Challenges and Opportunities for Solid Wastes (Invited)

2005 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashwani K. Gupta
Keyword(s):  
Power Systems ◽  
Energy Recovery ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
New Technology ◽  
Complex Nature ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Energy Potential ◽  
Elementary Reactions ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Kinetics And Dynamics

Incineration of plastic and other waste has provided energy recovery opportunities, together with associated challenges on the environmentally benign energy recovery. Most of the wastes have significant energy potential, the utilization of which can save millions of dollars on the national scale. However difficulties exist for their utilization in propulsion and power systems in an environmentally acceptable manner. It is anticipated that the amount of waste generated will continue to grow in the new millennium, along with associated changes in its composition. Incineration (thermal destruction) of wastes to the molecular level allows one to more cleanly convert into usable energy. The challenges provide opportunities for combustion engineers, whose research has expanded significantly in recent years, particularly in areas related to fossil fuels and wastes being used as fuels. The field of combustion is further diversified by the complex nature of most reaction processes. Fuel chemistry, fluid mechanics, convective and radiative heat transfer, gas-phase elementary reactions, turbulence, and particle kinetics and dynamics are relevant processes that often have a direct, and sometimes controlling influence, on the behavior of a particular combustion system. Sensors, diagnostics and miniaturization of the system continue to be of major importance for successful implementation of this new technology.

A Qualitative Examination of User Perceptions of User-Driven and App-Controlled Hearing Technologies

2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 993-1005 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gitte Keidser ◽  
Nicole Matthews ◽  
Elizabeth Convery
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Aids ◽  
Care Delivery ◽  
Hearing Aid ◽  
New Technology ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Semistructured Interview ◽  
User Perceptions ◽  
Template Analysis ◽  
Training And Support ◽  
And Training

Purpose The aim of this study was to examine how hearing aid candidates perceive user-driven and app-controlled hearing aids and the effect these concepts have on traditional hearing health care delivery. Method Eleven adults (3 women, 8 men), recruited among 60 participants who had completed a research study evaluating an app-controlled, self-fitting hearing aid for 12 weeks, participated in a semistructured interview. Participants were over 55 years of age and had varied experience with hearing aids and smartphones. A template analysis was applied to data. Results Five themes emerged from the interviews: (a) prerequisites to the successful implementation of user-driven and app-controlled technologies, (b) benefits and advantages of user-driven and app-controlled technologies, (c) barriers to the acceptance and use of user-driven and app-controlled technologies, (d) beliefs that age is a significant factor in how well people will adopt new technology, and (e) consequences that flow from the adoption of user-driven and app-controlled technologies. Specifically, suggested benefits of the technology included fostering empowerment and providing cheaper and more discrete options, while challenges included lack of technological self-efficacy among older adults. Training and support were emphasized as necessary for successful adaptation and were suggested to be a focus of audiologic services in the future. Conclusion User perceptions of user-driven and app-controlled hearing technologies challenge the audiologic profession to provide adequate support and training for use of the technology and manufacturers to make the technology more accessible to older people.

scholarly journals Energy Recovery Potential in Industrial and Municipal Wastewater Networks Using Micro-Hydropower in Spain

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 691
Author(s):  
Aida Mérida García ◽  
Juan Antonio Rodríguez Díaz ◽  
Jorge García Morillo ◽  
Aonghus McNabola
Keyword(s):  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Total Energy ◽  
Energy Recovery ◽  
Energy Production ◽  
Municipal Wastewater ◽  
Distribution Networks ◽  
Total Power ◽  
Energy Potential ◽  
Total Energy Consumption ◽  
Recovery Potential

The use of micro-hydropower (MHP) for energy recovery in water distribution networks is becoming increasingly widespread. The incorporation of this technology, which offers low-cost solutions, allows for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions linked to energy consumption. In this work, the MHP energy recovery potential in Spain from all available wastewater discharges, both municipal and private industrial, was assessed, based on discharge licenses. From a total of 16,778 licenses, less than 1% of the sites presented an MHP potential higher than 2 kW, with a total power potential between 3.31 and 3.54 MW. This total was distributed between industry, fish farms and municipal wastewater treatment plants following the proportion 51–54%, 14–13% and 35–33%, respectively. The total energy production estimated reached 29 GWh∙year−1, from which 80% corresponded to sites with power potential over 15 kW. Energy-related industries, not included in previous investigations, amounted to 45% of the total energy potential for Spain, a finding which could greatly influence MHP potential estimates across the world. The estimated energy production represented a potential CO2 emission savings of around 11 thousand tonnes, with a corresponding reduction between M€ 2.11 and M€ 4.24 in the total energy consumption in the country.

scholarly journals Feasibility, usability and acceptability of paediatric lung ultrasound among healthcare providers and caregivers for the diagnosis of childhood pneumonia in resource-constrained settings: a qualitative study

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. e042547
Author(s):  
Atif Riaz ◽  
Olga Cambaco ◽  
Laura Elizabeth Ellington ◽  
Jennifer L Lenahan ◽  
Khatia Munguambe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Lung Ultrasound ◽  
New Technology ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Ease Of Use ◽  
Local Context ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Pneumonia Diagnosis

ObjectivesPaediatric pneumonia burden and mortality are highest in low-income and middle-income countries (LMIC). Paediatric lung ultrasound (LUS) has emerged as a promising diagnostic tool for pneumonia in LMIC. Despite a growing evidence base for LUS use in paediatric pneumonia diagnosis, little is known about its potential for successful implementation in LMIC. Our objectives were to evaluate the feasibility, usability and acceptability of LUS in the diagnosis of paediatric pneumonia.DesignProspective qualitative study using semistructured interviewsSettingTwo referral hospitals in Mozambique and PakistanParticipantsA total of 21 healthcare providers (HCPs) and 20 caregivers were enrolled.ResultsHCPs highlighted themes of limited resource availability for the feasibility of LUS implementation, including perceived high cost of equipment, maintenance demands, time constraints and limited trained staff. HCPs emphasised the importance of policymaker support and caregiver acceptance for long-term success. HCP perspectives of usability highlighted ease of use and integration into existing workflow. HCPs and caregivers had positive attitudes towards LUS with few exceptions. Both HCPs and caregivers emphasised the potential for rapid, improved diagnosis of paediatric respiratory conditions using LUS.ConclusionsThis was the first study to evaluate HCP and caregiver perspectives of paediatric LUS through qualitative analysis. Critical components impacting feasibility, usability and acceptability of LUS for paediatric pneumonia diagnosis in LMIC were identified for initial deployment. Future research should explore LUS sustainability, with a particular focus on quality control, device maintenance and functionality and adoption of the new technology within the health system. This study highlights the need to engage both users and recipients of new technology early in order to adapt future interventions to the local context for successful implementation.Trial registration numberNCT03187067.

scholarly journals Challenges and opportunities of power systems from smart homes to super-grids

AMBIO ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 45 (S1) ◽  
pp. 50-62 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philipp Kuhn ◽  
Matthias Huber ◽  
Johannes Dorfner ◽  
Thomas Hamacher
Keyword(s):  
Power Systems ◽  
Smart Homes ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities

Understanding ‘Source’ and ‘Purpose’ in Processes of Democratic Change: Insights from the Philippines and Thailand

2013 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 145-175 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul D. Hutchcroft
Keyword(s):  
Effective Means ◽  
Historical Analysis ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Complex Nature ◽  
Social Forces ◽  
Democratic Change ◽  
The World ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Institutional Contexts ◽  
Formal Establishment

AbstractPrevious decades' celebrations of the triumph of democracy were frequently based on mainstream analyses that displayed two major theoretical problems. First, conceptualisations of democracy based on ‘minimal pre-conditions’ commonly conflated the formal establishment ofdemocratic structureswith the far more complex and historically challenging creation ofsubstantive democracy. Second, a deductive and generally ahistorical model asserting fixed stages of ‘democratic transition’ diverted attention from deeper and more substantive examination ofstruggles for power among social forces within specific historical contexts. By adhering to minimalist conceptions of democracy and simplistic models of democratic change, mainstream analysts quite often chose to overlook many underlying limitations and shortcomings of the democratic structures they were so keen to celebrate. Given more recent concerns over ‘authoritarian undertow’, those with the normative goal of deepening democracy must begin by deepening scholarly conceptualisations of the complex nature of democratic change. This analysis urges attention to the ‘source’ and ‘purpose’ of democracy. What were the goals of those who established democratic structures, and to what extent did these goals correspond to the ideals of democracy? In many cases throughout the world, ‘democracy’ has been used as a convenient and very effective means for both cloaking and legitimising a broad set of political, social, and economic inequalities. The need for deeper analysis is highlighted through attention to the historical character of democratic structures in the Philippines and Thailand, with particular attention to the sources and purposes of ‘democracy’ amid on-going struggles for power among social forces. In both countries, albeit coming forth from very different historical circumstances, democratic structures have been continually undermined by those with little commitment to the democratic ideal: oligarchic dominance in the Philippines, and military/bureaucratic/monarchic dominance in Thailand. Each country possesses its own set of challenges and opportunities for genuine democratic change, as those who seek to undermine elite hegemony and promote popular accountability operate in very different socio-economic and institutional contexts. Efforts to promote substantive democracy in each setting, therefore, must begin with careful historical analysis of the particular challenges that need to be addressed.

scholarly journals Embedding Formative Assessment in Blended Learning Environment: The Case of Secondary Chinese Language Teaching in Singapore

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 360
Author(s):  
Kwong Tung Chan
Keyword(s):  
Blended Learning ◽  
Formative Assessment ◽  
New Technology ◽  
Chinese Language ◽  
Language Assessment ◽  
Local Context ◽  
Assessment Literacy ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Lesson Delivery ◽  
Teaching Learning

The fast global spread of COVID-19 has resulted in the mass disruption of teaching, learning, as well as assessment, in mainstream schools in Singapore. Teachers were caught unprepared and this jeopardised the quality of classroom delivery and assessment. The Ministry of Education has since shifted to an online asynchronous mode of teaching whilst attempting to keep the face-to-face method of lesson delivery, to which it is called ‘blended learning’ (BL) in the local context. Besides being propelled to learn and use new technology tools for online lessons, teachers also need to quickly explore to embed formative assessment (FA) in the new BL environment to substitute traditional classroom assessment. In this context, I argue that teachers’ language assessment literacy (LAL), pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) and e-pedagogy are vital to the success of embedding FA in BL. Following, I also describe some tentative predictions for future challenges and opportunities of embedding FA in the BL environment of secondary Chinese Language (CL) teaching in Singapore. On this basis, I discuss the ways in which current conceptualisations of language assessment literacy will need to shift in response to these challenges. Finally, I make some recommendations for practice based on this argument.

scholarly journals The U.S. Role and Policy in Central Asia: Energy and Beyond

2012 ◽  
pp. 33-51
Author(s):  
AKM Iftekharul Islam
Keyword(s):  
National Security ◽  
Central Asia ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
The United States ◽  
Global Strategy ◽  
Energy Resources ◽  
Energy Potential ◽  
Alternative Source ◽  
The Arts ◽  
The U.S

A significant geopolitical consequence of the demise of the Soviet Union1 in the international arena is the rise of intense political and commercial competition for control of the vast energy resources of the newly independent and vulnerable states of the Caucasus and Central Asia. These energy resources and, in particular, the oil and natural gas deposits have now become the apple of discord in Central Asia introducing a new chapter in the Great Game of control over Eurasia (Hill 1997: 200). The region has great energy potential and is strategically important. The United States has varied and at times competing interests in Central Asia. In the past few years, real and present dangers to the U.S. national security especially Islamist terrorism and threats to the energy supply, have affected the U.S. policy in Central Asia. The region, which includes the five post-Soviet states of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, as well as Afghanistan and the Caspian basin, plays an important part in the U.S. global strategy in view of its proximity to Russia, China, India, Pakistan, Iran, and other key regional actors. No less important are its ethno-religious composition and vast deposits of oil, gas, coal, and uranium. Literally, the U.S. interests in Central Asia can be summarized in three simple words: security, energy, and democracy. Moreover, a key U.S. national security concern is the diversification of energy sources and the Caspian region is a significant alternative source of fossil fuels. In this article a critical analysis will be attempted on the U.S. policy and role in central Asia. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/afj.v4i0.12931 The Arts Faculty Journal Vol.4 July 2010-June 2011 pp.33-51

scholarly journals THE USE OF HYBRID VEHICLES AS A PROPOSAL FOR REDUCING CO2 EMISSIONS AND ITS CONTRIBUTION TO REDUCING GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS

2009 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 07
Author(s):  
C. A. R. De Carvalho ◽  
W. Q. Lamas
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Climate Changes ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
New Technology ◽  
Hybrid Vehicles ◽  
Pollutant Emissions ◽  
Gas Emissions ◽  
Global Concern

The problems related to energy consumption and pollutant emissions for thetransport sector represent a major global concern regarding climate changes caused by greenhouse gases, directly related to the increased level of gas emissions from fossil fuels , the main one being carbon dioxide. One way tominimize this problem is through the introduction of new technologies. Hybrid cars are one of the new technology options that has the main advantage of reducing fuel consumption and therefore reducing the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere. This paper gives an introduction to hybrid vehicles, with the aim of presenting their main advantages and evaluate their impact on emissions of CO2 in the Brazilian fleet, compared to conventional vehicles.

scholarly journals Energy Sustainability Study of a Rural ICT Telecenter at the Bario Highland

2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Omar Abdullah ◽  
Voon Chun Yung ◽  
Audra Anak Jom ◽  
Alvin Yeo Wee ◽  
Martin Anyi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Power Systems ◽  
Alternative Energy ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Energy Resources ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Combined System ◽  
Pv System ◽  
Simple Method

The eBario project has won the eAsia Award and the Mondialogo Engineering Award in 2004 and 2005 respectively for it’s successful implementation of an Information and Telecommunications Technology Center (ICT) and solar renewable energy-incentive rural community project at the Bario Highland of Sarawak, East Malaysia, Borneo (http://www.unimas.my/ebario/). Although solar photovoltaic (PV) energy has been opted for power generation at the ICT Telecenter for the past five years, there is still a need to investigate the cost-effectiveness of the current energy setup as well as to conduct sustainability study taking into account factors such as system efficiency, weather, costs of fuel, operating costs, as well as to explore the feasibility of implementing alternative energy resources for the rural ICT Telecenter. Recent theoretical study conducted has shown that renewable combined power systems are more sustainable in terms of supplying electricity to the ICT Telecenter, and in a more cost-effective way compared to a standalone PV system which is subject to the cloud and the recent dense haze problems. For that purpose, two combined power systems are being put into consideration namely PV-Hydro and PV-Hydro-Fuel Cell, where the total simulated annualized cost for these two system configurations are US$10,847 and US$76,010 respectively as far as the present location is concerned. The PVHydro-Fuel Cell produces electrical energy at the amount of 3,577 kWh/yr while the annual energy consumption is 3,203 kWhr/yr. On the other hand, PV-Hydro produces 3,789 kWhr/yr of electricity annually load which consumes energy at 3,209 kWhr/yr. Results thus obtained has shown that the PVHydro scheme is expected to have advantages over the existing PV standalone system. Firstly, it is more cost-effective. Secondly, it provides the best outcomes for the local indigenous community and the natural highland environments both for now and the future. Thirdly, it also able to relate the continuity of both economic and social aspects of the local society as a whole. As the combined PV-Hydro system had been chosen, plus for completeness purposes, the present paper also discussed the custom design and construction of a small waterwheel breast-shot hydro-generator, suited to the local location and existing water energy resources. Energy saving design calculations and Sankey diagram showing the energy flows for the new combined system are also given herein. Finally, the energy system performance equations and the performance curves introduced in this study provide a new simple method of evaluating renewable energy systems.

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