Reference Case Research Articles

Numerical Study on the Coupling Effect on a Retaining Structure of a Complex Deep Foundation Pit Group Excavation in a Soft-Soil Area

Based on the complex deep foundation pit group process of the Huimin Avenue Comprehensive Reconstruction Project in Nanjing, the finite element numerical simulation method is used to analyze the deformation characteristics of the retaining structure and the coupling effect between foundation pits during the whole process of excavation and support construction of the complex foundation pit group. Meanwhile, the differences in the deformation characteristics and coupling effects of the retaining structure under different construction time sequence schemes of the foundation pit group are studied. Finally, some suggestions are put forward for the monitoring and construction in this project, which provides a reference case for the design and construction of similar foundation pit groups.

Analyzing Volkswagen’s Value Based on Multiples Valuation Method

This paper evaluated the value of Volkswagen Company based on multiples valuation method. The study used P/E and EV/EBITDA ratios as multiples to analyse Volkswagen's stock price and enterprise value. Guided by valuation theory, the author chose several comparable peer firms to Volkswagen, calculated the average multiples, and applied them to Volkswagen's corresponding multipliers. Based on the study result, the author concludes that Volkswagen is undervalued when applying P/E and EV/EBITDA ratios. Although the inherent flaws of the multiples valuation method may make the conclusion of this paper imprecise, this paper aims to provide a reference case for subsequent multiples valuation research. The author believes further research and development of the multiples valuation method will increase the accuracy of this method in evaluating a company's value.

Comparison of 50° handheld fundus camera versus ultra-widefield table-top fundus camera for diabetic retinopathy detection and grading.

To compare the performance of a handheld fundus camera with standard 50° visual field to ultra-widefield (UWF) table-top fundus camera in diabetic retinopathy (DR) detection and grading. Patients affected by diabetes mellitus and referred to our diabetic retinopathy clinic were enroled and underwent fundus photography in mydriasis. All photos were taken using the ultra-widefield table-top fundus camera Zeiss Clarus™ 500 (four fields per eye) and the Optomed Aurora® handheld fundus camera (3 fields per eye). The following parameters were analysed: the gradability of the images, the grade of DR, and diabetic maculopathy (DM), the presence of hypertensive retinopathy (HR) and the presence of other ocular diseases. We enroled 759 eyes of 384 diabetic patients and analysed 5313 fundus photos. The handheld fundus camera obtained a sensitivity of 84.2% and specificity of 95.4% for referable cases. Moreover, it obtained, compared to UWF, an almost perfect agreement with linear weighting for DR, DM and HR (k = 0.877, k = 0.854, and k = 0.961, respectively). The lowest sensitivity was achieved for proliferative DR (58.7% sensitivity, 100% specificity). Optomed Aurora® handheld fundus camera imaging showed a strong agreement compared to UWF in grading DR, considering all DR and DM grades, in mydriasis. However, the use of UWF imaging increases the detection of referable eyes.

Performance Analysis of Solar Assisted Ground Source Heat Pump to Supply Heating Load and Domestic Hot Water

Algeria’s geographical location offers several advantages related to the extensive use of renewable energy sources such as solar and geothermal. Owing to the vast Algerian territory, the need for isolated areas to be supplied with energy by autonomous systems using sustainable energy. In this study, we propose a hybrid renewable energy system to provide heating systems for residential buildings and domestic hot water (DHW). Four different solar-assisted ground source heat pump (SAGSHP) combinations are being studied, with the aim of satisfying the energy needs of a building located in Batna, Algeria. The TRNSYS software allowed us to study the different effects of the parameters on their performance. It turned out that a 7.7 kW ground source heat pump system combined with flat solar collectors is a feasible choice that satisfies our objective. The extreme annual average values of the heat pump coefficient of performance (COP) obtained are 3.48 and 4.55. In the system, with recharging the borehole, the net energy extracted from the ground is decreased by 30.4% compared to the reference case (GSHP). This can reduce the ground thermal imbalance problem, which positively affects the stability of the operational system.

Abstract Number ‐ 24: Endovascular thrombectomy with or without bridging thrombolysis in patients with ischemic stroke: A cost‐utility analysis

Introduction There is clinical equipoise behind bridging intravenous thrombolysis (BT) with endovascular thrombectomy (EVT). We performed a cost‐effectiveness analysis comparing EVT and BT versus EVT alone. Methods We conducted a model‐based cost‐utility analysis comparing the cost‐effectiveness of EVT alone vs. EVT and BT for patients with acute ischemic stroke. We used a decision tree to examine the short‐term costs and outcomes at 90 days after the index stroke. Subsequently, we developed a Markov state transition model to assess the costs and outcomes over 1‐year, 5‐year, and 20‐year time horizons. Treatment costs were based on administrative data. Clinical outcome inputs were derived from literature included in our systematic review. We considered the impact of disability and recurrent stroke on mortality risk, health‐related quality of life, and costs. We estimated total and incremental cost, quality‐adjusted life years (QALYs), and incremental cost‐effectiveness ratio (ICER), expressed as an incremental cost per QALY gained of EVT and BT compared with EVT alone.Probabilistic analysis was used to calculate the reference case estimates. Results The average costs per patient were estimated to be $55,503, $57,814, $68,183, and $84,946 for EVT only strategy, and $47,311, $49,556, $59,625, and $75,898 for EVT and BT over 90‐day, 1‐year, 5‐year, and 20‐year, respectively. The cost saving of EVT only strategy was driven by the avoided medication costs of IVT (ranging from $8,193 to $9,048). The additional thrombolytics led to slight decrease in QALY estimate during the 90‐day time horizon (loss of 0.0016 QALY), but a small gain over 1‐year, 5‐year, and 20‐year time horizons (0.0108, 0.0638, and 0.1481 QALY). With similar outcomes and less cost, the EVT only strategy was cost‐effective compared with EVT and BT. Analyses with longer time horizon show lower probabilities of EVT only strategy being cost‐effective. At a fixed willingness to pay threshold of $50,000, the probabilities of EVT only to be cost‐effective were 100%, 100%, 99.0%, and 65.9% over 90‐day, 1‐year, 5‐year, and 20‐year time horizons. At the willingness to pay thresholds of $100,000 per QALY, the probabilities of EVT only strategy being cost‐effective was 22.8% over the 20‐year time horizon. Conclusions Our cost‐effectiveness model suggested that bridging with thrombolytics may not be cost‐effective for patients with acute ischemic stroke secondary to large vessel occlusion.

Generalised Isentropic Relations in Thermodynamics

Isentropic processes in thermodynamics are fundamental to our understanding of numerous physical phenomena across different scientific and engineering fields. They provide a theoretical reference case for the evaluation of real thermodynamic processes and observations. Yet, as analytical relations for isentropic transformations in gas dynamics are limited to ideal gases, the inability to analytically describe isentropic processes for non-ideal gases is a fundamental shortcoming. This work presents generalised isentropic relations in thermodynamics based on the work by Kouremenos et al., where three isentropic exponents γPv, γTv and γPT are introduced to replace the ideal gas isentropic exponent γ to incorporate the departure from the non-ideal gas behaviour. The general applicability of the generalised isentropic relations is presented by exploring its connections to existing isentropic models for ideal gases and incompressible liquids. Generalised formulations for the speed of sound, the Bernoulli equation, compressible isentropic flow transformations, and isentropic work are presented thereafter, connecting previously disjoint theories for gases and liquids. Lastly, the generalised expressions are demonstrated for practical engineering examples, and their accuracy is discussed.

Simulation of hydrogen diffusion along the axial direction in zirconium cladding tube during dry storage

This study presents an updated mHNGD (modified hydrogen nucleation-growth-dissolution) model by improving atomic fraction of solid solution hydrogen with the use of instantaneous solid solution concentration and carefully selecting hydrogen solubility curves specific to reactor cladding materials. An explicit finite difference method was applied to simultaneously solve diffusion and phase change kinetics and ensure stable solution. The code validation with past experiments demonstrate improved accuracy. A prototypic hottest fuel pin in assembly average discharge burnup of 50 MWd/kgU of CASTOR® V/21 dry storage cask was simulated. The result of the reference case shows that the increase in the hydrogen amount at the upper end of the cladding due to hydrogen migration after ∼20 years of dry storage was limited to ∼50 wt.ppm with the initial Peak Cladding Temperature (PCT) of 394 ℃. The aspirational increase in discharge burnup to 70 MWd/kgU results in the upper end hydrogen increase to ∼80 wt.ppm with the same initial PCT. This study demonstrates that hydrogen migration along the axial direction during dry storage practically poses no safety challenge as its amount is limited and can be further alleviated by extending the wet storage period.

Effectiveness of the use of nanofluids in concentrated solar power plants – Electrical and environmental assessment

Nanofluids are reported in the literature as advanced heat transfer fluids that improve significantly the thermo-physical properties of base fluids and, thus, enhance the performance of the solar systems. However, despite their great potential to improve the thermal and rheological properties when combined with a base fluid, it has been proven in this paper that they have a major limit that makes their integration in commercial scale CSP plants questionable. Indeed, based on various numerical simulations of three different nanofluids (MgO-VP1, Al2O3-VP1, Fe2O3-VP1), the results have revealed that when the base fluid (Therminol VP1) is doped with a certain volume fraction of nanoparticles, its circulation through the CSP’s canalization becomes more energy-intensive. Accordingly, the pumps’ electrical energy consumption increased proportionally with the nanoparticles’ concentration ratio. Consequently, when the nanofluids are used, the net energy production of the studied CSP plant (Noor I, Morocco) decreases compared to the reference case when the base fluid is used. From an environmental point of view, the use of nanofluids in CSP plants aggravates the negative environmental impact by increasing the GHG emissions related to the pumps’ operating process during the life cycle of the CSP plant. Thus, this article has a dual interest; on the one hand, it confirms the benefits of nanofluids on a thermo-physical level and, on the other hand, it highlights their major limitation from an energetic and environmental point of view, when used in CSP plants.

Evaluation of Cost-Effectiveness of Adjuvant Osimertinib in Patients with Resected EGFR Mutation-Positive Non-small Cell Lung Cancer.

For many patients with resected epidermal growth factor receptor mutation-positive (EGFRm) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), current standard of care (SoC) is adjuvant chemotherapy; however, disease recurrence remains high. Based on positive results from ADAURA (NCT02511106), adjuvant osimertinib was approved for treatment of resected stage IB‒IIIA EGFRm NSCLC. The aim was to assess the cost-effectiveness of adjuvant osimertinib in patients with resected EGFRm NSCLC. A five-health-state, state-transition model with time dependency was developed to estimate lifetime (38 years) costs and survival of resected EGFRm patients treated with adjuvant osimertinib or placebo (active surveillance), with/without prior adjuvant chemotherapy, using a Canadian Public Healthcare perspective. Transitions between health states were modeled using ADAURA and FLAURA (NCT02296125) data, Canadian life tables, and real-world data (CancerLinQ Discovery®). The model used a 'cure' assumption: patients remaining disease free for 5 years after treatment completion for resectable disease were deemed 'cured.' Health state utility values and healthcare resource usage estimates were derived from Canadian real-world evidence. In the reference case, adjuvant osimertinib treatment led to a mean 3.20 additional quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs; (11.77 vs 8.57) per patient, versus active surveillance. The modeled median percentage of patients alive at 10 years was 62.5% versus 39.3%, respectively. Osimertinib was associated with mean added costs of Canadian dollars (C$)114,513 per patient and a cost/QALY (incremental cost-effectiveness ratio) of C$35,811 versus active surveillance. Model robustness was demonstrated by scenario analyses. In this cost-effectiveness assessment, adjuvant osimertinib was cost-effective compared with active surveillance for patients with completely resected stage IB‒IIIA EGFRm NSCLC after SoC.

Nano-jet impingement cooling of a sinusoidal wavy hot surface by using an oriented L-shaped object under magnetic field with two phase mixture formulation

In this study, slot nano-jet impingement cooling of a wavy sinusoidal surface is analyzed by combined utilization of an oriented L-shaped object and magnetic field. A two phase mixture model of nanofluid is adopted. It is observed that the presence of the L-shaped object and its orientation are very influential on the local and average heat transfer performance. Magnetic field suppresses the vortices near the object and on the bottom all. The average Nusselt number (Nu) rises by 17.5% and 8.6% when its strength is varied for object orientations of te=−90 and te=90. When magnetic field inclination is concerned, the cooling performance improvements are in the range of 25.6%–53.9% depending upon the orientation of the object. The orientation of te=0 and te=45 are the most favorable cases in terms of thermal performance while significant variations in the average Nu are seen in the absence of magnetic field when varying the L-shaped object orientation. When compared to reference case of slot jet impingement (without magnetic field using pure fluid and without object), using nanofluid improves the cooling performance by about 8.4%. When object is installed at Ha=0, it rises by 27% at orientation of te=45. When magnetic field is used, additional rise of thermal performance with nanofluid is obtained up to 10% when compared to case by using only pure fluid.

Desulfurization in co-firing of sewage sludge and wooden biomass in a bubbling fluidized bed combustor under air and oxy-fuel conditions

This work presents results of an experimental investigation of a direct addition of Ca-based sorbent for SO2 capture in a bubbling fluidized bed combustion. The fuel of interest was secondary biomass represented by a dried sewage sludge, which was mixed with primary biomass represented by wooden pellets in a weight ratio of 30:70. The performance of this SO2 capture approach is compared in air and oxy-fuel combustion conditions, since the different gas environment in the bed significantly affects the SO2 capture process. The experiments were carried out in an experimental bubbling fluidized bed combustor with a power load of about 30 kW.Sewage sludge is typical for its high ash content and has sufficient dimensions and attrition resistance to create the fluidized bed without the support of external bed materials. However, it typically consists of S-containing organic substances, resulting in the presence of SOX in the off-gas. A reference case was initially conducted without any sorbent addition in order to investigate the effect of sulfur self-retention in the fuel ash. The sulfur retention in the ash reached almost 45 % in air- and up to 55 % under oxy-combustion.In the next phase, the performance of Ca-based sorbents in sulfur capture was evaluated. The sorbents were represented by two types of limestone with diverse CaCO3 content produced at different locations. The experiments were carried out with three Ca/S mole ratios (1.5, 3, and 4.5). The effect of the fluidized bed temperature was also investigated as the most important parameter.The SO2 capture ratio (used as a performance indicator) was calculated based on emission factors, due to the different specific volumes of flue gas in the air and oxy-fuel modes. The results show in general a significantly higher SO2 capture ratio under oxy-fuel conditions. The differences are more significant in lower Ca/S ratios, where the SO2 capture ratio increased from 46 % under air conditions to 75 % under oxy-fuel for Ca/S = 1.5. In the case of the highest Ca/S ratio examined (Ca/S = 4.5), the increase in SO2 capture was from 90 % to 95 %.

The effect of wind characteristics on tall buildings with porous double-skin façades

Wind loads on tall buildings with porous double-skin façade (PDSF) systems were studied for various wind characteristics. Experiments were performed on a small-scale building model in a boundary layer wind tunnel. A single-skin building model was used as a reference case alongside three PDSF systems of 25%, 50% and 65% porosity. Two atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) simulations were created corresponding to category I (rural) and category III (suburban) ABLs of the EN-1991-1-4:2005 standard. Wind loads on the building model were studied based on high-frequency force balance measurements of integral moments, while pressure distribution on the building model surfaces was analyzed based on pressure measurements. Experiments were performed for ten flow incidence angles 0° < α < 45° with a 5° increment. The obtained results are considered highly relevant both for research purposes and engineering applications, especially considering the lack of similar studies currently available. In particular, the rural ABL simulation yields larger mean pressure coefficients. The effect of the ABL characteristics on the pressure coefficient standard deviation depends substantially on α, while the most notable difference is observed on the windward building model surface at α = 0°, where the suburban ABL causes a substantially higher standard deviation. The mean across-wind moment coefficient of the suburban ABL simulation is lower at all α points, while its standard deviation is lower for α > 0°. The along-wind moment coefficient in the suburban ABL simulation is ∼20% lower than in the rural ABL simulation, a trend which is observed for all α points. In contrast, the along-wind moment standard deviation is ∼25% larger in the suburban ABL simulation. The power spectral density of the along-wind moment is considerably lower in the suburban ABL simulation.

The visual comfort, economic feasibility, and overall energy consumption of tubular daylighting device system configurations in deep plan office buildings in Saudi Arabia

Despite the abundance of daylight in hot desert climates, deep-plan office buildings still lack the provision of sufficient daylight. Although tubular daylighting devices (TDDs) offer a potential solution, they may have visual and economic consequences. Therefore, the present study evaluated the visual comfort, overall energy consumption, and economic feasibility of multiple TDD configurations. Typical deep-plan office space has been simulated based on a field-validated simulation process to evaluate visual comfort and energy consumption. The WLCC method was used to assess the economic feasibility. The reference case was illuminated using LED and a dimming control system with photosensors placed in cardinal orientations. Supplementary daylight was provided using different configurations of vertical and horizontal TDDs. Window shading devices were used to enhance visual comfort. The study found that vertical TDDs perform better than horizontal TDDs in terms of illumination uniformity and economic feasibility. They reduced the electric lighting load by up to 21%. However, the utilization of the TDDs in the hot desert climate has the potential to significantly increase indoor heat gain, which, in turn, increases the cooling energy. It is found that the additional energy required for cooling far outweighs the energy-saving benefits gained by TDDs. Accordingly, thermal issues associated with the utilization of TDDs should be investigated to allow widespread use of them in arid regions where high solar radiation is available throughout the year. Moreover, other daylighting-associated benefits, such as users’ productivity enhancement and health and mood improvement, should be considered to promote the usage of TDDs and boost their economic returns.

Neutronic performance of VVER-1200 reactor with advanced fuel and cladding materials

Nuclear reactor operation and safety are connected with a nuclear fuel design and its material and geometry properties. An increase in nuclear safety is therefore based on a neutronic and thermal analysis of the materials used in a core. This paper analyzes neutronic properties of a VVER-1200 fuel assembly with alternate fuel and cladding materials that consider Accident Tolerant or Advanced Technology Fuels (ATF). The ATF nuclear fuel development started with the post-Fukushima efforts and its main purpose is a reduction of the high-temperature hydrogen production from the zirconium water reaction. Five ATF cladding candidates with reference Zr-based alloy are studied in this paper as well as six ATF fuel candidates together with an additional standard UO2 reference case. The results are analysed based on the multiplication characteristics, reactivity feedbacks, and spent nuclear fuel composition.

Energy saving maximization on combined heat and power units in different scenarios

Cogeneration takes several advantages of energy saving and economy. This study aims to evaluate and maximize the energy saving effect of cogeneration in different scenarios. Accordingly, optimization models on the cogeneration share coefficient, a dimensionless index describing the heat load ratio undertaken by cogeneration in district heating, are developed to maximize the energy saving with a reference case. The research results reveal that the off-design performance of cogeneration is an important factor affecting optimization. In the new scenario, the construction of new cogeneration units does not save energy when the share of renewable power in the replaced power generation is higher than the threshold value of 0.150. Moreover, the optimal cogeneration share coefficient for the electric heating boiler increases from 0.807 to 0.910, and the maximum primary energy saving increases from 4.450 × 1012 kJ·year−1 to 9.414 × 1012 kJ·year−1 when the share of heat supplied by the power-to-heat devices increases from 0 to 0.500. The optimal cogeneration share coefficient for the electric heat pump declines from 0.807 to 0.732, and the maximum primary energy saving reduces from 4.450 × 1012 kJ·year−1 to 2.632 × 1012 kJ·year−1. The obtained results show the effectiveness of the model in terms of analyzing the energy saving of cogeneration in different scenarios.

Numerical assessment of punching shear strength of eccentrically loaded footings with nonconventional shear reinforcement

Rapid increase rate of using flat slabs and flat foundations is noticed in different reinforced concrete projects. These concrete elements have many features in their concrete casting and reinforcement placement, but on the other side, the non-ductile punching shear failure around the supporting columns is the main issue. Many experimental and statistical studies have been focused on assessing the punching shear capacity of centric flat plate elements. Due to the size effect and fracture mechanics, the behavior of a thick flat foundation is not typical of the behavior of the thin elements, as the shear crack inclination angles with thick elements are steeper than those in thin flat plates. The difference in behavior is increased with eccentric loadings. Construction imperfections and/or limited foundation space are the main reasons for these eccentricities. This puts limitations on using some previously developed punching shear formulas when dealing with thick footing elements. This numerical study investigates the behavior of both centric and eccentric loaded flat thick footings without and with shear reinforcement. This study showed a good prediction for the punching shear strength of footings with different eccentricity levels compared to the reference case studies. The results demonstrate that higher eccentric levels significantly reduce the strength of footings without shear reinforcement. However, the footing deformation capacity was improved. Parametric studies utilizing the validated developed numerical models have been conducted to assess the efficiency of two nonconventional shear reinforcements; U and S-shaped. Both options significantly increased the footing punching shear strength and improved the deformation capacity. In addition, the S-shaped reinforcing option showed its efficiency in limiting the strength reduction to 8% compared to 17% for footing without shear reinforcement under load eccentricity less than 1/9 of the footing length. Moreover, the arrangement of the S-shaped reinforcement can govern the behavior of the footings under different load conditions. The results of providing two identical amounts of S-shaped reinforcement showed that one closely spaced row is more efficient under centric loading while two rows are more suitable under eccentric loading.

Auctions to phase out coal power: Lessons learned from Germany

This study assesses the extent to which auctions for compensation payments are a suitable policy instrument for ending coal-fired power generation at minimum cost and thus achieving national climate targets. Germany is the first country to apply such a market-based mechanism. Evaluating the effectiveness and efficiency of the auction, we find that the first five of seven auction rounds will retire 10 GW of coal-fired capacity at a cost of 68 ± 5 EUR/kW, corresponding to an additional carbon price of 2.4 ± 0.2 EUR/tCO2. The possibility of administratively shutting down power plants from 2024 and a decreasing ceiling price have ensured that average compensation payments are well below the ceiling price, and low compared to other policies, even though there was no competition in two of five auction rounds. As the government cancels the freed emission allowances, the policy will result in lower emissions, even though the carbon intensity of the German coal power fleet increased slightly by 2%. Thus, the German auctions can serve as a model for national phase-out strategies in countries with similar institutional frameworks and provide a reference case for integrating conflicting policy objectives into auctions.

A dedicated protocol to capture orthosilicate crosslinking kinetics and Arrhenius parameters

Organosilica sol–gel synthesis is an important chemical process to deliver advanced functional network materials with applications such as wound dressings, solar cells and membranes. The chemical kinetics are although poorly understood, due to a lack of Arrhenius parameters and a focus on kinetic data mainly recorded at 298 K. The present work overcomes these shortcomings by reporting Arrhenius parameters for the most important reactions (hydrolysis and condensation), selecting tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) crosslinking with hydrochloric acid (HCl) as reference case. A dedicated 29Si nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) protocol applicable at any process temperature, with better relaxation delay optimization, peak identification, and an automated correction for further reaction during analysis at 298 K, is put forward. NMR is the analysis technique of choice to quantitatively follow the reactions in time due to its high specificity. This novel NMR-based protocol enables a more reliable quantification of the contribution of species that have been crosslinked i times (Q1-Q4). The tuned Arrhenius parameters, employing coupled matrix-based Monte Carlo simulations, can describe the isothermal kinetics for temperatures ranging from 298 to 328 K well. Moreover, these Arrhenius parameters are used to better understand the non-isothermal kinetics as utilized to synthesize sol/gel-like precursor solutions for applications including membrane production. Successful model validation under both isothermal and non-isothermal conditions is demonstrated, unlocking the door to a better understanding of orthosilicate crosslinking kinetics and associated material properties.

Sustainability assessment of economic, environmental and social impacts, feed-food competition and economic robustness of dairy and beef farming systems in South Western Europe

The objective of this study was to evaluate the sustainability of cattle systems in South Western Europe by combining life cycle sustainability assessment (LCSA) with assessment of feed-food competition and economic robustness. We studied three cattle systems using different proportions of semi-natural pasture, and producing either only beef or milk and beef, i.e. a dairy system with Holstein breed in the lowlands of France with <5% of the total land used being semi-natural pastures (HolSy), a dairy system with Montbeliarde breed in the highlands of France with approximately 25% of the total land used being semi-natural pastures (MonSy), and a pure beef system with Parda de Montana breed in the highlands of Spain with >85% of the total land used being semi-natural pastures (ParSy). The functional unit for LCSA was 1000 kg protein of animal origin and the system boundary was from cradle to farmgate. The cattle production systems were assessed using 27 indicators (LCSA, feed-food competition and robustness). The results indicated that MonSy performed less well for 10 and ParSy for 14 out of the 27 indicators researched when compared to HolSy, the reference case. HolSy was less sensitive to a support payment decrease and had lower social impacts on farmers than the other two systems. MonSy had lower impacts on some environmental indicators, lower life cycle costs, lower social impacts on society, lower human edible feed conversion ratio (i.e. less feed-food competition) for fat and less sensitivity to a meat price decrease than the other two systems. ParSy had lower terrestrial and freshwater ecotoxicity, lower human edible feed conversion ratio and land use ratio for protein, lower social impact for the local community, and a higher internal rate of return than the other systems. ParSy had less sensitivity to feed and energy price increases, and increased rented land and loan interest costs than the other systems. Producing both meat and milk at the same farm increased vulnerability to economic changes. Semi-natural pasture based dairy in highland Europe needs support payments to keep the farm economically afloat in times of economic changes e.g. due to shocks.

CFD study of transient heating and cooling of a blank mould with a conformal cooling channel for manufacturing glass containers

Narrow Neck Press and Blow is a glass moulding process that produces a lightweight container by pressing the glass in the blank mould, baffle, and neck ring to form a parison. This paper presents a cyclic transient computational fluid dynamics study to evaluate the thermal performance of a novel blank mould (ShellMould) for the glass industry. ShellMould consists of two cast iron parts, an outer shell and a moulding core, and a conformal cooling channel between these parts. Fins placed strategically inside the conformal channel promote heat transfer between the cooling airflow and the blank. A mould with straight cooling channels currently used by the glass industry was considered as the reference case model. The mould thermal performance was assessed based on three parameters: an Index of Temperature Heterogeneity, the heat removal rate, and the average temperature in the moulding surface at the blank, baffle seal, and neck ring. It is shown that ShellMould can reduce the operating temperature by 100 °C and improve the heat removal rate by 190 up to 202 [W]. Results reveal the main challenges for improving the ShellMould cooling and temperature homogeneity, mainly in the neck ring, where the cooling efficiency dropped by 10%.