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Strategies, models, and methods for energy-system expansion planning and industrial energy efficiency
No full textBoth the scientific community and political institutions frequently stress the crucial role of renewable energy sources and industrial energy efficiency in mitigating climate change and achieving sustainable development goals. Energy-system expansion planning is a key component of energy and economic development, aiming to determine long-term strategies for expanding generation, storage, transmission, and distribution systems while respecting techno-economic, environmental, and political constraints. Despite the existence of a large stream of research on energy-system expansion planning, there are aspects related to the methodology's applicability and system dimension that need to be improved, mainly concerning the concept of resolution in time, space, techno-economic detail, and sector coupling. At the same time, stricter regulations, intense business competition, and growing public pressure have increasingly driven companies to incorporate environmental concerns into their strategic planning. Therefore, identifying strategies and providing ready-to-use tools to improve energy efficiency has become a significant area of interest for researchers and practitioners. This thesis aims to advance the fields of energy system expansion planning and industrial energy efficiency by exploring the interplay among techno-economic, environmental, and political factors. On the one hand, it proposes models and case studies to support policymakers and practitioners in decarbonizing energy systems, focusing on generation, storage, and dispatching levels. On the other hand, it offers strategies and ready-to-use tools to reduce the carbon footprint of energy-intensive industrial sectors. The research activity follows a logical-conceptual framework that focuses on three main research areas: classifying planning models and tools for energy policy analysis, improving decision-making tools to address the complexities of modern energy systems, and enhancing energy efficiency in high-emission industrial sectors. The findings offer a solid foundation for future research aimed at developing integrated and actionable solutions to accelerate the sustainable energy transition
The health data space in the process of European integration. New constitutional balances in the field of personal data
No full textLa tesi esamina il regolamento sullo Spazio europeo dei dati sanitari (EHDS) con un duplice obiettivo: da un lato, migliorare la comprensione dello EHDS nel contesto più ampio del processo di integrazione europea in ambito sanitario; dall’altro, valutare l’impatto del modello regolatorio introdotto dallo EHDS, e in generale dagli atti della Strategia europea per i dati, sulle scelte di bilanciamento che finora hanno orientato l’interpretazione e l’applicazione del Regolamento generale sulla protezione dei dati personali (GDPR). La struttura del lavoro riflette questa impostazione attraverso due parti tra loro complementari e poste in un rapporto di continuità, ma che consentono al contempo una declinazione più specifica dei temi affrontati. La prima parte si concentra sul fondamento costituzionale dello EHDS, sollevando rilievi critici sulla sua conformità al quadro costituzionale esistente e sui rischi di effettività normativa che possono emergere nella fase attuativa. La seconda parte, invece, muovendo da una disamina della giurisprudenza della Corte di giustizia dell’Unione europea in materia di protezione dei dati personali e delle normative nazionali di applicazione del GDPR, propone alcune strategie ermeneutiche e legislative che mirano a garantire un’interpretazione e un’applicazione del GDPR più coerente con le novità introdotte dallo EHDS.This thesis examines the European Health Data Space Regulation (EHDS) with a twofold objective: on the one hand, to improve the understanding of the EHDS in the broader context of the European integration process in the healthcare sector; on the other hand, to assess the impact of the regulatory model introduced by the EHDS, and more generally by the acts of the European Data Strategy, on the balancing choices that have so far guided the interpretation and application of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The structure of the work reflects this approach through two parts that are complementary and placed in a relationship of continuity, but at the same time allow for a more specific declination of the issues addressed. The first part focuses on the constitutional basis of the EHDS, raising critical observations on its compliance with the existing constitutional framework and on the risks to regulatory effectiveness that may emerge in the implementation phase. The second part, drawing from an examination of the case law of the Court of Justice of the European Union on the protection of personal data and of the national laws implementing the GDPR, proposes some hermeneutic and legislative strategies aimed at ensuring an interpretation and application of the GDPR that is more consistent with the innovations introduced by the EHDS
Edge computing enables innovative control and diagnostics of advanced mechatronic systems
No full textInspired by the vision and the activities carried out proposed by the ACTEMA research group at the University of Bologna, this doctoral thesis introduces innovative methodologies as crucial elements to redefine the paradigms for designing and developing key components of modern industrial manufacturing systems, with servomechanisms at their core, toward task-specific customization, sustainability, and adaptability. In this respect, high-performance embedded platforms, advanced control algorithms and innovative diagnostic methods are fundamental. Therefore, the thesis is structured into three parts: The first part establishes the technological foundation required to achieve the computational power necessary for high-demand real-time tasks, supporting the advanced diagnostic and control methodologies envisioned in this framework. This is accomplished on multicore heterogeneous platforms combining microcontrollers and microprocessors and oriented to edge computing. A novel software architecture is proposed to fully exploit these platforms in real-time applications. The potential of this approach is evaluated using a demanding control algorithm as a benchmark, with the STM32MP1 selected as the reference platform. The second part focuses on advanced control strategies. It begins with the introduction of a novel observer design for Permanent Magnet Synchronous Machines, combining recursive least squares estimation with adaptive sampling to ensure robust performance under challenging conditions. Additionally, this section presents the modeling of an advanced servomechanism prototype and demonstrates its control using an innovative repetitive controller. Moreover, energy-efficient trajectory optimization techniques for the mechanism are explored. The final part addresses advanced diagnostic methods. A mixed model-based and data-driven approach is developed, leveraging the properties of a Lagrangian kinematic system with 1-DoF, under periodic motion, to generate residuals for identifying machine conditions. Furthermore, an innovative Bayesian-like classifier is introduced and validated using the aforementioned residuals
Designing industrially scalable, green composite mats for the removal of terpenic resin: a comparative assessment of varnish cleaning performances and solvent ingress in paintings
No full textTraditional methodologies used by restorers are based on applying a cotton swab soaked with solvents to clean the surface of an artwork and may bring about reduced integrity and authenticity. Moreover, substituting toxic organic solvents with greener alternatives is necessary to prevent negative health effects for the operators during restoration interventions, and it is crucial for the environment. The aim of this research is to propose a novel cleaning system through green, scalable composite materials saturated with greener solvents, avoiding cotton swabs, and to provide one-step cleaning carrying the cleaning agent on artwork in a controlled manner. Electrospinning technique is an effective way to produce fibers in the nanometer range, with tunable properties such as surface-to-volume ratio, porosity, morphology, and flexibility in surface functionalities. The formulated composites consist of recycled polyamide electrospun coupled with a cellulose-based bamboo or viscose non-woven absorbent layer. The composite mats were obtained by tuning the process parameters of the industrial electrospinning unit with the aim of upscaling. Recently developed polysaccharide-based pullulan electrospun mat and commercial Evolon® CR were also included for a comparative analysis of the removal of terpenic resin from an oil painting. The designed composite mats, pullulan electrospun mat, and Evolon® CR were extensively characterized through porometry, SEM, air permeability, tensile strength and flexural rigidity analysis. The solvent action which gives rise to pigment mobility was monitored using laser speckle imaging. The solvent ingress throughout the paint layers was examined by means of portable NMR-MOUSE (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Mobile Universal Surface Explorer) analysis. This research was carried out within the framework of the European Union Horizon GoGreen project, which aims to develop remedial conservation techniques based on green principles. The formulated novel materials also intend to address the rising demand for greener cleaning approaches and provide new sources for the cultural heritage sector
Biochar and microorganisms: a synergy for the sustainable treatment of contaminated waters and filters
No full textBiochar is a carbon-rich material produced by pyrolysis of organic biomass and represents a sustainable, low-cost alternative to activated carbon (AC) as filter in water treatment. Bacteria establish biofilms on filter surface contributing to the filtering performance, but the mechanisms of their interaction and the communities developed on biochar filter are largely unexplored. Our work aimed, first, at investigating metabolic activity, composition and dynamics of microbial communities colonizing experimental filters (AC and biochar) applied in two groundwater treatment plants processing waters contaminated by different types of pollutants (aromatic hydrocarbons and ethers, or chlorinated compounds). Illumina sequencing, quantitative PCR and metagenomic shotgun sequencing were performed to analyze the microbial community development on filters applied at real scale in the two systems. Bacterial abundance remained stable over time, but community composition and functionality varied depending on the treatment plant and type of contamination. Enrichment of taxa associated with biofilm growth, stress resistance and organic contaminant degradation was observed on filters with similarity between AC and biochar in the same plant. Second, we evaluated the possibility to remove contaminants from end-life filters by exploiting microbial degradation abilities by applying synthetic consortia and adapted communities, assessing contaminant removal via GC-FID analysis. Biological treatment experiments showed a better performance of contaminant removal from biochar filters as compared to AC, together with a higher removal of aromatic hydrocarbons as compared to chlorinated compounds. In conclusion, biochar proves to be a valid alternative to AC in groundwater treatment plant supporting an effective development of microbial communities that can contribute to contaminants biodegradation and also a partial contaminants removal from waters, although further studies are needed to optimize the adsorption capacity. Additionally, our findings provide first indications on the potential of engineered microbial communities to decontaminate end-life filters
Cognitive biases in sustainable operations and supply chain management. Empirical evidence and implications in sustainable sourcing
No full textIn the past decade, sustainability has reshaped operations and supply chain management, prompting companies to align practices with environmental and social goals. Yet, sustainable initiatives can also produce unintended negative outcomes, often rooted in complex decision environments characterized by uncertainty and limited information. Many sourcing decisions are made without structured processes, leading managers to rely on intuition and experience. This informal approach increases susceptibility to cognitive biases – systematic deviations from rationality – which can affect outcomes. The addition of sustainability considerations introduces a further layer of complexity, increasing cognitive load and the potential influence of biases on decision-making. However, human decision-making mechanisms are often overlooked in sustainable operations and supply chain management research, which tends to assume rationality in managerial behavior. To this end, this dissertation addresses two key research questions: (1) Do cognitive biases affect sustainable sourcing decisions? and (2) Does an individual’s professional experience influence the impact of cognitive biases on these decisions? The research is structured in two phases: a theoretical review identifying key biases relevant to sustainable sourcing, followed by a randomized vignette-based field experiment involving graduate students and industry professionals. The key findings are twofold: cognitive biases significantly impact sourcing decisions in sustainability-focused scenarios, and their influence is moderated by individual experience, varying across different types of biases. This dissertation makes both theoretical and practical contributions. From a theoretical perspective, it applies psychology and behavioral economics to sustainable sourcing, deepening our understanding of how cognitive biases influence sustainability-focused decisions. It contributes to the sustainable procurement literature by highlighting the often-overlooked human factors in the supplier selection process. From a practical standpoint, the findings suggest that raising managers’ awareness of cognitive biases and adopting structured decision protocols and training can reduce unconscious bias, improving the consistency and effectiveness of sustainable sourcing decisions
Collocation processing in translation and writing between Chinese and English: a corpus-based and keylogging analysis
No full textThis study investigates how collocations are produced and processed in bilingual text production by native Chinese speakers, focusing on L1 Chinese and L2 English. Collocations, as multiword units, facilitate fluent native-like language and reflect cognitive effort during production (Feng, 2020; Ferraresi & Bernardini, 2023). The research aims to examine (1) holistic processing of collocations versus non-collocations, (2) L1–L2 differences in collocation processing, (3) task effects (writing vs. translation), and (4) the role of typing fluency. Eighteen Chinese MA students completed writing and translation tasks in both languages. Collocations were operationalized by syntactic dependencies and corpus-based association measures (t-score, MI, logDice), while pauses, inter-keystroke intervals over 2000 ms, were categorized into five patterns (_X_, PX_, _XP, PXP, XPX) , originally proposed by Dahlmann and Adolphs (2007) and further refined by Gilquin (2024a), which reflect their placement relative to the collocation. Mixed-effects logistic regression analyses show that collocations are more likely than non-collocations to be produced without internal pauses, supporting holistic processing. L1 collocations involve fewer pauses than L2, and writing elicits more pauses than translation. Fluent typing is associated with reduced within-collocation pauses. Descriptive analyses highlight the dominance of the _X_ pattern and the potential of logDice as a corpus-based collocation metric. By integrating corpus- and keylogging-based approaches, the study sheds light on real-time collocation processing and demonstrates the methodological value of keystroke logging for research in phraseology and second language acquisition
Pietro Tacca (1577-1640)
No full textLa tesi dottorale affronta e riesamina con un approccio monografico l’intera carriera e l’opera di Pietro Tacca, allievo ed erede di Giambologna e principale scultore in bronzo nell’Italia e nell’Europa della prima metà del XVII secolo. Il cuore dell’elaborato è il catalogo ragionato dell’artista, la cui produzione è presentata attraverso delle schede-saggio, divise in sezioni cronologiche e tematiche comprensive di un paragrafo dedicato alle opere espunte e al loro riesame. Questa sezione, arricchita da numerose nuove attribuzioni è inoltre introdotta da un saggio biografico che oltre ad esplorare la fortuna critica di Tacca mira soprattutto a riunire la vita e le opere dell’artista, leggendole nel contesto della cultura figurativa fiorentina ed europea di primo Seicento. Il principale apparato testuale della tesi è invece costituito da un regesto documentario che conta quasi quattrocento schede, strutturate attraverso la sinossi, la trascrizione e la bibliografia dei materiali d’archivio, editi e inediti. La tesi è corredata da un ricco apparato illustrativo, perlopiù composto da campagne fotografiche realizzate ad hoc dall'autore.The doctoral dissertation undertakes a comprehensive and monographic re-examination of the career and oeuvre of Pietro Tacca, pupil and successor of Giambologna and the leading bronze sculptor in Italy and Europe during the first half of the seventeenth century. Its core is the catalogue raisonné of the artist, structured as essay-entries arranged in chronological and thematic sections, including a dedicated discussion of rejected works and their reassessment. This catalogue, enriched by numerous new attributions, is prefaced by a biographical essay that, in addition to tracing Tacca’s critical reception, seeks above all to integrate his life and works within the figurative culture of early seventeenth-century Florence and Europe. The main textual apparatus of the dissertation consists of a documentary register comprising nearly four hundred entries, each presenting a synopsis, transcription, and bibliography of both published and unpublished archival material. The study is accompanied by an extensive illustrative apparatus, largely based on newly photographic campaigns
Urban agricultural landscapes: a comparative analysis of globally-distributed case studies with applications in Shanghai, China
No full textThis thesis presents comprehensive research of urban agriculture to propose innovative strategies for urban agriculture landscape design. Urban agriculture can integrate fragmented urban landscapes, rebuild benign urban ecosystems, and restore urban productivity. However, because the activities of urban agriculture are constrained by multifaceted factors, urban agricultural practices lack advanced theoretical guidance and design updates. This thesis explores the theoretical and practical significance of urban agriculture to provide scientific theoretical guidance and design suggestions for urban agriculture.
I conduct an in-depth study of urban agriculture in a step-by-step manner from five aspects: literature research, case studies review, comparison of case studies, strategy design and application. In terms of literature research, I organise various literature to clarify the importance, concept, historical trajectory and existing theoretical system of urban agriculture. In terms of case studies review, I select excellent cases in the world and focus on the five core contents of the cases including the basic background, production efficiency, management model, ecology and social contribution. In terms of comparison of case studies, I analyse the production innovation, landscape spatial quality, management contribution, ecological restoration and societal integration of each type of urban agriculture to highlight the characteristics, commonalities, advantages and disadvantages of each type. In terms of strategy design, through the collation of the characteristics of various types of urban agriculture, I propose scientific urban agricultural strategies. In terms of application, I analyse the Shanghai case in detail from multiple perspectives. It verifies the feasibility of urban agricultural strategies and improves the understanding of strategies.
Through in-depth research on urban agriculture, this thesis provides guidance for landscape designers and a useful supplement for urban sustainability. Meanwhile, the innovative urban agricultural strategy proposed contribute to the improvement of the quality of urban life and the maintenance of the urban environment
Digital transformation in museums: institutional micro-foundations and the materiality of change
No full textMy dissertation explores how museums adapt to digital transformation challenges and how these changes affect their long-standing practices. By studying the International Council of Museums (ICOM), the museum workers’ community, and conducting interviews with museum professionals, I investigate how the shift from physical to digital impacts the relationships between people, technology, and material objects. I highlight how the material aspects of museum work - such as art objects and exhibitions - play a crucial role in shaping both the adoption of digital technology and the ongoing changes in the field. Indeed, museums are full of material things that are the primary concern of museum employees. When digitizing their collections, museums shift their focus from physical to digital. The digital shift lessens the material constraints of everyday work. Still, it contrasts with the museum’s focus on the objects and the artifacts, leading to tensions and matters of broader organizational change and re-evaluation of priorities worth studying. This dissertation, focusing on the field of museums through the lenses of materiality, explores how digital transformation alters the relationships between actors, including both humans and objects. The altered relationships between actors and objects affect institutional permanence and change, often translating into heterogeneous digitalization outcomes. Theoretically, I draw on the literature on materiality in institutional theory and the micro-foundations of institutions conceived as levels of analysis. Empirically, the research explores the phenomenon of digital transformation at three distinct levels of analysis articulated in three papers. The first focuses on the digital transformation happening in the museum field, following the International Council of Museums, a field-configuring organization attempting to bridge and influence field-level changes (chapter II). The second focuses on the community of museum workers' field-level meaning-making around digital transformation (chapter III), and the third focuses on individuals working in museums, specifically museum curators (chapter IV)