Coupled near and far field thermal plume analysis using finite element techniques

The use of the open cycle cooling process for thermal power plants requires significant effluent discharges into aquatic environments. Both engineering and environmental considerations require accurate prediction of resulting temperature distribution in the receiving waters. Most predictive models have looked at one of two distinct regions of the discharge--the near or the far field--to the neglect of the other.A methodology is developed in this work to combine the attributes of both near and far field models. A finite element far field code is utilized which calculates both the circulation and heat distribution over a large area of the domain. From the far field coarse grid, a semi-circular area is removed which corresponds to the near field region of the discharge. At the new edge of the domain, which represents the near-far field boundary, mass flux and temperature boundary conditions are specified which simulate both the discharge into and entrainment out of the domain resulting from the surface discharge jet.Initial verification and testing of the model's characteristics is carried out in a hypothetical idealized domain. A more realistic verification is done at two prototype sites by comparing calculated results to previously acquired field data. The two sites are Millstone Nuclear Power Station (on Long Island Sound near Waterford, Connecticut) operating with two units and Brayton Point Generating Station (in Mt. Hope Bay near Somerset, Massachusetts) operating with three units on open cycle (existing conditions) and with four units on open cycle (proposed future condition). These comparisons suggest that the model can realistically describe the far field flow patterns associated with near field mixing thus making the model a useful tool in evaluating induced circulations, the source of entrained organisms, etc. These flow patterns are a direct function of the near field entrainment and discharge distributions which are specified as model boundary conditions and are thus easily calibrated and, if necessary, modified. Comparison between measured and predicted temperatures indicates that the predicted lengths and areas of isotherms are similar to measured lengths and areas. Predicted temperatures generally indicate greater dispersion than measured temperatures thus leading to overprediction of intake recirculation. Also, because boundary conditions on the near-far boundary have been assumed constant, the shape of predicted isotherms is not as responsive to changes in ambient current direction (e.g., tidal variations) as the measurements indicate.Future efforts should emphasize grid and program coding refinement to improve computational efficiency, use of methods to reduce numerical dispersion and incorporation of time-varying near-far field boundary conditions

Double Play: The Need for 4-H to Partner in Youth Sports

Fewer children in the United States are playing team-based sports, and the trend is making national headlines. While there is no complete agreement as to the predominant reason for this trend, it is clear that a national conversation on this problem has begun, and Cooperative Extension holds the potential for getting kids back in the game. At its core, this conversation is about the healthful development of our children and their advancement as contributors to society. Cooperative Extension has decades of experience creating a playbook for youth development, and it is time to put that playbook into action

New Terephthalic Acid Process

Terepthalic acid is primarily utilized as a raw material to make polyester PET, a polymer used to make a variety of household items such as clothing and plastic bottles. Currently, the most common method used to produce TPA is a technology called the Amoco Process, in which paraxylene is oxidized in the presence of a corrosive catalyst promoter. The corrosive promoter necessitates expensive equipment that is clad with titanium or other expensive alloys. Recently, a new non-corrosive ionic liquid promoter was discovered that would allow for stainless steel equipment. In this report, a process was designed to produce terephthalic acid using the new ionic liquid technology. The process was analyzed for technological and economic feasibility, while also considering other potential issues such as safety and start-up. The designed plant produces 800 million pounds of crude terephthalic acid (TPA) a year in the Gulf Coast. Under the assumed economic conditions, this process is projected to have a net present value of $110,840,600 in the year 2011 with an attractive internal rate of return of 34.07%, making this project more profitable than the Amoco Process due to the significantly decreased total capital investment required by this new technology

Leadership Styles in Hollywood-Based War Movies: An Analysis for Motivating Young Leaders in Military Service

Film has a huge impact on the human mind. The major aim of this paper is to highlight the style of leadership portrayed in academy award winning war films. This can help leadership educators to incorporate specific movies in their leadership courses, particularly those for military personnel. This may motivate the young military leaders for better performance in their roles. Most of the movies portray transformational, transactional, and authoritarian styles of leadership. Looking more closely, the movie heroes are presented as transformational, ethical, transactional, situational, follower-based, and servant leaders

Seconds-scale coherence in a tweezer-array optical clock

Optical clocks based on atoms and ions achieve exceptional precision and accuracy, with applications to relativistic geodesy, tests of relativity, and searches for dark matter. Achieving such performance requires balancing competing desirable features, including a high particle number, isolation of atoms from collisions, insensitivity to motional effects, and high duty-cycle operation. Here we demonstrate a new platform based on arrays of ultracold strontium atoms confined within optical tweezers that realizes a novel combination of these features by providing a scalable platform for isolated atoms that can be interrogated multiple times. With this tweezer-array clock, we achieve greater than 3 second coherence times and record duty cycles up to 96%, as well as stability commensurate with leading platforms. By using optical tweezer arrays --- a proven platform for the controlled creation of entanglement through microscopic control --- this work further promises a new path toward combining entanglement enhanced sensitivities with the most precise optical clock transitions

Voter Confidence in the Agricultural Industry

Social scientists tend to agree that public opinion influences public policy. As the agricultural industry faces increased scrutiny from public officials and citizen advocacy groups, agricultural communication professionals are faced with the challenge of targeting messages that encourage public confidence in the industry. Research-based marketing segmentation may hold the key to effective political marketing for the industry. While some consumer research has been conducted to better understand food purchasing decisions, more is needed to better understand public attitudes toward the larger agricultural industry and to better recognize any segmentation in public opinion. This study’s findings—drawn from the Agriculture Institute of Florida’s 2006 survey, the 2000 United States Census of Population and Housing, and the 2002 United States Department of Agriculture Census of Agriculture—may help guide future industry messages toward the public

Learning Styles of Farmers and Others Involved with the Maine Potato Industry

The article reports on the learning preferences of Maine Potato Industry representatives. Using the Gregorc Mind Styles™ approach to examine learning styles, we categorized potato farmers, university/government employees, allied industry personnel, and others involved in the potato industry into four learning styles: Concrete Sequential, Concrete Random, Abstract Sequential, and Abstract Random. The plurality of potato farmers were Concrete Sequential, while the plurality of university/government employees and allied industry personnel were Abstract Random. The difference in learning styles of the deliverers and the recipients of the information can result in poor communication and a less than optimum learning environment

Improving the Crystal Ball: Consumer Consensus and Retail Prediction Markets

Retail buyers\u27 forecasts, decisions, and subsequent purchases result in billions of dollars of merchandise being purchased and offered for sale by retailers around the world. However, academic research examining this decision process has been limited, and recommendations for improvement almost nonexistent. In the present study, we begin to address this issue by introducing a new approach that compares retail buyers\u27 consensus forecasts with those from a sample of “ordinary” consumers. The potential for incorporating forecasts from ordinary consumers suggests an opportunity to create what are termed retail prediction markets, which offer significant potential to improve the accuracy of buyers’ forecasts. We conclude with limitations and areas for future research