Metal System for Chemical Reactions and for Studying Properties of Gases and Liquids

An all-metal system, made of copper, is herein described. It is suitable for working with those chemicals which do not attack copper. In particular it has been found very useful in the purification of BF3 and B(CH3)3. Some important features of such a system are (1) a complete absence of contaminants; (2) reactions may be carried out up to 500°C; (3) pressures up to several hundred pounds per square inch may be used; (4) flow of gases from very low to very high pressures may be easily controlled; (5) the system is very rugged. This latter point is particularly desirable where noxious or inflammable gases (such as B(CH3)3) are used. A method is also described whereby gases from sealed-off containers under either high or low pressures may be easily retrieved without introducing impurities. Other important advantages of such a system are mentioned in the text

An investigation into the friction stir welding of aluminium pipe with stainless steel plate

In this project the feasibility of friction stir welding (FSW) of Aluminium alloy pipe with Stainless Steel plate is investigated. Aluminium alloy and Stainless Steel are widely used in aerospace, automotive, marine, defense, construction etc. due to their high strength, low weight, high machinability, good conductivity of heat and electricity etc. Friction stir welding is preferred for joining these materials as it is a solid state forge welding process and problems related with welding of Aluminium alloys and stainless steel can be subdued through this process. This welding process is a solid state welding procedure that uses a non-consumable rotating tool that is permitted to rub against the work piece hence generating frictional heat. When the weld constraints such as tool or work piece rotation speed, welding time, axial load are optimum the friction between the work piece and the tool generates enough heat to create a plastic deformation layer at the weld interface. The process doesn’t involve any melting process and whole process occurs in solid state through plastic deformation and mass flow among the work pieces. The experimental investigation of FSW is done by varying the friction stir welding parameters such as work piece rotation speed, welding time, feed (axial load).The work piece is rotated at the speeds 860 rpm, 1400 rpm and 2000 rpm. The experiment is done in a general purpose center lathe machine. To hold the work piece a fixture is designed. A tool(C-45 carbon steel) is also designed. The experiment is done using Aluminium alloy pipe of different diameters such as Aluminium pipes with diameters 18.5 mm, 25 mm and 32 mm. The experiment is conducted and the results are assessed

Development of a flood forecasting model for Flamingo Tropicana Watershed in the Las Vegas Valley

Floods are among the most frequent natural phenomenon that occur due to excessive precipitation. Accurate and current forecasting of floods is necessary to avoid social and economic losses. Forecasting floods in an event of intense rain allows the concerned agencies to adopt appropriate measures such as warnings and evacuations and to initiate corrective and remedial efforts before disaster strikes (Chapman and Canaan, 2001); Las Vegas has experienced rapid population growth since the 1990s. This has brought large-scale increase in impervious land surface due to the expansion of residential, commercial, and industrial area in the valley. The increase in impervious area produces more runoff volume and peak flows and consequently shortens the time that the floodwaters take to reach their peak (Hall, 1984). To effectively convey the runoff from the impervious land surface, the Clark County Regional Flood Control District (CCRFCD) has established regional flood control facilities. Most of the times, these facilities are adequate to protect human life and property. However, there still exist some areas of concern as recent rainfall events have caused flooding in part of the watershed thereby causing huge loss to properties and threat to lives; This research focused on developing a hydrologic model to be used in time of intense rainfall for real-time flood forecasting. The research was carried out in the Flamingo Tropicana watershed. The existing HEC-1 flood hydrograph model of the CCRFCD was utilized to develop the flood forecasting model using the HEC-HMS software developed by United States Army Corps of Engineers. The modeling was carried out using the real-time rainfall data available through the Flood Threat Recognition System (FTRS) of CCRFCD and the gridded radar rainfall data having different resolution. The simulated hydrographs using the different rainfall data were compared with the observed data at different places in the watershed. In overall the model predicted the time to peak very well. The analysis of the results indicated that the model can be used for real-time flood forecasting in the Flamingo Tropicana Watershed. The information provided by this research can be applied to develop an integrated flood forecasting model for the entire Las Vegas Valley

Detection of Knots in the Logs Using Finite Element Analysis

The detection of internal log defects has been shown to have a potential for increasing the lumber value. As an alternative to other available expensive log scanning devices, a method using radio frequency waves has been used to detect the knots. The main focus of the current research is to investigate the effectiveness of using radio frequency waves to detect the knots. Electrostatic finite element analysis is performed to predict the defects in logs. A script has been written using the commercial finite element ANSYS software to predict defects in log sections. The results are then compared with the experimental data measured on actual log sections. Analysis proved that it is possible to detect presence of knots in the log sections

Moral Philosophy and Ethical Decision Making in an Information Technology Dilemma

This study explores the fundamental philosophical differences found in the ethical decision making approaches of studentsenrolled in a Management Information Systems (MIS) course required at an accredited university in New England. Thedecision choices of the students were classified according to five widely accepted theories of ethics: (a) Axiological, (b)Deontological, (c) Perfectionist, (d) Utilitarian, and (e) Relativistic. Based on their major areas of study, students wereclassified into three categories: (1) Arts & Sciences majors, (2) Business majors, and (3) Information Technology majors.The analysis of 103 decisions confirms the existence of statistically significant differences among students in their ethicalapproaches to resolving an information technology dilemma based on their major areas of study. While the Arts & Sciencesmajors prefer Utilitarian ethics, Business majors prefer Axiological, and Information Technology majors favor Relativisticapproach. Some possible reasons behind these differences are discussed in the paper

Meeting the Challenge of Globalization with Information and Communications Technology at an Emerging Multinational Enterprise

Based on a survey and extended interviews with 78 domestic and international managers of a leading bank in India, this paper identifies some problems encountered with the utilization of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) by this enterprise in its global marketing strategy. A comparative analysis of the survey responses reveals recognizable differences among managers within and outside India concerning the problems and prospects of ICT as an instrument of global business strategy. Twenty problems that can diminish the influence of ICT in this strategy are identified and classified into four categories: Infrastructure, Regulation and Restrictions, Training and Culture, and Financial Constraints. The study finds that ICT has assisted the bank in maintaining its global competitiveness but the international managers of the bank do not agree that it has generated any competitive advantage. This paper contributes to the field by empirically exploring the prospects of ICT at an incipient global enterprise from an emerging economy

Special Issue on the AMCIS 2001 Workshops: Business Information Systems Modeling with Computer Assisted Systems Engineering (Case) Software

This paper describes and critiques a workshop in business information systems modeling with Computer Assisted Systems Engineering (CASE) tools held at the 2001 Americas Conference on Information Systems (AMCIS). The workshop demonstrated the effectiveness of Visible Analyst Workbench (VAW) as a systems modeling tool that generates comprehensive Process Models with multi-level Data Flow Diagrams, Data Models with Entity Relationship Diagrams, Structure Charts for automatic code generation, and Functional Decomposition Diagrams as system planning tools. A simulated teaching case with four structured exercises integrated the conceptual foundations of the Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC) with the practical difficulties of building complex business information systems models. The workshop also discussed how simulated teaching cases and CASE software could be used as pedagogical tools for foundational courses in systems analysis and design

Perceptions of MBA Students on Business Process Modeling as a Learning Tool: An Empirical Investigation

Based upon a survey of 95 MBA students in a Business Process Management (BPM) course at a university in New England, this study reports the perceptions of students concerning the efficacy of process modeling as a learning tool. Depending on their majors, students were classified as (a) Information Technology (IT) majors and (b) Business majors. The fifteen variables explored in the survey were classified into three categories: (a) Process Analysis issues, (b) Course related issues, and (c) Organizational issues. Statistically significant differences are found on the value of simulation exercises as perceived by MBA students on five dimensions: (1) Analyzing Business Process Performance, (2) Modeling Business Processes, (3) High-level Process Mapping, (4) Understanding BPM Concepts, and (5) Grasping Process Control Issues. Implications of these differences for designing graduate level BPM courses in colleges of business administration are discussed in the paper. Keyword