Learning Without Limits: Identifying the Barriers and Enablers to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion in IS Education

Inclusion in Information Systems (IS) has received significant attention in recent years, but inclusion in IS curriculum design and delivery is comparatively underdeveloped. Understanding and working with diversity in IS student groups has implications for how we prepare students for a diverse workplace and the design and development of IS systems. Although progress has been made towards inclusive higher education, institutions have not transformed into multicultural diverse organizations. This paper showcases an initiative to apply principles of Universal Design in the particular context of an IS postgraduate programme in a leading Irish business school. This initiative is set within the context of two connected research projects seeking to identify barriers to inclusion experienced by students generally, and particularly by certain student groups, in the same school. The findings demonstrate the persistence of inclusion issues in higher education, including in IS, that Universal Design principles are effective in developing more inclusive teaching and learning practices, and that small actions can have a big impact in this regard. A set of key recommendations is provided; while not exhaustive, these contribute to the wider discourse on inclusion and offer practical suggestions to educators on the design and delivery of inclusive programmes at both undergraduate and postgraduate level

Management of peer education programmes for poverty alleviation in selected Graaff-Reinet schools

Poverty in Graaff-Reinet is rife and inhibits successful learning among learners in that area. Poverty is not confined to any one racial group in South Africa; however, it is concentrated in rural areas. The researcher identified Graaff-Reinet as an area of study because it is a developing rural town, wherein social-economic development opportunities are arising especially at Camdeboo Local Municipality. This research examined the imbalances of the past, particularly in the South African education system that still creates learning challenges for learners from disadvantaged communities. These challenges include a high rate of school dropouts and failure; violence; substance abuse; teenage pregnancies; and unemployment. This study investigates peer education programmes implemented as an intervention strategy aimed at increasing learners’ academic achievements and supporting healthy behaviours. The aim of the research was to evaluate how the management of peer education programmes might help reduce poverty and meet the social and economic challenges facing Graaff-Reinet by promoting sustainable livelihoods. The research also focussed on how relevant stakeholders and the community could assist in the management of a peer education programme. The researcher used a combination of quantitative and qualitative research methods, as they were complementary and provided detailed data that led to a thorough analysis of the research topic. Thus, integrating qualitative and quantitative research meant that numerical data as well as theoretical data were gathered. This non-experimental research study included a variety of different methods that described the relationships between the variables included in the descriptive/historical research method, which described the characteristics of existing and past phenomena. Because of the restricted extent of the research, no empirical survey was conducted. The data were collected from relevant literature sources consisting of books, legislation documents and programmatic documents from the two schools of the study and the Camdeboo Local Municipality, using knowledgeable individuals in the field. The researcher analysed documents by using an inductive approach. Moreover, the researcher focused on all types of written material that could shed light on the management of peer education programmes in addressing social issues in schools in Graaff-Reinet. A number of theoretical criteria to deal with the research problems were identified from the available literature, from which conclusions were drawn and recommendations made

Learning Without Limits: Identifying the Barriers and Enablers to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion in IS Education

Inclusion in Information Systems (IS) has received significant attention in recent years, but inclusion in IS curriculum design and delivery is comparatively underdeveloped. Understanding and working with diversity in IS student groups has implications for how we prepare students for a diverse workplace and the design and development of IS systems. Although progress has been made towards inclusive higher education, institutions have not transformed into multicultural diverse organizations. This paper showcases an initiative to apply principles of Universal Design in the particular context of an IS postgraduate programme in a leading Irish business school. This initiative is set within the context of two connected research projects seeking to identify barriers to inclusion experienced by students generally, and particularly by certain student groups, in the same school. The findings demonstrate the persistence of inclusion issues in higher education, including in IS, that Universal Design principles are effective in developing more inclusive teaching and learning practices, and that small actions can have a big impact in this regard. A set of key recommendations is provided; while not exhaustive, these contribute to the wider discourse on inclusion and offer practical suggestions to educators on the design and delivery of inclusive programmes at both undergraduate and postgraduate level

Dynamics of planetary gear trains with consideration of moving force effect and ring flexibility

This Ph.D. dissertation focuses on the dynamics of planetary gear trains (PGTs). The direct motivation comes from the wind power industry, where PGT size and load become larger and larger, leading to more complicated dynamic behaviour. The time-varying mesh stiffness in a gear system causes parametric resonances. Additionally, the multiple planet arrangement in a PGT makes the stability more complicated. This dissertation first investigates the instability caused by the time-varying stiffness, with a focus on the instability related to the repeated natural frequencies caused by the multiple planets. The research employs the method of multiple scales, enabling the derivation of an analytical formulation to describe the instability zones. The obtained results are validated against numerical results from Floquet theory. Notably, the research enhances the existing formulation for instability zones by presenting a slightly larger region for the unstable zone compared to what has been reported in earlier literature. To ensure the accuracy of the proposed formulation, the obtained results are validated against the numerical results from Floquet theory. With the growing size and load of PGTs, the ring gear in these systems tends to be designed with a relatively thin wall, which leads to significant deflection when subjected to increased loads. In light of this phenomenon, this dissertation focuses on investigating the free vibration behaviour of the ring gear. Initially, the ring gear is simplified as an elastic ring, and then Euler-Bernoulli and Timoshenko theories are applied based on the ring's thickness. The support is modeled with general elastic boundary conditions to mimic a bolt connection. As a result, the natural frequencies and closed-form mode shapes are derived and analyzed. The obtained results are then compared against Finite Element Method (FEM) results to ensure their validity. In a PGT, the meshing force between the ring gear and planet gear is not stationary. Instead, it moves along the circumference of the ring with the angular speed of the carrier, creating a moving load excitation. The dissertation thoroughly investigates the dynamics of the ring gear subjected to this moving meshing load. By leveraging the obtained mode shapes, the partial differential equation of the ring is transformed into ordinary differential equations, which are solved using the Maple package. Furthermore, the effect of the moving force is analyzed in great detail, and the critical speed that causes resonances is obtained and examined. The results are compared against data from the literature and validated against FEM results

Investigating Gravity and Electromagnetism on a 10 Dimensional Manifold with Local Symmetry so(2,3)

The Hawthorn model [1] is built upon the idea that the Lie algebra so(2, 3) is a more natural description of the local structure of space-time than the Poincare Lie algebra, with the former contracting to the latter in the limit of the contraction parameter r tending to infinity. This notion is explored in the context of a 10-dimensional space-time referred to as an ADS manifold. Here we build on the work of Crump [2] and try to incorporate field equations for gravity into the model. We derive two apparently different equations describing gravitational phenomena, demonstrate an intimate connection between gravity and electromagnetism and provide a first estimate as to the value of the contraction parameter r

Stochastic programming for hydro-thermal unit commitment

In recent years the deregulation of energy markets and expansion of volatile renewable energy supplies has triggered an increased interest in stochastic optimization models for thermal and hydro-thermal scheduling. Several studies have modelled this as stochastic linear or mixed-integer optimization problems. Although a variety of efficient solution techniques have been developed for these models, little is published about the added value of stochastic models over deterministic ones. In the context of day-ahead and intraday unit commitment under wind uncertainty, we compare two-stage and multi-stage stochastic models to deterministic ones and quantify their added value. We show that stochastic optimization models achieve minimal operational cost without having to tune reserve margins in advance, and that their superiority over deterministic models grows with the amount of uncertainty in the relevant wind forecasts. We present a modification of the WILMAR scenario generation technique designed to match the properties of the errors in our wind forcasts, and show that this is needed to make the stochastic approach worthwhile. Our evaluation is done in a rolling horizon fashion over the course of two years, using a 2020 central scheduling model of the British National Grid with transmission constraints and a detailed model of pump storage operation and system-wide reserve and response provision. Solving stochastic problems directly is computationally intractable for large instances, and alternative approaches are required. In this study we use a Dantzig-Wolfe reformulation to decompose the problem by scenarios. We derive and implement a column generation method with dual stabilisation and novel primal and dual initialisation techniques. A fast, novel schedule combination heuristic is used to construct an optimal primal solution, and numerical results show that knowing this solution from the start also improves the convergence of the lower bound in the column generation method significantly. We test this method on instances of our British model and illustrate that convergence to within 0.1% of optimality can be achieved quickly

Economic and Energetic Effects of Geothermal Energy Usage in the Agribusiness Sector of the Vojvodina Region

Geotermalna energija predstavlja jedan od najvažnijih, ali istovremeno i slabo iskorišćenih resursa. Postoji potencijal i mogućnost za eksploataciju geotermalne vode na skoro celoj teritoriji AP Vojvodine. Geotermalna energija se veoma malo koristi i pored toga što po raspoloživim potencijalima spadamo u područja sa bogatijim izvorima. Geotermalna energija može da se koristi u agrobiznisu za zagrevanje zaštićenog prostora, stajskih objekata, domaćinstava, ribnjaka, objekata za proizvodnju, preradu, sušenje, dehidraciju, obradu i čuvanje voća, povrća, cveća, gljiva, za navodnjavanje, balneološke svrhe, sportsko-rekrativne 4 namene i u agroekoturizmu. Primena geotermalne energije za grejanje u poljoprivredi može da dovede do povećanja prinosa, kao i do smanjenja operativnih troškova, posebno u hladnijim predelima. Primena geotermalne energije ima izuzetan značaj u organskoj poljoprivrednoj proizvodnji, s obzirom da je jedan od principa korišćenje obnovljivih izvora energije. Zagrevanje putem geotermalne energije dovešće do redukcije potrošnje fosilnih goriva i pada cene ostalih energenata. Geotermalna energija se u prehrambenoj industriji koristi za sušenje, isparavanje, pranje i održavanje higijene, pasterizaciju mleka, preradu mesa i ribe, sterilizaciju opreme. Sušenje voća, povrća i ribe predstavlja jednu od najšire korišćenih oblasti primene geotermalne energije u prehrambenoj industriji. Koristi se za rasvetu, hlađenje i napajanje pumpi, kompresora, transportera, ventilatora, mašina za sečenje mesa, za obradu, pakovanje i preradu vode. Predmet istraživanja je zastupljenost geotermalne energije i ocena njene energetske i ekonomske efikasnosti u agrobiznisu AP Vojvodine. Cilj istraživanja je da se utvrdi energetski potencijal, odnosno nivo i mogućnost korišćenja geotermalne energije u agrobiznisu Vojvodine, kao i da se predstave ekonomski i ekološki efekti. U istraživanju se primenjuje kombinacija kvantitativno-kvalitativnih metoda, indukcija i dedukcija, analiza i sinteza, apstrakcija i generalizacija, metod deskripcije, statistički metod, komparativna analiza i dr. Primeniće se metod posmatranja sa učestvovanjem. Koristiće se i metod studije slučaja i desk-research metod. Rezultati istraživanja pokazuju da Republika Srbija ima veliki potencijal geotermalnih izvora (preko 100 MW/m2), iako je on mnogo veći, ako se posmatra proizvodnja hrane, električne energije i dr. Republika Srbija raspolaže s 360 izvorišta termalnih i termomineralnih voda, od kojih je samo 10 % iskorišćeno. Na teritoriji Republike Srbije postoje važna izvorišta geotermalnih voda (više od 80 geotermalnih izvora i bušotina ukupne toplotne snage oko 120 MW). Ukupne rezerve kojima Republika Srbija raspolaže jesu značajne, ali rezerve geotermalne energije nisu iskorišćene u dovoljnoj meri. One iznose oko 220 MW toplotne snage, a instalirana snaga svih kapaciteta, koji eksploatišu geotermalnu energiju iznosi oko 90 MW i koriste se u najvećoj meri za balneološko-rekreativne potrebe. 5 AP Vojvodina obiluje velikim bogatstvom geotermalnih izvora. U periodu 1969-1996. godine u AP Vojvodini načinjene su 72 bušotine, a u periodu od 1997. do 2008. godine izbušeno je još 6 bušotina. Ukupna toplotna snaga hidrotermalnih bušotina iznosi prema podacima "NIS Naftagas" iz 2005. godine za 54 hidrotermalne bušotine - 72,579 kW. Uzroci minimalnog korišćenja nisu u tehničkim rešenjima i tehnologiji korišćenja, već u nedostatku finansijskih sredstava, znanja i projekata. Nedovoljna integrisanost naučnih i proizvodnih organizacija, nedostatak toplotnih pumpi, relativno veća početna ulaganja, izostanak stimulativnih mera finansijske podrške i poreske politike negativno utiče na korišćenje geotermalne energije. Stavljanje u funkciju postojećih bušotina zahteva da se uradi konkretan tehno-ekonomski program svih instalacija, rekonstrukcije i popravke, razgovor sa ugovornim korisnicima i iznalaženje novih korisnika i investitora. Korišćenje geotermalne vode u proizvodnji Tilapije i Afričkog soma eksperimentalno je potvrdilo da je moguće uspešno gajiti ove vrste riba u našim uslovima. Dosadašnji rezultati pokazuju da direktno grejanje vode u ribnjacima, korišćenjem različitih energenata, zbog visokih cena nije ekonomski održivo, pa se korišćenje geotermalne energije nameće kao ekonomično rešenje. Geotermalna energija može biti veoma korisna u organskoj poljoprivredi, s obzirom da je jedan od principa korišćenje obnovljivih izvora energije. U agrobiznisu na području AP Vojvodine, korišćenje geotermalne energije skoro da i nije zastupljeno. Potencijal geotermalnih izvora nije u celini iskorišćen, ni sa aspekta turističke tražnje. Raspoložive termomineralne vode u AP Vojvodini pružaju više mogućnosti za razvoj postojećih banja i izgradnju novih banja. Geotermalna energija je veliki potencijal za dugoročni, sigurni razvoj održive poljoprivredne proizvodnje i prehrambene industrije, kao i drugih delatnosti. Takođe, geotermalna energija je svojevrstan odgovor na klimatske promene, nestabilne i rastuće cene konvencionalnih goriva, koja poskupljuju proces poslovanja. Cena korišćenja geotermalnih postrojenja je značajno niža od cene sistema za korišćenje konvencionalnih 6 energenata. Ekonomska analiza, koja uvažava najnovije smernice ekoloških zahteva, neophodnosti bušenja i opremanja bušotine, pokazuje da su bušotine iznad 40 oC i jakog izliva oko 60 m3/h rentabilne, pod uslovom da je potrošač sposoban koristiti ceo potencijal bušotine preko 6000 ha/god. Cene geotermalne energije su niže od mnogih drugih energenata. Visoki početni troškovi, rizik od istražnog bušenja, neujednačena politika subvencija i tražnja govore da je geotermalna energija procenjena, kao najjeftiniji izvor energije 2019. godine. Studije o uporednim troškovima različitih izvora energije pokazuju da je geotermalna energija pristupačan izvor energije i da je cena povoljnija u odnosu na druge tehnologije (osim energije iz malih hidroelektrana), koje su trenutno dostupne. Na području naselja Kupinovo od 1982-1985. godine izvršena su opsežna istraživanja, radi sagledavanja opravdanosti ulaganja u eksploataciju geotermalnih izvora u agrobiznisu, balneologiji i u sportsko-rekrativne namene. Najperspektivniji prostor za dobijanje termalne vode prema proceni, predstavlja potez istočno od Kupinova, u pravcu sela Progara, duž leve obale Save. Na području Kupinova napravljene su dve hidrotermalne bušotine, Kup-1/H i Kup-2/H. Finansiranje realizacije bušenja i istraživanja projekata izvršio je NIS-Naftagas iz Novog Sada. Bušotine su pokazale izvanredne rezultate. Predstavnici sela predložili su da se geotermalna enerija iskoristi za potrebe postojećeg toplog kupatila. Nedostatak finansijskih sredstava uticao je da se realizacija projekta odloži. Bušotina je konzervisana, ali se može brzo dekonzervirati i privesti nameri eksploatacije u agrobiznisu. Imajući u vidu da su pomenute bušotine konzervirane, one bi se uz mala ulaganja mogle osposobiti za eksploataciju i zagrevanje staklenika, koji bi se podigli u neposrednoj blizini. To je najekonomičnije rešenje, pod uslovm da je udaljenost plastenika do 2 km. Povoljna lokacija za iskorišćavanje geotermalne vode nalazi se severno od Starog Bečeja (Medenjača i Veliki Rit) i severozapadno od Novog Bečeja (Ljutovo - Veliki Rit). To bi bile optimalne lokacije za bušenje novih bušotina, imajući u vidu zahteve za efikasnom i ekonomičnom stakleničkom proizvodnjom. Geotermalna voda u Kupinovu se u skladu sa svojim karakteristikama 7 može koristiti i kao pijaća, dok je sa vodom u Bečeju drugačiji slučaj. Ova voda ima povećane količine rastvorenih mineralnih materija (4 g/l), rastvorene i slobodne gasove (uglavnom metan) i srednje je agresivna prema metalima. Ima veće zahteve u tehnološkom procesu i deponovanju posle iskorišćenja, a njeno korišćenje bi moglo biti u energetske svrhe. Ukoliko se pri oceni mogućnosti geotermalnog ležišta u Bečeju krene od parametara dobijenih na bušotini Bč-2/H, mogli bismo zaključiti da se sa jednom takvom bušotinom može zagrevati 2-4 ha pod staklenikom. Izvršena je kompleksna analiza termomineralne vode bušotine u Inđiji - Inđ-3/H. U skladu sa mišljenjem Medicinskog fakulteta, voda sadrži više parametara u nedozvoljenim količinama, pa se ne može koristiti kao pijaća voda. Po fizičko-hemijskim karakteristikama termomineralna voda se može koristiti kao aditivno sredstvo lečenja u oblasti medicinske rehabilitacije, isključivo kupanjem. Geotermalni potencijal u AP Vojvodini nedovoljno je iskorišćen, pa je vlada Vojvodine odlučila da pruži podršku geotermalnim projektima. S obzirom da raspolažemo sa značajnim izvorištima geotermalne energije, imamo potencijal da njenim većim korišćenjem unapredimo poljoprivredu, akvakulturu, životnu sredinu, prehrambenu industriju, agroekoturizam, balneologiju i druge proizvodne i uslužne delatnosti. Stimulisaće se posebno staklenička i plastenička proizvodnja. Nedovoljna je iskorišćenost raspoložive geotermalne energije u agrobiznisu AP Vojvodine, iako je dokazano da je geotermalna energija ekonomičnija u odnosu na druge izvore energije. Potrebno je da država podstiče naučno-istraživački rad u oblasti proizvodnje termalnih pumpi, da daje veće subvencije za korišćenje obnovljivih izvora energije, da podstiče korišćenje već postojećih bušotina, koje su zapostavljene, kao i bušenje novih. Republika Srbija je zavisna od uvoza energenata, pa se nameće kao nužno hitno pristupiti izradi strategije, koja će pridavati značaj većem korišćenju geotermalne i ostalih izvora energije.Geothermal energy is one of the most important, but at the same time, low-utilized resources. There is a potential and possibility for the exploitation of geothermal water on almost the whole territory of AP Vojvodina. Geothermal energy is very little used despite the fact that, according to available potentials, we are in areas with richer sources. Geothermal energy can be used in agribusiness for heating protected areas, farm buildings, households, ponds, facilities for production, processing, drying, dehydration, processing and storage of fruits, vegetables, flowers, mushrooms, irrigation, balneological purposes, sports and recreational purposes in agroecotourism. The application of 10 geothermal energy for heating in agriculture can lead to an increase in yields, as well as to a reduction in operating costs, especially in colder areas. The application of geothermal energy is of great importance in organic agricultural production, since one of the principles is the use of renewable energy sources. Heating through geothermal energy will lead to a reduction in fossil fuel consumption and a fall in the price of other fuels. Geothermal energy is used in the food industry for drying, evaporating, washing and maintaining hygiene, pasteurization of milk, processing of meat and fish, sterilization of equipment. Drying of fruits, vegetables and fish is one of the most widely used areas of application of geothermal energy in the food industry. It is used for lighting, cooling and powering pumps, compressors, conveyors, fans, machine for cutting meat, for processing, packaging and processing of water. The subject of the research is the representation of geothermal energy and the assessment of its energy and economic efficiency in the agribusiness of AP Vojvodina. The aim of the research is to determine the energy potential, ie the level and the possibility of using geothermal energy in Vojvodina agribusiness, as well as to present economic and environmental effects. The research uses a combination of quantitative-qualitative methods, induction and deduction, analysis and synthesis, abstraction and generalization, descriptor method, statistical method, comparative analysis, and others. The method of observation with participation will be applied. The case study method and the desk-research method will also be used. The results of the survey show that the Republic of Serbia has a high potential of geothermal resources (over 100 MW/m2), although it is much higher if the production of food, electricity, etc. is observed. The Republic of Serbia has 360 springs of thermal and thermal mineral waters, of which only 10% is used. In the territory of the Republic of Serbia there are important sources of geothermal water (more than 80 geothermal sources and wells with total thermal power of about 120 MW). The total reserves that the Republic of Serbia has at their disposal are significant, but geothermal energy reserves have not been sufficiently utilized. They amount to about 220 MW of thermal power, and the installed capacity of all capacities, which exploit 11 geothermal energy, is about 90 MW and are used to the greatest extent for balneological and recreational needs. AP Vojvodina is abundant with great wealth of geothermal resources. In the period 1969-1996. 72 wells were made in the AP Vojvodina, and in the period from 1997 to 2008, 6 drilled boreholes were drilled. The total heat output of hydrothermal wells is according to the data of "NIS Naftagas" from 2005 for 54 hydrothermal wells - 72,579 kW. The causes of minimal use are not in the technical solutions and technology of use, but in the lack of financial resources, knowledge and projects. Insufficient integration of scientific and production organizations, lack of heat pumps, relatively higher initial investments, lack of stimulative measures of financial support and tax policy negatively affects the use of geothermal energy. Putting into operation of existing wells requires a concrete techno-economic program of all installations, reconstructions and repairs, conversation with contractual users and finding new users and investors. The use of geothermal water in the production of Tilapia and African Soma has experimentally confirmed that it is possible to successfully cultivate these fish species in our conditions. The results so far show that direct water heating in ponds, using different energy sources, due to high prices is not economically viable, and the use of geothermal energy is imposed as an economical solution. Geothermal energy can be very useful in organic agriculture, since one of the principles is the use of renewable energy sources. In agribusiness in the area of AP Vojvodina, the use of geothermal energy is almost not represented. The potential of geothermal sources has not been fully exploited, either from the aspect of tourist demand. The available thermomineral waters in the AP Vojvodina provide more opportunities for the development of existing spas and construction of new spa facilities. Geothermal energy is a great potential for long-term, safe development of sustainable agricultural production and food industry, as well as other activities. Also, geothermal energy is a unique response to climate change, unstable and rising prices for conventional fuels, which increase the process of business. The cost of using geothermal installations is significantly lower 12 than the price of the conventional energy system. Economic analysis, which adheres to the latest guidelines for environmental requirements, the necessity of drilling and equipping the well, shows that wells above 40 oC and a strong spillage of about 60 m3/h are profitable, provided the consumer is able to use the entire potential of the well over 6000 ha/y. Prices of geothermal energy are lower than many other energy sources. High initial costs, exploration drilling risk, uneven subsidy policies, and demand indicate that geothermal energy is estimated as the cheapest source of energy in 2019. Studies on comparative costs of different energy sources show that geothermal energy is an affordable source of energy and that price is more favorable compared to other technologies (other than small hydro power plants) that are currently available. In the area of Kupinovo settlement from 1982-1985. extensive surveys were carried out, in order to examine the justification of investments in the exploitation of geothermal sources in agribusiness, balneology and for sports and recreational purposes. The most perspective area for obtaining thermal water according to the estimate, is a move east of Kupinova, towards the village of Progar, along the left bank of the Sava River. In the Kupinova area two hydrothermal wells, Kup-1/H and Kup-2/H were made. NIS-Naftagas from Novi Sad carried out the financing of drilling and project research. Bores showed excellent results. Village representatives suggested that the geothermal enrichment be used for the needs of an existing warm bathroom. The lack of financial resources has affected the realization of the project. The well is conserved, but can be quickly deconcentrated and the intentions of exploitation in the agribusiness are brought about. Bearing in mind that these drilled wells can be preserved, they could be equipped with small investments for the exploitation and heating of greenhouses, which would be built in close proximity. This is the most economical solution, provided the distance between the greenhouse is up to 2 km. A favorable location for the exploitation of geothermal water is located north of Staro Bečej (Medenjača and Veliki Rit) and northwest of Novi Bečej (Ljutovo - Veliki Rit). These would be optimal locations for drilling new wells, bearing in mind the requirements for efficient and economical greenhouse production. 13 Geothermal water in Kupinov can be used as a drink in accordance with its characteristics, while the water in Becej is a different case. This water has increased amounts of dissolved mineral matter (4 g/l), dissolved and free gases (mainly methane) and is medium aggressive against metals. It has greater demands in the technological process and its disposal after the exploitation, and its use could be for energy purposes. If in the assessment of the possibility of the geothermal deposit in Bečej, it starts with the parameters obtained on the well Bč-2/H, we can conclude that with such a borehole it can be heated 2-4 ha under the greenhouse. A complex analysis of thermomineral water of the well in Inđija - Inđ-3/H was performed. In accordance with the opinion of the Faculty of Medicine, the water contains several parameters in unauthorized quantities, so it can not be used as a drinking water. According to physical and chemical characteristics, thermo-mineral water can be used as an additive treatment in the field of medical rehabilitation, exclusively bathing. Geothermal potential in the AP Vojvodina has been insufficiently used, and the Vojvodina government has decided to support geothermal projects. Since we have significant sources of geothermal energy, we have the potential to improve its agriculture, aquaculture, environment, food industry, agroecotourism, balneology and other production and service activities through its increased use. Especially greenhouse and greenhouse production will be stimulated. The utilization of available geothermal energy in AP Vojvodina agribusiness is insufficient, although it has been proven that geothermal energy is more economical than other sources of energy. It is necessary for the state to stimulate scientific research in the field of thermal pump production, to provide greater subsidies for the use of renewable energy sources, to encourage the use of existing wells, which are neglected, as well as the drilling of new ones. The Republic of Serbia is dependent on energy imports, and urgently urges the development of a strategy, which will emphasize the importance of greater use of geothermal and other energy source

Influence of Architecture Design on the Performance and Fuel Efficiency of Hydraulic Hybrid Transmissions

Hydraulic hybrids are a proven and effective alternative to electric hybrids for increasing the fuel efficiency of on-road vehicles. To further the state-of-the-art this work investigates how architecture design influences the performance, fuel efficiency, and controllability of hydraulic hybrid transmissions. To that end a novel neural network based power management controller was proposed and investigated for conventional hydraulic hybrids. This control scheme trained a neural network to generalize the globally optimal, though non-implementable, state trajectories generated by dynamic programming. Once trained the neural network was used for online prediction of a transmission’s optimal state trajectory during untrained cycles forming the basis of an implementable controller. During hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) testing the proposed control strategy improved fuel efficiency by up to 25.5% when compared with baseline approaches. To further improve performance and fuel efficiency a novel transmission architecture termed a Blended Hydraulic Hybrid was proposed and investigated. This novel architecture improves on existing hydraulic hybrids by partially decoupling power transmission from energy storage while simultaneously providing means to recouple the systems when advantageous. Optimal control studies showed the proposed architecture improved fuel efficiency over both baseline mechanical and conventional hydraulic hybrid transmissions. Effective system level and supervisory control schemes were also proposed for the blended hybrid. In order to investigate the concept’s feasibility a blended hybrid transmission was constructed and successfully tested on a HIL transmission dynamometer. Finally to investigate controllability and driver perception an SUV was retrofitted with a blended hybrid transmission. Successful on-road vehicle testing showcased the potential of this novel hybrid architecture as a viable alternative to more conventional electric hybrids in the transportation sector

Modulo N Backoff Scheme for Effective QoS Differentiation and Increased Bandwidth Utilization in IEEE 802.11 Networks, Journal of Telecommunications and Information Technology, 2009, nr 2

The paper presents a new modulo N channel access scheme for wireless local area networks (WLANs). The novel solution derives from the distributed coordination function (DCF) of the IEEE 802.11 standard, further elaborated as enhanced distribution channel access (EDCA) by the 802.11e draft specification. The main innovation concerns improvement of the binary exponential backoff scheme used for collision avoidance in 802.11 networks. The most appealing feature of the new modulo N backoff scheme is that it outperforms the original 802.11 solution in terms of channel utilization ratio under any traffic conditions. Furthermore, the modulo N proposal can be naturally augmented with QoS differentiation mechanisms like 802.11e extensions. The prioritized modulo N scheme achieves better throughput-delay characteristics for multimedia traffic when compared with the original 802.11e proposal. At the same time, the new solution retains backward compatibility and includes all features which have made IEEE 802.11 networks extremely popular nowadays