Index to NASA Tech Briefs, 1975

This index contains abstracts and four indexes--subject, personal author, originating Center, and Tech Brief number--for 1975 Tech Briefs

Evaluating Data Envelopment Analysis as a means of measuring van fuel efficiency

In order to improve fuel efficiency, fleet managers need methods to accurately measure fuel performance. Miles per gallon – the industry fuel efficiency standard measure – has several limitations. These relate to some aspects of fuel efficiency not reflected in the measure but also to the fact the measure cannot be interpreted without knowing some external factors (such as vehicle weight). This research addresses some of these limitations through the application – within three companies – of a Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) model to van fuel efficiency measurement. In order to use the fuel information obtained from the fuel cards statements, it was necessary to develop a cleansing and smoothing algorithm which ensured that the data could be safely used in the models. The model results indicate that DEA provided a better and more comparable fuel efficiency measure while effectively addressing some key limitations of the mpg measure. The originality of this research comes from the limited amount of published literature on fuel efficiency measurement in road transport operations. Effectively, only a limited number of papers can be found on the measurement of road operations efficiency using DEA and, with the exception of this study, none could be found on van operations or fuel efficiency measurement. Debriefing discussions confirmed that the fleet operators appreciated the measure and also suggested that more research on fuel theft could be useful. Finally, the recent success of driver competitions seems to indicate there is a latent need in the industry for accurate driver performance measurement, which suggests that methods such as the one developed in this study could be of greater use in the near future.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

The evolution of large technical systems in the Waterberg coalfield of South Africa: from apartheid to democracy

A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Johannesburg, March 2017.This thesis follows the development of a particular set of large technical systems in South Africa from the late apartheid era into the age of democracy. During apartheid technological prowess, upheld by the network of state corporations or parastatals, bolstered the authoritarian rule of the white minority government in South Africa. The economic and political liberalisation of the late 1980s challenged the power of the parastatals and altered the underlying rationale of infrastructure development. In particular I describe the transformation of Iscor and Eskom, two of the country’s major parastatals, and their activities in the Waterberg coalfields, an isolated region on the country’s north-western border. While Eskom’s activities in the region began in the 1980s they gained public notoriety with the construction of the Medupi power station two decades later. The obstacles that Eskom faced at Medupi represent the main challenge of developing large technological infrastructures in the democratic, post-colonial order, where the fruits of infrastructure development demand to be spread beyond the bounds of an elite minority. But the eventual completion of some power generating units in 2015 at Medupi demonstrates that failure is not inevitable. I argue that this success is due to the fact that the autonomous parastatal network negotiated the political and economic liberalisation of the early 1990 by incorporating the changing socio-political conditions into its operations. The parastatal network retained a momentum, in the sense first described by the historian of technology Thomas Hughes, which was also a product of the “locked-in” nature of investment in the infrastructure project. Because of the large capital investment required for the infrastructure development, proceeding tenaciously against the odds to see the project to completion was cheaper than retreat for those involved.MT201

Evaluating SNO+ backgrounds through 222RN assays and the simulation of 13C(a, n)160 reactions during water phase

SNO+ is a large multipurpose neutrino detector searching for rare interactions. Some backgrounds come from naturally occurring 222 Rn and its daughters within the 238 U chain. Under development are cryogenic trapping assay systems which will monitor the 222 Rn levels within scintillator, water, N 2 cover gas, and small detector materials. These systems can measure concentrations up to 8×10 −5 Rn atoms/L (1.6 × 10 −17 g 238 U/g LAB) within scintillator, and 4.75×10 −15 g are discussed within. 13 238 U/g H 2 O in water. The status of the assay systems C(α,n) 16 O reactions occur from 222 Rn’s progeny 210 Po, but Monte Carlo simulations predict < 0.4 events within the SNO+ fiducial volume of 5.5 m and 5 - 9 MeV region of interest over a 9 month running period within water.Master of Science (MSc) in Physic

International Conference on Journalism, Media And Communication

UBT Annual International Conference is the 9th international interdisciplinary peer reviewed conference which publishes works of the scientists as well as practitioners in the area where UBT is active in Education, Research and Development. The UBT aims to implement an integrated strategy to establish itself as an internationally competitive, research-intensive university, committed to the transfer of knowledge and the provision of a world-class education to the most talented students from all background. The main perspective of the conference is to connect the scientists and practitioners from different disciplines in the same place and make them be aware of the recent advancements in different research fields, and provide them with a unique forum to share their experiences. It is also the place to support the new academic staff for doing research and publish their work in international standard level. This conference consists of sub conferences in different fields like: Art and Digital Media Agriculture, Food Science and Technology Architecture and Spatial Planning Civil Engineering, Infrastructure and Environment Computer Science and Communication Engineering Dental Sciences Education and Development Energy Efficiency Engineering Integrated Design Information Systems and Security Journalism, Media and Communication Law Language and Culture Management, Business and Economics Modern Music, Digital Production and Management Medicine and Nursing Mechatronics, System Engineering and Robotics Pharmaceutical and Natural Sciences Political Science Psychology Sport, Health and Society Security Studies This conference is the major scientific event of the UBT. It is organizing annually and always in cooperation with the partner universities from the region and Europe. We have to thank all Authors, partners, sponsors and also the conference organizing team making this event a real international scientific event. Edmond Hajrizi, President of UBT UBT – Higher Education Institutio