Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Fr 13'

Guiron le courtois, vaste roman de chevalerie en prose composé du Roman de Meliadus et du Roman de Guiron a été copié, remanié, compilé dans de nombreux manuscrits depuis sa création, entre 1235-1240, jusqu’à la fin du Moyen Âge. Sa matière ouverte à toutes les continuations en fait une œuvre aux contours flous. Le manuscrit BnF fr. 340 (fin XIVe-début XVe siècle), associant le Roman de Meliadus et la Compilation de Rusticien de Pise, forme un ensemble où se dessine la chevalerie errante des pères des grands héros arthuriens, animée par la violence des combats, l’abondance du sang versé, mais aussi par la joie des rencontres et de la parole échangée. C’est cette communauté vivante que cette thèse entreprend d’analyser, à travers l’exploration conjointe du texte et de l’image du manuscrit BnF fr. 340, dont l’analyse iconographique sera ouverte à d’autres programmes de manuscrits de la même période
Guiron le courtois—a vast chivalric novel written in prose and composed of the Roman de Meliadus and of the Roman de Guiron—was copied, redrafted, compiled in various manuscripts since its creation spanning from 1235-1240 to the end of the Middle Ages. Its material allows all kinds of continuations which makes it a work with blurred outlines. The manuscript BnF fr. 340 (End of 14th-Beginning 15th Century) associates the Roman de Meliadus and the Compilation of Rusticien de Pise; it forms a whole in which can be seen wandering knights, namely the fathers of the great Arthurian heroes driven by violent fights and a desire to shed blood abundantly, but also by merry encounters and word exchanges. This thesis ends at analysing this lively community through the exploration of both text and imagery in the manuscript BnF Fr 340; this iconographic analysis leads to the study of new programs of manuscripts dating back to the same period

Cette thèse part du constat que le e-learning s'est, sous des formes diverses et en quelques années, largement diffusé au sein des universités traditionnelles françaises. Une première partie (analyse macro) nous conduit à nous interroger sur le lien entre cette forme nouvelle d'enseignement et les politiques gouvernementales ainsi que celles des universités traditionnelles : par quels compromis une innovation si importante a-t-elle pu se développer si rapidement ? En relation avec cette question, nous posons aussi celle de savoir s'il existe un e-learning à la française. Et si oui, quelles en sont les caractéristiques générales ? Une deuxième partie (analyse méso) nous conduit du côté des acteurs du e-learning. La recherche consiste alors à identifier les fondements économiques, institutionnels, pédagogiques et technologiques de leurs stratégies : entre souci de réduire les coûts et réalités structurelles, comment se situent-ils ? Dans une troisième partie (analyse micro), nous tentons une évaluation de quelques réalisations concrètes à partir de la question suivante : d'où vient que certaines formations en e-learning semblent avoir réussi à s'inscrire dans le paysage universitaire, tandis que d'autres n'y sont pas parvenues du tout ?
This thesis was thought from the report that the e-learning widely spread, under diverse forms and in some years, within the French traditional universities. Its first part (macro analysis) leads us to wonder about the link between this new way of teaching and the governmental policies, as well as those of the traditional universities: by what compromises was an innovation so important able to develop so quickly? In connection with this question, we also put that to know if there is a French-style e-learning. If yes, what are its general characteristics? The second part (méso analysis) drives us towards the actors of the e-learning. The search consists then in identifying the economic, institutional, educational and technological foundations of their strategies: between the concern of reducing costs and the structural realities, where do they stand? In the third part (micro analysis), we try an evaluation of some concrete realizations from the following question: how is it that certain e-learning formations seem to have managed to join the university landscape, whereas the others did not reach it at all?

L' imputation est un terme couramment employé par la doctrine pénale pour désigner tel ou tel mécanisme de la responsabilité pénale. Mais sa signification juridique peut varier d'un auteur à l'autre. Pourtant, on s'accorde à définir le terme "imputation" comme l'attribution d'un fait ou d'une chose à une personne afin qu'elle puisse en rendre compte. Transposée dans le droit de la responsabilité pénale, cette définition générique suggère un concept d'imputation regroupant l'ensemble des mécanismes juridiques qui permettent d'attribuer et de reprocher l'infraction à l'agent. Une recherche sur le contenu d'un tel concept permet, tout d'abord, de mieux connaître la nature des différentes institutions juridiques qui s'y rapportent, afin d'en proposer une lecture cohérente. Ensuite, elle présente l'intérêt de s'interroger sur les rapports entre les deux notions cardinales du droit pénal général : l'infraction et la responsabilité
Imputation is a term usually used by the penal doctrine to indicate a particular penal responsability mechanism. Nevertheless its legal meaning can vary from one author to another. However, we agree to define the term "imputation" as the allocation of a fact or a thing for one person so that he/she is held responsible for it. Translated into the penal responsability law, this generic definition suggests "imputation" as part of the entire legal mechanism which allows to attribute and blame for infrigement directly to the agent. A research study on the content of such a concept allows, first of all, to better know the nature of the various legal institutions which relate to it, in order to propose a coherent reading. Then, it outlines the interest of questioning connections between both cardinal notions of the general criminal law the infringement and the responsability

Les think tanks constituent des groupes professionnels qui déploient des stratégies multiples pour pénétrer le champ politique par le biais de la production de recommandations politiques. S’inscrivant entre le savoir et le pouvoir, les think tanks sont engagés dans une triple logique, celle de la politique, celle des intérêts et celle de la professionnalisation. La première met en lumière qu’il est sans doute impossible de penser le politique sans penser politiquement. La deuxième souligne l’ambigüité des liens qui unissent les idées à ceux qui les portent. Quant à la troisième, elle permet de réaliser que les think tankers constituent une nouvelle catégorie de personnel politique qui ne dit pas son nom et qui déploie une stratégie de contournement (get round effect) des circuits traditionnels, stratégie susceptible de compléter le triptyque hirshmanien (exit, voice, loyalty). Les think tanks déploient un rapport diversifié à l’expertise (par spécialité, par responsabilité ou encore par opportunité) selon qu’ils justifient leur intervention par l’attrait du savoir, l’attrait de la politique comme engagement ou encore de la politique comme attribut. Ces officines produisent donc moins du savoir que des « aménagements du savoir ». En ce sens, leur légitimité dans la démocratie libérale ne peut qu’être l’objet d’une construction sur le mode de l’autohabilitation à partir d’une stratégie de brouillage visant à gommer la séparation entre profane et professionnel, et d’une instrumentalisation de la notion de « société civile ». Le mosaïcisme semble constituer la matrice qui régit l’arc de leurs pratiques et celle qui ordonnance les transformations de la démocratie
Think tanks are made up of professional groups who create multiple strategies aimed at influencing the political field by producing political analysis and advice. Sitting between knowledge and power, the think tanks are involved in the three dimensions of politics, lobbying and professionalisation. The first of those dimensions indicates that it is highly unlikely to think about politics without thinking politically. The second shows the ambiguity of linking ideas to those who promote them. As for the third, it demonstrates that the members of the think tanks are made up of a new kind of politicians who remain anonymous and use convoluted strategies (‘get round effect’) away from the usual processes, strategies which may well complete the Hirshmann cycle (exit, voice, loyalty). Think tanks develop their expertise in different ways (based on their specialisation, responsibility or even opportunity) depending on whether they justify their involvement on an intellectual basis, by their political motivation or attribut. Rather than expanding knowledge, these organisations restructure knowledge. In this way, their legitimacy can only be seen as having evolved through a strategy of confusion aimed at disabling the gap between amateurs and professionals, and promoting the idea of a ‘civilised society’. The mosaïcisme seems to be made up of a mix that regulates their own practices and influences the transformation of democracy

Steady-state operations are used globally in chemical engineering. Advantages include ease of control and a more uniform product quality (Ghasem and Henda, 2008; McCabe et al, 2001). Importantly however, there will be naturally occurring, random (stochastic) fluctuations in parameter values about the ‘set’ mean when process control is inadequate. These are not addressed explicitly in traditional chemical engineering because they are not sufficient on their own to be considered transient (unsteady) and because, generally, fluctuations in one parameter are off-set by changes in others with plant output behaviour seeming to remain steady (Amundson et al., 1980; Sinnott, 2005; Zou and Davey, 2016). Davey and co-workers, however, have demonstrated these fluctuations can unexpectedly accumulate in one direction and leverage significant (sudden and surprise) change in output behaviour with failure in product or plant (e.g. Abdul-Halim and Davey, 2016; Zou and Davey, 2016; Chandrakash and Davey, 2017). To underscore the unexpected element of the failure event they titled their risk framework Fr 13 2 (Friday 13th Syndrome). Case studies of their probabilistic risk framework to 1-step operations include loss of thermal efficiency in a coal-fired boiler (Davey, 2015 a) and failure to remove whey deposits in Clean-In-Place (CIP) milk processing (Davey et al., 2015). More recently, to advance their risk framework for progressively, multi-step and complex (in the sense of ‘integrated’, not ‘complicated’) processes they demonstrated its usefulness to 2-step membrane fouling with combined ultrafiltration-osmotic distillation (UF-OD) (Zou and Davey, 2016), and; a 3-step microbiological raw milk pasteurization (Chandrakash and Davey, 2017). Findings overall revealed no methodological complications in application - and it was concluded the risk framework was generalizable (Zou and Davey, 2016; Chandrakash and Davey, 2017). A significant advantage of the framework is it can be used in ‘second-tier studies’ to reduce risk through simulations of intervention strategies and re-design of physical plant or operating practice. It can be applied at both synthesis and analysis stages. 2 see Appendix A for a definition of some important terms used in this research. Although the risk framework has been successfully applied to corrosive pitting of AISI 316L metal widely used in off-shore oil and gas structures (Davey et al., 2016) 3 it was not known if it could provide new insight into corrosion of metal, more specifically microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC), a major problem globally that accounts for ~ 20 % of overall corrosion (Flemming, 1996). It is estimated to cost AUD$7 billion to Australia annually (Javaherdashti and Raman-Singh, 2001). A review of the literature showed that a thorough understanding of MIC has been slow to emerge, both because of the role of micro-organisms in corrosion and because of a lack of methodology to determine any impact of natural fluctuations in the internal pipe environment. Importantly, the insidious nature of MIC was known to pose a practical risk of failure of pipes used to transport wet-fluids. However, because modelling of direct MIC would be uniquely complex it was planned that a general model for corrosion should be synthesized and understood that could be extended. A limited research program was therefore undertaken with the aim to advance the Fr 13 framework and to gain unique insight into how naturally occurring fluctuations in fluid temperature (T) and pH of the internal pipe environment can be transmitted and impact corrosion. A logical and stepwise approach was implemented as a research strategy. The initial model of Smith et al. (2011) was modified to simulate MIC causing micro-organisms such as sulphate-reducing bacteria (SRB) on widely used ASTM A105 carbon-steel pipe that is corroded under steady-state, abiotic and synthetic conditions. This was solved using traditional, deterministic simulations to give a predicted, underlying corrosion rate (CR) of 0.5 mm yr-1 as impacted by internal pipe-fluid T and pH. Importantly, findings underscored the controlling importance of low pH on CR. This initial model was then simulated, for the first time, using the probabilistic Fr 13 framework (Collins et al., 2016) 4 in which distributions to mimic fluctuations in T (K) and 3 This research was a Finalist, IChemE Global Awards 2016, Innovative Product, Manchester, UK, Nov. 4 Collins, S.D., Davey, K.R., Chu, J.Y.G., O’Neill, B.K., 2016. A new quantitative risk assessment of Microbiologically Influenced Corrosion (MIC) of carbon steel pipes used in chemical engineering. In: pH in the pipe were (reasonably) assumed as truncated Normal, and; a new corrosion risk factor (p) was synthesized such that all p > 0 characterized a CR failure i.e. a corrosion rate greater than 0.5 mm yr-1. Normal distributions that were truncated were used because these permitted T and pH to fluctuate randomly during process operations but limited these to values that could occur only practically. Predictions showed that 28.1 % of all corrosion of ASTM A105 pipe, averaged over the long term for a range of fluctuations 290.15 ≤ T ≤ 298.15 K, and 4.64 ≤ pH ≤ 5.67, would in fact be greater than the underlying value despite a design margin of safety (tolerance) of 50 % CR, and were therefore process failures (p > 0). Findings highlighted that corrosion was a combination of ‘successful’ and ‘failed’ operations. This insight is not available from traditional risk approaches, with or without sensitivity analyses. It was concluded that the Fr 13 framework was an advance over the traditional, deterministic methods because all corrosion scenarios that can practically exist are simulated. It was concluded also that if each simulation was (reasonably) thought of as one operational day, there would be (28.1/100 days × 365.25 days / year) ~103 corrosion failures in ASTM A105 pipe per year. However it was acknowledged that to enhance corrosion simulation, the free corrosion potential (Ecorr, V vs SCE), a key parameter in this initial model formulation, should more realistically be considered a combined function of the internal pipe-fluid T and pH, and; that this assumption should be tested, and, that this would necessitate a trial-and-error simulation for corrosion rate (CR). It was also determined that the truncations that were used for T and pH were too restrictive for off-shore oil processing (Arnold and Stewart, 1999; J. Y. G. Chu, Upstream Production Services Pty Ltd., Australia, pers. comm.). To address this, the initial model was extended mathematically for the first time, and; Fr 13 risk simulations carried out using spread-sheeting techniques utilizing the Solver CHEMECA 2016: Chemical Engineering – Regeneration, Recovery and Reinvention, Sept. 25-28, Adelaide, Australia, paper 3386601. ISBN: 9781922107831 function (Microsoft Excel™). A significant advantage was that the distributions defining the naturally occurring fluctuations in T and pH could be entered, viewed, copied, pasted and manipulated as Excel formulae. Predictions showed (Collins and Davey, 2018) 5 an underlying corrosion rate CR = 0.45 mm yr-1 – a change of approximately 10 % when the design margin of safety (tolerance) was reduced from 50 % to a more realistic 20 % for the improved model. This is significant because the tolerance of a model should be as low as can be accepted, as higher tolerances can infer that the process is safer than it actually is. Fr 13 simulations showed that 43.6 % of all corrosion of internal ASTM A105 pipe, averaged over the long term for a range of realistic fluctuations 282.55 ≤ T ≤ 423.75 K, and 4.12 ≤ pH ≤ 6.18 would be deemed to be process pipe-failures (p > 0). This translates to a corrosion failure in ASTM A105 pipe every 160 days, averaged over the long term. It is not expected that these would be equally spaced however. Findings were used in investigative ‘second-tier’ studies to explore possible intervention strategies to reduce vulnerability to corrosion and to improve plant design and safety. For example, repeat Fr 13 simulations revealed that, for a fixed mean-value of T = 353.15 K a decrease in pH from 5.15 to 4.5 resulted in an increase in carbon-steel pipe corrosion of ~1.55 mm yr-1 i.e. ~347 % increase. This implied that the pipe vulnerability to Fr 13 corrosion failure could be practically minimised by adding bases, such as potassium hydroxide or sodium carbonate (Kemmer, 1988). However, if the pH is too high, anions in the pipe-fluid could precipitate and form insoluble mineral scales, leading to fouling (Pichtel, 2016). It is acknowledged that the present research is limited to an abiotic system i.e. one without micro-organism kinetics. A justification is that the models presented in this research should be seen as a ‘starting point’, which could be expanded in later iterations to include: biotic model components such as the simple bacterial kinetics in the predictive MIC model of Maxwell and Campbell (2006); other species that are involved in MIC such 5 Collins, S.D., Davey, K.R., 2018. A novel Fr 13 risk assessment of corrosion of carbon-steel pipe in de-aerated water. Chemical Engineering Science – submitted CES-D-18-00449, Feb. as sulphates, chlorides and hydrogen sulphide (H2S); different metals/alloys that are used in pipe equipment where MIC can be found e.g. copper or zinc (Roberge, 2000), or; a ‘global’ model i.e. two or more connected unit-operations (Chandrakash and Davey, 2017). (A global model however, might not be applicable because MIC can be initiated in localized sites (Roberge, 2000)). It is concluded that these thesis findings nevertheless significantly enhance understanding of factors that lead to excessive corrosion rates in ASTM A105 pipes. It is concluded also that the Fr 13 risk framework appears generalizable to a range of micro-organism-metal systems and is an advancement over current existing risk and hazard assessments. If properly developed, it is thought that this risk technique could be adopted as a new design tool for steady-state unit-operations in both the design and synthesis stages and to increase understanding of MIC behaviour and outcomes. This research is original and not incremental work. Results and findings will be of immediate benefit and interest to a range of risk analysts, and to a broad range of practical operations involving carbon-steel pipe flows
Thesis (MPhil) -- University of Adelaide, School of Chemical Engineering & Advanced Materials, 2018

Steady-state ultraviolet (UV) irradiation for potable water production is becoming an important global alternative to traditional disinfection by chlorination. Failure of UV to reduce the number of viable contaminant pathogens however can lead to enduring health legacies (with or without fatalities). To better understand vulnerability of UV operations to failure, the probabilistic Fr 13 risk framework of Davey and co-workers1 is applied for the first time in this thesis. Fr 13 is predicated on underlying chemical engineering unit-operations. It is based on the hypothesis that naturally occurring, chance (stochastic) fluctuations about the value of ‘set’ process parameters can unexpectedly combine and accumulate in one direction and leverage significant change across a binary ‘failure– not failure’ boundary. Process failures can result from the accumulation of these fluctuations within an apparent steady-state process itself. That is to say, even with good design and operation of plant, there can be unexpected (surprise and sudden) occasional failures without ‘human error’ or ‘faulty fittings’. Importantly, the impact of these naturally occurring random fluctuations is not accounted for explicitly in traditional chemical engineering. Here, the Fr 13 risk framework is applied for the first time to quantitatively assess operations of logically increasing complexity, namely, a laminar flow-through UV reactor, with turbulent flow in a concentric annular-reactor, both with and without suspended solids present (Davey, Abdul-Halim and Lewis, 2012; Davey and Abdul-Halim, 2013; Abdul-Halim and Davey, 2015; 2016), and; a two-step ‘global’ risk model of combined rapid-sand-filtration and UV irradiation (SF-UV) (Abdul-Halim and Davey, 2017). The work is illustrated with extensive independent data for the survival of viable Escherichia coli - a pathogenic species of faecal bacteria widely used as an indicator for health risk. A logical and step-wise approach was implemented as a research strategy. UV reactor unit-operations models are first synthesized and developed. A failure factor is defined in terms of the design reduction and actual reduction in viable E. coli contaminants. UV reactor operation is simulated using a refined Monte Carlo (with Latin Hypercube) sampling of UV lamp intensity (I), suspended solids concentrations [conc] and water flow (Q). A preliminary Fr 13 failure simulation of a single UV reactor unit-operation (one-step), developed for both simplified laminar flow and turbulent flow models, showed vulnerability to failure with unwanted survival of E. coli of, respectively, 0.4 % and 16 %, averaged over the long term, of all apparently successful steady-state continuous operations. A practical tolerance, as a design margin of safety, of 10 % was assumed. Results from applied ‘second-tier’ studies to assess re-design to improve UV operation reliability and safety and to reduce vulnerability to Fr 13 failure showed that any increased costs to improve control and reduce fluctuations in raw feed-water flow, together with reductions in UV lamp fluence, would be readily justified. The Fr 13 analysis was shown to be an advance on alternate risk assessments because it produced all possible practical UV outcomes, including failures. A more developed and practically realistic model for UV irradiation for potable water production was then synthesized to investigate the impact of the presence of suspended solids (SS) (median particle size 23 μm) as UV shielding and UV absorbing agents, on overall UV efficacy. This resulted in, respectively, some 32.1 % and 43.7 %, of apparent successful operations could unexpectedly fail over the long term due, respectively, to combined impact of random fluctuations in feed-water flow (Q), lamp intensity (I0) and shielding and absorption of UV by SS [conc]. This translated to four (4) failures each calendar month (the comparison rate without suspended solids was two (2) failures per month). Results highlighted that the efficacy of UV irradiation decreased with the presence of SS to 1-log10 reduction, compared with a 4.35-log10 reduction without solids present in the raw feed-water. An unexpected outcome was that UV failure is highly significantly dependent on naturally occurring fluctuations in the raw feed-water flow, and not on fluctuations in the concentration of solids in the feed-water. It was found that the initial presence of solids significantly reduced the practically achievable reductions in viable bacterial contaminants in the annular reactor, but that fluctuations in concentration of solids in the feed-water did not meaningfully impact overall vulnerability of UV efficacy. This finding pointed to a pre-treatment that would be necessary to remove suspended solids prior to the UV reactor, and; the necessity to improve control in feed-water flow to reduce fluctuations. The original synthesis was extended therefore for the first time to include a rapid sand-filter (SF) for pre-treatment of the raw feed-water flow to the UV reactor, and; a Fr 13 risk assessment on both the SF, and sequential, integrated rapid sand-filtration and UV reactor (SF-UV). For the global two-step SF-UV results showed vulnerability to failure of some 40.4 % in overall operations over the long term with a safety margin (tolerance) of 10 %. Pre-treatment with SF removed SS with a mean of 1-log10 reduction (90 %). Subsequently, an overall removal of viable E. coli from the integrated SF-UV reactor was a 3-log10 reduction (99.9 %). This is because the efficacy of UV light to penetrate and inactivate viable E. coli, and other pathogens, is not inhibited by SS in the UV reactor. This showed that the physical removal of E. coli was accomplished by a properly functioning SF and subsequently disinfection was done by UV irradiation to inactivate viable E. coli in the water. Because the Regulatory standard for potable water is a 4-log10 reduction, it was concluded that flocculation and sedimentation prior to SF was needed to exploit these findings. Flocculation is a mixing process to increase particle size from submicroscopic microfloc to visible suspended particles prior to sedimentation and SF. This research will aid understanding of factors that contribute to UV failure and increase confidence in UV operations. It is original, and not incremental, work. Findings will be of immediate interest to risk analysts, water processors and designers of UV reactors for potable water production.
Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Chemical Engineering & Advanced Materials, 2017

Steady-state unit-operations are used globally in chemical engineering processing. Importantly however, there are naturally occurring (random) fluctuations in parameter values about a ‘set’ mean. These are not sufficient to be considered transient and a random change in one is often off-set by a change in another - with the result that the output remains seemingly steady. Significantly, traditional chemical engineering does not address these random fluctuations explicitly. Davey and co-workers (e.g. Abdul Halim and Davey, 2015; Zou and Davey, 2016) have shown that these natural fluctuations can combine and accumulate in one direction and leverage unexpected and surprise behaviour across a ‘failure - not failure’ boundary. Their hypothesis they titled Fr 13 (Friday 13th) to underscore the surprise element of the failure event. Their probabilistic Fr 13 framework has been usefully applied to a number of 1-step unit-operations including failure in: UV irradiation for potable water (Abdul-Halim and Davey, 2015; 2016); thermal efficiency of a commercial coal-fired boiler (Davey, 2015), metals pitting (Davey et al., 2016), and; failure to remove whey protein deposits in Clean-In-Place milk processing (Davey et al., 2015). A significant advantage is that the framework can be used in quantitative ‘second-tier’ studies (Abdul-Halim and Davey, 2016) to improve design and safety of unit-operations. A limitation however is that the framework had been applied to only 1-step (single) unit-operations until very recently when Zou and Davey (2016) demonstrated its applicability to integrated 2-step membranes processing. Generally however, it is not known if there is any benefit in developing the framework as a useful tool for integrated, greater multi-step unit-operations and its possible combination (Davey et al., 2013) with existing software to enhance design capability. Davey (2011) had suggested these integrated multi-step analyses be termed ‘global’ models. A research program is therefore undertaken with the aim to advance the Fr 13 framework to gain unique insight into how naturally occurring fluctuations in apparent steady-state plant parameters can be transmitted and impact in progressively complex (in the context of ‘integrated’ not ‘complicated’) multi-step processes, and to assess the framework as a new design tool. A logical and stepwise approach is implemented as a research strategy. Because foods processing is globally the largest manufacturing sector, and within it, pasteurization is the most widely used unit-operation, a typical 3-step pasteurization unit operation, consisting of individual 1) heat-up, 2) holding and 3) cool-down, unit-operations is selected as a prudent and stringent test of the Fr 13 risk thesis to multi-step unit-operations. An initial assessment, based on typical commercial pasteurization equipment for raw milk (plate heat exchangers and an external-coil holding tube) is synthesized for the first time (Chandrakash et al., 2015; 2014; Davey et al., 2014) and a generalized method of notation for the Fr 13 risk framework is developed to unambiguously identify particular unit-operations in integrated multi-step processes. Failure is defined in terms of not meeting a globally used Regulatory combination of temperature (T) - time (t) (72 °C, 15 s). Results revealed that pasteurization of raw milk is vulnerable to failure in 12.5 % of all cases over the long-term as a result of with-in system fluctuations in flows, and thermal conditions. If each simulation is (reasonably) considered a daily process this translated to some 46 failures each year with a 2 % design tolerance 2 to meet the required T - t pasteurization criteria. Results highlighted that apparent steady-state pasteurization is actually a combination of successful and (potential) failed operations. This insight could not be obtained from existing traditional risk and hazard approaches, with or without sensitivity analyses. A drawback soon acknowledged however, is that this equipment model did not explicitly address the reduction in unwanted levels of survival of potential contaminant microorganisms in the treated milk. To overcome this, a microbiological global risk model is developed for the first time for the 3-step pasteurization. The logarithmic reduction of viable Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP), a common bacterial contaminant and pathogen, is selected as an indicator of efficacy of process, and an inactivation model is then synthesized (Chandrakash and Davey, 2017 a). Results showed that for a design Regulatory reduction of log₁₀ = 5.5 in viable MAP the 3-step pasteurization is vulnerable to failure in 5.75 % of cases with a 2 % design tolerance averaged over the long term. This equated to ~ 21 failures with viable MAP each year based on a daily operation. To further test applicability of the risk framework to multi-step processing, a fourth integrated step, the storage of the pasteurized milk, is added for the first time (Chandrakash and Davey, 2017 b). A justification is that this simulated commercial practice more closely. Results of simulation of this 4-step model showed that with a design tolerance of 2 % for a Regulatory design reduction of log₁₀ = 5.5 in viable MAP on heat-up to 72 °C with 15 s holding in commercial plate equipment, there would be no further failures i.e. the rate of vulnerability to failure in a 4-step microbiological model for pasteurizing and storing milk remained 5.75 %, averaged over the long term. Results from investigative second-tier studies with the new 4-step Fr 13 model to improve design and safety, revealed vulnerability to microbiological failure can be readily mitigated by installing precise safety-integrity-level (SIL) mass flow control on the raw milk in existing plant to ensure a holding time of ≥ 15 s. It is concluded the Fr 13 framework appears generalizable to integrated multi-step steady-state processes without methodological problems and an advance over current existing risk/hazard methodologies. If properly developed, it is believed that this novel framework could be adopted as a new design tool for steady-state processing at both design and synthesis stages. Research findings will aid a detailed understanding of factors that contribute to failures, and to increased confidence in steady-state unit-operations processing. This research work is original and not incremental work. Findings will be of direct interest to risk analysts, milk processors and manufacturers of pasteurizer equipment.
Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Chemical Engineering, 2017.

Steady-state unit-operations are globally used in chemical engineering. Advantages include ease of control and a uniform product quality. Nonetheless there will be naturally occurring, random (stochastic) fluctuations about any steady-state ‘set’ value of a process parameter. Traditional chemical engineering does not explicitly take account of these. This is because, generally, fluctuation in one parameter appears to be off-set by change in another – with the process outcome remaining apparently steady. However Davey and co-workers (e.g. Davey et al., 2015; Davey, 2015 a; Zou and Davey, 2016; Abdul-Halim and Davey, 2016; Chandrakash and Davey, 2017 a) have shown these naturally occurring fluctuations can accumulate and combine unexpectedly to leverage significant impact and thereby make apparently well-running processes vulnerable to sudden and surprise failure. They developed a probabilistic and quantitative risk framework they titled Fr 13 (Friday 13th) to underscore the nature of these events. Significantly, the framework can be used in ‘second-tier’ studies for re-design to reduce vulnerability to failure. Here, this framework is applied for the first time to show how naturally occurring fluctuations in peak ambient temperature (T₀) and occupancy (room traffic flows) (Lᴛ) can impact heat transfers for conditioning of room air. The conditioning of air in large buildings, including hotels and hospitals, is globally important (Anon., 2012 a). The overarching aim is to quantitatively ‘use’ these fluctuations to develop a strategy for minimum energy. A justification is that methods that permit quantitative determination of reliable strategies for conditioning of air can lead to better energy use, with potential savings, together with reductions in greenhouse gases (GHG). Oddly many buildings do not appear to have a quantitative strategy to minimize conditioning heat transfers. Wide-spread default practice is to simply use an on-off strategy i.e. conditioning-on when the room is occupied and conditioning-off, when un-occupied. One alternative is an on-only strategy i.e. leave the conditioner run continuously. A logical and stepwise combined theoretical-and-experimental, approach was used as a research strategy. A search of the literature showed that work had generally focused on discrete, deterministic aspects and not on mathematically rigorous developments to minimise overall whole-of-building conditioning heat transfers. A preliminary steady-state convective model was therefore synthesized for conditioning air in a (hotel) room (4.5 x 5.0 x 2.5, m) in dry, S-E Australia during summer (20 ≤ T₀ ≤ 40, °C) to an auto-set room bulk temperature of 22 °C for the first time. This was solved using traditional, deterministic methods to show the alternative on-only strategy would use less electrical energy than that of the default on-off for Lᴛ > 36 % (Chu et al., 2016). Findings underscored the importance of the thermal capacitance of a building. The model was again solved using the probabilistic Fr 13 framework in which distributions to mimic fluctuations in T₀ and Lᴛ were (reasonably) assumed and a new energy risk factor (p) was synthesized such that all p > 0 characterized a failure in applied energy strategy (Chu and Davey, 2015). Predictions showed on-only would use less energy on 86.6 % of summer days. Practically, this meant that a continuous on-only strategy would be expected to fail in only 12 of the 90 days of summer, averaged over the long term. It was concluded the Fr 13 framework was an advance over the traditional, deterministic method because all conditioning scenarios that can practically exist are simulated. It was acknowledged however that: 1) a more realistic model was needed to account for radiative heat transfers, and; 2) to improve predictive accuracy, local distributions for T₀ and Lᴛ were needed. To address these: 1) the model was extended mathematically to account for radiative transfers from ambient to the room-interior, and; 2) distributions were carefully-defined based on extensive historical data for S-E Australia from, respectively, Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) (Essendon Airport) and Clarion Suites Gateway Hotel (CSGH) (Melbourne) – a large (85 x 2-room suites) commercial hotel (latitude -37.819708, longitude 144.959936) – for T₀ and Lᴛ for 541 summer days (Dec. 2009 to Feb. 2015) (Chu and Davey, 2017 a). Predictions showed that radiative heat transfers were significant and highlighted that for Lᴛ ≥ 70 %, that is, all commercially viable occupancies, the on-only conditioning strategy would be expected to use less energy. Because findings predicted meaningful savings with the on-only strategy, ‘proof-of-concept’ experiments were carried out for the first time in a controlled-trial in-situ in CSGH over 10 (2 x 5 contiguous) days of summer with 24.2 ≤ T₀ ≤ 40.5, °C and 13.3 ≤ Lᴛ ≤ 100, %. Independent invoices (Origin Energy Ltd, or Simply Energy Ltd, Australia) (at 30 min intervals from nationally registered ‘smart’ power meters) for geometrically identical control and treated suites showed a mean saving of 18.9 % (AUD $2.23 per suite per day) with the on-only strategy, with a concomitant 20.7 % reduction (12.2 kg CO₂-e) in GHG. It was concluded that because findings supported model predictions, and because robust experimental SOPs had been established and agreed by CSGH, a large-scale validation test of energy strategies should be undertaken in the hotel. Commercial-scale testing over 77 contiguous days of summer (Jan. to Mar., 2016) was carried out in two, dimensionally-identical 2-room suites, with the same fit-out and (S-E) aspect, together with identical air-conditioner (8.1 kW) and nationally registered meters to automatically transmit contiguous (24-7) electrical use (at 30 min intervals) (n = 3,696) for the first time. Each suite (10.164 x 9.675, m floor plan) was auto-set to a bulk air temperature of 22 °C (Chu and Davey, 2017 b). In the treated suite the air-conditioner was operated on-only, whilst in the control it was left to wide-spread industry practice of on-off. The suites had (standard) single-glazed pane windows with heat-attenuating (fabric) internal curtains. Peak ambient ranged from 17.8 ≤ T₀ ≤ 39.1, °C. There were 32 days with recorded rainfall. The overall occupancy Lᴛ of both suites was almost identical at 69.7 and 71.2, % respectively for the treated and control suite. Importantly, this coincided with a typical business period for the CSGH hotel. Based on independent electrical invoices, results showed the treated suite used less energy on 47 days (61 %) of the experimental period, and significantly, GHG was reduced by 12 %. An actual reduction in electrical energy costs of AUD $0.75 per day (9 %) averaged over the period was demonstrated for the treated suite. It was concluded therefore that experimental findings directly confirmed the strategy hypothesis that continuous on-only conditioning will use less energy. Although the hypothesis appeared generalizable, and adaptable to a range of room geometries, it was acknowledged that a drawback was that extrapolation of results could not be reliably done because actual energy used would be impacted by seasons. The in-situ commercial-scale experimental study was therefore extended to encompass four consecutive seasons. The research aim was to provide sufficient experimental evidence (n = 13,008) to reliably test the generalizability of the on-only hypothesis (Chu and Davey, 2017 c). Ambient peak ranged from 9.8 ≤ T₀ ≤ 40.5, °C, with rainfall on 169 days (62 %). Overall, Lᴛ was almost identical at 71.9 and 71.7, % respectively, for the treated and control suite. Results based on independent electrical energy invoices showed the on-only strategy used less energy on 147 days (54 %) than the on-off. An overall mean energy saving of 2.68 kWh per suite per day (9.2 %) (i.e. AUD $0.58 or 8.0 %) with a concomitant reduction in indirect GHG of 3.16 kg CO₂-e was demonstrated. Extrapolated for the 85 x 2-room suites of the hotel, this amounted to a real saving of AUD $18,006 per annum - plus credit certificates that could be used to increase savings. Overall, it was concluded therefore the on-only conditioning hypothesis is generalizable to all seasons, and that there appears no barrier to adaption to a range of room geometries. Highly significantly, the methodology could be readily applied to existing buildings without capital outlays or increases in maintenance. A total of five (5) summative research presentations of results and findings were made to the General Manager and support staff of CSGH over the period to July 2017 inclusive (see Appendix I) that maintained active industry-engagement for the study. To apply these new findings, the synthesis of a computational algorithm in the form of a novel App (Anon., 2012 b; Davey, 2015 b) was carried out for the first time (Chu and Davey, 2017 d). The aim was to demonstrate an App that could be used practically to minimize energy in conditioning of dry air in buildings that must maintain an auto-set temperature despite the impact of fluctuations in T₀ and Lᴛ . The App was synthesized from the extensive experimental commercial-scale data and was applied to compute energy for both strategies from independently forecast T₀ and Lᴛ . Practical performance of the App was shown to be dependent on the accuracy of locally forecast T₀ and Lᴛ . Overall results predicted a saving of 2.62 kWh per 2-room suite per day ($47,870 per annum for CSGH) where accuracy of forecast T₀ is 77 % and Lᴛ is 99 %, averaged over the long term. A concomitant benefit was a predicted reduction greenhouse emissions of 3.1 kg CO₂-e per day. The App appears generalizable – and importantly it is not limited by any underlying heat-model. Its predictive accuracy can be refined with accumulation of experimental data for a range of geo-locations and building-types to make it globally applicable. It was concluded that the App is a useful new tool to minimize energy transfers in conditioning of room dry air in large buildings – and could be readily developed commercially 6. Importantly, it can be applied without capital outlays or additional maintenance cost and at both design and analysis stages. This research is original and not incremental work. Results of this research will be of immediate benefit to risk analysts, heat-design engineers, and owners and operators of large buildings.
Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Chemical Engineering, 2018