Time and motion study for alternative mixed low-level waste treatment systems

The time and motion study was developed to look at time-related aspects of the technologies and systems studied in the Integrated Thermal Treatment Systems (ITTS) and Integrated Nonthermal Treatment Systems (INTS) studies. The INTS and ITTS studies combined technologies into systems and subsystems for evaluation. The system approach provides DOE a method of measuring advantages and disadvantages of the many technologies currently being researched. For example, technologies which are more likely to create secondary waste or require extensive pretreatment handling may be less desirable than technologies which require less support from other processes. The time and motion study was designed to address the time element in the INTS and ITTS systems studies. Previous studies have focused on material balance, cost, technical effectiveness, regulatory issues, community acceptance, and operability. This study looks at system dynamics by estimating the treatment time required for a unit of waste, from receipt to certification for shipping. Labor estimates are also developed, based on the time required to do each task for each process. This focus on time highlights critical path processes and potential bottlenecks in the INTS and ITTS systems

Energy and environmental aspects of mobile communication systems

The reduction of the energy consumptions of a Telecommunication Power System represents one of the critical factors of the telecommunication technologies, both to allow a sizeable saving of economic resources and to realize "sustainable" development actions. The consumption of about one hundred base stations for mobile phones were monitored for a total of over one thousand days, in order to study the energy consumption in relation to the environmental, electric and logistics parameters of the stations themselves. It was possible to survey, then, the role of the mobile communication systems in the general national energy framework and to plot the best areas of intervention for saving energy and improving the environmental impact, showing the role played by air conditioning and transmission equipments. Finally, new transmission algorithms and the use of renewable energy based techniques have been tested.Comment: 9 pages, 6 figure

Integrated nonthermal treatment system study

This report presents the results of a study of nonthermal treatment technologies. The study consisted of a systematic assessment of five nonthermal treatment alternatives. The treatment alternatives consist of widely varying technologies for safely destroying the hazardous organic components, reducing the volume, and preparing for final disposal of the contact-handled mixed low-level waste (MLLW) currently stored in the US Department of Energy complex. The alternatives considered were innovative nonthermal treatments for organic liquids and sludges, process residue, soil and debris. Vacuum desorption or various washing approaches are considered for treatment of soil, residue and debris. Organic destruction methods include mediated electrochemical oxidation, catalytic wet oxidation, and acid digestion. Other methods studied included stabilization technologies and mercury separation of treatment residues. This study is a companion to the integrated thermal treatment study which examined 19 alternatives for thermal treatment of MLLW waste. The quantities and physical and chemical compositions of the input waste are based on the inventory database developed by the US Department of Energy. The Integrated Nonthermal Treatment Systems (INTS) systems were evaluated using the same waste input (2,927 pounds per hour) as the Integrated Thermal Treatment Systems (ITTS). 48 refs., 68 figs., 37 tabs

Notulae to the Italian alien vascular flora: 15

In this contribution, new data concerning the distribution of vascular flora alien to Italy are presented. It includes new records, confirmations, exclusions for Italy or for Italian administrative regions. Nomenclatural and distribution updates, published elsewhere, and corrections are provided as Suppl. material 1

Notulae to the Italian alien vascular flora: 7

In this contribution, new data concerning the distribution of vascular flora alien to Italy are presented. It includes new records, confirmations, and status changes for Italy or for Italian administrative regions of taxa in the genera Abies, Actinidia, Alooe, Amaryllis, Anredera, Arctotheca, Bidens, Cardiospermum, Celosia, Commelina, Cotoneaster, Cyclamen, Eclipta, Euphorbia, Grevillea, Hedera, Hibiscus, Impatiens, Juglans, Kalanchoe, Koelreuteria, Lindernia, Melinis, Myriophyllum, Nandina, Nicotiana, Oenothera, Oxalis, Parthenocissus, Phoenix, Phyllanthus, Physalis, Plumbago, Pteris, Quercus, Setaria, Symphytum, Tagetes, and Washingtonia. Nomenclatural and distribution updates, published elsewhere are provided as Suppl. material 1

Studies on the energy consumption savings versus the service quality in mobile telecommunications

In previous papers we pointed out how the "Power Saving" method can be usefully used to lower the energy consumption of a base transceiver station (BTS). It consists in switching off the redundant channels during low traffic periods that can occur during the day or week. However, this saving should be pursued with minimum or no losses in terms of the quality of the service provided to the final user; a parameter to trace is the number of lost calls for the lack of available channels. For example, the switching off of the unneeded channels should occur when the fluctuation of the number of calls and their lengths permit to foresee a quite long period of low demand. Moreover, the channel control algorithm should be adequately smart to address a coming high demand period, providing a fast activation of the needed channels. This is obtained with a control algorithm and with a fine tuning of its parameters. In this paper we test the control algorithm with Monte Carlo simulations. Then we check the algorithm for the best numerical and BTS parameters finding the range of savings that can be obtained for standard cases. Finally, we apply the code to the behaviour of a prototypal BTSs under a wide range of loads so it is possible to check the best parameters giving the maximum power saving while still safeguarding good communication levels. Data coming from a recent auditing of Italian BTSs (number of calls, calls length, maximum number of possible call and other BTS parameters) and from in situ measurements, are used as tuning parameters. We show that considerable savings in the power consumptions are possible, depending on the characteristics of the site, without loss of service quality

Climate and cultural heritage: The case study of “real sito di carditello”

A monitoring campaign performed on the Real Site of Carditello (found in the commune of San Tammaro, province of Caserta, Italy) was aimed to evaluate the parameters related to air quality and then to control and prevent the degradation risk. The analyses were carried out in the context of the project “Innovative methods and technologies for the conservation, valorisation and use of cultural heritage: environmental and archaeological analyses”, within the CULTURA CREA-MIBAC program, which aims to provide innovative methods for conservation and enhancement of cultural heritage through environmental and archaeometric analyses. Preliminarily, using field equipment, non-destructive investigations were carried out to identify constituent, restoration, and/or degradation materials belonging to the wall paintings on the main floor and to assess their conservation state under the current environmental conditions. Environmental monitoring was performed both outdoor (to assess the effects of atmospheric pollution and changes in the climate of the structure) and indoor the rooms of the site (to evaluate the conditions of conservation and fruition). The collected data are reported in a web platform, where one can check the real time monitoring data. The platform integrates both environmental data and information regarding the "health status" of site in order to provide a detailed analysis useful for its protection

Pre- and post-operam comparison of the energy consumption of a radio base station under energy efficiency actions

For some years now, one of the dominant issues in the telecommunications sector has been energy saving, as the continuous growth in the number of connected devices and data traffic inevitably leads to an increase in the electricity needs of the facilities involved. However, the attention is often towards the energy efficiency of products used by the end consumer and data centres, neglecting the telecommunications network that manages the entire system. Nonetheless, a smart approach toward energy behaviour of Base Tranceiver Station can give significant savings in power consumptions and environmental impact. Here we show how energy retrofit, that is the set of all operations, technologies and methodologies aimed at increasing the performance of a system that was previously inefficient, can bring to energy consumption reduction, management costs optimization, and noticeable diminution of the emissions and environmental impact of the facilities. Indeed, the present study shows the pre- and post-operam comparison of the energy monitoring of a radio base station subjected to energy efficiency actions. Energy savings for the new configuration has been monitored and analysed for some weeks in summer and early autumn. A net decrease of energy consumption was measured. Simulations for the new configuration with a thermal balance model of the shelter show energy savings over the entire year of about 20% compared to that of 2013. In addition, collected experimental data have been exploited in order to optimize the operating and shelter parameters. This suggests actions for further 5% savings in energy consumption

New Models for BTS Energy Savings Strategies

Here we present a new model to study energy saving strategies in the telecommunication apparatuses of Base Transceiver Stations (BTSs). Savings for the BTS transmission and air conditioning consumption have been estimated for BTS in different sites and different technology and typology. Monte Carlo simulations of a "power saving function" has been realized. Moreover the relation between energetic aspect, environmental impacts and radio-telecommunications power systems are considered. © 2010 IEEE