Design and Algorithm-based optimisation of Axial ORC turbine and transient cycles incorporating novel machine Learning tools

The flue gas stacks of industrial steam boilers can be considered an untapped waste heat source, which is characterised as highly intermittent. Although Organic Rankine Cycles pose strong potential to reuse such low-grade heat, the component and system levels analysis of ORCs to efficiently utilise these highly intermittent heat sources in a techno-economic fashion is still an unanswered research question. Such a holistic approach ultimately expedites the commercial adoption of ORCs to utilise a broader range of waste heat sources achieving the highest possible techno-economic benefits. To answer this research question, emphasising scale ORCs that employ axial flow turbines owing to their scalability and superior isentropic efficiency, this thesis undertakes turbine and cycle configuration optimisation by integrating the Craig and Cox loss model to simulate a small-scale axial flow ORC turbine. The transient waste heat of an actual industrial steam boiler stack was employed as a heat source to investigate ten novel cycle configurations. The optimisation was undertaken using parametric, metaheuristic (nature-inspired) and mathematics-based optimisers. Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) and genetic algorithms (GAs)-based on the loss model led to an optimised turbine configuration that improved turbine total-to-static efficiency and cycle efficiency by 5.2% and 0.24%, respectively. The recuperative cycle proved the optimal thermodynamic configuration, with a 26.5% increase in mean power generation. Furthermore, a multi-objective analysis revealed the recuperative cycle integrated with an air preheater as the optimum thermo-economic configuration, with a 48.9% improvement in the combined overall value of the multiple objectives, including the Specific Investment Cost and mean power, achieving the final payback within 1.72 years. The ideal configuration was observed as a strong function of the Levelized cost of fuel and electricity prices. Application of a mathematical technique based on the non-linear programming by quadratic Lagrangian algorithm was validated for single- and multi-objective cycle configuration optimisations, providing results comparable to the well-established metaheuristic-based genetic algorithm, with a computational efficiency of greater than one order of magnitude. The overall approach of the direct loss model, artificial neural network- and genetic algorithm-based turbine optimisation, parametric cycle pre-optimisation, mathematical technique-based component optimisation and payback evaluation can be considered a blueprint for the future evaluation and design of organic Rankine cycles utilising transient waste heat sources

FROM HOSPITAL READINESS TO PATIENT SAFETY: BUILDING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY FOR PATIENT SAFETY IN INDONESIA

The COVID-19 pandemic has had an influence on patient safety and quality of care. A research undertaken in numerous countries found a deterioration in the quality of care during the pandemic. Leaders can improve patient safety in any circumstances, pandemic or not, by building a safety culture, reacting to patient and staff concerns, supporting safety activities, and tracking progress. Good leadership is essential to the success of patient safety programs and improving patient safety. Leaders must first establish strategic priorities and plans for culture and infrastructure that will aid in increasing patient safety. They must also actively inquire about patient safety situations and regularly examine patient safety data. Leaders must also collect data in order to foster a culture of patient safety. It is also critical to ensure that adequate infrastructure is available to support safety activities. Leaders have an important role in establishing the optimal methods for enhancing patient safety. Measures and improvement actions are rarely carried out in many nations; thus, leaders must ensure and encourage quality and safety development. Leadership commitment is the foundation for both pandemic and non-pandemic safety and quality improvement. Patient safety recommendations frameworks can help leaders improve patient safety in their organizations

A micro industry with closed energy and water cycles for sustainable rural development

Sustainable development requires combining economic viability with energy and environment conservation and ensuring social benefits. It is conceptualized that for designing a micro industry for sustainable rural industrialization, all these aspects should be integrated right up front. The concept includes; (a) utilization of local produce for value addition in a cluster of villages and enhancing income of the target population; (b) use of renewable energy and total utilization of energy generated by co and trigeneration (combining electric power production with heat utilization for heating and cooling); (c) conservation of water and complete recycling of effluents; (d) total utilization of all wastes for achieving closure towards a zero waste system. Enhanced economic viability and sustainability is achieved by integration of appropriate technologies into the industrial complex. To prove the concept, a model Micro Industrial Complex (MIC) has been set up in a semi arid desert region in Rajasthan, India at village Malunga in Jodhpur district. A biomass powered boiler and steam turbine system is used to generate 100-200 KVA of electric power and high energy steam for heating and cooling processes downstream. The unique feature of the equipment is a 100-150 kW back-pressure steam turbine, utilizing 3-4 tph (tonnes per hour) steam, developed by M/s IB Turbo. The biomass boiler raises steam at about 20 barg 3 tph, which is passed through a turbine to yield about 150 kW of electrical power. The steam let out at a back pressure of 1-3 barg has high exergy and this is passed on as thermal energy (about 2 MW), for use in various applications depending on the local produce and resources. The biomass fuel requirement for the boiler is 0.5-0.75 tph depending on its calorific value. In the current model, the electricity produced is used for running an oil expeller to extract castor oil and the castor cake is used as fuel in the boiler. The steam is used in a Multi Effect Distillation (MED) unit for drinking water production and in a Vapour Absorption Machine (VAM) for cooling, for banana ripening application. Additional steam is available for extraction of herbs such as mint and processing local vegetables. In this paper, we discuss the financial and economic viability of the system and show how the energy, water and materials are completely recycled and how the benefits are directed to the weaker sections of the community

Assessing the pro-poor effect of different contracting schemes for health services on health facilities in rural Afghanistan.

BACKGROUND: Despite progress in improving health outcomes in Afghanistan by contracting public health services through non-governmental organizations (NGOs), inequity in access persists between the poor and non-poor. This study examined the distributive effect of different contracting types on primary health services provision between the poor and non-poor in rural Afghanistan. METHOD: Contracts to NGOs were made to deliver a common set of primary care services in each province, with the funding agencies determining contract terms. The contracting approaches could be classified into three contracting out types (CO-1, CO-2 and CO-3) and a contracting-in (CI) approach based on the contract terms, design and implementation. Exit interviews of patients attending randomly sampled primary health facilities were collected through systematic sampling across 28 provinces at two time points. The outcome, the odds that a client attending a health facility is poor, was modelled using logistic regression with a robust variance estimator, and the effect of contracting was estimated using the difference-in-difference approach combined with stratified analyses. RESULTS: The sample covered 5960 interviews from 306 health facilities in 2005 and 2008. The adjusted odds of a poor client attending a health facility over time increased significantly for facilities under CO-1 and CO-2, with odds ratio of 2.82 (1.49, 5.36) P-value 0.001 and 2.00 (1.33, 3.02) P-value 0.001, respectively. The odds ratios for those under CO-3 and CI were not statistically significantly different over time. When compared with the non-contracting facilities, the adjusted ratio of odds ratios of poor status among clients was significantly higher for only those under CO-1, ratio of 2.50 (1.32, 4.74) P-value 0.005. CONCLUSIONS: CO-1 arrangement which allows contractors to decide on how funds are allocated within a fixed lump sum with non-negotiable deliverables, and actively managed through an independent government agency, is effective in improving equity of health services provision

Sketch of vicinity of Fort Fisher /

"Ft. Fisher, Feb. 9th, 1865, forwarded to Engineer Department with letter of this date, C.B. Comstock, Lt. Col. A.D.C. & Brvt. B. Gen."Relief shown by hachures.From the Orlando M. Poe papers in LC Manuscript Division. DLCLC Civil War maps (2nd ed.), 314, S125Includes inset of Fort Buchanan.Mounted on cloth. DL