Fuel flexibility of solid oxide fuel cells

One of the major advantages of SOFCs is their high fuel flexibility. Next to natural gas and hydrogen, which are today\u27s most common fuels for SOFC-systems and cell-/stack-testing respectively, various other fuels are applicable as well. In the literature, a number of promising results show that available fuels as propane, butane, ammonia, gasoline, diesel etc. can be applied. Here, the performance of an anode supported cell operated in specialized single cell test benches with different gaseous and liquid fuels and reformates thereof is presented. Fuels as ammonia, dissolved urea (AddBlue(TM)), methane/steam and ethanol/water mixtures can directly be fed to the cell, whereas propane and diesel require external reforming. It is shown that in case of a stable fuel supply the cell performance with such fuels is similar to that of appropriate mixtures of H-2, N-2, CO, CO2, and steam, if the impact of endothermic reforming or decomposition reactions is considered. Even though a stable fuel cell operation with such fuels is possible in a single cell test bench, it should be pointed out that an appropriate fuel processing will be mandatory on the system level

Report from GI-Dagstuhl Seminar 16394: Software Performance Engineering in the DevOps World

This report documents the program and the outcomes of GI-Dagstuhl Seminar 16394 "Software Performance Engineering in the DevOps World". The seminar addressed the problem of performance-aware DevOps. Both, DevOps and performance engineering have been growing trends over the past one to two years, in no small part due to the rise in importance of identifying performance anomalies in the operations (Ops) of cloud and big data systems and feeding these back to the development (Dev). However, so far, the research community has treated software engineering, performance engineering, and cloud computing mostly as individual research areas. We aimed to identify cross-community collaboration, and to set the path for long-lasting collaborations towards performance-aware DevOps. The main goal of the seminar was to bring together young researchers (PhD students in a later stage of their PhD, as well as PostDocs or Junior Professors) in the areas of (i) software engineering, (ii) performance engineering, and (iii) cloud computing and big data to present their current research projects, to exchange experience and expertise, to discuss research challenges, and to develop ideas for future collaborations

Development of nanowire devices with quantum functionalities

Silicon has dominated the microelectronics industry for the last 50 years. With its zero nuclear spin isotope (28Si) and low spin orbit coupling, it is believed that silicon can become an excellent host material for an entirely new generation of devices that operate under the laws of quantum mechanics [1}. Semiconductor nanowires however, offer huge potential as the next building blocks of nano-devices due to their one-dimensional structure and properties [2]. We describe a fabrication process to prepare doped vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) grown silicon nanowire samples in a 2- and 4-terminal measurement setup for electrical characterisation.Comment: 2 pages Optoelectronic and Microelectronic Materials & Devices (COMMAD), 2014 Conferenc

Lowness and Π nullsets

We prove that there exists a noncomputable c.e. real which is low for weak 2-randomness, a definition of randomness due to Kurtz, and that all reals which are low for weak 2-randomness are low for Martin-Lof randomness

Measurement of heat flux in multi-layer insulated helium cryostats after loss of insulating vacuum

The dimensioning of pressure relief devices (PRD) for cryogenic pressure equipment requires knowledge on the heat input at the maximum credible incident. In helium cryostats, this situation is typically defined by the loss of insulating vacuum (LIV), where the heat load is induced by desublimation and condensation of atmospheric air on the cryogenic surface. This surface is often covered with multi-layer insulation (MLI) in order to reduce the thermal radiation heat load in standard operation. During loss of insulating vacuum, the MLI represents a diffusive barrier for the air to reach the cryogenic surface, reducing the heat flux as well. Experimental reference data for the heat flux in case of LIV exist mainly for blank surfaces; only few data are published for MLI-covered helium surfaces. Therefore, the effect has been investigated in the cryogenic safety test facility PICARD at KIT. This paper presents the results of venting experiments carried out with different numbers of layers and different types of MLI

Theorising creative industry management: rebooting the woolly mammoth

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to highlight the paradox inherent in the term “Creative Industry Management”. The challenges of applying creative industry experiences within a managerial context are explored through a careful selection of papers that identify linkages between creative industry practice and management theories. Design/methodology/approach – The paper is a narrative commentary using the Jurassic Park franchise to highlight the potential application of management theory to explain the success or failure of a creative venture. The analogy of filmmaking and the creation of blockbuster movie sequels is useful in determining the tensions between creative production and management of a profitable franchise. Findings – This paper identifies opportunities for theory building at the meso level in the management domain, born of the experiences of those in the creative industries. The papers presented add to the continuing discovery of ways of applying management theory in the creative industries. However, there remain opportunities for a cross-pollination of theory from the creative industry to management domains. Research limitations/implications – It is not possible to claim more than observation and exploratory inference from the selection of papers presented. The special issue has only uncovered one half of the theoretical perspective, namely management theory that can be applied in the creative industries. Originality/value – The approach taken to liken the challenge of managing creativity to the production of creative works in moviemaking is novel and highlights the dearth of creative industry experiences that currently influence management theory