Charging Plan Research Articles

Steel-Making and Continuous/Ingot Casting Scheduling of Mixed Charging Plan Based on Batch Splitting Policy

For steel-making and continuous/ingot casting are the key processes of modern iron and steel enterprises, this paper proposes a batch splitting schedule policy to solve continuous and ingot casting schedule of mixed whole/half charging plan for steel making. First establish the model of continuous and ingot casting schedule of mixed whole/half charging plan according to the complex constraints. Then solve this model by heuristic algorithm. Finally use actual data to prove the proposed algorithm's validity and analyze the application result in steel plant.

Steel-making Schedule of Mixed Whole/Half Charging Plan Based on Locked-Path Heuristic Policy

AbstractSteel-making and continuous/mould casting are the key processes of modern iron and steel enterprises. The continuous and mould casting schedule of mixed whole/half charging plan is the bottleneck for the steel-making and continuous/mould casting process. However, it is very difficult to find a solution against the characteristics and complicated environment. This paper proposed a heuristic batch splitting schedule policy. Based on the complex constraints for this process, we established a model of continuous and mould casting schedule of mixed whole/half charging Plan. The model is solved by heuristic algorithm. Numerical testing supported by Shanghai Bao steel plant demonstrated that the method could realize the production cycle reduction and be more efficient to assist scheduler to make a steel-making and continuous casting scheduling which could realize the high production.

Traffic Impact Analysis of Congestion Charge in Mega Cities

Abstract Traffic congestion has become increasingly common in most of mega cities in China. As an effective measure to mitigate traffic congestion, the congestion charge has been accepted in worldwide. This paper forecasts the traffic impact under the condition of implementing congestion charge in the old central districts of Beijing. First, this paper presents the importance of congestion charge according to the location, land use characteristics, and current travel condition of the old central districts. Then, it provides the congestion charge plan scenario by combing the value of travel time of Beijing and experiences from other cities. Finally, the paper evaluates the travel conditions under congestion charge measure based on travel demand model and proposes suggestions of implementing congestion charge.

On the integrated charge planning with flexible jobs in primary steelmaking processes

The integrated charge planning (ICP) problem based on flexible jobs in an integrated steel plant is extremely difficult and valuable. The purpose of this paper is to improve the efficiency and feasibility of planning by minimising the number of charges, minimising the total production costs and maximising the total throughput, considering the hard constraints and soft constraints. A multi-objective mathematical programming model for the problem is formulated, and it is shown that the problem is NP-hard. Two new meta-heuristics are designed, one is guided variable neighbourhood search (GVNS) combined with harmony search, and the other is GVNS combined with simulated annealing. Compared with enumeration algorithm, tabu search, variable neighbourhood search (VNS), harmony search, extend next fit decreasing (ENFD) and skewed VNS (SVNS), variable neighbourhood descent (VND), the numerical results by actual production data have shown that the proposed model and GVNHS are feasible and effective for ICP.

Postoperative airway events of individuals with CHARGE syndrome

CHARGE syndrome is a heterogeneous genetic disorder comprising multiple congenital anomalies. Major clinical diagnostic criteria include ocular coloboma, choanal atresia/stenosis, characteristic ear abnormalities, and cranial nerve abnormalities. CHARGE syndrome is caused by a mutation in the gene CHD7 located on chromosome 8. Patients with CHARGE syndrome require multiple anesthetics for surgical and otorhinolaryngology procedures. This study describes the postoperative anesthetic related airway events (i.e. re-intubations for apneas and desaturations, airway obstruction due to excessive secretions) of nine individuals with CHARGE syndrome. Detailed chart audits were performed on nine patients diagnosed clinically with CHARGE syndrome who had undergone surgery at a single tertiary health centre. The CHARGE characteristics present in each individual, the number and types of surgeries and anesthetics, and the related postoperative airway events were determined. The mean+/-age of the population at chart review was 11.8 years (+/-8.0). The total number of anesthetics was 147, with a mean of 16.2(+/-8.4). Of the 215 surgical procedures (mean 21.9, +/-12.2), 30% were otorhinolaryngological. Postoperative airway events occurred after 35% of anesthetics. Surgeries resulting in the most airway events involved the heart (65%), the gastrointestinal tract (39%), and airway diagnostic scopes, i.e., bronchoscopy, laryngoscopy, and nasopharyngoscopy (36%). Combining multiple surgical procedures under one anesthetic did not increase the risk of postoperative airway events. As individuals aged, they had fewer surgeries and anesthetics, as well as a lower risk of postoperative airway events. Individuals with CHARGE syndrome face a significant risk of postoperative airway events with anesthesia, and this is exacerbated by the high number of surgeries they require. Surgeons and anesthesiologists should be aware of potential for postoperative airway events in individuals with CHARGE syndrome and plan accordingly.

RCN opposes Manchester traffic charge plan

RCN opposes Manchester traffic charge plan

Edinburgh's Congestion Charging Plans: An Analysis of Reasons for Non-Implementation

The City of Edinburgh in Scotland in the UK had advanced plans for a congestion charging scheme until 25 February 2005. However, these plans were abandoned at that time after a referendum that resulted in a ‘no vote’. This paper explains the origins of the scheme, outlines its nature, extent, charging technology and predicted effect; it also analyses the difficulties that exist when attempting to plan and implement such a scheme in a particular governance context, and when there is little unanimity of public opinion about the need for a scheme. As well as the primary documentation from the proposals (e.g. public inquiry submissions, papers to government), the paper also draws upon a series of face-to-face interviews that were undertaken with key stakeholders. It also provides an analysis of press coverage in the local (Edinburgh) and national (Scottish) newspapers in the run-up to the referendum. These sources explain both the systemic and more local barriers to the scheme's implementation. The paper draws key lessons which are important for authorities considering the implementation of a road user charging scheme, by suggesting how legislative and governance barriers to implementation can be reduced. The lessons are of relevance world wide.

Optimum Steelmaking Charge Plan with Unknown Charge Number Based on the Pseudo TSP Model

This paper presents a mathematical charge plan model of steelmaking-continuous casting (SCC) scheduling in the computer integrated manufacturing systems environment. Based on the analysis of the difficulty to solve the scheduling problem, a pseudo travel salesman problem model is presented to describe the scheduling model. By using this method, we can solve the optimum charge problem even without known the charge number, while other methods must know the charge number previously. To solve the problem, an improved discrete particle swarm optimization (DPSO) is presented. A new crossover probability is introduced into the DPSO algorithm, which is differed to that of the GA. Simulations have been carried and the results show that the pseudo travel salesman problem is very fit for describe the model. The computation with practical data shows that the model and the solving method are very effective.

The rise and fall of Edinburgh's congestion charging plans

A referendum in February 2005 saw Edinburgh citizens reject a transport strategy for the city, including a proposed congestion charging scheme. The aims of the strategy were to tackle road congestion and to provide a public transport system to match the best in Europe. Congestion charging was seen by the Council as a key tool both to reduce demand for road space and to provide a revenue stream for transport investment. This paper focuses on the context for the development of the proposals, the hurdles involved in taking them forward, and the apparent contradiction between initial high levels of support for a ‘radical’ transport policy and eventual rejection of the proposed means of achieving those objectives. The paper postulates a number of reasons why this rejection may have occurred, based on the author's experience in the development of the scheme.

Increasing ore extraction by changing detonator positions in LKAB Malmberget mine

By studying the charging plan of a ring and analysing the propagation of the stress waves caused by blasting in sub-level caving, the effects of detonator positions on ore fragmentation and ore extraction were investigated. Two detonator positions were studied and compared with each other. (1) Detonators were placed at the lowest charged position in a blast hole. This position is used in daily production blasting in Malmberget mine, and a ring with the lowest detonator position is called ordinary ring. (2) Detonators were placed at the middle of a charged blast hole, and a ring with such a detonator position is called a test ring. The study on charging plan and the analysis on stress wave propagation showed that a test ring has the following advantages over an ordinary ring: (a) fewer not-detonated (or initiated) blast holes in a ring; (b) more detonation energy utilized; (c) less back breakage to “eye brow”; (d) better fragmentation; (e) more ore extraction. On the basis of the above analysis, a total of...

Improved Genetic Algorithm for Integrated Steelmaking Optimum Charge Plan

The shortcoming of the standard genetic algorithm is analysed. An improved genetic algorithm with modified mutation operator and adaptive probabilities of crossover and mutation is proposed. Simulation experiments have been carried and the results show that the modifications are very effective. In this paper, an optimum charge plan for steelmaking continuous casting production scheduling is also studied. The charge plan model is established. The modified genetic algorithm is used to solve the optimum charge plan problem. The computation with practical data shows that the model and the modified genetic algorithm are very effective.

Alternatives to Acute Hospital Psychiatric Care in East-End Montreal

As pressure mounts to reduce the number of costly acute care beds, governments and the literature propose top-down ratios. Is this reasonable and fair to the responsible medical officers who, as the key care providers, will need to admit patients and develop discharge plans in a reduced-beds environment? Treating physicians of all acute care inpatients on a given day (n = 212) and all new acute care admissions over a 2-week period (n = 125) completed an adapted version of the Nottingham Acute Beds Use Survey (NABUS) Questionnaire. On a given day, only 62 of 212 inpatients were unsuited for any alternative to acute care hospitalization. A floor ratio of 18 acute care beds per 100,000 inhabitants seems adequate for the catchment area in question, provided that alternatives to hospitalization are fully and efficiently available. Alternatives essentially involve an array of the following: supervised residential settings, day hospitals, and intensive home care (2 to 6 hours weekly). The ratio of intensive home care workers required would be 25 per 100,000 inhabitants.

Intensive, Focused Utilization Management in a Teaching Hospital An Exploratory Study

A 3-month study was performed in a teaching hospital to determine the impact of intensive, focused utilization management on the average length of stay and average total charges in a carefully defined group of indigent patients. Prompt admission review was performed, the treatment plan ascertained, and a physician advisor notified. The attending physician was informed by a physician advisor of the patient's financial class, and assistance with expediting patient care and discharge planning was offered. Daily concurrent review monitored the treatment and discharge plans. The study compared 73 patients with a control group of 191 patients of similar financial class and diagnosis related groups (DRGs) for the immediately preceding 3 months. Compared with the control patients, the study patients experienced a 23% decrease in average length of stay and 16% decrease in average total charges. This study indicates that an intensive utilization management effort in a teaching hospital can be effective without compromising the quality of care.

Labour condemns hospital capital charge plans

Labour condemns hospital capital charge plans

Interstate switched access demand analysis

The breakup of the Bell System in 1984 led to the adoption by the Federal Communications Commission of a system of tariff charges that are paid to local exchange carriers by business and residential telephone subscribers, and interexchange carriers such as AT&T. These charges are designed to recover the costs associated with providing access to the public switched network to complete interstate calls. This system is known as the FCC Access Charge Plan. Flat-rate fees, named Subscriber Line Charges, are imposed on telephone subscribers, while usage-based charges are billed to interexchange carriers. These are called Carrier Common Line and Traffic Sensitive rates. Since CCL and TS rates are based on network usage, forecasts of switched access demand are required to set them properly.This paper presents an econometric model of interstate switched access demand developed and utilized by AT&T to produce forecasts of 1988 demand in connection with the Annual 1988 Access Tariff Filings. The model is estimated in a state-level pooled cross-sectional time-series framework, with dynamics introduced via polynomial distributed lags on price and income. It represents an extension of the econometric demand model developed and used by the FCC a year earlier to determine a reasonable forecast of 1987 Carrier Common Line switched access demand. Estimated demand elasticities and forecasts are provided. The model forecasts are also compared to those from other models.

Economics and Politics of Deregulation: The Issue of Telephone Access Charges

The Access Charge Plan, a marginal-cost pricing system for long-distance telephone service, was devised by the Federal Communications Commission in 1982 to facilitate the transition from regulated monopoly to competition. In little more than a year after the plan was proposed, as the plan's distributive and competitive impacts were recognized by a host of stakeholders and political interests, a flood of opposition Abstract swamped the initiative. What emerged, although distinctly different from the system that had previously existed, nevertheless continued to reflect some of the objectives of the past regime, including subsidies to residential users and some shelter for AT&T's principal competitors. The strength of the political process that produced these modifications was due in part to elements in the original FCC proposal that were not essential to its central purpose.

Economics and politics of deregulation

AbstractThe Access Charge Plan, a marginal‐cost pricing system for long‐distance telephone sewice, was devised by the Federal Communications Commission in 1982 to facilitate the transition from regulated monopoly to competition. In little more than a year after the plan was proposed, as the plan's distributive and competitive impacts were recognized by a host of stakeholders and political interests, a flood of opposition different from the system that had previously existed, nevertheless continued to reflect some of the objectives of the past regime, including subsidies to residential users and some shelter for AT&T's principal competitors. The strength of the political process that produced these modifications was due part to elements in the original FCC proposal that were not essential to its central purpose. swamped the initiative. What emerged, although distinctly different from the system that had previously existed, nevertheless continued to reflect some of the objectives of the past regime, including subsidies to residential users and some shelter for AT&T's principal competitors. The strength of the political process that produced these modifications was due part to elements in the original FCC proposal that were not essential to its central purpose.

Publication charge plan: Wider circulation at lower subscription rates

Publication charge plan: Wider circulation at lower subscription rates

The Use of Management Science in Making a Corporate Policy Decision Charging for Directory Assistance Service

This paper presents a case study describing how management science techniques assisted a large corporation in making a decision which may ultimately affect almost everyone in the United States. It was AT & T's decision to recommend to its Operating Companies that they request approval from their public utility commissions to charge customers for using directory assistance service. Directory assistance is the system by which a telephone operator provides telephone numbers to customers on a real-time basis. The paper outlines the structure of the telecommunications industry, describes how directory assistance service is provided and indicates how customer use of the service has grown. Then, the analytical techniques that were used to assist in making the decision are described. These include: development of quantifiable objectives, determination of how customers currently use the service, construction of an econometric demand model, selection of optimal implementation methods, simulation of the economic impact, and analysis of potential customer reaction. This study led to the conclusion that charging would be beneficial and pointed out the particular charging plan that would be best. As of March 30, 1976, charging had been approved in 14 states and regulatory decisions were pending in eight others. In areas where charging has been implemented customers have significantly reduced their dependence upon directory assistance and are making increased use of local telephone directories, personal number lists and other sources of telephone number information, They have expressed little dissatisfaction with the plan.

The publication charge plan in physics journals

Under the “publication-charge plans” of most American physics journals, income needed to meet publishing expense is derived not only from subscription and dues payments, but also from a charge against authors' institutions at a fixed rate per page. The charge is not obligatory, editorial acceptance of articles being unaffected by its payment or nonpayment, but nearly all institutions, companies, and agencies supporting research have accepted the moral obligation of meeting it.