Environmental and economic impact of using increased fresh gas flow to reduce carbon dioxide absorbent consumption in the absence of inhalational anaesthetics.

BACKGROUND: Increasing fresh gas flow (FGF) to a circle breathing system reduces carbon dioxide (CO2) absorbent consumption. We assessed the environmental and economic impacts of this trade-off between gas flow and absorbent consumption when no inhalational anaesthetic agent is used. METHODS: A test lung with fixed CO2 inflow was ventilated via a circle breathing system of an anaesthetic machine (Dräger Primus or GE Aisys CS2) using an FGF of 1, 2, 4, or 6 L min-1. We recorded the time to exhaustion of the CO2 absorbent canister, defined as when inspired partial pressure of CO2 exceeded 0.3 kPa. For each FGF, we calculated the economic costs and the environmental impact associated with the manufacture of the CO2 absorbent canister and the supply of medical air and oxygen. Environmental impact was measured in 100 yr global-warming potential, analysed using a life cycle assessment 'cradle to grave' approach. RESULTS: Increasing FGF from 1 to 6 L min-1 was associated with up to 93% reduction in the combined running cost with minimal net change to the 100 yr global-warming potential. Most of the reduction in cost occurred between 4 and 6 L min-1. Removing the CO2 absorbent from the circle system, and further increasing FGF to control CO2 rebreathing, afforded minimal further economic benefit, but more than doubled the global-warming potential. CONCLUSIONS: In the absence of inhalational anaesthetic agents, increasing FGF to 6 L min-1 reduces running cost compared with lower FGFs, with minimal impact to the environment.

Modelos ARIMA para la predicción del gasto conjunto de oxígeno de vuelo y otros gases en el Ejército del Aire / ARIMA models to predict the joint expense of in-flight oxygen and other gases in the Air Force

INTRODUCCIÓN: la realización de expedientes de contratación para gases y elementos afines empleados en el Ejército del Aire se realiza desde el año 1997. La dirección se asignó, desde el inicio, al Centro de Farmacia del Aire de Madrid (CEFARMA). Las divergencias durante los últimos años entre las concesiones económicas asignadas y el gasto real ejecutado han sido notables. La falta de modelos matemáticos de predicción puede ser uno de los motivos de la ausencia de ajuste entre lo presupuestado y lo ejecutado. La elaboración de estimaciones estadísticas y econométricas es la base para realizar una prospectiva eficiente al plantear expedientes de contratación de gases de una manera adecuada y no basada en incrementos inerciales de los presupuestos históricos. OBJETIVOS: realización de estimación matemática para la predicción económica en las asignaciones presupuestarias de los expedientes de contratación de gases utilizados en Ejército del Aire. MATERIALES Y MÉTODOS: recopilación de los datos económicos de las facturas y pagos efectuados. Los importes de facturación se han deflactado, tomando como base el año 2016. Para el tratamiento matemático, estadístico y gráfico se han utilizado las aplicaciones informáticas Microsoft(R) Excel (2016), Eviews(R)10, Gretl (2017c) y Statistica v12 (StatSoft inc.). RESULTADOS: se han obtenido diferentes modelos Autorregresivos Integrados de Media Móviles (ARIMA), siendo el que mejor valida los resultados anuales y trimestrales el ARIMA (3,1,0). CONCLUSIONES: los modelos ARIMA permiten efectuar pronóstico y predicción en el cálculo de asignaciones económicas en los expedientes de contratación de gases en el Ejército del Aire

INTRODUCTION: contract records of gases and similar elements used by the Air Force are being signed from 1997. The management of this activity was appointed, from the very beginning, to the Air Force Pharmacy of Madrid (CEFARMA). However, the last divergences between the asigned economic licenses and the actual execution have been noticeable. The lack of mathematical predictive models may account for the disadjustment between the budgeted and the executed. The elaboration of statistic and economeric estimates is retained as the main basis to efficiently forward-looking through contract records of gases properly done, that is, not based on the inertial increment of historical budgets. AIMS: mathematical estimates of budgetary prediction in budget allocations of contract records of gases used by the Air Force. MATERIALS AND METHOD: gathering of the economic data from invoicing and payments. Billing figures have been deflated taking 2016 as the basis. For the mathematical, graphic and statistical treatment of the data the following computing apps have been used: Microsoft(R) Excel (2016), Eviews(R)10, Gretl (2017c) and Statistica v12 (StatSoft inc.). RESULTS: different ARIMA models have been obtained, being ARIMA (3,1,0) the best in annual and quarterly result validation. CONCLUSIONS: ARIMA models allow to predict the economic allocations in the contract records of fases in the Air Force

An integrated analytical framework for quantifying the LCOE of waste-to-energy facilities for a range of greenhouse gas emissions policy and technical factors.

This study presents a novel integrated method for considering the economics of waste-to-energy (WTE) facilities with priced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions based upon technical and economic characteristics of the WTE facility, MSW stream, landfill alternative, and GHG emissions policy. The study demonstrates use of the formulation for six different policy scenarios and explores sensitivity of the results to ranges of certain technical parameters as found in existing literature. The study shows that details of the GHG emissions regulations have large impact on the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) of WTE and that GHG regulations can either increase or decrease the LCOE of WTE depending on policy choices regarding biogenic fractions from combusted waste and emissions from landfills. Important policy considerations are the fraction of the carbon emissions that are priced (i.e. all emissions versus only non-biogenic emissions), whether emissions credits are allowed due to reducing fugitive landfill gas emissions, whether biogenic carbon sequestration in landfills is credited against landfill emissions, and the effectiveness of the landfill gas recovery system where waste would otherwise have been buried. The default landfill gas recovery system effectiveness assumed by much of the industry yields GHG offsets that are very close to the direct non-biogenic GHG emissions from a WTE facility, meaning that small changes in the recovery effectiveness cause relatively larger changes in the emissions factor of the WTE facility. Finally, the economics of WTE are dependent on the MSW stream composition, with paper and wood being advantageous, metal and glass being disadvantageous, and plastics, food, and yard waste being either advantageous or disadvantageous depending upon the avoided tipping fee and the GHG emissions price.

A consumption-based GHG inventory for the U.S. state of Oregon.

Many U.S. states conduct greenhouse gas (GHG) inventories to inform their climate change planning efforts. These inventories usually follow a production-based method adapted from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. States could also take a consumption-based perspective, however, and estimate all emissions released to support consumption in their state, regardless of where the emissions occur. In what may be the first such comprehensive inventory conducted for a U.S. state, we find that consumption-based emissions for Oregon are 47% higher than those released in-state. This finding implies that Oregon's contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions (carbon footprint) is considerably higher than traditional production-based methods would suggest. Furthermore, the consumption-based inventory helps highlight the role of goods and services (and associated purchasing behaviors) more so than do production-based methods. Accordingly, a consumption-based perspective opens new opportunities for many states and their local government partners to reduce GHG emissions, such as initiatives to advance lower-carbon public sector or household consumption, that are well within their sphere of influence. State and local governments should consider conducting consumption-based GHG inventories and adopting consumption-based emission reductions targets in order to broaden the reach and effectiveness of state and local actions in reducing global GHG emissions. Consumption-based frameworks should be viewed as a complement to, but not a substitute for, production-based (in-state) GHG emissions inventories and targets.

Carboxylate platform: the MixAlco process part 2: process economics.

The MixAlco process employs a mixed culture of acid-forming microorganisms to convert biomass to carboxylate salts, which are concentrated via vapor-compression evaporation and subsequently chemically converted to other chemical and fuel products. To make alcohols, hydrogen is required, which can be supplied from a number of processes, including gasifying biomass, separation from fermentor gases, methane reforming, or electrolysis. Using zeolite catalysts, the alcohols can be oligomerized into hydrocarbons, such as gasoline. A 40-tonne/h plant processing municipal solid waste ($45/tonne tipping fee) and using hydrogen from a pipeline or refinery ($2.00/kg H(2)) can sell alcohols for $1.13/gal or gasoline for $1.75/gal with a 15% return on investment ($0.61/gal of alcohol or $0.99/gal of gasoline for cash costs only). The capital cost is $1.95/annual gallon of mixed alcohols. An 800-tonne/h plant processing high-yield biomass ($60/tonne) and gasifying fermentation residues and waste biomass to hydrogen ($1.42/kg H(2)) can sell alcohols for $1.33/gal or gasoline for $2.04/gal with a 15% return on investment ($1.08/gal of alcohol or $1.68/gal of gasoline for cash costs only). The capital cost for the alcohol and gasification plants at 800 tonne/h is $1.45/annual gallon of mixed alcohols.

Nueva gestión de los gases medicinales como medicamento. Una visión desde la experiencia / New management of medical gases as a medicine: a view from experience

El génesis de esta reflexión o artículo se manifiesta ante la necesidad generada por la nueva legislación sanitaria, que asimila los gases medicinales como medicamentos, y como los diversos colectivos involucrados en esta nueva situación hemos ido afrontando su aplicación. Dentro de este colectivo pluridisciplinar están farmacéuticos hospitalarios, empresas gasistas, gestores de hospitales e ingenieros de mantenimiento (AU)

The origin of this reflection or article is found in the requirements generate by the new health legislation which considers medicinal gases as medicines, and how the different groups involved in this new situation have been applying it. This multidisciplinary group includes hospital pharmacists, gas companies, hospital administrator and maintenance engineers (AU)

[The central gas-supplying system in the hospital].

Based on the construction experiences of our hospital, we in this paper introduce some problems met with in the central gas-supply, and meanwhile we have presented several solutions and preventive measures for the reference of other hospitals.

A cost-effective and versatile xenon gas dispenser.

OBJECTIVE: To modify a commercial xenon gas dispenser so that two xenon unit-dose vials could be combined with a modified dispenser to deliver a recommended dose. METHOD: To maintain the same operating mechanism, changes were made only to the vial shield and the needle port of the original gas dispenser. The modified gas dispenser consisted of two puncture needles and two vial holders shielded with the same thickness of lead as the commercial dispenser. RESULTS: Our evaluation showed that the modified gas dispenser operated the same way as the commercial unit, and the average 133Xe residual activity in either one or two xenon unit-dose vials of the modified gas dispenser was not significantly different from that in one vial of the commercial xenon gas dispenser. CONCLUSION: The modified xenon gas dispenser allows the stock of xenon gas vials to be managed cost-effectively. The modified unit can be used to dispense two low-activity xenon gas vials to deliver a standard dose to a patient. Also, the modified gas dispenser can be used to combine different amounts of xenon activity in two unit-dose vials in order to customize the dose delivered to patients with special needs (e.g., obese patients). Our modified device can also function as a single-dose dispenser by placing an empty vial alongside the unit-dose vial of radioactive xenon gas.

Sludge as source of energy and revenue.

Sludge is a residue/product from wastewater treatment plants and contains most of the contaminants released during human activities. Some stringent environmental regulations on sludge treatment and disposal exist in many countries. This has resulted in increasing interest in sludge treatment methods that encourage sludge reduction and improvement in biogas production during anaerobic digestion processes. This work demonstrates the first exploitation of valuable energy from homogenised sludge at technical scale with mass reduction. The optimal combination of sludge homogenisation at relatively low pressures using a modified high-pressure homogeniser led to the success of this unique project. Results showed that about 30% more energy could be obtained from thickened and disrupted sludge than from untreated samples. The energy produced was higher than that invested during disruption and digestion processes. About 23% sludge reduction was also observed with no increase in chemical oxygen demand. This new process can produce extra energy for local electrification and heating the digester while the sludge reduction provides economic benefits. Concentration of sludge causes reduction in investment cost on digester as well as reduction in operational time for sludge dewatering.

Greenhouse-gas-trading markets.

This paper summarizes the extension of new market mechanisms for environmental services, explains of the importance of generating price information indicative of the cost of mitigating greenhouse gases (GHGs) and presents the rationale and objectives for pilot GHG-trading markets. It also describes the steps being taken to define and launch pilot carbon markets in North America and Europe and reviews the key issues related to incorporating carbon sequestration into an emissions-trading market. There is an emerging consensus to employ market mechanisms to help address the threat of human-induced climate changes. Carbon-trading markets are now in development around the world. A UK market is set to launch in 2002, and the European Commission has called for a 2005 launch of an European Union (EU)-wide market, and a voluntary carbon market is now in formation in North America. These markets represent an initial step in resolving a fundamental problem in defining and implementing appropriate policy actions to address climate change. Policymakers currently suffer from two major information gaps: the economic value of potential damages arising from climate changes are highly uncertain, and there is a lack of reliable information on the cost of mitigating GHGs. These twin gaps significantly reduce the quality of the climate policy debate. The Chicago Climate Exchange, for which the authors serve as lead designers, is intended to provide an organized carbon-trading market involving energy, industry and carbon sequestration in forests and farms. Trading among these diverse sectors will provide price discovery that will help clarify the cost of combating climate change when a wide range of mitigation options is employed. By closing the information gap on mitigation costs, society and policymakers will be far better prepared to identify and implement optimal policies for managing the risks associated with climate change. Establishment of practical experience in providing tradeable credits for carbon-absorbing land-use practices, especially reforestation and conservation management of agricultural soils, will also help demonstrate the viability of a new tool for financing activities that improve water quality, support biodiversity and constitute important elements of long-term sustainability in land-use management.

Cost analysis of three low-temperature sterilization systems at Saint Barnabas Medical Center.

To avoid the heavily increasing costs of ethylene oxide, and with the imminent demise of 88/12 EtO at the same time that heat-sensitive endoscope use was on the rise, Saint Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, NJ was urgently interested in choosing among low-temperature sterilization alternatives currently available. They decided to compare the costs of 100% EtO with the 88/12 system and a new, low-temperature hydrogen peroxide gas plasma system (HPGP) called STERRAD. The HPGP system proved to be less expensive overall than either EtO system due to quicker total cycle times, lower utility use and virtually no regulatory compliance issues. The hospital was also satisfied that the system effectively sterilized the items on which it was used.