In a typical modern gas turbine engine, the nozzle guide vanes (NGVs) endure the highest operating temperatures. There exists a great drive in the turbine industry to increase the turbine inlet temperatures leading to higher thermal efficiency. This has led to a drive to increase turbine vane- and blade-cooling. Numerical modelling has to a large degree replaced empirical codes and models as the main research tool regarding simulation of blade-cooling. Outdated empirical solvers have made way for commercial CFD solvers such as FLUENT, a Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) solver. One such empirical solver, TACT1, has until recently still proved to yield acceptable results. A comparative study has been done using the T56 NGV blade to establish the differences, advantages and disadvantages of these 2 codes. The engine and subsequent NGV blade were analysed using NREC, STAN5, LOSS3D and TACT1. RANS simulations were found to be computationally expensive. TACT1 yielded acceptable results compared with computational cost. For modern-day designers, RANS would be the preferred tool. / Dissertation (MEng)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering / unrestricted

L’objectif de cette thèse sous contrat cifre entre la société S3d et l’Ecole des Mines de Nantes a été de développer une solution innovante et rentable de production de bio-GNV (Gaz Naturel pour Véhicules) à l’échelle d’une exploitation agricole. Les solutions testées pour capter le CO2 et l’H2S se sont respectivement basées sur les réactions de carbonatation accélérée et la sulfuration du fer sur matériaux alcalins. Pour cela, un co-produits industriels à faible valeur ajoutée a été identifié : les laitiers sidérurgiques issus de four de conversion à oxygène (laitiers BOF pour Basic Oxygen Furnace). Des essais ont été menés à l’échelle du laboratoire sur le CO2 etl’H2S en réacteurs statiques puis en colonne dynamique. L’étude de la carbonatation accélérée du CO2 sur les laitiers BOF et la chaux a permis d’estimer les capacités de capture du CO2 à 49 gCO2/kgBOF pour les BOF contre 265,4 gCO2/kg chaux pour la chaux. La sulfuration des laitiers par H2S a conduit à une capacité de capture de 7,0 ± 1,0 gH2S/kgBOF. Suite à ces résultats, la faisabilité technique a été évaluée sur un biogaz réel produit sur une exploitation agricole vendéenne. Des tests sur site dans une colonne garnie de 200 g de laitiers en lit fixe pendant 46 jours ont permis de valider la faisabilité de la désulfurisation parles laitiers BOF en conditions réelles. Cependant, les réflexions menées sur la carbonatation du CO2 ont conduit à l’introduction d’une solution alternative à savoir la filtration membranaire. Enfin, le bilan économique sur la filière complète a montré que la rentabilité de cette unité était contrainte par un investissement de 75 000 € subventionné à 30% et la consommation d’au moins 6 pleins/semaine. / Bio-NGV (bio- Natural Gas for Vehicles) is a bio-fuel based on the biogas in which components such as CO2and H2S are removed. But the economical feasibility of available and commercial technologies to perform these removals is limited to 80 Nm3/h of treated biogas. Regarding farm scale biogas plant, fuel needs of 1 fill-upper day would represent the treatment of only 1 Nm3/hof raw biogas. The aim of our work was to develop a solution economically adapted to farm scale to produce bio-NGV from biogas. An alternative and low cost material, BOF slag (Basic Oxygen Furnace slag), was then identified to perform CO2 removal by accelerated carbonation and H2S removal by iron sulfidation. The accelerated carbonation feasibility was evaluated in batch and dynamic reactors under laboratory conditions. But, removal capacities obtained were insufficient to be used under real conditions. Lime was then tested and CO2 removal capacities observed were higher than BOFslag ones but still insufficient. Iron sulfidation by H2Swas also tested under laboratory conditions. Batch reactor and dynamic column investigations led to an interesting H2S removal capacity of 7,0 ± 1,0 gH2S/kgBOF. Based on this result, performances were also validated under real conditions on the biogas produced on site field. According to the whole experimental data, the complete process of bio-NGV production was designed including the H2S removal performed by BOF slag, CO2 removal achieved in two membranes and the 200 bars compression. Finally, the overall economical balance has showed that a total investment of 75 000 € with a subsidy rates of 30% and a weekly fuel consumption between 6 and 28 fill-up/week will lead to a profitable project.

This report delves into the early developmental phase of an autonomous vehicle designed for defense applications. Navigating diverse terrains, this unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) poses unique challenges, particularly in the absence of clearly defined directives found in typical traffic scenarios. The analysis employs the Systems-Theoretic Process Analysis (STPA) to identify and anticipate risks inherent in the conceptual stage of product development. Beyond the specific UGV case, the report explores the broader landscape of validating autonomous systems. It discusses prevalent methods, emphasizing adaptability to different contexts and stages of development. By shedding light on the risks and challenges of autonomy in vehicles and examining effective validation strategies, this report aims to contribute valuable insights to the ongoing discourse surrounding autonomous vehicle development.

The tax system in South Africa makes provision for every South African citizen to contribute to a greater or lesser extent to funding the National Health Insurance (NHI), either through VAT or PAYE. However, as a result of the high unemployment rate, a large gap exists between tax and non-tax contributors. The question can now be asked whether it is fair that just a small percentage of taxpayers are responsible for the total funding of the NHI. Furthermore, it could be asked whether the taxpayer is aware of the additional tax burden the NHI will impose on him/her. The purpose of this research was to investigate three countries, namely, Brazil, Spain and Germany, where some form of NHI is in operation, in order to find a possible appropriate funding model for South Africa's NHI and, ultimately, to make conclusions and recommendations based on the outcomes. It was subsequently found that, although the taxpayer should be more heavily taxed in order to fund the NHI, there are a few other possibilities for distributing the tax burden more evenly. However, the impact of the proposed adjustment to increase VAT could have a negative impact on the non-taxpayer and might contribute to greater poverty in South Africa. / MCom (South African and International Taxation), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

The tax system in South Africa makes provision for every South African citizen to contribute to a greater or lesser extent to funding the National Health Insurance (NHI), either through VAT or PAYE. However, as a result of the high unemployment rate, a large gap exists between tax and non-tax contributors. The question can now be asked whether it is fair that just a small percentage of taxpayers are responsible for the total funding of the NHI. Furthermore, it could be asked whether the taxpayer is aware of the additional tax burden the NHI will impose on him/her. The purpose of this research was to investigate three countries, namely, Brazil, Spain and Germany, where some form of NHI is in operation, in order to find a possible appropriate funding model for South Africa's NHI and, ultimately, to make conclusions and recommendations based on the outcomes. It was subsequently found that, although the taxpayer should be more heavily taxed in order to fund the NHI, there are a few other possibilities for distributing the tax burden more evenly. However, the impact of the proposed adjustment to increase VAT could have a negative impact on the non-taxpayer and might contribute to greater poverty in South Africa. / MCom (South African and International Taxation), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Made available in DSpace on 2014-12-17T14:57:46Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 JohnENV.pdf: 2614116 bytes, checksum: 0c3230c680d60ac346167f3aa79669e3 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2004-06-04 / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cient?fico e Tecnol?gico / The investigation of viability to use containers for Natural Gas Vehicle (NGV) storage, with different geometries of commercial standards, come from necessity to join the ambient, financial and technological benefits offered by the gas combustion, to the convenience of not modify the original proposal of the automobile. The use of these current cylindrical models for storage in the converted vehicles is justified by the excellent behavior that this geometry presents about the imposed tensions for the high pressure that the related reservoirs are submitted. However, recent research directed toward application of adsorbent materials in the natural gas reservoirs had proven a substantial redusction of pressure and, consequently, a relief of the tensions in the reservoirs. However, this study considers alternative geometries for NGV reservoirs, searching the minimization of dimensions and weight, remaining capacity to resist the tensions imposed by the new pressure situation. The proposed reservoirs parameters are calculated through a mathematical study of the internal pressure according to Brazilian standards (NBR) for pressure vessels. Finally simulations of the new geometries behavior are carried through using a commercially avaible Finite Element Method (FEM) software package ALGOR? to verify of the reservoirs efficincy under the gas pressure load / A investiga??o da viabilidade de se utilizar recipientes para armazenamento de g?s natural veicular (GNV), com geometrias diferentes dos padr?es comerciais, parte da necessidade de se aliar os benef?cios ambientais, financeiros e tecnol?gicos oferecidos pela combust?o do g?s, ? conveni?ncia de n?o se alterar a proposta original do autom?vel. O uso dos atuais modelos cil?ndricos para estocagem nos ve?culos convertidos justifica-se pelo excelente comportamento que essa geometria apresenta diante das tens?es provocadas pela alta press?o a que os referidos reservat?rios est?o submetidos. Entretanto, recentes pesquisas, voltadas para aplica??o de materiais adsorventes nos reservat?rios de g?s natural, comprovaram uma substancial redu??o de press?o e, consequentemente, um al?vio das tens?es nos reservat?rios. Diante desse contexto, este estudo prop?e geometrias alternativas para os reservat?rios de GNV buscando a minimiza??o das dimens?es e do peso, mantendo-se, por?m, a capacidade de resistir ?s tens?es impostas pela nova situa??o de press?o. Todos os par?metros geom?tricos dos reservat?rios propostos s?o calculados realizando o estudo matem?tico das tens?es internas de trabalho tomando como base ? norma brasileira (NBR). Por ?ltimo s?o realizadas simula??es do comportamento das novas geometrias fazendo uso do software comercial ALGOR? o qual se baseia no M?todo dos Elementos Finitos (MEF), para realizar a comprova??o da efici?ncia dos reservat?rios sob a press?o imposta pelo g?s