Utilization of pyrolysis oil in industrial scale boilers

The performance of pyrolysis oil in a large-scale combustion system is investigated to determine the feasibility of displacing fuel oil or natural gas in current heating and power infrastructure. A commercial 600 kW building heating boiler was installed and retrofitted to burn pyrolysis oil and pyrolysis oil mixtures at controlled conditions. The boiler was equipped with the necessary fuel systems and instrumentation to enable accurate and independent control of the pilot light, natural gas flow, and liquid fuel system parameters, while maintaining standard boiler safety cutouts. Exhaust analysis equipment was installed to allow measurements of particulate matter (PM), NO, CO, and unburned hydrocarbons (HC). Shadowgraphy spray imaging and phase-Doppler particle analysis (PDPA) was performed on non-reacting fuel sprays to investigate atomization phenomena. Ethanol was mixed with the pyrolysis oil at various concentrations and tested to determine the ideal concentration for spay and combustion performance. Combustion tests were conducted in the boiler using #2 fuel oil, natural gas, pyrolysis oil, and mixtures of ethanol and pyrolysis oil. Ethanol pyrolysis oil mixtures were primarily investigated while varying nozzles and nozzle conditions, overall equivalence ratio, and ethanol content of the mixture utilizing a natural gas pilot light and a natural gas co-fire to increase flame stability and broaden the range of stable conditions. Combustion results showed very high emissions with a pressure atomizing nozzle and low emissions with an air atomized nozzle, agreeing with spray imaging results. By optimizing atomization air pressure and equivalence ratio, PM, CO, and HC were brought down to levels near typical fuel oil combustion emissions with ethanol content as low as 20%. NO was relatively unaffected by nozzle conditions, equivalence ratio, and ethanol content. These data show the feasibility, range of conditions, and fuel injection strategies for clean combustion of bio-oil and displacement of natural gas or fuel oil in large-scale commercial boilers

Dominic Redfern (Art Forum)

Dominic Redfern is a Melbourne based artist. In this lecture he speaks on his use of performance in his video practice and his current shift from private and personal backdrops into the landscape.He discusses his forthcoming solo show at CAMAC in rural France

Editorial: Impacts of shipping on marine fauna

About 80% of international trade goods are transported by ships (UNCTAD, 2019)..

Optimal Allocation and Scheduling of Irrigation Water for Cotton and Soybeans

This study evaluated alternative irrigation scheduling strategies for cotton and soybean production on Sharkey clay soils in southeast Arkansas. Strategies were ranked on the basis of two basic criteria: expected net revenue and risk efficiency. Risk efficiency was defined for different risk preferences using stochastic dominance techniques. Preferred strategies for cotton employed tensiometer thresholds between -.45 atm and -.75 atm. Risk efficient soybean irrigation strategies varied with the degree of risk aversion--more risk averse decision makers prefer strategies with lower thresholds

Using Administrative Data to Count Local Populations

There is growing evidence that official population statistics based on the decennial census are inaccurate at the local authority level—the fundamental administrative unit of the UK. This paper investigates the use of locally available administrative data sets for counting populations. The method uses truth tables for combining different data sources with different population coverage according to a defined and therefore replicable set of rules. The result is timelier and geographically more flexible data which is more cost-effective to produce than a survey-based census. Associated techniques for linking diverse data sources at individual and household level are briefly discussed. The methodology is then applied to administrative data from a London borough with about 170,000 people. The results are evaluated and compared with other population sources. The paper concludes by discussing potential improvements including scaling up the work to cover multiple local authorities. The practicalities of using alternative central government data sets are briefly considered. A sequel paper in this journal provides examples of key applications of this approach at local level

A smartphone app to assist smoking cessation among aboriginal Australians: Findings from a pilot randomized controlled trial

© David Peiris, Lachlan Wright, Madeline News, Kris Rogers, Julie Redfern, Clara Chow, David Thomas. Background: Mobile health (mHealth) apps have the potential to increase smoking cessation, but little research has been conducted with Aboriginal communities in Australia. Objective: We conducted a pilot study to assess the feasibility and acceptability and explore the effectiveness of a novel mHealth app to assist Aboriginal people to quit smoking. Methods: A pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) and process evaluation comprising usage analytics data and in-depth interviews was conducted. Current Aboriginal smokers (>16 years old), who were willing to make a quit attempt in the next month, were recruited from Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services and a government telephone coaching service. The intervention was a multifaceted Android or iOS app comprising a personalized profile and quit plan, text and in-app motivational messages, and a challenge feature allowing users to compete with others. The comparator was usual cessation support services. Outcome data collection and analysis were conducted blinded to treatment allocation. The primary outcome was self-reported continuous smoking abstinence verified by carbon monoxide breath testing at 6 months. Secondary outcomes included point prevalence of abstinence and use of smoking cessation therapies and services. Results: A total of 49 participants were recruited. Competing service delivery priorities, the lack of resources for research, and lack of support for randomization to a control group were the major recruitment barriers. At baseline, 23/49 (47%) of participants had tried to quit in recent weeks. At 6-month follow-up, only 1 participant (intervention arm) was abstinent. The process evaluation highlighted low to moderate app usage (3-10 new users per month and 4-8 returning users per month), an average of 2.9 sessions per user per month and 6.3 min per session. Key themes from interviews with intervention participants (n=15) included the following: (1) the powerful influence of prevailing social norms around acceptability of smoking; (2) high usage of mobile devices for phone, text, and social media but very low use of other smartphone apps; (3) the role of family and social group support in supporting quit attempts; and (4) low awareness and utilization of smoking cessation support services. Despite the broad acceptability of the app, participants also recommended technical improvements to improve functionality, greater customization of text messages, integration with existing social media platforms, and gamification features. Conclusions: Smoking cessation apps need to be integrated with commonly used functions of mobile phones and draw on social networks to support their use. Although they have the potential to increase utilization of cessation support services and treatments, more research is needed to identify optimal implementation models. Robust evaluation is critical to determine their impact; however, an RCT design may not be feasible in this setting. Trial Registration: Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12616001550493; https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=371792 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/76TiV7HA6)

RESPOND – A patient-centred programme to prevent secondary falls in older people presenting to the emergency department with a fall: Protocol for a mixed methods programme evaluation.

Background Programme evaluations conducted alongside randomised controlled trials (RCTs) have potential to enhance understanding of trial outcomes. This paper describes a multi-level programme evaluation to be conducted alongside an RCT of a falls prevention programme (RESPOND). Objectives 1) To conduct a process evaluation in order to identify the degree of implementation fidelity and associated barriers and facilitators. 2) To evaluate the primary intended impact of the programme: participation in fall prevention strategies, and the factors influencing participation. 3) To identify the factors influencing RESPOND RCT outcomes: falls, fall injuries and ED re-presentations. Methods/ Design Five hundred and twenty eight community-dwelling adults aged 60–90 years presenting to two EDs with a fall will be recruited and randomly assigned to the intervention or standard care group. All RESPOND participants and RESPOND clinicians will be included in the evaluation. A mixed methods design will be used and a programme logic model will frame the evaluation. Data will be sourced from interviews, focus groups, questionnaires, clinician case notes, recruitment records, participant-completed calendars, hospital administrative datasets, and audio-recordings of intervention contacts. Quantitative data will be analysed via descriptive and inferential statistics and qualitative data will be interpreted using thematic analysis. Discussion The RESPOND programme evaluation will provide information about contextual and influencing factors related to the RCT outcomes. The results will assist researchers, clinicians, and policy makers to make decisions about future falls prevention interventions. Insights gained are likely to be transferable to preventive health programmes for a range of chronic conditions

Quantitative assessment of the relative risk of ship strike to humpback whales in the Great Barrier Reef

There is global recognition that ship strike represents a significant risk to some populations of whales around the world. Analysis of ship strike records worldwide demonstrates that humpback whales are the second most frequently reported whale species to be struck by a ship. In Australia, both the east and west coast populations of humpback whales are strongly recovering from commercial whaling during the mid-20th century which resulted in populations nearing extinction. On the east coast of Australia the main breeding ground for humpback whales is within the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area (GBRWHA). Both the east and west coast of Australia have also in the past decade experienced considerable coastal and port development associated with an increase in natural resource projects. It is due to substantial coastal development and port expansions related to the mining industry that UNESCO were considering listing the GBRWHA on the 'List of World Heritage in Danger' and are currently monitoring Australia's commitment to its sustainability. Along with considerable port expansion along the GBRWHA coastline to meet increasing global demands for coal and liquefied natural gas (LNG), there is projected to be substantial increases in shipping traffic. Conservative estimates are predicting a doubling of shipping traffic by 2025, albeit not for all Queensland ports. Considering the rapid rate of increase of the east Australian population of humpback whales (approximately 10.9% increase per annum), there is potential for increased interaction between humpback whales and shipping traffic and increased risk of ship strikes to the whales on their breeding ground. To understand the risk of ship strike to humpbacks in the GBRWHA, it is necessary to understand the distribution and densities for both whales and shipping. This report uses current knowledge on the distribution of humpback whales within the GBRWHA from aerial survey data from 2012 and 2014 and contemporary (2012-2014) shipping traffic data of ships travelling within the GBR to provide estimates of relative risk of ship strike to humpback whales within the GBR