Diverse Facilities Research Articles

Functional Approach Leads to Successful ICA across 124 Water and 389 Wastewater Treatment Works

Thames Water Utilities Limited operates a complex network of 124 water and 389 wastewater treatment works. Regulatory requirements are driving a massive capital programme of more than ₤2 Billion over 5 years to improve performance of these facilities. Improvements are planned, engineered, and operated by a variety of internal and external groups and individuals. Shareholders are demanding profitability and the Director General is pushing for improvements to customer service. To achieve its objectives, Thames has developed an instrumentation, control and automation (ICA) systems master plan. The plan is based on the utility s water and wastewater functional requirements. The functional approach is applied to the large number of diverse facilities by grouping facilities and processes into classifications. The approach is used throughout the plan. Each process and its associated process control strategy are clearly defined to ensure consistency and the cost-effective implementation of instrumentation and control across Thames. The functional approach was developed for each process control strategy using a series of structured workshops to achieve consensus and company-wide acceptance. Each department of the utility was involved in the workshops (including engineering, operations, maintenance, management systems, research and development, operational science). Top management sponsored the planning effort and committed to making the plan a reality.

Co-Generation Energy Centres in Diverse Production Facilities

This paper gives a review of applications within the Unilever Group, including plants in operation and studies that did not result in implementation, discusses the development of Unilever's Mersey side site and gives a review of Unilever's recently completed remodelling of the Merseyside Power Station, Port Sunlight, including the financial case, how it is put into practice and operating experience. The oil-fired high-pressure boilers/backpressure steam turbines station now incorporates a 105 tonne/h, 103 bar, 510°C, spreader stoker coal-fired boiler and a 9.5 MWe heavy fuel oil-burning medium-speed diesel engine. Both operate on ‘base load’. The station is flexibly integrated by means of feedwater and air heating systems.

Differences in resource use and cost among facilities treating alcohol, drug abuse, and mental disorders: implications for design of a prospective payment system.

Specialized psychiatric facilities, including qualified distinct-part units in general hospitals, are exempt from Medicare's diagnosis-related group prospective payment system (PPS). One major reason for continuing the exemption is the redistribution of revenue that would probably occur if a single national price were established for care at the diverse facilities that treat patients with psychiatric and substance abuse disorders. This study investigated the extent of such potential redistribution in a private health insurance data base and found that a PPS would systematically underpay specialized facilities and systematically overpay general hospitals without specialized units. Alternatives for addressing this problem are discussed.

Neutron source characterization and radiation damage calculations for material studies

In our quest to understand radiation damage in materials, it is vital that we characterize radiation sources in terms of neutron flux and spectra as well as the more fundamental displacement damage, gas production, and transmutation rates. Such data are crucial to correlations of materials property changes in different environments and to predictions of materials performance in inaccessible environments, such as fusion reactors. Dosimetry techniques have been developed to measure the neutron flux and spectra in diverse facilities including thermal, fast, and mixed reactors, T(d, n) and Be(d, n) accelerator sources, and high-energy spallation sources. Displacement damage cross-sections have been calculated for 36 elements spanning the periodic table. All of these exposure parameters can now be routinely measured with 10–15% relative accuracy at all existing radiation effect facilities.

A minicomputer-based system for process control, data acquisition, and data analysis in a diverse fast kinetics facility

Abstract A minicomputer-based system is described for the control of fast kinetic instrumentation and the analysis of fast kinetic data. The software runs under the RSX-11M operating system on a dedicated PDP-11/34 computer and supports one electron pulse radiolysis and three laser flash photolysis units. Three transient digitizers are supported: the Biomation 8100, the Tektronix R7912, and the Hamamatsu Temporalanalyzer (streak camera). Transients are detected by optical absorption, fluorescence emission, and electrical conductivity techniques. To a large extent, the software makes the differences among the many possible combinations of these instruments transparent to the user. A total of 115 interactively selected options are available, including 15 different types of kinetic analysis. Data acquisition/analysis proceeds concurrently from two terminals equipped with interactive video graphics. The system is quickly learned by visiting scientists and requires no previous computer experience.

INTERORGANISMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCES THROUGH EXTREMELY WEAK ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS

1. The mean rate of water uptake by beans during the first four hours of their submergence in water varies substantially from day to day, even when in presumed "constant" conditions. 2. The variations in rate in independent samples at different laboratory sites and even at widely different geographic ones may show a strong positive correlation not explicable in terms of variations in any obvious factor. 3. Superimposed on a major positively correlating state, is a secondary, shorter period fluctuation wherein the correlation between different groups of samples may exhibit either a positive or a negative correlation. 4. Groups of organisms in closely juxtaposed vessels may bias one another to adopt opposite sign of correlation under some conditions and the same sign under others. 5. This interorganismic biasing may be prevented by having the paired vessels in the very weak field of a very slowly rotating (2 rpm, CW) horizontal bar magnet, or by separating the vessels by 70 cm or more. In either case, the separate vessels then appear to correlate positively and negatively with about equal frequency, indicating independence of one another. 6. Pairs of vessels upon rotating tables at 6 rpm are modified in their interactions in manners dependent upon direction of rotation. Other factors equal, CW rotation appears to favor positive correlation between members of pairs, CCW rotation favors negative correlation. 7. Platform rotation even at the very slow rate of one revolution a day (CW) appears to effect an alteration in the character of the interaction between closely apposed bean samples. 8. Partial electrical shielding by copper plates and experimental alteration of the ambient background radiation by a lead plate modify the rate of water uptake by beans. 9. The interactions between organisms and organisms and their subtle physical environment as they determine positively and negatively correlating states are able to yield biological differences, even on the order of a 2-fold range, concurrently and under the same conditions of all obvious environmental factors. 10. Parallel and concurrent variations in bean samples as widely separated as Woods Hole, Massachusetts and Evanston, Illinois, suggest wide geographic scope of at least one of the major effective subtle parameters. 11. The nature of the phenomenon for beans is of such character that it appears probable that the living embryo within the dried seed possesses the capacity to regulate to a substantial degree the rate of water absorption by the seed upon its submergence. 12. On the presumption that the phenomenon that has been treated herein is a universal biological one, the implications of these findings are great. They relate to (a) reproducibility of experimental results, (b) biological influence of the weak fields of diverse facilities and equipment employed for measurement of biological phenomena, (c) additional and subtle means through which man's alteration of his environment may influence living creatures and (d) potential practical applications of knowledge of the subject for the health sciences.

Architectural trends in large systems

Large systems architectural ideas progressed very rapidly during the middle of the 60's but is currently in a sort of hiatus. This hiatus is largely due to the need to digest the significance of the preceding developments and is currently reinforced by the economic recession. These architectural developments have yielded announced or about to be announced products like the IBM 195, the CDC 7600 and STAR, and the ILLIAC IV. These machines represent not only different solutions to the problem of high performance, but also different views of what constitutes the problem. These concepts of problems, along with their solutions, goes from: consisting of identical processing performed at each of a great many points---so put in many execution units run by a single instruction control---and ranges to: problems require quite diverse functions rather locally---so make it possible to utilize these diverse facilities concurrently. These machines above are listed in the order of their degree of independence of problem regularity when it occurs. The common denominator of these machines is the intent to capitalize upon the existence of concurrently executable sequentially independent process strings.

DESALTING SALINE WATER FOR IRRIGATION A CASE STUDY, COACHELLA AREA, CALIFORNIA1

ABSTRACT.A case study was performed to evaluate potential applications of desalted saline water for agriculture using 2 distillation type processes and 2 membrane type processes. The investigation determined the costs and benefits associated with desalting saline water at concentrations of 1,500, 900, 400, 200, and 50 ppm. Benefits from desalting are generated by shifts to more profitable crops, reduced costs for drainage, and reduction in fertilizer and labor requirements with better quality water. Costs are based on the project features such as desalting plants, raw water diversion facilities, storage reservoirs, conveyance and distribution systems, brine disposal, blending facilities, and gypsum addition systems. Hydrologic studies determined the crop irrigation requirements, water demand schedules, desalted water storage requirements, brine disposal requirements, and size of facilities required. Reconnaissance design layouts were made for producing desalted water using a combination of 14 schemes. The study also included a review of irrigation practices. The benefit‐cost ratios range from 0.4 to 1.0 for 1,500 ppm irrigation water to 0.8 to 1.0 for 50 and 200 ppm water. Investment costs per acre are high, ranging from $12,900 to $20,900. Irrigation benefits are based on the increase in production from a desert condition with no water supply to the irrigation conditions studied.

Diversion at Portage Mountain Project

A 15 yr flood of 270,000 cfs was ued for the design of the diversion facilities during dam construction. The design flow was determined by extending flow records through correlation with neighboring rivers. The diversion path was an open cut intake channel, 800 ft long and 280 ft wide, leading into three 48-ft diam., horseshoe-shaped, concrete-lined tunnels, designed for free flow. Savings resulted from using depressed tunnel inverts with upshots at the outlet portals, and from the 2-ft thick unreinforced lining. The depressed inverts provided supercritical flow in the tunnels and the upshots proved beneficial in deflecting flow form the river bottom at the tunnel outlets. Diversion was accomplished by blowing a rock plug at the entrance to the intake channel and completing closure of the diversion cofferdam. The tunnel successfully carried an instantaneous peak flow of 314,000 cfs.

ANALISIS KEPUASAN PENGGUNA JASA PEMELIHARAAN DAN PERBAIKAN ATAS PELAYANAN UPT-PP (UNIT PELAKSANA TEKNIS PEMELIHARAAN DAN PERBAIKAN) POLITEKNIK NEGERI BALI

ABSTRACT: PNB is avocational education institution. With vocational predicate, PNB have diverse learning facility. In order for these assets remain in top condition (ready to use), there should be a special unit that handles maintenance and repair issues. UPT-PP (Unit Pelaksana Teknis Pemeliharaan dan Perbaikan) is one of the units in PNB which has a function implementing maintenance and repairs of all assets, and all equipment used in the activities of the learning process. UPT-PP has the functions and responsibilities are quite heavy and vital in supporting the smooth learning activities both theory and practice. This situation demands UPT-PP should have good human resources, competent, reliable and should be supported by the provision of hardware and software that is adequate. This study aims to determine the value of service user satisfaction level of maintenance and repair of services given by UPT-PP Politeknik Negeri Bali and identify the factors that need attention in order to increase user satisfaction with the services UPT-PP Politeknik Negeri Bali. Retrieval of data obtained from the spread of the questioner about facts and reality associated with service quality and user expectations UPT-PP Politeknik Negeri Bali. While the calculation of the correspondence between the level of quality and user expectations UPT-PP is the comparison of the quality weight with the weight of expectations/interests. This conformity level will show the level of user satisfaction with the services. Results of a descriptive analysis of user satisfaction with the services UPT-PP can be determined by the value of the conformity level. After analysis, the conformity level of each dimension is obtained from the tangible value 81.08%, conformity level of reliability79.04%, conformity level of responsiveness to the value of 81.09%, the assurance dimension with value 84.20% and dimensions of empathy with the conformity value 83.23%. From five dimensions of conformity level assessment between service quality expectations of service users UPT-PP Politeknik Negeri Bali is 81.07% or user satisfaction level can achieve 81.07%. The advice can be given to UPT PP services is able to calculate the time it takes to handle a case, time discipline and may provide an explanation to user about problems experienced and can establish a harmonious working relationship to all service users, in order to increase the trust of all users.

Discharge Facilities at Hells Canyon Dam

Design of Hells Canyon Dam on the Snake River for the Idaho Power Company required careful consideration to arrangement in fitting the diversion, power and spillway facilities within the deep narrow gorge. Each feature arrangement is described. Hells Canyon Dam is a straight concrete gravity structure. The diversion tunnel is concrete lined and has a 40-ft diam horseshoe section, 1700 ft long to handle 60,000 cfs. The three-unit power plant with 391,500 KW nameplate capacity is notched into left abutment rock and overlaps the toe of the dam. Energy of 300,000 cfs discharge over the center section spillway is dissipated by a combination of concrete nappe deflectors and a submerged roller bucket. Fish trapping facilities adaptable to the 48-ft tailwater fluctuation consist of an aluminum barge floating in the tailrace.

Hydraulic Design of Dworshak Dam Diversion Facilities

The facilities used for river diversion, log passage, and migratory fish passage are described with respect to hydraulic problems and design criteria. Diversion was accomplished by use of a 40-ft diameter horse shoe-shaped tunnel, in conjunction with upstream and downstream cofferdams. The design of the tunnel entrance and exit channels and the concrete tunnel lining allow passage of the annual log drive. Tunnel closure involves a temporary gate at the upstream portal and a permanent concrete plug in the tunnel. Upstream migrating fish are prevented from directly entering the tunnel by a concrete sill across the exit channel. A fish trapping and loading structure to facilitate fish hauling is designed to operate alternately with a by-pass fish ladder to provide fish passage during construction.

Current trends in federal interagency relations concerning air pollution.

Under the first Federal Air Pollution Act of 1955, which assigned the responsibility for developing a national program to the Public Health Service, a significant phase of the program involved other federal agencies through a series of contractual relationships. These interdepartmental relationships were limited however, to the objective of capitalizing on the diverse research facilities and specialized competencies within the federal establishment, as a means of accelerating the research and technical assistance program authorized under the act. With the passage of the Clean Air Act of 1963, a major new emphasis has been added to the federal air pollution control program—application of technical knowledge, through broadly accelerated control programs. This emphasis is reflected in current trends in the nature and type of the Public Health Service’s developing relationships with other federal agencies. The emerging PHS programs to prevent and control air pollution from federal facilities, the PHS role in ...

Preliminary Studies on the Visible Migrations of Adult Salmon

Techniques have been developed for observing and recording the behaviour of migrating adult salmon. Daytime movement through slow water (less than 5 ft/sec (1.5 m/sec)) is by steady swimming in schools. Such steady swimming is interrupted with resting periods at velocities between 3 and 5 ft/sec (1.0–1.5 m/sec) but can be sustained over long periods at velocities less than 3 ft/sec (1 m/sec). Movement through slow water in the Somass River system normally occurs along the line of the deepest channel, wherever this is well defined. Movement through rapids (velocities more than 5 ft/sec or 1.5 m/sec) is by darting interspersed with holding, salmon moving individually rather than in schools. Migration through pools, and through other obstructions such as fishways shows diurnal rhythms, modifications of which are associated with numbers of salmon moving, the time within the migratory season, and the species concerned. Nocturnal migration occurs.Entry of salmon into rivers during the migratory season occurs at intervals, the initiating stimulus for which is frequently related to the passage of atmospheric warm fronts over the river estuary.Techniques for field behaviour studies of salmon migration have a potential for management in that it is possible to undertake such studies in areas scheduled for industrial development and to utilize the revealed spatial and temporal migration patterns in the design of fish diversion facilities.

Pumping for power in the Colorado rockies

The vast colorado-big thompson transmountain water diversion project for irrigation and power development has for its operating heart the Granby pumping plant. This plant is of special interest due to its size, its unusual construction, its related storage and diversion facilities, and its key position with respect to a large hydroelectric power development.

Pumping for Power in the Colorado Rockies

The vast colorado-big thompson transmountain water diversion project for irrigation and power development has for its operating heart the Granby pumping plant. This plant is of special interest due to its size, its unusual construction, its related storage and diversion facilities, and its key position with respect to a large hydroelectric power development.