Analysis of cooking energy in developing countries

Cooking is the major energy end use in most developing countries. A general model to calculate energy-use cost for cooking with 15 combinations of fuel and end use device based on prevailing market conditions is proposed by this paper. The model has been implemented to develop an independent computer software which ranks the combinations on the basis of least cost. The model reflects cooking energy consumption patterns in urban Nepal, where it was tested. The results suggest that biomass energy used in efficient stoves is the most attractive option for cooking in Nepal. Hence, a policy for effective use of biomass is necessary .     

A hybrid approach using ISM and fuzzy TOPSIS for the selection of reverse logistics provider

Return of used products is becoming an important logistics activity due to government legislation and increasing awareness among the people to protect the environment and reduce waste. For industries, the management of return flow usually requires a specialized infrastructure with special information systems for tracking and dedicated equipment for the processing of returns. Therefore, industries are turning to third-party reverse logistics providers (3PRLPs). In this study, a multi-criteria group decision-making (MCGDM) model in fuzzy environment is developed to guide the selection process of best 3PRLP. The interactions among the criteria are also analyzed before arriving at a decision for the selection of 3PRLP from among 15 alternatives. The analysis is done through Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) and fuzzy technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS). Finally the effectiveness of the model is illustrated using a case study on battery manufacturing industry in India.     

Biomass resources as energy in Nepal

Nepal's economic activity is dominated by agriculture. The volume of exports is small. About a quarter of the foreign exchange earned from export is required to cover costs of imported fossil fuels. Fossil fuels supply less than 7% of total energy consumption. More than 90% of primary energy consumption is supplied by biomass resources, and forests are the major source of biomass. The sustainable fuelwood yield of forest is far less than the total consumption, which has caused severe forest denudation. Consumption of crop residues and animal dung for fuel are increasing because of fuelwood shortage. The paper outlines the consequences of biomass consumption in Nepal and past efforts at biomass resources management and indicates their effectiveness. A few major practical policy measures have been suggested to correct the situation. The experiences and measures for biomass resources management explained in this paper are expected to be useful to other countries facing a similar situation.     

Inundation Analysis in the Coastal Area Considering Climate Change Due to Global Warming

This paper describes the possible inundation scenarios under sea level rise conditions due to global climate change with particular reference to Nagoya, Japan. The study was carried out by using a two-dimensional sea model integrated with one-dimensional river flow model and two-dimensional overland flow model. For the connections of models, the upstream discharge or downstream water level in each grid is considered as the boundary conditions. The governing equations used for the analysis have been solved by finite volume method. The analysis results implicate that some parts of densely populated coastal area of Nagoya city will be vulnerable to inundation if the sea level rise due to global warming by 1 m. Moreover, the performances of existing sewer system and inundation scenario under various conditions have been analyzed.     

Effect of low levels of dietary available phosphorus on phosphorus utilization,bone mineralization,phosphorus transporter mRNA expression and performance in growing pigs

A study was conducted to examine the effects of different dietary levels of available phosphorus (aP) on P excretion, bone mineralization, performance and the mRNA expression of sodium-dependent P transporters in growing pigs. Sixty-day old growing pigs (n = 54) with an average initial BW of 19.50 ± 1.11 kg were randomly allocated to a control diet (C) containing 0.23% available phosphorus (aP), T1 containing 0.17% aP and T2 containing 0.11% aP. There were 6 pens per treatment with 3 pigs per pen. Body weight and feed intake were measured weekly. At the end of each week, one pig from each pen was housed in a metabolic crate for 24 h to collect fecal and urine samples and then sacrificed to obtain third metacarpal (MC3) bones and jejunal and kidney samples. Bones were scanned by Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DEXA). Fecal and urine samples were sub-sampled and analyzed for P content. The expression of P transporter mRNA in jejunum and kidney samples was measured using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Data were analyzed using GLM procedure of the Statistical Analysis System (SAS Institute version 9.2). Pigs fed the T2 diet had reduced (P < 0.05) average daily gain (ADG) and gain to feed (G:F) compared to those fed the C diet during week 2. Overall, ADG and G:F were also reduced (P < 0.05) in pigs fed the T2 diet compared to those fed the C and T1 diets. Bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mineral content (BMC) were reduced (P < 0.05) in pigs fed the T2 diet compared to those fed the C diet throughout the experiment. At week 1, jejunal mRNA expression of Na (+)-dependent phosphate transporter 2 (SLC34A2) was increased (P < 0.01) in pigs fed the T2 diet compared to C diet. Renal mRNA expression of Na(+)-dependent phosphate transporter 1 (SLC34A1) and SLC34A3 were increased (P < 0.05) in pigs fed the T2 diet compared to those fed the C diet at week 2 and was accompanied by lower (P < 0.05) urinary P in pigs fed the T2 diet during week 2 and week 3. In conclusion, growing pigs are highly sensitive to low dietary P as shown by reduced ADG, bone mineralization and urinary P level, but moderate reduction in dietary P up to 0.17% aP in the diet has the potential to reduce environmental pollution by reducing P concentration in swine manure and without compromising performance.