Advanced Rankine and Brayton cycle power systems: Materials needs and opportunities

Conceptual advanced potassium Rankine and closed Brayton power conversion cycles offer the potential for improved efficiency over steam systems through higher operating temperatures. However, for utility service of at least 100,000 hours, materials technology advances will be needed for such high temperature systems. Improved alloys and surface protection must be developed and demonstrated to resist coal combustion gases as well as potassium corrosion or helium surface degradation at high temperatures. Extensions in fabrication technology are necessary to produce large components of high temperature alloys. Long time property data must be obtained under environments of interest to assure high component reliability

Furnace and high-velocity oxidation of aluminide-coated cobalt super-alloy WI-52

Furnace and high velocity oxidation of aluminide coated cobalt superalloy WI-5

“Let’s Wait and See!” The Real Option to Switch as a Value Component of Customer Relationships

Contains fulltext : 112218.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)We suggest that a customer’s option to switch suppliers, and to wait and see before switching, adds to customer value in uncertain markets, and affects the customer’s switching behavior. We use a real options model to examine the value of this option and conduct sensitivity analyses based on data collected from the German public health insurance market to support our argument. We elaborate on the customer value construct and show how it contributes to customers’ behavioral loyalty. We also provide guidelines for managers of in-suppliers and out-suppliers on how to use the value of customers’ option to switch, e.g., for pricing decisions and management of customer churn.25 p