Ternary Isothermal Diffusion Coefficients of NaCl-MgCl2-H2O at 25 C. 7. Seawater Composition

The four diffusion coefficients D{sub ij} of the ternary system NaCl-MgCl{sub 2}-H{sub 2}O at the simplified seawater composition 0.48877 mol {center_dot} dm{sup -3} NaCl and 0.05110 mol {center_dot} dm{sup -3} MgCl{sub 2} have been remeasured at 25 C. The diffusion coefficients were obtained using both Gouy and Rayleigh interferometry with the highly precise Gosting diffusiometer. The results, which should be identical in principle, are essentially the same within or very close to their combined 'realistic' errors. This system has a cross-term D{sub 12} that is larger than the D{sub 22} main-term, where subscript 1 denotes NaCl and 2 denotes MgCl{sub 2}. The results are compared with earlier, less-precise measurements. Recommended values for this system are (D{sub 11}){sub V} = 1.432 x 10{sup -9} m{sup 2} {center_dot} sec{sup -1}, (D{sub 12}){sub V} = 0.750 x 10{sup -9} m{sup 2} {center_dot} sec{sup -1}, (D{sub 21}){sub V} = 0.0185 x 10{sup -9} m{sup 2} {center_dot} sec{sup -1}, and (D{sub 22}){sub V} = 0.728 x 10{sup -9} m{sup 2} {center_dot} sec{sup -1}

Neural Modeling and Control of Diesel Engine with Pollution Constraints

The paper describes a neural approach for modelling and control of a turbocharged Diesel engine. A neural model, whose structure is mainly based on some physical equations describing the engine behaviour, is built for the rotation speed and the exhaust gas opacity. The model is composed of three interconnected neural submodels, each of them constituting a nonlinear multi-input single-output error model. The structural identification and the parameter estimation from data gathered on a real engine are described. The neural direct model is then used to determine a neural controller of the engine, in a specialized training scheme minimising a multivariable criterion. Simulations show the effect of the pollution constraint weighting on a trajectory tracking of the engine speed. Neural networks, which are flexible and parsimonious nonlinear black-box models, with universal approximation capabilities, can accurately describe or control complex nonlinear systems, with little a priori theoretical knowledge. The presented work extends optimal neuro-control to the multivariable case and shows the flexibility of neural optimisers. Considering the preliminary results, it appears that neural networks can be used as embedded models for engine control, to satisfy the more and more restricting pollutant emission legislation. Particularly, they are able to model nonlinear dynamics and outperform during transients the control schemes based on static mappings.Comment: 15 page

Country Concepts and the Rational Actor Trap: Limitations to Strategic Management of International NGOs

Growing criticism of inefficient development aid demanded new planning instruments of donors, including international NGOs (INGOs). A reorientation from isolated project-planning towards holistic country concepts and the increasing rationality of a result-orientated planning process were seen as answer. However, whether these country concepts - newly introduced by major INGOs too - have increased the efficiency of development cooperation is open to question. Firstly, there have been counteracting external factors, like the globalization of the aid business, that demanded structural changes in the composition of INGO portfolios towards growing short-term humanitarian aid; this was hardly compatible with the requirements of medium-term country planning. Secondly, the underlying vision of rationality as a remedy for the major ills of development aid was in itself a fallacy. A major change in the methodology of planning, closely connected with a shift of emphasis in the approach to development cooperation, away from project planning and service delivery, towards supporting the socio-cultural and political environment of the recipient communities, demands a reorientation of aid management: The most urgent change needed is by donors, away from the blinkers of result-orientated planning towards participative organizational cultures of learning.Des critiques croissantes de l'aide au développement inefficace exigent de nouveaux instruments de planification des bailleurs de fonds, y compris les ONG internationales (ONGI). Une réorientation de la planification des projets isolés vers des concepts holistiques de la planification de l’aide par pays ainsi que la rationalité croissante d'un processus de planification orientée vers les résultats ont été considérés comme réponse. Toutefois, si ces concepts de pays - nouvellement introduites par les grandes OING eux aussi - ont augmenté l'efficacité de la coopération au développement est ouvert à la question. Tout d'abord, il y a eu l’impact des facteurs externes, comme la mondialisation de l'entreprise de l'aide, qui a exigé des changements structurels dans la composition des portefeuilles des OING vers la croissance de l'aide humanitaire à court terme. Cela était difficilement compatible avec les exigences de l'aménagement du territoire à moyen terme. Deuxièmement, la vision sous-jacente de la rationalité accrue de la planification, concentré sur les resultats, comme un remède pour les grands maux de l'aide au développement était en soi une erreur. Un changement majeur dans la méthodologie de la planification, étroitement liée à un changement d'orientation dans l'approche de la coopération au développement, qui n’est pas concentrer sur planification du projet et la prestation de services, mais qui soutienne l'environnement socio-culturel et politique des communautés bénéficiaires, exige une réorientation de la gestion de l’aide: Le changement le plus urgent est un changement par les donateurs eux-mêmes, qui devrait implanter des cultures de collaboration étroit avec les partenaires et la population locale