Digitalization and the Anthropocene

Great claims have been made about the benefits of dematerialization in a digital service economy. However, digitalization has historically increased environmental impacts at local and planetary scales, affecting labor markets, resource use, governance, and power relationships. Here we study the past, present, and future of digitalization through the lens of three interdependent elements of the Anthropocene: (a) planetary boundaries and stability, (b) equity within and between countries, and (c) human agency and governance, mediated via (i) increasing resource efficiency, (ii) accelerating consumption and scale effects, (iii) expanding political and economic control, and (iv) deteriorating social cohesion. While direct environmental impacts matter, the indirect and systemic effects of digitalization are more profoundly reshaping the relationship between humans, technosphere and planet. We develop three scenarios: planetary instability, green but inhumane, and deliberate for the good. We conclude with identifying leverage points that shift human–digital–Earth interactions toward sustainability

Exergetic Performance of a Low Bypass Turbofan Engine at Takeoff Condition

In this article, exergetic methodology is applied for a low bypass turbofan engine at maximum power setting. The engine is a low-bypass (0.96–1) turbofan engine and its variants fitted to the 737-100/200 all comprise six low-pressure compressor (LPC) stages, seven high-pressure compressor (HPC) stages, a single HP turbine (HPT), and finally three LPT stages. At the end of the analysis, the most irreversible units in the system are found to be the combustor and the fan/LPC, with exergy loss rates of 18.7 and 2.486 MW, respectively. The exergy efficiencies of the fan/LPC, the HPC, and combustor are 0.856, 0.845, and 0.744, respectively. For the HPT and LPT, the exergy efficiencies are calculated to be 0.98 and 0.963, respectively. © Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2014