Sustainable Supply Chain Management

The book is a collection of studies dedicated to different perspectives of three dimensions or pillars of the sustainability of supply chain and supply chain management - economic, environmental, and social - and other aspects related to performance evaluation, optimization, and modelling of and for sustainable supply chain management, and thus presents another valuable contribution to sustainable development and sustainable way of life

Commercialization of the land remote sensing system: An examination of mechanisms and issues

In September 1982 the Secretary of Commerce was authorized (by Title II of H.R. 5890 of the 97th Congress) to plan and provide for the management and operation of the civil land remote sensing satellite systems, to provide for user fees, and to plan for the transfer of the ownership and operation of future civil operational land remote sensing satellite systems to the private sector. As part of the planning for transfer, a number of approaches were to be compared including wholly private ownership and operation of the system by an entity competitively selected, mixed government/private ownership and operation, and a legislatively-chartered privately-owned corporation. The results of an analysis and comparison of a limited number of financial and organizational approaches for either transfer of the ownership and operation of the civil operational land remote sensing program to the private sector or government retention are presented

Land Use and Spatial Planning from a Sustainability Perspective: Designing the One-Minute City

This PhD thesis by publication, comprising four journal papers and a book chapter, addresses the overarching research question of how sustainability features can increase the value of land in urban development. Using two case studies (in China and Australia), it offers insights from a sustainability perspective into land use and spatial planning within the wider notion of value creation. The key findings are the concept of the Minute City and the spatial logic behind it

Research Reports: 1988 NASA/ASEE Summer Faculty Fellowship Program

The basic objectives are to further the professional knowledge of qualified engineering and science faculty members; to stimulate an exchange of ideas between participants and NASA: to enrich and refresh the research and teaching activities of the participants' institutions; and to contribute to the research objectives of the NASA centers. Topics addressed include: cryogenics; thunderstorm simulation; computer techniques; computer assisted instruction; system analysis weather forecasting; rocket engine design; crystal growth; control systems design; turbine pumps for the Space Shuttle Main engine; electron mobility; heat transfer predictions; rotor dynamics; mathematical models; computational fluid dynamics; and structural analysis

Unified Total Site Heat Integration: Targeting, Optimisation and Network Design

Process industries in New Zealand use 214.3 PJ of process heat, of which approximately 65 % is fossil fuels. Despite increasing energy demands, depleting fossil fuel resources, and pressure to reduce Greenhouse Gas emissions, low grade heat in large-scale processing sites is still not fully utilised. This thesis presents methods to target, optimise and design more practical heat recovery systems for large industrial sites, i.e. Total Sites, and overcome technical limitations of current methods. Original contributions of this thesis to literature include novel developments and applications in six areas: i) a new Total Site Heat Integration (TSHI) targeting method – Unified Total Site Targeting (UTST) – which sets realistic targets for isothermal and non-isothermal utilities and heat recovery via the utility system; ii) a new TSHI optimisation and utility temperature selection method to optimise Total Cost of the utility system; iii) a new Utility Exchanger Network synthesis and design method based on the targets achieved by the UTST method and optimal temperatures from optimisation method; iv) a new method for calculating assisted heat transfer and shaft work to further improve TSHI cogeneration and performance; v) examination of heat transfer enhancement techniques in TSHI to achieve higher heat recovery and lower required area by substituting conventional utility mediums by nanofluids in the utility system; and vi) a spreadsheet software tool called Unified Total Site Integration to apply the developed methods to real industrial cases. The developed methods have been applied to three large industrial case studies. Results confirm that heat recovery and utility targets obtained from the UTST method were lower but more realistic to achieve in practice when compared to conventional TSHI methods. The three industrial case studies represent a wide variety of processing industries. In summary, the over-estimation of TSHI targets for the three case studies from using the conventional method compared to the new method are 0.2 % for the Södra Cell Värö Kraft Pulp Mill, 22 % for a New Zealand Dairy Factory, and 0.1 % for Petrochemical Complex. The Total Annualised Costs (TAC) for the three case studies are minimised using a new derivative based approach. Results show TAC reductions 4.6 % for Kraft Pulp Mill, 0.6 % for Dairy Factory, and 3.4 % for Petrochemical Complex case studies. In addition, sensitivity analysis for the optimisation is undertaken. The UTST method with its modified targeting procedure is demonstrated to generate simpler Utility Exchanger Network designs compared to conventional methods, which confirm the original targets are realistic and achievable. A new method for calculating assisted heat integration targets applied to an example Total Site problem increased heat recovery by 1,737 kW, which is a 21% increase in Total Site heat recovery, and increased shaft work by 80 kW. Lastly, the addition of nanoparticles to create a closed nanofluid heat recovery systems shows heat recovery from liquid-liquid heat exchangers increases of 5 % to 9 % using an intermediate fluid with 1.5 vol. % CuO/water

Reducing the cost of conversion projects through design for ship conversion

PhD ThesisThe Thesis develops design and production methods to reduce cost, duration and risks of conversions. It reviews the literature on the nature of conversion and its correlation to ship-repair and shipbuilding. It examines the market, in particular for tanker to bulk carrier conversions. Literature on ship design for production, project management and risk is reviewed to identify potentially valuable ideas to improve the conversion process. The case study conversion was completed in a conversion yard, using conventional techniques and planning. The design of the final bulk carrier was also conventional. The work was completed afloat, creating potential risk of structural damage which required carefully managed actions, e.g. work inside cargo holds to be carried out sequentially. A project completion review identified this and access difficulties as slowing the work. A number of cost inducing conversion bottlenecks had not been obvious at the start. An alternative design is proposed for subsequent projects, moving strength members above deck, minimizing bottlenecks present with the initial design. Indicatively, by providing adequate deck strength early in the conversion, work in the cargo holds could proceed more quickly. A plan for conversion is developed alongside the design. The alternative design shows a significant cost and time saving. The results are developed to offer a general basis for design for conversion, adapting shiprepair and design for production principles and proposes the following: - The need to understand conversions in depth and improve planning. - The need to engage all parties (design and production) in a collaborative project. - Mitigation of risks focusing on production methods. - A dedicated Goal-Based Design for Conversion approach that avoids, where possible, difficult internal structural work. - Evaluating the need for Dry Dock in major conversions; it may not always be necessary or beneficial, contrary to popular belief and current Bibliography

Long-term modelling of global agricultural markets : A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Lincoln University

The 20th Century saw declining real food prices. Rising prices and volatility in the 21st century, however, have called this paradigm of declining real food prices into question, increasing concerns about global food security. Additionally, many of the challenges facing global agriculture manifest over a long time horizon such as: land-use change; climate change; and agricultural productivity. There is a need, therefore, to understand the structural changes in agricultural supply and demand underlying these price increases, as well as a need to take into account the current long-term challenges for global agriculture. However, many of the traditional tools used for assessing changes in agricultural markets are focused on the medium- or short-term. This thesis addresses this gap by examining real price impacts in global agriculture over longer time horizons using a partial-equilibrium modelling framework. This analysis provides informed perspectives on long term relationships in global supply and demand of agricultural commodities in order to assess the impacts of population growth, climate change, and R&D spending on real commodity prices, and thus the long term prospects for agricultural production and food security. Special consideration is given to TFP growth from returns using long-lags in spending on agricultural R&D. The modelling finds stable or declining agricultural commodity prices over the long-term, with the exception of non-ruminant products, which are expected to rise under most modelled scenarios. TFP supported by investment into agricultural R&D is key to maintaining stable or declining world prices, as well as mitigating emissions from livestock. The modelling also indicates the importance of utilising endogenous measure of productivity growth

THE POTENTIAL FOR WATER FREIGHT IN THE SOUTH WEST UK

The role of water freight as a sustainable mode of transportation often receives special attention in logistics and transportation. Due to rising environmental concerns UK national policy supports an increase in the amount of freight movements on commercial waterways. Within this context this research investigates the potential for water freight in the South West (SW) UK especially in Cornwall and Devon (CAD). This study is exploratory and following literature searches Delphi methods were selected with which to gather primary data. The research required three rounds of Delphi surveys. Following this, a focus group with the members of the ‘Maritime and Waterborne Innovation Group’ in the SW UK was conducted to measure the trustworthiness of the Delphi findings. The Delphi study achieved consensus on eight statements. Results indicated that the presence of an extensive coast line with accessibility to several coastal ports is conducive to the effective management of water freight movements in the region. The focus group discussion provided fuller explanations, suggestions and statements of issues which require further exploration for the development of water freight. This study reveals the latest information and possibilities and helped to articulate the importance of using water freight in SW UK. The results of this research also have many implications for the rest of the world where water freight is either in its infancy or aiming to increase its usage. The suggestions, observations and information collected during the Delphi study and from the focus group participants will assist in formulating strategies to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of water transportation within a region or a country