Foam has been used as a mobility control technique in CO₂ flooding to improve volumetric sweep efficiency. Stabilizing CO₂ foam with nanoparticle instead of surfactant has some notable advantages. Nanoparticle-stabilized foam is very stable because a large adsorption energy is required to bring nanoparticles to the bubble interfaces. As a solid, nanoparticle can potentially withstand the high temperature in the reservoir, providing a robust foam stability for an extended period of time. The ability of nanoparticles to generate foam only above a threshold shear rate is promising as foam can be engineered to form only in the high permeability zone. These nanoparticles are hundreds of times smaller than pore throats and thus can travel in the reservoir without plugging the pore throats. Surface-modified silica nanoparticle was found to stabilize CO₂ -in-water foam at temperature up to 80 ˚C and salinity as high as 7.2 wt%. The foam was generated through the co-injection of aqueous nanoparticle dispersion and CO₂ into consolidated rock cores, primarily sandstones, with and without an induced fracture in the core. A critical shear rate for foam generation was found to exist in both matrix and fracture, however, this critical rate varied with the experiment conditions. The effects of experimental parameters on the critical shear rate and foam apparent viscosity were also investigated. Additionally, the flow distribution calculation in fractured sandstone cores revealed a diversion of flow from fracture toward matrix once foam was generated, suggesting conformance control potential in fractured reservoirs. In order to study foam rheology, high-permeability beadpack was installed upstream of the core to serve as a foam generator. This allows the foam mobility to be measured solely while being transported through the core, without the complicating effect of transient foam generation in the core. The injection of the pre-generated foam into the core at residual oil condition was found to reduce the residual oil saturation to the same level as CO₂ flood, however, with the advantage of mobility control. The 'coalescence-regeneration' mechanism of foam transport in porous media possibly allowed the foam's CO₂ to contact and mobilize the residual oil. The injection of the foam slug followed by a slug of only CO₂ was also tested, showing similar viscosification as the continuous foam injection, however, required less nanoparticles. / text

<p>Hammarby Sjöstad is a new district in Stockholm with high environmental standard. Stockholm Water Company evaluates a local wastewater treatment plant with cutting edge technology. The first step is an experimental treatment plant (Sjöstadsverket) with four parallel lines of treatment, each with a capacity to treat wastewater from 150 persons. Within the membrane technology subproject the possibility of using reverse osmosis (usually called RO) to regain nutrients is examined.</p><p>Reverse osmosis separates the incoming water in a clean permeate and a concentrate that, as the name indicates, is a more concentrated version of the incoming water. Using this method in wastewater treatment, a solution high in nutrients can be obtained without the use of chemical precipitation agent and with no production of sludge. The solution can then be recycled to use on farmland. The disadvantages of the RO technology include high energy consumption and sensitivity to membrane fouling.</p><p>The aim of this study was to investigate the possibility of using RO at Sjöstadsverket and, if possible, to evaluate the chance of obtaining concentrate that can be accepted as a fertiliser and permeate that falls below emission limits. The experiments were carried out with an RO plant with three membranes in series operated in batch mode; the dimensioned permeate flow being 100 l/h. The incoming water was permeate from a membrane bioreactor in the majority of the trial runs.</p><p>The results show that RO can be used in at least one of the lines of treatment. However the permeate exceeds the emission limits (phosphorus: 0,15 mg/l, nitrogen: 6 mg/l) while concentration in the concentrate is still too low. The limiting factor seems to be phosphorus. This could be solved with pre-precipitation of phosphorus or by reconstructing the RO plant to a two-stage system. The quota heavy metal – phosphorus in the concentrate is lower than the limit imposed by the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency but much higher than in human urine.</p> / <p>Som en del i miljöarbetet i Stockholms nya stadsdel Hammarby Sjöstad utvärderar Stockholm Vatten ett lokalt reningsverk med spetsteknologi. I ett första steg har ett reningsverk (Sjöstadsverket) med fyra parallella reningslinjer byggts. Varje linje har kapacitet att rena avloppsvatten från 150 personer. Inom delprojektet membranteknik undersöks möjligheterna att som slutsteg på flera av linjerna återvinna näringsämnen med hjälp av omvänd osmos (eller RO efter engelskans reverse osmosis).</p><p>En RO separerar det inkommande vattnet i ett rent permeat och ett koncentrat som, liksom namnet antyder, är en koncentrerad form av det inkommande vattnet. Inom avloppsvattenrening kan alltså en lösning med hög koncentration av näringsämnen uppnås utan fällningskemikalier och uppkomst av slam. Denna kan sedan återföras till jordbruket. Till teknikens nackdelar hör hög energiförbrukning och stor känslighet för partiklar som kan sätta igen membranen.</p><p>Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka om det går att använda RO på Sjöstadsverket och att i så fall utvärdera koncentratets och permeatets möjlighet att bli accepterat gödselmedel respektive godkänt utloppsvatten. Försöken gjordes satsvis på en anläggning med tre seriekopplade membran dimensionerad för ett totalt permeatflöde på 100 l/h. Det inkommande vattnet var, i nästan alla försök, permeat från en membranbioreaktor.</p><p>Resultaten visar att RO:n kan användas åtminstone på en av reningslinjerna. Däremot kan inte en tillräckligt hög koncentration uppnås i koncentratet utan att gränsvärdena (fosfor: 0,15 mg/l, kväve: 6 mg/l) i permeatet överskrids. Den begränsande faktorn verkar framför allt vara fosfor. Lösningen på problem skulle kunna vara förfällning av fosfor eller en utbyggnad av anläggningen till en två-stegsprocess. Kvoten tungmetallfosfor i koncentratet klarar Naturvårdsverkets gränsvärden för vad som får spridas på åkermark, men är klart högre än i humanurin.</p>

The New Zealand forest industry produces a diverse range of log grades and sorts to meet domestic and export market demands and to maximise returns to the forest grower. An implication for the supply chain is the number of log grades and sorts a harvesting operation is expected to produce from one species, radiata pine (Pinus radiata). The number of log grades and sorts can impact on landing size and layout requirements, value recovery, log-making complexity, machine utilisation and quality control requirements. A study was conducted to investigate if the number of log sorts affects mechanised log processing productivity and value recovery. This would determine if any gross value gains derived from producing a higher number of sorts are offset by losses in log processing productivity. Two landing-based mechanised log processors at cable yarder harvesting operations were studied using different cutting scenarios producing five, nine, twelve and fifteen log sorts. The study collected data from over 26 hours of mechanised processing which included the processing of 578 stems at an average piece size of approximately 1.6 m³. Machine utilisation results showed processors spending 84% of total time on productive tasks and that 49% of total time was spent on the primary productive tasks of log processing. Quadratic regressions were used to model log processing productivity trends which showed piece size and cutting scenario as significant predictor variables (p-value <0.01). There was a significant difference between cutting scenario with five log sorts and the cutting scenarios with twelve and fifteen log sorts (p-values <0.05), as well as a significant difference between the nine and fifteen log sort cutting scenarios (p-value <0.01). There was not enough evidence to suggest productivity was different between cutting scenarios producing five and nine log sorts. Based on this analysis, it was likely that the null hypothesis that the number of log sorts does not affect log processing productivity should be rejected. At a piece size of 2 m³, the productivity model estimated processing productivity was 10% higher producing nine log sorts compared to producing fifteen log sorts. A linear regression model showed a strong relationship between gross value recovery, piece size and cutting scenario (p-value <0.01). Gross value recovery increased as the number of log sorts increased. A significant model suggested it is likely null hypothesis 2, that the number of log sorts does not affect gross value recovery, should be rejected. There were only some differences in variances between cutting scenarios which were statistically significant. Both the average results and regression estimates showed the five log sort cutting scenario recovering 94% of the value of the cutting scenario with fifteen log sorts. Incremental gains in value recovery as the number of log sorts increased were marginal, which appeared to be due to log prices for many major log grades trading in a close range in relation to historic price trends. Regression trends for productivity and gross value recovery indicated that the most optimal cutting scenario, in terms of processing value outturn per productive machine hour, was the cutting scenario producing nine log sorts. This suggests that declines in processor productivity offset gains in gross value recovery when producing twelve and fifteen log sorts. Market sensitivity analysis suggested that differentials in log prices impact on the number of log sorts which optimise the value outturn per productive machine hour from log processing.

Cold-water immersion (CWI) is a common recovery modality used to facilitate restoration of pre-exercise muscle force generation and soreness following high-intensity exercise. Although it is commonly used by athletes and commonly studied in sport science, evidence is equivocal regarding its efficacy. We compared 4 CWI protocols (10 or 30 minutes at 10 or 20°C) of different durations and temperatures with passive rest for their effects on drop jump and squat jump height, inflammation (IL-6, IL-10, IL-8, MPO, IL-1β, TNFα, IFNγ, GM-CSF, IL-2), and ratings of soreness/impairment following high-intensity intermittent sprint-exercise. CWI for 10 minutes at 10°C promoted restoration of force generation, while CWI for 30 minutes at 10°C was associated with lower ratings of soreness/impairment, but higher plasma IL-8 and MPO at 2 hours post-exercise. Overall, minor functional benefits of CWI for 10 minutes at 10°C were observed, while longer duration CWI protocols may increase post-exercise inflammation.

Cold-water immersion (CWI) is a common recovery modality used to facilitate restoration of pre-exercise muscle force generation and soreness following high-intensity exercise. Although it is commonly used by athletes and commonly studied in sport science, evidence is equivocal regarding its efficacy. We compared 4 CWI protocols (10 or 30 minutes at 10 or 20°C) of different durations and temperatures with passive rest for their effects on drop jump and squat jump height, inflammation (IL-6, IL-10, IL-8, MPO, IL-1β, TNFα, IFNγ, GM-CSF, IL-2), and ratings of soreness/impairment following high-intensity intermittent sprint-exercise. CWI for 10 minutes at 10°C promoted restoration of force generation, while CWI for 30 minutes at 10°C was associated with lower ratings of soreness/impairment, but higher plasma IL-8 and MPO at 2 hours post-exercise. Overall, minor functional benefits of CWI for 10 minutes at 10°C were observed, while longer duration CWI protocols may increase post-exercise inflammation.

Då konsumenter idag är mer benägna att påtala brister i reklam, är det av intresse för företaget bakom den aktuella reklamen att häva missnöjet samt att skapa en långsiktig lösning som förebygger att missnöje återkommer. Syftet med denna uppsats är att redogöra för hur företag, med Top Toy som exempel, kan arbeta för att mildra och häva det missnöje som härrör från reklamkampanjer, samt hur företag kan arbeta för att lära sig av denna process. Detta undersöks genom en fallstudie av leksaksföretaget Top Toy, som under en fyraårsperiod mottog klagomål på sina könsstereotypa leksakskataloger och successivt arbetade för att nå en lösning som kunde eliminera missnöjet. För att uppfylla syftet genomfördes studier av sekundärdata samt en kvalitativ undersökning bestående av en ostrukturerad samt två semi- strukturerade intervjuer; dels med en anställd hos Reklamombudsmannen, dels med ledningsassistenten på Top Toy. Resultatet påvisar en företagsprocess åsyftande att häva samt mildra kundmissnöjet, utifrån vilken Top Toy har lärt sig och skapat en långsiktig lösning i form av en könsneutral leksakskatalog. Slutsatsen av uppsatsen är att lärande utifrån kundmissnöje är möjligt och kan ha en positiv inverkan på företags verksamhet.

This study explores ways to determine the energy efficiency of a pyrometallurgical ore reduction plant and measures to improve it. The feasibility of building a commercial plant - that is more energy efficient, has a low energy cost, and can operate independently and cost-effectively of external electricity supply - is determined. The need for energy efficiency is expanded to three questions: how should the energy efficiency of the plant be determined, what is the efficiency of the existing plant and to what level it can be improved. Literature and other relevant sources were consulted. Twenty potential energy conservation measures were identified through a literature study. A multi-criteria decision-making approach resulted in the selection of ten measures for conceptual implementation. The measures ranged from high-efficiency motors, solar power, heat recovery with thermal oil and various heat engines, to pressure recovery with turbo-generators. A case study approach was followed with the energy efficiency of an existing prototype plant the subject being studied. The energy usage of the existing plant and feasible measures to improve the performance were empirically observed. The impact of these measures was modelled and the results of the conceptual implementation determined. Two measures that were implemented during the study are also described and the results reported. The study found that the energy efficiency of the plant could be determined by the ratio of product exergy to input energy. By incorporating a number of energy conservation measures conceptually the internal efficiency of the prototype plant was conceptually improved from the current 17% to 22% and as a result externally supplied electricity reduced by 47%. The results were extrapolated to a future commercial plant and energy efficiencies of 26% on-grid and 21% off-grid predicted. This study suggests that a significant improvement in energy efficiency and energy cost can be achieved by integrating appropriate energy conservation measures into the existing and future plants. / MIng (Mechanical Engineering), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Substance use disorders are chronic brain disorders and must therefore be treated on an ongoing basis. Accordingly, the concept of recovery capital has been developed to account for the internal and external resources that an individual can mobilize in order to recover from a substance use disorder. However, the concept has scarcely been applied to emerging adults. Although they are at twice the risk of developing a substance use disorder relative to their adult or adolescent counterparts, emerging adults in addiction and recovery are understudied. This phenomenological study aims to explore and describe the experience of emerging adults in recovery and to identify the barriers and facilitators to their recovery. The informants (n=8) were 18-25 year olds in recovery from substance use disorders. Data was collected using semi-structured interviews and subsequently analyzed for emerging themes. The results from this study suggest that the developmental tasks facing emerging adults are exacerbated in addiction and recovery.

This thesis explores the design of a space for opioid addicts in recovery that combines an art therapy studio with a gallery space. It would provide a new type of therapy available to the area, engage and educate the Richmond community and spread awareness of the disease of opiate addiction. It will also enable addicts to express themselves in a non-verbal, creative format that allows for them to create a legacy and leave an imprint on the community.

Background: Nowadays people more often are surviving intensive care, which makes it important to increase the knowledge about the experiences. Illusions, nightmares and unreal experiences are common and often linger for quite some time. Aim: The aim of the study was to illuminate patients' experiences after intensive care. Method: A literature-based study of 16 qualitative studies was conducted Results: A lot of the patients have difficulties moving on, and are haunted by their experience. Memories from the hospital stay are often hazy, and evokes a sense of lacking a part of their life story. There is a need to understand in order to move on. Despite of this, some of the patients manage to find happiness. They find a new meaning in life, and learn to look at things from a brighter side. Conclusion: To process the experience, there seems to be a need of further support. Also, patients need to receive more information about what to expect after discharge.