Methods for comparative evaluation of propulsion system designs for supersonic aircraft

The propulsion system comparative evaluation study was conducted to define a rapid, approximate method for evaluating the effects of propulsion system changes for an advanced supersonic cruise airplane, and to verify the approximate method by comparing its mission performance results with those from a more detailed analysis. A table look up computer program was developed to determine nacelle drag increments for a range of parametric nacelle shapes and sizes. Aircraft sensitivities to propulsion parameters were defined. Nacelle shapes, installed weights, and installed performance was determined for four study engines selected from the NASA supersonic cruise aircraft research (SCAR) engine studies program. Both rapid evaluation method (using sensitivities) and traditional preliminary design methods were then used to assess the four engines. The method was found to compare well with the more detailed analyses

Boosting the Circularity of the European Union Furniture Industry with the Eco-design for Sustainable Products Regulation

This thesis examines how the Eco-design for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) can boost the circularity of the European Union (EU) furniture industry. The ESPR builds on the existing Eco-design Directive expanding beyond energy-related products to nearly all physical goods placed on the EU market, while also introducing broader eco-design requirements. The research aims to understand how the new eco-design requirements will boost the circularity of furniture manufactured in the EU and effectively help break through the material and design barriers hindering the furniture industry’s circular transition. The thesis consists of a theoretical framework that examines the barriers to transitioning to a circular furniture industry, eco-design related to the ESPR’s requirements, and the circulation of physical products within the circular economy. The research takes a qualitative approach and in the empirical section the author discusses the findings of the five semi structured interviews conducted between April and May of 2024. Abductive thematic analysis was utilized to establish the relevance of the material and design barriers and hypothesise which eco-design requirements could be imposed on furniture whilst framework analysis was used to establish linkages of the identified eco-design requirements and the circular economy loops. The research results indicated that poor design and material choices remain relevant barriers to achieving a circular furniture industry in the EU. The use of mixed and cheap materials, along with varying company sizes affecting the ability to invest in circular economy development, and a fundamental lack of circular economy knowledge, were identified as key factors exacerbating these barriers. The interviewees identified twelve eco-design requirements that could be imposed on furniture, with durability, repairability, and the availability of spare parts being the most frequently mentioned. All identified eco-design requirements were established as positively affecting furniture’s ability to circulate within the circular economy. The findings indicate that the ESPR will impose eco-design requirements tailored to furniture, promoting better material choices, and helping companies adapt circular design practices effectively breaking down material and design barriers to make the transition to a circular furniture industry more achievable for companies of all sizes. These requirements will promote furniture design and manufacturing suited for the circular economy, boosting the industries circularity. The ESPR will transform industry practices, positioning the circular economy as a key future approach with significant potential for positive change and ongoing improvement

Prelude in E

https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/mmb-ps/2404/thumbnail.jp

‘Albania: €1’ or the story of ‘big policies, small outcomes’: how Albania constructs and engages its diaspora

Since the fall of the communist regime in the early 1990s, Albania has experienced one of the most significant emigrations in the world as a share of its population. By 2010 almost half of its resident population was estimated to be living abroad – primarily in neighbouring Greece and Italy, but also in the UK and North America. This chapter discusses the emergence and establishment of the Albanian diaspora, its temporal and geographical diversity, and not least its involvement with Albania itself. Albania’s policymaking and key institutions are considered, with a focus on matters of citizenship; voting rights; the debate on migration and development; and not least the complex ways in which kin-state minority policies – related to ethnic Albanians living in Kosovo, Montenegro, southern Serbia, Macedonia and Greece – are interwoven with Albania’s emigration policies

Portuguese Scientists' Migration: a study on the 2008 crisis aftermath

In the economic and social aftermath of the 2008 crisis there has been an important and growing new wave of highly qualified Portuguese emigration comprising scientists. No or very few public policies have been designed to reverse this phenomenon, risking the consequences of brain drain. International literature argues that professional reasons are central to scientists’ decision to migrate, even after the 2008 crisis. Spending some time in a foreign country to study, research, or teach, is perceived as a common step in an individual academic trajectory and an advantage for a successful professional career in academia. It is also encouraged by European Union policies. Twelve individual portraits of Portuguese scientists living in central Europe reveal how important other factors are to the migration decision‐making process. These factors include the economic crisis, student mobility programmes, and the current Portuguese scientific system revision