Pool-based electricity market model for Malaysia electricity supply industry considering minimum generation capacity payment

Malaysia is improving its electricity supply industry to become more transparent, productive and competitive with the introduction of the single buyer market model. However, since the electricity demand is lower than the reserved capacity, the implementation of this market model does not provide transparent competition as Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) has suffered massive profit erosion because of monthly capacity payment that should be paid to Independent Power Producers (IPP) regardless of electricity usage. Since 2005, the Malaysia Electricity Supply Industry (MESI) has planned to change to the pool market model as it is recognized as a model which could overcome the shortcomings of the single buyer market model. However, there are a few issues on introducing the pool model such as price fluctuation and market power exercises which could influence the welfare of generators as well as the consumers. Some researchers have developed pool-based market models with the aim to overcome the aforementioned issues, but the efficiency and the energy price offered from the generators are not considered. Therefore, this research developed a model introducing the minimum generation capacity payment involving the efficiency of the generators and base load sharing approaches. The proposed model was tested using the 2, 16 and 24 generator test systems involving IPPs and Tenaga Nasional Berhad Generation (TNBG) around Peninsular Malaysia for an economic analysis to highlight the merits of the proposed model in terms of generation revenue and demand payment. The results have shown that the proposed market model ensures the intermediate value of total generation revenue which decreased from 1.99% to 4.67% and 3% to 9.62% during the weekday and weekend, respectively. The demand payment decreased as it is proportional to the generation revenue. However, this proposed model did not consider market uncertainties. This findings can be applied for MESI and globally, in assisting and creating a new policy to achieve a better electricity market model

Competency-driven benefits realization model for minimization of post-contract transaction costs in design-build (d&b) delivery systems

The construction industry has been struggling with the issue of inconsistent performance with respect to cost of projects, completion time and the delivery of a quality product. In an attempt to address this issue the Design-Build (D&B) project delivery system was initiated primarily to overcome the shortcomings of the traditional procurement strategies. Although, traditionally D&B delivery system was aimed to greatly enhance client‘s benefits, this has not significantly been achieved. It lacks clear benefits realization management process to deliver the planned client‘s benefits. In particular, the Transaction Costs (TCs) incurred at the post-contract phase (PTCs) through D&B system has been the subject of criticism, wherein it has been unable to achieve the expected resounding success of a total shift away from the issues attributed to the traditional systems. This research aims to establish the importance of leveraging on D&B project team-competency and commitment structured within a strategic Benefits Realization Management framework to optimize client‘s benefits in terms of minimizing PTCs. The focus is on the aspect of competencies of key project participants and their project team commitment with respect to minimizing TCs that is structured within a Benefits Realization Management (BRM) practice. Questionnaire survey data was obtained from 231 respondents out of 357 administered questionnaires to G7 contractors registered under CIDB Malaysia that was based on a systematic sampling of the existing CIDB contractor database. The partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) technique was used to test the relationships being hypothesized and to validate and confirm the developed Competency Driven Benefits Realization Model (CD-BREM). Exploratory preliminary research findings reveal that post-contract TCs for D&B projects range from 3.5% to 13.5% of the project value. The primary research findings reveal that D&B team commitment has partial mediating effect between team competency and post-contract TCs. Whilst, BRM was found to have a partial mediating effect between team competency and post-contract TCs and no moderating effect as initially hypothesized. In general the research findings indicate that team competency, commitment and BRM have significant positive influences on post-contract TCs. This research provides a multi-dimensional perspective of the D&B project benefits realization concept and has the potential to address the issue of minimizing PTCs, which is seen as a social waste of wealth. Using CD-BREM it is possible to identify key human factors that can contribute to high project performance that also serves as an enabling mechanism for realizing the full potential of the D&B method for delivering successful projects. This research is timely to help reverse the trend of poor performance within the construction industry as a whole. Further work on the implementation of this CD-BREM model on construction projects and the consideration of including additional independent variables in the research theoretical framework can be explored to strengthen the credibility of the outcome of this research which is aimed at minimizing PTCs

Knowledge management in Malaysian nuclear agency: The first 40 years

This paper gives an overview of nuclear knowledge management practices in Malaysian Nuclear Agency (Nuclear Malaysia) in the first 40 years of its operation. Nuclear Malaysia is established in 1972 and its main responsibility is to promote the application of nuclear technology in various socio-economic sectors including industry, medical, agriculture, manufacturing, health, radiation safety and the environment.Nuclear Malaysia’s core competency is R & D in nuclear science and technology.The explanation emphasizes on the activities and challenges in implementing NKM at the Nuclear Malaysia and in particular; nuclear knowledge management practices, the needs for Nuclear Malaysia to strengthen his KM activities and the evolvement and development of KM to enhance the ability of the organization

Evolution engine technology in exhaust gas recirculation for heavy-duty diesel engine

In this present year, engineers have been researching and inventing to get the optimum of less emission in every vehicle for a better environmental friendly. Diesel engines are known reusing of the exhaust gas in order to reduce the exhaust emissions such as NOx that contribute high factors in the pollution. In this paper, we have conducted a study that EGR instalment in the vehicle can be good as it helps to prevent highly amount of toxic gas formation, which NOx level can be lowered. But applying the EGR it can lead to more cooling and more space which will affect in terms of the costing. Throughout the research, fuelling in the engine affects the EGR producing less emission. Other than that, it contributes to the less of performance efficiency when vehicle load is less

Hazard identification, risk assessment and risk control: a study at construction site

Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) is an Act to make further provisions for securing the safety, health and welfare of persons at work, for protecting others against risks to safety or health in connection with the activities of persons at work, to establish the National Council for Occupational Safety and Health, and for matters connected therewith. This study focuses on infrastructure construction in Pagoh Education Hub. In present days, despite of knowledge in OSHA act, workers often proceed the work without considering any safety precaution or act at workplace as stated in OSHA Act. Due to ignorance of workers and employee on OSHA Act, workers are exposed to danger and hazard at their workplace causing them minor or worst fatal injury. The data collection was carried out through site investigation using Preliminary Hazard Analysis (PHA), HIRARC form and interview session with several workers in the constructio. The main objective of this study is to support the idea to coordinate and redefined the practice of occupational safety and health as workers discipline at their workplace based on existing potential hazard. This study was conducted to identify the hazard that occur at the workplace and analyse the safety precaution taken by the workers and employer to avoid accidents. As a result, this study listed several suggestions to improve the practice of occupational safety and health among workers in the workplace

The generation revenue and demand payment assessment for pool based market model in Malaysia electricity supply industry

The objective of this paper is to address the economic benefits in term of generation revenue and demand payment for the pool based market model in Malaysia electricity supply industry (MESI). In pool market model, there are issues on the benefit of the generators such as too high system marginal price (SMP) during peak demand and no revenue during low demand. Therefore, conceptual study for two bus test system in MESI involving four generators around Peninsular Malaysia is conducted to perform the economic analysis in term of generation revenue and demand assessment considering existing single buyer model and pool based market model, i.e., pool model, spot market model and the proposed model, in order to identify which market model is superior. As a result, the proposed model managed to decrease the demand payment as it is proportional to generation revenue, even though the generation revenue is at intermediate value and succeed to increase the low and medium generator’s revenue

Modern biomass-based transportation fuels from pyrolysis process, bio-ethanol, bio-methanol and bio-diesel

In this paper, the modern biomass-based transportation fuels such as fuels from Pyrolysis process, bio-ethanol, bio-methanol, and bio-diesel are briefly reviewed. Here, the term bio-fuel and non-organic fuel is referred to as liquid or gaseous fuels for the transport sector that are predominantly produced from biomass. There are several reasons for bio-fuels and non-organic fuel to be considered as relevant technologies by both developing and industrialized countries. They include energy security reasons, environmental concerns, foreign exchange savings, and socioeconomic issues related to the rural sector. The term modern biomass is generally used to describe the traditional biomass use through the efficient and clean combustion technologies and sustained supply of biomass resources, environmentally sound and competitive fuels, heat and electricity using modern conversion technologies. Modern bio-mass can be used for the generation of electricity and heat. Bio-ethanol, bio-methanol and bio-diesel as well as diesel produced from biomass by Pyrolysis process are the most modern biomass-based transportation fuels. Bio-ethanol is a petrol additive/substitute

Occupational safety and health practice: a study at Infrastructure construction work

Safety is the state of being “safe”, the condition of being protected against physical, social, spiritual, financial, political, emotional, occupational, psychological, educational or other types of consequences of failure, damage, error, accidents, harm or any other event which could be considered non-desirable. Health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. In that case, Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) is an act that ensure the well-being of workers in a broad scope of many specialized fields. This study is focused on the construction of a police headquarters located in Seriab, Perlis. A big number of construction companies in Malaysia might not perform safety practice for their workers, lack of safety appliances, and did not perform a regular safety check-up on their workers as the reason was they want to earn more profits and they took the safety measures of their foreign workers for granted. Note that most of construction workers in Malaysia are immigrants. The data collection was carried out through site investigation using Preliminary Hazard analysis (PHA), HIRARC form and interview session with a worker in the construction site. The objective of this study is to spread the awareness of the importance of safety among workers in the construction site based on the existing potential hazards. This report was initially to identify the hazard on the construction site and to analyse the occupational safety and health factor in the workplace. The results are to analyse and suggest recommendations for improving occupational safety and health act in the construction site. Practicing a good safety measures in the workplace will ensure the well-being of workers

Improvement of the operation and safety of nuclear power plants

This study investigated the importance of heating processes within a nuclear power plant. The application of Fourier’s law of heat conduction enables determining temperature distributions within the nuclear fuel rods. In contrast, convective cooling occurs on the road surface. The coolant, cladding, and fuel temperature distributions through a reactor are determined. In addition to heat transfer in the reactor core, some power plants engage heat exchangers to produce steam that is fed to a turbine-generator to produce electricity. Thermal power plants reject condenser heat to the environment through mechanisms such as cooling towers as according to a consequence of the second law of thermodynamics. These investigations provide a possible modeling approach and load the following control strategies for problematic nuclear power plants to provide an assessment of the concept designs. A load frequency control strategy and average temperature control mechanism are studied to get load following nuclear power plants. This study reports on the development and analysis of some novel versions and approximations of the fractional-order (FO) point reactor kinetics model for a nuclear reactor with slab geometry. These models evolve from the FO point reactor kinetics model, which has been derived from the FO Neutron Telegraph Equation for the neutron transport considering the subdiffusive neutron transport. This study also proposes a water level control system for a nuclear steam generator (SG). The control system consists of a feedback controller and a feedforward controller. The feedback controller comprised in the first order, the feedforward controller is of second order, and parameters of the two controllers are linked with the parameters of plant model; thus scheduling is easily implemented in practice. A model was developed for the thermal analysis of closed feedwater heaters in which wet steam is extracted from the steam turbine (and piped into the heater). Application of this model is of relevance to nuclear power plant diagnostics where the fluid flowing through the steam turbine is wet steam

Research on mixture motion and combustion chamber of internal combustion engine

This review paper focuses on the mixture motion into combustion chamber of internal combustion engine. The shape and orientation of the intake port is an important aspect as it defines how the air or fuel/air is delivered to the cylinder and therefore the motion of the fuel/air in the cylinder. Fluid motion into and within the cylinder is known as charge motion and is important due to the influencing turbulence in the cylinder which generally results in faster combustion, which increases combustion efficiency, reduces fuel consumption, reduces knock and pre-ignition in spark ignition engines. The velocity at which the charge enters the cylinder, directing fuel/air towards the spark plug or fuel injector for ignition, the transfer of heat which influences evaporation of the fuel, improving mixing of the fuel/air mixture, and can increase volumetric efficiency, although at the expense of turbulence A main combustion chamber that permits efficient combustion throughout the entire rotational speed range comprising a straight groove extending diametrically from an edge portion of the top surface of a piston and a pair of grooves branching right and left from the straight groove in such a curved manner as to return toward the edge of the surface