Competition, Consumer Welfare and Monopoly Power

An applied general equilibrium analysis of monopoly power is proposed as an alternative to the partial equilibrium analyses of monopoly pricing current in antitrust economics. This analysis introduces a new notion of market equilibrium where firms with monopoly power are cost-minimizing price-takers in competitive factor markets and make supracompetitive profits in equilibrium, i.e., the monopoly price exceeds the marginal cost of production. We assume that the primary goals of antitrust policy are the promotion of competition and the enhancement of consumer welfare. To that end, we use Debreu's coefficient of resource utilization to determine the counterfactual competitive price levels in monopolized markets and then impute the economic costs of monopolization.Monopoly power, Antitrust economics, Applied general equilibrium analysis

The Social Cost of Monopoly Power

A general equilibrium analysis of monopoly power is proposed as an alternative to the partial equilibrium analyses of monopolization common to most antitrust texts. This analysis introduces the notion of a cost minimizing market equilibrium. The empirical implications of this equilibrium concept for antitrust policy is derived in terms of a family of equilibrium inequalities over market data from observations on a market economy with competitive factor markets. The social cost of monopoly power is measured using Debreu's coefficient of resource utilization. That is, we propose Pareto optimality as the ultimate objective of antitrust policy.Monopoly power, Antitrust economics, Applied general equilibrium analysis

The Effect of the Wings of Single Engine Airplanes on Propulsive Efficiency as Shown by Full Scale Wind Tunnel Tests

An investigation was conducted to determine the effect of the wings on propulsive efficiency. The wings are shown to cause a reduction of 1 percent to 3 percent in propulsive efficiency, which is about the same for monoplane as well as biplane wings

Privacy issue where do we stand?

Illustration not included in Web versio

Fire Protection and Life Safety Analysis- Building 192 – Engineering IV

A Fire Protection and Life Safety Analysis has been performed on California Polytechnic State University Building 192 – Engineering IV as part of a culminating project in the Masters of Science in Fire Protection Engineering program at California Polytechnic State University. This analysis consists of a prescriptive analysis based on current codes and standards as well as a performance-based analysis. A prescriptive analysis evaluates compliance with modern codes and standards and consists of the following five parts: 1)Egress Design and Analysis, 2)Structural Fire Protection, 3)Water-based Fire Suppression, 4)Fire Detection and Alarm Systems, and 5)Smoke Control Systems The purpose of the prescriptive analysis is to determine if Engineering IV complies with the modern codes and standards that would be applicable if the building was constructed in the present. The prescriptive analysis is performed using the 2016 California Building and Fire Codes (CBC and CFC), and well as various NFPA standards adopted by the CBC and CFC. Engineering IV’s means of egress system is evaluated using occupant load factors from the 2016 CBC as well as CPDC Technical Bulletin A/E 17-002, which contains more conservative factors than those originally used based on the 2001 CBC (1997 UBC). The resulting occupant load calculations show that areas previously considered as business use would now be considered flexible assembly space, and that based on the increased occupant loads present the exit capacity is severely non-compliant for the second and third floors of the building. Regardless, the university keeps an emergency planning and preparedness plan in accordance with Chapter 4 of the California Fire Code, and is required to keep the occupant load of the building within the exit capacity limits specified in the original design. Other means of egress requirements such as travel distance, number of exits, exit separation and common path of travel were found to be compliant based on the original design. The building’s fire detection and alarm system was evaluated based on the requirements of the 2016 CBC as well as NFPA 72. Visible appliances are provided in most public use areas; however there is a lack of coverage in the Multi-Disciplinary Dirty Lab, Room 130. Smoke detectors are provided in corridors, classrooms, laboratories and office spaces; however, smoke detectors are not located in the 1st Floor welding lab. The secondary power supply calculations confirm that the Fire Alarm Control Panel (FACP) is provided with adequate backup power for this application. The building’s automatic sprinkler system was evaluated using the 2016 CBC as well as NFPA 13 and NFPA 25. Hydraulic calculations were performed for the most remote area of the building on the 3rd floor. These calculations show that the sprinkler demand at this location exceeds the water supply provided at the site man. A fire pump has been sized to meet the demand of the sprinkler system. A structural fire protection analysis was performed using the 2016 CBC. The building elements used in the construction of Engineering IV appear to meet or exceed the requirements set by the 2016 CBC. Additionally, the Type IB construction used for this building meets the allowable building height and area requirements of CBC Chapter 5. All building elements and assemblies with required fire-resistance ratings are U.L. listed. The building’s smoke management features are evaluated based on the requirements of 2016 CBC. Engineering IV is provided with all smoke management features required by the 2016 CBC. The 2-hour rated curtain wall sprinklers and glass enclosure at the top of the communicating stair as well as the horizontal fire shutters serve to limit the development of a large smoke plume in the main lobby and eliminate the requirement for mechanical smoke control. Magnetic closing doors, elevator hoistway protection and combination smoke/fire dampers serve to compartmentalize the building and limit the spread of smoke in a fire event. Duct smoke detectors are provided at both air handlers to detect if smoke is being supplied into the building’s HVAC system and allows the fire alarm system to shut down the HVAC system in alarm condition. A performance based analysis was performed to determine if occupants could safety egress from the building in the event of a fire. Two fire scenarios were evaluated using Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS) and Pathfinder. The Required Safe Egress Time (RSET) was determined by researching occupant behaviors and by using Pathfinder to model building egress. Tenability criteria were determined based on engineering judgment and used with FDS to determine if unsafe conditions were reached before the Required Safe Egress Time (RSET) was reached. Based on the results of the performance based analysis, visibility dropped below 10-meters in both Design Fire Scenarios before the RSET time was reached. As such, Engineering IV does not provide an adequate level of protection for occupants during the time needed to evacuate. To provide a tenable environment for occupants during evacuation, I would recommend providing an engineering smoke control system complying with CBC Section 909 or providing a rated separation between Levels 1 and 2. I also recommend revisiting the location of combustibles in the lobby and main corridor of the building

Managing Complexity - Developing the Node Control Software For The International Space Station

On December 4th, 1998 at 3:36 AM STS-88 (the space shuttle Endeavor) was launched with the "Node 1 Unity Module" in its payload bay. After working on the Space Station program for a very long time, that launch was one of the most beautiful sights I had ever seen! As the Shuttle proceeded to rendezvous with the Russian American module know as Zarya, I returned to Houston quickly to start monitoring the activation of the software I had spent the last 3 years working on. The FGB module (also known as "Zarya"), was grappled by the shuttle robotic arm, and connected to the Unity module. Crewmembers then hooked up the power and data connections between Zarya and Unity. On December 7th, 1998 at 9:49 PM CST the Node Control Software was activated. On December 15th, 1998, the Node-l/Zarya "cornerstone" of the International Space Station was left on-orbit. The Node Control Software (NCS) is the first software flown by NASA for the International Space Station (ISS). The ISS Program is considered the most complex international engineering effort ever undertaken. At last count some 18 countries are active partners in this global venture. NCS has performed all of its intended functions on orbit, over 200 miles above us. I'll be describing how we built the NCS software

Wing-Nacelle-Propeller Tests - Comparative Tests of Liquid-Cooled and Air-Cooled Engine Nacelles

This report gives the results of measurements of the lift, drag, and propeller characteristics of several wing and nacelle combinations with a tractor propeller. The nacelles were so located that the propeller was about 31% of the wing chord directly ahead of the leading edge of the wing, a position which earlier tests (NASA Report No. 415) had shown to be efficient. The nacelles were scale models of an NACA cowled nacelle for a radial air-cooled engine, a circular nacelle with the V-type engine located inside and the radiator for the cooling liquid located inside and the radiator for the type, and a nacelle shape simulating the housing which would be used for an extension shaft if the engine were located entirely within the wing. The propeller used in all cases was a 4-foot model of Navy No. 4412 adjustable metal propeller. The results of the tests indicate that, at the angles of attack corresponding to high speeds of flight, there is no marked advantage of one type of nacelle over the others as far as low drag is concerned, since the drag added by any of the nacelles in the particular location ahead of the wing is very small. The completely cowled nacelle for a radial air-cooled engine appears to have the highest drag, the liquid-cooled engine appears to have the highest drag, the liquid-cooled engine nacelle with external radiator slightly less drag. The liquid-cooled engine nacelle with radiator in the cowling hood has about half the drag of the cowled radial air-cooled engine nacelle. The extension-shaft housing shows practically no increase in drag over that of the wing alone. A large part of the drag of the liquid-cooled engine nacelle appears to be due to the external radiator. The maximum propulsive efficiency for a given propeller pitch setting is about 2% higher for the liquid-cooled engine nacelle with the radiator in the cowling hood than that for the other cowling arrangements