Maximum Charges Research Articles

The additionally charged forces in the Sun-Earth and Earth-Moon systems

We build a model to describe the net charges existing in the Sun and Earth. According to statistical mechanics, electrons on average move much faster than protons and neutrons at the same temperature. Electrons escape the Sun more easily than protons and neutrons, so the Sun becomes a charged star. We estimate the maximal net charges in the Sun by using statistical mechanics first. Then, we analyze the dynamical cycles between the positive and negative charged states. At a distance far away from the Sun, the effective net charges including the leaving protons and electrons are about 6.3×109C with energies of 1 GeV initially. We also use another way based on the observations of the Earth's perihelion precession to estimate the minimum and maximum net charges between 1.15×108C and 2.80×1010C in space from the Sun to Earth. The most charged particles from the Sun to the Earth are electrons, so both the Moon and Earth are impacted by them and very possibly have the same electricity. Next, we propose new physical mechanisms causing the slowdown of the Earth's spin and propose Coulomb's repulsive force resulting in the increasing distance between the Moon and Earth. As a result, it gives the net charges of 1.11×106C surrounding the Earth and 8.29×103C surrounding the Moon. Our estimations also correspond to early works. The charges surrounding the Sun and Earth cause the Earth to be long-term accelerated in the radial direction by Coulomb's force. Finally, using the effective net charges of the Sun and Earth, we calculate the increasing distance between 11.4 m and 19.4 m on average per century if the initial radial velocities of the Earth are in between 3.59×10−9m/s and 6.12×10−9m/s, which satisfies the observed reports.

Most Major Hospitals Fail to Comply With Federal Price Transparency Regulations

PurposeThis study aims to present hospital compliance with federal price transparency regulations for sports medicine procedures. MethodsOnline price estimator and machine-readable files were recovered for U.S. News and World Report’s (USNWR) top 100 orthopedic hospitals. From June to November 2023, compliance and monetary values were recorded for each of Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) price transparency regulations. Price estimator data was assessed based on hospital placement in the bottom and top 50 of the 100 institutions under review, as well as by region (Northeast, South, Midwest, West). Statistical analyses included two-sample t-tests and Kruskal Wallis tests. Results95% of hospitals had a price estimator tool for both subacromial decompression (Current Procedural Terminology (CPT): 29826) and meniscectomy (CPT: 29881). Only 38% were compliant with all regulations for subacromial decompression and 39% for meniscectomy; the remaining did not list minimum or maximum procedure charges. Higher ranked hospitals were significantly more likely to charge a higher cash price for subacromial decompression and meniscectomy (p = 0.040 and p = 0.009 respectively). Compliance with machine-readable file reporting was poor with less than 20% meeting requirements for each CPT code. Reported prices varied greatly by hospital. ConclusionsThis study demonstrates that USNWR top 100 orthopedic hospitals exhibit poor overall compliance with federal price transparency regulations for sports medicine procedures. Most often they lack full compliance by not reporting minimum or maximum charges as part of their price estimator tool or do not report procedure prices in their machine-readable files. Hospitals also exhibit wide variation in prices reported for specific procedures. Clinical RelevanceConsumer price transparency continues to be an important goal in healthcare as it allows patients to make informed decisions when selecting appropriate treatment options and providers. To realize the full benefits of price transparency hospitals should address areas of improvement.

Determination of the seismic effect of a mass explosion on the earthquake resistance of ledges of block products

The publication examines the impact of seismic waves from the mass detonation of the gravel section of the quarry on solid areas suitable for extracting dimension stone in the conditions of the Leznikivsky quarry (Ukraine). Seismic measurements in the quarry were analyzed. Based on the obtained data, seismic-safe zones for mass detonations of gravel sections were identified, and the maximum allowable charges of explosive materials in a single borehole were calculated.

ВПЛИВ ПОЛЯРНОГО ТА ЕКВАТОРІАЛЬНОГО ДЕМПФУЮЧИХ МОМЕНТІВ СНАРЯДА НА ДАЛЬНІСТЬ ЙОГО ПОЛЬОТУ

A relevant and important issue in the calculation of projectile flight trajectories is the definition and presentation of the equatorial and polar damping moments in the system of differential equations of spatial motion of projectiles. It is shown that the damping moments are determined by the shape and orientation of the projectile, the nature of the flow, the type of boundary layer and its interaction with shock waves, the speed, the height of the projectile and its nutation angle. To evaluate the influence of the aerodynamic coefficients of the equatorial and polar damping moments (their aerodynamic coefficients) on the flight range of the projectile, the method of differences is used, which consists in solving the system of differential equations of the spatial motion of the projectile so that changing the value of the aerodynamic coefficient results in a change in the flight range. Numerical modeling of the dependence of the flight range of the 155-mm HE Assegai M2000 projectile on the change in the aerodynamic coefficients of the equatorial and polar damping moments by 1% was carried out. It is shown that the aerodynamic coefficient of the polar damping moment creates the largest errors in the range at the maximum and minimum charges, namely, at the maximum charge the error reaches 0.012%D, at the minimum charge – 0.01%D, the effect on intermediate charges is manifested in a much smaller form, and not exceeds the value of 0.005%D. The largest error in the flight range of the projectile from the aerodynamic coefficient of the equatorial damping moment is observed at the maximum charge, the deviation reaches 0.07%D, the smallest error at the minimum charge is 0.0001%D. The obtained results make it possible to estimate the required accuracy of determining the aerodynamic coefficients of the equatorial and polar damping moments under different firing conditions of artillery systems.

Price Transparency for Cervical Spinal Fusion Among High-Performing Spine Centers in the United States.

As of January 1, 2021, all US hospitals are required by the Hospital Price Transparency Final Rule (HPTFR) to publish standard charges for all items and services, yet the state of price transparency for cervical spinal fusion is unknown. Here, we assess the nationwide price transparency landscape for cervical spinal fusion among high-performing spine centers in the United States. In this cross-sectional economic evaluation, we queried publicly available price transparency websites of 332 "high-performing" spine centers, as defined by the US News and World Report. We extracted variables including gross charges for cervical spinal fusion, payor options, price reporting methodology, and prices relevant to consumers including listed cash prices and minimum and maximum negotiated charges. While nearly all 332 high-performing spine surgery centers (99.4%) had an online cost estimation tool, the HPTFR compliance rate was only 8.4%. Gross charges for cervical spinal fusion were accessible for 68.1% of hospitals, discounted cash prices for 46.4% of hospitals, and minimum and maximum charges for 10.8% of hospitals. There were large IQRs for gross charges ($48 491.98-$99 293.37), discounted cash prices ($26 952.25-$66 806.63), minimum charges ($10 766.11-$21 248.36), and maximum charges ($39 280.49-$89 035.35). There was geographic variability in the gross charges of cervical spinal fusion among high-performing spine centers within and between states. There was a significant association between "excellent" discharge to home status and lower mean gross charges. Although online cost reporting has drastically increased since implementation of the HPTFR, data reported for cervical spinal fusion remain inadequate and difficult to interpret by both providers and patients.

Modular design and fully packed triboelectric nanogenerator based on escapement mechanism for harvesting high entropy energy in harsh environments

Harvesting high entropy energy (HEE) from the environment is a promising route for powering various smart terminals. Although triboelectric nanogenerators (TENG) exhibit an infinitely bright future as an excellent energy conversion technology, continued efforts are needed for the efficient harvesting of HEE, especially in harsh environments. Here, we report a self-powered system composed of modular TENG (M-TENG) and power management circuit (PMC) that efficiently captures HEE in harsh environments, and provides a stable output of 126 s with only stored energy. With the assistance of an optimized gear train, weak HEE can produce greater torque to drive the escapement, while the escapement releases energy evenly to the TENG to produce a stable and continuous electrical output. The influence of a series of structural parameters on the output performance of the M-TENG has been systematically investigated and validated by finite element analysis (FEA). The maximum open-circuit voltage (VOC), short-circuit current (ISC), and transfer charges (QSC) can reach 500 V, 6 μA, and 125 nC, respectively. Moreover, the quantified stability and environmental adaptability of the M-TENG are validated. This work presents a paradigm for the efficient utilization of HEE in harsh environments and brings new inspiration for developing emergency self-rescue equipment.

Economics in Medicine- a Study on Price Transparency in Hematology

Introduction: In early 2022, a study was done to assess the knowledge of Internal Medicine (IM) residents on healthcare charges in North Alabama Medical Center (NAMC). This study revealed a significant knowledge gap among residents, identifying a potential area that needs academic advancement to empower future physicians with vital information to make cost-conscious decisions for their patients. A curriculum was started as part of the Systems-Based Practice core competency to educate IM residents at NAMC about healthcare costs and price transparency to serve this purpose. As an extension, we performed this study to create awareness among hematologists-in-training and practicing hematologists regarding price transparency in hematology. Methods: This study used data from the ZeaMed Health hospital pricing database. ZeaMed Health is a pricing analytics company that downloaded hospital information across the United States from the Centres for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) database. As part of the CMS Hospital price transparency rule, the hospitals publish data of the chargemaster and 300 shoppable services in a machine-readable format on hospital websites. ZeaMed Health collected hospital pricing data posted on the hospital websites. The data collection period was from January to June 2022. The information compiled included charge master data (i.e., standard gross prices, discounted cash prices, de-identified minimum negotiated charges, and de-identified maximum negotiated charges). The individual insurance negotiation rates were excluded since the minimum, and maximum negotiated rates exist. The following 12 unique Diagnosis Related Groups (DRGs) are related to the hematology section (799, 800, 801, 808, 809, 810, 811, 812, 813, 814, 815, 816). DRG 811, Red blood cell disorders with major complications or comorbidity (MCC), and DRG 812, Red blood cell disorders without MCC, were chosen to make it easy for the audience to comprehend. It is found that not all hospitals have provided all four standard charges on pricing data. Some hospitals provided only minimum and maximum negotiated prices, and others provided all four charges. Those hospitals' data that have all four standard prices are retained. Eight hundred forty-two out of the total 3115 DRG files were identified as 811 and 812 DRGs. Of 842 files, 332 were excluded because they did not provide all four standard charges. Of the remaining 510 files, 31 only mentioned anesthesia charges, making the total file count 479 (which includes both DRGs 811 and 812). Of the 479 files, 210 files belong to DRG 811, and 269 files belong to DRG 812. Any four standard prices below $1000 were excluded to remove the outliers. After excluding them, the final count was 204 for DRG 811 and 253 for DRG 812. The data does not include the professional fee. Results: The Red Blood Cell Disorders with MCC (DRG 811) and Red Blood Cell Disorders without MCC (DRG 812) were studied. For the 204 hospitals with DRG 811, the average standard gross price is $58,000, the average cash price is $30000, the average minimum negotiated price is $11000, and the average maximum negotiated price is $32000. For the 253 hospitals with DRG 812, the average standard gross price is $35000, the average cash price is $18000, the average minimum negotiated price is $6000, and the average maximum negotiated price is $22000. In both the DRGs, the average discounted cash price is lower than the average maximum negotiated price and higher than the average minimum negotiated price. This information is helpful for patients who are either uninsured or underinsured. This average data gives the power to the patient to negotiate for the lower price, that is, the minimum negotiated price. Without this information, the patient would otherwise pay the discounted cash price, which is $19000 higher on DRG -811 and $12000 higher on DRG-812. Conclusion: As hematologists in training and in practice, we have a duty to our patients to educate them on the economics of medicine and to provide cost-effective care. Our study serves to encourage other clinical educators to consider incorporating this curriculum into their resident's and fellow training. Our program serves as a model for this and has already taken the initiative of incorporating this curriculum in resident didactic with lectures delivered by the senior author and senior investigator of this study, who is also the founding designated institutional official (DIO) of the program. Figure 1View largeDownload PPTFigure 1View largeDownload PPT Close modal

Not Clearing the Air: Hospital Price Transparency for a Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy

IntroductionIn 2019, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) established a new requirement that all hospitals publish information on the standard costs of services provided. Increased price transparency allows patients to compare healthcare costs and make informed decisions about their care. We investigated compliance with this rule with regards to laparoscopic cholecystectomy, a commonly performed operation and one of the 70 shoppable services (SSs) included in the CMS requirement, among prominent hospitals in the United States. MethodsThe 2021-2022 US News “Best Hospitals for Gastroenterology and GI Surgery” was used to identify the top 50 hospitals for gastrointestinal surgery. Each hospital's website was assessed for the presence of a machine-readable file (MRF) as required by CMS. Each MRF was then evaluated for inclusion of all seven required elements: description of item/service, gross charge, payer-specific negotiated charge, deidentified minimum and maximum negotiated charges, discounted cash price, and billing code. The presence of a consumer-friendly display of SSs was also evaluated. The Current Procedural Terminology code 47562 (removal of gallbladder with an endoscope) was used to search for all six required elements: payer-specific negotiated charge, discounted cash price, de-identified minimum and maximum negotiated charges, campus location of the SS, and billing code. The SS display was further evaluated for provision of additional information on ancillary charges, which are recommended but not required. The MRF and SS were also evaluated for accessibility and date of last update. Hospitals were analyzed according to rank. Compliance with CMS requirements was compared between hospitals. ResultsFifty one hospitals were included. Of these 51 hospitals, one (2%) provided all the required information for both MRF and SS, 44 (86%) did not provide all necessary components of both the MRF and SS, six (12%) had all necessary elements of an MRF only, and two (4%) had all necessary elements of the SS only. The MRF was accessible in 80% (41) of studied hospitals and 76% (39) provided a gross charge but just 35% (18) of hospitals included the discounted cash price. The SS specified location for all hospitals, indicated a billing code in 96% (49), and provided a payer-specific charge in 96% (48), but less often provided de-identified minimum (30; 59%) and maximum (30; 59%) charges. Thirty nine (76%) hospitals reported that the listed price included an ancillary charge. There was no significant difference between hospitals in having all required elements of both the MRF and SS or the MRF only or SS only. ConclusionsHospitals are providing healthcare consumers with standard charge information, although with significant variation in what is disclosed. There is no association between hospital reputation and provision of standard charge information.

Less Than One-third of Hospitals Provide Compliant Price Transparency Information for Total Joint Arthroplasty Procedures.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently implemented price transparency legislation. As total joint arthroplasty (TJA) procedures are widely used, expensive, and generally are predictable in terms of cost and expected outcomes, these procedures are a proxy for assessing how hospitals provide price transparency for their services as a whole. Furthermore, cost estimates for TJA procedures represent some of the most commonly sought-after price transparency information among the orthopaedic surgery patient population. We asked: (1) Are hospitals compliant with federal rules mandating transparency in pricing for primary TJA? (2) Are hospitals providing these data in a user-friendly format? (3) Is there a difference in prices quoted based on Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes compared with Diagnosis Related Group (DRG) codes? Our cross-sectional retrospective analysis used the CMS's Hospital Compare database. This database includes information for 5326 Medicare hospitals nationally. We excluded children's, psychiatric, Veterans Affairs, and active military base hospitals as well as hospitals performing fewer than 100 TJAs annually. A total of 1719 hospitals remained after this selection process. Random sampling stratified across practice setting, hospital size, TJA volume, type, ownership, and Census region was performed to identify 400 facilities for our final analysis. Included hospitals were located predominately in urban areas (79% [317 of 400]) and were mostly medium-sized facilities (43% [171 of 400]). Most hospitals were classified as acute care (98% [392 of 400]) versus critical access. Three reviewers thoroughly searched each hospital website for a machine-readable file providing the following five datapoints: gross charges, payer-specific negotiated charges, deidentified minimum negotiated charges, deidentified maximum negotiated charges, and discounted cash prices. Hospitals that provided all five datapoints through a machine-readable file were considered compliant. Additionally, we considered hospitals with any gross price information pseudocompliant. The consumer-friendliness of the website was assessed based on the following criteria: (1) languages other than English were offered, (2) it took less than 15 minutes to locate pricing information, (3) a phone number or email address was provided for questions, and (4) there was a description of procedure in common terms. Pricing information was recorded and compared for CPT codes 27447 and 27130 and DRG codes 469 and 470. Data were sourced from December 1 through 20, 2021, to assess compliance in the first year since the legislation was implemented. Only 32% (129 of 400) of the sampled hospital websites were compliant with all six requirements under the CMS rule for transparency in pricing. When segregating by individual procedures, 21% (84 of 400), 18% (72 of 400), 18% (71 of 400), and 19% (74 of 400) of hospitals provided CMS-compliant pricing information for CPT codes 27447 and 27130 and DRG codes 469 and 470, respectively. For each code, rates of pseudocompliance were 36% (143 of 400), 31% (125 of 400), 34% (135 of 400), and 50% (199 of 400) for the included codes, respectively. Most included hospitals provided at least some of their pricing data in a user-friendly format. Prices quoted using a DRG search were higher overall than prices quoted using a procedure-specific CPT code. Although the CMS implemented a price transparency mandate at the beginning of 2021, our analysis demonstrated that most hospitals either do not provide TJA price estimates or are noncompliant when presenting related information. Specifically, approximately half of evaluated hospitals provided a gross charge for any TJA code, and less than one-third of these institutions were fully compliant with all CMS mandates for these procedures. Given the potential influence compliance and price sharing may have on empowering patients' healthcare decisions and reducing healthcare expenditures, hospitals should use our analysis to identify where their compliance is lacking and to understand how to make their pricing information more readily available to their patients. In addition to ensuring that all six CMS mandates are met, this should include providing information in easy-to-understand formats and making related services identifiable across all levels of health literacy. Furthermore, we advocate for the use of CPT codes and layman terms when identifying provided services as well as a price estimator tool that allows for the download of a machine-readable file specific to the procedure of interest.

Price Transparency and Compliance With Federal Regulation for Pediatric Tonsillectomy.

To improve hospital price transparency, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) requires, as of January 2021, that all hospitals reveal charges for specific items and services. This analysis investigates whether otolaryngology residency-affiliated hospitals have complied with this new regulation, and it evaluates the variability in hospital-reported charges for pediatric tonsillectomy. Cross-sectional analysis. Subset of hospitals affiliated with otolaryngology residency programs. Hospital websites were searched to determine compliance rates with CMS guidelines by posting a price transparency tool and specific charges for Current Procedural Terminology code 42820 (tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy, <12 years old). Various charges were collected: gross charge, discounted cash price, deidentified minimum and maximum negotiated charges, hospital fees, and physician fees. Overall 104 unique hospitals were analyzed: 81 (78%) provided pricing data, but only 28 (27%) complied with CMS guidelines. The median reported total gross charge was $13,239 (range, $600-$41,957); deidentified minimum negotiated charge, $9222 (range, $337-$25,164); and deidentified maximum negotiated charge, $17,355 (range, $1002-$54,987). Hospital fees (median, $11,900; range, $2304-$38,831) were consistently higher than physician fees (median, $1827; range, $420-$5063). All estimates included a disclaimer stating that values likely underrepresent true prices. Hospital compliance with the new regulation remains low, which limits efforts toward improved price transparency. There is wide variability in reported charges for pediatric tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy.

Optimal energy management of a retrofitted Rubber Tyred Gantry Crane with energy recovery capabilities

In this work, an optimal energy management model for the grid-powered electric RTG, with a battery storage system, is developed. The aim of the model is to reduce the operation cost, by minimizing the component linked to the maximum demand charges from the grid, as well as the component linked to the Time of Use (ToU) pricing structure. As a case study, a RTG crane operating in South Africa has been selected. The load profile, size the battery storage system, ToU tariff, as well as the maximum demand charges, are used as input for the developed model. Simulations, for a complete RTG handling cycle, have been conducted to evaluate the techno-economic performances of the developed model, used to optimally dispatch the power flow in the system during the different phases of operation. Three main configurations have been simulated as energy sources for the RTG crane, namely, the exclusive supply from the grid, grid/battery hybrid system without energy recovery during the lowering phase and grid/battery hybrid with energy recovery, during the lowering phase.As compared to the baseline, the simulation results have shown that using the proposed model shows a possible 50.36, 60.6 and 64.4% cost reduction, per full handing cycle, are possible in off-peak standard and peak pricing period, for the selected winter day. The results also show that the maximum demand charges may be reduced by 45.20%.Further economic analyses have been conducted; and the results indicate that the proposed system successfully reduce electrical energy costs, the peak demand and outperforms each of the presented baselines.

Load Shifting and Peak Clipping for Reducing Energy Consumption in an Indian University Campus

This paper analyzes the intelligent use of time-varying electrical load via developing efficient energy utilization patterns using demand-side management (DSM) strategies. This approach helps distribution utilities decrease maximum demand and electrical energy billing costs. A case study of DSM implementation of electric energy utility for an educational building Alagappa Chettiar Government College of Engineering and Technology (ACGCET) campus was simulated. The new optimum energy load model was established for peak and off-peak periods from the system’s existing load profile using peak clipping and load shifting DSM techniques. The result reflects a significant reduction in maximum demand from 189 kW to 170 kW and a reduction in annual electricity billing cost from $11,340 to $10,200 (approximately 10%) in the upgraded system. This work highlights the importance of time of day (TOD) tariff structure consumers that aid reduction in their distribution system’s maximum demand and demand charges.

Complete Prevention of Contact Electrification by Molecular Engineering

Summary Electrostatic charges are easily generated on surfaces during contact electrification. Although these invisible charges have emerged as a new dimension in mediating the functions of surfaces, such as energy conversion, liquid transport, reactivity, and adsorbability, the accumulation of charges on surfaces can also pose many undesirable consequences. Despite notable progress, existing approaches in engineering antistatic surfaces suffer from limitations such as the need to modify bulk materials or for delicate control of patterning on surfaces that rely on the neutralization of generated charges. Herein, we report a general toolbox for designing antistatic coatings by leveraging on chemically heterogeneous components with electron-donating and electron-accepting functions, i.e., N-(2-aminoethyl)-3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane and 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorooctyl trimethoxysilane, to molecularly engineer the surface potential to achieve an electrostatic homogeneity and completely prevent charge generation. Our approach is general, which allows the facile fabrication of antistatic coatings on various materials, even flexible and curved, with good re-writability and transparency.

Model validation and economic dispatch of a dual axis pv tracking system connected to energy storage with grid connection: A case of a healthcare institution in South Africa

Healthcare institutions, ranks the second highest energy intensive buildings in the commercial sector, with daily energy consumption ranging from 43 to 92 kWh per bed. Energy management in this sector may prove difficult due to the demand's critical and non-deferrable nature. Therefore, in this paper, a validated optimal power dispatch model of a proposed hybrid energy system connected to a healthcare institution is developed. The healthcare institution considered in this study, which will remain anonymous,11The healthcare institution considered in this paper is located in the Bloemfontein area and referred to as an anonymous healthcare entity in order to maintain confidentiality and privacy of sensitive data used in this study. is subjected to Time-of-Use (ToU) tariffs and maximum demand charges and is considering the implementation of renewable energy technologies to reduce energy costs. Consequently, given the geographical location of the building, a system consisting of a photovoltaic tracking system with a battery bank and grid connection supplying the load is proposed and modelled. The aim is to optimize the power flow between the hybrid system and battery in order to minimize the grid energy costs based on the ToU tariff while reducing the maximum demand charges from the utility. Annual potential cost savings of up to 40.9% were attained, while a projected break-even point of 7.1 years is noted with the proposed optimally controlled system as compared to the load exclusively supplied by the grid.

Water-Energy Management for Demand Charges and Energy Cost Optimization of a Pumping Stations System under a Renewable Virtual Power Plant Model

The effects of climate change seriously affect agriculture at different latitudes of the planet because periods of drought are intensifying and the availability of water for agricultural irrigation is reducing. In addition, the energy cost associated with pumping water has increased notably in recent years due to, among other reasons, the maximum demand charges that are applied annually according to the contracted demand in each facility. Therefore, very efficient management of both water resources and energy resources is required. This article proposes the integration of water-energy management in a virtual power plant (VPP) model for the optimization of energy costs and maximum demand charges. For the development of the model, a problem related to the optimal operation of electricity generation and demand resources arises, which is formulated as a nonlinear mixed-integer programming model (MINLP). The objective is to maximize the annual operating profit of the VPP. It is worth mentioning that the model is applied to a large irrigation system using real data on consumption and power generation, exclusively renewable. In addition, different scenarios are analyzed to evaluate the variability of the operating profit of the VPP with and without intraday demand management as well as the influence of the wholesale electricity market price on the model. In view of the results obtained, the model that integrates the management of the water-energy binomial increases the self-consumption of renewable energy and saves electricity supply costs.

A novel spontaneous self-adjusting controller of energy storage system for maximum demand reductions under penetration of photovoltaic system

Customers are subject to varying charges for their electricity consumption (kWh) as well as monthly maximum demands (kW) depending on the charging schemes for commercial and industrial customers. Generally, maximum demand charges may account for as high as 30% of the total electricity bills. Although on-site photovoltaic (PV) systems can help customers reduce their maximum demand charges, PV may not be as effective in reducing some of the peak demands due to the intermittent power output of PV. The inclusion of a battery-based energy storage system (BESS), on the other hand, can reduce those unexpected peaks by supplying power at the appropriate time and magnitude. Research efforts have therefore been carried out to develop control strategies for BESS to reduce the peak demands of PV customers. However, some of the existing controllers that rely on forecasted next-interval net demands to supply power for the next interval may fail to reduce peak demands effectively when the actual next-interval net demands are different from the forecasted ones. Hence, a spontaneous self-adjusting controller has been developed and presented in this paper to overcome this issue. It employs model predictive control and dynamic programming with anticipatory, preparatory and recovery actions to achieve a maximum demand reduction of at least 11.00% over the monthly maximum demand. Throughout an experimental peak reduction period of 4 months, the controller has also proven to achieve a reduction of at least 74.11% of the ideal reductions as compared to 68.00% and 65.00% reductions demonstrated by the preceding active and fuzzy controllers.

Financial Advisors, Financial Literacy, Payday Lending, and Bankruptcy

As the biblical definition of usury changed and cultural norms associated with incurring personal debt evolved, more financial options developed to meet increased demand. American consumer culture has evolved to promote a liberal use of credit. In particular, sub-prime debt instruments, such as payday lending, have been scrutinized because of excessive borrowing rates. We use state-level macroeconomic data and analyze the effect financial advisors have on payday lending regulation, maximum finance charges, and payday lending usage rates. Our results show payday lending is more heavily regulated, and maximum finance charges and payday lending usage rates are lower in states with a higher per-capita number of financial advisors. These findings suggest financial advisors are an important channel for improving financial literacy in their communities.

A Quantitative Structure-Property Relationship Study of the Adsorption of Amino Acids on Kaolinite Surfaces

This article describes how the adsorption behaviors of various kinds of amino acids onto kaolinite surfaces were investigated by the quantum-chemical calculations and the quantitative structure-property relationships (QSPR). The QSPR results revealed that both adsorption energies of amino acids on tetrahedral Si-O and octahedral Al-O surfaces were mainly affected by the chemical potential and the negative of maximum negative charges of amino acids, which represent the electron flow and the hydrogen bonding between adsorbent-adsorbate interactions. The dispersion and polarization play a minor role in the amino acids adsorption on tetrahedral Si-O and octahedral Al-O surfaces, respectively.

Spatially-distributed orbital angular momentum beam array generation based on greedy algorithms and coherent combining technology.

A novel approach to generate a spatially-distributed orbital angular momentum (OAM) beam array based on coherent combining technology is presented. The arrangement of the multiple fundamental Gaussian beams at the initial plane, as well as the intensity weights and the phase distributions of the array beams, is determined by the reversal of Huygens Fresnel diffraction and the greedy algorithm. This method ensures that a vortex beam array is formed at a specified distance, and the distance can be adjusted by phase modulation. The evolution properties of the synthesized beam array near the receiver plane are studied as well to estimate the robustness of the method. The experimental limitations of this technique are discussed, including the maximum number of beams, the relative separation of each beam and the maximum topological charges. The results illustrate that a spatially-distributed OAM beam array can be effectively generated within a finite distance interval, and the distance is adjustable. This new method enables further applications of a structured optical field, such as optical communication and spatial light structuring.

On the role of maximum demand charges in the presence of distributed generation resources

We examine the role that maximum demand charges (MDCs) might play in ensuring the financial viability of utilities in the presence of ever-expanding distributed generation (DG) of electricity. We find that optimally-designed MDCs generally secure gains for consumers that do not undertake DG, and often secure gains for consumers that undertake DG. However, the welfare gains tend to be modest in plausible settings. Furthermore, time-of-use pricing often secures larger welfare gains than do MDCs.