Bodies on stage between presence and absence

European theatre engages with the problems of our time with ever greater commitment and responsibility, crucial both on the existential and the social level. At the same time it is researching and experimenting with a language suited for the communicative and aesthetic horizon of our age. This essay, intended to inaugurate in this journal a series of critical studies of the theatre, analyses two works, highly successful internationally, emblematic both by their theme (the body, death, memory) on which they invite the spectators to reflect and the experimental technique through which they involve audiences. The performances analysed are "La Merda" by the Italian Cristian Ceresoli, interpreted by Silvia Gallarani and "Nachlass" by the Swiss-German Stephen Kaegi for the Berlin group Rimini Protokoll

Competition on fast track: an analysis of the first competitive market for HSR services

This paper gives an overview of the dual effects of the opening, in Italy, of the new HSR line with a single operator (between 2005-2012) and the effects of a new operator entering the HSR market (2012-onward), on supply, demand and prices, thus inferring the effects of competition in this typically monopolistic market. The analyses are based on source data (laws and regulations, business plans, timetables, prices) as well as ad hoc extensive surveys, such as on-board counts on the HSR and intercity trains, retrospect surveys, and RP/SP interviews. In addition, an integrated modeling system has been developed to forecast the effects of competing titnetables/services/prices in terms of different HSR operators, competing modes (air/auto/railways), services (1st class/2nd class, etc.) and newly generated trips

An elastic demand schedule-based multimodal assignment model for the simulation of high speed rail (HSR) systems

HSR represents the future of medium-haul intercity transport. In fact, a number of HSR projects are being developed all over the world despite the financial and economic crisis. Such large investments require reliable demand forecasting models to develop solid business plans aiming at optimizing the fares structure and the timetables (operational level) and, on the other hand, at exploring opportunities for new businesses in the long period (strategic level). In this paper we present a model system developed to forecast the national passenger demand for different macroeconomic, transport supply, and HSR market scenarios. The core of the model is based on the simulation of the competition between transportation modes (i.e. air, auto, rail), railways services (intercity vs. High Speed Rail) and HSR operators using an explicit representation of the timetables of all competing modes\services (schedule-based assignment). This requires, in turn, a diachronic network representation of the transport supply for scheduled services and a nested logit model of mode, service, operator, and run choice. To authors’ knowledge this represents the first case of elastic demand, schedule-based assignment model at national scale to forecast HSR demand. The overall modeling framework has been calibrated based on extensive traffic counts and mixed RP-SP interviews gathered between 2009 and 2011, on the Italian multimodal transportation system. The results of the models estimation are presented, and, some applications to test HSR service options (i.e. fares and timetable) of a new operator entering the HSR market and competing with the national incumbent are discussed

A bi-level programming approach for trip matrix estimation and traffic control problems with stochastic user equilibrium link flows

This paper deals with two mathematically similar problems in transport network analysis: trip matrix estimation and traffic signal optimisation on congested road networks. These two problems are formulated as bi-level programming problems with stochastic user equilibrium assignment as the second-level programming problem. We differentiate two types of solutions in the combined matrix estimation and stochastic user equilibrium assignment problem (or, the combined signal optimisation and stochastic user equilibrium assignment problem): one is the solution to the bi-level programming problem and the other the mutually consistent solution where the two sub-problems in the combined problem are solved simultaneously. In this paper, we shall concentrate on the bi-level programming approach although we shall also consider mutually consistent solutions so as to contrast the two types of solutions. The purpose of the paper is to present a solution algorithm for the two bi-level programming problems and to test the algorithm on several networks

Anatomie du sacré: la certification des reliques après le concile de Trente, entre procès et prière

Après que le concile de Trente a intimé aux évêques de vérifier l\u27authenticité des reliques de leur diocèse, comment cette injonction est-elle mise en oeuvre ? L\u27article y répond par l\u27exemple de la chancellerie de Milan, modèle à l\u27échelle de la catholicité. Un corpus composé de sources judiciaires et de gravures de dévotion permet de comprendre l\u27ambiguïté de cette procédure de vérification, entre examen critique et prière

Numerical Investigation of a Packed Bed Thermal Energy Storage System with Different Heat Transfer Fluids

Abstract This paper presents the results of a numerical investigation on the transient behaviour of a packed bed thermal storage unit using different fluids: oil, molten salt and air. The storage material consists of loosely spherical particles of alumina packed in a reservoir wherein the heat transport fluid flows from the top to the bottom in the charging phase, and in the opposite way in the discharging phase. The process of charge/discharge of the storage system gives rise to a typical temperature distribution along the flow direction defined "thermocline". The main objective of this work is to analyze the temperature distribution along the storage system and the formation of the thermocline for repetitive consecutive cycles, evaluating the progressive reduction of the stored energy in the solid material for every new cycle. The numerical investigation is based on a two-phase one-dimensional modified Schumann model, where thermodynamic properties of the fluid are temperature dependent

Thermocline vs. two-tank direct thermal storage system for concentrating solar power plants: A comparative techno-economic assessment

This paper concerns the ongoing studies on a Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) plant in operation in Ottana (Italy), comprising a 629 kW organic Rankine cycle (ORC) unit fed by a linear Fresnel solar field. Hexamethyldisiloxane (MM) and “Therminol SP-I” are used respectively as ORC working fluid and heat transfer fluid in the solar receivers. A two-tank direct Thermal Energy Storage (TES) system is currently integrated in the CSP plant, serving as a direct interface between solar field and ORC. With the view of improving the solar facility, two alternative TES configurations were proposed in this study: a one-tank packed-bed TES system using silica as solid storage media and another similar one including encapsulated phase-change material (molten salt). Comprehensive mathematical models were developed for simulating daily behaviour as well as for assessing yearly performance of the various TES technologies. Furthermore, a preliminary economic analysis was carried out. Results showed poorer response of the one-tank TES system to large fluctuations in the ORC inlet fluid temperature, leading to reduction in the mean ORC efficiency (18.2% as against 19.7% obtained with the two-tank TES). Conversely, higher energy storage density and lower thermal losses were obtained adopting the one-tank TES, resulting in about 5% more annual solar energy yield. Invariably, equivalent annual ORC energy production of 0.92 GWh/year was obtained for the three TES configurations. Additionally, adopting a one-tank TES system meant that the purchase costs of a second tank and its storage medium (thermal oil) could be saved, resulting in investment costs about 45% lower and, ultimately, levelized cost of storage about 48% lower than what obtains in the two-tank TES system

A Study of a Packed-bed Thermal Energy Storage Device: Test Rig, Experimental and Numerical Results☆

Abstract This paper presents the experimental set-up built at the DIMCM of Cagliari University to study a thermal energy storage (TES) system based on alumina beads freely poured into a carbon steel tank using air as heat transfer fluid. The system is instrumented with several thermocouples to detect axial and radial temperature distribution as well as reservoir wall temperature. Experimental temperature distribution along the storage system was compared with the numerical ones obtained by a two-phase one dimensional Schumann model. Numerical results show good agreement with the experimental results if thermal properties are considered as temperature dependent and the experimental temperature profile at the top of the bed is used for simulations

Comparison between experimental and numerical results of a packed-bed thermal energy storage system in continuous operation

Abstract This paper reports the comparison between the results obtained by experimental tests made on a thermal energy storage (TES) system of sensible heat type under continuous operation with numerical simulations performed with a CFD model. TES system consists of a packed bed of spherical particles of alumina and air used as heat transfer fluid. The study concerns the time-dependent behaviour of the temperature field inside the bed, highlighting the thermocline evolution and its deterioration after repeated charge/discharge cycles due to the thermal hysteresis with a consequent progressive reduction of the recoverable energy. It is demonstrated that this effect is reduced by loosening the temperature constraints set at the end of each phase, increasing the amount of recovered energy and reducing the number of cycles needed to obtain the steady state. The CFD model was carried out considering a two-dimensional axisymmetric computational domain with the porous bed coupled to the wall. The governing equations are solved for incompressible viscous turbulent flow and fully developed forced convection based on the two-phase transient model equation to calculate both fluid and solid temperatures. Satisfactory agreement between detailed experimental and numerical results is reached when inlet air temperature follows that measured during experimental tests during both charge/discharge phases. CFD model used is reliable for predicting the whole temperature field of the TES during continuous operation