MCDM method i.e. Preference selection index (PSI method to solve various decision-making problems that are generally encountered in the design stage of production system life cycle. To prove the potentiality, applicability and accuracy of PSI method in solving decision making problem during the design stage of production system life cycle, five examples are cited from the literature and are compared with the results obtained by the past researchers.

Marine: a new wide range neutron monitoring system concept

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Trama, J.C.; Lescop, B.; Lefevre, J.; Nguyen, T.; Sudres, C. [CEA Saclay, 91 - Gif sur Yvette (France). Dept. d' Electronique et d' Instrumentation Nucleaire; Pasdeloup, P. [Technicatome, 13 - Les Milles (France)

2001-07-01

In a Nuclear Power Plant, the developed power is proportional to the emitted neutron flux. The 10 to 11 decades measurement range from source to power generally needs 3 distinct neutron measurement chains to be monitored. A wide range neutron monitoring system may cover this range with only one sensor followed by adequate electronics. In the past this concept has been developed with an analogue technology which was presenting some drawbacks (slow log amplifier, components perenniality). In this paper, we introduce a completely new design, that makes use of a recent technology, including full linear input electronics, and advanced digital signal processing. As far as the sensor is concerned, both a well known commercial fission chamber, or an innovative wide range sensor presenting a high sensitivity may be used. The basic concept is that the single signal is continuously processed by three different electronic stages, each one being dedicated to approximately one third of the full range: pulse, Campbelling and current modes. After amplification, appropriate shaping, this signal is numerically filtered by a Kalman filter algorithm to compute the neutron flux as well as the reactor period. A specifically developed test module allows the surveillance of the sensor and the electronics via stimuli injections and characteristic curves plotting. A computerised simulation of the whole chain is used to validate the signal processing algorithms evolutions. In the paper we will specifically develop the metrological performances of this chain and the general agreement that exists between simulated and measured values. (authors)

The integrated control of production-inventory systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nyen, van P.L.M.

2005-01-01

In this thesis, we investigate a multi-product, multi-machine production-inventory (PI) system that is characterized by: ?? relatively high and stable demand; ?? uncertainty in the precise timing of demand; ?? variability in the production process; ?? job shop routings; ?? considerable setup times

Soil carbon sequestration in rainfed production systems in the semiarid tropics of India.

Science.gov (United States)

Srinivasarao, Ch; Lal, Rattan; Kundu, Sumanta; Babu, M B B Prasad; Venkateswarlu, B; Singh, Anil Kumar

2014-07-15

Severe soil organic carbon (SOC) depletion is a major constraint in rainfed agroecosystems in India because it directly influences soil quality, crop productivity and sustainability. The magnitude of soil organic, inorganic and total carbon stocks in the semi-arid bioclimate is estimated at 2.9, 1.9 and 4.8 Pg respectively. Sorghum, finger millet, pearl millet, maize, rice, groundnut, soybean, cotton, food legumes etc. are predominant crop production systems with a little, if any, recycling of organic matter. Data from the long term experiments on major rainfed production systems in India show that higher amount of crop residue C input (Mg/ha/y) return back to soil in soybean-safflower (3.37) system practiced in Vertisol region of central India. Long term addition of chemical fertilizer and organic amendments improved the SOC stock. For every Mg/ha increase in SOC stock in the root zone, there occurs an increase in grain yield (kg/ha) of 13, 101, 90, 170, 145, 18 and 160 for groundnut, finger millet, sorghum, pearl millet, soybean and rice, respectively. Long-term cropping without using any organic amendment and/or mineral fertilizers can severely deplete the SOC stock which is the highest in groundnut-finger millet system (0.92 Mg C/ha/y) in Alfisols. Some agroforestry systems also have a huge potential of C sequestration to the extent of 10Mg/ha/y in short rotation eucalyptus and Leucaena plantations. The critical level of C input requirements for maintaining SOC at the antecedent level ranges from 1.1 to 3.5 Mg C/ha/y and differs among soil type and production systems. National level policy interventions needed to promote sustainable use of soil and water resources include prohibiting residue burning, reducing deforestation, promoting integrated farming systems and facilitating payments for ecosystem services. A wide spread adoption of these measures can improve soil quality through increase in SOC sequestration and improvement in agronomic productivity of

Independence and Product Systems

OpenAIRE

Skeide, Michael

2003-01-01

Starting from elementary considerations about independence and Markov processes in classical probability we arrive at the new concept of conditional monotone independence (or operator-valued monotone independence). With the help of product systems of Hilbert modules we show that monotone conditional independence arises naturally in dilation theory.

Evaluation of pig production practices, constraints and opportunities for improvement in smallholder production systems in Kenya.

Science.gov (United States)

Mbuthia, Jackson Mwenda; Rewe, Thomas Odiwuor; Kahi, Alexander Kigunzu

2015-02-01

This study evaluated pig production practices by smallholder farmers in two distinct production systems geared towards addressing their constraints and prospects for improvement. The production systems evaluated were semi-intensive and extensive and differed in remoteness, market access, resource availability and pig production intensity. Data were collected using structured questionnaires where a total of 102 pig farmers were interviewed. Qualitative and quantitative research methods were employed to define the socioeconomic characteristics of the production systems, understanding the different roles that pigs play, marketing systems and constraints to production. In both systems, regular cash income and insurance against emergencies were ranked as the main reasons for rearing pigs. Marketing of pigs was mainly driven by the type of production operation. Finances, feeds and housing were identified as the major constraints to production. The study provides important parameters and identifies constraints important for consideration in design of sustainable production improvement strategies. Feeding challenges can be improved through understanding the composition and proper utilization of local feed resources. Provision of adequate housing would improve the stocking rates and control mating.

NOAA Soil Moisture Products System (SMOPS) Daily Blended Products

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The Soil Moisture Operational Products System (SMOPS) combines soil moisture retrievals from multiple satellite sensors to provide a global soil moisture map with...

HiRes camera and LIDAR ranging system for the Clementine mission

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ledebuhr, A.G.; Kordas, J.F.; Lewis, I.T. [and others

1995-04-01

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory developed a space-qualified High Resolution (HiRes) imaging LIDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) system for use on the DoD Clementine mission. The Clementine mission provided more than 1.7 million images of the moon, earth, and stars, including the first ever complete systematic surface mapping of the moon from the ultra-violet to near-infrared spectral regions. This article describes the Clementine HiRes/LIDAR system, discusses design goals and preliminary estimates of on-orbit performance, and summarizes lessons learned in building and using the sensor. The LIDAR receiver system consists of a High Resolution (HiRes) imaging channel which incorporates an intensified multi-spectral visible camera combined with a Laser ranging channel which uses an avalanche photo-diode for laser pulse detection and timing. The receiver was bore sighted to a light-weight McDonnell-Douglas diode-pumped ND:YAG laser transmitter that emmitted 1.06 {micro}m wavelength pulses of 200 mJ/pulse and 10 ns pulse-width, The LIDAR receiver uses a common F/9.5 Cassegrain telescope assembly. The optical path of the telescope is split using a color-separating beamsplitter. The imaging channel incorporates a filter wheel assembly which spectrally selects the light which is imaged onto a custom 12 mm gated image intensifier fiber-optically-coupled into a 384 x 276 pixel frame transfer CCD FPA. The image intensifier was spectrally sensitive over the 0.4 to 0.8 {micro}m wavelength region. The six-position filter wheel contained 4 narrow spectral filters, one broadband and one blocking filter. At periselene (400 km) the HiRes/LIDAR imaged a 2.8 km swath width at 20-meter resolution. The LIDAR function detected differential signal return with a 40-meter range accuracy, with a maximum range capability of 640 km, limited by the bit counter in the range return counting clock.

The spatial ecology of free-ranging domestic pigs (Sus scrofa) in western Kenya.

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, Lian F; de Glanville, William A; Cook, Elizabeth A; Fèvre, Eric M

2013-03-07

In many parts of the developing world, pigs are kept under low-input systems where they roam freely to scavenge food. These systems allow poor farmers the opportunity to enter into livestock keeping without large capital investments. This, combined with a growing demand for pork, especially in urban areas, has led to an increase in the number of small-holder farmers keeping free range pigs as a commercial enterprise. Despite the benefits which pig production can bring to a household, keeping pigs under a free range system increases the risk of the pig acquiring diseases, either production-limiting or zoonotic in nature. This study used Global Positioning System (GPS) technology to track free range domestic pigs in rural western Kenya, in order to understand their movement patterns and interactions with elements of the peri-domestic environment. We found that these pigs travel an average of 4,340 m in a 12 hr period and had a mean home range of 10,343 m(2) (range 2,937-32,759 m(2)) within which the core utilisation distribution was found to be 964 m(2) (range 246-3,289 m(2)) with pigs spending on average 47% of their time outside their homestead of origin. These are the first data available on the home range of domestic pigs kept under a free range system: the data show that pigs in these systems spend much of their time scavenging outside their homesteads, suggesting that these pigs may be exposed to infectious agents over a wide area. Control policies for diseases such as Taenia solium, Trypanosomiasis, Trichinellosis, Toxoplasmosis or African Swine Fever therefore require a community-wide focus and pig farmers require education on the inherent risks of keeping pigs under a free range system. The work presented here will enable future research to incorporate movement data into studies of disease transmission, for example for the understanding of transmission of African Swine Fever between individuals, or in relation to the life-cycle of parasites including Taenia

Long-range order between the planets in the Solar system

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bohr, Jakob; Olsen, Kasper

2010-01-01

The Solar System is investigated for positional correlations between the planets using a logarithmic distance scale. The pair correlation function for the logarithm of the semimajor axis shows a regular distribution with 5-7 consecutive peaks, and the Fourier transform hereof shows reciprocal peaks...... the number of data points is small. The pair correlation function of the permutated planets lacks the sequence of equidistant peaks and its Fourier transform has no second order peak. This analysis demonstrates the existence of longer ranged correlations in the Solar System....

HIGH PRODUCTIVITY VACUUM BLASTING SYSTEM

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McPhee, William S.

1999-01-01

The objective of this project is to improve the productivity and lower the expense of existing vacuum blasting technology. This technology is used to remove radioactive contamination, PCBs, and lead-based paint and provides worker protection by continuously recycling the material and dust for the decontamination tasks. The proposed work would increase the cleaning rate and provide safe and cost-effective decontamination of the DOE sites. This work focuses on redesigning and improving existing vacuum blasting technology including blast head nozzles, ergonomic handling of the blast head by reducing its weight; brush-ring design, vacuum level regulator, efficiency of the dust separator, and operational control sensors. The redesign is expected to enhance the productivity and economy of the vacuum blasting system by at least 50% over current vacuum blasting systems. There are three phases in the project. Phase I consists of developing and testing mathematical models. Phase II consists of pre-prototype design and fabrication and pre-prototype unit testing. Phase III consists of prototype design and field verification testing. In phase I, mathematical models are developed and analyzed for the nozzle, blast head, wind curtain, and dust separator, first as individual devices and then combined as an integrated model. This allows study of respective airflow and design parameters. The Contractor shall, based on the results of the mathematical modeling studies, design experimental models of the components and test these models. In addition, the Contractor shall develop sensors to detect the relationship of the blast head to the blast surfaces and controls to minimize the dependency on an operator's skill and judgment to obtain optimum positioning, as well as real-time characterization sensors to determine as the blast head is moving the depth to which coatings must be removed, thereby improving production and minimizing waste. In phase II, the Contractor shall design and

Production Flexibility in Extensive Beef Farming Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Laura Astigarraga

2011-03-01

Full Text Available The aim of this work is to assess the flexibility of production allowed by extensive production conditions faced with variations in the environment, i.e., market variations and climatic fluctuations, of Limousin beef systems. The study used a case-based methodology in which seven beef farms with less than 1 LU/ha were chosen. Data collection was based on three interviews using a semistructured questionnaire and on the analysis of productive and economic results over a 15-year period (1991-2005. The main evolution of these farms is related to a rise in work productivity associated with an increase in herd size. Herd increase was made possible by enlarging the area, the margin of intensification being limited in these regions. To take advantage of the enlarged land area, females were reared for fattening or for reproduction instead of selling them at weaning. The Limousin female provides a wide product mix because of its plasticity, as has been studied by several researchers. This mix flexibility is achieved by delaying product differentiation, a form of production flexibility that can reduce the risk of under-producing or over-producing varied product configurations. On the other hand, calves sold to the Italian market after weaning are generic products, associated with a flexible production process to overcome fluctuations in forage availability due to climatic variations. The introduction of maize silage for feeding acts as an alternative route, actual and potential, through the system to overcome unexpected forage shortage from natural grasslands as a result of droughts. The study shows that extensive farming systems have developed types of flexibility to match different factors of uncertainty from the environment. Finally, the issue of farm system performance is thus not so much a question of whether a farm is fit at a specific moment in time, but whether it transforms into a less or more sustainable orientation.

Control system developments for a range of kinematically redundant hydraulic manipulators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smith, A.L.; Rice, P.S.; Thiruarooran, C.

2000-01-01

This paper describes a range of control system improvements developed and implemented for in-reactor use during the last three years. Novel control techniques have been developed to provide accurate closed-loop velocity control of pumped hydraulic manipulator joints under a wide range of operating conditions. As a result the supervisory computer system can provide accurate trajectory following, even when more than ten joints are required to move simultaneously. Accurately coordinated motion has given rise to some spectacular gains in in-reactor performance in terms of deployment time, safety and accessibility. The same low-level control improvements have made it feasible to integrate and use the 'geometric controller' to provide accurate resolved motion control of a kinematically redundant manipulator. Examples of recent in-reactor use of all these techniques are given. (author)

Interactive augmented reality system for product design review

Science.gov (United States)

Caruso, Giandomenico; Re, Guido Maria

2010-01-01

The product development process, of industrial products, includes a phase dedicated to the design review that is a crucial phase where various experts cooperate in selecting the optimal product shape. Although computer graphics allows us to create very realistic virtual representations of the products, it is not uncommon that designers decide to build physical mock-ups of their newly conceived products because they need to physically interact with the prototype and also to evaluate the product within a plurality of real contexts. This paper describes the hardware and software development of our Augmented Reality design review system that allows to overcome some issues related to the 3D visualization and to the interaction with the virtual objects. Our system is composed by a Video See Through Head Mounted Display, which allows to improve the 3D visualization by controlling the convergence of the video cameras automatically, and a wireless control system, which allows us to create some metaphors to interact with the virtual objects. During the development of the system, in order to define and tune the algorithms, we have performed some testing sessions. Then, we have performed further tests in order to verify the effectiveness of the system and to collect additional data and comments about usability and ergonomic aspects.

Decision aiding handbooks for managing contaminated food production systems, drinking water and inhabited areas in Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nisbet, A.F.; Brown, J.; Howard, B.J.

2010-01-01

Three handbooks have been developed, in conjunction with a wide range of stakeholders to assist in the management of contaminated food production systems, inhabited areas and drinking water following a radiological incident. The handbooks are aimed at national and local authorities, central...... government departments and agencies, emergency services, radiation protection experts, the agriculture and food production sectors, industry and others who may be affected. The handbooks include management options for application in the different phases of an incident. Sources of contamination considered...

Consumer Intervention Mapping—A Tool for Designing Future Product Strategies within Circular Product Service Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matt Sinclair

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Re-distributed manufacturing presents a number of opportunities and challenges for New Product Development in a future Circular Economy. It has been argued that small-scale, flexible and localised production systems will reduce resource consumption, lower transport emissions and extend product lifetimes. At the same time smart products within the Internet of Things will gather and report data on user behaviour and product status. Many sustainable design tools have previously been developed but few are able to imagine and develop visions of how future sustainable product service systems might be manifested. This paper introduces the concept of Consumer Intervention Mapping as a tool for creating future product strategies. The tool visualises the points within a product’s lifecycle where stakeholders are able to intervene in the product’s expected journey. This perspective enables the rapid construction of scenarios that explore and describe future circular product service systems. Validation of the tool in three workshops is described and the outcomes are presented. Consumer Intervention Mapping is successful in creating scenarios that describe existing product service systems and new product concepts adapted to a Circular Economy paradigm. Further work is required to refine the tool’s performance in more focused and reflective design exercises.

A digitized wide range channel for new instrumentation and control system of PUSPATI TRIGA Reactor (RTP)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zareen Khan Abdul Jalil Khan; Izhar Abu Hussin; Mohd Idris Taib; Nurfarhana Ayuni Joha; Roslan Md Dan

2010-01-01

Wide Range Channel is one of very important part of Reactor Instrumentation and Control system. Current system is using all analog system. The main functions of the new system are to provide Wide-log power and Multi-range linear power. The other functions are to provide Percent power and Power rate of change. The linear power level range is up to 125 % and the log power system to cover from below source level to 150 %. The main function of digital signal processor is for pulse shaping, pulse counting and root mean square signal processing. The system employs automatic on-line self diagnostics and calibration verification. (author)

Prevalence of food production systems in school foodservice.

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Denise M

2005-08-01

What is the prevalence of central kitchens that use either cook-chill or cook-freeze production systems in school foodservice settings? A descriptive study using a 5-minute telephone survey during normal working hours was conducted. Questions were designed to be easily answered with minimal need to reference other documentation. Five hundred forty school foodservice directors, managers, and supervisors working in school districts of all sizes across the United States were randomly sampled from a national commercial directory of school districts for the study. A total of 353 individuals completed the survey representing 49 of 50 states. Means, standard deviations, and percentages were evaluated for all data collected. Descriptive statistics of school district characteristics, prevalence of production systems, food transport systems, inventory methods and equipment used for reheating food are reported. The most frequently reported production system was on-site kitchens (45.3%) followed by combination production systems (40.5%) where a central kitchen delivered to a number of satellite locations in addition to schools with on-site food preparation. Central kitchens without additional on-site kitchens represented 14.2% of this study. Of those school districts using either central kitchens or combination production systems, 78% reported hot-food preparation using hot-food delivery to satellites. Cook-chill or cook-freeze production systems were reported by 22% of respondents. The high proportion of school districts that prepared and delivered foods hot to satellite sites supports continuing efforts to identify food safety practices and issues related to maintaining food quality in schools.

Advanced technologies in the ASI MLRO towards a new generation laser ranging system

Science.gov (United States)

Varghese, Thomas; Bianco, Giuseppe

1994-01-01

Matera Laser Ranging Observatory (MLRO) is a high performance, highly automated optical and astronomical observatory currently under design and development by AlliedSignal for the Italian Space Agency (ASI). It is projected to become operational at the Centro Geodesia Spaziale in Matera, Italy, in 1997. MLRO, based on a 1.5-meter astronomical quality telescope, will perform ranging to spacecraft in earthbound orbits, lunar reflectors, and specially equipped deep space missions. The primary emphasis during design is to incorporate state-of-the-art technologies to produce an intelligent, automated, high accuracy ranging system that will mimic the characteristic features of a fifth generation laser ranging system. The telescope has multiple ports and foci to support future experiments in the areas of laser communications, lidar, astrometry, etc. The key features providing state-of-the-art ranging performance include: a diode-pumped picosecond (50 ps) laser, high speed (3-5 GHz) optoelectronic detection and signal processing, and a high accuracy (6 ps) high resolution (less than 2 ps) time measurement capability. The above combination of technologies is expected to yield millimeter laser ranging precision and accuracy on targets up to 300,000 km, surpassing the best operational instrument performance to date by a factor of five or more. Distributed processing and control using a state-of-the-art computing environment provides the framework for efficient operation, system optimization, and diagnostics. A computationally intelligent environment permits optimal planning, scheduling, tracking, and data processing. It also supports remote access, monitor, and control for joint experiments with other observatories.

Bacterial contamination of eggs and behaviour of poultry flocks in the free range environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Moyle, Talia; Drake, Kelly; Gole, Vaibhav; Chousalkar, Kapil; Hazel, Susan

2016-12-01

The free range production system is becoming more common in Australia and is expected to increase. Free range hens are exposed to more stressors in comparison to hens from barn and cage systems and it is suggested that stress can increase bacterial shedding on eggs. The aims of this study were to examine the level of total bacteria and Enterobacteriaceae populations, as well as the presence of Salmonella and Campylobacter, in eggs collected from two free range flocks on two different farms and to conduct longitudinal observations of the behaviour and welfare of hens in the free range production system. Hen age (weeks) was shown to have a significant effect (increase) on the level of total bacteria on the egg shell surface and in shell pores, as well as having an effect on feather condition score. As the hens aged, the frequency of external visual egg characteristics increased, as did feather condition score (where feather condition was poorer). These observations indicate areas which should be investigated further to improve the food safety of eggs and optimise the welfare of free range hens. Crown Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sustainability of meat production beyond carbon footprint: a synthesis of case studies from grazing systems in Uruguay

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Picasso, V.D.; Modernel Hristoff, P.D.; Becona, G.; Salvo, L.; Gutierrez, L.; Astigarraga, L.

2014-01-01

Livestock production has been challenged as a large contributor to climate change, and carbon footprint has become a widely used measure of cattle environmental impact. This analysis of fifteen beef grazing systems in Uruguay quantifies the range of variation of carbon footprint, and the trade-offs

A Land Product Characterization System for Comparative Analysis of Satellite Data and Products

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kevin Gallo

2017-12-01

Full Text Available A Land Product Characterization System (LPCS has been developed to provide land data and products to the community of individuals interested in validating space-based land products by comparing them with similar products available from other sensors or surface-based observations. The LPCS facilitates the application of global multi-satellite and in situ data for characterization and validation of higher-level, satellite-derived, land surface products (e.g., surface reflectance, normalized difference vegetation index, and land surface temperature. The LPCS includes data search, inventory, access, and analysis functions that will permit data to be easily identified, retrieved, co-registered, and compared statistically through a single interface. The system currently includes data and products available from Landsat 4 through 8, Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS Terra and Aqua, Suomi National Polar-Orbiting Partnership (S-NPP/Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS, and simulated data for the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES-16 Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI. In addition to the future inclusion of in situ data, higher-level land products from the European Space Agency (ESA Sentinel-2 and -3 series of satellites, and other high and medium resolution spatial sensors, will be included as available. When fully implemented, any of the sensor data or products included in the LPCS would be available for comparative analysis.

Corrosion products in power generating systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lister, D.H.

1980-06-01

The important mechanisms of corrosion and corrosion product movement and fouling in the heat transport systems of thermal electric generating stations are reviewed. Oil- and coal-fired boilers are considered, along with nuclear power systems - both direct and indirect cycle. Thus, the fireside and waterside in conventional plants, and the primary coolant and steam-raising circuits in water-cooled reactors, are discussed. Corrosion products in organic- and liquid-metal-cooled reactors also are shown to cause problems if not controlled, while their beneficial effects on the cooling water side of condensers are described. (auth)

Group decision support system for customer-driven product design

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Zhihang; Chen, Hang; Chen, Kuen; Che, Ada

2000-10-01

This paper describes the work on the development of a group decision support system for customer driven product design. The customer driven is to develop products, which meet all customer requirements in whole life cycle of products. A process model of decision during product primary design is proposed to formulate the structured, semi-structured and unstructured decision problems. The framework for the decision support system is presented that integrated both advances in the group decision making and distributed artificial intelligent. The system consists of the product primary design tool kit and the collaborative platform with multi-agent structure. The collaborative platform of the system and the product primary design tool kit, including the VOC (Voice of Customer) tool, QFD (Quality Function Deployment) tool, the Conceptual design tool, Reliability analysis tool and the cost and profit forecasting tool, are indicated.

DARWIN. An evolution code system for a large range of applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsilanizara, A.; Diop, C.M.; Nimal, B.

2000-01-01

The aim of this article is to present the main capabilities of an evolution code system, DARWIN, developed at CEA (France). It is devoted to radioactivity studies in various application fields such as nuclear fuel cycle, dismantling, thermonuclear fusion, accelerator driven system, medecine etc. All types of nuclides are dealt with: actinides, fission products, activation products, spallation products. Physical quantities calculated by the code are isotope concentration, isotope mass, activity, radiotoxicity, gamma spectra, beta spectra, alpha spectra, neutron production by spontaneous fission and (α, n) reaction, residual heating, for any cooling times until geological times. Both analytical and numerical schemes are developed in the PEPIN2 depletion module of DARWIN to solve the generalized coupled differential depletion equations. The depletion module PEPIN2 is automatically linked to international evaluations (JEF2, ENDF/B6, EAF97...) both for decay data and cross-sections, and to some transport codes such as TRIPOLI, APOLLO2 and ERANOS. These transport codes provide neutronic data as self-shielded cross-sections and neutron fluxes. DARWIN includes a generator of radioisotope chain built automatically from decay modes and nuclear reaction types specified in the evaluation libraries. A 'search engine' allows to determine all formation ways of a considered isotope. Several examples are given for illustrating capabilities of DARWIN in different field applications. Some comparisons with other codes such as ORIGEN, FISPIN and FISPACT are also presented. (author)

Crossed product algebras associated with topological dynamical systems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Svensson, Pär Christian

2009-01-01

We study connections between topological dynamical systems and associated algebras of crossed product type. We derive equivalences between structural properties of a crossed product and dynamical properties of the associated system and furthermore derive qualitative results concerning the crossed

Pilot Signal Design and Direct Ranging Methods for Radio Localization Using OFDM Systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jing, Lishuai

Having accurate localization capability is becoming important for existing and future terrestrial wireless communication systems, in particular for orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) systems, such as WiMAX, wireless local area network, long-term evolution (LTE) and its extension LTE......-Advanced. To obtain accurate position estimates, not only advanced estimation algorithms are needed but also the transmitted signals should be scrutinized. In this dissertation, we investigate how to design OFDM pilot signals and propose and evaluate high accuracy ranging techniques with tractable computational....... For scenarios where the number of path components is unknown and these components are not necessary separable, we propose a direct ranging technique using the received frequency-domain OFDM pilot signals. Compared to conventional (two-step) ranging methods, which estimate intermediate parameters...

Zn-Mo/HZSM-5 Catalyst for Gasoil Range Hydrocarbon Production by Catalytic Hydrocracking of Ceiba pentandra oil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yustia Wulandari Mirzayanti

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Biofuel from vegetable oil becomes one of the most suitable and logical alternatives to replace fossil fuel. The research focused on various metal ratio Zinc/Molybdenum/HZSM-5 (Zn-Mo/HZSM-5 catalyst to produce liquid hydrocarbon via catalytic hydrocracking of Ceiba penandra oil. The catalytic hydrocracking process has been applied in this study to crack Ceiba pentandra oil into a gasoil range hydrocarbon using Zn-Mo/HZSM-5 as a catalyst. The effect of various reaction temperature on the catalytic hydrocracking of Ceiba pentandra oil were studied. The Zn-Mo/HZSM-5 catalyst with metal ratio was prepared by incipient wetness impregnation method. This process used slurry pressure batch reactor with a mechanical stirrer. A series of experiments were carried out in the temperature range from 300-400 oC for 2 h at pressure between 10-15 bar. The conversion and selectivity were estimated. The liquid hydrocarbon product were identified to gasoline, kerosene, and gas oil. The results show that the use of Zn-Mo/HZSM-5 can produce gas oil as the most component in the product. Overall, the highest conversion and selectivity of gas oil range hydrocarbon was obtained when the ZnMo/HZSM-5 metal ratio was Zn(2.86 wt.%-Mo(5.32 wt.%/HZSM-5 and the name is Zn-Mo/HZSM-5_102. The highest conversion was obtained at 63.31 % and n-paraffin (gas oil range selectivity was obtained at 90.75 % at a temperature of 400 oC. Ceiba pentandra oil can be recommended as the source of inedible vegetable oil to produce gasoil as an environmentally friendly transportation fuel. Copyright © 2018 BCREC Group. All rights reserved Received: 8th September 2017; Revised: 9th September 2017; Accepted: 17th September 2017; Available online: 22nd January 2018; Published regularly: 2nd April 2018 How to Cite: Mirzayanti, Y.W., Kurniawansyah, F., Prajitno, D.H., Roesyadi, A. (2018. Zn-Mo/HZSM-5 Catalyst for Gasoil Range Hydrocarbon Production by Catalytic Hydrocracking of Ceiba pentandra

Celtiberian ceramic productions from the Central Iberian range (Spain): Chemical and petrographic characterization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Igea, J.; Perez-Arantegup, J.; Lapuente, P.; Saiz, M. E.; Burillo, F.

2013-01-01

As part of an extended program on archaeometric research of the Celtiberian production centres situated along the Central Iberian Range, ceramic fragments of different vessel types from two selected Celtiberian workshops were analyzed: La Rodriga (Guadalajara, Spain) and Allueva II (Teruel, Spain), dated from the 3nd to the 2st centuries BC. The characterization was focused on the chemical analysis by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry, and subjected to commonlyused multivariate statistical methods to distinguish between ceramic materials and to discriminate among different compositional groups in each production centre. The analysis was completed by performing petrographic characterization, textural observations, colour measurement and mineralogical analysis of the pieces by means of XRD. The compositional variations from major, minor and trace elements allowed to establish two subgroups in La Rodriga and one ceramic group in Allueva II. The chemical composition differences were confirmed by the petrographic characteristics and the mineralogical composition of the ceramic fabrics. These results enabled us to complete the preliminary archaeometric study in order to improve the knowledge on cultural and commercial influences in this important Celtiberian territory. (Author) 22 refs.

Carbon footprint of conventional and organic beef production systems: An Italian case study.

Science.gov (United States)

Buratti, C; Fantozzi, F; Barbanera, M; Lascaro, E; Chiorri, M; Cecchini, L

2017-01-15

Beef cattle production is a widespread activity in Italy in the agricultural field and determines an important impact on environment and resources consumption. Carbon footprint evaluation is thus necessary to evaluate the contributions of the different stages and the possible improvements of the production chain. In this study, two typical Italian beef production systems, a conventional and an organic one are investigated in order to evaluate the greenhouse gas emissions from "cradle to gate farm" by a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) approach; the carbon footprint (CF) per 1kg of live weight meat is calculated. The contributions from feed production, enteric fermentation, and manure management are taken into account, in order to compare the life cycle of the two productions; also the carbon balance in soil is evaluated, in order to verify the impact in a life cycle perspective. The results of CF calculation of the two farms show that organic system (24.62kgCO 2eq /kg live weight) produce more GHG emissions than the conventional one (18.21kgCO 2eq /kg live weight) and that the enteric fermentation is the more heavy contribution, with a range of 50-54% of the global CF value. Improvements of the production chain could be realized by accurate feeding strategies, in order to obtain reduction of methane emissions from enteric digestion of cattles. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Energy Production System Management - Renewable energy power supply integration with Building Automation System

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Figueiredo, Joao; Martins, Joao

2010-01-01

Intelligent buildings, historically and technologically, refers to the integration of four distinctive systems: Building Automation Systems (BAS), Telecommunication Systems, Office Automation Systems and Computer Building Management Systems. The increasing sophisticated BAS has become the 'heart and soul' of modern intelligent buildings. Integrating energy supply and demand elements - often known as Demand-Side Management (DSM) - has became an important energy efficiency policy concept. Nowadays, European countries have diversified their power supplies, reducing the dependence on OPEC, and developing a broader mix of energy sources maximizing the use of renewable energy domestic sources. In this way it makes sense to include a fifth system into the intelligent building group: Energy Production System Management (EPSM). This paper presents a Building Automation System where the Demand-Side Management is fully integrated with the building's Energy Production System, which incorporates a complete set of renewable energy production and storage systems.

The Next Generation ATLAS Production System

CERN Document Server

Borodin, Mikhail; The ATLAS collaboration; Golubkov, Dmitry; Klimentov, Alexei; Maeno, Tadashi; Mashinistov, Ruslan; Vaniachine, Alexandre

2015-01-01

The ATLAS experiment at LHC data processing and simulation grows continuously, as more data and more use cases emerge. For data processing the ATLAS experiment adopted the data transformation approach, where software applications transform the input data into outputs. In the ATLAS production system, each data transformation is represented by a task, a collection of many jobs, dynamically submitted by the ATLAS workload management system (PanDA/JEDI) and executed on the Grid, clouds and supercomputers. Patterns in ATLAS data transformation workflows composed of many tasks provided a scalable production system framework for template definitions of the many-tasks workflows. User interface and system logic of these workflows are being implemented in the Database Engine for Tasks (DEFT). Such development required using modern computing technologies and approaches. We report technical details of this development: database implementation, server logic and Web user interface technologies.

A Comprehensive Evaluation of Joint Range and Angle Estimation in Indoor Ultrawideband Location Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gentile Camillo

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Fine time resolution enables ultrawideband (UWB ranging systems to extract the first multipath arrival corresponding to the range between a transmitter and receiver, even when attenuated in strength compared to later arrivals. Bearing systems alone lack any notion of time and in general select the strongest arrival which is rarely the first one in nonline-of-sight conditions. Complementing UWB ranging systems with bearing capabilities allows indexing the arrivals as a function of both time and angle in order to isolate the first, providing precision range and angle. However, that precision degrades with the increasing presence of walls and other objects which distort the properties of the first arrival. In order to gauge the physical limits of the joint UWB system, we design and assemble a spatial-temporal channel sounder using a vector network analyzer coupled to a virtual antenna array, and conduct 200 experiments to measure the time- and angle-of-flight. The experiments are carried out in both line-of-sight and nonline-of-sight conditions up to an unprecedented 45 meters throughout four separate buildings with dominant wall material varying from sheet rock to steel. In addition, we report performance for varying bandwidth and center frequency of the system. We find that operating at a bandwidth of 4 GHz suffices in resolving multipath in most buildings and in excess shows virtually no improvement. While the range error decreases at lower center frequencies, the higher frequencies offer better angular resolution and so smaller angle error.

An underwater ranging system based on photoacoustic effect occurring on target surface

Science.gov (United States)

Ni, Kai; Hu, Kai; Li, Xinghui; Wang, Lidai; Zhou, Qian; Wang, Xiaohao

2016-11-01

In this paper, an underwater ranging system based on photoacoustic effect occurring on target surface is proposed. In this proposal, laser pulse generated by blue-green laser is directly incident on target surface, where the photoacoustic effect occurs and a sound source is formed. And then the sound wave which is also called photoacoustic signal is received by the ultrasonic receiver after passing through water. According to the time delay between transmitting laser and receiving photoacoustic signal, and sound velocity in water, the distance between the target and the ultrasonic receiver can be calculated. Differing from underwater range finding by only laser, this approach can avoid backscattering of laser beam, so easier to implement. Experimental system according to this principle has been constructed to verify the feasibility of this technology. The experimental results showed that a ranging accuracy of 1 mm can be effectively achieved when the target is close to the ultrasonic receiver.

Development of a mathematical model for physical disintegration of flushable consumer products in wastewater systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Karadagli, Fatih; McAvoy, Drew C; Rittmann, Bruce E

2009-05-01

The processes that flushable solid products may undergo after discharge to wastewater systems are (1) physical disintegration of solids resulting from turbulence, (2) direct dissolution of water-soluble components, (3) hydrolysis of solids to form soluble components, and (4) biodegradation of soluble and insoluble components. We develop a mathematical model for physical disintegration of flushable solid consumer products and test it with two different flushable products--product A, which has 40% water soluble-content, and product B, which has no water-soluble components. We present our modeling analysis of experimental results, from which we computed disintegration rate constants and fractional distribution coefficients for the disintegration of larger solids. The rate constants for solids of product A in units of (hour(-1)) are 0.45 for > 8-mm, 2.25 x 10(-2) for 4- to 8-mm, 0.9 x 10(-2) for 2- to 4-mm, and 1.26 x 10(-2) for 1- to 2-mm solids. The rate constants for solids of product B in units of hour(-1) are 1.8 for > 8-mm, 1.8 for 4- to 8-mm, 3.6 x 10(-1) for 2- to 4-mm, and 2.25 x 10(-3) for 1- to 2-mm solids. As indicated by the rate constants, larger solids disintegrate at a faster rate than smaller solids. In addition, product B disintegrated much faster and went mostly to the smallest size range, while product A disintegrated more slowly and was transferred to a range of intermediate solid sizes.

Multi-channel, passive, short-range anti-aircraft defence system

Science.gov (United States)

Gapiński, Daniel; Krzysztofik, Izabela; Koruba, Zbigniew

2018-01-01

The paper presents a novel method for tracking several air targets simultaneously. The developed concept concerns a multi-channel, passive, short-range anti-aircraft defence system based on the programmed selection of air targets and an algorithm of simultaneous synchronisation of several modified optical scanning seekers. The above system is supposed to facilitate simultaneous firing of several self-guided infrared rocket missiles at many different air targets. From the available information, it appears that, currently, there are no passive self-guided seekers that fulfil such tasks. This paper contains theoretical discussions and simulations of simultaneous detection and tracking of many air targets by mutually integrated seekers of several rocket missiles. The results of computer simulation research have been presented in a graphical form.

Production Management System for AMS Computing Centres

Science.gov (United States)

Choutko, V.; Demakov, O.; Egorov, A.; Eline, A.; Shan, B. S.; Shi, R.

2017-10-01

The Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer [1] (AMS) has collected over 95 billion cosmic ray events since it was installed on the International Space Station (ISS) on May 19, 2011. To cope with enormous flux of events, AMS uses 12 computing centers in Europe, Asia and North America, which have different hardware and software configurations. The centers are participating in data reconstruction, Monte-Carlo (MC) simulation [2]/Data and MC production/as well as in physics analysis. Data production management system has been developed to facilitate data and MC production tasks in AMS computing centers, including job acquiring, submitting, monitoring, transferring, and accounting. It was designed to be modularized, light-weighted, and easy-to-be-deployed. The system is based on Deterministic Finite Automaton [3] model, and implemented by script languages, Python and Perl, and the built-in sqlite3 database on Linux operating systems. Different batch management systems, file system storage, and transferring protocols are supported. The details of the integration with Open Science Grid are presented as well.

High Precision Ranging and Range-Rate Measurements over Free-Space-Laser Communication Link

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Guangning; Lu, Wei; Krainak, Michael; Sun, Xiaoli

2016-01-01

We present a high-precision ranging and range-rate measurement system via an optical-ranging or combined ranging-communication link. A complete bench-top optical communication system was built. It included a ground terminal and a space terminal. Ranging and range rate tests were conducted in two configurations. In the communication configuration with 622 data rate, we achieved a two-way range-rate error of 2 microns/s, or a modified Allan deviation of 9 x 10 (exp -15) with 10 second averaging time. Ranging and range-rate as a function of Bit Error Rate of the communication link is reported. They are not sensitive to the link error rate. In the single-frequency amplitude modulation mode, we report a two-way range rate error of 0.8 microns/s, or a modified Allan deviation of 2.6 x 10 (exp -15) with 10 second averaging time. We identified the major noise sources in the current system as the transmitter modulation injected noise and receiver electronics generated noise. A new improved system will be constructed to further improve the system performance for both operating modes.