Abstract A mass and heat exchanger includes at least one first substrate with a surface for supporting a continuous flow of liquid thereon that either absorbs, desorbs, evaporates or condenses one or more gaseous species from or to a surrounding gas; and at least one second substrate operatively associated with the first substrate. The second substrate includes a surface for supporting the continuous flow of the liquid thereon and is adapted to carry a heat exchange fluid therethrough, wherein heat transfer occurs between the liquid and the heat exchange fluid.
This invention is made with Government support under SBIR Grant No. DE-FG02-03ER83600 awarded by the Department of Energy. The Government has certain rights in this invention.
The present invention relates to thermodynamic devices, and more particularly to a heat and mass exchanger.
systems are capable of regulating air temperature within acceptable ranges. However, few systems are able to effectively regulate air humidity.
People living in the eastern portion of the United States are familiar with the problem of less than adequate temperature control. A rainy summer night with temperatures in the range of upper 60s to low 70s can have a humidity ratio above 0.015 lb/lb (dewpoint above 68°F). Since the sun is down and the air temperature is moderate, the cooling load on the house is almost zero. If the air conditioner does not run, the absolute humidity within the house will equal or exceed that of the outdoors. For a 75°F indoor temperature, the relative humidity will be at least 80%— a level that is not only uncomfortable, but exceeds the 70% threshold at which mold and mildew proliferate.
Conventional HVAC equipment under such conditions is limited in its ability to restore comfortable air quality. All conventional systems dehumidify by cooling air below its dewpoint. A conventional vapor compression dehumidifier operates by cooling the air to condense the water vapor, and thereafter re-heating the air. However, this process is generally inefficient.
Desiccants provide a very efficient means to control indoor humidity independent of temperature. The concepts described herein integrate desiccant technology with a vapor-compression air conditioner to produce a system that yields an enhanced dehumidifier exhibiting higher efficiency.
Attempts have been made to develop vapor-compression air conditioners that directly coupled a liquid desiccant to both the evaporator and condenser of the air conditioner. The earliest work was done by John Howell and John Peterson at the University of Texas. The concept involved spraying desiccant directly onto the air conditioner's evaporator and condenser. The process air stream that flows through the evaporator is simultaneously cooled and dehumidified as the desiccant absorbs water vapor from the air. The cooling air that flows through the condenser, in addition to carrying away the heat rejected by the air conditioner, regenerates the desiccant by carrying away water desorbed by the warm desiccant.
Although Howell and Peterson modeled the performance of a liquid-desiccant vapor-compression air conditioner (LDVCAC) that used lithium chloride, the prototype that they built and tested used ethylene glycol. Unfortunately, the use of glycol as a desiccant was impractical. All glycols have a finite vapor pressure. In both the evaporator and the condenser, glycol will evaporate into the air streams, thus undesirably requiring periodic recharging of the system.
More recently, the Drykor Corporation of Israel introduced several models of liquid-desiccant vapor-compression air conditioners (LDVCAC) based on the teachings of U.S. Published Patent Application No. 2002/0116935. The Drykor technology uses lithium chloride as the liquid desiccant. This is an improvement over the Howell and Peterson work since solutions of all ionic salts including lithium chloride do not "evaporate" the salt, i.e., the vapor pressure of an ionic salt is essentially zero.
In the Drykor system, the liquid desiccant is first cooled in the evaporator in the form of a refrigerant-to-desiccant heat exchanger, and then the cool desiccant is delivered to a porous bed of contact media where the process air is dried and cooled. Similarly, the desiccant is regenerated by first heating it in the condenser in the form of a second refrigerant-to-desiccant heat exchanger and then flowing the warm desiccant over a porous bed of contact media where a stream of ambient air is flowing therethrough.
The American Genius Corporation (AGC) is marketing a liquid desiccant air conditioner that functions similarly to the Drykor unit The AGC system uses a mixture of lithium chloride and lithium bromide as the liquid desiccant.
In one important way, the LDVCAC of Howell and Peterson is superior to those of both Drykor and AGC in that the Howell and Peterson system uses the evaporator and condenser of the vapor-compression air conditioner as the contact surface for mass and heat exchange between the desiccant and the air streams, whereas the other two systems either heat or cool the desiccant and then, in separate sections bring the desiccant in contact with'the air streams. The LDVCACs of Drykor and AGC therefore introduce additional temperature drops that degrade the efficiency of the air conditioners.
solutions are very corrosive to the metals that are commonly used to make evaporators and condensers. While the evaporator and condenser can be made from an expensive alloy that resists corrosion, the resulting air conditioner would be too expensive to sell in the broad HVAC market. Howell and Peterson suggested that corrosion-resistant metallic tubes with plastic or ceramic-coated fins may be a compromise surface for combined heat and mass transfer. However, these approaches of protecting the evaporator and condenser from corrosion have important limitations: plastics have a low surface energy and so are not easily wetted by liquids; and ceramics are very difficult to apply in the thin pin-hole-free coatings needed in this application.
All LDVCACs must also prevent droplets of desiccant from being entrained by the air that flows through the dehumidifying and the regenerating sections of the air conditioner. While it is possible to add a droplet filter or demister at the air exits from both the dehumidifying and regenerating sections of the LDVCAC so that droplets do not escape from the system, this approach will create large maintenance requirements associated with keeping the filters unblocked by liquid, and increase the pressure drop that must be overcome by the system's fans.
Drykor or AGC. As previously described, in the Drykor and AGC systems the desiccant is first heated or cooled in a refrigerant-to-desiccant heat exchanger and then the desiccant is brought in contact with air in a bed of porous contact media. The bed is adiabatic (i.e. the bed does not exchange thermal energy with the desiccant). The flow rate of desiccant, therefore, must be high enough to prevent the temperature of the desiccant from either decreasing too much (in the regenerating section where the desorption of water is endothermic) or increasing too much (in the dehumidifying section where the absorption of water is exothermic). This prevents the use of Lowenstein's low-flow approach to suppressing droplets.
In the Howell-Peterson LDVCAC, the contact surface on which the desiccant and air exchange heat and mass is either the surface of the evaporator or the condenser. Thus, if these heat exchangers have metallic fins, the desiccant will be continually cooled or heated as it interacts with the air. However, the Howell-Peterson LDVCAC does not readily achieve uniform distribution of the dessicant on the surfaces of the evaporator and condenser. As noted earlier, Howell and Peterson propose that the evaporator and condenser can be coated with plastic or ceramic to protect them from a corrosive desiccant. However, these coatings do not enhance and may deter the spreading of the desiccant over the external surfaces of the heat exchangers. Furthermore, Lowenstein's low-flow approach to suppressing droplets would be difficult to implement with plain plastic surfaces.
conductivity of plastics. Although a plastic fin can be used to provide contact between the liquid desiccant and the air that flows over the fin, the fin will not effectively heat or cool the desiccant. It is essential in a heat and mass exchanger that the liquid that flows on the fins periodically comes into close thermal contact with the metallic tubes. We have observed that the most common configuration for finned-tube HVAC heat exchangers (e.g. Figure 3 of U.S. Patent No. 4,984,434), in which the tubes pass throughholes in the fins, will not effectively heat or cool the desiccant if the fins are plastic, even if the surface of the fins are treated so that uniform films of desiccant are created. This is because the plastic fins are poor thermal conductors and they provide a path for the desiccant to bypass the tube— i. e., the liquid desiccant can flow on a fin from the top of the evaporator/condenser to the bottom without ever coming in thermal contact with a metallic tube.
The evaporator and the condenser of a LDVCAC are heat and mass exchangers whereby in the form of an evaporator both thermal energy (heat) and water vapor (mass) are absorbed from an air stream, and whereby in the form of a condenser both heat and mass are added to an air stream. Many processes in industry rely on mass and heat exchangers, and the invention can be used to both lower the cost and improve the efficiency of some of these processes. Examples of processes that may benefit from the invention are: (1) evaporative condensers for air conditioners and refrigeration systems, (2) gas scrubbers used in emission control systems and gas purification systems, (3) desalination plants, (4) driers, distillers and concentrators where water or other volatile species are removed from a less-volatile liquid, and (5) absorption chillers.
The heat and mass exchangers for the preceding processes are commonly configured as an array of tubes that can be oriented vertically or horizontally. If the process is endothermic, as would be the case for most evaporation, distillation or desorption processes, the tubes are heated internally through a fluid or condensing vapor such as steam. The second fluid that is to be evaporated or that contains the volatile specie that is to be desorbed flows as a film over the outside of the tubes.
In at least one configuration of a heat and mass exchanger, which is described by Goel and Goswami in the Fall 2004 Newsletter of the ASME Solar Energy Division, the external surface of the tubes is enhanced with a screen, mesh or fabric. For a vertical column of spaced-apart horizontal tubes, the screen, mesh or fabric is interlaced with the tubes so that it alternately contacts the left and right sides of the tubes at a limited region of contact. As an absorbing fluid flows downward in the screen, mesh or fabric, it contacts each tube in the column in this limited region of contact, but the liquid is not forced to flow around the tube.
exchanger compatible with corrosive liquids such as liquid desiccants, and which is capable of suppressing droplet formation of the liquid, while maintaining both elevated levels of efficiency and ease of maintenance.
The present invention is directed to a heat and mass exchanger designed to exchange a gas with a liquid, while independently maintaining the temperature of the liquid so as to maintain an efficient exchange. By way of example, the heat and mass exchanger of the present invention utilizes a liquid desiccant that is capa ble of altering the water vapor content of a process air stream in an efficient manner. The heat and mass exchanger includes a substrate having a surface capable of supporting the flow of the liquid thereon in contact with a gas, the surface further functioning to enhance the exchange of thermal energy between the liquid and a heat exchange fluid (gas or liquid or the same undergoing a phase change) that flows within the heat and mass exchanger.
d)	means for heating or cooling at least some of the tubes.
fluid communication means through at least some of the webs that separate adjacent channels to create a path for fluid to flow within the plate from the fluid entry means to the fluid exit means of the web assembly.
liquid delivery means comprising a source of a liquid and means for delivering the liquid from the source to the upper region of the plates and wettable substrate.
Figure 15 is a perspective view of a distribution insert for delivering a liquid desiccant to a corresponding pair of heat exchange plates in accordance with the present invention.
The present invention is directed to a heat and mass exchanger that can readily be implemented in air conditioning, dehumidification, and other applications that require the transfer of heat and mass between corresponding fluids. In one embodiment, the heat and mass exchanger of the present invention is adapted to facilitate the transfer of a mass in the form of a water vapor between a process air stream and a liquid desiccant, while at the same time, regulating the heat exchange therebetween. The heat and mass exchanger of the present invention is resistant to corrosive substances including liquid desiccants, and is designed to suppress droplet formation of the liquid, control the temperature of the liquid, and exhibit good thermodynamic efficiency. The heat and mass exchanger of the present invention is cost efficient to fabricate and implement, and requires low maintenance.
condensers for air conditioners and refrigeration systems, gas scrubbers used in emission control systems and gas purification systems, desalination plants, driers, distillers and concentrators where water or other volatile species is removed from a less-volatile liquid, and absorption chillers.
In one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a heat and mass exchanger that includes a substrate having a surface capable of supporting the flow of a liquid such as a liquid desiccant thereon in contact with a gas such as a process air stream wherein the liquid desiccant is capable of modifying the content of a component of the gas such as a water vapor in the contacted process air stream, and a heat exchange element having a surface capable of supporting the flow of the liquid desiccant thereon and a heat exchange fluid flowing therein wherein heat energy is transferred between the liquid desiccant and the heat exchange fluid.
to boil, and absorbs heat from the liquid desiccant and from the process air stream. The reverse process occurs in the heat and mass exchanger operating as a condenser.
Referring to Figure 1, an evaporator 10 is shown for one embodiment of the present invention. The evaporator 10 comprises heat exchange tubes 12 for carrying therethrough a heat exchange fluid 14 in the form of a coolant or evaporating refrigerant for example. The heat exchange tubes 12 are shown circular in cross section but may have other shapes as desired. The tubes 12 are arranged horizontally in rows of three stacked upon each other in spaced apart relationship with a plurality of spaced-apart fins 16 disposed between adjacent rows of tubes 12 which separates upper tubes from lower tubes. The number of tubes 12 in each row, the number of rows of tubes 12, and the number of fins 16 are not limbed to those shown herein, and may be modified or adjusted to meet the requirements of the application. The fins 16 are arranged to be at least substantially parallel to one another, and equally spaced apart with the space between adjacent fins 16 larger than the thickness of the fin 16. The fins may be planar, bowed, corrugated or other suitable shapes.
The fins 16 shown in the embodiment of Figure 1 are arranged at least substantially perpendicular to the axis of the tubes 12. 1 he top and bottom edges 18 and 20 of the fins 16 are correspondingly positioned proximate to the tubes 12. The tubes 12 may be in contact or separated by a small gap from the corresponding edges 18 and 20, respectively, of the fins 16.
A liquid desiccant 22 delivered from a regenerator (not shown) by a distribution manifold 24 is carried to distribution tubes 26. Suitable liquid desiccants may be selected from lithium chloride, lithium bromide, calcium chloride, potassium acetate and the like. The regenerator (not shown) functions to drive off excess water from the liquid desiccant that may be present prior to delivery to the evaporator 10. The liquid desiccant 22 is released from the distribution tubes 26 through outlets 27 onto corresponding porous distribution pads 28. The distribution pads 28 are preferably composed of a porous material such as open cell foams, non-woven fabrics and the like. The purpose of the pad is to spread the liquid over a relatively large area from a source of smaller area to facilitate distribution of the liquid about the tubes. Each distribution pad 28 is positioned in contact with the corresponding tube 12. The liquid desiccant 22 disperses throughout the pad 28 and eventually flows onto the top row of the tubes 12. Through selection of thickness and porosity, the distribution pads 28 can be adapted to uniformly distribute the liquid desiccant 22 over at least a substantial portion of the outer surface of the tubes 12.
nozzles or drip pans to prevent the process air stream 30 from picking up the sprayed droplets of liquid desiccant 22.
Since the water absorbing process is exothermic, the temperature of the liquid desiccant 22 increases as it flows down the fin 16 in contact with the process air stream 30. As a result of the temperature increase, the ability of the liquid desiccant 22 to absorb water vapor is diminished, and if the temperature exceeds a certain threshold level, the liquid desiccant 22 stops absorbing water vapor. Therefore, the distance between the top edge 18 and the bottom edge 20 of the fins 16 is selected to prevent the liquid desiccant 22 from exceeding the temperature threshold prior to coming into contact with and being cooled by the next row of tubes 12.
At this point, the liquid desiccant 22 reaches the next row of tubes 12 and is cooled by the heat exchange fluid 14 flowing through the tubes 12. The temperature of the liquid desiccant 22 is lowered, which enhances the ability of the liquid desiccant 22 to absorb more water vapor. This process of the liquid desiccant 22 being cooled while on the tubes 12, followed by the absorption of heat and water vapor while on the fins 16 is repeated several times as the liquid desiccant 22 flows from the top of the evaporator 10 to the bottom. When the liquid desiccant 22 reaches the bottom, the water-containing liquid desiccant 22 is collected in a reservoir (not shown) for delivery back to the regenerator (not shown) for re-charge and re-use.
As shown in Figure 1, the top and bottom edges 18 and 20 of the fins 16 include contoured edge portions 32 that match the curvature of the tubes 12. This enables the fins 16 to be securely seated therebetween, while facilitating the flow of the liquid desiccant 22 between the tube 12 and the corresponding edge 18 or 20 of the fin 1 6.
effectively cooled upon contact with the tube 12. Thus, if the contoured edge portions 32 extend too far around the circumference of the tube 12 and no provision is made to prevent a fillet from forming, the contoured edge portions 32 form a path for the liquid desiccant 22 to flow around the tube 12 without being cooled.
The fins 16 further include notches 34 located at the bottom edges 20 of the fins 16 between adjacent tubes 12. The notches 34 may include inclined edge portions that greatly reduce the tendency of the liquid desiccant 22 to drip off the bottom edge 20, and function to channel the downward-flowing liquid desiccant 22 towards the adjacent tube 12. In this manner, the liquid desiccant 22 is prevented from accumulating along the edge 20 of the fin 16 away from the tube 12 and dripping between the tubes 12.
The fins 16 are composed of a suitable material that facilitates wetting of the liquid desiccant 22 on substantially the entire surface or selected portions thereof, and which provides a suitable wicking surface for allowing the liquid desiccant 22 to flow uniformly over the fin 16. Such suitable materials are in the form of screens, meshes, non-woven sheets and the like typically made from fibers of plastics, metal, carbon, glass, ceramic, and cellulose. The fins 16 may be made in the form of thin films in which grit or fibers are adhered thereto which may be selected from plastic, m lai, carbon, glass, ceramic, minerals, cellulose, and the like.
least substantially intact. The fins 16 can be easily slipped out from between the tubes 12 and thereafter replaced.
Referring to Figure 2, an evaporator 40 is shown for a second embodiment of the present invention. The evaporator 40 is similar to the evaporator 10 except for the liquid desiccant distribution system. The evaporator 40 comprises a single distribution pad 34 in direct contact with the top edge 18 of the corresponding fins 16, and a plurality of distribution tubes 36 in fluid communication with the distribution manifold 24. The distribution tubes 36 each include a series of spray nozzles 38 disposed along the length thereof. The spray nozzles 38 are adapted to spray streams of the liquid desiccant 22 onto the top surface of the single distribution pad 34. The sprayed liquid desiccant 22 permeates throughout the pad 34 eventually flowing onto the surface of the fins 16. Since the fins 16 are closely spaced to one another, the formation of droplets under the pad 34 is eliminated.
When using the single distribution pad 34 and spray system for supplying the liquid desiccant 22, a partition 42 is mounted on top of the distribution pad 34 and enclosing the distribution tubes 36 and spray nozzles 38. The partition 42 isolates and prevents the liquid desiccant 22 sprayed from the nozzles 38 from becoming entrained in the process air stream 30.
includes the heat exchange tubes 12 through which the heat exchange fluid 14 flows, and a plurality of fins 44 extending contiguous from the upper rows to the lower rows of tubes 12. The fins 44 are arranged in a spaced apart configuration. Each fin 44 includes a plurality of holes 46 for receiving the tubes 12. The surface of the fins 44 is treated as described above to yield a wettable, wicking region 48 disposed between each row of tubes 12. The wicking region 48 is created to induce the liquid desiccant 22 to flow towards one of the tubes in the next row of tubes 12 during the downward flow. The surface portion of the fins 44 on either side of a tube 12 remains untreated to deter any fluid from flowing on the fin around the tube 12. In this manner, the flow of the liquid desiccant 22 is directed onto the surface of the tube 12 during the course of the downward flow.
thin film to form a suitable thermal contact. This process is repeated at each row of tubes 12.
It is essential that the space between the fins be uniform along the length thereof. Non-uniformity of the space can induce bridging of the liquid desiccant between the adjacent fins particularly at points when the space is narrow. Bridging of the liquid desiccant creates a low resistance path for the liquid desiccant to flow from one tube to the next lower one. This creates a non-uniform flow that adversely reduces the surface area of the fin on which heat and mass exchange can occur. Bridging further creates a non-stable flow feature, where the bridges tend to break and reform. When a bridge breaks, droplets of liquid desiccant can form and be undesirably entrained into the process air stream.
Referring to Figures 5A to 5D, there is shown four methods of maintaining a uniform space between adjacent fins 16. As shown in Figure 5A, the fins 12 comprise small dimples 58 stamped or thermoformed onto the surface thereof. When the fins 16 are stacked, each dimple 58 comes into contact with either another dimple 58 on an adjacent fin 16 or the surface of the adjacent fin 16. Since the dimples 58 can be formed to have consistent heights, the dimples 58 provide a reliable means for maintaining uniform spaces between the fins 16.
between adjacent fins 16. in the alternative, the spacers 62 can be formed from a bead of ad hesive that spans the space between adjacent fins 16. The adhesive is initially flowable after application. The adhesive eventually cures into a hard spacer.
As shown in Figure 5C, a series of spacer rods 64 are inserted through a stack of fins 16 to maintain the spaced apart arrangement The fins 16 are either bonded to the rods 64 at the desired positions or the fins 16 are held in place by friction between the fins 16 and the rods 64. A separating means is preferable to maintain the fins 16 in a spaced apart arrangement during insertion of the spacer rods 64.
As shown in Figure 5D, a pair of fins 66 include corrugations 68 formed thereon. The fins 66 are placed adjacent to one another and are maintained in a spaced apart arrangement by the corrugations 68. As previously indicated the fins as shown in Figures 5A-5D may be planar, bowed, corrugated or the like.
Referring to Figure 6, a portion of the evaporator 10 of Figure 1 is shown. The evaporator 10 includes a plurality of spacers 68A, 68B. Typically, the liquid desiccant 22 tends to thicken under a spacer. This can cause bridging between adjacent fins 16. The spacers 68A are positioned on the fin 16 in close proximity to a corresponding tube 12 where bridging does not cause problems. The spacers 68B are positioned in an area where the liquid desiccant flow will be low and so there is less tendency for the liquid desiccant 22 to bridge between adjacent fins 16.
It is essential that the surface of the heat exchange tube is readily wettable by the liquid desiccant If the tube is not readily wettable, there is a tendency for discrete rivulets to form on the surface of the tube. The presence of rivulets indicates that only a portion of the surface of the tube is exchanging heat with the liquid desiccant 22.
However, even if the entire surface of the tube is wetted with the liquid desiccant 22, it has been observed that the film thickness of the liquid desiccant that flows around the tube may result in a non-uniform film thickness. This non-uniformity can also reduce the heat exchange between the liquid desiccant and the tube. It may also be desirable for the surface of the tube to be wicking to insure that the flow of the liquid desiccant 22 on the surface of the tube has a relatively uniform thickness. However, the use of a wick on the surface of the tube must be u sed with discretion since the wick itself can interfere with the flow of heat between the liquid desiccant 22 and the tube if it is too thick.
Wicks that can be used on the tubes of the evaporator are similar to those that have been described for the fins. Applicants have successfully used fibers of glass, carbon, acrylic, polyester and nylon as wicking material that can be ad hered to the surface of the tube, in all instances the thickness of the wicking material in the form of a fiber layer ranges from a bout 10 mils to 25 mils.
In one embodiment that was tested, the grooves 72 have a pitch of 40 per inch and a peak-to-trough height of 0.020 inch. Applicants have observed a 300% increase in the heat transfer coefficient between the tube 70 and the liquid desiccant 22 when the tubes have grooves as described above.
Referring to Figure 8, there is shown a portion of an evaporator 80 with multiple heat exchange tubes 74 having oblong cross sections shown in combination with a plurality of spiers 76. The spacers 76 are each disposed on the surface of the fins 16 proximate the heat exchange tubes 74. The tubes 74 exhibit a flattened cross section which increases the surface area on which the liquid desiccant 22 exchanges heat. Furthermore, the substantially vertically oriented surface of the tube 74 increases the velocity of the flow of the liquid desiccant, thus reducing the thickness of the liquid desiccant 22 flowing over the tube surface, and enhancing the transfer of heat Alternatively, the tubes 74 may be modified with an oval cross section to yield similar enhanced heat transfer efficiency.
Referring to Figure 9, an evaporator 90 is shown without a liquid desiccant distribution system for an alternate embodiment of the present invention. The evaporator 90 includes a plurality of fins 78 each disposed between adjacent heat exchange tubes 82. The fins 78 each extend from one tube (e.g. 82A) to the lower adjacent tube (e.g. 82B), and they lie in a plane defined by the axes of the tubes. The liquid desiccant that flows down the surface of a fin 78 must flow around and exchange heat with a tube 82 before it can continue flowing down on the next lower fin 78. This arrangement ensures that the entire surface of the tube 82 exchanges heat with the liquid desiccant flowing down the fin 78. This embodiment may benefit from the use of tubes 82 with a flattened or elongated cross section and a tube surface that is grooved or lined with a wicking material.
Referring to Figures 10A and 10B, an evaporator 140 is shown for another embodiment of the present invention. The evaporator 140 includes a plurality of vertical heat exchange plates 104 arranged in a spaced apart configuration, and a plurality of corrugated fins 106 each disposed between corresponding adjacent plates 104. The evaporator further includes a distribution manifold 24 for delivering a liquid desiccant from a regenerator (not shown), and a plurality of distribution tubes 26 for distributing the liquid desiccant from the distribution manifold 24 to a plurality of distribution pads 28 each positioned between adjacent plates 104. The liquid desiccant 22 disperses throughout the pad 28 and uniformly flows down the surface of the plates 104. The liquid desiccant 22 is eventually collected in a reservoir (not shown) and returned to the regenerator (not shown) for reprocessing.
The corrugated fins 106 are preferably composed of a wettable, wicking material which provide a wicking surface on the fin 106 so that the liquid desiccant 22 is able to flow uniformly. Suitable forms of the fins include screens, meshes, or non-woven sheets made from plastic, metal, carbon, glass, ceramic or cellulose fibers, and thin films that have a grit or fiber composed materials such as plastic, metal, carbon, glass, ceramic, mineral or cellulose adhering to the surface of the fin 106.
106 and the plates 104 where the stream is cooled and dried by contact with the liquid desiccant 22 flowing down the fins 106 and the plates 1 04.
Referring to Figure 11, a cross section of a heat excha nge plate 104 is shown. The plate 104 comprises a pair of plate walls 112 maintained uniformly spaced apart by a plurality of spaced apart webs 114. The webs 114 define a plurality of fluid carrying channels 116 for conveying the heat exchange fluid therethrough.
Referring to Figure 12, the heat exchange plate 104 includes a triangular insert 118 comprising a plurality of channels 122 extending transversely therethrough. The channels 122 of the insert 118 are oriented in a manner that when the insert 118 is coupled to*the plate 104, the channels 122 fluidly connect channels 116 of one side of the plate 104 to channels 116 of the other side of the plate 104 to yield a two-pass fluid circuit. The heat exchange fluid enters the plate 104 through channels 116 in one side and enters the channels 122 of the insert 118 and undergoes a 180-degree turn into the channels 116 in th e other side of the plate 104. The turning of the heat exchange fluid is executed with in the plane of the plate 104 without using an external manifold or additional fittings attached to the plate 104.
at one end of the plate 150. The intersecting channels 124 and bores 126 form an fluid turning area 134 that permits fluid passing through the channels 124 to turn 180-degrees, thus yielding a two-pass or multiple-pass fluid circuit. A side cover member 128 is attached to the plate 150 to maintain the bores 126 fluidly sealed from the outside. An end cover member 132 is attached to the plate 150 to maintain the channels 124 fluidly seal from the outside.
Referring to Figure 14, a heat exchange plate 160 is shown for another embodiment of the present invention. The heat exchange plate 160 is similar to the heat exchange plate 150 except for the absence of the side cover member. The heat exchange plate 160 comprises a plurality of channels 136 extending longitudinally therein and in communication with a plurality bores 138 extending within the plate 160 and intersecting the channels 136 at an angle. The intersecting channels 136 and bores 138 form an fluid turning area 144 that permits fluid passing through the channels 136 to turn 180-degrees, thus yielding a two-pass or multiple-pass fluid circuit. The bores 138 do not intersect the sidewall of the heat exchange plate 180. An end cover member 146 is attached to the plate 150 to maintain the channels 136 and bores 138 fluidly seal from the outside. Alternatively, the open end of the plate 160 may be sealed by suitable means including welding or plugging with an adhesive.
the plate 104 of the evaporator 140. Each distribution insert 170 is adapted to receive and accommodate the top end portions of adjacently positioned heat exchange plates 104.
Liquid desiccant is delivered to the distribution insert 170 from the distribution manifold 24 and the distribution tube 26 to a small diameter inlet 148. The structural elements of one side of the distribution insert 170 are the same on the other side. The small diameter inlet 148 is in fluid communication with a throughhole 152 extending perpendicularly with the face portions of the distribution insert 170. The distribution insert 170 further includes a delivery groove 154 disposed on each side thereof to deliver the liquid desiccant from the throughhole 152 to the top portions of the adjacent pair of the heat exchange plates 104 that are positioned on each side thereof.
In order in ensure that substantially equal amount of liquid desiccant is delivered to each plate 104, the resistance to the flow in the distribution manifold 24 is small compared to the resistance in the flow path in the distribution insert 170 to the surface of each plate 104. The flow resistance may be increased through reducing the width and depth of the grooves 154. However, the width and depth should be sufficiently large to avoid blockages by either scale or solid particles that may be deposited on the inner surfaces of the flow path. Alternatively, the flow length of the grooves 154 may be lengthened to increase flow resistance, while preventing flow blockages.
Applicants have observed that streams of liquid desiccant that flow from the distribution insert 170 onto the opposed sides of the plates 104 can combine to bridge the gap across adjacent plates 104. This can cause the process air stream to interact with the bridge of liquid desiccant and strip away droplets.
To minimize such occurrences, the distribution insert 170 further includes a thinner skirt 156 extending along the lower edge thereof. The skirt 156 effectively prevents bridging between the liquid desiccant flows on the opposed surfaces of the plates 104.
The distribution insert 170 further includes a raised sealing barrier 158 and a secondary drain groove 162 that directs liquid desiccant onto the surface of the plates 104 that may leak from the sides of the deliver groove 154.
With R-22 refrigerant evaporating at a saturation temperature of 49°F within the tubes of this heat exchanger and 1000 CFM of air entering at 80°F dry-bulb temperature and 67°F wet-bulb temperature flowing over the outside of the fins and tubes, the conventional heat exchanger absorbs 30,100 Btu per hour from the air and remove 8.6 lbs per hour of water.
The conventional evaporator is replaced with a mass and heat exchanger in the form of an evaporator that is designed according to the principles taught herein. A 37% (by weight) solution of lithium chloride, a strong liquid desiccant, is applied as a flow on the outside of the mass and heat exchanger. To facilitate a useful comparison of the conventional evaporator and the present invention, the mass and heat exchanger is designed to match the above listed characteristics of the conventional evaporator particularly with regard to (1) total number of tubes (approximately), (2) tube outer diameter, (3) volume of air processed, (4) face velocity for incoming air, and (5) the temperature of the evaporating refrigerant within the tubes.
The tubes, oriented horizontally, are arranged in a square array of five per row and eighteen per column. (The process air stream is generated to flow in the direction of the rows and the liquid desiccant is delivered to flow in the direction of the columns.) The five tubes in each row are aligned with a 1/4 inch gap between adjacent tubes. The 18 tubes in each column are also aligned with a one inch gap between them. The tubes include helical saw-tooth grooves on the outer surface. There are 40 grooves per inch, and each groove has a 20 mil trough-to-peak dimension.
Thin, wicking fins are inserted in the one inch gap between tube rows and perpendicular to the tubes. The fins are made from a PVC film with a thickness of 10 mils. Each fin is prepared with acrylic fibers adhesively applied on both sides thereof. The fibers are 20 mils long and 3 denier. (The "denier" is the standard measure of fiber diameter.) The fins are 3 inches by 1 inch, and stacked to yield seven fins per inch.
A total of 630 ml per minute of desiccant is pumped to open-cell melamine foam pads that sit on top of the tubes in the uppermost row. The liquid desiccant is first filtered before delivery to the pads. From the pads, the desiccant flows by gravity onto all 18 rows of tubes and fins, flowing off of the lowermost row of fins into a collection sump. In traveling from the foam pad to the collection sump, the desiccant does not traverse any air gaps that may cause it to breakup into droplets.
The performance of the iiquid-desiccant mass and heat exchanger is modeled by separately calculating the heat transfer between the tubes and the desiccant films that flow around the tubes, and the heat and mass transfer between the process air stream and the liquid desiccant films that flow on the fins. The heat transfer between the tubes and the desiccant films is calculated assuming that U, the heat transfer coefficient is 500 Btu/h-ft2-F. Values of U between 520 and 680 Btu/h-ft2-F have been measured in bench-top experiments. Since a higher value of U will lead to a more compact and efficient mass and heat exchanger, the assumption that U is 500 Btu/h-ft2-F is conservative. Knowing the temperature of the liquid desiccant that flows onto the tube, the surface area available for heat transfer, the heat transfer coefficient U, the temperature within the tubes (i.e., the temperature of the evaporating refrigerant), the flow rate of desiccant, and the heat capacity of the desiccant, one can calculate from the conservation of energy the temperature of the desiccanf as it flows off of the tube onto the fins.
Reynolds number for this air flow is about 900, which means that the air flow will be laminar. Heat and mass transfer coefficients for laminar flows between parallel walls are well known as functions of Reynolds number and Prandtl number (which will be 0.7 for air). Using these heat and mass transfer coefficients and the properties for the liquid desiccant, the exchange of heat and mass between the air and the desiccant films is calculated. With these exchanges known, the temperature and humidity of the air that leaves the channels between the fins are calculated and the temperature and concentration of the liquid desiccant leaving the fins and flowing onto the next row of tubes are calculated.
The preceding calculational procedure is repeated for each row of tubes and fins.
The completed performance calculation shows that for the desiccant flow rate and the fin height that has been selected, the temperature of the desiccant increases 10° F while it is absorbing water vapor on the fin. This change in temperature produces an acceptable 10% decrease in the driving potential for water absorption. Also, after passing over all the fins and tubes the desiccant's concentration decreases to 34.7% from its initial value of 37.0%. This 2.3 point change in concentration produces an acceptable 4.0% decrease in the driving potential for water absorption.
water from the air. This heat absorption is almost 4% higher than the conventional evaporator and the water removal is more than 2 times higher. The increased water removal is very important in HVAC applications where humidity control is critical, and provides a strong incentive for air conditioners to replace their conventional evaporator with a liquid-desiccant mass and heat exchanger of the present invention.
column of at least three spaced apart tubes in each column.
spaced apart columns of tubes.
comprised of a wicking material.
5. The heat and mass exchanger of claim 1 further comprising liquid distribution means for facilitating distribution of the liquid around the outer surface of the tubes.
means comprises grooves orientated circumferentially or helically around the outer surface of the tubes.
.7. The heat and mass exchanger of claim 1 wherein the tubes have a 10 circular cross section.
8. The heat and mass exchanger of claim 1 wherein the tubes have a non-circular cross section.
elongated cross-section with a major axis of the cross-section in a vertical orientation.
10. The heat and mass exchanger of claim 1 wherein the substrate is in 20 the form of spaced apart fins orientated perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tube.
11.	The heat and mass exchanger of claim 10 wherein the substrate comprises both liquid wettable and non-wettabie regions configured to direct the liquid toward the outer surface of at least one of the tubes.
12.	The heat and mass exchanger of claim 10 wherein the fins comprise at least one tube engaging portion contoured to correspond to the shape of the outer surface of the tube to thereby provide a corresponding mating surface with the tube.
13.	The heat and mass exchanger of claim 10 wherein the fins have a fiat or bowed shape.
14.	The heat and mass exchange of claim 1 wherein the substrate is made from a material having a thermal conductivity of less than 10W/m-C.
15.	The heat and mass exchange of claim 10 wherein the fins comprise a thin film of plastic material having a thickness of less than 15 mils, and a layer of wicking material on each side of the thin film.
16.	The heat and mass exchange of claim 10 further comprising spacer neans to maintain the fins in spaced apart relationship.
18.	The heat and mass exchanger of claim 1 wherein the substrate is oriented parallel to a plane defined by the axis of the tubes.
20.	The heat and mass exchange of claim 19 wherein the substrate has a corrugated shape.
21.	The heat and mass exchange of claim 19 wherein the liquid delivery means comprises a distribution manifold.
and each surface having at least one groove, a conduit having one end in fluid communication with the grooves and an opposed end in communication with the source of the liquid.
exchange fluid through said tubes.


text:
Heartwood
Rowan Reid
Rowan Reid is a forester among farmers. From a teenager surfer wandering the forests behind his home surf break in southern Victoria, Rowan has become one of the pre-eminent authorities on the science and practice of agroforestry: multipurpose treegrowing on farms. In Heartwood, he challenges the accepted paradigm that trees and forests are either for conservation or profit and proposes a radical third way: where the harvesting of a tree for timber is an act of conservation.
Drawing on hard science and real practical experience gained from thirty years of tree growing on his own farm, Rowan shows how planting, managing and harvesting trees can lock up atmospheric carbon, control soil erosion, improve water quality, increase agriculture production and enhance biodiversity, while also offering landholders a financial reward and the satisfaction of growing their own timber. These forests don't look like conventional plantations or reproductions of what once grew on our country. They are something very different, and very personal.
The growing of trees for conservation and profit, as advocated in this book, is a new and powerful story that can enrich and restore our degraded farmlands and native forests for the benefit of our own and future generations. A story that we can all help write on our landscape, with trees.
SKU 7655. Copyright 2017, hardcover, 204 pages.
Rowan Reid (B.For.Sci. & M.For.Sci.) won the 2001 Australian Eureka Prize for Excellence in Environmental Education for his farmer course (The Australian Master TreeGrower), which he continues to deliver around Australia and internationally (Africa, Timor Leste, Indonesia etc.). A Senior Lecturer at the University of Melbourne for 20 years, Rowan continues his academic teaching and research as a Senior Fellow of the university and the managing director of the Australian Agroforestry Foundation (a not-for-profit organization). Since the publication of Agroforestry in Australia and New Zealand (1985), Rowan has written or co-authored eight other books and is an internationally recognized leader in farmer education and extension. Most importantly, Rowan is also a farmer and tree grower in his own right, with a family farm in the Otway Ranges of southern Victoria where he helped establish one of Australia's most successful Landcare groups, the Otway Agroforestry Network.
Building Your Permaculture Property
Michelle Avis
Rob Avis
Takota Coen
Call Of The Reed Warbler
Charles Massy
Farming on the Wild Side
Nancy Hayden
Farming the Woods
Ken Mudge & Steve Gabriel

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell To begin with the old rigmarole of childhood. In a country there was a shire, and in that shire there was a town, and in that town there was a house, and in that house there was a room, and in that room there was a bed, and in that bed there lay a little girl; wide awake and longing to get up, but not daring to do so for fear of the unseen power in the next room-a certain Betty, whose slumbers must not be disturbed until six o'clock struck, when she wakened of herself 'as sure as clockwork', and left the household very little peace afterwards. It was a June morning, and early as it was, the room was full of sunny warmth and light. We are delighted to publish this classic book as part of our extensive Classic Library collection. Many of the books in our collection have been out of print for decades, and therefore have not been accessible to the general public. The aim of our publishing program is to facilitate rapid access to this vast reservoir of literature, and our view is that this is a significant literary work, which deserves to be brought back into print after many decades. The contents of the vast majority of titles in the Classic Library have been scanned from the original works. To ensure a high quality product, each title has been meticulously hand curated by our staff. Our philosophy has been guided by a desire to provide the reader with a book that is as close as possible to ownership of the original work. We hope that you will enjoy this wonderful classic work, and that for you it becomes an enriching experience.


The Electoral Registration Officer has submitted a report to brief the City Executive Board on the ward boundary review and ask it to comment on the amended draft ward scheme as published by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England in November 2018.
4. a re-designed Donnington ward, running along the southern boundaries of the new St. Mary's and St. Clement's wards, from Weirs Lane in the west to Bartlemas Close in the east.
The Electoral Registration Officer had submitted a report to brief the City Executive Board on the ward boundary review and ask it to comment on the amended draft ward scheme as published by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England in November 2018. He tabled a map of suggested ward boundaries which reflected the preferred option as set out in the report's recommendations. That map is attached as an appendix to these minutes.
"Councillor Simmons was unable to be at the Working Group meeting, but made clear his support for the new boundaries as currently proposed by the Commission, a view with which Councillor Gotch, on behalf of the Liberal Democrat group, agreed. Councillors Tanner and Hollingsworth disagreed strongly, particularly around the splitting of Iffley from Rose Hill. They had received many representations from both Iffley and Rose Hill residents objecting to the proposal. The two areas had been in the same ward for many decades and many strong links have been developed over that time.
Iffley has been linked with Rose Hill electorally for many decades and, over that time, many links have been developed between the two areas. For example, many parishioners of Iffley Church come from Rose Hill, the Friends of Iffley Village have long supported the Rose Hill and Donnington Advice Centre and the Rose Hill Junior Youth Club, and the area is served by a single Rose Hill and Iffley Low Carbon Group. The allotments are also shared between the two communities.
The words "with some minor amendments" should be removed from recommendation 3.
In discussion it was noted that the Council's proposals had not been made in a vacuum but as the result of considerable consultation and feedback. The weight given by the Commission to the number of representations which influenced its revised proposals was arguably disproportionate given the size of the electorate in the affected wards. The well established connections between Iffley and Rose Hill were particularly important and the Council's response sought to address that.
The Chair noted her regret at the short notice given by the Commission to respond to their further proposals and thanked officers for having made the necessary arrangements to do so.
3. that, if the original scheme is not re-adopted, then it proposes that the two new wards of St. Mary's and St. Clement's in the ... view the full minutes text for item 102.
Recommendation: The City Executive Board resolved to APPROVE the minutes of the meeting held on 14 November 2018 as a true and accurate record.
The Board resolved to APPROVE the amended minutes of the meeting held on 14 November 2018 as a true and accurate record.
All of which will start at 6pm.


text:
by John Threlfall | Dec 17, 2012 | Alumni, Award, Events, Faculty, Writing | 0 comments
Fall is always a busy time in the book world, given the number of prestigious writing awards that are announced. Once again, UVic's acclaimed Department of Writing was front and centre, with faculty and alumni popping up all over the place.
Madeline Sonik with book prize founder Brian Butler
Writing instructor Madeline Sonik continued to be the darling of the non-fiction set with her much-lauded memoir Afflictions and Departures winning the City of Victoria Butler Book Prize. Despite being nominated against heavy hitter Esi Edugyan's Half-Blood Blues—and having been shortlisted but not winning two heavyweight prizes (the Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction and BC National Award for Canadian Non-Fiction)—Sonik prevailed at last, picking up the $5,000 hometown prize at a Victoria Book Prize Society gala in October.
A collection of first-person essays based on growing up in the late 1950s and 1960s, the jury called Afflictions and Departures "a wonderfully generous book that returns us to one of literature's touchstones: intensely personal revelation rendered universal . . . what lifts Sonik's memoir far above the mundane is her astonishing facility with just-so detail, her scrupulous honesty, capacious memory and mature insight/hindsight that gives the larger events of the time quirky and engaging asides in the personal drama. Her tone, cool and wry, manages to be simultaneously humane and funny, easy with her younger self and the reader."
Local CBC Radio afternoon show All Points West did a series of podcasts with all the Butler nominees, so click on these links to listen to Sonik talk about her book and Edugyan talk about hers. Sonik also published her latest book of poetry this fall, called The Book of Changes.
ReLit founder Kenneth J. Harvey (left) presented the 2012 award rings to the winning writers, including Patrick Friesen (far right)
Meanwhile, Writing instructor Patrick Friesen picked up the poetry prize in October's annual ReLit Awards for his book, Jumping in the Asylum (Quattro). Also nominated for the ReLit was Writing alum Ashley Little for her novel, Prick: Confessions of a Tattoo Artist (Tightrope). Subtitled "Ideas, Not Money," the ReLit Awards honour Canada's independent pressers and while they may not come with a purse, winners do receive the oh-so-snazzy ReLit Ring—which features four moveable dials, each one struck with the entire alphabet, for spelling out words. We think that's f-a-b-u-l-o-u-s.
Dobozy wins the Writers Trust fiction prize (Photo: Kendall Towsend)
Writing graduate Tamas Dobozy won the $25,000 Rogers Writers Trust fiction prize for his acclaimed book Siege 13. Much like previous Writing grad and multiple-nominee Esi Edugyan, Dobozy was also shortlisted for both the Giller Prize and the Governor General's Literary Award. (For those with a yen for tracking literary prizes, one of the stories in Siege 13 won 2011's O. Henry Prize for short fiction.)
The Writers Trust jury cited Siege 13 for illustrating "once again that old maxim: the short story can be both as broad and as deep as a novel. At times gently humorous, at times quietly wise, Dobozy's thirteen stories dazzle with their psychological nuance and brilliant attention to detail. These stories are never less than breathtaking."
Marjorie Celona outside the YWCA, which prompted the title of her novel Y
Speaking of the Giller, Y—the debut novel by Writing grad Marjorie Celona—was longlisted for the 2012 Scotiabank Giller Prize. Despite not making it onto the shortlist, Celona's Y was still considered one of the hottest books of the fall: the Globe and Mail called it "a stunning debut" and the National Post simply calling it "the book of the fall." Nicely, the novel's setting is Victoria and the YWCA on Broughton Street plays a prominent role. Celona is also the daughter of School of Music professor and filmmaker John Celona.
Alisa Smith at the Celebration of Excellence (photo: UVic Photo Services)
Also of note this fall was author and Fine Arts alumna Alisa Smith, who was one of five outstanding members of UVic's alumni community honoured at the university's "Celebration of 50 Years of Excellence. Smith, who holds a History in Art BA as well as an MA in History, was recognized for her commitment to sustainability via her famed 2007 book The 100-Mile Diet: A Year of Local Eating, which she co-authored with partner and former UVic student James MacKinnon.
Since sustainability is considered central to UVic's mission and core to teaching and research across the university, Smith very much personifies this commitment and was an apt choice for this 50th anniversary signature event. As the official citation notes, "the book struck a chord amid concern about climate change—especially considering that so many groceries originate from a distance of 1,500 miles or more . . . [and] coincided with widening interest in the 'locavore' movement and farmer's markets. The book received a national Cordon D'Or culinary literature award in the United States and a Canadian Culinary Book Award, as well as the Roderick Haig-Brown Regional Book Prize. Chapters/Indigo named it a best book of the decade. It is also reading material in colleges and universities across North America."
And, as reality TV fans well know, The 100-Mile Diet was also adapted into a television series, The 100-Mile Challenge, hosted by the authors. It aired on Food Network Canada and Discovery Planet Green in the US, and in Europe and Asia.
Judy Leblanc
Finally, Writing grad Judy Leblanc won The Antogonish Review's eighth annual Sheldon Currie Fiction Contest. Leblanc picks up $600 and her winning story will be published in the Winter 2013 issue. Not as big of a deal as, say, the Giller Prize, but well worth noting all the same. The Department of Writing congratulates all its winners and nominees, no matter how large or small the prize.


text:
const test = require('tape-async');
const requireProps = require('..')(__dirname);

test('work with absolute paths', t => {
  const target = {name: 'target'};
  requireProps(target, ['is-plain-obj']);
  t.deepEqual(target, {name: 'target', 'is-plain-obj': true});
});

test('work with relative paths', t => {
  const target = {name: 'target'};
  requireProps(target, ['./fixtures/module1', './fixtures/module-2']);
  t.deepEqual(target, { name: 'target', module1: 1, 'module-2': 'target' });
});

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Breathtaking Brick home on 80 acres. With Brazilian Mesquite floors(built in 2001), a master suite/ full bath (propane fireplace) on main floor, walk in closet and fantastic views from every room! The custom kitchen and living room flow nicely, heated with a cozy wood stove & Hydronic floor heat throughout with 3 zones. Spacious kitchen with modern appliances.Double car attached garage. Internet access. Property has gates on both entry's,offering seclusion and privacy.Property has well(Domestic at 509 feet)and new septic in 2008. Along with 80 acres the property has a Custom built Morten horse Barn with 6 stalls, wired for an RV or welder etc, 11 foot doors(3360 sq ft) on both sides, one can pull their trailer right in and unload. Barn has a nice tack room and covered storage on south for wood or more tack. So many amenities,breathtaking views, abundant wildlife, perfect hunting lodge, quiet, near local ski resorts and Great Sand Dunes.


text:
HILTON SPIN-OFF: PARK HOTELS & RESORTS AND HILTON GRAND VACATIONS
Park Hotels & Resorts and Hilton Grand Vacations are set to begin "regular way" trading on the New York Stock Exchange after an announcement by Hilton Worldwide Holdings, resulting in three independent entities.
Hilton has also effected a previously-announced 1-for-3 reverse stock split, and will continue to trade on the NYSE under the ticker symbol "HLT."
Christopher J. Nassetta
Hilton will continue to be led by Christopher J. Nassetta, president and chief executive officer (CEO). Kevin J. Jacobs will continue to serve as Hilton's executive vice president and chief financial officer (CFO) and Michael W. Duffy will continue to serve as Hilton's senior vice president and chief accounting officer. Its portfolio of 13 distinct brands leads the industry in market share premiums, resulting in leading rates of organic net unit growth with very low capital requirements.
Park, headquartered in McLean, Virginia, is led by Thomas J. Baltimore, Jr., chairman, president & CEO. Sean M. Dell'Orto serves as Park's executive vice president and CFO and Treasurer, and Darren W. Robb serves as Park's senior vice president and chief accounting officer. Park is now one of the largest lodging real estate investment trusts (REIT), with 67 premium-branded hotels and resorts with more than 35,000 rooms located in prime U.S. locations and international markets with high barriers to entry.
HGV, headquartered in Orlando, Florida, is led by Mark Wang, president & CEO. James E. Mikolaichik serves as HGV's executive vice president and CFO and Allen Klingsick serves as senior vice president and chief accounting officer. HGV is a timeshare company that markets and sells vacation ownership intervals, and manages resorts in top leisure and urban destinations. HGV's 46 resorts are located in premier markets, including the Hawaiian Islands, New York City, Orlando and Las Vegas.
"These spin-offs are an important milestone in Hilton's continued evolution as the world's most hospitable company," said Christopher J. Nassetta, president and CEO, Hilton. "The new Hilton is a fee-based, capital efficient, and resilient business with tremendous growth potential around the world. We believe this will result in opportunities for our team members and meaningful returns for our hotel owners and shareholders."
"Today's transaction positions Park Hotels & Resorts as the second largest lodging REIT and a key player in the market," said Thomas J. Baltimore, Jr., chairman, president & CEO, Park Hotels & Resorts. "We believe our size, scale, and high-quality portfolio will enable us to capitalize on meaningful growth opportunities."
"Hilton Grand Vacations is a premier operator and rapidly growing company in the timeshare industry," said Mark Wang, president & CEO, Hilton Grand Vacations. "We are focused on adding value for our members, continued net owner growth, and delivering a strong return on our capital efficient business."
The companies were provided financial advice by Deutsche Bank Securities, Goldman Sachs & Co. and BofA Merrill Lynch, legal advice by Simpson Thacher, Hogan Lovells and Womble Carlyle, and tax advice by Ernst & Young and KPMG.
CategoriesAMERICAS, News, REGIONAL SPOTLIGHT
Tagschristopher, HILTON, nassetta, PARK, spin-off
JET AIRWAYS INTRODUCES WIDE BODY SERVICES ON ADDITIONAL ROUTES
ACCORHOTELS LAUNCHES NEW "LIFESTYLE" DIVISION


text:
myscience.ch › news › News 2019 › Crime Scene Schizophrenia - 30 Genes under suspicion
Crime Scene Schizophrenia - 30 Genes under suspicion - 28.3.19
Crime Scene Schizophrenia - 30 Genes under suspicion
28 March 2019 - Deutsch
Health | Life Sciences
(Image: University of Basel, Biozentrum)
A research group has identified 30 genes associated with schizophrenia. The team was able to show which pathological changes in the brain and behavioral abnormalities are triggered by these genes. The results of the study have now been published in "Cell".
The research team of the Biozentrum, University of Basel investigated a total of 132 genes associated with schizophrenia. The potential connection to schizophrenia was confirmed for 30 genes. In zebrafish, the researchers found that errors in these genes impair the development or function of the brain and lead to behavioral abnormalities.
Regions in the genome under suspicion
Schizophrenia is a psychosis that leads to a disturbed perception of reality. This includes hearing voices, hallucinations or delusions. Although the disease can be treated with medication, it is currently incurable. Genetic changes that manifest themselves in the brain can cause schizophrenia. Previous studies have shown that several regions of the genome containing a variety of genes are associated with the disease.
Perpetrator profile of 30 genes
The team led by Alex Schier has now identified 30 genes in these regions and has been able to show that they have concrete effects on the structure and function of the brain as well as on various behavioral patterns. "Of the 132 suspects, we were ultimately able to establish a more precise perpetrator profile for 30 genes," said Schier. "One of the perpetrators is the transcription factor znf536, which controls the development of the forebrain. This brain region influences our social behavior and the processing of stress." The research team not only deciphered the function of the individual genes, but also generated an atlas of all genes with their respective consequences for the brain.
In the crosshair of research
"The question of how the individual genes trigger schizophrenia remains open," says Schier. "It would be possible to investigate whether the genes we identified change similar brain regions in patients as in zebrafish." These genes and brain regions could then become new targets for drug therapies.
Summer B. Thyme, Lindsey M. Pieper, Eric H. Li, Shristi Pandey, Yiqun Wang, Nathan S. Morris, Carrie Sha, Joo Won Choi, Kristian J. Herrera, Edward R. Soucy, Steve Zimmerman, Owen Randlett, Joel Greenwood, Steven A. McCarroll, and Alexander F. Schier
Phenotypic landscape of schizophrenia-associated genes defines candidates and their shared functions
Cell (2019), doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2019.01.048
Novartis and GSK announce collaboration to support scientific research into genetic diversity in Africa - 19.01
Saved lives and monetary benefits of the lockdown in Switzerland - 18.01
Thomas Sauter receives an endowed professorship in emergency telemedicine - 15.01


text:
Forum location: QI.com Forum Index > QI Countries
Efros
213825. Wed Sep 26, 2007 12:46 pm
In Malay Singapura, the Lion City although the Lion referred to is now widely thought to be a tiger. Lying at the bottom of the Malaysian peninsula, Singapore is linked to Malaysia by a causeway carrying rail and road traffic. Used as the model for the tiger economies Singapore is probably unparalleled in the far east in terms of its economic strength.
214102. Thu Sep 27, 2007 8:18 am
Efros wrote:
In Malay Singapura, the Lion City although the Lion referred to is now widely thought to be a tiger.
Hi all. I've been a lurker for a while, but I felt compelled to post here. Vested interests, so to speak. :P
Anyway not too long ago, my professor highlighted to us another possible hypothesis about the etymology of the name Singapura. In Javanese, gapura means gate or gateway, and anything with the suffix 'cin' was in reference to China, and on old maps [I forget, 15th, 16th century maybe?] of the region, 'Cingapura' was more commonly used as a term to describe the region and only came to be used to describe the island itself later on, so in actual fact, instead of being known as the 'Lion City', it could actually mean 'Gateway to China'. That was to the amazement of all the Singaporeans in the class who always took the name as a given. Btw singa means Lion, but I'm sure most of you erudite scholars know it and I'm just embarrassing myself by reiterating that.
If I got any of the details here wrong, I'm dreadfully sorry. My history professor would be positively ticked off, as he always is when we evince such horrendous memory of what he tried so hard to teach us... ;)
Neotenic
Singapore prints its name in no less than four different languages on the back of its coins.
Can any other countries beat that?
I thought Singapore meant 'Lion City' myself - and there is a whacking great Merlion (head of a lion, body of a fish) on Sentosa Island, looking out over the port.
214155. Thu Sep 27, 2007 10:07 am
The one on Sentosa is actually a replica of the original which is now in Marina Bay. Interestingly, the replica is larger than the orignal. I think there are five merlion statues in various place around Singapore.
I think if I remember rightly it has four official languages, English, Malay, Tamil and Chinese (which one I'm not sure).
You do remember rightly, and it is Mandarin.
Yeah I lived there for a couple of years as a kid, some 37 years ago .
"Majulah Singapura!!"
Last edited by Efros on Thu Sep 27, 2007 11:02 am; edited 1 time in total
Thanks for the welcome samnivel. :)
Btw, warning, long post ahead. To briefly explain why I have so much to say, I guess I have to admit that this is where I call home.
Anyway Singapura does officially mean 'Lion City' in Malay, in turn derived from Sanskrit terms. It's quite interesting where the name comes from, because legend has it that in the 14th century some prince called Sang Nila Utama came to Singapore and apparently spotted a lion on the shore, hence, the name. But note that this story is derived from the Sejarah Melayu, a Malay literary work which is both fiction and fact linked together in a rather fascinating mix. I haven't actually read it myself, but my friends who are academics in that field are indubitably very fascinated by it since they can't stop waxing lyrical about it even to a Southeast Asian neophyte like myself whose eyes glaze over once I hear any thing about the Sejarah Melayu.
Pardon the digression. Anyway here's an interesting youtube clip that basically retells the Singapore story in a rather entertaining fashion, by some local comedian as part of IndigNation 2006, the country's inaugural GLBT pride season. There's another video that raises the issue of English as it is spoken in Singapore, or the colloquial form of English known as Singlish and trust me, it really reflects pretty much all that you hear around these parts and it is hee-larious.
More digressing here, tangentially related to the topic of IndigNation. Yes, Singapore just had its first GLBT pride season only last year, and it was a long time coming. Here, you can see a clip of Ian McKellen supporting this year's IndigNation, filmed while he was here for the run of King Lear/The Seagull. Indeed, despite being an ostensibly developed and arguably liberal country, there is still a strong sense of conservatism that is pervasive in society, especially as perpetuated by a government that seems wary of change on some level. For instance, section 377 of the Penal Code states that "Whoever voluntarily has carnal intercourse against the order of nature with any man, woman or animals, shall be punished with imprisonment for life, or with imprisonment for a term which may extend to 10 years, and shall also be liable to fine." I suppose progress is still extremely limited on some fronts, to the dismay of much of the population.
Anyway terribly sorry for spamming the forum. I suppose this is a case of me making up for all the time I didn't say a thing. ;)
214233. Thu Sep 27, 2007 12:20 pm
You and your information are both very welcome strewth :-)
Susannah Dingley
563532. Thu Jun 04, 2009 2:44 am
Did you know? The sign for the letter T in American Sign Language (consisting of a clenched fist with the thumb between the forefinger and the middle finger)
is an obscene gesture in Singapore. The obscene gesture is usually made with the fist horizontal rather than pointing upwards as in the pciture.
There, just thought you might like to know. I know this because I've been in Singapore myself. And I'm glad to say that my observation is confirmed on this website.
Well, I suppose, when we get to the Series S, Stephen Fry might well ask a question like: "Why is Singapore not a good place for deaf Americans?"
ChristopherRobin
597643. Sun Aug 09, 2009 8:11 am
On 9 August 1965, Singapore became a fully independent nation. (It had ceased to be a British colony in 1959, and become part of the Federation of Malaya, Sabah and Sarawak in 1963.) Today is National Day in Singapore.
zomgmouse
Susannah Dingley wrote:
an obscene gesture in Singapore.
And not only in Singapore; it's quite rude in Russian too.
dr bartolo
735006. Fri Aug 20, 2010 9:58 am
just a comment upon the g-series episode "future"- stephen's pronuciation of singlish is entirely inaccurate-if he were to pronounce singlish like that in singapore, the locals would collapse laughing .For a start, the words "lay leo" and 'lo lex' are simply idosyncratic singaporean pronounciations of the words 'radio' and 'rolex' even then, the manner of pronounciation would be considered very bumpkinish,reserved for the coarse lower class"ah beng"
735009. Fri Aug 20, 2010 10:12 am
Welcome dr bartolo - and maybe you could tell us some more about Singlish?
QI.com Forum Index > QI Countries


text:
Ireland named best place to invest in Western Europe
by John Kennedy
Ireland has been named best place to invest in Western Europe and Dublin has been named as the best Western Europe city to invest in
Ireland has topped the list of the best places to invest in Western Europe, according to the annual Global Best-to-Invest Rankings compiled by international magazine Site Selection.
IDA Ireland tweeted the survey findings this morning.
In terms of the locations in Western Europe that are 'Best-to-Invest', Ireland tops the list, followed by the UK, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy.
In terms of top metropolitan locations to invest, Dublin tops the list, followed by Frankfurt, Edinburgh and Birmingham.
In Eastern Europe, Hungary tops the list, followed by Poland and Slovak Republic, while in Asia-Pacific Singapore is listed as the best place to invest followed by Australia and Malaysia.
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September 8, 2017 September 8, 2017 by Admin
TUC Congress 2017 Motion 39: Decriminalisation of sex work
"80 years on from Orwell's journey and 107 since Mary Macarthur organised women in the Black Country, it's clear that unfettered capitalism is a deep river that always finds its way through the softest rock. It seeks out the most vulnerable and exploits them. We shouldn't be surprised by that. But it adds insult to injury when we see these new exploitations dressed up as freedom." – Ros Wynne Jones
The agenda for the 2017 TUC Congress has been published. It includes a motion from ASLEF, the train drivers' union, calling for the full decriminalisation of "sex work." This approach implicitly decriminalises pimping, profiteering and related activities that are currently considered to be exploitation. The full text of the motion is set out in an appendix below.
More than 95% of ASLEF members are male. In March this year, their women's committee put a similar motion to the TUC Women's Conference. However, the TUC Women's Conference rejected it.
Not content to allow the TUC Women's Conference to take the lead on this issue, ASLEF has now put Motion 39 forward to the TUC conference.
One cannot help but wonder why an overwhelmingly male union would be so determined to override the democratically mandated position of the TUC Women's Conference on this issue, which so disproportionately impacts women and girls.
The motion is worded in such a way that on a superficial level it appears to be in the interests of the women and children who are involved in prostitution. However, that simply does not stand up to scrutiny, as we show below. We take each paragraph of the motion in turn and show that it is flawed.
1. "Congress notes that austerity measures since 2010 have led to an increase in the number of people working in the sex industry and is concerned by examples such as Doncaster, where on-street prostitution has risen by 60 per cent, an increase primarily attributed to the impact of benefit sanctions."
We agree that the appalling and inhumane austerity measures (including benefit sanctions) that have been implemented since 2010 have had a disproportionate impact on women and children and have driven many women into prostitution as a last resort. However, the full decriminalisation of the sex trade (including of pimps, punters and brothel keepers) as recommended by this motion is not the solution and is likely to only make matters worse.
A study conducted by UCL found that "violence is a prominent feature in the lives of [prostitutes] in almost all [prostitution] settings"; "a single year of engagement in [prostitution] is likely to have the same impact on mental health as an entire life of experiences prior to involvement in it;" and "Social exclusion is the leading cause of entrance into [prostitution] and exclusion is often deepened as a result of engaging in it."
Full decriminalisation does not keep women in prostitution safe – because nothing can make it safe – and full decriminalisation would serve to institutionalise the expectation that impoverished women should support themselves by engaging in prostitution.
Is this really what the trade union movement wants to advocate? What next, children up chimneys?
2. "Congress recognises that many people would not choose to work in the sex industry and that they do so because of economic necessity rather than criminal coercion. It further asserts that 74 per cent of off-street prostitutes work in the sex industry to pay household expenses and support their families."
There is no doubt that financial desperation is driving many women into prostitution. This is a form of coercion, caused by the austerity measures and neoliberal policies of the current government. We believe that the solution is to fight for an end to these heinous policies and that this is what the trade union movement should be focusing its time, energy and resources on.
It is a matter of record that many women and girls are coerced into prostitution by individual pimps and traffickers. Almost every week the media reports yet another case of mass grooming of girls in one town or another for sexual exploitation – which is prostitution by another name – and many cases, probably the majority, go unreported and undetected.
Fully decriminalising the sex trade legitimises and normalises prostitution. This inevitably leads to more men buying sex more frequently, and therefore leads to an increase in the numbers of women and girls being coerced into it by pimps and traffickers – because of the enormous profits that can be made.
The UK has ratified the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and The Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children (sometimes called the Palermo Trafficking Protocol). These UN human rights treaties place binding obligations on the UK, including: to outlaw profiteering from prostitution; to take measures to reduce the demand for prostitution that drives sex trafficking; and to address the poverty and lack of equal opportunity that make individuals, especially women and children, easy prey to pimps and traffickers. Motion 39 stands in direct contradiction to these binding obligations.
3. "Congress regrets that current UK legislation forces sex workers to work alone, leaving workers vulnerable to crime and the threat of losing access to their families."
The idea that women engaged in prostitution are safer operating from the same premises appears persuasive at first sight. However, when you look at the issues more carefully, it is clear that this idea is an oversimplification, and experience in Germany proves that women operating together in legal "prostitution apartments" does not keep them safe: approximately 62 women were murdered in prostitution apartments by pimps and punters from January 2000 to July 2017.
For more on this, see The problem with "safety in numbers."
We are unclear why ASLEF thinks that women working alone would lead to women losing access to their families.
4. "Congress believes sex workers should have the same rights as those in other industries."
Workers in other industries are protected from sexual harassment and unwanted sexual contact, and are required to wear masks, gloves, goggles, and protective clothing if there is any risk, however small, of contamination with other people's bodily fluids and excreta.
Sexual harassment and unwanted sexual contact are intrinsic to prostitution. Prostitution as it is actually practiced could not exist if appropriate protective clothing was made mandatory.
Surely this makes it clear that prostitution is incompatible with workers' rights and legitimising it would implicitly erode these rights for everyone, particularly female workers?
5. "Congress acknowledges the 2016 Home Affairs Select Committee report which recommended that sex work in the UK should be decriminalised and Amnesty International's decision to adopt the same policy."
This statement is incorrect. Although the report of the 2016 Home Affairs Select Committee's inquiry into prostitution clearly favoured the full decriminalisation of the sex trade, unlike Amnesty International, it did not go as far as recommending that approach.
At the time of the inquiry, the Home Affairs Select Committee was chaired by Keith Vaz, who shortly after the publication of the report was witnessed buying vulnerable young migrant men for sex. As one of the inquiry's briefs was to consider whether buying a person for sex should be criminalised, this calls into question the inquiry's impartiality and discredits its findings. We had already identified that the report was flawed and biased.
Amnesty International made many very serious procedural errors in developing its prostitution policy. They have admitted that Douglas Fox, who was running the largest prostitution ring in the north-east of England, was a member of the branch that brought forward the motion calling for the policy of full decriminalization.
There were a few concessions over successive drafts of the policy – the original premise that buying sex is a human right was taken out, after it was realised that it couldn't actually be justified. They inserted a section on "intersectional discrimination and structural inequalities," which conspicuously lacks any discussion of the racism inherent in prostitution, or of prostitution's role in colonialism and maintaining the structural inequalities between the sexes, or of the rights of women and girls to live free from commercial sexual exploitation.
The original reliance on advice from the Global Network of Sex Work Projects was downplayed after feminist writer and activist Kat Banyard exposed that its vice-president Alejandra Gil was a pimp who has now been jailed for 15 years for sex trafficking.
But the essence of the final policy remained as Fox first suggested: that all aspects of "consensual adult sex work," including pimps and brothel-keepers (who they redefined as "organisers"), must be fully decriminalised in order to secure "sex workers' human rights" even though, way back in 1949, the United Nations defined prostitution as incompatible with the human rights set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Most shockingly, at no time did Amnesty International carry out any research in any country, like New Zealand or Germany, that has in fact implemented the approach for which they now lobby.
For all these reasons, the TUC would be unwise to base its decisions in this matter on the recommendations of either the 2016 Home Affairs Select Committee Report or Amnesty International.
6. "Congress further supports the New Zealand model of full de-criminalisation which would give sex workers protections as workers in law."
New Zealand changed its prostitution law in 2003, when the Prostitution Reform Act (known as the PRA) was passed. Before that, soliciting was illegal, along with pimping and brothel keeping; and allegations of police violence and corruption were common. But within those constraints prostituted women were able to negotiate their own deals with punters, and maintain clear boundaries, including insisting on condoms and banning kissing.
This all changed after the PRA, which decriminalised all of the actors including pimps. Brothels now set the price through "all inclusives" and prices fell. Men expect more, including anal, kissing, and no condoms. Where before the men paid for the act – direct to the woman – now they pay the brothel, by the hour or half hour, and they expect whatever they want as many times as possible within that time.
Punter violence remains common and in 2008 the New Zealand Prostitution Law Review Committee found that a majority of prostituted persons felt that the PRA "could do little about violence that occurred." The Committee further reported that abusive brothels did not improve conditions for prostituted individuals; the brothels that "had unfair management practices continued with them."
People campaigning for the PRA wanted to improve things for the women – to give them more power. In fact the PRA has had the opposite effect. More power has gone to the pimps and punters. Although police violence is now less common, women seldom report pimp and punter violence to the police.
Local authorities have some control over where the larger brothels are sited but not the smaller ones, classified as "Small Owner Operated Brothels" (or SOOBs), over which authorities and local residents have no say. There's been rapid expansion in the number of SOOBs, and many are run by pimps. SOOBs are excluded from the official brothel data, which therefore gives a distorted view of the reality.
Sex trafficking is now recognised to be prevalent in New Zealand, and Māori and Pacific Islander women and children are disproportionately represented. Because brothels and SOOBs are legal, there is little or no oversight from the police.
The PRA has also failed to stop the prostitution of children, which remains a major problem. Mama Tere Strickland, a community worker, says: "At least the old law kept a lid on the numbers, but with no law on the streets, the pimps and gangs have moved in." The children typically have a background in family violence and sexual abuse.
Since the change in the law there's been a significant rise in reported rape, sexual assault and other male violence against women and girls in the general population. This is not surprising given that there's been an increase in the amount of prostitution, and evidence that prostitution-buying makes men more prone to sexual violence.
New Zealand has a small population and is uniquely geographically isolated. Since the law changed, it has become a sex tourist destination. However, its isolation and the expense of getting there, mean numbers are relatively low. Were New Zealand situated in Europe, no doubt numbers would be closer to Germany's, where there are huge commercial brothels in every city, more than a million men buy sex every single day, and hundreds of thousands of women are trapped in prostitution, most of them trafficked from the poorest communities in Eastern Europe.
Two journalists who studied the legalised prostitution system in Germany concluded that the intention to improve the position of prostitutes through legalisation has in fact achieved the opposite:
"Women have become a resource, to be used as efficiently as possible for profit."
Does the TUC believe this to be an acceptable state of affairs for women in this country?
7. "Congress calls upon the TUC to adopt a policy in favour of full de-criminalisation and to campaign alongside appropriate organisations to achieve this."
Rather than full decriminalisation of the sex trade, the Nordic Model is the human rights-based and equality model. Also known as the Sex Buyer Law, it decriminalises all those who are prostituted, provides services to help them exit, and makes buying prostitution a criminal offence, while imposing tough penalties on pimps and traffickers. The aim is to change behaviour and reduce the demand that drives sex trafficking; thus setting new social norms.
This is the approach that is supported by the TUC Women's Committee. Please listen to them and vote against Motion 39.
Appendix: Motion 39: De-criminalisation of sex work
From page 34/35 of the TUC Congress 2017 Agenda.
"Congress notes that austerity measures since 2010 have led to an increase in the number of people working in the sex industry and is concerned by examples such as Doncaster, where on-street prostitution has risen by 60 per cent, an increase primarily attributed to the impact of benefit sanctions.
Congress recognises that many people would not choose to work in the sex industry and that they do so because of economic necessity rather than criminal coercion. It further asserts that 74 per cent of off-street prostitutes work in the sex industry to pay household expenses and support their families.
Congress regrets that current UK legislation forces sex workers to work alone, leaving workers vulnerable to crime and the threat of losing access to their families.
Congress believes sex workers should have the same rights as those in other industries.
Congress acknowledges the 2016 Home Affairs Select Committee report which recommended that sex work in the UK should be decriminalised and Amnesty International's decision to adopt the same policy.
Congress further supports the New Zealand model of full de-criminalisation which would give sex workers protections as workers in law.
Congress calls upon the TUC to adopt a policy in favour of full de-criminalisation and to campaign alongside appropriate organisations to achieve this."
ASLEF
News	ASLEF, full decriminalisation, Home Affairs Select Committee Inquiry, inequality, Prostitution, TUC, unions
5 thoughts on "TUC Congress 2017 Motion 39: Decriminalisation of sex work"
Sally Hendry says:
Prostitution is a dehumanising distuctive act against people usually women who have no or little choice in what they do. Many of whom have been subjected to sexual abuse as children. Decriminalisation will only empower pimps and the profiteers who are generally men.
antiplondon says:
Thank you so much for this.
Is there anything I, as a Unite member can do, or is this not something that will go to a general vote?
(Or has that chance been and gone? I'm ashamed to say that I am not a very active union member.)
Apologies for the delay in replying. Thankfully the TUC Congress voted overwhelmingly against the motion. However, we expect further attempts to bring a similar motion through the same or different unions in the future. We therefore would like to encourage you and everyone in the UK to take this opportunity to get a discussion going in your workplaces, unions and communities.
We understand that Unite has Area Activist Committees which are regional cross-branch lay member forums. These are a potential route to planning for motions to be generated. Please contact us (through the Contact Us page) if you'd like more information and suggestions etc.
Please see our separate post which explains that many of the arguments put forward by supporters of the motion do not stand up to scrutiny and are in fact misleading and sometimes downright dishonest.
https://nordicmodelnow.org/2017/09/17/smoke-and-mirrors-at-tuc-congress-fringe-meeting-on-decriminalising-sex-work/
You may want to consider arranging a showing of the Nordic Model Now! slideshow for your local union branch or similar. The slideshow explains the harms of prostitution to individuals and society and the common legislative and policy approaches and why we believe the Nordic Model to be the human rights and equality approach. You can download the slideshow and find more information here:
https://nordicmodelnow.org/2017/03/12/the-nordic-model-now-slideshow/
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Service Corporation of America (later known as SCA Services, Incorporated) was a Boston-based  waste and environmental services company in North America. The company was later a subsidiary of Waste Management, Inc., active from 1970-1984.

History

Early years
SCA was unique in that it was not originally supposed to be a waste hauler. SCA was incorporated by Berton Steir as a diversified conglomerate, providing building maintenance, vending, food, travel, and waste disposal service. SCA's first acquisition was of seven vending companies, a building maintenance company, and a single waste hauler. By the time its stock was placed on the NYSE, it had decided to focus on waste disposal instead. Similar to many of the other firms around this time, it would purchase companies with its stock. In the early 1970s, SCA absorbed 87 independent contractors. As part of the deals, SCA would keep the current management in control. The Harvard-educated Steir naïvely acquired New Jersey trash companies, with disguised ownership, which subsequently caused SCA problems. Berton Steir left the company in 1976.

Mafia and Criminal Connections Emerge
SCA was the first major trash hauler to enter New Jersey, which proved to be highly unstable for the company. To combat this, Tom Viola and his firm were enlisted to soften up the market. Viola also brought his criminal connections with him, but despite this, he was made SCA's vice president.
Another waste hauler, based out of Utica, New York, was owned by the infamous Anthony Bentro, known for his connections to Anthony Provenzano, a mobster linked with plots to murder Fidel Castro, John F. Kennedy and Jimmy Hoffa. Months after Hoffa's assassination, prominent members of SCA's New York team were indicted for planning a $300,000 kickback to mobsters and Teamsters.

Continued Expansion
SCA had grown to become the third largest waste hauler amidst all this internal turmoil. Its territory stretched from Boston, Massachusetts, all the way to California. By 1976, the company's sales were $660,000,000, including all of its subsidiaries. SCA's fleet of garbage trucks had swelled to 1,800 in 90 cities. It had 39 landfills, 100 municipal contracts, 110,000 commercial accounts and 100,000 dumpsters.  SCA's data center in Somerville, MA provided information technology ("IT") services to its haulers, many of which had no IT capability prior to acquisition by SCA in the 1980s.

Hazardous Waste Activities
SCA had begun to diversify into the world of hazardous wastes. It owned sites in five states. One of these dumps in Niagara Falls, New York, near the infamous Love Canal site, became a local terror. Lagoons of industrial waste would emerge during rainstorms, and highway officials reported of numerous explosions and fires. A 1976 incident was described as sending flames and exploding drums 80 feet in the air. Continued public protest made SCA prefer incineration of toxic wastes to landfill burial. These efforts appeared to pay off when President Carter banned hazardous waste burial, but the Reagan administration quickly reversed these policies.

The Fall Of SCA
The company's criminal connections would become known after the murder of several independent contractors who had challenged SCA in New Jersey. Immediately afterwards, the towns reverted to SCA's services. In response to these accusations, SCA tried to dispose of all of its New Jersey operations, but couldn't find a buyer. Due to the numerous troubles that Tom Viola had gotten the company into, he resigned in 1981. Viola was replaced by a far more reputable business leader, Henry Russell. In one of the strangest alliances in the company's history, SCA joined the Environmental Defense Fund to reinstate the ban of hazardous waste dumping. But these moves just forestalled SCA's inevitable demise.

BFI Vs. Waste Management
Houston based Browning-Ferris Industries attempted to swallow the company whole in 1982. Many inside the company questioned if this would work. SCA had rejected an offer by Waste Management in 1977, and this was no different. What would have amounted to an $210 million deal, was rejected by the company. Canadian waste hauler Laidlaw was going to purchase SCA, but the various scandals and criminal connections that the company had deterred the company from pursuing mergers. Through a subsidiary, 60 percent of SCA was purchased by Waste Management, Inc.

Sources
"Giants Of Garbage" By Harold Crooks, 1988.
https://www.nytimes.com/1982/01/23/business/sca-services-inc-reports-earnings-for-qtr-to-dec-31.html
https://www.nytimes.com/1984/06/23/business/sca-studying-merger-proposals.html

Corporate scandals
Waste management companies of the United States
Companies based in Boston
American companies established in 1970
Waste companies established in 1970
American companies disestablished in 1984
Defunct companies based in Massachusetts
1970 establishments in Massachusetts
1984 disestablishments in Massachusetts

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