Evaluation of Alternative Systems

Life cycle cost analysis is the proper tool for evaluation of alternative systems (11,12). The total cost of a system, including energy cost, maintenance cost, interest, cash flow, equipment replacement and/or salvage value, taxes, inflation, and energy cost escalation, can be estimated over the useflE life of each alternative system. A Hst of life cycle cost items which may be considered for each system is presented in Tables 3 and 4. Reference 14 presents a cash flow analysis which also includes factors such as energy cost escalation. 

COMPOSING ALTERNATIVES FOR COMPARISON. Table 8.6 presents a sample guide table for preparing one s own comparison of digital integration alternatives. This is a quasi-objective comparison method which can help in evaluation of alternative systems. Obviously different factors are important under different circumstances. Some factors, such as the requirement for the employment of external consultants, might be considered as negatives in... 

The State of California Department of Health Services, Alternative Technology Section, is presently conducting an economic and performance evaluation of this system. Data from this study will be presented at the conference session. 

The cartridge-tubular type, such as the Powdex system, uses smaller amounts of disposable resins, eliminating the need for regeneration. The Powdex sy stem uses cation resin in the ammonium form. Because of the many considerations involved, an evaluation of alternate types should be made before a system is selected for any given installation. 

The Forest Service Manual defines IPM as "a systematic decisionmaking process and the resultant management actions which derive from considerations of pest-host systems and evaluation of alternatives for managing pest populations at levels consistent with resource management objectives." In other words, IPM consists of two basic elements the decisionmaking process and the action program. 

From the view point of the assessment, the quality of an HPLC separation in response to changes in different system variables, such as the stationary phase particle diameter, the column configuration, the flow rate, or mobile phase composition, or alternatively, changes in a solute variable such as the molecular size, net charge, charge anisotropy, or hydrophobic cluster distribution of a protein, can be based on evaluation of the system peak capacity (PC) in the analytical modes of HPLC separations and the system productivity (Peff) parameters in terms of bioactive mass recovered throughput per unit time at a specified purity level and operational cost structure. The system peak capacity PC depends on the relative selectivity and the bandwidth, and can be defined as... 

Low permeable compounds always create serious formulation problems, whether it is due to the physicochemis-try or due to active transport systems. For both the CaCo-2 model provides useful information. However, the crucial question at this stage is to sort out in view of the evaluation of alternative routes whether the observed low bioavailability is due to metabolism or low permeability or due to both. 

NRC. 2001. Evaluation of Alternative Technologies for Disposal of Liquid Wastes from the Explosive Destruction System. Washington, D.C. National Academy Press. 

The third step in a decision support systems use effort starts with evaluation and comparison of alternatives, using the information gained by analysis. Subsequently, one or more alternatives are selected and a plan for their implementation is designed. Thus, an MBMS must provide models for interpretation, including evaluation, of alternatives. 

It is important to note that there is a clear and distinct difference between the refinement of individual dtematives, or optimization step of analysis, and the evaluation and interpretation of the sets of refined alternatives that result from the analysis step. In some few cases, refinement or optimization of individual alternative decision policies may not be needed in the analysis step. More than one alternative course of action or decision must be available if there is but a single policy alternative, then there really is no decision to be taken at aU. Evaluation of alternatives is always needed. It is especially important to avoid a large number of cognitive biases in evaluation and decision making. Clearly, the efforts involved in the interpretation step of evaluation and decision making interact most strongly with the efforts in the other steps of the systems process. A number of methods for evaluation and choice making are of importance. A few wUl be described briefly here. 

Some ftirther research activities can be related to the use of some (heuristic) algorithms to speed up the optimmn search, such as those proposed in (Lisniansky and Levitin 2003 Taboada et al. 2008). Furthermore, alternative performance metrics for a performa-bility evaluation of the system can be investigated, such as the call set-up delay, and a variable service demand level can be considered. 

Very little real analysis is completed during the concept phase because analysis detail and data are generally not available. A preliminary risk assessment code (RAC) is determined, however, as part of the preliminary hazard list. This initial RAC is used to aid in determining the initial scope of the system safety effort and in the early evaluation of alternative designs and approaches. 

Power conversion cycle. Preliminary work on the power conversion cycle has been completed, but a detailed evaluation of alternative designs is required. Included within the power cycle activities are the associated heat exchangers and related system components. 

We present results of theoretical calculations based mainly on semiempirical (INDO) quantum chemical electronic structure calculations, and in one ease (Section 2.44.4.3), on large-scale MD simulations. The spectroscopic Hamiltonian (INDO/s) parametrized by Zemer and co-workers for systems including both organic and transition M-based moieties, is very useful for treating electronic properties of TMCs, including evaluation of Alternatively, the method... 

The systems analysis and control has the task to monitor and manage all the aspects throughout the design process, that are needed for the technical analysis and the quantitative evaluation of alternatives (decisions made, requirements, risks, and others). 

---