A preliminary energy analysis of a commercial chp fueled with h2ng blends chemically supercharged by renewable hydrogen and oxygen

Currently, Power-to-Gas technologies are considered viable solutions to face the onset problems associated with renewable capacity firming. Indeed, carbon-free hydrogen production converting renewable electricity excess and its injection into natural gas pipelines is considered a short- to medium-term solution. In this way, the so-called H2NG blends can be fired within internal combustion engines and micro gas turbines operating in CHP mode, offering better environmental-energy performances in machines. As regards the distributed energy generation scenario, the local H2 production by means of electrolysis for methane enrichment will be more cost-effective if the oxygen is fruitfully used instead of venting it out like a by-product, as usually occurs. This study focuses on the usefulness of using that oxygen to enrich the air-fuel mixture of an internal combustion engine for micro-CHP applications, once it has been fuelled with H2NG blends. Thus, the main aim of this paper is to provide a set of values for benchmarking, in which H2NG blends, ranging in 0%-15% vol., burn within an ICE in partial oxy-fuel conditions. In particular, a preliminary energy analysis was carried out based on experimental data, reporting the engine operating parameters, gains and losses in both electrical and heat recovery efficiency. The oxygen content in the air varies up to 22% vol. A Volkswagen Blue Tender CHP commercial version (19.8 kWel. of rated electrical power output) was considered as the reference machine and its energy characterization was reported when it operated under those unconventional conditions

Model of Creative Thinking Process on Analysis of Handwriting by Digital Pen

In order to perceive infrequent events as hints for new ideas, it is desired to know and model the process of creating and refining ideas. In this paper, we address this modeling problem experimentally. Firstly, we focus on the relation between thinking time and writing time in handwriting. We observe two types of patterns; one group takes longer time in thinking and shorter in writing, the other takes longer in writing and shorter in thinking. The group having spends longer in writing has shorter time span from one sentence to another than the other group. Backtracking, i.e., the event that participants return back to their former sheet and modify opinions, is observed more often in the group of longer writing than the other group. In addition, participants in this backtracking group gets higher scores for their ideas on sheets than those in the no-backtracking group. We propose a model of creative thinking by applying Operations of Structure of Intellect. It is inferred that the group of longer writing conducts a series of thinking flow, including divergent thinking, convergent thinking and evaluation. In contrast, the group of longer thinking tends to conduct the two different thinking flow: divergent thinking and evaluation; convergent thinking and evaluation. For making creative ideas, we conduct divergent thinking without evaluation and created a large number of ideas. We conclude that the rotations of divergent thinking, convergent thinking and evaluation increase the frequency of "backtracking" and make the ideas more logical ones

Effects of Online Consumer Reviews on Attitudes and Behavioral Intentions toward Products and Retailers

The purpose of this dissertation is to examine the role of consumer reviews in consumers’ decision making process. The current study aims to help researchers and practitioners understand how consumers process different type of information in online consumer reviews. The specific research objectives are to examine (1) how different type of online consumer reviews influence consumers’ responses toward the reviews (2) how different types of individual characteristics influence consumer processing of the content of the reviews, and (3) how consumers’ responses evoked by review content affect consumer attitudes and behavioral intentions toward the reviewed products and retailers. This study addressed two aspects of review-type: (1) type of product information in online consumer reviews (attribute-and-benefits reviews vs. benefits-only reviews), and (2) type of personal information disclosed by the reviewers (reviewers’ personal information vs. reviewer stories). The literature reviews guided the development of hypotheses and the model of the study in an online apparel store context. To test the hypotheses, this study employs an online experiment with a mock website. A total of 425 participants collected from consumer panels of marketing research firm were used for the analyses. The analyses revealed that reviews containing reviewers’ consumption stories, compared to those containing reviewer information, produce more positive thoughts, greater perceptions of reviews’ informativeness, and more favorable attitudes toward the reviews. Contradicting the predictions, there was no moderating effect of individual differences in chronic tendency to enjoy thinking and engage in thinking. Participants’ responses evoked by the reviews showed positive relationships with their attitudes and behavioral intentions toward the reviewed product and the retailer. Further discussion about the results, implications, and suggestions for future research are provided

The New Blue Economy: the Future of Sustainability

The world’s ocean is the world’s life support. Many human activities have defined a negative relationship with the ocean. Simply put: we dump too much bad stuff in, and we take too much good stuff out. The traditional ocean economy—those ocean-based and ocean-related activities from which humans derive economic benefit— did not acknowledge or honor the ocean’s natural services, nor its finite capacity to take human abuse without undermining those services on which we depend. The “new blue economy” is the term of art for identifying those activities that improve the human relationship with the ocean and for aligning our systems of accounting and metrics to both define and enhance our ocean-positive economy. It also allows for us to account for “eco-system services” (provisioning, regulating, supporting and cultural) provided by the ocean to plants and animals (including humans). What will it take to define the new blue economy with metrics and definitions that are universally understood? First, the natural services of the ocean must be acknowledged and accounted for. Second, we must define what human activities comprise the “new blue economy,” and integrate those definitions into our standard accounting practices globally. Third, we must act to support and enhance those ocean-positive activities so that we achieve a more sustainable relationship with the ocean so that it can continue to provide the goods and services that sustain us. These steps are under way around the world and can serve as the foundation of a broader effort to truly achieve a positive human relationship with the ocean in ways that success (and enhanced economic, environmental, and human health) can be accounted for, measured, and sustained

Evaluation of Sustainable Development in Aviation Industry: A Case Study of Kenya Airways (KQ) and Eldoret International Airport

Sustainable Development is growth that meets the needs of the present without compromising that of the future generations to meet their own (WCED 1987). The deregulation of the aviation industry brought about exponential growth in this sector in developed countries such as USA France and some Asian countries. This growth has spread to Africa and in particular, Kenya. This evolution has however raised concerns on the sustainability of aviation business. This study considered the effect of aviation activities in regards to the triple bottom line (TBL) comprising of economic, social and environmental factors. It aimed to assess the sensitiveness of the aviation stakeholders in regards to the TBL and the strategies which they have adopted to ensure that the aviation sector grows sustainability. The research studied Kenya Airways (KQ), an industry leader in East Africa and Eldoret International Airport (EIA), one of the three international airports in Kenya. The study indicated that employees were not effectively sensitive to Aviation Sustainability hence not doing enough to achieve TBL balance. There also lack of sufficient legal infrastructure to support environmental sustainability. Keywords: Sustainable developmen