Supply Arrangements Research Articles

Methodical approaches for optimally controlling the operating modes of a cogeneration station with a complex composition of equipment

Approaches for organizing optimal control of the operating modes of a cogeneration station with a complex composition of equipment and with complex heat and electricity supply arrangements are considered.

Voltage Sag Assessment in a Large Chemical Industry

This paper presents a method for the assessment of voltage sags caused by short-circuit faults in a large chemical industry. The supply arrangement for the industry is discussed. The connected equipment of the industry is fed from the 6.6-kV bus. The voltage sag analysis is performed for faults at different voltage levels in the power supply network. For every voltage level, the critical distance and expected number of voltage sags have been calculated. Since the industry has its own generator, thus the influence of local generation in voltage sag analysis is also investigated.

Hypermobility and the governance of global production networks: The case of the Canadian cycle industry and its links with China and Taiwan

Western firms engaged in mass retailing and in product assembly make frequent changes to their global production networks (GPNs). Indeed, some GPNs show a tendency to hypermobility, which we define as a rapid switching of economic links among manufacturers, importers, and retailers. This theme is explored in the context of the Canadian bicycle industry where domestic production collapsed between 1980 and 2008, following a century of remarkable stability. After a period of flux when Taiwan was the key player, China has emerged as the dominant original equipment manufacturer (OEM) of bicycles sold in Canada, with big‐box stores accounting for the great majority of sales. We connect this increasing fluidity in supply arrangements and in the global organization of the industry with the governance of these GPNs. Several aspects of governance are considered, including the Sloanist practices of the largest Canadian retailers, and the activist role of the Chinese state in directing regional patterns of manufacturing in China.

The Role of Microinsurance as a Safety Net Against Environmental Risks in Bangladesh

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) identifies Bangladesh as one of the countries that will be hardest hit by the anticipated effects of climate change. The poorest people are the most vulnerable, as they do not have sufficient means to cope with environmental risks. In the absence of effective safety nets, poor people become trapped in chronic poverty due to the recurrent damage caused by natural disasters. Recently, there has been growing optimism among policy makers and practitioners about the role of microinsurance as a safety net against weather risks for the poorest and most vulnerable people of Bangladesh. This article sheds light on this issue by synthesizing the findings of half a decade of research on the prospects of weather microinsurance in Bangladesh. Three key conclusions are drawn from the synthesis. First, the market for a standard, stand-alone weather microinsurance in Bangladesh is characterized by low demand, poor governance, and lack of prospects for commercial viability. Second, although the index-based flood insurance model has theoretical appeal (i.e., no moral hazard or adverse selection and low transaction cost), high economic cost might be associated with its highly complex practical implementation. Finally, the current (un)regulatory arrangement of microinsurance supply in Bangladesh, which does not guarantee accountability and protect clients’ rights, is likely to increase rather than decrease poor people’s vulnerability. The study makes two key recommendations: (1) exploring options for nontraditional insurance models (e.g., group-based and ex-post premium-based models), and (2) considering regulatory reforms to ensure good governance and to foster market efficiency through low-cost delivery and product innovation.

Effect of differences in parenteral nutrition policies on preterm macronutrient intake: a telephone survey of all UK level 3 neonatal services: Abstract G69 Table 1

Background A recent UK national audit revealed large variations in parenteral nutrition (PN) administration in a subgroup of neonatal patients1. The factors involved included timeliness, nutritional adequacy and metabolic complications. It was not clear how much of this variation was due to differences in PN policy or whether very preterm infants (the most PN dependent) were more at risk. Aim To estimate macronutrient intakes in very preterm infants resulting from local PN policy implementation in all level 3 UK neonatal services. Methods A telephone survey using a structured questionnaire was performed Aug-Nov 2011. This recorded all factors affecting early PN supply and administration utilising information from the local PN guideline (infants Results All 60 UK level 3 (or equivalent) neonatal services provided data. Neonatal PN prescription/supply was wholly individualised (10%), individualised hybridised with standardised (56%), customised standardised (17%) or wholly standardised (17%). In only 2/60 units did local guidelines aim to introduce PN immediately after birth with 18/60 delaying >24 hours (6/60 due PN supply arrangements). This impacted on estimated early protein intake in particular (table 1). Estimated protein intakes were Hyperglycaemia management protocols involved routine (68%) versus rare/never (32%) insulin treatment and routine (48%) versus rare/never (52%) reduction in glucose intake. Hypertriglyceridaemia (leading to intravenous lipid reduction) was monitored in 35 (58%) units. Conclusion There is wide variation between UK level 3 neonatal services in the estimated macronutrient intake some of which results from local organisation of PN provision. There are opposing PN policy differences on the early introduction of protein, insulin-treated hyperglycaemia and triglyceride monitoring.

Australia’s Pacific Seasonal Worker Pilot Scheme: Why Has Take-Up Been So Low?

The Australian Government introduced the Pacific Seasonal Worker Pilot Scheme (PSWPS) in 2008 to allow Pacific Islanders to fill seasonal labor shortages in the horticulture industry, and announced in December 2011 that the scheme would be made permanent. Take-up of the scheme is increasing but has been very low. As of the end of March 2012, only 1,100 PSWPS workers have arrived since the scheme’s commencement. This study tries to explain why the PSWPS has not employed more Pacific workers. It distinguishes between different hypotheses that could explain the poor outcome, and uses quantitative and qualitative analysis to test each hypothesis, including a survey of growers. The study finds a number of reasons for the low take-up. Growers are largely satisfied with their current labor supply, in terms of both quantity and quality: 93 percent of growers interviewed said they had no trouble finding labor, and 81 percent were satisfied with the quality of their existing labor force. The scheme is not well known: half the growers surveyed had simply not heard of the scheme, and most of those who had lacked information about it. The scheme also suffers from perceptions of high levels of risk and costs, including excessive red tape. Despite its slow start, PSWPS might still succeed on the basis of the productivity gains it has already shown it can deliver. But this is by no means assured: even growers who are unhappy with their current labor supply arrangements are reluctant to try the PSWPS. For the scheme to expand, the Australian Government will need to promote the scheme much more vigorously, and reduce the scheme’s financial and compliance costs. The Government also needs to attend to illegal horticultural labor practices, and tackle the booming working holiday visa category. Most growers now rely mainly on backpackers, and their numbers have increased rapidly in recent years: we estimate the number of backpackers working on farms increased from 13,000 in 2001-02 to 37,000 in 2007-08. In particular, the special preference which horticulture receives under the working holiday visa category should be removed. The policy challenges involved in making the PSWPS work should not be underestimated. Other avenues should also be explored for promoting Pacific migration, including adoption of New Zealand’s quota-based Pacific permanent migration schemes.

Receptivity to the production of product service systems in the UK construction and manufacturing sectors: a comparative analysis

Abstract Trajectories of service innovations emanating from manufacturing sectors have been of particular interest to those wishing to improve resource productivity and promote sustainable development. Research has focused on product service systems (PSSs), which are a category of service innovations deliberately designed to offer superior environmental performance. This paper draws on research which explored whether trajectories of PSS can be induced on new UK housing developments to satisfy household demand and prevent household waste. The research was undertaken with a UK speculative house-builder and facilities management service providers from its supplier network. Qualitative data were collected via interviews and focus groups to enable rich accounts of the range of factors in these firms' selection environments which affect receptivity to PSS production to be developed. These were compared with factors affecting receptivity to PSS production identified in a study of UK manufacturers. The results show that in contrast to the manufacturing study, clear drivers for PSS delivery on new housing developments are absent in external selection environments of participating firms and uncertainty associated with the potential of PSS concepts to satisfy household demand inhibits development of requisite competence for PSS delivery within these. Thus further research is needed to explore new PSS supply arrangements involving a range of household service providers.

Coupled simulation of BES-CFD and performance assessment of energy recovery ventilation system for office model

Thermal comfort and indoor air quality as well as the energy efficiency have been recognized as essential parts of sustainable building assessment. This work aims to analyze the energy conservation of the heat recovery ventilator and to investigate the effect of the air supply arrangement. Three types of mixing ventilation are chosen for the analysis of coupling ANSYS/FLUENT (a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) program) with TRNSYS (a building energy simulation (BES) software). The adoption of mutual complementary boundary conditions for CFD and BES provides more accurate and complete information of indoor air distribution and thermal performance in buildings. A typical office-space situated in a middle storey is chosen for the analysis. The office-space is equipped with air-conditioners on the ceiling. A heat recovery ventilation system directly supplies fresh air to the office space. Its thermal performance and indoor air distribution predicted by the coupled method are compared under three types of ventilation system. When the supply and return openings for ventilation are arranged on the ceiling, there is no critical difference between the predictions of the coupled method and BES on the energy consumption of HVAC because PID control is adopted for the supply air temperature of the occupied zone. On the other hand, approximately 21% discrepancy for the heat recovery estimation in the maximum between the simulated results of coupled method and BES-only can be obviously found in the floor air supply ventilation case. The discrepancy emphasizes the necessity of coupling CFD with BES when vertical air temperature gradient exists. Our future target is to estimate the optimum design of heat recovery ventilation system to control CO2 concentration by adjusting flow rate of fresh air.

Competition in Hospital Services – The Policy Dimension

Health care is one of the most important public policy areas both due to the economic importance of the sector and its impact on individual well-being. Health and hospital services have historically been provided through centralised, highly regulated or non-market means in most OECD countries outside the United States. While health systems vary substantially across OECD countries, Governments have used their control over supply - either through financing or the delivery of health care services - to drive efficiency and improve quality of care. Consumer choice between insurers or health care service providers have been a feature of some health care systems, however evidence on its influence in driving improvements in performance is mixed. The last two decades have seen a substantial focus on driving further competition in the delivery of health and hospital services. On the demand side, governments have sought to improve the availability of information about the performance of health care services and providers and support more informed choices by patients. At the same time, Governments have undertaken reforms seeking to restructure supply and financing arrangements to encourage competition - even in health systems with long standing traditions of publicly operated health care services. Various market-oriented reforms have been introduced across the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Israel, Australia, New Zealand and the UK over recent years. Yet the question of whether establishing a ‘market’ is an appropriate way of improving outcomes in hospital services and general health services remains contested.As OECD countries grapple with fast-rising and substantial health spending, improving the efficiency of health care systems is a central priority for governments, as they seek to maintain quality and the range of services that their citizens have been accustomed to. There is a growing empirical and theoretical literature describing the impact of market structure on price and quality of hospital services. Some of the key economic issues raised in this literature include:• What are the conditions for and repercussions of price or quality competition in the hospital services sector? • What are the key demand side factors in the provision of hospital services and how could demand side factors contribute to effective competition on prices and quality of health and hospital services? • What are the relevant supply side factors that determine the scope for competition in the provision of hospital services and what steps could be taken to promote effective competition on prices and quality?• What could be appropriate institutional frameworks and policy reforms for countries to introduce to allow more worthwhile competition in hospital services?

Water supply arrangements in developing countries: A case study of Blantyre City, Malawi

The provision of potable water in the cities of developing countries has been of concern for a long time. Most of the urban population, especially in unplanned settlements, relies on small-scale informal service providers. The challenge with such an arrangement, however, is that it has been associated with high charges, provision of poor quality water, unreliable and intermittent water supply, and a general deterioration of water infrastructure. Based on the literature and data on the institutions, organizations and demographics of Malawi, this paper argues that privatization of water supply in developing countries may not work for all income groups. However, there are other modes of delivery which if formalized and institutionalized may extend the coverage to the low-income neighbourhoods in a transparent and inclusive manner, and may be offered at affordable rates e.g. State-Civil Society, State-Informal Sector and the State-Civil Society-Informal Sector partnerships. This paper also argues that national authorities in Malawi need to spearhead public policies that will effectively regulate the operations of water service providers. Key words: water supply, unplanned settlements, institutions, privatization, developing countries

Energy consumption analysis intended for real office space with energy recovery ventilator by integrating BES and CFD approaches

Abstract This study aims to analyze the energy conservation performance of real office space with an energy recovery ventilator (ERV) and to investigate the effect of the arrangement of air supply and exhaust openings. Three types of ventilation systems were chosen for the analysis of coupling computational fluid dynamics (CFD) program with building energy simulation (BES) software. The adoption of mutually complementary boundary conditions for CFD and BES provides more accurate and complete information of air flow distribution and thermal performance in office space. Field measurement was also carried out in a typical office space situated in the middle story of a building to validate the numerical results by measurement data. The office space chosen for this analysis was equipped with air-conditioners on the ceiling with intake of fresh air directly via a heat recovery ventilation system. Its thermal performance and indoor air flow distribution predicted by the coupled method were compared under three types of ventilation system. When the supply and exhaust openings for ERV were arranged on the ceiling, there were no critical differences between the predictions of the CFD–BES coupled method and BES alone on the energy consumption of the HVAC system. On the other hand, discrepancy between the results simulated by the CFD–BES coupled method and BES alone could be clearly found in the case of under-floor-type ventilation system. The discrepancy emphasizes the effectiveness and impact of integrating CFD and BES approaches when non-uniform temperature distribution, that is, thermal stratification, is formed in space.

Transactions and cross shareholdings in Mazda’s Keiretsu: a centrality analysis

Maintaining symbiotic inter-relationships with suppliers is an integral part of developing tightly interwoven vertical supply arrangements among members participating in a network of companies. This article reviews the relevant literature on network theory to test the interrelationships among transactions, cross shareholdings, and sales among all the firms in Mazda's Yokokai Keiretsu. Rooted in graph theory, the degree of betweenness, cross shareholdings, and closeness indicators were used to compute the centrality index, which was then employed to explore the nature of the relationship between transactions and sales, as well as that between cross shareholdings and sales. The findings reveal statistically significant inter-correlations between transactions and sales, and between cross shareholdings and sales. Managerial implications are discussed and conclusions are presented.

Reflections on the Christchurch earthquake

Background and Objectives The city of Christchurch in New Zealand suffered a series of major earthquakes during 2010 and 2011. These resulted in significant damage and loss of life. The impact of the earthquakes on New Zealand Blood Service is reviewed in the context of emergency planning and preparedness.Impact assessment The requirement for blood and blood components was low and easily met from within existing stocks. The anticipated influx of donors was well managed avoiding unnecessary build‐up of blood components and consequent wastage. The Christchurch Blood Centre was closed for a number of days following each major event. Contingency arrangements for supply to Christchurch and other hospitals in the region were successfully implemented.Conclusions Pre‐existing emergency plans are an essential component of emergency preparedness. These must however be flexible to respond to rapidly changing situations. The blood service plan must be integrated into regional and national response plans. Access to timely and accurate information is an important contributor to effective management.

Socio-demographic aspects and therapeutic pathways in patients with rheumatoid arthritis in Italy

The research carried out by Censis Foundation, in collaboration with SIR (Italian Society of Rheumatology) and ANMAR (National Association of Rheumatic patients), with the sponsorship of Roche S.p.A., involved more than 600 patients, diagnosed with arthritis by a rheumatologist according to ACR criteria. The patients were recruited through a representative sample of 300 general practitioners. A number of different research and survey tools were used to collect data, helping to identify several of the problems that affect Italian patients: a survey form to be filled by the GPs, in order to verify the diagnosis and the comorbidity level; a questionnaire for the self-assessment of the disease activity, Rheumatoid Arthritis Disease Activity Index (RADAI), and a sociological questionnaire set up for the analysis of the main aspects of the patients' path. Among the most serious criticalities found, the difficulties and the time needed for the patients to get a clear AR diagnosis, the problems in interacting with health structures, and the differences in accessing pharmaceutical therapies (only a slight majority of patients use DMARDs drugs, a small amount takes biological drugs, while a large number of patients is treated exclusively with symptomatic drugs) stand out. The differences in patients' condition appear then to be exaggerated, regarding the chances to get an early diagnosis, the access path to specialised centres, and in receiving the most appropriate treatments. Moreover, these differences appear to be strongly dependent on both the social characteristics of the patients and the supply arrangement in their area.

Institutional resilience and climate variability in international water treaties: the Jordan River Basin as “proof-of-concept”

Climate-driven changes in precipitation distribution have implications for the long-term sustainability of international water-sharing and hydropower agreements. This research analyses water allocation methods, estimates the resilience of existing water supply arrangements, and examines the role of modified institutional arrangements in addressing possible vulnerabilities in transboundary basins. Specifically, we analyse the resilience of the 1994 Israel–Jordan Treaty of Peace during climate extremes. While the absence of a drought provision in the Treaty left Jordan and Israel vulnerable to drought-induced conflict, the Treaty did establish a Joint Water Committee (JWC) to resolve conflicts without making permanent amendments to the original agreement. During the drought of 1998/99, Israeli and Jordanian members of the JWC brokered a temporary arrangement to modify allocations in order to reflect water availability. Even though water availability restricted the parties from fulfilling Treaty obligations, the institutional arrangement created by the Treaty enabled the parties to peacefully cooperate in time of severe drought. Citation Odom, O. & Wolf, A. T. (2011) Institutional resilience and climate variability in international water treaties: the Jordan River Basin as “proof-of-concept”. Hydrol. Sci. J. 56(4), 703–710.

Quantitative Evaluation of the Relationship BetweenSupply and Off-Take Contracts in Petroleum Refinery Projects Utilizing Project Finance

The petroleum industry is one of the fastest growing sectors in the world in terms of private participation and financing. The risk and uncertainty associated with the crude oil supply and product demand influence the overall economic viability of petroleum refinery projects. Issues associated with the security of a project’s cash flow are of primary concern to investors using project finance in the procurement of petroleum refineries. This article reviews the characteristics of petroleum refinery projects, the concept of project finance, and issues associated with its application, with emphasis on the investigation and appraisal of the arrangement of supply and off-take contracts in relation to risks and economic returns. A mechanism is developed to aid contractual arrangements of supply and off-take strategies in support of project finance transactions in the procurement of petroleum refineries. The mechanism is tested in a case study through computer simulation.

The emergency supply of prescription-only medicines: a survey of requests to community pharmacists and their views on the procedures

Abstract Objectives The provisions of the Medicines Act for the emergency supply of prescription-only medicines (POMs) represent circumstances in which pharmacists in the UK may lawfully supply a patient with a POM without having a prescription. The objectives of this research were to establish the frequency of requests for emergency supplies from doctors and patients, and the characteristics of the requests, to investigate the procedures for emergency supply from the perspective of community pharmacists and to survey their views on the subject. Method Data were gathered in a self-administered structured postal questionnaire. The sample comprised community pharmacists in three health authority areas in Greater London and the surrounding area. Key findings Over two-thirds of the 243 respondents reported receiving requests for emergency supplies of POMs from patients at least monthly. The most commonly requested items were inhalers for asthma, followed by medication for cardiovascular disease. Many pharmacists had refused to make supplies on the basis that the situation did not constitute an emergency and/or that a prescription could be obtained. They also experienced cases in which they doubted the suitability of the requested product. Over half of the respondents reported receiving at least monthly requests from doctors to dispense an emergency supply. Refusals to supply were most commonly because the requested product was a Controlled Drug and therefore disallowed. Most respondents believed that the emergency supply procedures provided an opportunity to exercise professional judgment and were an important “safety net” for patients. Discussion The provisions for the emergency supply of medicines are a common resort of both prescribers and patients and present pharmacists with an opportunity to exercise professional judgment. However, many pharmacists considered the procedures restrictive, believing that they should have more discretion in supplying POMs to regular patients and their representatives. Conclusion Professional developments as envisaged by the British government and the pharmacy profession will require greater flexibility regarding the arrangements for supply of POMs.

Non-Communicating inactive rudimentary horn of the uterus presenting with dysmenorrhoea—a case report of successful laparoscopic excision

Uterine developmental abnormalities can cause both obstetric and gynaecological complications. Non-functioning rudimentary uterine horn is a rare cause of dysmenorrhoea which usually starts after menarche. Cases with lateral/inferior arrangement of blood supply to the functioning rudimentary horn and lapascopic removal have been described in literature. Ours is a unique case of non-functioning rudimentary horn with an unusual medial arrangement of vasculature successfully treated by laparoscopic excision. We also present a brief review of the literature. The patient presented with irretractable dysmenorrhoea despite hormonal manipulation and analgesics. Following the diagnosis using laparoscopy and hysteroscopy and MRI, the left sided non-communicating rudimentary horn with inactive endometrium was removed laparoscopically. Her symptoms were resolved and this was followed by successful pregnancies. Diagnosis of rudimentary horn with inactive endometrium is difficult. Ultrasound is unreliable. MRI, 3D CT scan and 3D ultrasound are gaining popularity. Accurate, prior identification of the type using laparoscopy and hysteroscopy if necessary is essential. This helps in surgical planning. The laparoscopic approach is increasingly being used to resect these horns due to its safety and merits.

Safety-critical design of electromechanical actuation systems in commercial aircraft

Research is increasingly focusing on the incorporation of electromechanical actuators into future More Electric Aircraft. For an actuator to be feasible in a commercial aircraft, the most critical design factor is attaining the strict safety requirements. The electrical drives used in More Electric technologies must also be suitable for the conventional power supply and control arrangements of aircraft, otherwise feasibility of a new technology may be reduced. This study discusses the generic design requirements for electromechanical actuators from a safety perspective, including the application of fault-tolerant electric drives. Later, two prototype electromechanical actuators, developed by the authors are discussed, comparing the different topologies.

Improved Water Institutions for Food Security and Rural Livelihoods in Afghanistan's Balkh River Basin

Crop and livestock production in Afghanistan is constrained by weak infrastructure, poor information, and inadequate institutional capacity to manage water to sustain food security and support farm income. Afghan decision-makers currently lack the information and its application to evaluate the economic performance of alternative irrigation institutions. This analysis develops and applies a framework that informs water decision-makers on profitable and food-secure uses of land and water resources in the Balkh River Basin of Afghanistan. Several arrangements for allocating water among a system of irrigation canals are analysed for their impacts on land and water use, farm profitability, and food security at both the canal and basin levels. Findings show that total water supply and institutional arrangements for allocating water shortages have important influences on farm income and food security. The methods used and results found provide a framework for informing decisions on the sustainable use of land and water for improved food security and rural livelihoods in the developing world's irrigated areas.