Thesis (M.S.)--Oregon State University, 1981. / Typescript (photocopy). Includes bibliographical references. Also available on the World Wide Web.

Thesis (M.S.)--Oregon State University, 1980. / Typescript (photocopy). Includes bibliographical references. Also available via the World Wide Web.

Thesis (Ph. D., Civil Engineering)--University of Idaho, July 2007. / Major professor: John M. Buffington. Includes bibliographical references. Also available online (PDF file) by subscription or by purchasing the individual file.

The research presented in this thesis focuses on the investigation of whether the compartmental flow models of bed occupancy originally described by Harrison and Millard (1991) for decision-making around geriatric service care in the English National Health Service can be used to describe data from acute care hospitals in Australia and New Zealand. Australia’s total health expenditure for 2004-05 was $87.3 billion. The use of health care services and expenditure pattern is well established and Australia follows the pattern found in most developed countries, with the greatest expenditure occurring on services for the elderly. Australia is experiencing a shift in population structure, with the proportion of older people forecast to increase. It is expected there will be a need for a greater level of expenditure on health care as the number of elderly people increase. There is an emerging gap between the ability to supply health services and the demand for them. Furthermore, acute care hospital treatment is generally considered expensive and governments have been keen to control this expenditure. It is imperative that governments are able to make decisions based upon robust policy advice. There are serious consequences in both economic resource allocation and patient (and population) health outcomes if decisions about future health service structures are incorrect. In particular, there is a need for better decision-making around bed management at the strategic level. Strategic decision-making relates to decisions that will occur in a longer time frame. Decision-making can benefit from the use of modelling. Models represent a simplified version of reality that preserve the essential features of the situation being examined and can be used as a tool to investigate decision-making options, particularly in complex environments such as the health sector. Historically decision-making relating to hospital beds has used either simple “back of the envelope” calculations or adherence to “rule of thumb” approaches. Most of the approaches have relied upon using the average length of stay metric. While the modelling of hospital bed numbers is not new, much of this work has relied upon the average length of stay, which is known to be a poor measure. Harrison and Millard (1991) introduced the application of the compartmental flow model for modelling hospital bed occupancy and noted its potential to be used to influence policy decision-making. The flow model results are plausible and easily interpreted. However, relatively little work has focussed on the ability of these models to be generalized and be used for predictive purposes. The research undertaken for this thesis consisted of a series of modelling experiments that can be grouped into two key stages: whether the models could be successfully applied to the acute care data; and whether the models could be used for novel purposes, such as forecasting, evaluation of service change, and benchmarking. This entailed the further development of the model, and a consideration of basic modelling issues such as the balance between data-fit and model complexity, in order to capture better variation in the data and also to facilitate linkage to changes in population and seasonality. / http://library.adelaide.edu.au/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=1301698 / Thesis(Ph.D.) -- School of Psychology, 2007

A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Arts in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Master of Arts in the Department of Recreation and Tourism at the University of Zululand, South Africa, 1998. / The phenomenon of Bed and Breakfast accommodation is part of the tourism industry that is increasing almost in every city or town. The study examines: ♦ The role Bed and Breakfast accommodation has in tourism industry in Empangeni and Richards Bay. ♦ How do Bed and Breakfast proprietors conduct the business? ♦ Why Bed and Breakfast establishments are increasing in Empangeni and Richards Bay? ♦ What are the economic benefits and problems faced by Bed and Breakfast establishments? ♦ What is the future of Bed and Breakfast establishments? The study reveals that Bed and Breakfast market (in Empangeni and Richards Bay) is dominated by business people and holiday makers. The Bed and Breakfast market faces growing competition from other parallel segments within the industry such as transport, tour operation and travel agents. Findings reveal that Bed and Breakfast product is changing and extending its range of products by offering not only Bed and Breakfast but other services such as full service Bed and Breakfast and extended stay Bed and Breakfast. The results of the investigation emphasises that the viability of Bed and Breakfast accommodation should take into consideration factors such as right location, correct capacity and high level of utilisation. The study reveals that most Bed and Breakfast establishments are operated and managed by owners. Findings indicate that the workforce is usually not more than eight people and the term of operation is less than eight years in both towns. Findings reveal that some Bed and Breakfast have used their personal savings, bank loans and others joint venture to start the business. In conclusion, the study reflects that there is need for the industry to be regulated whereby schemes such as registration, classification and grading are applicable to Bed and Breakfast accommodation industry. The problems experienced presently in the Bed and Breakfast industry need the attention of all interested stakeholders no matter how big or small they are.

Abstract In order to make efficient hydrogen storage utilization as a fuel in fuel cell plant, there is need for its effective storage. Previous studies on hydrogen storage considered the hydrogen adsorption/ desorption in radial direction only which is one dimensional approach in this project, two dimensional computational model is implemented in CFD software to simulate the diffusion and heating of hydrogen in both radial and axial directions. The model consists of a system of partial differential equation (PDE) describing two-dimensional heat and mass transfer of hydrogen in porous matrix. Mathematical model was developed to simulate heat and mass transfer in a packed bed reactor with metal hydride as a material for hydrogen absorption and desorption. Importance of bed porosity radial distribution and correct equation for effective thermal conductivity is discussed.

Fluidised bed combustion offers potential advantages over conventional power generation systems, particularly with respect to sulphur capture using injected limestone. The stone calcines on entry to the hot bed, forming CaO, and then reacts with SO<SUB>2</SUB> to produce CaSO<SUB>4</SUB>. Regenerative schemes aim to reduce the sorbent loading by stripping off the sulphur from the spent limestone which is then reused. This subject of this dissertation is an investigation into the fundamentals of the regeneration of sulphated limestone by reductive decomposition. Following a detailed discussion of the thermodynamic limitations on the reaction system, attention is focussed on the kinetics of the reductive decomposition scheme. The results of a study on the reaction of CaSO<SUB>4</SUB> powder with CO are reported. This made use of two experimental techniques, X-ray powder diffraction and thermogravimetric analysis. These experiments highlighted the major features of the reaction scheme and allowed the study of two special cases, the sulphidation of CaSO<SUB>4</SUB> to produce CaS only and the solid-solid reaction between CaS and CaSO<SUB>4</SUB>. The major experimental technique used for this work was the batch addition of limestone to a fluidised bed. After a brief discussion of the results of sulphation experiments, typical regeneration experiments are described. By varying the test conditions as well as performing several special experiments, a mechanism for the overall reaction is deduced. The effect of the operating variables on the product split is then explicable. The evidence suggests that the closed pores resulting from the sulphation reaction lead to strong diffusion resistance on regeneration which controls the rate during the early and middle stages. By utilising high CO<SUB>2</SUB> concentrations the formation of CaS was inhibited; the reaction was then amenable to quantitative analysis which revealed an approximate first order dependence on CO concentration and an activation energy of 110kJ/mol. One method for reducing the quantities of CaS produced is to operate the fluidised bed in a two-zone fashion i.e. with oxidising and reducing regions. An investigation into this reactor configuration is included with particular attention paid to the oxidation of CaS. The results obtained are explicable in terms of the results from the single zone bed and allow the effects of operating variables on the reactor performance to be predicted. Finally, the mathematical modelling of the gas-solid reactions is considered. The changing grain size model is introduced by considering the sulphation of limestone. The final conditions from this model then form the initial conditions for the regeneration model, which considers mildly reducing conditions only. The final model then uses as a basis the mechanism proposed in chapter 5 and is applied to the thermogravimetric analysis results.

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