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A race track type oxidation ditch with a disc aerator was constructed on a model scale. Tests were conducted in deionized water to study the effect of some disc design parameters and system operating parameters on the oxygen transfer rate was affected by the disc speed, disc thickness, hole diameter, immersion depth and number of discs operated in parallel. / The effect of the manure concentration on the microbial growth was investigated in a batch culture operation. High manure concentration had an inhibitory effect on the microbial growth. / Data from batch culture operation were used to design a continuous culture operation. The latter was used to evaluate the concept of minimal aeration of swine manure for odor control. The effluent quality (as measured by odor level and the concentrations of COD, nitrogenous componds and solids) was dependent on the initial manure concentration and on the retention time. The effluent from the ditch was free of offensive odor and can be spread on land without causing odor pollution problem.

Never before in the history of humanity has so much content been created. According to Eric Schmidt, Google CEO, every two days now we create as much information as we did from the dawn of civilization up until 2003. Most of this information will either live entirely or partially on the digital realm, according to, in the next 8 years, more than one-third of all digital information created annually will either live in or pass through the cloud. A series of problems emerge when a persons needs to deal with all of this data like, photos, songs, videos, blog posts, emails, their virtual possessions. They are not limited by space and are difficult to curate; It is difficult to create the sense of value on virtual things; They lack uniqueness; and last, but not least; the main tools used to manage this data are still based on metaphors made popular by Microsoft MS-DOS in the 80’s: Files and Directories. In my degree project, I have explored possible alternatives for maintaining and bequeathing virtual possessions. The project was conducted in 24 weeks (51-22) using a Goal-Directed Design (GDD) process with strong focus on Design Ethnography, Prototyping and an extra bit of Philosophy.

This thesis is an investigation of the characteristics and behaviour of loads of cattle that are unloaded for feed, water and rest at a rest station in Thunder Bay, Ontario. Truck drivers were surveyed as they arrived at the rest station and the cattle were observed as they were unloaded and reloaded to score animal handling (n=129). Behavioural observations were conducted on an additional 53 loads (87 pens) using counts of the number of animals lying, feeding and drinking. A majority of the loads (60.94%) were feeder calves (300-550kg). On average drivers were in transit for 28.2±5.0 hours before stopping and rested for 11.2±2.8 hours. These values are within the maximum and minimum allowed in the current Canadian regulations. Behaviour was not found to be associated with time in transit, but was instead found to be strongly associated with whether the entire truckload was grouped in a single pen. / Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food

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During field observations of professional movers, it was noticed that some experienced movers carried loads posterior to their pelvis. The purpose of this study was two-fold: (1) to assess the biomechanical differences between hand-held load carriage anterior (AC) and posterior (PC) to the pelvis; and, (2) to determine if an assistive load carriage device could reduce muscle effort while carrying loads either anterior or posterior to the pelvis. In the first laboratory study, an electromyographic (EMG) analysis was conducted while participants carried a load on a treadmill using AC and PC techniques. The subjects conducted three trials of AC and PC techniques while EMG data were being collected. All trial data were normalized to their respective iMVE values. An amplitude probability distribution function (APDF) was used to compare EMG amplitudes between carrying techniques. Results indicated that PC reduced EMG activity of the erector spinae (>50% reduction), trapezius, and anterior deltoid (p<0.05) as well as increasing EMG activity in the posterior deltoid (p<0.05). Eighty percent of the subjects reported that the PC method felt awkward. Due to its awkwardness, many individuals may not use the PC technique; thus, the second purpose of the study was to design an assistive movers’ pack to aid in AC and PC techniques and make the PC method easier to perform. In the second study, subjects were asked to walk unloaded while EMG was recorded. The subjects then performed the AC and PC methods with and without the assistive device. All EMG signals were normalized to unloaded gait followed by EMG APDF analyses. Findings from the first study were confirmed, in that PC, compared to AC significantly reduced erector spinae activity (p<0.05) and focused shoulder activity to the posterior deltoid. Secondly, the assistive device effectively reduced flexor digitorum activity (>40% reduction, p<0.03) and anterior deltoid activity (>75% reduction, p=0.5) in both AC and PC. Erector spinae EMG remained similar to their respective unassisted conditions. The assistive load carriage device may be an effective ergonomic tool in both AC and PC techniques. Subjective surveys indicate that the assistive device decreased the awkwardness in performing the PC technique. / Thesis (Master, Kinesiology & Health Studies) -- Queen's University, 2008-09-29 16:58:19.305

It is expected that South Africa will have to construct as much generating capacity in the next five years as has been constructed over the past 50 years. Industrialization and urbanization dictates that the larger portion of this increase will be required in the supply areas under the control of Municipal Electricity Undertakings, which means that these undertakings will have to anticipate rapid growth in their infrastructures. This will put a tremendous strain on their resources of revenue, materials and labour, and it is obvious that comprehensive and co-ordinated policies are required to be developed to enable these undertakings to deliver the electrical energy to the final consumers at the lowest possible cost. The Electricity Undertaking is a business organization with unusually difficult managerial problems in all its functional areas. Its personnel are adversely affected by the vast area of supply and by the resulting difficulty of direct supervision and control. The capital cost of electrical equipment is high, and there may be a tendency to reduce the initial cost by ignoring the long term costs associated with the selection of equipment. Electricity pricing is very difficult, as electricity is not a uniform product. The consumption patterns of the consumers causes severe peaking of loads to occur, resulting in very low utilization )f the capital equipment involved, and which can threaten to overload existing networks. These problems are compounded by the fact that the undertaking is a monopoly and as such is not driven by the free-market motivating forces, such as a profit motive and the constant need to improve to meet competition. There is thus no motive to seek optimum solutions to the many problems. It is shown that the Load Factor is an indication of the efficient use of scarce resources, and that it is similar to measurements of profitability, such as Return-on-Investment, etc. It is therefore possible to replace the missing drive for profit and product improvement by the need to constantly improve the load factor. By making this the main objective of the undertaking many of the stated problems are put in their correct perspective. Maintenance becomes important, as power failures adversely affect the load factor. More care is exercised in equipment selection, as long term energy losses are taken into account. Electricity pricing and its effect on consumer consumption patterns becomes important. The concerted effort to improve the load factor is referred to as load management. Due to the tremendous increase in electricity consumption which is expected over the next decade it is certain that load management will play an ever increasing role. Load Management is defined as the sustained attempt at modifying the load curve. Soft load management refers to pricing policies and incentive schemes designed to induce users to shift their loads .out of the peak periods. Hard load management physically switches customer loads. This thesis examines the results obtainable from various methods of load management including off-peak incentive tariffs, on-peak-reduction rebates, the use of current limiters, peak load reduction by means of voltage reduction and remote control of water heater cylinders. It is shown that whereas Sasolburg saves around R7S0 000.00 p.a. and Randburg saves over Rl,5-million p.a.,other towns such as Pretoria and Pietermaritzburg find their geyser control systems ineffective, and are phasing them out. It has hitherto not been possible to determine the actual savings which would result from the installation of a geyser control system, or to determine the optimum number of controlled geysers. The result was that some undertakings would install a control system at considerable expense which resulted in minimal savings, while other towns forego the opportunity to save hundreds of thousands of rands in reduced demand charges. In this thesis, the author develops a feasibility study model which permits the system load curve to be analysed and the viability of a geyser control system to be determined. The model was tested against the controlled and uncontrolled load curves of Somerset West, and was found to be accurate. It was shown that a geyser control scheme is a very viable proposition for those undertakings where the feasibility study shows a contribution of more than 0,5 KVA per geyser towards peak load reduction. This forms the basic guideline for the selection of an appropriate form of load mangement, and guidelines are presented to develop supporting policies in all fields of the undertakings' functions. In order to facilitate correct decision-making and to assist in the development of comprehensive policies, a database of concepts and models is presented in the various fields and various misconceptions are dicussed. The guidelines have been applied by several electricity undertakings. By using the Feasibility Study Model it was shown that the proposed installation of 4000 geyser control units at Oudtshoorn, at a cost of over RI-million, was not viable. The Feasibility Study Model permits the savings to be calculated for different numbers of geysers and it was shown that the system saturates at about 1500 controlled geysers. By reduci ng the number of controlled geysers to around 1500 the installation cost will be reduced by about R500 000.00 and the system will show a net operating savings , " of RI05 540.00 in the first year, increasing as ESCOM increases its tariffs. The application of these principles conceivably prevented the needless expenditure of RI-million on a system that would have run at an operating loss of over R17 000.00 p.a. The feasibility study model was applied to the Stanger load curve to determine the correct selection of load management. The results indicate excellent response to geyser control, and showed that a system controlling 2500 geysers, costing R498 500.00 would show a gross savings of R297 000.00 in the first year, rising to RSI0 000.00 within 5 years if ESCOM increases its tariff by 10% p.a. Based on these results and recommendations the Department of Finance gave ad hoc approval to the Borough of Stanger for the additional expenditure in the current financial year to install the control equipment. The guidelines indicated a similar result for Tongaat, where the gross savings would be R360 000.00 in the first year, increasing to R637 680.00 within 5 years if ESCOM increases its tariff by 10% p.a. The estimated cost of the control equipment is R493 649.00. In complete contrast, the feasibility studies for geyser control undertaken on the Ballito load curve showed a contribution of less than 0,5 KVA per geyser, which indicated that the alternative forms of load management should be implemented. The results are contained in the case studies. / Thesis (DBA)-University of Durban-Westville, 1986.

Manual cattle handling systems are widely used in South Africa. A literature review and consultations were conducted with both producers and equipment manufactures, to assess the advantages and disadvantages of various cattle handling systems with the objective of developing a more efficient system that incorporates automation, electronics and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology. In this study an automated, selective sorting (RFID) based cattle handling system was developed and assessed as an alternative to the widely adopted conventional manual management system practiced in South Africa. The system is still under research and not yet available on the market. This document describes the research and development process undertaken which included planning, literature review, consultation, design, fabrication, evaluation and discussions. The RFID based system developed consists of manual, semi- and fully automated components in the form of a neck-body clamp with through access, flow control double split gates and a weigh-identification-sort system. For the ease of comparison the system was developed with a manual by-pass as a control to compare the automated and manual systems in terms of establishment cost, handling duration including identification, weighing and sorting, and operator and animal stress levels which impact on business profitability and system efficiency. Both the manual by-pass and automated RFID-based systems were evaluated. The automated system resulted in reduced handling duration, operational costs and handling stress on both operator and the animal whilst enabling selective automated sorting. The infrastructure was designed to have a capacity to handle 500 animals per day with 5 handlers and a capital investment of R200 000 was required with an operational cost of R25 000 per month. After incorporating RFID, electronics and automation of the system it was established that, on average, cattle handling duration was reduced by 63%, incorrect sorting was reduced by 5.5%, man hours were reduced by 70% with 23% and 14% less fatigue and stress levels to the handler and the animals respectively, whilst achieving efficient selective sorting. A cost benefit analysis was undertaken for both systems with the aim of assessing and determining the most profitable system. An assumption was made that the cash flow pattern remains uniform for both systems over the entire evaluation period. This revealed that the introduction of RFID based technology as an alternative to a manual based system results in an increase in business profitability by 20% and shorten the payback period by 5 years. Although there is still need to further investigate the performance parameters under different environments, it can be concluded that the introduction of RFID, electronics and automation improves the overall system technical efficiency by 32% whilst enabling efficient selective handling. / Thesis (M.Sc.Eng.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2013.

Customs administrations, worldwide, are adopting the trend towards risk-based processing of international cargoes as a means of facilitating trade. This has lead to the introduction of innovative processes ably supported by technology to realize improvements in customs effectiveness and overall efficiency. Widespread use of e-commerce in trade-customs transactions and exchanges, likewise necessitates complimentary technical support where Customs has need to intervene in a specific import, export or transit consignment. South African Revenue Service (SARS) is presently developing and enhancing its core competencies through training of its personnel in the disciplines of risk management, anti-smuggling and post clearance audit. It therefore becomes essential that these capacity building initiatives be complimented with the most appropriate tools for conducting cargo examination. The current physical examination process and inspection techniques are both time consuming and costly for business and render the goods liable to damage and theft. Recent historical events, specifically the 9/11 tragedy in New York, has caused international organizations such as the G8 and World Customs Organization (WCO) to consider the implications and effects of terrorism on international maritime transportation. The G8 adopted a Co-operative Action Plan on Security covering all aspects of transportation security and the WCO adopted a Resolution on Security and Facilitation of the International Supply Chain. Both initiatives aim to ensure safer and more secure maritime trade on the global scale. Fundamental to SARS Customs ability to successfully implement such measures are the following: Availability of advance electronic customs data Automated risk profiling and targeting capability Availability of non-intrusion inspectional devices (X-ray cargo scanners) to examine cargo. These three criteria are essential for SARS to participate in supply chain security initiatives and to facilitate the transportation of international consignment. Accordingly this research project explores how the external and internal environment impacts on SARS. It further critically analyses the core competencies and resource strengths of SARS. To support SARS in its effort and in its process of starting a project to improve controls and facilitation of goods at ports of entry within the Republic, this study explores and expounds on infrastructure and business application needs of SARS. Finally the research project concludes with a recommendation of the most effective approach towards the implementation of cargo scanner 'shared, outsourced service." / Thesis (MBA)-University of Natal, Durban, 2003.