Integrated urban water management in Texas: a review to inform a one water approach for the future

Texas has considerable experience grappling with historic droughts as well as flooding associated with tropical storms and hurricanes, yet the State’s water management challenges are projected to increase. Urban densification, increased frequency and severity of droughts and floods, aging infrastructure, and a management system that is not reflective of the true cost of water all influence water risk. Integrated urban water management strategies, like ‘One Water’, represent an emerging management paradigm that emphasizes the interconnectedness of water throughout the water cycle and capitalizes on opportunities that arise from this holistic viewpoint. Here, we review water management practices in five Texas cities and examine how the One Water approach could represent a viable framework to maintain a reliable, sustainable, and affordable water supply for the future. We also examine financial and business models that establish a foundational pathway towards the ‘utility of the future’ and the One Water paradigm more broadly

Machine Tool Communication (MTComm) Method and Its Applications in a Cyber-Physical Manufacturing Cloud

The integration of cyber-physical systems and cloud manufacturing has the potential to revolutionize existing manufacturing systems by enabling better accessibility, agility, and efficiency. To achieve this, it is necessary to establish a communication method of manufacturing services over the Internet to access and manage physical machines from cloud applications. Most of the existing industrial automation protocols utilize Ethernet based Local Area Network (LAN) and are not designed specifically for Internet enabled data transmission. Recently MTConnect has been gaining popularity as a standard for monitoring status of machine tools through RESTful web services and an XML based messaging structure, but it is only designed for data collection and interpretation and lacks remote operation capability. This dissertation presents the design, development, optimization, and applications of a service-oriented Internet-scale communication method named Machine Tool Communication (MTComm) for exchanging manufacturing services in a Cyber-Physical Manufacturing Cloud (CPMC) to enable manufacturing with heterogeneous physically connected machine tools from geographically distributed locations over the Internet. MTComm uses an agent-adapter based architecture and a semantic ontology to provide both remote monitoring and operation capabilities through RESTful services and XML messages. MTComm was successfully used to develop and implement multi-purpose applications in in a CPMC including remote and collaborative manufacturing, active testing-based and edge-based fault diagnosis and maintenance of machine tools, cross-domain interoperability between Internet-of-things (IoT) devices and supply chain robots etc. To improve MTComm’s overall performance, efficiency, and acceptability in cyber manufacturing, the concept of MTComm’s edge-based middleware was introduced and three optimization strategies for data catching, transmission, and operation execution were developed and adopted at the edge. Finally, a hardware prototype of the middleware was implemented on a System-On-Chip based FPGA device to reduce computational and transmission latency. At every stage of its development, MTComm’s performance and feasibility were evaluated with experiments in a CPMC testbed with three different types of manufacturing machine tools. Experimental results demonstrated MTComm’s excellent feasibility for scalable cyber-physical manufacturing and superior performance over other existing approaches

Advances of nanotechnologies for hydraulic fracturing of coal seam gas reservoirs: potential applications and some limitations in Australia

Some of the most promising potential applications of nanotechnology to hydraulic fracturing of coal seam gas (CSG) are reviewed with a focus on Australian CSG wells. Three propitious applications were identified: (1) Nanoparticle enhanced viscoelastic surfactants (VES) fracturing fluids to prevent fluid loss by up to 30%, made possible by the formation of pseudo-filter cakes and reducing the viscosity of the VES fluids. Besides, there is no requirement of clay control additives or biocides. (2) Nano-proppants to extend fracture networks and reduce proppant embedment by introducing them prior to the emplacement of larger proppants. Fly Ash nanoparticles can be particularly effective because of their high sphericity and mechanical strength. (3) Nanoparticle-coated proppants, to mitigate the migration of particle fines by restricting them close to their source by adsorption, with MgO being the most effective. The use of nanotechnology in hydraulic fracturing applications is currently hindered due to a discordant regulatory environment compounded by the cost of the nanoparticles themselves, as well as, a lack of field data to validate the technology under real downhole conditions. Although the necessary field tests are unlikely to be conducted for as long as abundant natural gas is available, exploratory studies could pave the way for future applications

Machine Tool Communication (MTComm) Method and Its Applications in a Cyber-Physical Manufacturing Cloud

The integration of cyber-physical systems and cloud manufacturing has the potential to revolutionize existing manufacturing systems by enabling better accessibility, agility, and efficiency. To achieve this, it is necessary to establish a communication method of manufacturing services over the Internet to access and manage physical machines from cloud applications. Most of the existing industrial automation protocols utilize Ethernet based Local Area Network (LAN) and are not designed specifically for Internet enabled data transmission. Recently MTConnect has been gaining popularity as a standard for monitoring status of machine tools through RESTful web services and an XML based messaging structure, but it is only designed for data collection and interpretation and lacks remote operation capability. This dissertation presents the design, development, optimization, and applications of a service-oriented Internet-scale communication method named Machine Tool Communication (MTComm) for exchanging manufacturing services in a Cyber-Physical Manufacturing Cloud (CPMC) to enable manufacturing with heterogeneous physically connected machine tools from geographically distributed locations over the Internet. MTComm uses an agent-adapter based architecture and a semantic ontology to provide both remote monitoring and operation capabilities through RESTful services and XML messages. MTComm was successfully used to develop and implement multi-purpose applications in in a CPMC including remote and collaborative manufacturing, active testing-based and edge-based fault diagnosis and maintenance of machine tools, cross-domain interoperability between Internet-of-things (IoT) devices and supply chain robots etc. To improve MTComm’s overall performance, efficiency, and acceptability in cyber manufacturing, the concept of MTComm’s edge-based middleware was introduced and three optimization strategies for data catching, transmission, and operation execution were developed and adopted at the edge. Finally, a hardware prototype of the middleware was implemented on a System-On-Chip based FPGA device to reduce computational and transmission latency. At every stage of its development, MTComm’s performance and feasibility were evaluated with experiments in a CPMC testbed with three different types of manufacturing machine tools. Experimental results demonstrated MTComm’s excellent feasibility for scalable cyber-physical manufacturing and superior performance over other existing approaches

Blast vibration monitoring in opencast mines

In this report the blast vibration monitoring techniques is studied. Ground vibration induced by blasting practices in mines has become a serious environmental issue in today’s scenario. Various factors influence the blast vibration being produced from the blasting practices such as the pattern of blasting, drilling pattern, quality and quantity of explosives being used, delay pattern etc. Also the vibration which is being generated by the blasting practices is comprised of two types of waves, body and surface waves. Some of the after blast features are also required to be studied in order to determine the safe blasting practices. Three types of adverse effects are generally associated with the blasting practices, Air blast, Fly rock and Ground vibration, However the amplitude, frequency and duration of the ground vibration is determined by the non-controllable(local geology, rock characteristic and distances of the structure from blast site) and controllable parameters(Charge weight, Delay interval, Type of explosive ,Direction of blast progression, Coupling, confinement, Spatial distribution of charges, Burden, spacing and specification and specific charge). For the purpose of determination of the safe Charge per Delay a number of researchers have given various theories and equations. The feasibility of the CMRI equation is studied in this report. Also there are various equipment’s available globally for measuring the ground vibration and air blast. In the present study Minimate Blaster specification has been studied in detail. All the blasting operations were obtained at different- different distances. According graphs were plotted for the data’s available from the blasting practices and the safe Charge per Delay and Peak Particle Velocity is determined for the mine in accordance with the DGMS regulations

Unconventional gas: potential energy market impacts in the European Union

In the interest of effective policymaking, this report seeks to clarify certain controversies and identify key gaps in the evidence-base relating to unconventional gas. The scope of this report is restricted to the economic impact of unconventional gas on energy markets. As such, it principally addresses such issues as the energy mix, energy prices, supplies, consumption, and trade flows. Whilst this study touches on coal bed methane and tight gas, its predominant focus is on shale gas, which the evidence at this time suggests will be the form of unconventional gas with the most growth potential in the short- to medium-term. This report considers the prospects for the indigenous production of shale gas within the EU-27 Member States. It evaluates the available evidence on resource size, extractive technology, resource access and market access. This report also considers the implications for the EU of large-scale unconventional gas production in other parts of the world. This acknowledges the fact that many changes in the dynamics of energy supply can only be understood in the broader global context. It also acknowledges that the EU is a major importer of energy, and that it is therefore heavily affected by developments in global energy markets that are largely out of its control.JRC.F.3-Energy securit

Ensuring the Safe Production of Natural Gas

Growing demand for natural gas in the U.S. has led to an increase in hydraulic fracturing in the Marcellus Shale region of PA. The goal of this project was to recommend best practices to the U.S. Department of Energy for hydraulic fracturing. First, industry practices for well drilling, cementing, and casing were analyzed. A System-Theoretic Process Analysis was used to identify weaknesses that could lead to loss of wellbore integrity; and a blowout preventer system was designed to mitigate this hazard. Second, contaminants in hydraulic fracturing fluids were identified and a mobile onsite wastewater treatment system using reverse osmosis was designed to remove fracturing chemicals, radium, and solids. Lastly, recommendations were made to improve the safety of natural gas recovery

Sensor-Augmented Lightning Mitigation; Implications for Risk at Hydraulic Fracturing Storage Facilities

Hydraulic Fracturing (hydro fracking) has revolutionized oil and gas production in the United States. Controversy has been widespread and plenty of uncertainty remains commonplace in the public. The topic of hazardous chemicals and pollution associated with hydro fracking will be presented in some detail. However, the key focus will be on sensors and lightning mitigation at produced hydrocarbon storage batteries. Unmitigated fires and explosions will be shown to cause $10 million per direct strike in some lightning risk zones. Lightning has stood as an unresolved threat to hydrocarbon storage facilities for over 100 years. Literature research has shown that 33% of all modern hydrocarbon tank accidents are due to lightning (Chang and Lin, 2006); in addition, cloud-ground lightning strikes are predicted to increase by 50% this century (Romps et al., 2014). An overlay of the current National Lightning Detection Network (NLDN) risk map and the Energy Information Administration (EIA) shale play map clearly show the lightning threat only increasing with the migration of future shale activities. While planning may change, shale deposits and regional lightning threats are not changing geographically; this research quantifies the threat and outlines clear lightning mitigation strategies. Furthermore, real-time detection and the associated methodology of lightning mitigation have implications for industries far beyond hydro fracking. By leveraging industrial standards for Fire and Gas Systems (FGS) such as IEC 61511, the proposed lightning effects mitigation system has a pathway toward verification and eventual validation at a broad array of industrial sites. Some extended applications included Navy fuel storage depots and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) facilities