Assessing the potential of yield improvements, through process scrap reduction, for energy and CO2 abatement in the steel and aluminium sectors

Targets to cut 2050 CO2 emissions in the steel and aluminium sectors by 50%, whilst demand is expected to double, cannot be met by energy efficiency measures alone, so options that reduce total demand for liquid metal production must also be considered. Such reductions could occur through reduced demand for final goods (for instance by life extension), reduced demand for material use in each product (for instance by lightweight design) or reduced demand for material to make existing products. The last option, improving the yield of manufacturing processes from liquid metal to final product, is attractive in being invisible to the final customer, but has had little attention to date. Accordingly this paper aims to provide an estimate of the potential to make existing products with less liquid metal production. Yield ratios have been measured for five case study products, through a series of detailed factory visits, along each supply chain. The results of these studies, presented on graphs of cumulative energy against yield, demonstrate how the embodied energy in final products may be up to 15 times greater than the energy required to make liquid metal, due to yield losses. A top-down evaluation of the global flows of steel and aluminium showed that 26% of liquid steel and 41% of liquid aluminium produced does not make it into final products, but is diverted as process scrap and recycled. Reducing scrap substitutes production by recycling and could reduce total energy use by 17% and 6% and total CO 2 emissions by 16% and 7% for the steel and aluminium industries respectively, using forming and fabrication energy values from the case studies. The abatement potential of process scrap elimination is similar in magnitude to worldwide implementation of best available standards of energy efficiency and demonstrates how decreasing the recycled content may sometimes result in emission reductions. Evidence from the case studies suggests that whilst most companies are aware of their own yield ratios, few, if any, are fully aware of cumulative losses along their whole supply chain. Addressing yield losses requires this awareness to motivate collaborative approaches to improvement. © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

India's foreign exchange earners

India's export earnings from fishery products have touched an all-time record of Rs. 33.07 crores in 1969. The most important items which have contributed to this are processed prawn products, frozen lobster tails and frozen frog legs. Even though frogs are not of marine origin, they are processed and exported along with marine products so that for all practical purposes they are reckoned as seafood. Naturally, it is sure to be of absorbing interest to the processors and technological research workers as well as to the general public to know how many varieties/species of these occur in our country and also the localities where they are available. The following is an exhaustive list of the different species of prawns, lobsters and frogs that are found in our country, together with vernacular names wherever available, parts of India where they occur and the largest size (length) to which they grow. The figures in brackets on the left side show the progressive total. The different genera have been arranged in the order of their commercial importance and not according to any scientific principles.

Theoretical study of the femtosecond-resolved photoelectron spectrum of the NO molecule

The effect of laser fields on the NO interaction potentials is obtained by the calculation of time-resolved photoelectron spectrum (TRPES) using the time-dependent wave-packet method. The calculation not only shows that the overlap of the pump-probe pulses makes some NO molecular "invisible" states visible, but also that the coupling strength and the positions of relevant curves change on increasing the laser intensity. These changed potentials affect their dynamical behavior and influence the shape and position of each peak in TRPES. That the coupling strength of relevant potentials can be changed by the field-matter interaction is consistent with our ab initio calculations.

Carbon nanotube/gold nanoparticles/polyethylenimine-functionalized ionic liquid thin film composites for glucose biosensing

A novel glucose biosensor based on immobilization of glucose oxidase (GOD) in thin films of polyethylenimine-functionalized ionic liquid (PFIL), containing a mixture of carbon nanotubes (CNT) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and deposited on glassy carbon electrodes, was developed. Direct electrochemistry of glucose oxidase in the film was observed, with linear glucose response up to 12 mM. The PFIL-stabilized gold nanoparticles had a diameter of 2.4 +/- 0.8 nm and exhibited favorable stability (stored even over one month with invisible change in UV-vis spectroscopic measurements).

What has brought on the effects of number-average molecular weight on the spinodals in polymer mixtures?

On the basis of the thermodynamics of Gibbs, the spinodal for the quasibinary system was derived in the framework of the Sanchez-Lacombe lattice fluid theory. All of the spinodals were calculated based on a model polydisperse polymer mixture, where each polymer contains three different molecular weight subcomponents. According to our calculations, the spinodal depends on both weight-average ((M) over bar (w)) and number-average ((M) over bar (n)) molecular weights, whereas that of the z-average molecular weight is invisible. Moreover, the extreme of the spinodal decreases when the polydispersity index (eta = (M) over bar (w)/(M) over bar (n)) of the polymer increases. The effect of polydispersity on the spinodal decreases when the molecular weight gets larger and can be negligible at a certain large molecular weight. It is well-known that the influence of polydispersity on the phase equilibrium (coexisting curve, cloud point curves) is much more pronounced than on the spinodal. The effect of M, on the spinodal is discussed as it results from the infuluence of composition temperatures, molecular weight, and the latter's distribution on free volume. An approximate expression, which is in the assumptions of v* v(1)* = v(2)* and 1/r --> 0 for both of the polymers, was also derived for simplification. It can be used in high molecular weight, although it failed to make visible the effect of number-average molecular weight on the spinodal.

Statistical thermodynamics of polydisperse polymer systems in the framework of lattice fluid model: Effect of molecular weight and its distribution on the spinodal in polymer solution

With the aid of thermodynamics of Gibbs, the expression of the spinodal was derived for the polydisperse polymer-solvent system in the framework of Sanchez-Lacombe Lattice Fluid Theory (SLLFT). For convenience, we considered that a model polydisperse polymer contains three sub-components. According to our calculation, the spinodal depends on both weight-average ((M) over bar (w)) and number-average ((M) over bar (n)) molecular weights of the polydisperse polymer, but the z-average molecular weight ((M) over bar (z)) dependence on the spinodal is invisible. The dependence of free volume on composition, temperature, molecular weight, and its distribution results in the effect of (M) over bar (n) on the spinodal. Moreover, it has been found that the effect of changing (M) over bar (w) on the spinodal is much bigger than that of changing (M) over bar (n) and the extrema of the spinodal increases with the rise of the weight-average molecular weight of the polymer in the solutions with upper critical solution temperature (UCST). However, the effect of polydispersity on the spinodal can be neglected for the polymer with a considerably high weight-average molecular weight. A more simple expression of the spinodal for the polydisperse polymer solution in the framework of SLLFT was also derived under the assumption of upsilon(*)=upsilon(1)(*)=upsilon(2)(*) and (1/r(1)(0))-(1/r(2i)(0))-->(1/r(1)(0)).

Effective response of a non-linear composite in external AC electric field

A general effective response is proposed for nonlinear composite media, which obey a current field relation of the form J = sigmaE + chi\E\(2) E when an external alternating current (AC) electrical field is applied. For a sinusoidal applied field with finite frequency omega, the effective constitutive relation between the current density and electric field can be defined as, = sigma(e) + chi(e) <\E(x, omega, t)\(2) E(x, omega, t)> + (. . .), where sigma(e) and chi(e) are the general effective linear and nonlinear conductive responses, respectively. The angled brackets <(. . .)> denotes the ensemble average. As two examples, we have investigated the cylindrical and spherical inclusions embedded in a host and also derived the formulae of the general effective linear and nonlinear conductive responses in dilute limit. For higher volume fraction of inclusions, we have proposed a nonlinear effective medium approximation (EMA) method to estimate the general effective response of nonlinear composites in external AC field. Furthermore, the effective nonlinear responses at harmonics are predicted by using the general effective response. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Understanding Iconography: a method to allow rich picture interpretation to improve.

Information Systems for complex situations often fail to adequately deliver quality and suitability. One reason for this failure is an inability to identify comprehensive user requirements. Seldom do all stakeholders, especially those "invisible‟ or "back room‟ system users, have a voice when systems are designed. If this is a global problem then it may impact on both the public and private sectors in terms of their ability to perform, produce and stay competitive. To improve upon this, system designers use rich pictures as a diagrammatic means of identifying differing world views with the aim of creating shared understanding of the organisation. Rich pictures have predominantly been used as freeform, unstructured tools with no commonly agreed syntax. This research has collated, analysed and documented a substantial collection of rich pictures into a single dataset. Attention has been focussed on three main research areas; how the rich picture is facilitated, how the rich picture is constructed and how to interpret the resultant pictures. This research highlights the importance of the rich picture tool and argues the value of adding levels of structure, in certain cases. It is shown that there are considerable benefits for both the interpreter and the creator by providing a pre-drawing session, a common key of symbols and a framework for icon understanding. In conclusion, it is suggested that there is some evidence that a framework which aims to support the process of the rich picture and aid interpretation is valuable.

DOŚWIADCZENIE PRZESTRZENI W PAMIĘCI O HOLOCAUŚCIE

This paper analyzes different experiences of space by which memory of Holocaust could be passed on. The Memorial for the murdered Jews of Europe in Berlin gives visitors the feeling of insecurity and overwhelms them with monumentality. For that reason it is criticized as reflecting the other side of German memory: The Third Reich’s megalomania and dream about power. The Hamburger memorial against fascism designed in 1986 by conceptual artists Jochen and Esther Gerz offers quite an opposite experience of space. A twelve-meter-high pillar has been established for visitors to sign on it. Once the area was covered by signature it was lowered into the ground till it completely disappeared. The intention of the artists was to put memory not into the monument but into people. Pozdrowienia z Alej Jerozolimskich (Greetings from the Jerusalem Avenue, 2002) by Joanna Rajkowska – a fifteen-meter tall artificial palm tree installed in the centre of Warsaw – is an attempt to infuse with Israel's scenery a Warsaw's street whose name and history sends the observer to the history of the Jews in Poland. In another work called Dotleniacz (Oxygenator, 2007) Rajkowska created an artificial lake with oxygen concentrators, gold fish, flowers and banks. Again, the installation was placed in a very meaningful place – Grzybowski Square – which is strongly connected with Jewish life in Poland as well as Polish anti-Semitism. The synagogue in Poznan was transformed during the Nazi occupation into a swimming pool which it has remained until the present day. This fact ( just like the building) seems to be invisible for most citizens. In 2003 Rafał Jakubowicz changed the fact by projecting a Hebrew inscription הייחש-תכירב (swimming pool) on the façade of the former synagogue. In Berek (The Game of Tag, 1999) by Artur Żmijewski a group of naked men and women of various age play tag. The artist filmed them in two rooms: in a symbolically neutral space and in a gas chamber of a former Nazi death camp. The film is an attempt at breaking the spell of this horrifying and paralysing space.

The ways in which new public management ideas impact upon the administrative culture of 'street-level' bureaucrats and professionals working within Irish social policy

The conventional meaning of culture is ‘widely shared and strongly held values’ of a particular group or society (Bradley and Parker, 2006: 89). Culture is not a rigid concept; it can be influenced or altered by new ideas or forces. This research examines the ways in which one set of ideas in particular, that is, those associated with New Public Management, have impacted upon the administrative culture of 'street-level' bureaucrats and professionals within Irish social policy. Lipsky (1980: 3) defined 'street-level' bureaucrats as ‘public service workers who interact directly with citizens in the course of their jobs, and who have substantial discretion in the execution of their work’. Utilising the Competing Values Framework (CVF) in the analysis of eighty three semi-structured interviews with 'street-level' bureaucrats and professionals, an evaluation is made as to the impact of NPM ideas on both visible and invisible aspects of administrative culture. Overall, the influence of NPM is confined to superficial aspects of administrative culture such as; increased flexibility in working hours and to some degree job contracts; increased time commitment; and a customer service focus. However, the extent of these changes varies depending on policy sector and occupational group. Aspects of consensual and hierarchical cultures remain firmly in place. These coincide with features of developmental and market cultures. Contrary to the view that members of hierarchical and consensual culture would pose resistance to change, this research clearly illustrates that a very large appetite for change exists in the attitudes of 'street-level' bureaucrats and professionals within Irish social policy, with many of them suggesting changes that correspond to NPM ideas. This study demonstrates the relevance of employing the CVF model as it is clear that administrative culture is very much a dynamic system of competing and co-existing cultures.

Living with acquired brain injury

This study found that natural community supports were comprised of two distinct groupings; firstly immediate families, friends and peer support groups; secondly neighbours and local community groups such as sporting and activity- based organisations and groups. The findings of this study indicate that living with acquired brain injury involves a process where the person moves from acute high intensity health services onto rehabilitative services and then onto re-establishing independent lives. It is evident that smooth transitions and interconnectivity of services are essential in facilitating this recovery process. Instrumental to the recovery is the support of immediate family and close friends, who form people’s immediate natural support network and go a long way towards facilitating individuals in rebuilding their lives. A key finding of this study is that broader natural community supports do not appear to play as central a role in supporting individuals to live independent lives when compared to the role of family and friends. The lack of involvement of broader community groups, in many ways, prompted individuals to contact formal support services. For the majority of participants, independence is facilitated through the combination of immediate natural community supports and formal services. The role of formal support services is key to developing broader community support networks. This study found a blurred division between formal services and broader community support networks. The authors recommended that the role of formal supports services in acting as a bridge between the needs of the individual and the development of meaningful community networks, be formally recognised and further developed. Additionally, they argued that the importance of the role of broader natural community, supports such as those provided by community and sporting groups must be enhanced. Greater awareness of the issues faced by people living with acquired brain injury and its often invisible nature is necessary in this endeavour. The authors stated it is important to recognise that there are multiple issues impacting on independent living and these issues intersect, for instance with age, gender, employment, qualifications and so on. A lack of public awareness of acquired brain injury was found to be a key barrier to independent living, along with issues relating to socialising, access to employment and finances. The findings of this study reflect the complexities of living with acquired brain injury and the need for holistic support that is cognisant of the factors which impact on integration. It is vital that flexible, personalised services are developed which are fit for purpose and meet the needs of not only people with acquired brain injury but also their immediate natural community support network. Recognition of the intersection between immediate/ broader natural community supports and formal services is also key to developing the comprehensive and practical supports required to achieve an independent life. This was a qualitative study and all participants were sourced through Headway, a community based service provider for people with ABI. Data collection was divided into two stages: firstly focus groups, followed by individual interviews. Four focus groups were convened in Cork (2), Dublin (1) and Limerick (1). Each focus group was facilitated by at least two members of the research team and a total of twenty-six individuals participated in the focus groups. Thematic analysis of the data was undertaken to guide and inform the second stage of the study; the individual interviews. Ten interviews were undertaken with individuals who presented with ABI in the Cork and Limerick regions.

Exploring an agent as an economic insider threat solution

The insider threat is a security problem that is well-known and has a long history, yet it still remains an invisible enemy. Insiders know the security processes and have accesses that allow them to easily cover their tracks. In recent years the idea of monitoring separately for these threats has come into its own. However, the tools currently in use have disadvantages and one of the most effective techniques of human review is costly. This paper explores the development of an intelligent agent that uses already in-place computing material for inference as an inexpensive monitoring tool for insider threats. Design Science Research (DSR) is a methodology used to explore and develop an IT artifact, such as for this intelligent agent research. This methodology allows for a structure that can guide a deep search method for problems that may not be possible to solve or could add to a phenomenological instantiation.

Within the carnal: re-reading Merleau-Ponty through the language of drawing

In order to present visual art as a paradigm for philosophy, Merleau-Ponty investigated the creative processes of artists whose work corresponded closely with his philosophical ideas. His essays on art are widely valued for emphasising process over product, and for challenging the primacy of the written word in all spheres of human expression. While it is clear that he initially favoured painting, Merleau-Ponty began to develop a much deeper understanding of the complexities of how art is made in his late work in parallel with his advancement of a new ontology. Although his ontology remains unfinished and only exists as working notes and a manuscript entitled The Visible and Invisible, Merleau-Ponty had begun to appreciate the fundamental role drawing plays in the making of art and the creation of a language of expression that is as vital as the written or spoken word. Through an examination of Merleau-Ponty’s unfinished manuscript and working notes my thesis will investigate his working methods and use of materials and also explore how he processed his ideas by using my own art practice as the basis of my research. This research will take the form of an inquiry into how the unfinished and incomplete nature of text and artworks, while they are still ‘works in progress’, can often reveal the more human and carnal components of creative processes. Applying my experience as a practitioner and a teacher in an art school, I focus on the significance of drawing practice for Merleau-Ponty’s later work, in order to rebalance an overemphasis on painting in the literature. Understanding the differences between these two art forms, and how they are taught, can offer an alternative engagement with Merleau-Ponty’s later work and his struggle to find a language to express his developing new ontology. In addition, by re-reading his work through the language of drawing, I believe we gain new insights which reaffirm Merleau-Ponty's relevance to contemporary art making and aesthetics.

Broadband electromagnetic cloaking with smart metamaterials.

The ability to render objects invisible with a cloak that fits all objects and sizes is a long-standing goal for optical devices. Invisibility devices demonstrated so far typically comprise a rigid structure wrapped around an object to which it is fitted. Here we demonstrate smart metamaterial cloaking, wherein the metamaterial device not only transforms electromagnetic fields to make an object invisible, but also acquires its properties automatically from its own elastic deformation. The demonstrated device is a ground-plane microwave cloak composed of an elastic metamaterial with a broad operational band (10-12 GHz) and nearly lossless electromagnetic properties. The metamaterial is uniform, or perfectly periodic, in its undeformed state and acquires the necessary gradient-index profile, mimicking a quasi-conformal transformation, naturally from a boundary load. This easy-to-fabricate hybrid elasto-electromagnetic metamaterial opens the door to implementations of a variety of transformation optics devices based on quasi-conformal maps.

Low-loss directional cloaks without superluminal velocity or magnetic response.

The possibility of making an optically large (many wavelengths in diameter) object appear invisible has been a subject of many recent studies. Exact invisibility scenarios for large (relative to the wavelength) objects involve (meta)materials with superluminal phase velocity [refractive index (RI) less than unity] and/or magnetic response. We introduce a new approximation applicable to certain device geometries in the eikonal limit: piecewise-uniform scaling of the RI. This transformation preserves the ray trajectories but leads to a uniform phase delay. We show how to take advantage of phase delays to achieve a limited (directional and wavelength-dependent) form of invisibility that does not require loss-ridden (meta)materials with superluminal phase velocities.