bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Full Span Precast and Launching Construction in Taiwan’s High Speed Rail Project
Authors: Tai James C. , Jang Dennis , Gaffney Heather , Flint John
Published: November 2010

Taiwan’s North to South High Speed Rail project, with total cost of US$15 Billion and design speed of 350km/hour, includes 251km of elevated bridge structure within its total length of 345km. Among the bridge structures, 73% utilize full span precast and launching concrete construction techniques to achieve speedy, shortened construction periods and better quality control. It adopted the design-build delivery method to achieve single responsibility for construction in this private participated Build and Operate then Transfer to government program. The paper will briefly explain full span precast box girder of 30 to 35 meter weighing 750 to 840 ton and launching construction with several different types of launching equipment, precasting of the box girder process, storage yard quality control and launching techniques. The plant produced a 2 day cycle for each girder and reached 48 girders per month and a placement rate of 0.7 day per span installed. The design-build methods of assuring design quality and the independent checking process will be discussed. Taiwan High Speed Rail bridge structures’ design criteria will be outlined in the presentation.
Track Maintenance Scheduling and Its Interactions With Operations: Dedicated and Mixed High-Speed Rail (HSR) Scenarios
Authors: Pouryousef Hamed , Teixeira Paulo , Sussman Joseph
Published: November 2010

HSRs are a complex system not only in terms of technical specifications, but also with respect to operations and maintenance over the track structure. Also, track structure is basically considered as the most important and costly railway asset. Its maintenance is vital to assure safety and operating practices are also of great importance to assure that a good level of service is provided. Considering track maintenance considerations over a new HSR line, one important and critical feature is the operational regime and the question of whether the line will be operated as mixed (passenger and freight) or dedicated only to passenger traffic. This can influence the maintenance patterns: preventive maintenance planning, maintenances scheduling and assignment issues. This will be different for the dedicated and mixed HSR traffic scenarios. In this research, the main approach is focused on the interactions between track maintenance planning and operational concerns and influences in these two scenarios. With this aim and within the current paper, a model of the preventive maintenance scheduling problem (PMSP) has been selected initially from Budai (2006) and then an upgraded revision of this model (Multi-segment assignment and scheduling of preventive maintenance problem) is introduced. Furthermore, the upgraded model of PMSP has been run over a given HSR line (Tehran-Qom HSR corridor in Iran) based on the comparison between the two scenarios of dedicated HSR and upgraded mixed HSR patterns. The main requirements, similarities and differences between these two scenarios are analyzed based on preventive maintenance scheduling and assignment requisites and interactions over the operating restrictions and considerations such as track possession patterns for maintenance activities. We conclude that decision making between these two scenarios through PMSP modeling are quite complicated and depends on the technical and operational specifications of the given HSR corridor, although some general comments on tradeoffs are possible.
The Altamont Corridor Rail Project Joint Use Corridor
Authors: Ogden Brent D.
Published: November 2010

The Altamont Rail Corridor Project will develop a new dedicated regional passenger rail link within Northern California for joint use by regional intercity and commuter trains connecting between the northern San Joaquin Valley and the Bay Area as well as statewide intercity trains fully compatible with the 200+ mph system being developed by the California High-Speed Rail Authority (the Authority). The corridor, which follows portions of the transcontinental railway, is presently served by the Altamont Commuter Express (ACE) operated by the San Joaquin Regional Rail Commission (the Commission) and is eligible to receive California High-Speed Rail bond funds. The Authority and Commission have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to jointly develop the project which will greatly improve the existing service by providing a new dedicated passenger line separate from the Union Pacific Railroad over which the current ACE service operates. The strategic geographic location of the corridor within the Northern California network allows operation of a wide variety of services through Altamont Pass including commuter trains to the Bay Area, intercity corridor trains and regional intercity trains between Sacramento and San Jose` with the possibility that high-speed “bullet” trains from the statewide network could ultimately operate along the route. Although the shared-use potential broadens interest in the project, concomitant planning challenges include identifying workable, cost-effective solutions to incrementally develop the 80+ mile corridor over time while migrating the service presently provided by standard heavyweight diesel locomotive-drawn consists to a fully electrified, grade separated operation capable of supporting operation of 220+ mph lightweight trainsets.
Cyclic Loading Tests of Concrete Sleepers With Varying Ballast Condition
Authors: Nurmikolu Antti , Kerokoski Olli , Rantala Tommi , Viitala Tuomo
Published: November 2010

The experiences on the use of concrete sleepers in Finnish railways are mainly very good when the supporting layer, ballast, consists of coarse-grained crushed rock aggregate. Nowadays in Finland there are still wooden sleepers on many lines carrying little traffic. On these lines the ballast often consists of gravel providing essentially weaker support for the sleepers. One question in future renovations is whether concrete sleepers remain undamaged with gravel ballast. To test the bending behaviour of four different sleeper models resting on three different ballast beds, a cyclic loading test arrangement was built up in the laboratory of the Department of Civil Engineering at TUT in co-operation with Finnish Transport Agency. The ballast material was varied between typical coarse-grained crushed rock aggregate, natural gravel and the gravel partially reinforced with coarse-grained crushed rock. Correspondingly, three of four different sleeper types were prototypes that were chamfered in varying scale from the central section of their bottom surface the fourth being a standard Finnish concrete sleeper BP89. Depending on the test series, cyclic load corresponding to 20 tonnes axle load was repeated until the accumulated loading corresponded to 10–20 MGT. The objective of tests was to estimate the effect of the ballast material on the bending stresses met by the sleeper and, additionally, the effect of simple sleeper model modifications on bending stresses. The strains and vertical displacement of the railway sleeper and strains of the subballast were measured dynamically throughout the test. Based on all the measurements together it was possible to estimate the interaction of the railway sleeper and support layer quite comprehensively. The strain of the top surface of a sleeper was found to be largely determined by the difference between the recoverable displacements measured next to and in the middle of the track. Typically the deflection (bending flexure) of 0.5 mm caused about 150 μm/m strain to the upper surface of the sleeper. Sleeper which had the highest and longest chamfer in the middle section of its bottom surface behaved promisingly considering the weaker support from gravel ballast. Maximum strains in the sleeper increased as the support from ballast decreased.
Innovative Design Solutions Speed Construction of Commuter Rail Corridor
Authors: Hronek John W.
Published: November 2010

This paper will detail the design challenges and construction of the extension of the New Mexico Rail Runner commuter rail corridor from Bernalillo, NM to Santa Fe, NM. Numerous innovative solutions were implemented in the design and construction of the project to meet the aggressive schedule dictated by the client. The project was awarded to the design-build contractor in August 2007 and the line was opened to traffic in December 2008. This project was an important component of the New Mexico statewide transportation improvement project. Project final design and construction plans for the 18 mile extension were completed in five months. Construction started prior to completion of the final construction documents. The design was planned to provide a steady flow of Approved for Construction (AFC) documents to facilitate construction. Project highlights included eighteen miles of welded rail on concrete ties, six railroad bridges, one highway bridge overpass, two rail passing sidings, six concrete box rail crossings and 18 miles of new 136lb welded rail on concrete ties. The project is designed to meet the operating requirements of Class IV track and an operating speed of 79 mph. The major civil quantities included two million cubic yards of earthwork, 59,000 square feet of MSE retaining walls, 263,000 tons of ballast and subballast, 98,000 track feet of rail, and 50,000 concrete ties. The project team (NMDOT and Design-Build Consortium) collaborated by meeting weekly and reviewing plans and solutions, prior to acceptance for construction. Key to this effort was the use of the 3D design model created for the entire project leading to refining of the project quantities, reducing cost and allowing the NMDOT to remain within the budget established for this project.
Study on the Algorithm for Train Operation Adjustment Based on Ordinal Optimization
Authors: Chen Yong-jun , Zhou Lei-shan
Published: November 2010

It is a core and difficult problem in railway transportation dispatch mechanism to automatically compile train operation adjustment plan with computer, which aims at safe, fast and punctual running of trains. Based on building the model of train operation adjustment under the conditions of railway netted lines, we took minimum travel time of train as objective function of optimization. We introduced the theory and method of Ordinal Optimization to solve the function after fast preliminary evaluation calculation on the theory. This paper discussed in detail the implementation steps of solving algorithm by Ordinal Optimization, and used a practical calculation example of Datong-Qinhuangdao heavy haul railway to prove that Ordinal Optimization got good enough solution with high probability, especially for complex optimization problems with large amount of calculation Ordinal Optimization greatly increased computational efficiency. Based on this method at least one order of magnitude of calculation amount was saved than that with the general heuristic algorithm. This method well satisfied the requirement in engineering practice.
Research on Optimization of Urban Mass Transit Network Schedule Based on Coordination of Connecting Time Between Different Lines
Authors: Fang Xiaohong , Zhou Leishan , Xia Ming
Published: November 2010

On urban mass transit network, some connections inherently exist between trains on different lines through transfer stations. Schedule coordination for different lines, especially optimizing the arriving and departure times at transfer stations, may significantly reduce transfer waiting times at stations where various routes are interconnected, so as to improve the passenger service level. Based on the passengers flow characters of urban mass transit (UMT), both the convenience and rationality of connection between different lines were considered, and then an optimization model, with the aims of the minimal total waiting time of transfer passengers and inboard passengers, was set up. Combining the inner coordination of arriving and departure time sequence of trains in transfer nodes with the exterior coordination of transfer nodes on whole urban mass transit network, a multi-layers coordination policy was proposed, and the integrated optimization of the urban mass transit system was realized through taking some small time shifts of the proposed singleline timetables. In order to verify the validity and feasibility of the model and algorithm, we conducted an experimental study. The result turns out that improvement on UMT network can be determined by such optimization techniques.
Study on Technology System and System Integration Method of China High-Speed Railway
Authors: Zhang Shuguang
Published: November 2010

Since 2004, China had launched the construction of a large-scale high-speed railways network, China had developed a set of mature, reliable technology systems and system integration method for high-speed railways with relatively low cost in a comparatively short time period. The special demands for highspeed railways in china were analyzed firstly, and then the structure and characteristics of the technology system of China high-speed railways were presented, as well as the system integration method. At last, the development trends of China high-speed railway technology are proposed.
High Speed Rail for America’s Regional Transportation: A Study of Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor
Authors: Wang X. , Bortner P. , Peterson W. , McCullough D.
Published: November 2010

After 60 years and more than $1.9 trillion of investments, the United States has developed one of the world’s most advanced highway and aviation systems. However, these transportation systems are now at a gridlock. To reduce the congestion and increase efficiency of America’s regional transportation, rail transit should be considered as a promising, long-term solution. The recent stimulus package provides planners an opportunity to reconsider the potentials of regional passenger rail network, especially the high speed rail system. After examining the development history and current condition of America’s passenger rail network, the paper focuses on Amtrak’s Northeast Corridor (NEC) and proposes three different improvement plans that can increase travel speeds and attract more ridership: (1) return the corridor to a state of good repair; (2) construct a new dedicated High-Speed Rail track; and (3) develop a multimodal-shared and connected corridor. Each plan has its advantages and drawbacks, and measuring the extent of each plan’s benefits and costs is known to be challenging. To evaluate these plans, the paper utilizes a non-traditional cost-benefit analysis method which considers changes in ridership, life-cycle costs as well as each plan’s economic and environmental impacts (negative or positive). It is found that returning the existing corridor to a state of good repair is the most efficient improvement plan in near term.
NEPA Compliance for High-Speed Rail Projects: The Use of Tiering
Authors: Malley William G. , Ferlo Albert M.
Published: November 2010

Federal funding of high speed rail projects is conditioned upon full compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and other federal laws. The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) often uses tiering to complete the NEPA studies for high-speed rail and other intercity passenger rail projects. Tiering involves two separate rounds of NEPA review. Typically, a Tier 1 study evaluates potential improvements in a lengthy corridor and results in decisions on broad issues such as the need for the project, facility type, and the general location; Tier 2 involves more detailed alignment decisions and development of mitigation measures for individual projects within the corridor. This paper focuses on the use of tiering for high-speed and intercity passenger rail projects. As background for the discussion of tiering, this paper will first discuss: basic NEPA requirements; FRA’s approach to NEPA compliance; and the importance of NEPA compliance in the allocation of competitive grants for high-speed rail projects. The paper will then focus on the issue of tiering. It will describe the legal framework for preparing a tiered NEPA study; how tiering has been used on rail and other non-rail transportation projects; and important issues to consider in developing a tiered study. It will conclude with a list of best practices for developing a tiered NEPA study, focusing in particular on high-speed rail projects.
Who Rides the High Speed Rail in the United States: The Acela Express Case Study
Authors: Chen Zhenhua
Published: November 2010

In this study, we focus on the Acela Express, and try to find out how selected internal and external factors affect the Acela Express’s ridership. A two-stage least square regression model is introduced in order to eliminate the endogeneity problem caused by price and ridership. Also the Cochrane-Orcutt Procedure is adopted to solve autocorrelation. The result shows that ticket price and train on-time performances, which are used to being thought as important factors affect ridership become insignificant, while other factors like employment of business and professional in the Northeast Corridor areas have higher influence on high speed train ridership. The broader objective of this research is to provide policy suggestions for building of an efficient high-speed rail network that can both be profitable and solve practical problems that the contemporary transportation system faces.
Estimating Crew Alertness From Speech
Authors: Shahidi Parham , Southward Steve C. , Ahmadian Mehdi
Published: November 2010

With the latest initiative of the government to develop a high speed passenger rail system in the United States the first and most important strategic transportation goal is to “Ensure safe and efficient transportation choices. A key element of safe railroad operation is to address the issue of fatigue among railroad operating employees and how to fight it. In this paper, we are presenting a novel approach to estimating fatigue levels of train conductors by analyzing the speech signal in the communication between the conductor and dispatch. We extract vocal indicators of fatigue from the speech signal and use Fuzzy Logic to generate an estimate of the mental state of the train conductor. Previous research has shown that sleeping disorders, reduced hours of rest and disrupted circadian rhythms lead to significantly increased fatigue levels which manifest themselves in alterations of speech patterns as compared to alert states of mind. To make a decision about the level of fatigue, we are proposing a Fuzzy Logic algorithm which combines inputs such as word production rate and speech intensity to generate a Fatigue Quotient at any moment in time when speech is present. The computation of the Fatigue Quotient relies on a rule base which draws from existing knowledge about fatigue indicators and their relation to the level of fatigue of the subject. For this project, the rule base and the membership functions associated with it were derived from real time testing and the subsequent tuning of parameters to refine the detection of changes in patterns. It was successfully shown that Fuzzy Logic can be implemented to estimate alertness levels from speech metrics in real-time and that the membership functions for this purpose can be found empirically through iterative testing. Furthermore, this study has proven that the framework to run such an analysis continuously as a monitoring function in locomotive cabins is feasible and can be realized with relatively inexpensive hardware.
Effects of Peg Additives on Water Vapor Permeability of Porous PVDF Membranes
Authors: Zhang Li-zhi , Pei Li-xia
Published: November 2010

Porous polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membranes with various structures were prepared via phase inversion using DMF as solvent. Polyethylene glycols (PEG) with three different concentrations and molecular weights were used. Effects of PEG on the structure and performance of porous membranes were investigated. The morphology and structure of the prepared membrane were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The water vapor permeability through membranes was evaluated by permeation test. The results showed that PEG was used as pore forming agent in PVDF/DMF/H2O system. Moreover, it has great influences on morphology and water vapor permeability. The membranes becomes more porous with PEG additives. Water vapor transfer resistance was reduced, which leads to improved water vapor permeability.
Comparison of Micro- and Nano-Size Particle Transport and Depositions in 90 Degree Bend Microchannel
Authors: Zhang Kai , Lin Jianzhong , Yu Mingzhou
Published: November 2010

The flow and electric field are simulated numerically with finite volume method first, then large number of nanoparticles and microparticles are injected into the microchannel separately, and these particles are traced with the Lagrangian method. It has been found that particle deposition efficiency in the bend usually decreases first then increases with particle size increasing, and there usually exists a minimum value and it corresponds to the particle diameter of about 3μm, which means that kind of particle can transport longer distance. The electric field doesn’t affect that specified value. This conclusion is helpful to the optimization of the design of microchips.
Coupling of Heat and Momentum Transfer Between Nanostructured Surfaces
Authors: Donkov Alexander A. , Hardt Steffen , Tiwari Sudarshan , Klar Axel
Published: November 2010

Heat transfer between nanostructured surfaces separated by a thin gas film is studied in the free-molecular flow and in the transition regime. Besides topographic features the surfaces are characterized by regions with different boundary conditions displaying either diffuse or specular reflection of the molecules. The thermal conductivity of the materials on both sides of the gas film is assumed to be very high such that isothermal conditions may be applied at both surfaces. We analyze the problem using a combination of analytical techniques in the free-molecular flow regime and Monte-Carlo simulations. Under certain conditions, when the surfaces are held at different temperatures heat transfer is accompanied by a transfer of momentum such that a force is created parallel to the surfaces. This force can be significant and vanishes in the classical regime when the continuum transport equations can be applied. It is only observed if the reflection symmetry in a direction parallel to the surfaces is broken. We derive an analytical expression for the thermally-induced force as a function of the geometric parameters characterizing the surface topography and compare the results to Monte-Carlo simulations. The latter provide numerical solutions of the Boltzmann equation both in the free-molecular flow and in the transition regime. The scenario studied points to a novel method for conversion of thermal into kinetic energy and may find applications in small-scale energy converters.
Multi Objective Optimization of a Force Fed Microchannel Heat Sink
Authors: Cetegen Edvin , Dessiatoun Serguei , Ohadi Michael
Published: November 2010

An approximation assisted optimization (AAO) method was used to optimize the geometry and flow parameters of a Force Fed Microchannel Heat Sink (FFMHS). Numerical simulation solvers were combined with the chosen optimization scheme to obtain the design points. A Kriging meta-modeling was applied to optimize the problem using Multi Objective Genetic Algorithm. The optimum results were compared with optimum designs of a well known traditional microchannel heat sink for a 1 × 1 cm2 base heat transfer area. It is demonstrated that for a constant pumping power, force fed microchannel heat design sink can achieve 65% more heat transfer on average. For a given thermal performance, the pressure drops associated with FFMHS represent only a fraction of the pumping power required by a traditional microchannel heat sink.
Heat Transfer Characteristics of Oscillating Heat Pipe With Ethanol as Working Fluid
Authors: Xian Haizhen , Liu Dengying , Yang Yongping , Du Xiaoze
Published: November 2010

In this paper, experimental investigations on the heat transfer characteristics of OHP with ethanol as working fluid were conducted. The experimental results show that there exists a necessary temperature difference between evaporator and condenser section to keep the heat pipe working. The minimum temperature differences for the optimal operating conditions varied from 1.5 to 2.0°C. The maximum effective conductivity achieved could reach up to 111kW/m•°C. The heat pipe was obviously affected by the filling ratio in some cases but the influence law is irregular and related to inclination angles and heating temperatures. Not all OHPs operated well in the limiting case of a zero inclination angle. In most cases, the optimal value of the inclination angle went up when the heating temperature increased. An appropriate high heating temperature is helpful for the OHP to achieved excellent performances. The startup temperature varied from 40°C to 50°C without considering the horizontal heating mode.
Marangoni Flow-Induced Droplet Deformation for Micromirror Applications
Authors: Lu Yen-Wen , Dhull Rakesh
Published: November 2010

A simple method that utilizes Marangoni flow to create droplet deformation and to tilt micro-objects is presented. Contact angle hysteresis is employed to prevent the droplet from rolling away from the position. The device consists of a micromirror placed on the droplet, and can produce a 6.5° tilting angle when actuated at 30 V. It also demonstrates its scanning capability and potential as a micromirror.
Gas-Phase Heat Transfer From a Heated Microcantilever Inside a Vacuum Enclosure
Authors: Zhu Taishan , Ye Wenjing
Published: November 2010

The modeling of heat transfer inside a vacuum packaged MEMS devices has been performed by several researchers mostly through Monte Carlo simulations. In this work, we employ an analytical approach to study the heat transport of gas inside a high vacuum enclosure. In this pressure range, the interaction between gas molecules is negligible compared to their interaction with the walls, and hence the gas is treated as the free-molecule gas. The heated cantilever is modeled as a uniform beam with a rectangular cross section located at a certain distance away from the bottom wall which could represent a substrate in the real device. To account for various situations, the temperatures of the surrounding walls are allowed to be different from each other and different from that of the beam and the substrate. The temperature contour and the heat flux are obtained from the analytical approach. A molecular simulation code based on the direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) has been developed and employed to validate the analytical results and excellent agreements have been obtained. The effects of incomplete thermal accommodation are also investigated. It is anticipated that the developed analytical solutions would be very valuable to the design of Pirani sensors and other MEMS devices utilizing micro heaters, for example, the thermal sensing atomic force microscope.
Measurement of Water-Cryoprotectant Mutual Diffusivity in Micro-Scale Biological Tissues at Subzero Temperatures
Authors: Han Xu , Liu Yang , Benson James D. , Ma Hongbin , Critser John K.
Published: November 2010

Water-cryoprotectant mutual diffusivity (D¯) in biological tissues at subzero temperatures is of critical importance for optimizing tissue or organ cryopreservation procedures. Currently, there exist no attempts to measure D¯ at subzero temperatures. We pioneered a thermal analytic method to measure this mass transfer parameter in biological tissues at the level of micro-liters. Using differential scanning calorimetry, the values of D¯ in mouse ovaries (∼4–8μl) with ethylene glycol (EG) as cryoprotectant were measured at −20°C, −10°C, 0°C, 10°C and 20°C. The results show the Arrhenius law is strictly followed (R2 = 0.99) over this temperature range with the activation energy as 3.78 kcal/mol. The value of D¯ with EG as the cryoprotectant at 20°C, 6.2×10−7cm2/s, agrees well with that previously measured using a magnetic resonance imaging method at the same temperature, 6.1×10−7cm2/s.
CVD Growth, Optical and Thermal Characterization of Vertically-Aligned Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes
Authors: Maruyama Shigeo , Xiang Rong
Published: November 2010

Vertically aligned single-walled carbon nanotubes (VA-SWNTs) is expected to be an extra-ordinal material for various optical, electrical, energy, and thermal devices. The recent progress in growth control and characterization techniques will be discussed. The CVD growth mechanism of VA-SWNTs is discussed based on the in-situ growth monitoring by laser absorption during CVD. The growth curves are characterized by an exponential decay of the growth rate from the initial rate determined by ethanol pressure. The initial growth rate and decay of it are discussed with carbon over-coat on metal catalysts and gas phase thermal decomposition of precursor ethanol. For the precisely patterned growth of SWNTs, we recently propose a surface-energy-difference driven selective deposition of catalyst for localized growth of SWNTs. For a self assembled monolayer (SAM) patterned Si surface, catalyst particles deposit and SWNTs grow only on the hydrophilic regions. The proposed all-liquid-based approach possesses significant advantages in scalability and resolution over state-to-the-art techniques, which we believe can greatly advance the fabrication of nano-devices using high-quality as-grown SWNTs. The optical characterization of the VA-SWNT film using polarized absorption, polarized Raman, and photoluminescence spectroscopy will be discussed. Laser-excitation of a vertically aligned film from top means that each nanotube is excited perpendicular to its axis. Because of this predominant perpendicular excitation, interesting cross-polarized absorption and confusing and practically important Raman features are observed. The extremely high and peculiar thermal conductivity of single-walled carbon nanotubes has been explored by non-equilibrium molecular dynamics simulation approaches. The thermal properties of the vertically aligned film and composite materials are studied by several experimental techniques and Monte Carlo simulations based on molecular dynamics inputs of thermal conductivity and thermal boundary resistance. Current understanding of thermal properties of the film is discussed.
Optimizing System Performance and Revenue From Metals Recovery Systems at Waste-to-Energy Facilities
Authors: White Thomas M. , Nederveld David L.
Published: November 2010

This paper will review several new Metals Recovery Systems (MRSs) that have been added to existing Waste-to-Energy (WTE) facilities over the past few years. Beginning with the discussion of a basic process flow diagram (PFD), recent equipment refinements, which improve the quality of both ferrous and non-ferrous metals, will be explained. The paper will then present ranges of typical metals recovery from the WTE plants. A historical review of the fluctuations in the metals market, and the implications for major capital investments for a MRS, will be discussed, and a project schedule will highlight all key components of a MRS project.
Industrial Scale R&D in Challenging Times
Authors: Koralewska Ralf
Published: November 2010

Thermal treatment of waste using grate-based systems has gained world-wide acceptance as the preferred method for sustainable treatment of waste. It is therefore necessary to develop innovative processes with safe process engineering technology that guarantee the treatment of waste in accordance with ecological and economic constraints in addition to complying with legal requirements. This paper documents successful use of industrial-scale R&D using MARTIN technology in providing solutions for optimizing grate-based Energy-from-Waste technologies in terms of protection of climate and resources, reduction of environmental impacts as well as political, regulatory and market aspects.
Plasma Gasification: Lessons Learned at Eco-Valley WTE Facility
Authors: Willis Ken P. , Osada Shinichi , Willerton Kevin L.
Published: November 2010

In 2003 Eco-Valley became one of the first waste-to-energy facilities in the world to utilize Plasma Gasification technology on a commercial basis. Eco-Valley is located in Japan and has been successfully processing MSW with plasma for over seven years. The facility processes up to 220 tonnes-per day of MSW or up to 165 tonnes per day of a 50/50 mixture of MSW and auto shredder residue. The technology used at Eco-Valley is a result of a successful collaboration between Westinghouse Plasma Corp. and Hitachi Metals. With a first of kind facility like Eco-Valley, several operational challenges had to be overcome during and after commissioning. The objective of this paper is to share these operational experiences and learnings.
Rear-Ventilated Boiler Wall Protection or How to Reduce Maintenance Costs
Authors: Mulch Stephan , Horn Markus
Published: November 2010

The seemingly endless possibilities, which are offered for the refractory lining in WTE plants, have effected that new lining concepts have been developed and introduced again and again during the last decades. The objective of all lining systems from the start has been to reduce corrosion on the boiler walls to a minimum and to regulate heat loss in the first flue in such a way that all requirements according the 17th Federal Emission Laws are fulfilled.
Procurement of Emerging Waste-to-Energy Technologies
Authors: West Teno A.
Published: November 2010

The City of Taunton, MA (City) has undertaken a competitive procurement process to consider proposals for a private company to develop, design, permit, finance, construct and operate a Solid Waste Management Facility (SWMF), which may be sized up to 1800 tons per day (TPD), to serve both the City’s and region’s needs for long term solid waste management. A comprehensive Request for Qualifications and Proposals (RFQP) for the SWMF was issued in June 2008. The City initiated the procurement process because its current landfill is scheduled to reach capacity in 2013. The procurement process focused on conversion technologies capable of recovering materials and producing electricity or fuels, and maximizing diversion of waste from landfilling. Technologies considered included both traditional and emerging technologies; e.g., composting, co-composting, thermal gasification, aerobic and anaerobic digestion, hydrolysis and mechanical means of waste separation into useful products. Landfilling and traditional waste-to-energy technologies were not considered.
Dry Sorbent Injection of Sodium Sorbents for SO2, HCl and Mercury Mitigation
Authors: Kong Yougen , Davidson Heidi
Published: November 2010

Solid waste incinerators emit air pollutants such as SO2, HCl, and mercury. Dry sorbent injection of sodium sorbents has emerged as an important SO2, HCl, and mercury mitigation technology due to its (a) low capital cost; (b) small installation foot print; (c) ease of operation; and (d) flexibility to fuel changes. In a dry sorbent injection system, trona or sodium bicarbonate is injected directly into hot flue gas. After injection, the sorbent is calcined into porous sodium carbonate that reacts with acid gases (SO2, HCl and SO3). This technology is able to achieve high removal rates for HCl (>99%) and SO2 (>90%), and has been implemented at many waste incinerators in Europe and coal-fired power plants in the United States. With the promulgation of MACT rules, this technology will be a low-cost and easy-to-use option for waste-to-energy boiler owners.
High Efficiency Waste to Energy Power Plants Combining Municipal Solid Waste and Natural Gas or Ethanol
Authors: Guerreiro Ribeiro Sergio , Kimberlin Tyler
Published: November 2010

A new WTE (Waste-to-Energy) power plant configuration combining municipal solid waste and gas turbines or landfill gas engines is proposed. The system has two objectives: increase the thermodynamic efficiency of the plant and avoid the corrosion in the MSW (Municipal Solid Waste) boiler caused by high tube metal temperatures. The difference between this concept and other existing configurations, such as the Zabalgarbi plant in Bilbao, Spain, is lower natural gas consumption, allowing an 80% waste contribution to the net energy exported or more. This high efficiency is achieved through four main steps: 1. introducing condensing heat exchangers to capture low temperature heat from the boiler flue gases; the stack temperature can drop to 70°C; 2. high steam temperatures in external superheaters using hot clean gases heated with duct burners; 3. mixing the exhaust gases of a small gas turbine with hot air preheated in a specially designed heat exchangers. The resulting temperature of this gas mixture is almost the same as a standard gas turbine but with the flow similar to that of a large machine with a higher O2 content; 4. After the duct burner and heat exchangers, the oxygen content of the clean gas mixture is still high, nearly 18%, and the temperature is approximately 200°C. The gas is then used as combustion air to the MSW boiler such that all the energy stays in the system. The efficiency can be as high as 33% for the MSW part of the plant and 49% for the natural gas system. Since the natural gas consumption is almost ten times less than the existing designs, it can be replaced by landfill gas or gasified ethanol or biodiesel. Currently an 850 ton/day plant is being designed in Brazil in partnership with a large power company. Other advantages include, self generation of internal power and lower steam superheating temperatures in the MSW boiler. This concept can be used with any grate design.
Chlorine Sources, Sinks, and Impacts in WTE Power Plants
Authors: Themelis Nickolas J.
Published: November 2010

The principal sources of chlorine in the MSW feed to WTE power plants are food wastes (e.g., wheat, green vegetables, melon, pineapple), yard wastes (leaves, grass, etc.), salt (NaCl), and chlorinated plastics (mostly polyvinyl chloride). Chlorine has important impacts on the WTE operation in terms of higher corrosion rate than in coal-fired power plants, formation of hydrochloric gas that must be controlled in the stack gas to less than the U.S. EPA standard (29 ppm by volume), and potential for formation of dioxins and furans. Past Columbia studies have shown that the chlorine content in MSW is in the order of 0.5%. In comparison, chlorine concentration in coal is about 0.1%; this results in much lower HCl concentration in the combustion gases and allows coal-fired power plants to be operated at higher superheater tube temperatures and thus higher thermal efficiencies. Most of the chlorine output from a WTE is in the fly ash collected in the fabric filter baghouse of the Air Pollution Control system. This study examined in detail the sources and sinks of chlorine in a WTE unit. It is concluded that on the average MSW contains about 0.5% chlorine, which results in hydrogen chloride concentration in the WTE combustion gases of up to 600 parts per million by volume. About 45% of the chlorine content in MSW derives from chlorinated plastics, mainly polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and 55% from salt (NaCl) and chlorine-containing food and yard wastes. An estimated 97–98% of the chlorine input is converted to calcium chloride in the dry scrubber of the Air Pollution Control (APC) system and captured in the fly ash collected in the baghouse; the remainder is in the stack gas at a concentration that is one half of the U.S. EPA standard. Reducing the input of PVC in the MSW stream would have no effect on dioxin formation but would reduce the corrosion rate in the WTE boiler.
New Generation of Tube Surface Treatments Help Improve EFW Boiler Reliability
Authors: Epelbaum Greg , Hanson Eric , Seitz Michael
Published: November 2010

Surface treatments, such as weld overlays, thermal sprays, laser claddings and fused coatings have been used for many years to protect boiler tubes operating in corrosive and erosive conditions. Several variables are typically identified that influence the choice of the technology selected, and the materials used to upgrade the boiler elements. Specifically, operating conditions such as corrosive species present, tube and gas temperatures, and the presence of erosive processes such as fly ash impingement and soot blowing significantly influence the severity of the wastage mechanisms. Given the many options available, and the uncertainty in determining reliable operating data, most selections need to be based on a “fit for all” solution. Case studies for applications of protective coatings in severe applications are useful to indicate relative performance of each system. From such results, limitations and some indication of performance can be established. As an example, AmStar cladding was field applied for EfW boiler water walls protection at 4 EfW plants. A number of superheater tube samples, cladded in the AmStar shop, were installed at another 4 EfW plants. The AmStar 888® cladding material is a development specifically geared to environments that may see erosion, corrosion, or a combination of both mechanisms. The material is a Nickel Chrome alloy, with carbide and boride additions. The coating is applied (field or shop) using a high velocity spray system, and requires no post treatment. The material is also easily repaired if defects occur in the future. The presented field trials at EfW plants have brought very positive results for all carbon steel water wall applications and have shown some good potential for salvaging old poor quality Inconel weld overlay by spraying AmStar 888® cladding over it. The superheater tube trials are more complex due to the variety of boiler designs which may significantly affect environmental variables. Not surprisingly, these trials have shown a range of results so far: from very good at one plant to not satisfactory at another. Testing is ongoing, so more results will be coming. Although such field tests do not provide quantitative results, they do provide comparative performance guidelines for generally aggressive boiler environments. This data is very useful to both design and maintenance engineers, who are often faced with limited options.
GIS-Based Virtual Testbeds and Their Application to Forestry and City Simulation
Authors: Roßmann Ju¨rgen , Schluse Michael , Hoppen Martin , Waspe Ralf
Published: November 2010

In this paper we present a new interdisciplinary approach to geographic information systems. The integration of object-oriented data modeling, 3D real-time simulation, virtual reality techniques and remote sensing methods with new semantic world modeling techniques and well known geo information system (GIS) functionalities provides the basis for a new class of “Virtual Testbeds”. These testbeds build on a new approach which combines state-of-the-art GIS functionalities to deal with complex and large geographical data sets with the intuitive operability and the advanced simulation capabilities of latest robotic and automation simulation components. Besides the simulation algorithms, the testbeds take advantage of advanced modeling capabilities to (semi) automatic ally generate models of “natural” environments in e.g. forests or cities. Based on remote sensing data, not only geometric shapes are derived, but also an object’s “function” or “semantics”. The new ideas have already been applied to various applications of which the most successful will also be described in this paper.
Realistic Manipulation of Virtual Robot in Dynamic Virtual Environment
Authors: Zaldivar-Colado Ulises , Murillo-Campos Diego , Zaldivar-Colado Xiomara , Marmolejo-Rivas Claudia , Bernal-Guadiana Roberto
Published: November 2010

Virtual Robotics is becoming a very important tool for supporting research and graduate and undergraduate programs in the Robotics area. In the last years, the success of virtual reality systems is depending on the techniques developed to provide the user with easy and realistic interaction with virtual environments. In this paper we present an interaction technique to manipulate a robot in virtual environment considering the physically based modeling and haptic sensation. The interaction technique used is based on the application of spring-dampers connecting a model of the robot (with kinematic behavior) with other model with dynamic behavior. We made a comparison study for the application of torsional spring-dampers and linear spring-dampers in order to establish the convenience spring-damper for the robot stabilization during its manipulation and during the tasks execution. We observed that the technique based on linear spring-damper keeps more stabilized the virtual robot than torsional spring-damper technique. The virtual robot manipulation is performed, by the user, with a Phantom Omni™ haptic device, which allows transmitting contact force sensations to the user.
Development of Web-Based Virtual CNC Milling Machine Tool With Mechanistic Cutting Force Models for Education and Learning
Authors: Okafor A. Chukwujekwu , Talekar Vinay R. , Irigireddy V. , Gulati R.
Published: November 2010

This paper presents the results of the development of Virtual Computer Numerical Control Milling Machine Tool (VCNC-MMT) with cutting force models for web-based education and learning. This research is divided into five parts: 1) Virtual modeling of the machine parts, work-piece, cutting tools, and fixtures. 2) Assembly of the virtual components and assignment of the kinematics to the VCNC-MMT. 3) Development of virtual controller and offline simulation of machining process. 4) Implementation of the VCNC-MMT and simulation on the internet using X3D modeling language for long distance education, learning and training. 5) Development of the mechanistic cutting force models and incorporation with the VCNC-MMT. Mechanistic cutting force models for helical end mills with corner radius has been completed and simulated using MATLAB.
Drugging Bugs to Make Chemotherapy Safer
Authors: Alumkal Joshi
Published: November 2010

Targeted inhibition of β-glucuronidase enzymes in normal gut bacteria prevents the dose-limiting side effect of camptothecin chemotherapy.
Sophisticated PIGs Help to Identify Biomarkers
Authors: Carlson Nichole
Published: November 2010

Adjustment for measurement error during analysis improves the ability to detect valid biomarkers in clinical studies.
The Closer
Authors: Cheng Elaine
Published: November 2010

Growth hormone–releasing hormone directly stimulates fibroblasts to accelerate wound healing.