Capacity Utilization Rate Research Articles

The mineral phase reconstruction of copper slag as Fenton-like catalysts for catalytic oxidation of NOx and SO2: Variation in active site and radical formation pathway

Herein, the copper slag through CaO-thermal treatment was used as a heterogeneous catalyst to activate H2O2 into free radicals to remove NOx and SO2. The NOx removal capacity of modified copper slag exhibited a volcano-type tendency with increased calcination temperatures. Because of the iron phase transformation and decrease in surface exposure Cu species by adjusting surface properties, the copper slag delivers a higher NOx capacity and H2O2 utilization rate than raw copper slag and bare H2O2. In addition, the interaction of multi-phases of modified copper slag was illustrated by simulation experiments. Moreover, the possible formation pathway of free radicals in the alkaline medium was proposed based on the electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) as well as chemical quenching experiments. The surface-bound hydroxyl radical through ≡Fe3+ sites is decisive for free radical formation in alkaline conditions. Our findings shed new light on the feasibility of SO2 and NOx removal by metallurgical slag via mineral phase reconstruction as a novel heterogeneous catalyst.

The economic dynamics of competing power generation sources

Competing power generation sources have experienced considerable shifts in both their revenue potential and their costs in recent years. Here we introduce the concept of Levelized Profit Margins (LPM) to capture the changing unit economics of both intermittent and dispatchable generation technologies. We apply this framework in the context of the California and Texas wholesale power markets. Our LPM estimates indicate that solar photovoltaic and wind power have both substantially improved their competitive position during the years 2012–2019, primarily due to falling life-cycle costs of production. In California, these gains far outweigh an emerging “cannibalization” effect that results from substantial additions of solar power having made energy less valuable in the middle of the day. As such, intermittent renewables in both states have been approaching or exceeding the break-even value of zero for the estimated LPMs. We also find the competitiveness of natural gas power plants to have either improved in Texas or held steady at negative LPMs in California. For these plants, declining capacity utilization rates have effectively been counterbalanced by a “dispatchability price premium” that reflects the growing market share of intermittent renewables.

Productive capacity and full employment: a policy alternative

The aim of this paper is to propose the rate of productive capacity utilization as the economic policy target to fight unemployment. The idea behind this proposal is aimed at re-installing the management of effective demand as the main tool to reduce unemployment. This proposal attempts to replace the dominant theoretical framework, based on the neo-Keynesian labor market, which imposes inflation as the main restriction to reduce unemployment. We asses our proposal using data of six economies and several econometric techniques. The results indicate that the percentage of productive capacity utilization can indeed be a good substitute of the rate of unemployment. Moreover, according to the results of our panel data estimations, we identify that effective demand variables, like capital accumulation, affect productive capacity.

ÜÇÜZ AÇIK BASKI ENDEKSİ VE MAKROEKONOMİK DEĞİŞKENLER ARASINDAKİ İLİŞKİNİN ANALİZİ: TÜRKİYE UYGULAMASI

The aim of this study is to create a Triple Deficit Pressure Index for the Turkish economy in the period of 1998 - 2020 and to examine its relationship with selected macroeconomic - financial indicators by ARDL method. The Triple Deficit Pressure Index is valid in the Turkish economy. ARDL Bound test results are statistically significant. Borsa İstanbul 100 Index Value, Banking Sector Credit Volume, Current Account Deficit, Domestic Debt Stock, Export Import Coverage Ratio, Manufacturing Capacity Utilization Rate and USD / TRL buying rate are statistically significant and long-term relationship occurs between significant variables and the Triple Deficit Pressure Index. According to Granger Causality test results, there is one-way causality from Banking Sector Credit Volume and Industrial Production Index to Triple Deficit Pressure Index.

Amino-Functionalized Pore-Expanded MCM-41 for CO2 Adsorption: Effect of Alkyl Chain Length of the Template

Solid adsorbents modified with N-containing functional groups have been extensively studied due to their excellent CO2 adsorption performance. In this work, an adsorbent was obtained to capture CO2 by impregnating polyethylenimine (PEI) into MCM-41 with a reserved template that had different alkyl chain lengths [myristyltrimethylammonium bromide (C14), cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (C16), and stearyltrimethylammonium bromide (C18)]. The thermogravimetric analysis, small-angle X-ray diffraction, N2 adsorption–desorption, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy analysis, and in situ FTIR spectra were employed to study the properties of adsorbents. The results showed that the template had been successfully introduced into the supports in the synthetic process, and the CO2 adsorption performance was quite sensitive to the alkyl chain length of the template. Besides, the adsorbent with the template (C16) exhibited the highest CO2 adsorption capacity (2.49 mmol/g) and amine utilization rate (0.28 mmol CO2/mmol N) under 25 °C and pure CO2. It is believed that the appropriate alkyl chain length of the template could act as an important role in the enhancement of PEI distribution and decrease the CO2 transfer resistance, thereby improving the CO2 adsorption capacity.

Regionalization of primary health care units with multi-institutional collaboration

In this paper, the problem of locating and upgrading primary health care units within a multi-institutional public system is addressed. The problem is motivated by a real-world application in the Mexican Health Care System. Decisions also involve allocating customer demand to those facilities with the goal of minimizing the total travel distance in a capacitated facility location problem. The capacity is measured in units named basic kernels composed by a group of medical staff for outpatient services. A mixed-integer linear programming model is proposed. A computational study based on a real-world case in the State of Mexico is carried out. Test instances are successfully solved by branch and bound. The distribution of patient-to-health care unit distances and the variation of the capacity utilization rate of health care units are analyzed. Among the results, we found that the total travel distance had an average improvement of up to 32% when the capacity is shared between institutions. Some parameters such as the kernel capacity and the minimum allocated demand at each facility could help to balance the workload between health care units, but this outcome has a negative impact on the total travel distance. On average, 91% of demand travels less than 10 km to its health care units and 99% less than 20 km in the computed solutions. The results presented in this paper open the opportunity of using OR tools in the planning of health care resources in developing countries to face the challenges of the next decade in health care matters.

Determining the Effectiveness of the Bus Lines in Urban Transportation using Data Envelopment Analysis

This study aims to determine the efficiency of urban public transport lines and to offer solutions for inefficient lines. In order to determine the efficiency of urban bus lines, a model was created using the data envelopment analysis method. In this model, the input variables were vehicle capacities, distances traveled and number of trips on weekdays and weekend lines. The output variables were the number of passengers carried in each line at peak hour, morning and evening. In addition, taking into account the number of passengers carried and the capacities of the line, capacity utilization rates (CURs) were determined for each line on weekdays and at weekends. CURs were used for the first time in the efficiency analysis of public transportation lines. As the study area, the bus lines used in urban public transportation in Erzurum were examined. As a result of the study, the efficiency and super efficiency degrees of the bus lines were determined. Analysis of the results determined that the highest limit is the K9 line and the lowest is the B4 line. The activity limit are the B2A, B7, G3, G7/A, G9, K3 and K8 lines closest to 100%.

팬데믹과 공급 병목, 물가: 시스템 다이내믹스 접근

This paper explores changes in prices and supply bottlenecks that emerged during the pandemic using the stock management model, which includes credit adjustment by the private financial sector and central authority. Price determination is designed to respond to discrepancies in the rates of capacity utilization and inventory. If the economy is experiencing supply bottlenecks and the resulting large inflation, it is argued that it is necessary to control the price adjustment sensitivity that may exist in the economy along with efforts to solve supply bottlenecks.

On the Nature Reasons for the Long-Term Non-Linearity of Economic Development

There are several different approaches to understanding the peculiar behaviour of economies in the global economic literature. The best known of these is the business cycle theory, which we have referred to as the "conventional theory of the non-linear behaviour of economies" to better distinguish it from the others. For a typical graphical representation, the well-known sine smooth graph is usually used. There are also newer approaches using mathematical, econometric and ecological methods. However, the approach of the author of this essay differs from all others in ontological and methodological aspects. In this paper, among other things, we present an extension of Goodwin's growth cycle model, in which the capacity utilization rate is treated as a new variable in a modified Lotka-Volterra system of differential equations (1956) to the study of distribution cycles. This approach is intended to clarify the links between demand, the labour market and capital accumulation in a model in which a cyclical pattern is established between the employment rate, the profit share and the capacity utilisation rate. The resulting model is then examined qualitatively and the conditions for a limit cycle are explored. Finally, the model is tested on the US economy with quarterly data from 1967 to 2016. The model has a system of differential equations for the utilization rate, the profit share and the employment rate. The second example comes from a slight modification of the original duopoly model of Cournot. Next, in the third example, we visualize Mordechai Ezekiel's famous spider's web theorem using Excel.

Optimal output power coordinated control strategy of distributed power flow controller

Distributed power flow controller (DPFC) is composed of multiple sub-units distributed on the line, which improves the power flow transmission capacity and ensures high reliability of the line. The overall performance and power losses of DPFC are the major concern, which is largely determined by the output power assigned to each sub-unit. This paper investigates the operating loss of its sub-units and analyzes the output of the DPFC device based on the topology of DPFC. Considering the total loss of the DPFC device, the capacity utilization rate of the sub-units and relative constraints, an optimal output power coordinated control strategy of DPFC multi-sub-unit is proposed. The simulation platform of PSCAD/EMTDC is used to develop the simulation model of a typical 110 kV system consisting of 10 groups of sub-units with different capacities. The simulation results show that the optimal output power coordinated control strategy proposed in this paper can greatly reduce the total loss of the device compared with the traditional methods, such as equipartition method and the capacity proportion method. And the capacity utilization rate of the operated sub-units can reach over 87.5%.

Is growth in the South African economy profit-led or wage-led?

Orientation: This article assessed the impact of functional income distribution on economic growth, and how it can characterise the growth regime as profit-led or wage-led.Research purpose: This study investigated whether the problem of falling wage share as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) may have characterised growth as wage-led or profit-led between 1975 and 2019 in South Africa.Motivation for the study: Economic growth in South Africa has been low post the 2008 financial crisis and employees complain about insufficient wages.Research design/approach and method: This article used the Keynesian aggregate demand model and conducted an autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) approach to assess the presence of a long-run relationship between changes in income distribution and aggregate demand.Main findings: The study found that the profit rate, rate of capacity utilisation and the real exchange rate have an influence on net exports. Profit rate and rate of capacity utilisation influenced aggregate consumption. Investment was affected by business confidence, profit rate, foreign demand and rate of capacity utilisation. Demand formation was exhilarationist and growth was profit-led. The foreign sector amplified the extent of profit-ledness.Practical/managerial implications: Government should create policies to reduce inequality in income shares. Institutions should consider reformulating labour dynamics to manage the extent to which the foreign sector amplified the economy to be profit-led.Contribution/value add: The South African economy is profit-led, inconsistent with developed country literature, which suggests that economies are generally wage-led. The findings highlight the importance of the foreign sector in determining the demand formation and growth regimes in the economy.

Optimization of “Internet +” Agricultural Product Industry Chain Based on Partial Differential Equation Inversion Layer by Layer

With the popularization and maturity of Internet technology, it has become an inevitable trend of agricultural development to transform the way of agricultural development and connect the Internet with agricultural products. The development of “Internet + agriculture” is rearranging the entire agricultural product industry chain and it also affects the direction of agricultural development. In this article, we make full use of Internet technology, aiming at the development status of the agricultural product industry chain, and design a layer-by-layer inversion model based on partial differential equations to construct an “Internet +” agricultural product industry chain optimization system. This research strives to achieve the coupling of hardware infrastructure and software service systems. A system platform consisting of one platform, two modules, five services, and twelve functional submodules is designed, and a layer-by-layer inversion method of partial differential equations is introduced. The optimization of the agricultural product industry chain from the control of the production side and the sales side is realized. On this basis, further analysis of the accuracy of partial differential equations, system response time, greenhouse climate change control, agricultural product production capacity, and brand value are further analyzed. The following five conclusions are drawn: first, the response time of each interface is 1 to 2 seconds and in the interval of 500 milliseconds, the intensive range is the densest, and the system performance is further improved. Second, for the three spatial fractional partial differential equations, the equations used in this system basically achieved the best accuracy results. Third, at 13: 00, the maximum temperature difference between indoor and outdoor is 6.3°C, which is the moment when the outdoor solar radiation is strongest. The average temperature in the greenhouse is higher than that outdoors, and the trend of the two changes is the same. Fourth, after the optimization of the industrial chain, the highest utilization rate of agricultural product production capacity is 97% and the net profit can reach 150%. Fifth, the brand value of agricultural products has increased from 560 million Yuan in 2010 to 3.153 billion Yuan in 2020, and the quality value has achieved rapid growth. The results show that the “Internet +” agricultural product industry chain optimization system in this article has a reasonable structure, stable operation, easy expansion, and strong applicability and further accelerates the process of modern agriculture.

Uncovering the overcapacity feature of China's industry and the environmental & health co-benefits from de-capacity

Overcapacity is regarded as an inevitable problem for rapid economic developing countries like China, which also causes serious adverse impacts on the environment and public health. However, few studies have quantified the overcapacity feature and corresponding co-benefit from de-capacity policy. To fill such research gaps, this study constructed a comprehensive assessment model by combining the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) model, the GAINS-China (Greenhouse gas - Air pollution Interactions and Synergies) model, and a meta-analysis and health impact assessment module, to measure the capacity utilization rate of 41 industrial sectors in 31 Chinese provinces and forecast the environmental and health co-benefits from de-capacity policy in 2050. Results showed that the capacity utilization rate of China's industry is 64.13% in 2018, which is much lower than the threshold value of 75%, indicating serious overcapacity in China's industry. Capacity utilization rates of light industries are higher (around 70%) than heavy industries (50%–60%), and the capacity utilization rate in East and South-Central China is higher (70%–96%) than West China (below 40%). Under a de-capacity scenario in 2050, China's CO2 and PM2.5 emissions are reduced by 1.05 billion tons (9.6%) and 57.8 kilotons (5.8%), respectively. This reduction in PM2.5 emissions results in a substantial health co-benefit, reducing national premature mortality cases by approximately 792,100 (1.6%). Finally, it is recommended that de-capacity priority be given to industries with low capacity utilization rate, as well as regions with intensive heavy industry or high levels of greenhouse gas emissions, severe air pollution, and dense population.

Integrated optimization of transfer station selection and train timetables for road–rail intermodal transport network

In this study, we investigate the integrated optimization of container transfer station selection and train timetables for a road–rail intermodal transport network based on the transport organization mode of improved passenger-like container trains. The aim is to achieve a prompt response from train timetables for freight transportation needs to improve the quality of the timetable. The problem is formulated as a mixed-integer nonlinear programming problem, and a multiobjective bi-level optimization model is proposed with the objectives of increasing the average utilization ratio of the rail capacity and decreasing the number of road–rail transfer stations, transport costs, and transport delay penalty costs. To improve the quality of the Pareto solutions, a grid-based adaptive artificial bee colony (GBA-ABC) algorithm is designed to solve the model of a road–rail network with multicommodity flows. As a case study, the model is applied to the high-speed railway network in China and the China–Europe transcontinental railway network. The results show that the integrated optimization approach yields train timetables that can simultaneously reduce the transportation costs and the transportation delay penalty costs, with a rail capacity utilization rate of above 79.57%. Concurrently, it is beneficial for solving robust solutions under different case scales, demonstrating the effectiveness of the model and the algorithm. Finally, the proposed algorithm is experimentally compared with other multiobjective metaheuristics algorithms and is found to exhibit superior performance.

Mixed Production Line Optimization of Industrialized Building Based on Ant Colony Optimization Algorithm

Prefabricated components production line optimization is critical for improving industrialized building construction efficiency; however, few studies focus on the production line optimization problem in context of industrialized building construction. In order to optimize the large random orders in the prefabricated components production process, this research proposes a model to minimize variance of the production capacity utilization of prefabricated components in the production cycle, and the ant colony optimization algorithm is introduced to solve the mixed production line sequencing optimization problem. By optimizing the sequence, the production capacity of the component production is balanced, and the capacity utilization rate in the industrialized building construction process is improved. Finally, the effectiveness of the method is verified through a real case of fabricated building components production. The results show that the variance of daily production capacity utilization rate of the optimized hybrid component production line has reduced to 0.53%, which is significantly lower than the 2.45% before optimization. The proposed model could effectively achieve the production capacity balance of prefabricated components production line.

“Российский экономический барометр”: опыт исследования рыночных реформ в России

The article is dedicated to the 30th anniversary of “The Russian Economic Barometer” – an independent research program being implemented under the auspices of the Institute of World Economy and International Relations. The program was launched in the end of 1991 with the purpose to conduct regular business surveys in order to compensate for the shortage of statistical data revealing changes in the behavior of the Russian industrial enterprises during economic transition. The article describes the distinctive features of REB data base which at present contains over 200 monthly indicators of enterprise performance and changes in the business environment. The main advantages of REB time series consist in the continuity of information gathering throughout a period of 30 years and immutability of the methodology for calculating indicators. The other advantages of REB data base are a short time span from conducting a survey to the data release and availability of indicators that are difficult or impossible to measure by conventional methods such as factors limiting output and investment, capacity and labor utilization rate, managers’ assessments of the current situation of their enterprises and expectations for the nearest future, their views on the overall economic situation and the economic policy of the government. Furthermore the authors outline the stages of the development of the research program, key studies and major achievements as well as current problems and challenges for the future. Special attention is paid to the evolution of the main end users of REB statistical information: from directors of enterprises – survey participants, to whom REB helped to cope with new realities at the early stage of the transition period, and foreign researchers, who experienced shortage of statistical information on developments in the Russian industrial sector – to the public authorities and scientific community of Russia which use REB statistics as a reliable source of independent data supplementing the official statistics. The regularly updated time series of REB indicators and analytical articles are published in the quarterly bulletin “The Russian Economic Barometer” available on the IMEMO website both in Russian https://www.imemo.ru/publications/periodical/reb-quarterly and in English https://www.imemo.ru/publications/periodical/reb-quarterly-eng.

Multiplicity and Not Necessarily Heterogeneity: Implications for the Long-Run Degree of Capacity Utilization

The paper discusses the implications of disaggregation within the theoretical debate on the long-run convergence of the degree of capacity utilization towards the normal one. To this end, we develop an Agent Based – Stock Flow Consistent version of a demand-led growth model based on the capacity adjustment principle, fixed normal rate of capacity utilization and non-capacity creating autonomous component of demand. We show that, once the implicit assumption on the centralized control over the aggregate productive capacity characterizing aggregate models is removed, the economy displays emergent properties: the fluctuations of the business cycle endogenously arise, and the long-run aggregate degree of capacity utilization fluctuates around a level lower than the normal one. These proprieties help to explain some empirical evidence about the tendential under-utilization of productive capacity and confute both the traditional wisdom according to which there is only one degree of capacity utilization (the normal one) compatible with a stable accumulation and the neo-Kaleckian “closure”. To this extent, we point out that the long-run growth path determined within a Supermultiplier model can be somehow characterized by neo-Kaleckian features but, differently from the last one, such “undesired equilibrium” does not present Harrodian Instability: in the quasi-steady state firms keep trying to restore the exogenously given normal degree of capacity utilization without succeeding in that. The emerging phenomena derive, precisely, from considering a multiplicity of firms rather than the aggregate macro firm, and not by their heterogeneity. In particular, for any given distribution of demand across firms, the decentralized control over aggregate productive capacity produces over-investment with respect to the normal growth path.

Группировка промышленных предприятий по загрузке производственных мощностей и уровню банковской задолженности (за II квартал 2021 года)

Russian industrial enterprises, examined by the Russian Economic Barometer are grouped according to two criteria: the level of capacity utilization rate, as well as the level of debts to banks. This grouping allows you to see how key characteristics of enterprises differ depending on how their production capacities are loaded and what level of debts to banks they have. Data are presented for the second quarter of 2021.

Review on Capacity Optimization of Traction Transformer for High-Speed Railway

In electrified railways, traction load not only fluctuates between peaks and valleys, but also has a situation of low utilization rate of average load throughout the day and short overload. The traction transformer selects the capacity with the peak load as the demand boundary, which will cause the capacity utilization rate to be low and even lead to the economic decline of the traction power supply system. This article summarizes the existing configuration methods for capacity optimization of traction transformer. Then under the conditions of energy storage and new energy access to traction power supply system, the three aspects are described as follows. Firstly, the energy storage device is connected to the system, which can pull the capacity of traction transformer to achieve peak shifting and valley filling. Then, the possibility of integrated configuration of new energy and traction power supply system to optimize the capacity of traction transformer and the methods of optimal configuration of traction transformer capacity by using new energy such as wind and light are summarized. Finally, this paper discusses the current structure of new energy access to traction power supply system, and it looks forward to the feasibility of new energy access to traction power supply system cooperating with energy storage devices to optimize the capacity of traction transformer.

Группировка промышленных предприятий по загрузке производственных мощностей и уровню банковской задолженности (за I квартал 2022 года)

Russian industrial enterprises, examined by the «Russian Economic Barometer» are grouped according to two criteria: the level of capacity utilization rate, as well as the level of debts to banks. This grouping allows you to see how key characteristics of enterprises differ depending on how their production capacities are loaded and what level of debts to banks they have. Data are presented for the first quarter of 2022.