The Purchase by Railroads of Their Own Obligations

Recent studies from several authors show that it is possible to lower the fuel consumption for heavy trucks by utilizing information about the road topography ahead of the vehicle. The approach in these studies is receding horizon control where horizon length and residual cost are main topics. To approach these topics, fuel equivalents previously introduced based on physical intuition are given a mathematical interpretation in terms of Lagrange multipliers. Measures for the suboptimality, caused by the truncated horizon and the residual cost approximation, are defined and evaluated for different routes and parameters.Original Publication: Erik Hellström, Jan Åslund and Lars Nielsen, Horizon length and fuel equivalents for fuel-optimal look-ahead control, 2010, 6th IFAC Symposium Advances in Automatic Control. Copyright: INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF AUTOMATIC CONTROL IFAC.</p

Results of IEA SHC Task 45: Large Scale Solar Heating and Cooling Systems. Subtask A: “Collectors and Collector Loop”

AbstractThe IEA SHC Task 45 Large Scale Solar Heating and Cooling Systems, carried out between January 2011 and December 2014, had the main objective to assist in the development of a strong and sustainable market of large solar heating systems by focusing on high performance and reliability of systems. Within this project, subtask A had the more specific objectives of investigating ways to evaluate the influence that different operating conditions can have on the collector performance, assure proper and safe installation of large solar collector fields, and guarantee their performance and yearly energy output. The results of the different investigations are presented, with a particular focus on how different parameters such as tilt, flow rate and fluid type, can affect the collector efficiency. Other presented results include methods to guarantee and check the thermal performance of a solar collector field and guidelines to design collector fields in such a way that the flow distribution is improved and the risks related to stagnation are minimized

Optical properties of solar absorbers : results on Round Robin and guidelines

ABSTRACT: The scope of the standard ISO 22975-3:2014 is the determination of the long term behavior and service life of selective solar absorbers for use in vented flat plate collectors used in typical solar domestic hot water systems or combisystems. With this scope, this standard can be the basis for the certification of solar absorbers in the framework of Solar Keymark European Certification Scheme. Measurements of optical properties are fundamental to support this certification. Six test laboratories participated in a Round Robin test for the measurement of solar absorptance and thermal emittance of different absorber coatings. The samples used were one PVD coating and two selective paint coatings all on aluminum substrates. The results were submitted anonymously and were analyzed according to standard ISO 13528:2015. The results obtained showed good agreement among the measurements made by the participants and allowed the preparation of guidelines to guarantee quality of the measurements of optical properties of solar absorbers. A proposal to include absorber coatings in the Solar Keymark certification scheme was prepared.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Optimizing Ni-Fe-Ga alloys into Ni2_{2}FeGa for the hydrogenation of CO2_{2} into methanol

A screening study of the catalytic performance of ternary alloy nanoparticles containing nickel, iron and gallium supported on silica for methanol synthesis from CO$_{2}$ and H$_{2}$ was performed. Catalysts were prepared by incipient wetness impregnation and subsequently reduced in H$_{2}$ before catalytic testing. Ni$_{2}$FeGa showed the best performance of the tested catalysts in terms of methanol yield. An optimization of the preparation was done to improve activity and selectivity, reaching a performance close to that of commercially available Cu/ZnO/Al$_{2}$O$_{3}$/MgO at low reaction temperatures and pressure. Extensive in situ characterisation using environmental TEM, in situ XRD and in situ EXAFS of the formation of the Ni$_{2}$FeGa catalyst explains an optimal reduction temperature of 550 °C: warm enough that the three atomic species will form an alloy while cold enough to prevent the catalyst from sintering during the formation

Familial hypercholesterolaemia:a study protocol for identification and investigation of potential causes and markers of subclinical coronary artery disease in the Faroe Islands

INTRODUCTION: Familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) is the most common monogenic autosomal dominant genetic disorder and is associated with a high risk of premature atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. The prevalence of FH has been reported to be particularly high in certain founder populations. The population of the Faroe Islands is a founder population, but the prevalence of FH has never been investigated here. We aim to assess the prevalence of FH and to describe the genetic and clinical characteristics and potential causes of FH in the Faroe Islands. Furthermore, we aim to investigate whether indicators of subclinical coronary artery disease are associated with FH. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The prevalence of FH will be estimated based on an electronic nationwide laboratory database that includes all measurements of plasma lipid levels in the Faroe Islands since 2006. Subsequently, we will identify and invite subjects aged between 18 and 75 years registered with a plasma low-density lipoprotein cholesterol above 6.7 mmol/L for diagnostic evaluation. Eligible FH cases will be matched to controls on age and sex. We aim to include 120 FH cases and 120 controls. Detailed information will be collected using questionnaires and interviews, and a physical examination will be undertaken. An adipose tissue biopsy and blood samples for genetic testing, detailed lipid analyses and samples for storage in a biobank for future research will be collected. Furthermore, FH cases and controls will be invited to have a transthoracic echocardiography and a cardiac CT performed. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The project has been approved by the Ethical Committee and the Data Protection Agency of the Faroe Islands. The project is expected to provide important information, which will be published in international peer-reviewed journals