Deoiling of petroleum wastewater is a major concern in petroleum process engineering. The conventional design procedure for deoiling systems consists of nine consecutive stages involving different people or groups. This thesis considers reengineering the conventional procedure, with the aim of increasing the efficiency of the process and productivity of people involved. The thesis then investigates the development of the appropriate computer support tools for the new procedure. The reengineering of the procedure is based on concepts proposed by Hammer (1990). The resulting procedure consists of four stages, where parallelism of the different tasks in the conventional procedure is explicitly considered. A model of the new procedure is described in UML (Unified Modelling Language). The advantage of using UML instead of using just natural language description is that UML uses graphical representation that is easy to use and less prone to ambiguity. Based on the new procedure, a decision support system called CODES (Conceptual DEsign of deoiling Systems) was designed and implemented. CODES supports the stages of wastewater assessment, equipment options at different locations, treatment disposal options and recommendations for final process configuration. Two Case Studies using operating field data are reported. The Case Studies using CODES proved to be straightforward to use and produced appropriate comments on the performance of the existing designs and proposed alternatives to satisfy the design requirements. CODES results agreed with knowledge from previous plant trials. The contribution of this thesis to the deoiling design process is twofold. Firstly, a critical review of the conventional procedure has resulted in a new one, which has potential benefits of improving a company's efficiency by reducing the number of people and activities involved, and shortening the design time. Secondly, the feasibility of applying the new procedure and CODES is successfully demonstrated through the case studies. Limitations and areas of extensions are also identified.

Urban planning has witnessed the profound changes in the methodologies of modelling during the last 50 years. Spatial interaction models have passed from social physics, statistical mechanics to non-spatial and spatial information processing stages of progress that can be designated as paradigm shifts. This thesis traces the Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) approach in urban planning as pioneered by Wilson (1967,1970) and Spatial Entropy concept by Batty (1974) based on the Information Theory and its developments by Shannon (1948), Jaynes (1957), Kullback (1959) and by Tribus (1962,1969). Information-theoric methods have provided the theoretical foundation for challenging the uncertainty and incomplete information issues concerning the complex urban structure. MaxEnt, as a new logic, gives probabilities maximally noncommittal with regard to missing information. Wilson (1967,1970) has replaced the Newtonian analogy by the entropy concept from statistical mechanics to alleviate the mathematical inconsistency in the gravity model and developed a set of spatial interaction models consistent with the known information. Population density distribution as one of the determinants of the urban structure has been regarded as an exemplar to show the paradigm changes from the analysis of density gradients to the probabilistic description of density distributions by information-theoric methods. Spatial Entropy concept has introduced the spatial dimension to the Information Theory. Thesis applies Spatial Entropy measures to Ankara 1970 and 1990 census data by 34 zones and also obtains Kullback&rsquo / s Information Gain measures for population changes during the two decades. Empirical findings for Spatial Entropy measures show that overall Ankara-1970 and 1990 density distributions are &lsquo / &rsquo / Uneven&rsquo / &rsquo / and the uniform distribution hypothesis is not confirmed. These measures also indicate a tendency towards &ldquo / More Uniformity&rdquo / for density distributions in comparison to 1970. Information Gain measure for population changes also deviates from zero and direct proportionality hypothesis between posterior 1990 and prior 1970 population distributions by zones is not confirmed. Current research is focused on information processing with more engagement in the urban spatial structure and human behavior. This thesis aims to participate with these efforts and concludes that Information Theory has the potential to generate new profound changes in urban planning and modelling processes.

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There has been renewed significance for innovative energy conversion technologies, particularly the heat recovery-to-power technologies for sustainable power generation from renewable energies and waste heat. This is due to the increasing concern over high demand for electricity, energy shortage, global warming and thermal pollution. Among the innovative heat recovery-to- power technologies, the proposed trilateral flash cycle (TFC) is a promising option, which presents a great potential for development. Unlike the Rankine cycles, the TFC starts the working fluid expansion from the saturated liquid condition rather than the saturated, superheated or supercritical vapour phase, bypassing the isothermal boiling phase. The challenges associated with the need to establish system design basis and facilitate system configuration design-supporting analysis from proof-of-concept towards a market-ready TFC technology are significant. Thus, there is a great need for research to improve the understanding of its operation, behaviour and performance. The objective of this study is to develop and establish simulation tools of the TFCs for improving the understanding of their operation, physics of performance metrics and to evaluate novel system configurations for low-grade heat recovery-to-power generation. This study examined modelling and process simulation of the TFC engines in order to evaluate their performance metrics, predictions for guiding system design and parameters estimations. A detailed thermodynamic analysis, performance optimization and parametric analysis of the cycles were conducted, and their optimized performance metrics compared. These were aimed at evaluating the effects of the key parameters on system performances and to improve the understanding of the performance behaviour. Four distinct system configurations of the TFC, comprising the simple TFC, TFC with IHE, reheat TFC and TFC with feed fluid-heating (or regenerative TFC) were examined. Steady-state steady-flow models of the TFC power plants, corresponding to their thermodynamic processes were thermodynamically modelled and implemented using engineering equation solver (ESS). These models were used to determine the optimum synthesis/ design parameters of the cycles and to evaluate their performance metrics, at the subcritical operating conditions and design criteria. Thus, they can be valuable tools in the preliminary prototype system design of the power plants. The results depict that the thermal efficiencies of the simple TFC, TFC with IHE, reheat TFC and regenerative TFC employing n-pentane are 11.85 - 21.97%, 12.32 - 23.91%, 11.86 - 22.07% and 12.01 - 22.9% respectively over the cycle high temperature limit of 393 - 473 K. These suggest that the integration of an IHE, fluid-feed heating and reheating in optimized design of the TFC engine enhanced the heat exchange efficiencies and system performances. The effects of varying the expander inlet pressure at the cycle high temperature and expander isentropic efficiency on performance metrics of the cycles were significant. They have assisted in selecting the optimum-operating limits for the maximum performance metrics. The thermal efficiencies of all the cycles increased as the inlet pressures increased from 2 - 3 MPa and increased as the expander isentropic efficiencies increased from 50 - 100%, while their exergy efficiencies increased. This is due to increased net work outputs that suggest optimal value of pressure ratios between the expander inlets and their outlets. A comprehensive evaluation depicted that the TFC with IHE attained the best performance metrics among the cycles. This is followed by the regenerative TFC whereas the simple TFC and reheat TFC have the lowest at the same subcritical operating conditions. The results presented show that the performance metrics of the cycles depend on the system configuration, and the operating conditions of the cycles, heat source and heat sink. The results also illustrate how system configuration design and sizing might be altered for improved performance and experimental measurements for preliminary prototype development.

This research is focused on agricultural mechanization within the context of Brazilian agribusiness and its theme modeling processes, focusing on the description and modeling of the management of the agricultural production process in rural enterprises. From the emphasis of the research that has as main objective to create a reference model for the management process of agricultural production: emphasis on mechanization and in order to achieve the objectives of the study, the author sought information in the literature to promote closer ties between the context and the focus of research, but covers other areas of knowledge considered essential to the development of the thesis, such as: design of systems, processes, planning, agricultural mechanization planning addition of process modeling. The approach of theory and practice occurs through the modeling of the process of administration of agricultural machinery, according to the formalism of modeling, the Núcleo de Ensaio de Máquinas Agrícolas da Universidade Federal de Santa Maria. From the literature review and systematization of this, there was the necessary basis for the creation of the Reference Model for the Management of Agricultural Production Process: Focus on mechanization, which presents in three macrofases: Planning, Sizing, Control and Evaluation. From these eight phases originated: Physical Environment, Production, Operations, Machinery, Workforce, Performance, Capital and Results. / Esta pesquisa está centrada na mecanização agrícola dentro do contexto do agronegócio brasileiro e tem como tema a modelagem de processos, com foco na descrição e modelagem do processo de gestão da produção agrícola nos empreendimentos rurais. A partir da ênfase da pesquisa que tem como objetivo geral criar um modelo de referência para o processo de gestão da produção agrícola: ênfase na mecanização e, a fim de atingir os objetivos do estudo, o autor se ampara na bibliografia para promover a ambientação entre o contexto e o foco da pesquisa, mas aborda outras áreas do conhecimento, consideradas essenciais ao desenvolvimento da tese, como: delineamento de sistemas, processos, planejamento, planejamento da mecanização agrícola além da modelagem de processos. A aproximação da teoria com a prática ocorre através da modelagem do processo de administração de máquinas agrícolas, segundo o formalismo de modelagem, das práticas do Núcleo de Ensaio de Máquinas Agrícolas da Universidade Federal de Santa Maria. A partir da revisão da bibliografia e desta sistematização, houve a base necessária à criação do Modelo de Referência para o Processo de Gestão da Produção Agrícola: Ênfase na mecanização, que se apresenta constituído por três macrofases: Planejamento, Dimensionamento, Controle e Avaliação. A partir destas originaram-se oito fases: Físico Ambiental, Produção, Operações, Máquinas, Força de Trabalho, Desempenho, Capital e Resultado.

This diploma thesis is focused on issues of positioning, licensing and fruition of civil engineering projects. The aim of this work is to analyze these matters and create subsequently single consecutions facilitating orientation in the construction law for the employers. First the elemental terms of procedure modelling and methodology are introduced to reader to be used further in the text for illustration of the processes. Furthermore particular types of construction positioning, planning permissions and fruition of constructions are analyzed to demonstrate the progression and essential inputs for gaining the authorization within the required moves. In the final part particular procedures giving instructions for the employers which steps to make for realization of their construction plan are elaborated. All the procedures are derived from the types of positioning, permissions and fruition of constructions as in the text described. Short presentation as an operative manual for employers assigning constructions to particular procedures is added.

The diploma thesis focuses on application of a chosen BPM methodology in a real trade company with the aim of optimization of its processes, identification of the possible improvement areas and proposing measures leading to an increase of the efficiency of the company. One BPM methodology is chosen based on a methodology comparison in the introductory part of the work. A description of the trade company and a process analysis follows. Then an identification of the improvement potential is done and limits of the improvement potential are found followed by the projects proposed, which should lead to an increase of the efficiency of the company's processes. This thesis produces an overview of chosen BPM methodologies and approaches, brings up the results of the process analysis in a real trade company, and proposes a set of project for realization. Ultimately the work done demonstrates a procedure of BPM methodology implementation in a small trading company, which may be replicated in another similar firm.

In recent years, a considerable amount of research has been conducted in modelling non-functional requirements (NFR) or Quality Requirements (QR). However, in comparison with functional requirements (FR) modelling, QR models are still immature and have not been widely adopted. The fundamental reason for this shortfall outlined in this thesis is that the existing QR modelling approaches have not adequately considered the challenging nature of QRs. In this thesis, this limitation is addressed through integrating QR modelling with FR modelling in a multi-perspective modelling framework. This framework, thus called QRMF (Quality Requirements Modelling Framework), is developed offering a process-oriented approach to modelling QR from different views and at different phases of requirement. These models are brought together in a descriptive representation schema, which represents a logical structure to guide the construction of requirement models comprehensively and with consistency. The research presented in the thesis introduces a generic meta-meta model for QRMF to aid understanding the abstract concepts and further guide the modelling process; it offers a reference blueprint to develop a modelling tool applicable to the framework. QRMF is supported by a modelling process, which guides requirement engineers to capture a set of complete, traceable and comprehensible QR models for software system. The thesis presents a case study, which evaluates the practicality and applicability of the QRMF. Finally, the framework is evaluated theoretically, through comparing and contrasting related approaches found in the literature.

This thesis engages in process modelling and description of selected business processes which are underway in the department of Economy and Operation of the Czech TV, in Television studio in Brno. The process models are created using the CASE tool Adonis. The theoretical part is focused on clarifying important concepts, methodologies and tools in the process management. In the analytical part, the selected processes are thoroughly described and graphically illustrated. The proposal part of the thesis highlights the improvement of selected business processes and assesses their effectiveness.

(in English): The basis of this diploma thesis is to describe business process modelling and its current use in IT companies. The subject is to determine if respondents use process modelling in their companies or if they find it unsuitable. In the theoretical part, modelling in the context of information science, new media, and some models of communication are briefly presented. An important part of the theory is focused on the chapter of cognitive modelling, as a basic approach for creating process models. It follows an introduction of process modelling and a current market overview in this industry. The practical part maps the use of modelling in companies. Methodology is presented as first followed by data analysis. The research uses questionnaire survey for data collection, for qualitative data processing applies the grounded theory. Finally, the thesis evaluates the current state of modelling on the Czech market and defines the strengths and weaknesses of the process modelling.