A 15kWe (nominal) solar thermal electric power conversion concept definition study: Steam Rankine reheat reciprocator system

An evaluation was made of the potential of a steam Rankine reheat reciprocator engine to operate at high efficiency in a point-focusing distributed receiver solar thermal-electric power system. The scope of the study included the engine system and electric generator; not included was the solar collector/mirror or the steam generator/receiver. A parametric analysis of steam conditions was completed leading to the selection of 973 K 12.1 MPa as the steam temperature/pressure for a conceptual design. A conceptual design was completed for a two cylinder/ opposed engine operating at 1800 rpm directly coupled to a commercially available induction generator. A unique part of the expander design is the use of carbon/graphite piston rings to eliminate the need for using oil as an upper cylinder lubricant. The evaluation included a system weight estimate of 230 kg at the mirror focal point with the condenser mounted separately on the ground. The estimated cost of the overall system is $1932 or$90/kW for the maximum 26 kW output

Using association rule mining to enrich semantic concepts for video retrieval

In order to achieve true content-based information retrieval on video we should analyse and index video with high-level semantic concepts in addition to using user-generated tags and structured metadata like title, date, etc. However the range of such high-level semantic concepts, detected either manually or automatically, usually limited compared to the richness of information content in video and the potential vocabulary of available concepts for indexing. Even though there is work to improve the performance of individual concept classifiers, we should strive to make the best use of whatever partial sets of semantic concept occurrences are available to us. We describe in this paper our method for using association rule mining to automatically enrich the representation of video content through a set of semantic concepts based on concept co-occurrence patterns. We describe our experiments on the TRECVid 2005 video corpus annotated with the 449 concepts of the LSCOM ontology. The evaluation of our results shows the usefulness of our approach

Steam bottoming cycle for an adiabatic diesel engine

Steam bottoming cycles using adiabatic diesel engine exhaust heat which projected substantial performance and economic benefits for long haul trucks were studied. Steam cycle and system component variables, system cost, size and performance were analyzed. An 811 K/6.90 MPa state of the art reciprocating expander steam system with a monotube boiler and radiator core condenser was selected for preliminary design. The costs of the diesel with bottoming system (TC/B) and a NASA specified turbocompound adiabatic diesel with aftercooling with the same total output were compared, the annual fuel savings less the added maintenance cost was determined to cover the increase initial cost of the TC/B system in a payback period of 2.3 years. Steam bottoming system freeze protection strategies were developed, technological advances required for improved system reliability are considered and the cost and performance of advanced systes are evaluated

Regional Emergency Response Teams: Case Studies in Hampton Roads, Virginia

The majority of local governments lack sufficient resources to respond effectively in an independent manner to a disaster or large-scale emergency. To achieve success, they must work closely with other organizations. The research problem is that regional emergency response relationships are not well understood, which could lead to ineffective or inefficient practices. The research purpose was to describe and analyze regional emergency response in Hampton Roads, Virginia. The research methodology involved a qualitative approach, utilizing interviews and archival research. Organizational leaders of the Hampton Roads Marine Incident Response Team and the Southside Tidewater Regional Hazardous Materials Response Team were interviewed to solicit their perspectives on the manner in which leadership, management and the environment influenced the development and sustenance of regional emergency response teams. Additionally, foundational documents for each team were studied to assess their influence on team administration. The research was based on collaboration theory. A research model identified as the model of regional emergency response was developed from the literature and used as a framework for the study. The findings suggest that regional emergency response teams may take very varied forms, customized to meet individual programmatic needs. These teams may be collaborative in nature, but are more likely to exhibit mixed characteristics, including those associated with coordination or cooperation. In contrast to collaborative endeavors associated with economic development, health care and education, which require the active engagement of the top tiers of an organization, regional emergency teams such as those studied here appear to be developed and operated at much lower levels of an organization, supported, only when needed, by the formal leadership of an organization. The findings also suggested there were four pre-conditions necessary for the development of regional emergency response teams structured to share resources, including the existence of a clear goal, the integration of cost-sharing mechanisms, strong support from individual organizations, and a strict focus on the strategic vision. The findings of this research may be used to encourage or facilitate the development of regional emergency response, thereby making regions better prepared for emergency incidents

Alien Registration- Poulin, Mary E. (Mexico, Oxford County)

https://digitalmaine.com/alien_docs/20902/thumbnail.jp

Racial Differences in the Use of Drugs and Alcohol Among Low Income Youth and Young Adults

This study examines the use of drugs and alcohol among 284 youth and young adults of a low income urban community. Racial differences in the use of drugs and alcohol are examined for four age groups between 12 and 25. Overall, the findings show significant racial differences in the use of both drugs and alcohol. Black youth and young adults have lower drug use and alcohol use rates than their white peers. The differences hold for the four age groups examined. Implications of the findings for drug prevention programs are discussed

Alien Registration- Poulin, Gertrude E. (Lewiston, Androscoggin County)

https://digitalmaine.com/alien_docs/28001/thumbnail.jp