scholarly journals Design Competition for Development of a General Purpose Fissile Package

2003 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. K. Houghtaling ◽  
G. A. Abramczyk ◽  
D. S. Hoang ◽  
D. R. Leduc ◽  
R. N. Lutz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Effective Means ◽  
Evaluation Criteria ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Time Frame ◽  
General Purpose ◽  
Functional Requirements ◽  
Radioactive Materials ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Design Competition ◽  
Design Requirements

In general, the design process involves envisioning and developing concepts for a component or system, combining these fractions into an integrated whole and evaluating the final design against functional requirements. A major challenge is developing components or systems to a level of maturity that permits feasibility evaluation of the integrated whole while optimizing opposing performance functions (e.g., thick for strength, but thin for heat transfer). Economic pressure often drives design concepts to conservative bases early in the process. The approach presented in this paper is a highly cost-effective means of developing alternative design solutions for given set of design requirements — in this case a radioactive materials transportation package. In response to planned phase-out of the Department of Transportation 6M specification package, an internal competition was held at the Savannah River Site to develop design proposals for the 6M replacement. Two teams were provided with design requirements, design evaluation criteria, a limited budget and short time frame to develop proposals for a General Purpose Fissile Package (GPFP). Resulting GPFP designs, while quite different, met the performance requirements, were economical, operator friendly, light weight, certifiable, and able to accommodate a wide range of radioactive materials. The methodology of an in-house design competition proved to be a very cost effective way of advancing design alternatives from design requirements to practical design proposals. Estimated fabrication costs for each of the designs are significantly less than other packages currently available for the proposed service.

Development of a General Use Quarter-Vehicle Test Rig

2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Justin Langdon ◽  
Steve C. Southward
Keyword(s):  
Effective Means ◽  
Academic Research ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Functional Requirements ◽  
Test Rig ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Vehicle Test ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Improved Design ◽  
Vehicle Testing

This paper discusses the development of an improved design for a tire-coupled quarter-vehicle testing rig. The use of indoor-based simulation tools has become a mainstay in vehicle testing for the automotive and motorsports industries. Testing on a quarter-vehicle rig provides a cost effective means for making accurate and repeatable measurements that enables the user to perform a relatively large number of tests in a short amount of time. A review of current quarter-vehicle test platforms, both commercially available and in academic research labs, indicated that many desired functional requirements were not available. The goal of this effort was to develop a new quarter-vehicle rig with expanded capabilities that are not simultaneously present in the current state-of-the-art. The desired functional requirements are: accommodation of a wide range of actual vehicle suspension components including the tire and wheel, weight transfer due to braking and acceleration, aerodynamic forces, and vehicle roll. The test rig was constructed and tested using a Porsche 996 suspension. The suspension dynamics were characterized by fitting the parameters of a linear dynamic model to experimental response data from the rig. The design and performance of this new quarter-vehicle test rig is shown to be a cost effective solution for meeting the broad range of functional requirements.

A method for correcting acoustic finite-difference amplitudes for elastic effects

Geophysics ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 79 (4) ◽  
pp. T243-T255 ◽  
Author(s):  
James W. D. Hobro ◽  
Chris H. Chapman ◽  
Johan O. A. Robertsson
Keyword(s):  
Wave Equation ◽  
Finite Difference ◽  
Effective Means ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
P Wave ◽  
S Waves ◽  
Velocity Models ◽  
Acoustic Simulation ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Elastic Simulation

We present a new method for correcting the amplitudes of arrivals in an acoustic finite-difference simulation for elastic effects. In this method, we selectively compute an estimate of the error incurred when the acoustic wave equation is used to approximate the behavior of the elastic wave equation. This error estimate is used to generate an effective source field in a second acoustic simulation. The result of this second simulation is then applied as a correction to the original acoustic simulation. The overall cost is approximately twice that of an acoustic simulation but substantially less than the cost of an elastic simulation. Because both simulations are acoustic, no S-waves are generated, so dispersed converted waves are avoided. We tested the characteristics of the method on a simple synthetic model designed to simulate propagation through a strong acoustic impedance contrast representative of sedimentary geology. It corrected amplitudes to high accuracy for reflected arrivals over a wide range of incidence angles. We also evaluated results from simulations on more complex models that demonstrated that the method was applicable in realistic sedimentary models containing a wide range of seismic contrasts. However, its accuracy was reduced for wide-angle reflections from very high impedance contrasts such as a shallow top-salt interface. We examined the influence of modeling at coarse grid resolutions, in which converted S-waves in the equivalent elastic simulation are dispersed. These results provide some validation for the accuracy of the method when applied using finite-difference grids designed for acoustic modeling. The method appears to offer a cost-effective means of modeling elastic amplitudes for P-wave arrivals in a useful range of velocity models. It has several potential applications in imaging and inversion.

scholarly journals Development of an autonomous flow-proportional water sampler for the estimation of pollutant loads in urban runoff

2020 ◽  
Vol 192 (9) ◽  
Author(s):  
Péter Budai ◽  
Máté Krisztián Kardos ◽  
Marcell Knolmár ◽  
Gábor Szemán ◽  
József Turczel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Monitoring Program ◽  
Field Tests ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Urban Runoff ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
Sampling Efficiency ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Water Sampler ◽  
Design Requirements ◽  
Runoff Events

Abstract Implementation of an extensive urban runoff monitoring program, targeting the quantification of heavy metal and organic micropollutant loads, necessitated the development of an autonomous water sampler. The design requirements for the device were to fulfill flow-proportional continuous composite sampling of urban runoff events in a widely customizable, relatively inexpensive, and simple way. In this paper, we introduce the concept along with the experiences gained from the first several months of field tests at seven pilot areas in Hungary that represent a wide range of urban environments. During the test period, prototype samplers were placed in natural (urban) streams as well as stormwater drainage pipes, resulting in a total of 97 automatic composite runoff samples. At two sites, an additional 28 manual grab samples were collected to represent time series from five distinct runoff events. Sampling efficiency was checked by comparing collected volumes with the theoretical ones (derived from pump mileage data). Ranges and ratios of concentrations measured from composite and grab samples were graphically interpreted in order to evaluate their representativeness. It has been shown that the concept is suitable for conducting cost-effective urban runoff characterization surveys targeting inter-event variability.

Light Rail Lite or Cost-Effective Improvements to Bus Service?

2005 ◽  
Vol 1927 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel B. Hess ◽  
Brian D. Taylor ◽  
Allison C. Yoh
Keyword(s):  
High Speed ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Effective Means ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Light Rail ◽  
Rapid Transit ◽  
Service Characteristics ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Bus Service ◽  
The Cost

Bus rapid transit (BRT) is growing rapidly in popularity because it is viewed widely as an efficient and effective means to improve both transit service and patronage. This paper argues that two distinct views of BRT are emerging: ( a) BRT as a new form of high-speed, rubber-tired, rail-like rapid transit and ( b) BRT as a cost-effective way to upgrade both the quality and image of traditional fixed-route bus service. These two views carry different price tags because the cost of planning, constructing, and operating BRT depends on the complexity of new service features and on rises for BRT that offer service characteristics approaching those of light rail. This study fills a gap in the literature on the costs of BRT by examining in detail component costs–-actual costs for recently implemented services and projected costs for planned new services–-for a sample of BRT systems in North American cities. The study examined BRT costs of 14 planned and recently opened BRT systems to determine how the wide range of BRT service and technology configurations affect costs. The study found that although some of the most successful and popular new BRT systems are high-quality services operating in mixed traffic and implemented at relatively low cost, most BRT projects on the drawing boards are more elaborate, more expensive systems than many currently in service. Most new BRT projects emphasize elaborate LRT-type improvements to lines and stations in one or a few corridors rather than less splashy improvements (such as next-bus monitors, signal preemption, queue-jump lanes, and so forth) affecting more lines and modes in local transit networks. Among the 14 systems examined here, most could be characterized as light rail lite.

The Role of Ultrasound-Guided Therapeutic Paracentesis in an Outpatient Transitional Care Program: A Case Series

2018 ◽  
Vol 35 (9) ◽  
pp. 1256-1260 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey Wang ◽  
Shahida Khan ◽  
Paige Wyer ◽  
Jessica Vanderwilp ◽  
Justin Reynolds ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Transitional Care ◽  
Effective Means ◽  
Case Series ◽  
Care Program ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Refractory Ascites ◽  
Ultrasound Guided ◽  
Care Clinic ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Ed Visits

Background: Patients with ascites suffer from distressing symptoms and are at high risk for readmission after hospitalization. Timely paracentesis is an important palliative tool in managing this vulnerable population. At our institution, we have developed a multidisciplinary transitional care program for patients discharged from the hospital with a wide range of complex conditions including refractory ascites. Methods: We present a case series of 10 patients with symptomatic ascites who were enrolled in our transitional care program and treated with ultrasound-guided therapeutic paracentesis in our clinic. Patient medical records were retrospectively reviewed to collect procedure details, outcomes, and follow-up data on emergency department (ED) visits and readmissions. Cost data were obtained from the hospital financial system. Results: Over the span of 9 months (September 2016 to July 2017), 22 total therapeutic paracenteses were performed on 10 unique patients in the transitional care clinic. Median age of the patient cohort was 52.5 years (range: 27-71 years). All patients reported immediate relief of ascites-related discomfort following the procedure. We did not observe any major adverse effects due to the in-clinic procedure. Nine of the 10 patients did not have any ED visits or readmissions within 30 days of discharge. The cost of performing ultrasound-guided paracentesis in the transitional care clinic was US$546.77 compared to US$978.32 when performed in the hospital. Conclusion: Our experience suggests that outpatient paracentesis may be a safe, feasible, and cost-effective means of providing symptom management for patients with ascites during their transition from hospital to home.

Description of a Remote Still Photography System for Collection of Benthic Photo-Quadrats

2010 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
pp. 56-63 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kris I. Waddington ◽  
Ben W. Piek ◽  
Antony D. Payne ◽  
Simon L. Grove ◽  
Euan S. Harvey ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Anthropogenic Impacts ◽  
Benthic Communities ◽  
Effective Means ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Taxonomic Resolution ◽  
Benthic Assemblages ◽  
Differential Gps ◽  
Short Baseline ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Distribution And Ecology

AbstractQuantitative sampling of benthic communities is central to a wide range of ecological research, from understanding spatial distribution and ecology to impact studies. With the need to sample deep as well as shallow regions, limited sampling capabilities of diver-based methods and the expanding footprint of human activity, there is a need for an effective system capable of classifying benthic assemblages and able to monitor potential anthropogenic impacts. Here we describe a remote system capable of collecting benthic photo-quadrats to depths of 100 m. A procedure for the classification of these images into 64 abiotic and biotic categories is also described. During a 64-day sampling program that included sampling at seven locations along 1,200 km of coastline that resulted in the collection of over 9,000 images, only one day of sampling was lost due to equipment malfunction, with 99.5% of points able to be classified to the taxonomic resolution required, demonstrating the reliability and accuracy of this system. Furthermore, the incorporation of differential GPS and ultra-short baseline positioning system allowed collected images to be geo-referenced to within 0.5 m. Such precision allows the system to be used in conjunction with hydroacoustic habitat mapping techniques and potentially for repeated monitoring of areas with a small spatial extent. Development of this system provides a cost-effective means of quantifying benthic assemblages over broad scales.

scholarly journals Requirements of a network telescope

1988 ◽  
Vol 123 ◽  
pp. 541-544
Author(s):  
Ian Elliott
Keyword(s):  
Low Cost ◽  
Computer Control ◽  
Effective Means ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
General Purpose ◽  
Quality Data ◽  
Light Weight ◽  
Dome A ◽  
High Quality Data ◽  
Reasonable Cost

General purpose telescopes fail to provide a cost-effective means of obtaining photometric data for asteroseismology. A continuous observing run on a particular star is best suited to automatic operation with a dedicated photoelectric telescope. As optical requirements for on-axis photometry are less severe than those for imaging, low-cost light-weight mirrors permit a saving in the size and cost of mount and dome. A stiff mounting with a low moment of inertia permits rapid movement under computer control. Adoption of a permanently mounted photometer and the elimination of manual controls also leads to design and operating economies. Maintenance can be shared with other instruments and travel and subsistence requirements are minimised. Therefore remote operation of a network of automatic telescopes at good sites could provide high quality data at reasonable cost.

Evaluation of visual survey methods for monitoring Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) escapement in relation to conservation guidelines

2008 ◽  
Vol 65 (2) ◽  
pp. 212-226 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kendra R Holt ◽  
Sean P Cox
Keyword(s):  
Coho Salmon ◽  
Pacific Salmon ◽  
Survey Methods ◽  
Effective Means ◽  
Area Under The Curve ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Trend Detection ◽  
Conservation Units ◽  
Visual Survey ◽  
Wide Range

Canada’s Wild Salmon Policy requires that biological status of conservation units of Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.) be assessed regularly in relation to abundance-based benchmarks. Visual survey methods, in which periodic counts of spawning fish are made throughout a season, will likely be used for this purpose because they provide a cost-effective means of monitoring interannual trends in escapement. Trend detection performance for visual survey methods depends mainly upon consistency in (i) the ability of observers to detect fish and (ii) the annual timing of fish presence in the survey area. We developed a Monte Carlo simulation procedure to evaluate the ability of four visual survey methods (peak count, mean count, trapezoidal area-under-the-curve (AUC), and likelihood AUC) to detect 30% declines in coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) escapement over 10 years (i.e., the magnitude of trend that would warrant listing a coho population as threatened using the listing criteria of the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC)) given realistic levels of variability in these two factors. The mean count outperformed all other approaches across a wide range of scenarios about true population dynamics and survey designs, suggesting that a simple mean count method is suitable for monitoring coho escapements in relation to COSEWIC guidelines.

scholarly journals Clinical feasibility study of an immunotropic drug for treatment of complicated pyodermas

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 51-57
Author(s):  
Roman A. Khmel’nitskij ◽  
Аndrej V. Vislobokov
Keyword(s):  
Cost Effectiveness ◽  
Effective Means ◽  
Clinical Manifestations ◽  
Clinical Effectiveness ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Biologically Active ◽  
Cost Effectiveness Ratio ◽  
Transfer Factors ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Cost

Introduction: Given a wide range of pathogenesis of the inflammatory process in pyoderma, which involves a variety of links in the immune response, work is underway to find ways to optimize immunocorrection in this pathology. The aim of the study was to evaluate the clinical and economic effectiveness of immunocorrection in severe and chronic forms of pyoderma with drugs from different pharmacological groups. Materials and methods: The data sources were prospective randomized comparative studies of therapy of 107 pyoderma patients aged 18 to 60 years, divided into groups. The patients of the first group additionally used a biologically active additive containing immunoactive molecules and transfer factors (TF) as an immunomodulator; the patients of the second group used glucosaminylmuramildipeptide (GMDP). The clinical effectiveness of regression of inflammatory symptoms on day 10 of treatment was analyzed. Based on the obtained data, the following types of pharmacoeconomical analysis were performed: calculation of the course price, the cost/effectiveness ratio, and the availability coefficient. Results and discussion: The results of the study showed that the number of cured patients was 91.4% in the first group and 97.2% in the second group of patients. The treatment cost when using the drug is by 970 rubles smaller; the cost/effectiveness ratio (CER) per patient was 1.8 higher for a drug containing transfer factors and amounted to 25.9. The calculation of the availability coefficient (AC) revealed a difference in glucosaminylmuramyldipeptide which was 2.1 times smaller. Conclusion: It was found that a drug based on glucosaminylmuramildipeptide is a more effective and cost-effective means of immunocorrection in severe forms of pyoderma. This confirms a faster regression of clinical manifestations of the disease and lower cost/effectiveness ratio and availability coefficient.

scholarly journals Heterogeneous wireless IoT architecture for natural disaster monitorization

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Joaquim Porte ◽  
Alan Briones ◽  
Josep Maria Maso ◽  
Carlota Pares ◽  
Agustin Zaballos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sensor Network ◽  
Communication Networks ◽  
Emergency Services ◽  
Effective Means ◽  
Emergency Situation ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Humanitarian Assistance ◽  
Delay Tolerant Network ◽  
Humanitarian Organizations ◽  
Wide Range

Abstract A heterogeneous sensor network offers an extremely effective means of communicating with the international community, first responders, and humanitarian assistance agencies as long as affected populations have access to the Internet during disasters. When communication networks fail in an emergency situation, a challenge emerges when emergency services try to communicate with each other. In such situations, field data can be collected from nearby sensors deploying a wireless sensor network and a delay-tolerant network over the region to monitor. When data has to be sent to the operations center without any telecommunication infrastructure available, HF, satellite, and high-altitude platforms are the unique options, being HF with Near Vertical Incidence Skywave the most cost-effective and easy-to-install solution. Sensed data in disaster situations could serve a wide range of interests and needs (scientific, technical, and operational information for decision-makers). The proposed monitorization architecture addresses the communication with the public during emergencies using movable and deployable resource unit technologies for sensing, exchanging, and distributing information for humanitarian organizations. The challenge is to show how sensed data and information management contribute to a more effective and timely response to improve the quality of life of the affected populations. Our proposal was tested under real emergency conditions in Europe and Antarctica.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document