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Full-Text Articles in Engineering

Designing Carbon Taxation Schemes For Automobiles: A Simulation Exercise For Germany, Adamos Adamou, Sofronis Clerides, Theodoros Zachariadis Dec 2011

Designing Carbon Taxation Schemes For Automobiles: A Simulation Exercise For Germany, Adamos Adamou, Sofronis Clerides, Theodoros Zachariadis

Theodoros Zachariadis

Vehicle taxation based on CO2 emissions is increasingly being adopted worldwide in order to shift consumer purchases to low-carbon cars, yet little is known about the effectiveness and overall economic impact of these schemes. We focus on feebate schemes, which impose a fee on high-carbon vehicles and give a rebate to purchasers of low-carbon automobiles. We estimate a discrete choice model of demand for automobiles in Germany and simulate the impact of alternative feebate schemes on emissions, consumer welfare, public revenues and firm profits. The analysis shows that a well-designed scheme can lead to emission reductions without reducing overall welfare.


Study On The Use Of Mgal Hydrotalcites As Solid Heterogeneous Catalysts For Biodiesel Production, João F. Gomes Dec 2011

Study On The Use Of Mgal Hydrotalcites As Solid Heterogeneous Catalysts For Biodiesel Production, João F. Gomes

João F Gomes

This paper, reports experimental work on the use of new heterogeneous solid basic catalysts for biodiesel production: double oxides of Mg and Al, produced by calcination, at high temperature, of MgAl lamellar structures, the hydrotalcites (HT). The most suitable catalyst system studied are hydrotalcite Mg:Al 2:1 calcinated at 507 ºC and 700 ºC, leading to higher values of FAME also in the second reaction stage. One of the prepared catalysts resulted in 97.1 % Fatty acids methyl esters (FAME) in the 1st reaction step, 92.2 % FAME in the 2nd reaction step and 34 % FAME in the 3rd reaction …


The Impact Of Driving Conditions On Phev Battery Performance, Nathan Christensen, John Patten, Steven Srivastava, Gary P. Nola Nov 2011

The Impact Of Driving Conditions On Phev Battery Performance, Nathan Christensen, John Patten, Steven Srivastava, Gary P. Nola

john a patten

The battery performance of a modified Prius with a 5 kWh plug-in battery was documented for a year to determine the impact of environmental conditions and user attributes on vehicle performance. Both fuel economy and pure electrical efficiency were compared to ambient temperature. The fuel economy has a positive relationship with ambient temperature until approximately 70˚F where the efficiency begins to drop. Electrical performance has a positive linear relationship with ambient temperature. With the emergence of electric vehicles (EVs) and PHEVs from a variety of automotive manufacturers, information on EV and PHEV performance for consumers will become more important.


Produkcja Stałego Paliwa Wtórnego Na Przykładzie Przedsiębiorstwa Usług Komunalnych „Empol” Sp. Z O.O. / Production Of Solid Waste-Derived Fuel - A Case Study Of The Enterprise Of Municipal Services "Empol" Llc, Robert Oleniacz, Leszek Rataj, Monika Wyrostek Nov 2011

Produkcja Stałego Paliwa Wtórnego Na Przykładzie Przedsiębiorstwa Usług Komunalnych „Empol” Sp. Z O.O. / Production Of Solid Waste-Derived Fuel - A Case Study Of The Enterprise Of Municipal Services "Empol" Llc, Robert Oleniacz, Leszek Rataj, Monika Wyrostek

Robert Oleniacz

The work presents activities of the Enterprise of Municipal Services "Empol" Sp. z o.o. based in Tylmanowa (Małopolska Province, Poland) and the interrelated technological lines for sorting of waste and production of alternative fuels (refuse derived fuels - RDFs) started in 2009 in the Special Economic Zone in Gorlice. The paper also discusses properties of the produced RDFs and their typical applications.


Wpływ Procesu Współspalania Odpadów W Piecu Cementowym Na Jakość Powietrza / Impact Of Waste Co-Incineration Process In A Cement Kiln On Air Quality, Robert Oleniacz, Magdalena Kasietczuk Nov 2011

Wpływ Procesu Współspalania Odpadów W Piecu Cementowym Na Jakość Powietrza / Impact Of Waste Co-Incineration Process In A Cement Kiln On Air Quality, Robert Oleniacz, Magdalena Kasietczuk

Robert Oleniacz

The work presents the general requirements for the control of emissions to air from waste co-combustion (co-incineration) plants, with particular emphasis on rotary kilns used for clinker production. Air emissions from the cement kiln during co-combustion of alternative fuels and the impact assessment on air quality are also presented. The object of the study was one of the Polish cement plant, which uses significant amounts of solid waste derived fuels (with over 70% share in the cement kiln heat balance). Assessment of the impact on air quality was made based on the results of the modeling of atmospheric dispersion of …


Soil Chemistry And The Recovery Of Sensitive Watersheds From Chronic Acidification, Chris E. Johnson Nov 2011

Soil Chemistry And The Recovery Of Sensitive Watersheds From Chronic Acidification, Chris E. Johnson

Chris E Johnson

No abstract provided.


The Explosion In Mari, Cyprus, The Cost Of Power Shortages, And Policy Recommendations, Theodoros Zachariadis, Panos Pashardes, Nicoletta Pashourtidou Aug 2011

The Explosion In Mari, Cyprus, The Cost Of Power Shortages, And Policy Recommendations, Theodoros Zachariadis, Panos Pashardes, Nicoletta Pashourtidou

Theodoros Zachariadis

No abstract provided.


Notice On A Case Study On The Utilization Of Wind Energy Potential On A Remote And Isolated Small Wastewater Treatment Plant, João F. Gomes Aug 2011

Notice On A Case Study On The Utilization Of Wind Energy Potential On A Remote And Isolated Small Wastewater Treatment Plant, João F. Gomes

João F Gomes

Small wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) are frequently located, by necessity, in remote and isolated sites, which increases the difficulty of its energy supply. Some of them are located near the seaside, in environmental sensible zones, and due to tourism activity of these sites, seasonal effects related with population size fluctuation can occur, which can originate certain inefficiencies concerning WWTP design and energy supply. The objective of this paper is to describe a step by step procedure for evaluation of the wind potential of sites that are dependent of in-situ energy generation, as well as, a case study on the utilization …


New Nanosystem Mixed Reactor For Urban Wastewater Treatment, Masoud Rastegar, Kamran Rahmati Shadbad Jul 2011

New Nanosystem Mixed Reactor For Urban Wastewater Treatment, Masoud Rastegar, Kamran Rahmati Shadbad

Masoud Rastegar

No abstract provided.


Effect Of Climate Variability And Climate Change On Crop Production And Water Resources In Cyprus, Adriana Bruggeman, Christos Zoumides, Stelios Pashiardis, Panos Hadjinicolaou, Manfred Lange, Theodoros Zachariadis Jul 2011

Effect Of Climate Variability And Climate Change On Crop Production And Water Resources In Cyprus, Adriana Bruggeman, Christos Zoumides, Stelios Pashiardis, Panos Hadjinicolaou, Manfred Lange, Theodoros Zachariadis

Theodoros Zachariadis

No abstract provided.


Development Of A Novel Methodology For Indoor Emission Source Identification, Kwanghoon Han Mar 2011

Development Of A Novel Methodology For Indoor Emission Source Identification, Kwanghoon Han

Kwanghoon Han

The objective of this study was to develop and evaluate a methodology to identify individual sources of emissions based on the measurements of mixed air samples and the emission signatures of individual materials previously determined by Proton Transfer Reaction-Mass Spectrometry (PTR-MS), an on-line analytical device. The methodology based on signal processing principles was developed by employing the method of multiple regression least squares (MRLS) and a normalization technique. Samples of nine typical building materials were tested individually and in combination, including carpet, ceiling material, gypsum board, linoleum, two paints, polyolefine, PVC and wood. Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) emissions from each …


Using Equal‐Area Quadratic Splines To Compute Depth‐ Weighted Averages Of Soil Chemical Parameters, Chris E. Johnson, Jeremy Tamargo Mar 2011

Using Equal‐Area Quadratic Splines To Compute Depth‐ Weighted Averages Of Soil Chemical Parameters, Chris E. Johnson, Jeremy Tamargo

Chris E Johnson

No abstract provided.


Wavelet Network For Semi-Active Control, Simon Laflamme, J.J.E. Slotine, J.J. Connor Jan 2011

Wavelet Network For Semi-Active Control, Simon Laflamme, J.J.E. Slotine, J.J. Connor

Simon Laflamme

This paper proposes a wavelet neurocontroller capable of self-adaptation and self-organization for uncertain systems controlled with semi-active devices, ideal candidates for control of large-scale civil structures. A condition on the sliding surface for cantilever-like structures is defined. The issue of applicability of the control solution to largescale civil structures is made the central theme throughout the text, as this topic has not been extensively discussed in the literature. Stability and convergence of the proposed neurocontroller is assessed through various numerical simulations for harmonic, earthquake, and wind excitations. The simulations consist of semi-active dampers installed as a replacement to the current …


New Nanosystem Mixed Reactor For Urban Wastewater Treatment, Masoud Rastegar Jan 2011

New Nanosystem Mixed Reactor For Urban Wastewater Treatment, Masoud Rastegar

Masoud Rastegar

No abstract provided.


Behavior Of Hydrophobic Ionic Liquids As Liquid Membranes On Phenol Removal: Experimental Study And Optimization, Yee Sern Ng, Jayakumar Natesan Subramaniam, Mohd Ali Hashim Jan 2011

Behavior Of Hydrophobic Ionic Liquids As Liquid Membranes On Phenol Removal: Experimental Study And Optimization, Yee Sern Ng, Jayakumar Natesan Subramaniam, Mohd Ali Hashim

Ng Yee-Sern

Room temperature ionic liquids show potential as an alternative to conventional organic membrane solvents mainly due to their properties of low vapor pressure, low volatility and they are often stable. In the present work, the technical feasibilities of room temperature ionic liquids as bulk liquid membranes for phenol removal were investigated experimentally. Three ionic liquids with high hydrophobicity were used and their phenol removal efficiency, membrane stability and membrane loss were studied. Besides that, the effects of several parameters, namely feed phase pH, feed concentration, NaOH concentration and stirring speeds on the performance of best ionic liquid membrane were also …


Study On The Glycerolysis Reaction Of High Free Fatty Acid Oils For Use As Biodiesel Feedstock, João F. Gomes Jan 2011

Study On The Glycerolysis Reaction Of High Free Fatty Acid Oils For Use As Biodiesel Feedstock, João F. Gomes

João F Gomes

Biodiesel is the main alternative to fossil diesel and it may be produced from different feedstocks such as semi-refined vegetable oils, waste frying oils or animal fats. However, these feedstocks usually contain significant amounts of free fatty acids (FFA) that make them inadequate for the direct base catalyzed transesterification reaction (where the FFA content should be lower than 4%). The present work describes a possible method for the pre-treatment of oils with high content of FFA (20 to 50%) by esterification with glycerol. In order to reduce the FFA content, the reaction between these FFA and an esterification agent is …


Design Of A New Test Chamber For Evaluation Of The Toxicity Of Rubber Infill, João F. Gomes Jan 2011

Design Of A New Test Chamber For Evaluation Of The Toxicity Of Rubber Infill, João F. Gomes

João F Gomes

A test chamber was projected and built (according to ISO 16000-9 Standard) to simulate atmospheric conditions experienced by rubber infill (when applied in synthetic turf pitches) and measure accurately the airborne emissions of pollutants such as dusts and volatile organic compounds (VOC), as well as pollutants present in leacheates. It should be pointed out that standard ISO 16000-9 is only concerned with the determination of the emission of VOC from building products and furnishing (not specific of synthetic turf materials), while other standards are concerned with the emission of leacheates only. This procedure is to be considered as a technical …


What Is A Chemical Engineer ?, João F. Gomes Jan 2011

What Is A Chemical Engineer ?, João F. Gomes

João F Gomes

No abstract provided.


On The Toxicological Effects Of Airborne Nanoparticles From Welding Processes, João F. Gomes Jan 2011

On The Toxicological Effects Of Airborne Nanoparticles From Welding Processes, João F. Gomes

João F Gomes

No abstract provided.


Termodynamika Procesowa (Dla Me Aparatura Procesowa) Ćw., Wojciech M. Budzianowski Jan 2011

Termodynamika Procesowa (Dla Me Aparatura Procesowa) Ćw., Wojciech M. Budzianowski

Wojciech Budzianowski

No abstract provided.


The Analysis Of Heat Transfer In A Gas-Gas Heat Exchanger Operated Under A Heat-Recirculating Mode, Mariusz Salaniec, Wojciech M. Budzianowski Jan 2011

The Analysis Of Heat Transfer In A Gas-Gas Heat Exchanger Operated Under A Heat-Recirculating Mode, Mariusz Salaniec, Wojciech M. Budzianowski

Wojciech Budzianowski

The present paper presents the analysis of heat transfer in a gas-gas heat exchanger operated in a heat-recirculating mode.


An Overview Of Technologies For Upgrading Of Biogas To Biomethane, Wojciech M. Budzianowski Jan 2011

An Overview Of Technologies For Upgrading Of Biogas To Biomethane, Wojciech M. Budzianowski

Wojciech Budzianowski

The present contribution presents an overview of technologies available for upgrading of biogas to biomethane. Technologies under study include pressure swing adsorption (PSA), high-pressure water wash (HPWW), reactive absorption (RA), physical absorption (PA), membrane separation (MS) and cryogenic separation (CS).


Influence Of Energy Policy On The Rate Of Implementation Of Biogas Power Plants In Germany During The 2001-2010 Decade, Izabela Chasiak, Wojciech M. Budzianowski Jan 2011

Influence Of Energy Policy On The Rate Of Implementation Of Biogas Power Plants In Germany During The 2001-2010 Decade, Izabela Chasiak, Wojciech M. Budzianowski

Wojciech Budzianowski

The current article describes energy policy tools, which caused intensive development of biogas-based power generation in Germany during the 2001-2010 decade. The German system of financial support to biogas power plants is presented in details. It is shown that in Germany, i.e. in a country characterised by similar climate and potentials to renewable energy to Poland, biogas power plants cover 10,7% of electricity demands in 2010, while all renewable energy sources cover only 5,4% of electricity demands. It is emphasised that under favourable Polish energy policy, the development of biogas energy can be very rapid.


Bio-Hydrogen Production From Thin Stillage Using Conventional And Acclimatized Anaerobic Digester Sludge, Noha Nasr, Elsayed Elbeshbishy, Hisham Hafez, George Nakhla, M. Hesham El Naggar Dec 2010

Bio-Hydrogen Production From Thin Stillage Using Conventional And Acclimatized Anaerobic Digester Sludge, Noha Nasr, Elsayed Elbeshbishy, Hisham Hafez, George Nakhla, M. Hesham El Naggar

Noha El-Sayed Nasr

To assess the viability of biohydrogen production from thin stillage, a comparative evaluation of anaerobic digester sludge (ADS) and acclimatized anaerobic digester sludge (AADS) for biohydrogen production over a wide range of S0/X0 ratio (0.5e8 gCOD/gVSS) was performed. A maximum hydrogen yield of 19.5 L H2/L thin stillage was achieved for the AADS while tests with ADS achieved a maximum yield of only 7.5 L H2/L thin stillage. The optimum range of S0/X0 ratio for hydrogen production was found to be 1 to 2 gCOD/gVSS using conventional ADS and 3 to 6 gCOD/gVSS using AADS. The biomass specific hydrogen production …


New Regulations Can Stimulate Improvements In Efficiency And Sustainability For The U.S Cement Industry, Rebecca Mirsky Dec 2010

New Regulations Can Stimulate Improvements In Efficiency And Sustainability For The U.S Cement Industry, Rebecca Mirsky

Rebecca Mirsky

New environmental regulations on toxic and greenhouse gas emissions by cement manufacturers present the U.S. cement industry with significant challenges. This paper describes the current regulatory climate and describes a number of opportunities in which manufacturers can become more efficient in both energy and materials use. Ultimately, the new regulatory climate is seen as an opportunity for the industry to undertake long overdue modernization.