Electrolyte flow in an external magnetic field: a dimensionless analysis

In this paper, some recent work on the flow induced by an external magnetic fields acting on electrochemical cell is reviewed. Although the influence of the magnetic field on the hydrodynamics has been studied for over 5 decades, the magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) remains relatively unfamiliar to all but a few research groups. There are nearly a countless number of dimensionless parameters in electrolytic flow (bubble induced flow) and MHD, but they have been introduced for convenience by different authors. The similitude parameter proposed by Solheim, Johansen, Rolseth, and Thonstad (1989) and Perron, Kiss, and Poncsák (2006) have been modified to provide a full set of parameters for electrolytic cell operating under external magnetic field. The bubble sliding characteristics underneath an inclined plane are studied using copper sulphate solution (as an electrolyte) in lab-based-scale and discussed

Institutional posters’ eBook: according to 1st Workshop with “Focus on experimental testing of cement based materials”

COST TU 140

Environmental technology and policy development in a regional system : transboundary water management and pollution prevention in southeastern Europe

Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division, Technology and Policy Program, 2007.Includes bibliographical references (p. 256-270).In order to surmount the barriers to transboundary integration and coordination of environmental technology and regulatory policy in Southeastern Europe, the environmental capabilities and needs of the region are discussed, and a regional cooperation and coordination systems framework is developed. The thesis focuses on a case study of transboundary water resource management of the Mesta/Nestos River Basin between Bulgaria and Greece is presented in order to understand the coordination problems between a particular locality's level of integration in environmental technology development and use, and environmental regulatory policy, as well as the barriers to cooperation between two localities sharing a transboundary resource. For the case study, the physical characteristics and environmental stresses on the basin are described in detail. Next the policy governing local water resource management and environmental technology development is reviewed in terms of national laws and regulations, the bilateral diplomatic agreements, and the EU framework that drives much of the current activity in the basin today. Finally, the gaps in current policy and the barriers to coordinating water resource-related technology policy and environmental regulatory policy development are analyzed. The end result is a set of recommendations pertaining to the particular basin, but which can be generalized to other basins in the region. The focus is primarily on the coordination in both countries at the local and transboundary levels, but will also be explored within the context of the nation-wide and region-wide levels.(cont.) Through this narrow case study, insight is gained as to how environmental technology policy can be coordinated with regulatory policy to surmount the obstacles faced in water resource management and the broader context, and how the institutional and legal framework in place affects the regulatory scheme and in turn the technology placement in both countries.by Christi Electris.S.M

D10.1 Report on the dissemination activities and Conference organisation

This deliverable provides an extensive analysis of the dissemination activities and workshops organisation of the EXCELSIOR H2020 Teaming Project. The analysis starts with the report on our participation in conferences (11) and how the project was promoted through it. Then, we explain about the participation of our team members in talks (17), workshops (7) and seminars (12) as invited speakers. The deliverable continues with a thorough presentation of the lectures by invited speakers (8), the webinar (1) and the workshops (2) organized by our team. Additionally, we document about our participation in other events (i.e., European Researcher’s Night 2021 and SpaceUPCyprus 2021 Live). The last chapter provides the publications, journal papers, conference papers, and book sections for the reporting time period. The deliverable concludes by providing information on the outcome of the reported activities and how they have contributed to the progress of the EXCELSIOR H2020 Teaming Project. It is concluded that there is a strong need to establish links in the EMMENA region and connect with them. This has not been achieved yet, but a strategy was prepared to raise awareness about the EXCELSIOR Project in the EMMENA region and establish partnerships, starting with targeted stakeholders’ workshop in autumn 2021, where selected stakeholders from the region will be invited to be informed them about the project and provide them the space to discuss their needs and identify common scientific interests and ways of collaboration

Transdisciplinarity as a means for capacity development in water resources management

Water resources management has to deal with complex real life problems under uncertain framework conditions. One possibility for encountering such challenges is integrated water resources management (IWRM). However, IWRM is often understood as prescriptive manual, not acknowledging the need for adaptive solutions and capacity development (CD). These challenges demonstrate that sustainable water resources management requires transdisciplinarity, i.e. the integration of several scientific disciplines, as well as the collaboration between science and local actors. Transdisciplinarity is inherently related to CD since it facilitates collaboration and provides mutual learning and knowledge on complex interrelationships. This correlates with the evidence that CD can be seen as a key factor for water resources management (Alaerts et al. 1991, Alaerts 2009). Consequently, the objective of this thesis is to strengthen water resources management by connecting processes of IWRM and CD in a transdisciplinary sense, i.e. (i) interrelating disciplinary research within an interdisciplinary research team that collaborates with local actors, and (ii) conducting a political process for knowledge and capacity development. Based on general insights, an embedded case study in the Western Bug River Basin, Ukraine, was conducted to evaluate the concept. It is shown that CD is essential for shifting from IWRM theories towards implementation and accordingly advantages of harmonizing CD into the IWRM process are presented (Leidel et al. 2012). Next to capacity issues, also other coordination gaps were assessed. River Basin Organisations are frequently proposed as a response to the administrative gap; however, coordination efforts cannot be simply reduced by transferring tasks from jurisdictional institutions to a river basin authority, because they will always need to coordinate with organizations from within or outside the water sector (von Keitz and Kessler 2008). Thus, coordination mechanisms across the boundaries of relevant policy fields are essential. Therefore, a management framework is established linking technical development and capacity development that describes interrelations between environmental pressures and capacity and information gaps for different levels of water management (Leidel et al. 2014). The developed model-based and capacity-based IWRM framework combines model-based systems analysis and capacity analysis for developing management options that support water management actors. This is aligned with a political process for capacity development. It constitutes a boundary object for approaching cross-scale challenges that converges analyses, assessments and participation into one strategy. As concluded by Mollinga (2008), this can improve the performance of sustainable resources management by approaching transdisciplinarity. Within the model and capacity-based IWRM framework, the results of the integrated analysis are made explicit and transparent by introducing a matrix approach. Technical issues, institutional challenges, organizational and human resources development, and information needs are jointly assessed and interrelated by confronting pressures and coordination gaps on a subsystem basis. Accordingly, the concept supports a transparent decision making process by identifying knowledge and capacities required for the implementation of technical intervention options and vice versa. The method is applied in the International Water Research Alliance Saxony (IWAS) model region ‘Ukraine’. It could be shown that the approach delivers management options that are scientifically credible and also accepted by and relevant for the actors. The case study revealed that technical intervention measures for the urban and rural water management have to be jointly implemented with appropriate CD measures and an accompanying political process on (i) strengthening the institutional framework and interministerial collaboration, (ii) fitting RBM into the existing institutional framework, (iii) setting up prerequisites for realistic RBM (Monitoring, information management, legal enforcement), (iv) a revision of effluent standards and a differentiated levy system, (v) cost covering tariffs, (vi) association work. For the Western Bug River Basin (WBRB), the strengthening of the collaboration between actors on all levels has to be continued. For increasing the usability, the approach needs to be institutionalized and become more practice relevant, e.g. by extending it to a water knowledge management system. Developing a roadmap for establishing transboundary water management is a subsequent step. For strengthening future water management actors, IWRM curricula development at uni-versities in Ukraine was supported. And we developed the e-learning module IWRM-education that links interactively different aspects of water management to comprehend the complexity of IWRM (Leidel et al. 2013). The evaluation showed that participants under-stand the content, appreciate this way of learning, and will use this module for further activities. The case study showed that technical cooperation can be a facilitator for political processes and that it can support decision making in a transparent way. Yet, it also showed that IWRM is highly political process and that the developed approach cannot cover all obstacles. In summary, exploring and reducing simultaneously environmental pressures and capacity and information gaps is essential for water sector evolution worldwide. Accordingly, transdisciplinarity as a means for capacity development can support the implementation of real integrated water resources management

Multilingualism

This book promotes understanding of multilingualism based on the research efforts at the frontiers with state-of-the-art approaches or novel interdisciplinary perspectives. It addresses issues of the impact of multilingualism on cultural awareness and national identity, gives an overview on how multilingual speakers benefit themselves in learning and communicative competence, and describes the association between multilingualism and media, health, and society

The Water Situation of the Future Mega City "Urumqi" (NW-China) – Resources, Risk, Conservation and Management

Urumqi is located in the remote center of the Eurasian continent. It is a future mega-city with rapid economic development and high population density in China's western interior. Urumqi's water resource problems are the main research objects in this thesis. Several models have been put forward to predict water demand in Urumqi and useful suggestions have been gathered to reduce water scarcity. In 2010, the average annual water resources of Urumqi were at 939.22 million m³ and the average per capita water resources were 387 m³, meaning that water resources are inadequate in Urumqi. The water consumption in Urumqi already exceeded the total amount of water resources. Furthermore, almost half of the wastewater is discharged directly into rivers and wasteland in Urumqi and as such, both surface water and groundwater are seriously polluted. Since there is also no reasonable water price system, the price of water is relative low which leads to weak awareness of water conservation. In addition, the high leakage rate of the pipe network and the backward technology of agricultural irrigation have resulted in serious water losses. In order to alleviate the scarcity of water resources and instead increase the number of resources, while at the same time improving water quality, wastewater in Urumqi and how it is reused of Urumqi was analyzed. Some suggestions about Urumqi's sewage and water reuse system were put forward. Moreover, various water scarcity assessment indexes were used to evaluate the water scarcity risk in Urumqi. Based on the results of a water scarcity risk assessment, the water scarcity decision model was built up by adopting the advanced Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) methodology. The measures to reduce water scarcity include a.o. adjusting industrial structures, water conservation, using unconventional water resources, implementing economic regulation measures, controlling environmental safety, improving urban functions, and the interbasin transfer of water. According to the results of the analysis of water scarcity decisions, major solutions to resolve the problem of water scarcity were identified, with water conservation as the most important step in reducing water scarcity in Urumqi. In addition, a water conservation index system was set up based on the water-saving evaluation standard in China to change the present situation of serious wastage of water resources in Urumqi. This index system can be used to reflect the problems (e.g. high leakage rate of the water supply pipe network, low water price, low conveyance efficiency of irrigation canal system, low rate of recycled industrial water and water conservation awareness) and the potentials of water conversation in each sector (agriculture, industry and domestic). The results of the index system show that there is a large potential of agricultural water conservation, and it can be achieved by several measures, such as improving the water efficiency of the canal system, promoting the usage of advanced water conservation irrigation techniques and increasing the water price for agricultural irrigation. In addition, the "quota method" and the "grey model" (used to analyze the system, which related to time includes both certain and uncertain information) were used to predict water demand. The "quota method" predicts the water demand based on indicators of socioeconomic development and the water use quota in each sector. The "grey model" was constructed according to the time series of agricultural, industrial, domestic and total water consumption in Urumqi from 2003 to 2010 by creating a sequence of first-order accumulated generating operation and differential equations. The predictions that were calculated by using the grey model show that agriculture will still be the biggest user of water in 2015. Therefore, changing the agricultural system and improving the efficiency of agricultural water use are the best ways to realize the rational allocation and sustainable use of water resources in Urumqi. In order to effectively manage Urumqi's water resources and to integrate the water demand prediction model and the water scarcity decision model, the water resources management and information system for Urumqi was built up by using various technologies (database, Web and GIS server). This system not only reflects the current situation of Urumqi's water resources but also helps users to make decisions for reducing water scarcity

Zbornik radova [Elektronski izvor] / Osmi nacionalni naučno-stručni skup sa međunarodnim učešćem Instalacije & arhitektura 2021, Beograd, 2. decembar 2021

Naučno–stručni skup Instalacije & Arhitektura osmišljen je kao okvir za prikaz i analizu razvoja novih tehnologija zastupljenih u različitim segmentima arhitekture i građevinarstva, sa posebnim osvrtom na reaktivaciju postojećih objekata na različite načine. Kao posledica sve složenijih zahteva investitora i društvene zajednice za izgradnjom energetski efikasnih objekata, javlja se potreba za integracijom instalacionih sistema, kako bi arhitektonski objekat mogao da funkcioniše kao jedinstvena Celina forme, funkcije, konstrukcije i instalacija. Prvenstveni cilj skupa je prezentacija savremenih naučnih i stručnih dostignuća u oblasti arhitekture i izgradnje objekata. Osmi naučno‐stručni skup Instalacije & Arhitektura održan je u decembru 2021. godine. Prvi put je skup održan online preko Teams platforme i zadovoljstvo nam je da konstatujemo da je ovaj izazov uspešno savladan, zahvaljujući odličnoj saradnji svih učesnika. Zbornik radova sadrži radove na srpskom i engleskom jeziku, prevashodno iz zemlje i regiona. Objavljeni i saopšteni radovi obuhvataju i povezuju više tematskih oblasti, kroz istraživanje i predlaganje rešenja sa aspekta održive gradnje i eksploatacije...

Sustainability of water resources development for Malawi with particular emphasis on North and Central Malawi

The world population regardless of location and development stage needs energy and water. According to the United Nations, the present world population stands at about 6.7 billion with an average annual growth rate of 1.3%. Population increase calls for increased allocation of water for domestic use, agriculture and industrial use. The increased water allocation among different sectors has always resulted in conflicts among users, and stress on freshwater environment. Therefore it is essential that water resources be developed in a sustainable manner to accommodate future generations to meet their water needs. In recent years studies regarding stress on water resources due to population increase have always been done without considering the effect of climate change while studies on the effect of climate change on river flows have always ignored the effect of population increase. An assessment of the sustainability of the water resources primarily of the Central and Northern highland river basins of Malawi is presented in this thesis based on basin hydrology, human health, environment and climate change. A complete hydrological data set is not readily available in developing countries like Malawi. That being the case, a method of estimating missing data in hydrological data records has been presented. Climate change predictions have been done based on United Kingdom (UK) Meteorological Office Hadley Centre HadCM3 experiments. All the river basins in the Central and Northern part of Malawi drain into Lake Malawi. Lake Malawi plays a major role in the provision of energy for the country and water supply to the southern part of Malawi through its outlet Shire river. Planning of alternative water resources schemes on river basins in the northern part of Malawi needs an assessment of the hydrological behaviour of the lake. In view of this, the report further explores the sustainability of water levels of Lake Malawi based on generated climate scenarios. A method of extending river flow records based on climate scenario is presented. In the proposed method a simple rainfall runoff model of Linear Perturbation Model has been used to extend flow records with inputs from HadCM3 experiments. The results showed a good correlation between predicted and observed series. Climate change prediction downscaled from HadCM3 general circulation models using statistical techniques were used to create 25 year river flow scenarios from 2001 to 2100. The thesis further reports a method of extending evaporation data based on climate change prediction since evaporation plays a major role in the development of irrigation. The future evaporation scenarios have been incorporated in the water balance model of Lake Malawi for the assessment of sustainability and future water levels of the lake. A method of formulating water resources sustainability index through the integration of knowledge from hydrology, human health and environment is presented. The Water Sustainability Index has been developed as a tool for assessment of multipurpose water resources development comparing one river basin with another in a sustainable manner. In conclusion the method proposed in this thesis can be used as a tool for assessing the strategic sustainability of water resources development as planned under the Malawi National Water Development Programme (MNWDP) phase II. The goal of MNWDP II is to develop a water resources investment strategy for Malawi by looking at the current available water resources and the impact of developing these water resources. Although it is hoped that the methods can be of benefit under MNWDP II, investigations into other techniques would be beneficial