Combination of catalyst development and chemical reaction engineering : a key aspect to improve the hydrogen peroxide direct synthesis

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Potential benefits of building information modeling for building material supplier

This thesis investigated building information modeling (BIM) from a material supplier’s point of view. The objective was to gain understanding about how a building material supplier could benefit from the growing use of BIM in the AEC (architectural, engineering and construction) industry. Increasing amount of inquiries related to BIM from customers and other interest groups had awoken target company’s interest towards BIM. This thesis acts as a pre-study for the target company related to potential of BIM. First of all BIM and its meaning from a material supplier’s point of view was defined based on a literature review. To reveal the potential benefits of BIM for a material supplier a questionnaire survey and in total of 11 interviews were conducted. Based on the literature review and analyzed results it came clear that BIM offers benefits also for material suppliers. Product libraries and material databases for BIM tools can act as an important marketing channel for material suppliers. Material suppliers could also utilize the information from the BIM models to schedule their deliveries more precisely and potentially even to schedule their own production. All this needs deeper cooperation between material suppliers, contractors and other stakeholders in the AEC industry. Based on the results also first steps for the target company to utilize the growing use of BIM were defined.

Lithostratigraphy and age of pre-Late Weichselian sediments in the Suupohja area, western Finland

Different types of laterally extensive sand- and gravel-dominated deposits, up to several tens of metres thick, were investigated in the Suupohja area of western Finland. The studied sediments were deposited in glacial, ice-marginal, glaciofluvial, sea or lake, littoral and terrestrial environments during several glacial-non-glacial cycles. Seventeen pre-Late Weichselian and three Late Weichselian/Holocene sedimentary units were identified. These were divided into ten formally and two informally defined formations that were together termed the Suupohja Group. Every unit are nevertheless not detectable throughout the study area. The informally defined “Karhukangas lower deposits” represent the lowest units in the Suupohja Group. The Karhukangas lower deposits with 5 till units, 3 glaciolacustrine/-marine units and 2 sand units, were interpreted as having been deposited during possibly four glacial-non-glacial cycles before the Late Pleistocene Subepoch (MIS 6 or earlier). The Kankalo Sand above the Karhukangas lower deposits comprises glaciofluvial and aeolian sands of Late Saalian, Eemian or Early Weichselian origin (MIS 6–MIS 5c). The Kariluoma Till above the Kankalo Sand was possibly deposited during the Late Saalian glacial advance, although an Early Weichselian origin is also possible. The Harrinkangas Formation, with glaciofluvial and quiet-water sediments, is interpreted as having been deposited during the Late Saalian and Eemian Stages (MIS 6–MIS 5e). The uppermost units in the deposits studied, the Kodesjärvi Formation (shore deposit), Isojoki Sand (aeolian), Rävåsen Formation (glaciofluvial), Vanhakylä Formation (shore line deposit), Dagsmark Till and Kauhajoki Till, were deposited during the Weichselian Stage (MIS 5d–MIS 2). In addition, Early Holocene (MIS 1) eskers without till cover were informally termed the “Holocene esker deposits”. The Lumikangas Formation represents gravelly shore deposits formed in the Holocene Epoch, when these areas last emerged from the sea. The first Weichselian ice expansion possibly reached the western part of Suupohja in the Early Weichselian Substage (MIS 5d?), but it did not expand further to the east. The second Weichselian glaciation of relatively short duration occupied the southern part of Finland in the later part of Middle Weichselian (MIS 3). Thus, the southern half of the country remained ice-free for the majority (~65–75%) of the Weichselian Stage. Instead, both humid temperate and periglacial conditions alternated. In the initial part of Middle Weichselian, this area was partly submerged, which indicates eastward expansion of the Scandinavian ice sheet(s), depressing the lithosphere. The exceptionally thick sediment cover, multiple lithofacies, relict landscape and preserved preglacially weathered bedrock are evidence of weak glacial erosion in the Suupohja area during the latest as well as earlier glaciations, making this area one of the key areas in Quaternary research.

Käsitteen pre-conflict käsiteanalyysi

Maailmassa on tälläkin hetkellä käynnissä useita sotaan rinnastettavia aseellisia selkkauksia. Käsite sota on kuitenkin menettänyt merkitystään ja sen on korvanneet käsitteet kuten aseellinen selkkaus ja konflikti. Kansainvälisessä ja humanitaarisessa oikeudessa on epäonnistuttu käsitteiden määrittelyssä, mikä on luonut haasteita lakien ja säädösten tulkintaan. Sodankuvan muutoksen ja kansainvälisen oikeuden kehittymisen myötä myös sodan julistus on menettänyt merkityksensä, mikä on johtanut siihen, että aseellisten selkkausten ja konfliktien alkuajankohtaa on hyvin vaikea määritellä. Tässä tutkimuksessa avataan ja selvennetään käsitteen pre-conflict merkitys käsiteanalyysin avulla. Päämääränä ei ole kääntää käsitettä suomeksi, vaan tuottaa lisää tietoa käsitteestä. Tutkimusaineistona käytetään EU:n, YK:n sekä Naton virallisia tiedotteita vuonna 2011 alkaneesta Syyrian tilanteesta. Analyysin avulla saavutetaan ymmärrys EU:n, YK:n sekä Naton käsitteiden käytölle, jonka avulla käsitteen pre-conflict ominaispiirteet, säännönmukaisuudet ja syysuhteet kyetään tunnistamaan. Analyysin ensimmäisessä osassa keskitytään käsitteen osien alkuperän tunnistamiseen ja analyysin tavoitteiden asettamiseen. Seuraavassa osassa Syyrian tilanteelle suoritetaan perusteellinen analyysi, jonka avulla käsitteen ominaispiirteet kyetään tunnistamaan. Pääkäsite erotetaan sen lähikäsitteistä sota, sisällissota sekä kriisi ja sen pohjalta käsitteelle luodaan ennakkoehdot ja seuraukset. Lopuksi pragmaattisuuden tavoittelemiseksi käsitteelle luodaan malliesimerkki Syyrian tilanteeseen sitoen. Tutkielma tiivistyy empiiriseen malliin, josta käsitteen tarkasteleminen yksinkertaistuu. Laajan kirjallisuuskatsauksen tuloksena voidaan käsitteen todeta tarkoittavan aikaa ennen konfliktia. Käsite konflikti on rinnastettavissa kansainvälisessä oikeuden tunnistamaan aseelliseen selkkaukseen. Keskeisimmät tutkimustulokset liittyvät käsitteen pre-conflict ajalliseen rajaukseen. Ajallisesti pre-conflict-ajan alku rajautuu yksittäiseen tapahtumaan, minkä jälkeen tilanne ei tule päättymään ennen kuin aseellinen selkkaus on saavuttanut ratkaisunsa. Pre-conflict-aika rajaa rauhanajan sekä erilaiset yhteiskunnalliset häiriötilanteet ajasta, jolloin häiriötilanteet eskaloituvat aseelliseksi selkkaukseksi sekä aikaan jolloin tilanne on jo eskaloitunut aseelliseksi selkkaukseksi. Kohdistettaessa tutkimusta aikaan ennen aseellisen selkkauksen alkua saadaan tietoa eskaloitumisen syistä, jolloin ennaltaehkäisevät toimenpiteet olisivat hyödynnettävissä alkavissa tilanteissa. Sotilaallisiin kriiseihin tai aseellisiin selkkauksiin liittyy voimakeinojen käyttö, joita säännellään kansallisessa lainsäädännössä. Voimankäyttö perustuu osittain kansainvälisen oikeuteen ja niiden sopimuksiin, joissa säädetään muun muassa suhteellisen voimankäytön periaate. Siinä missä rauhanaikana varaudutaan erinäisiin uhkatilanteisiin ja laaditaan suunnitelmia häiriötiloja ja poikkeusoloja varten, tulisi myös varautua poistamalla käsitteisiin liittyvät epäselvyydet. Laatimalla malleja, joiden avulla alkavat tilanteet tai aseelliset selkkaukset tunnistetaan ajoissa, mahdollistetaan oikeanaikainen päätöksenteko ja ennaltaehkäisevät toimenpiteet.

Adaptation of TRIZ Method for Problem Solving in Process Engineering

TRIZ is one of the well-known tools, based on analytical methods for creative problem solving. This thesis suggests adapted version of contradiction matrix, a powerful tool of TRIZ and few principles based on concept of original TRIZ. It is believed that the proposed version would aid in problem solving, especially those encountered in chemical process industries with unit operations. In addition, this thesis would help fresh process engineers to recognize importance of various available methods for creative problem solving and learn TRIZ method of creative problem solving. This thesis work mainly provides idea on how to modify TRIZ based method according to ones requirements to fit in particular niche area and solve problems efficiently in creative way. Here in this case, the contradiction matrix developed is based on review of common problems encountered in chemical process industry, particularly in unit operations and resolutions are based on approaches used in past to handle those issues.

Combining Good Practices : Method to study Introductory Physics in Engineering Education

Julkaisumaa: 056 BE BEL Belgia

Improving the competitiveness of electrolytic Zinc process by chemical reaction engineering approach

This doctoral thesis describes the development work performed on the leachand purification sections in the electrolytic zinc plant in Kokkola to increase the efficiency in these two stages, and thus the competitiveness of the plant. Since metallic zinc is a typical bulk product, the improvement of the competitiveness of a plant was mostly an issue of decreasing unit costs. The problems in the leaching were low recovery of valuable metals from raw materials, and that the available technology offered complicated and expensive processes to overcome this problem. In the purification, the main problem was consumption of zinc powder - up to four to six times the stoichiometric demand. This reduced the capacity of the plant as this zinc is re-circulated through the electrolysis, which is the absolute bottleneck in a zinc plant. Low selectivity gave low-grade and low-value precipitates for further processing to metallic copper, cadmium, cobalt and nickel. Knowledge of the underlying chemistry was poor and process interruptions causing losses of zinc production were frequent. Studies on leaching comprised the kinetics of ferrite leaching and jarosite precipitation, as well as the stability of jarosite in acidic plant solutions. A breakthrough came with the finding that jarosite could precipitate under conditions where ferrite would leach satisfactorily. Based on this discovery, a one-step process for the treatment of ferrite was developed. In the plant, the new process almost doubled the recovery of zinc from ferrite in the same equipment as the two-step jarosite process was operated in at that time. In a later expansion of the plant, investment savings were substantial compared to other technologies available. In the solution purification, the key finding was that Co, Ni, and Cu formed specific arsenides in the “hot arsenic zinc dust” step. This was utilized for the development of a three-step purification stage based on fluidized bed technology in all three steps, i.e. removal of Cu, Co and Cd. Both precipitation rates and selectivity increased, which strongly decreased the zinc powder consumption through a substantially suppressed hydrogen gas evolution. Better selectivity improved the value of the precipitates: cadmium, which caused environmental problems in the copper smelter, was reduced from 1-3% reported normally down to 0.05 %, and a cobalt cake with 15 % Co was easily produced in laboratory experiments in the cobalt removal. The zinc powder consumption in the plant for a solution containing Cu, Co, Ni and Cd (1000, 25, 30 and 350 mg/l, respectively), was around 1.8 g/l; i.e. only 1.4 times the stoichiometric demand – or, about 60% saving in powder consumption. Two processes for direct leaching of the concentrate under atmospheric conditions were developed, one of which was implemented in the Kokkola zinc plant. Compared to the existing pressure leach technology, savings were obtained mostly in investment. The scientific basis for the most important processes and process improvements is given in the doctoral thesis. This includes mathematical modeling and thermodynamic evaluation of experimental results and hypotheses developed. Five of the processes developed in this research and development program were implemented in the plant and are still operated. Even though these processes were developed with the focus on the plant in Kokkola, they can also be implemented at low cost in most of the zinc plants globally, and have thus a great significance in the development of the electrolytic zinc process in general.

Reframing the relationship between service design and operations: a service engineering approach

The significance of services as business and human activities has increased dramatically throughout the world in the last three decades. Becoming a more and more competitive and efficient service provider while still being able to provide unique value opportunities for customers requires new knowledge and ideas. Part of this knowledge is created and utilized in daily activities in every service organization, but not all of it, and therefore an emerging phenomenon in the service context is information awareness. Terms like big data and Internet of things are not only modern buzz-words but they are also describing urgent requirements for a new type of competences and solutions. When the amount of information increases and the systems processing information become more efficient and intelligent, it is the human understanding and objectives that may get separated from the automated processes and technological innovations. This is an important challenge and the core driver for this dissertation: What kind of information is created, possessed and utilized in the service context, and even more importantly, what information exists but is not acknowledged or used? In this dissertation the focus is on the relationship between service design and service operations. Reframing this relationship refers to viewing the service system from the architectural perspective. The selected perspective allows analysing the relationship between design activities and operational activities as an information system while maintaining the tight connection to existing service research contributions and approaches. This type of an innovative approach is supported by research methodology that relies on design science theory. The methodological process supports the construction of a new design artifact based on existing theoretical knowledge, creation of new innovations and testing the design artifact components in real service contexts. The relationship between design and operations is analysed in the health care and social care service systems. The existing contributions in service research tend to abstract services and service systems as value creation, working or interactive systems. This dissertation adds an important information processing system perspective to the research. The main contribution focuses on the following argument: Only part of the service information system is automated and computerized, whereas a significant part of information processing is embedded in human activities, communication and ad-hoc reactions. The results indicate that the relationship between service design and service operations is more complex and dynamic than the existing scientific and managerial models tend to view it. Both activities create, utilize, mix and share information, making service information management a necessary but relatively unknown managerial task. On the architectural level, service system -specific elements seem to disappear, but access to more general information elements and processes can be found. While this dissertation focuses on conceptual-level design artifact construction, the results provide also very practical implications for service providers. Personal, visual and hidden activities of service, and more importantly all changes that take place in any service system have also an information dimension. Making this information dimension visual and prioritizing the processed information based on service dimensions is likely to provide new opportunities to increase activities and provide a new type of service potential for customers.

Value engineering of InnoTrackTM

Middle section module of InnoTrackTM moving walk was re-engineered according to value analysis process. Self-supporting steel structure for moving walk was created as a result of this process. Designed structure was verified and validated by prototype tests and finite element method calculations. Self-supporting steel structure replaces the original design of middle section module in InnoTrackTM. Designed structure provides higher satisfaction to customers’ needs and at the same time, it uses less resources. The redesigned middle section module provides higher value to the customer.

Vapaaehtoisten maahanmuuttajien pre-akkulturaatio

Anu Yijälän väitöskirja Pre-acculturation among voluntary migrants (Helsingin yliopisto 2012).

Nova tabula magni ducatus Finlandiae in provincias divisa, multis locis aucta et correcta pre F. de Witt

1 kartta :, käsinvär. ;, 44,2 x 53,4 cm, lehti 53 x 62 cm