Power Production Capacity Research Articles

Solar sites assessment in Jordan using fuzzy logic

Due to the current increase in oil prices, economic growth, increasing population, and the growing energy demand in Jordan, the provision of reliable energy supply at reasonable cost is considered a crucial element of economic reform. The present study utilizes fuzzy logic to assess solar sites in Jordan and to decide which sites should be given the highest priority with respect to their benefits and costs. The criterion of evaluation using fuzzy logic is based on different parameters, i.e., solar resources, site capacity, site accessibility, soil condition, water availability, grid connection distance, land cost, land roughness, and wind speed. The results show that the Al Quwairah site has the highest benefit to cost ratio. Therefore, it should be given the highest priority in terms of erecting solar power technologies to achieve high power production capacity. The second and the third options are Ma’an and Wadi Rum, respectively.

Importance and Necessity for the Utilization of Nuclear Energy in Turkey

This article expresses both importance and necessity for utilization nuclear energy in Turkey. Turkey's flirtation with nuclear power began in July 1955, when it signed a bilateral agreement with the USA to cooperate in the “peaceful uses of nuclear energy.” Turkey is a net energy importer because it is not rich in energy resources. Today Turkey is producing 24.4 Mteo (million ton oil equivalent) of energy but consumes 87.8 Mtoe. The energy import ratio of Turkey is 72.21%. Turkish government officials believe that will be increased by about 8–10% annually up to 2010, which will necessitate an installed power production capacity of approximately 48.82 GW (gigawatts). However, Turkey's hydraulic power capacity for electricity is restricted to 245 billion kWh (kilowatt-hour). For supply security, Turkey has imported coal power plants and nuclear power plants for fuel diversification against natural gas, which the Electric Sector will heavily depend upon after year 2005. The Turkish government has announced plans to build three nuclear reactors by 2015. Site selection studies of the Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) started in 1972 in Turkey. The first reactor is planned to be built at Sinop Bay on the western Black Sea coast and is scheduled to start operation in 2010.

Consolidation and ownership trends of nonfederal hydropower generating assets, 1980–2003

This paper analyzes ownership trends of nonfederal hydropower generating assets from 1980–2003. Previous research has shown that the overall electricity industry is unique in that, because of the extreme inelasticity of demand for power, even small sectors of the industry have the potential to exhibit substantial price setting behavior. Hydropower assets especially, with their unique ability to “shift” electricity between time periods, have the potential to be used to exhibit horizontal market power. For this reason, an analysis of consolidation trends of hydropower assets is important. Our empirical results show that from 1980–2003, while transfer rates of nonfederal hydropower dams have been substantial (at 46%), there is little evidence of consolidation leading to the potential exercise of horizontal market power as a result of this. A detailed look at the data reveals that it is smaller dams, with less power production capacity, that have tended to be transferred more than other dams over this time period, and that it is private industrial owners and private utilities that are selling dams to private non-utility generation companies. This suggests that a realignment of hydropower assets, most likely in response to state-and federal-level regulatory initiatives, is taking place, but that increasing consolidation along with this is currently not a threat.

Effects of Short-Period Exercise Training and Orlistat Therapy on Body Composition and Maximal Power Production Capacity in Obese Patients.

We examined the effects of weight loss induced by diet-orlistat (DO) and diet-orlistat combined with exercise (DOE) on maximal work rate production (Wmax) capacity in obese patients. Total of 24 obese patients were involved in this study. Twelve of them were subjected to DO therapy only and the remaining 12 patients participated in a regular aerobic exercise-training program in addition to DO therapy (DOE). Each patient performed two incremental ramp exercise tests up to exhaustion using an electromagnetically-braked cycle ergometer: one at the onset and one at the end of the 4th week. DOE therapy caused a significant decrease in total body weight: 101.5+/-17.4 kg (basal) vs 96.3+/-17.3 kg (4 wk) associated with a significant decrease in body fat mass: 45.0+/-10.5 kg (basal) vs 40.9+/-9.8 kg (4 wk). DO therapy also resulted in a significant decrease of total body weight 94.9+/-14.9 kg (basal) vs 91.6+/-13.5 kg (4 wk) associated with small but significant decreases in body fat mass: 37.7+/-5.6 kg (basal) to 36.0+/-6.2 kg (4 wk). Weight reduction achieved during DO therapy was not associated with increased Wmax capacity: 106+/-32 W (basal) vs 106+/-33 W (4 wk), while DOE therapy resulted in a markedly increased Wmax capacity: 109+/-39 W (basal) vs 138+/-30 W (4 wk). DO therapy combined with aerobic exercise training resulted in a significant reduction of fat mass tissue and markedly improved the aerobic fitness and Wmax capacities of obese patients. Considering this improvement within such a short period, physicians should consider applying an aerobic exercise-training program to sedentary obese patients for improving their physical fitness and thereby reduce the negative outcomes of obesity.

Viewpoint: immunization against poverty.

According to several demographic analyses there is a correlation between health and poverty. Data have shown that diseases and their underlying causes affect family economy in a number of ways: reduced productivity impediment of education or retained high dependency ratios. Hence it is concluded that the right investment in health is at least as important as education. One effect of this poverty reduction perspective is prioritizing and focusing on a limited set of predominantly infectious diseases. An advantage of investing in excess for poor people is that investments become self-targeting and could possibly become free or almost free. However impact of health reforms on immunization in other countries appears to be mixed. The use of quantitative randomized trials has resulted in better coverage compared to health center-driven strategies. Among the suggestions of this paper to achieve the objectives of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization include enhancing global funding for children vaccines strengthening of immunization infrastructure and coverage making of sustainable vaccine procurement securing research and development for vaccines for the poor and vaccine research discovery.

Creatine Supplementation Does Not Increase Peak Power Production and Work Capacity During Repetitive Wingate Testing in Women

Creatine Supplementation Does Not Increase Peak Power Production and Work Capacity During Repetitive Wingate Testing in Women

Creatine Supplementation Does Not Increase Peak Power Production and Work Capacity During Repetitive Wingate Testing in Women

Creatine Supplementation Does Not Increase Peak Power Production and Work Capacity During Repetitive Wingate Testing in Women

Gas power production, surplus concepts and the transformation of hydro electric rent into resource rent

The paper considers the effects of introducing large scale gas power production capacity into an electricity sector based on hydropower. In this process the economic rent is transmitted from the hydro power sector to the resource rent in the gas power sector, but is along the way intermingled with ordinary producer surplus and quasi-rent stemming from increasing cost conditions in the production infrastructure and capacity constraints. The net effect on total rent generated depends on development in demand, demand elasticities, costs saved from delaying hydropower projects and the existence of producer surplus in gas power generation. The paper closes with a discussion of possible tax base changes following from the introduction of a thermal power system based on natural gas.

Power production and working capacity of rabbit tibialis anterior muscles after chronic electrical stimulation at 10 Hz.

1. The muscles of the distal anterior compartment of the left hindlimb of rabbits were subjected to continuous indirect electrical stimulation at 10 Hz for periods of up to 12 weeks by means of an implantable stimulator. 2. The maximum shortening velocity (Vmax) and the velocity for maximum power production in single contractions (Vopt) were reduced to 42% and 32% of control values respectively after 12 weeks of stimulation. The rate of change of these parameters was greatest between the second and sixth week of stimulation. These changes, it is suggested, reflect the documented time course of the replacement of fast with slow isoforms of myosin. 3. The reductions in force production and speed of the stimulated muscles combined to produce a marked, progressive decline in the maximum power produced in single contractions. After 8 weeks of stimulation, the maximum power output had fallen to less than 10% of the control value. 4. The fatigue resistance of the stimulated and control muscles was tested over several hours of cyclical shortening contractions designed to elicit an initial power output of 10 W kg-1 with the muscles set to contract at Vopt. This level of work output represented about 1.6% (control) and 25% (12-week-stimulated) of the absolute maximum power output achieved during single contractions. 5. Despite the large reduction in the maximum power output of single contractions, the stimulated muscles showed less than 10% reduction in their power output during the fatigue tests over periods of up to 7 h. The control muscles showed a 70% reduction over the same period. There was no difference in the fatigue resistance under this protocol between muscles stimulated for 2 weeks and those stimulated for longer periods. Transformation of myosin isoforms, which is known to occur later than 2 weeks after the start of stimulation, is not necessary for the induction of this degree of fatigue resistance.

Swimming Physiology.

Swimming takes place in a medium, that presents different gravitational and resistive forces, respiratory conditions and thermal stress compared to air. The energy cost of propulsion in swimming is high, but a considerable reduction occurs at a given velocity as result of regular swim training. In medley swimmers the energy cost is lowest for front crawl, followed by backstroke, butterfly and breast-stroke. Cardiac output is probably not limiting for performance since swimmers easily achieve higher values during running. Maximal heart rate, however, is lowered by approx. 10 beats/min during swimming compared to running. Most likely active muscle mass is smaller and rate of power production lesser in swimming. Local factors, such as peripheral circulation, capillary density, perfusion pressure and metabolic capacity of active muscles, are important determinants of the power production capacity and emphasize the role of swim specific training movements. Improved swimming technique and efficiency are likely to explain much of the continuous progress in performance. Rational principles based on improved understanding of the biomechanics and physiology of swimming should be guidelines for swimmers and coaches in their efforts to explore the limits of human performance.