3,949 research outputs found
Mini Cooper 1961-2000
No full textFrom its launch on 20 September 1961 the Mini Cooper caused a sensation. The world’s first sports saloon, the diminutive Cooper combined the glamour and racing heritage of 1959 and 1960 Formula 1 champions the Cooper Car Company with the outstanding handling and downright practicability of the Austin Mini Seven and Morris Mini Minor. Alec Issigonis’s little people’s car had been launched by the manufacturer, the British Motor Corporation (BMC), two years earlier. A winner almost from the word go, the Mini Cooper not only ruled the racetracks and rally stages of the early and mid-1960s but proved to be a practical and fun sporting family saloon car. After over 100,000 examples were sold between 1961 and 1971, the Mini Cooper is still a practical sporting saloon in the guise of the BMW-owned MINI Cooper sixty years after the introduction of the original model.This remarkable product of the United Kingdom merits a fresh examination as it nears its sixtieth birthday. Based upon over fifty face-to-face interviews carried out by the author over more than a decade, this book quotes the Mini Cooper’s designers, developers, and professional race and rally drivers plus a host of contemporary owners. Here then in the words of its originators, is the story of the Mini Cooper
Consideration for a sustainable hybrid electric power mini-grid : case study for Wanale village in Uganda
No full textIn this study, a hybrid mini-grid system is designed to supply electricity to a rural village in Uganda. Renewable energy resources are identified, an estimation of the projected village short-term electricity demand is simulated, and using HOMER software, a hybrid mini-grid system is designed, components sized, and the system optimized in terms of cost, and efficient and reliable operation to meet the village demand
I/O automaton based simulation of selected distributed algorithms
No full textThesis (B.S.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, 1990.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 112-[113]).by Aparna Mini Gupta.B.S
Parametric investigation\of mini-tab for load alleviation
No full textThis thesis investigates a novel load alleviation technique known as mini-tabs, small devices placed on the upper surface of wings to reduce lift. Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) simulations were conducted to analyze the impact of geometrical properties on mini-tab performance in reducing the load on a wing.The initial simulations focused on a single mini-tab, varying parameters such as height, aspect ratio, chordwise, and spanwise positions. Results indicate that increasing height or aspect ratio leads to decreased lift due to flow deceleration at the leading edge and expansion of the separated flow region downstream of the mini-tab. This will also increase the pressure drag. Increasing the height or aspect ratio also accelerates the flow at the lower surface, further reducing the lift generated by the wing.Placing mini-tabs closer to the wingtip exhibits similar effects on lift reduction as increasing the height of the mini-tabs. This is because the relative height of the mini-tab with the local chord length increases when the mini-tab is positioned closer to the wingtip. A maximum lift reduction is also achieved when the mini-tab is placed at a 60% chordwise position.Subsequent simulations explored the performance of multiple mini-tabs, revealing that orienting them orthogonal to the wind direction may not be optimal due to gap formation between the mini-tabs that energizes the wake downstream of the mini-tabs and reduces the reduction in lift. Conversely, aligning the mini-tabs with the leading edge has a higher efficiency in the reduction of the lift.Overall, the findings suggest that mini-tabs offer a viable method for reducing wing forces and for load alleviationAerospace Engineerin
Mini-Trials in Alberta
Get PDFThe Alberta Court of Queen\u27s Bench has been offering the mini-trial, a specialized dispute resolution process, to litigants and the bar for the last four years. The impetus for this move was the length and time often involved in litigation. The attraction of the mini-trial is that it is a method of expediting dispute resolution and that the costs associated with it are considerably less than those for a regular trial.
The author outlines the history of the mini-trial, explaining how it developed in the U.S. as a private dispute resolution mechanism. The Alberta mini-trial is essentially an expanded pre-trial procedure, and is offered by the Court at no cost to participants. There is no rigid, formal procedure to the Alberta mini-trial, and its great strength is in fact flexibility and informality. The only requirement the Court has is that the actual parties must be present for the arguments and at the end of the mini-trial, when the judge gives his or her opinion.
The author outlines the key elements of the mini-trial, as they have evolved to date, including the role of the judge and the nature of the actual process.
The mini-trial has been enormously successful at encouraging settlements, which have followed or resulted from the mini-trial in over 90 percent of cases. Additionally, both counsel and clients appear to be quite pleased with the process. Despite this success, however, it should be noted that the mini-trial may not be appropriate in all cases. The author describes the types of cases to which the mini-trial both is and is not well-suited. He offers a case study, of a mini-trial over which he presided. This mini-trial was successful and led to a settlement. In closing, the author provides information to interested counsel and parties as to how and when they can access the mini-trial. The article closes with a recommendation that mini-trials always be considered as an option in lawsuits
Novel Simulator for Wireline Mini-Fracture Testing
No full textWireline Mini-Fracture testing jobs consist of a short duration, small volume fracturing operation inside an open-hole borehole, where a certain amount of fluid is injected into the formation at constant rate using a Wireline Modular conveyed tool as a source of hydraulic power to pressurize the wellbore. The tool is configured with an inflatable straddle packer and an internal pump, which inflate/deflates the packers and supplies pressure to the formation until a hydraulic fracture is induced. This procedure is used to determine in–situ formation breakdown and closure pressure also known as minimum horizontal closure pressure. This provides vital information regarding hydraulic fracture design, water and gas injection management, fault re-activation, wellbore stability, sand production, rock mechanical properties, casing string design, cap and base rock integrity and gas storage design. Geomechanical and operational parameters such as, elastic properties, poro-elasticity, rock strength, formation pore pressure, far field horizontal stress, permeability/porosity distributions, borehole fluid properties among others, influences the performance of the Mini-Frac Jobs. In many cases poor understanding of the reservoir response to the fracture process, caused that the hydraulic fracture did not propagate deep into the formation. In other cases the pressure applied to the formation might be insufficient to break down the formation, leading to unsatisfactory application of the Mini-Fracture technique in the process. The objective of this thesis is to develop a Mini-Facture application simulator that uses the geomechanical and operational parameters that control the performance of a Mini-Fracture job and estimate the possibility of the occurrence of a tensile failure in the formation. The simulator is then validated by comparing its output with the results of stress test done in the field. With this simulator petrotechnical professionals and field engineers will have a platform that simulates the pressure responses and fracture initialization during Mini-Frac treatments, incorporating all the variables affecting a Wireline Mini-Fracture job, helping the design engineer to make key decisions about the ultimate or required fracture plan. Furthermore the simulator will reduce the uncertainties that limit the reliability of the Wireline Mini-Fracture treatment by allowing the selection of appropriate tool configuration based on the job objectives and the geological environmental conditions. Finally this project demonstrates that combining the appropriate constitutive relations that reflect the coupling among the tool operational performance with wellbore flow, reservoir and geomechanics modelling a Mini-Fracture simulator can be developed.Petroleum EngineeringGeoscience & EngineeringCivil Engineering and Geoscience
Nitrogen as Substitute to Nickel While Preparing Stainless Steel in Mini Steel Plants Using Electric Arc/Induction Furnaces
Get PDFNickel is a major alloying element in stainless steel which is added to stabilise the austenite but it is now being substituted by nitrogen in view of increasing cost of nickel. Nitrogen in the melt could be added as master alloy in electric arc and air induction furnaces. It can also be added in the melt by exposing it to nitrogen gas
atmosphere. The total nitrogen absorbed in the melt willdepend upon mass transfer laws. In order to have gas/metal interaction, various melt conditions could be used in mini steel plants e.g., stirred melt exposure to gas in induction (vacuum type) furnace, gas bubbling
through the melt in ladle or AOD converter and ionised gas exposure by plasma arc to the melt. The nitrogen addition method, using different melting techniques, is briefly descril'ed in this paper
Twirre: Architecture for autonomous mini-UAVs using interchangeable commodity components
No full textTwirre is a new architecture for mini-UAV platforms designed for autonomous flight in both GPS-enabled and GPS-deprived applications. The architecture consists of low-cost hardware and software components. High-level control software enables autonomous operation. Exchanging or upgrading hardware components is straightforward and the architecture is an excellent starting point for building low-cost autonomous mini-UAVs for a variety of applications. Experiments with an implementation of the architecture are in development, and preliminary results demonstrate accurate indoor navigation
Desenvolvimento e avaliação de sistemas multiparticulados na forma de mini comprimidos de liberação prolongada visando a administração simultânea dos fármacos captopril e cloridrato de metformina
Get PDFDissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Farmácia, Florianópolis, 2015.A alta solubilidade dos fármacos aliada a alta dosagem desses na formulação, bem como propriedades insuficientes de fluxo e compactação, podem representar aspectos desafiadores no desenvolvimento de minicomprimidos de liberação prolongada. O captopril é um fármaco anti-hipertensivo, inibidor da enzima conversora de angiotensina, solúvel em água, enquanto que o cloridrato de metformina é um fármaco antidiabético, derivado das biguanidinas, e facilmente solúvel em água. Neste trabalho, diferentes processos de granulação, por via úmida clássica e fusão, foram testados para a melhoria das características físicas dos fármacos, empregando polivinilpirrolidona K30, Methocel® E5, Ethocel 20P ou cera de carnaúba como aglutinantes. O sistema de matriz foi utilizado para prolongar a liberação do captopril, inicialmente, produziu-se 8 formulações de comprimidos com os polímeros Ethocel 45P e Methocel® K15M. Em seguida, levando-se em conta os dados obtidos, foram produzidas 6 formulações de minicomprimidos, variando o peso molecular (45P ou 100P) e o tamanho de partículas (100P ou 100FP) do Ethocel . O sistema de reservatório foi utilizado para prolongar a liberação do cloridrato de metformina, sendo inicialmente produzidas 2 formulações de minicomprimidos (núcleos), e a partir do núcleo selecionado, 4 formulações de revestimento foram testadas, variando-se as concentrações de Kollidon® SR 30D na dispersão de revestimento e o ganho de peso utilizado. Os fármacos e os excipientes apresentaram compatibilidade, dados obtidos através da técnica de calorimetria exploratória diferencial. Os estudos prévios de índice de compressibilidade, razão de Hausner e tabletabilidade indicaram as formulações com melhores propriedades de fluxo e compactação. Para avaliar os perfis de dissolução dos minicomprimidos, foi empregado o aparato 3, que permitiu otimizar e selecionar as formulações. Dessa forma, obteve-se 3 formulações de comprimidos e 3 de minicomprimidos de liberação prolongada de captopril e 2 formulações de minicomprimidos de liberação prolongada de cloridrato de metformina. Os estudos realizados demonstraram que é possível prolongar a liberação do captopril e do cloridrato de metformina em minicomprimidos utilizando o sistema matricial e de reservatório, respectivamente. Também foi possível produzir uma formulação de dose fixa combinada de captopril e cloridrato de metformina, na forma de minicomprimidos encapsulados, que pode ser vantajosa para o tratamento e prevenção da nefropatia diabética.Abstract : The high solubility of drug, associated with its high dosage in formulations, inappropriate flow and compression properties, might represent a challenging in the development of prolonged release mini tablets. Captopril, a water-soluble antihypertensive drug, is an angiotensin-converting enzyme, drug whereas metformin hydrochloride is an antidiabetic drug derivative of biguanides and freely soluble in water. In this study, different processes were used: wet and melt granulation, both were applied to improve the drugs physical characteristics polyvinylpyrrolidone K30, Methocel® E5, Ethocel  20P or carnauba wax were used as a binders. The matrix system was selected as system to prolonged the captopril release. Initially 8 tablets were prepared with Ethocel 45P  and Methocel K15M polymers, then in accordance with the previous data, were prepared 6 mini tablets formulations varying the molecular weight (viscosity) of Ethocel  (45P and 100P) and particle size (100P and 100FP). On the other hand, the reservoir system was applied to prolong the metformin hydrochloride release. Firstly, mini tablets (core) were produced, where 1 core was selected to be coated with 4 formulations varying concentrations of Kollidon® SR 30D in the coating dispersion and weight gain used. The differential scanning calorimetry technique, applied to verify the compatibility among drug and excipients, showed that all of them were compatible. Previous studies of angle of repose, compressibility index, Hausner ratio and tabletability indicated the optimal formulations regarding flow and compaction properties. To evaluate the release profile of MC was used the apparatus 3, technique which allowed to optimize the formulations based on these properties. Thus, three tablets and three mini tablets of captopril prolonged release and two prolonged release formulations of metformin hydrochloride were obtained. The obtained data indicated that is possible to prolong the release of captopril and metformin hydrochloride into a mini tablets formulations using matrix and reservoir systems, respectively. In addition, a fixed-dose formulation containing captopril and metformin hydrochloride into an encapsulated mini-tablet system was developed which could have advantageous for preventing and treating diabetic nephropathy
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