Geothermal Energy

Geothermal Energy

The internal heat of the planet Earth represents an inexhaustible reservoir of thermal energy. This form of energy, known as geothermal energy has been utilized throughout human history in the form of hot water from hot springs. Modern utilization of geothermal energy includes direct use of the heat and its conversion to other forms of energy, mainly electricity. Geothermal energy is a form of renewable energy and its use is associated with very little or no CO2-emissions and its importance as an energy source has greatly increased as the effects of climate change become more prominent. Because of its inexhaustibility it is obvious that utilization of geothermal energy will become a cornerstone of future energy supplies. The exploration of geothermal resources has become an important topic of study as geology and earth science students prepare to meet the demands of a rapidly growing industry, which involves an increasing number professionals and public institutions participating in geothermal energy related projects. This book meets the demands of both groups of readers, students and professionals. Geothermal Energy and its utilization is systematically presented and contains the necessary technical information needed for developing and understanding geothermal energy projects. It presents basic knowledge on the Earths thermal regime and its geothermal energy resources, the types of geothermal energy used as well as its future potential and the perspectives of the industry. Specific chapters of the book deal with borehole heat exchangers and with the direct use of groundwater and thermal water in hydrogeothermal systems. A central topic are Enhanced Geothermal Systems (hot-dry-rock systems), a key technology for energy supply in the near future. Pre-drilling site investigations, drilling technology, well logging and hydraulic test programs are important subjects related to the exploration phase of developing Geothermal Energy sites. The chemical composition of the natural waters used as a heat transport medium in geothermal systems can be used as an exploration tool, but chemistry is also important during operation of a geothermal power plant because of potential scale formation and corrosion of pipes and installations, which needs to be prevented. Graduate students and professionals will find in depth information on Geothermal Energy, its exploration and utilization.

Geothermal Energy

Bioenergy from Wood

Bioenergy from Wood

This book is written for scientists and practitioners interested in deepening their knowledge of the sustainable production of bioenergy from wood in tropical and sub-tropical countries. Utilising the value chain concept, this book outlines the necessary aspects for managing sustainable bioenergy production. A wide range of topics is covered including biomass localization, modelling and upscaling, production management in woodlands and plantations, and transport and logistics. Biomass quality and conversion pathways are examined in order to match the conversion technology with the available biomass. A section is dedicated to issues surrounding sustainability. The issues, covered in a life-cycle assessment of the bioenergy system, include socio-economic challenges, local effects on water, biodiversity, nutrient-sustainability and global impacts. Through this holistic approach and supporting examples from tropical and sub-tropical countries, the reader is guided in designing and implementing a value chain as the main management instrument for sustainable wood.

Bioenergy from Wood

An Introduction to Toxicology

An Introduction to Toxicology

This book provides a readable introduction to modern toxicology with a particular focus on the mechanisms underlying the induction of toxicity by foreign substances. Since bioactivation is central to many toxic syndromes, special interest is devoted to chemicals that undergo conversion to toxic metabolites that induce toxic effects as diverse as cancer, birth defects and organ injury. The molecular consequences accompanying damage to cellular DNA and proteins is explored together with the relevance of toxicological paradigms to human diseases caused by alcohol and tobacco. The discipline of toxicology has developed rapidly since the thalidomide disaster in the 1960s as scientists worldwide seek to understand the adverse health effects of human medicines, environmental pollutants, consumer chemicals and industrial reagents. An Introduction to Toxicology is intended to supplement the recommended reading list of undergraduate and graduate programs in toxicology and pharmacology as an enjoyable, accessible primer with illustrations that unpack the concepts being discussed in the text.

An Introduction to Toxicology

2011 International Conference in Electrics, Communication and Automatic Control Proceedings

2011 International Conference in Electrics, Communication and Automatic Control Proceedings

2011 International Conference in Electrics, Communication and Automatic Control Proceedings examines state-of-art and advances in Electrics, Communication and Automatic Control. This book presents developments in Power Conversion, Signal and image processing, Image & video Signal Processing. The conference brings together researchers, engineers, academic as well as industrial professionals from all over the world to promote the developments of Electrics, Communication and Automatic Control.

2011 International Conference in Electrics, Communication and Automatic Control Proceedings

Non-thermal Food Engineering Operations

Non-thermal Food Engineering Operations

A number of food engineering operations, in which heat is not used as a preserving factor, have been employed and are applied for preparation (cleaning, sorting, etc.), conversion (milling, agglomeration, etc.) or preservation (irradiation, high pressure processing, pulsed electric fields, etc.) purposes in the food industry. This book presents a comprehensive treatise of all normally used food engineering operations that are carried out at room (or ambient) conditions, whether they are aimed at producing microbiologically safe foods with minimum alteration to sensory and nutritive properties, or they constitute routine preparative or transformation operations. The book is written for both undergraduate and graduate students, as well as for educators and practicing food process engineers. It reviews theoretical concepts, analyzes their use in operating variables of equipment, and discusses in detail different applications in diverse food processes.

Non-thermal Food Engineering Operations

Time and the Moment in Victorian Literature and Society

Time and the Moment in Victorian Literature and Society

Sudden changes, opportunities or revelations have always carried a special significance in western culture, from the Greek and later the Christian kairos to Evangelical experiences of conversion. This fascinating book explores the ways in which England, under the influence of industrializing forces and increased precision in assessing the passing of time, attached importance to moments and events that compress great significance into small units of time. Sue Zemka questions the importance that modernity invests in momentary events, from religion to aesthetics and philosophy. She argues for a strain in Victorian and early modern novels critical of the values the age invested in moments of time, and suggests that such novels also offer a correction to contemporary culture and criticism, with its emphasis on the momentary event as an agency of change.

Time and the Moment in Victorian Literature and Society

Smart Sensors and Mems

Smart Sensors and Mems

Smart sensors and micro electro mechanical systems (MEMS) can include a variety of devices and systems that have a high level of functionality. They may integrate sensing and actuating with information processing, analog to digital conversion and memory functions. Smart sensors and MEMS may respond to algorithmic instructions and calibration requests, allowing smart devices to become more autonomous as they provide self diagnostics and self correction. Intelligence enables adaptation, which in turn increases the reliability and longevity of the smart device and this can significantly reduce costs. The editors have brought together a roster of contributing experts to cover smart sensors including capacitive, inductive, resistive and image sensors, smart MEMS including power MEMS, optical MEMS, inertial MEMS, and MEMS print heads.

Smart Sensors and Mems

Biomass Conversion

Biomass Conversion

The consumption of petroleum has surged during the 20th century, at least partially because of the rise of the automobile industry. Today, fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas provide more than three quarters of the world’s energy. Unfortunately, the growing demand for fossil fuel resources comes at a time of diminishing reserves of these nonrenewable resources. The worldwide reserves of oil are sufficient to supply energy and chemicals for only about another 40 years, causing widening concerns about rising oil prices. The use of biomass to produce energy is only one form of renewable energy that can be utilized to reduce the impact of energy production and use on the global environment. Biomass can be converted into three main products such as energy, biofuels and fine chemicals using a number of different processes. Today, it is a great challenge for researchers to find new environmentally benign methodology for biomass conversion, which are industrially profitable as well. This book focuses on the conversion of biomass to biofuels, bioenergy and fine chemicals with the interface of biotechnology, microbiology, chemistry and materials science. An international scientific authorship summarizes the state-of-the-art of the current research and gives an outlook on future developments.

Biomass Conversion

Wave Energy Conversion

Wave Energy Conversion

Wave energy, together with other renewable energy resources is expected to provide a small but significant proportion of future energy requirements without adding to pollution and global warming.

Wave Energy Conversion

Thermal and Catalytic Processes in Petroleum Refining

Thermal and Catalytic Processes in Petroleum Refining

This text examines the thermal and catalytic processes involved in the refining of petroleum including visbreaking, coking, pyrolysis, catalytic cracking, oligomerization, alkylation, hydrofining, hydroisomerization, hydrocracking, and catalytic reforming. It analyzes the thermodynamics, reaction mechanisms, and kinetics of each process, as well as the effects of operating conditions and reactor design on process performance and product quality. This is a valuable resource for chemists who wish to improve their knowledge of some of the real world issues that must be addressed in hydrocarbon conversion. Topics include processes on metallic catalysts, processes using bifunctional catalysts, and catalytic reforming.

Thermal and Catalytic Processes in Petroleum Refining

Religious Conversion

Religious Conversion

Conversion has been an important issue for most of the universal religions – those usually associated with a founder, such as Christianity, Buddhism, Islam and Judaism – which have a mission to spread their message. Other religions have been less concerned with conversion except in so far as it has been a negative force for them to confront. This study explores how conversion has been understood by different religions during different eras, and includes a survey of the textual, legal, ritual, historic and experiential dimensions of the phenomenon of conversion.

Religious Conversion

Transitioning to IFRS in SAP ERP Financials

Transitioning to IFRS in SAP ERP Financials

This book is the roadmap your conversion project team needs to prepare your SAP ERP Financials systems for conversion to IFRS. It includes detailed coverage of the transition process, an overview of the US GAAP/IFRS deltas and how they are mapped in ERP Financials, and real-world advice from an IFRS conversion project at a large petrochemical company. With this concise guide, youll give your finance professionals, executives, technical staff, project managers, and consultants a real jumpstart to IFRS projects in upgrade or non-upgrade scenarios.

Transitioning to IFRS in SAP ERP Financials

Linux Cookbook, 2nd Edition

Linux Cookbook, 2nd Edition

The Linux Cookbook, 2nd Edition is your guide to getting the most out of Linux. Organized by general task (such as working with text, managing files, and manipulating graphics), each section contains a series of step-by-step recipes that help you to get your work done quickly and efficiently, most often from the command line. Nearly 50 percent larger than the first edition, this new edition includes hundreds of new recipes as well as new sections on package management; file conversion; multimedia; working with sound files (including OGG and MP3); Vi text editing; advanced text manipulation; and more. Perfect as an introduction to Linux, or as a desktop reference for the seasoned user. Covers the major , distributions.

Linux Cookbook, 2nd Edition

SQL Pocket Guide, 3rd Edition

SQL Pocket Guide, 3rd Edition

If you’re a programmer or , administrator who uses , in your day-to-day work, this popular pocket guide is the ideal on-the-job reference. It uses numerous examples to address the language’s complexity, and covers key aspects of SQL used in Oracle, DB2, SQL Server, MySQL, and PostgreSQL. That includes the syntax for querying, managing transactions, and making changes to data, as well as SQL functions, type conversion functions and formats, and regular expression syntax.

SQL Pocket Guide, 3rd Edition