118,019 research outputs found
Analisi non lineari su modelli semplificati per la valutazione della risposta sismica di edifici misti muratura-c.a.
No full textMulti-objective optimization of a hydrogen production through the HyS process powered by solar energy in different scenarios
No full textThermochemical or hybrid cycles powered by concentrated solar energy are a very promising way to produce an effective clean hydrogen through the water splitting, in terms of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and power production sustainability. SOL2HY2 is an European project focused on this goal. It deepens the so-called HyS process in a closed or partially open version using a proper SO2 depolarized electrolyser, and moreover, it investigates key materials and process solutions, along the entire production chain. However, the identification of the best solution to obtain a suitable hydrogen in terms of cost, efficiency, availability of energy and material, sharing of renewable energy source, continuity of operation in different locations and plant sizes, poses many challenges in terms of flexibility and complexity of the system. In fact, it involves various chemical equipment, different solar and thermal storage technologies, and variable operative conditions with different reaction temperatures and mixture concentrations. Hence it arises the importance to have a tool for the investigation of this system. In this paper, data analysis and multi-objective techniques are used to study and optimize the process under consideration. Several mathematical methods have been exploited to make the best use of the available data, such as Design of Experiments techniques, meta-modeling strategies and genetic algorithms. All these methods have been implemented in the open source environments Scilab and R. © 2018 Hydrogen Energy Publications LL
BIOMASS ENERGY FOR SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL DEVELOPMENT
No full textThe world's energy markets rely heavily on the fossil coal, petroleum crude oil and natural gas as sources of thermal energy, gaseous, liquid and solid fuels and chemicals. The only natural, renewable carbon resource known that is large enough to be used as substitute for fossil fuels is biomass. Included are all water and land based organisms, vegetation and trees, or virgin biomass, and all dead and waste biomass such as municipal solid waste, biosolids and animal wastes and residues, forestry and agricultural residues and industrial wastes. This paper studies the effects and the development of biomass technology
On the application of the yield-line method to masonry infills subjected to combined in-plane and out-of-plane loads
No full textThe influence of infills on the seismic response of frame structures has been long recognised. On the one hand, the presence of infills may be beneficial, due to their contribution to dissipate energy. On the other hand, irregular infill distributions in plan or elevation can lead to concentration of the displacement demand in localised parts of the building. It is noted that the lack of one or more panels may depend on the original building layout or may be generated by the infill collapse during a seismic event. It is therefore of interest the assessment of their capacity to resist out-of-plane loads. In this paper, the use of the yield-line theory for the estimation of the out-of-plane infill strength is investigated. The method is described in detail and an example of derivation of the related equations is presented. Afterward, a modification of such equations is suggested to account for different contact conditions at the infill-frame interface. Moreover, specific attention is paid to the assessment of the masonry flexural strength, which is a basic parameter for the application of the method. Finally, a reduction factor is calibrated to extend the method to those cases in which previous in-plane damage is present. Experimental tests available in the literature are used to verify and calibrate the proposed equations and coefficients
Non linear analyses for the valuation of seismic behaviour of mixed r.c.-masonry structures
No full text
Balancing Security and Democracy: The Politics of Biometric Identification in the European Union
No full textWhat are the relations between security policies and democratic debate, oversight and rights? And what is the role of expertise in shaping such policies and informing the democratic process? The inquiry that follows tries to answer such questions in the context of the European Union and taking the case of biometric identification, an area where security considerations and the possible impacts on fundamental rights and rule of law are at stake, and where expertise is crucial. Some hypotheses are explored through the case study: that 'securitisation' and 'democratisation' are in tension but some hybrid strategies can emerge, that the plurality of 'authoritative actors' influences policy frames and outcomes, and that knowledge is a key asset in defining these authoritative actors. A counter-intuitive conclusion is presented, namely that biometrics-which seems prima facie an excellent candidate for technocratic decision making, sheltered from democratic debate and accountability-is characterised by intense debate by a plurality of actors. Such pluralism is limited to those actors who have the resources-including knowledge-that allow for inclusion in policy making at EU level, but is nevertheless significant in shaping policy. Tragic events were pivotal in pushing for action on grounds of security, but the chosen instruments were in store and specific actors were capable of proposing them as a solution to security problems; in particular, the strong role of executives is a key factor in the vigorous pursuit of biometric identification. However this is not the whole story, and limited pluralism-including plurality of expertise-explains specific features of the development of biometrics in the EU, namely the central role of the metaphor of 'balancing' security and democracy, and the 'competitive cooperation' between new and more consolidated policy areas. The EU is facing another difficult challenge in the attempt of establishing itself as a new security actor and as a supranational democratic polity: important choices are involved to assure that citizens' security is pursued on the basis of rule of law, respect of fundamental rights and democratic accountability.democracy; pluralism; security/internal
Integration of photovoltaic and concentrated solar thermal technologies for H2 production by the hybrid sulfur cycle
No full textIt is widely agreed that hydrogen used as energy carrier and/or storage media may significantly contribute in the reduction of emissions, especially if produced by renewable energy sources. The Hybrid Sulfur (HyS) cycle is considered as one of the most promising processes to produce hydrogen through the water-splitting process. The FP7 project SOL2HY2 (Solar to Hydrogen Hybrid Cycles) investigates innovative material and process solutions for the use of solar heat and power in the HyS process. A significant part of the SOL2HY2 project is devoted to the analysis and optimization of the integration of the solar and chemical (hydrogen production) plants. In this context, this work investigates the possibility to integrate different solar technologies, namely photovoltaic, solar central receiver and solar troughs, to optimize their use in the HyS cycle for a green hydrogen production, both in the open and closed process configurations. The analysis carried out accounts for different combinations of geographical location and plant sizing criteria. The use of a sulfur burner, which can serve both as thermal backup and SO2 source for the open cycle, is also considered. © 2017 Author(s)
Comportamento degli edifici in cemento armato ed in muratura e dei ponti in occasione del terremoto del Cile del 27 febbraio 2010
No full text- …
