Search results for " Direct"
showing 10 items of 943 documents
Modelling of hybrid moving bed biofilm reactors: a pilot plant experiment.
2007
In recent years there has been an increasing interest in the development of hybrid biofilm reactors, especially in the upgrading of existing WWTP that are no longer able to respect concentration limits. In fact, today's challenge is the achievement of a good aquatic state for the receiving water bodies according to the Water Framework Directive requirements, which indeed limit even more the continuous emissions, i.e. coming from WWTP. This paper presents the setting up of a mathematical model for the simulation of a hybrid MBBR system; the model calibration/validation has been carried out considering a field gathering campaign on an experimental pilot plant. The main goal is to gain insight…
Life Cycle Costing: a tool to manage the urban water cycle
2013
The Water Framework Directive puts much emphasis on the role of economics for improving the management of water resources. In the context of the urban water cycle, previous studies have proven that Life Cycle Costing (LCC) is a useful methodology for assessing the costs of the whole cycle. However, there are many elements and factors that can influence the results of the LCC assessment and therefore affect the decision making process. The main aim of this study is to identify the main difficulties for carrying out LCC studies in the urban water cycle and to propose some solutions to overcome them. Hence, the conclusions obtained from the assessment of several case studies will be more robus…
A feasibility study of some DSM enabling solutions in small islands: The case of Lampedusa
2017
Abstract The paper addresses the issue of the transition from a traditional electrical system without automation to a newer active and smart system allowing the possibility of implementing Demand Side Management policies, for little islands not supplied by the main grid. In particular, the paper focuses on two main topics related to the definition of: • an effective control, monitoring and communication system as a tool for the full exploitation of the opportunities given by Demand Response policies; • some solutions for the automation of the end-users’ electrical installations, in order to offer to the utility flexibility to be used for the improvement of the generation and distribution ef…
Where Are Corporate Thought Patterns to be Found in Legislation and Planning Processes? The Example European Water Framework Directive (Wo Lassen Sic…
2008
Planning Processes are always the result of a societies thought pattern. This paper analyses the thought patterns that influenced the treatment of water sheds in the last centuries and how the change of these patterns has influenced the European Water Framework Directive.
Impact of Building Layouts on Wind Turbine Power Output in the Built Environment: A Case Study of Tsu City
2014
In city planning, it is important to consider the future growth of renewable energy systems in the built environment. Wind speed analysis in the built environment is very important for analysing the wind turbine performance installed in the built environment. In this work, building topologies / layouts in Tsu city are considered for investing the wind speed distributions and directions. Wind speed profile in the built environment are developed by using CFD-ACE+. This work focusses on the analysis of the wind speed directions and distribution characteristics for finding out the proper location of the wind turbines in the built environment. The wind speed profiles and their directions and win…
Efficient CAD of Optimal Multi-Port Junctions Loaded with Partial-Height Cylindrical Posts using the 3D BI-RME Method
2005
A rigorous full-wave technique based on the 3D BI-RME (Boundary Integral-Resonant Mode Expansion) method for the analysis and design of compensated waveguide junctions is presented. This method is used to investigate the electrical performance of right-angled bends and rectangular waveguide T-junctions loaded with partial-height cylindrical posts, with the aim of extending the typical usable bandwidths of such components. It is found that the electrical performance of a two-way power divider can be significantly improved by considering a post displaced along the symmetry plane of the structure. Therefore, this contribution reveals a new crucial design parameter not considered in previous wo…
Unidirectional Direct Load Control through Smart Plugs
2014
International audience; Balancing energy demand and production is be-coming a more and more challenging task for energy utilities also because of the larger penetration of renewable energies which are more difficult to predict and control. While the traditional solution is to dynamically adapt energy production to follow time-varying demand, a new trend is to drive demand itself. Most of the ongoing actions in this direction involve greedy energy consumers, like industrial plants, supermarkets or large buildings. Pervasive communication technologies may allow in the near future to push further the granularity of such approach, by having the energy utility interacting with residen-tial appli…
Considerations Regarding the Relevance of Direct Foreign Investments in the Global Economy
2019
Abstract It is well known that the current business world, and also the investments, today are based on the global markets expansion. Contemporary reality shows us the image of a world which is irreversibly evolving towards the businesses globalization and the companies’ internationalization. The internal markets often become overcrowded, and the companies access more profoundly the global marketplace, which not only provides a place for all competitors, but also represents a source of new advantages for all. In the context of globalization the investment activity has gained new dimensions, becoming a global one, with serious implications, which manifest itself over the national economies a…
The Effect of Systemic Banking Crises on Entrepreneurship
2014
Economic crises have mixed effects on entrepreneurship. Through demand shocks, credit constraints, and unemployment, systemic banking crises affect the rate of start-up business creation, although the extent of their impact varies. Consequently, previous studies on the effect of crises on Entrepreneurship are inconclusive. The surge of global demand coupled with low credit availability reduces the prospects for new businesses. On the other hand, job losses caused by an economic crisis might lead many entrepreneurs to undertake new projects. These inconsistent conclusions highlight the need for more studies that explore the effect of systemic banking crises on entrepreneurship. This article …
Board of director attributes: effects on financial performance in SMEs
2021
This paper analyses the relationship between board of director (BoD) attributes and financial performance in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Although SMEs are the backbone of world economies, most studies on this relationship focused on large companies and did not consider many typical or recommended processes and activities carried out by SME BoDs. We monitored a set of variables related to BoD attributes such as composition, characteristics, structure and processes for 184 Italian SMEs along with their financials over a 4-year period (2014–2017). We controlled for enterprise-specific characteristics such as annual sales growth, assets value, sales turnover, leverage, com pany s…