Warsaw Uprising Essay Example for Free

Warsaw Uprising Essay It all started on August the 1st. The Warsaw Uprising was in fact the largest single operation conducted by a partisan organization during 2nd world war. The Warsaw UPRISING was actually a struggle of the Polish armed struggle in order to liberate Warsaw and its 1,000,000 people from the German pursuit when the Soviet army was entering the city limits from the east.   The 378,000 Polish armed people augmented by 2,000-strong nationalist and communist units in the beginning controlled a major part of Warsaws left bank. Later, with the German determination for a complete invasion on all the installation as well as the military checkpoints, the Warsaw Uprising ended after 63 days of effort killing more then fifteen thousand people dead and 5,000 wounded in addition to 200,000 Polish civilians who also died during this whole process where the entire city was devastated. On the other hand German lost its 16,000 lives and 9,000 wounded. (Krall, Hanna. 1986) United State and British army had already landed in Normandy and the Red Army had entered through the Eastern front into the city of Warsaw. Ever since the start of the Nazi occupation the locals had been planning for a complete underground attack, and on 1st August 1944 the order was ultimately given by General Bor Komorowski for the forces of the Armia Krajowa (AK) get the Warsaw back from the Germans, which was been occupied since 4 years. In Warsaw the polish army was commanded by General Antoni ChruÅ›ciel, codename Monter initially. Under his command the polish insurgents came out on the street to fight the Germans. The Germans were prepared fortified forces, and they had been on full alert; however the polish youth who initiated the insurgency were inexperienced Polish youths had to attack an experienced, fully equipped enemy in daylight. Realizing the fact of being weak the polish commander requested the British Army for help. British army was already helping the locals against the Russians and Germans in a lot of other areas of USSR. British helped the polish but were not on their priority list. Despite their help was very small but that made a difference in their regime as it has a great psychotically affect on the German army. Americans also sent the help to polish but it was too very late like in mid of September In some parts they succeeded and in some partisans had to retreat. The attacks on the major installations like airbase and radio stations were all repulsed. The first attack is the most crucial step, was thus only partially achieved as the city was largely in control of insurgents, however within there were still a lot of fortified pockets of German army. The first day at war, ended with a lot of casualties from both sides. (Ciborowski, 1962) The fight went on for four continuous days and till 4th, Srodmiescie was largely in Polish hands. Germans had to retreat from Ã…Å¡rà ³dmieÅ›cie-PowiÅ›le-Starà ³wka-Wola region, the Zyrardow region, and the Mokotow. The polish was out of supplies thus General Komorowski asked the British and Americans to send them with ammunition and air support. The aid began and the city was largely in control   Polish fighter pilots flying from bases on the Apula (Italy) started shelling over Warsaw. Those pilots had to return to Italy, however the Soviets denied them permission to use there bases. First determined fighting by the Germans came out on 5th of August. The thrust came from the Wola region, and after three days of intense fighting, the 5000 Wehrmacht soldiers succeeded in dividing the part of the ARMIA KRAJOWA defense which was the most important area of polish insurgency, which comprised of about 2000 unequipped soldiers.   (J. Kirchmayer Powstanie Warszawskie†) Simultaneously, the other German failed in Mokotow-Ochota region. The insurgents were successful in protecting the Ã…Å¡rà ³dmieÅ›cie for over a week, staving off an early fall down of the armed effort. The Germans were able to make only limited movement. During August 8, Stalin ordered to delay militant actions close to Warsaw. He denied any allied transport air aid to land on Soviet airfields which practically denied helping the uprising by airdropping the supplies, as the nearest airport were located in England and Italy. By August 10th, however, the ARMIA KRAJOWA leadership knew the result of the Soviet-German war. They knew that they would not be able to combat the insurgents. As a result they started to expel their rage on the civilians. That activity changed the war into dirty struggle where a lot of innocent people were executed. The polish insurgents were very determent to be liberated. After the fall of Wola, the German army concentrated all their army on the Stare Miasto region. That area was considered to be most insurgent region, having bridges conceiting it to Vistula. The attack came on the 12th of August, and after heavy fighting, the Poles were forced to retreat, evacuating from old Jewish ghetto.   While the German retreat they had to face insurgency thus making the Germans to divert some troops from the main thrust to deal with this new event. Polish requested the British for air aid. Thus ARMIA KRAJOWA units were sent to help the insurgents The insurgents became successful in drawing some of the German forces from the Warsaw. (T. Bà ³r-Komorowski Armia Podziemna) Powisle was conquered by the Germans on 6th of September, pacifying defenseless civilians. On September 11th 47th Soviet army conquered the Prague. The Bach regiment was ordered to fully shut off the partisans from the Vistula with help of German air force and the 9th Armored Division. Red Army resumes its fight towards Warsaw. German and Russian airplanes engage in dog fights over the city. Soviet artillery shells German positions in Praga, Saxon Garden and Okenche air base. The German offensive became successful in narrowing the positions of insurgents to only a small piece of land near the Wilanowska Zagà ³rna streets. On 10th September the Red Army ordered the Marshal Konstantin Rokossovy, to enter the city however they met heavy resistance. After five days of struggle the Soviet forces were able to capture the right bank of the city. Rokossovy then restricted his army from further fight and waited for reinforcements. On 15th of September, when the uprising was already on the edge of disaster, a mass air-drop was possible. However to their dismay the air drop was mostly been acquired by the insurgents instead of the Germans. Even they captured the arms and ammunition. That affected the Germans position in the region diversely. (Adler, Stanislaw, 1982) For three consecutive nights, 1,600 soldiers from Berlings army cross the Vistula and join insurgents in the Czerniakow district. The tried landing in September 17th to 18th in the district fails with most of the 1,050 people executed or captured. On 20th of September germen army did some strategic changes to fight western allies along with the polish insurgents. The complete force, renamed the Warsaw Home Army Corps (Warszawski Korpus Armii Krajowej) and commanded by General Antoni ChruÅ›ciel   Heavy fighting in Czerniakow continues till September 23rd. Some defenders left across the river, others reach the City Center. Germans killed all captured insurgents and take Berlings soldiers as prisoners of war. (A. Borkiewicz Powstanie Warszawskie 1944†) On 16th Germans with help of the 9th army targeted the bridges followed by attack on Mokotà ³w, and taken over Makotow on 27th of September On 30th September the 19th Armored Division supported by Bach regiment attacked Ã… »oliborz, and captured it. This all resulted in hunger, the lack of arms, ammunition and medical help, therefore ARMIA KRAJOWA started negotiating with Bach. The Polish Red Cross negotiated with Bach-Zelewski the act of act of surrender was signed by both parties on October 2, 1944 and. 20,000 Armia Krojowa soldiers   were held as prisoners of war by Germans. The civilian were allowed to    References: A. Borkiewicz Powstanie Warszawskie 1944 Adler, Stanislaw. In the Warsaw Ghetto: 1940-1943: An Account of an Eyewitness. Jerusalem: Yad Vashem, 1982. Ciborowski, Adolf and Stanislaw Jankowski. Warsaw Rebuilt. Warsaw: Polonia Publishing House, 1962. J. Kirchmayer Powstanie Warszawskie T. Bà ³r-Komorowski Armia Podziemna Krall, Hanna. Shielding the Flame: An Intimate Conversation with Dr. Marek Edelman, the Last Surviving Leader of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. New York: Holt, 1986.

The power of music

The power of music The Power of Music Music surrounds us in our everyday lives. We hear it when we are in the car, at work, when we are shopping, at restaurants, at doctors offices, and many more places. The music serves a purpose other than entertainment at many of these places.   Music has the power to influence mood and behavior in people and it is no secret that it is used at every available opportunity. We are introduced to music in our mothers womb even before we are born. It is used to sooth, to hype up, to educate, for entertainment, as a medium to remember information, for medical purposes, and so much more. Music is used in many ways to improve and enhance the lives of people. It is meant to be consumed, whether it is by the listener, performer, or composer. It is a way to translate feelings and desires that are sometimes difficult to express using language. The style of music has changed dramatically throughout the ages. For instance, there are six main eras in music history. The Middle Ages, Renaissance, Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and Twentieth Century. The music in these eras reflects the time period. Music has been and always will be a popular form of entertainment for many. The dictionary defines music as an art of sound in time that expresses ideas and emotions in significant forms through the elements of rhythm, melody, harmony, and color(Dictionary). Music has the ability and power to influence human thoughts and behaviors. Employers and retail stores use the power of music to produce a desired behavior from their employees and customers. For example, according to The Journal of Marketing, background music is thought to improve the stores image, make employees happier, reduce employee turnover rate, and to stimulate customer purchasing (Milliman). Does music actually influence mood and behavior? What is it about music that affects mood? According to an article in the Music Educators Journal, volume, tempo, consonance, dissonance, tone color and form all may have an effect on a persons mood (Gaston). It is not just the music itself that has an effect on people; the lyrics of a song can also have an effect. Many people are concerned that music with violent or derogatory lyrics may have a negative effect on youth and provoke violent behavior. Many researchers have examined the effects of how music provokes violent behavior. In a study conducted at Western Connecticut State University researchers examined whether or not watching a violent music video would provoke the participants to answer questions with violent responses. There were thirty-three participants, eleven in each of three groups; one group watched violent music videos, another group watched non-violent music videos, and the last group did not watch any videos. Afterw ard, the participants were given a questionnaire. The study found that the violent music videos did provoke participants to react more violently when answering questions about hypothetical scenarios (Tropeano). People are introduced to music even before they are born. According to an article in Pregnancy Today, by the fifth month of pregnancy the babys hearing is completely developed and they are able to hear noises that are outside the womb. Prenatal stimulation through music may provide some babies with a sense of confidence and relaxation when they are born (Lacey). In 1993 a study was conducted in Irvine, California by Dr. Francis Raucher, Dr. Gordon L. Shaw, and their colleagues on a group of thirty-six undergraduate college students it was found that they improved their spatial-temporal intelligence (the ability to mentally manipulate objects in three-dimensional space) after listening to 10 minutes of a Mozart sonata. The results of the study showed that student IQ scores improved by 8-9 points and lasted for 10-15 minutes. This study was coined the Mozart effect (Jones). Music is sometimes used to relax and soothe people. After a stressful event, listening to calming or classical music relaxes the body and mind. Music can also induce a more positive state of mind. It has long been believed that music can also act as an aphrodisiac (an element, either natural or chemical, that stimulates a sexual desire). Human senses are powerful and can trigger emotion. The type of music depends on the person. Music triggers different emotions in different people. What one person enjoys and is stimulated by could disgust and upset someone else. Many people use music as a way to get pumped up. Gyms usually play music with a faster tempo to increase speed and motivation. According to a study on musical tempo an increased tempo increased the speed in which people preformed simple tasks. It also affected the participants in the study by acting as a stressor and increasing their heart rate. When the tempo of the music was reduced the heart rate decreased (Mayfield). Music with a fast tempo and stimulates and demands physical activity. Music therapy is growing in the field of medicine. Its calming effects can help reduce anxiety and ward off the negative effects of stress (Stress and the Environment). This can help by reducing the negative effect t the stress response has on the body and mind. Music is used for medical purposes such as lowering blood pressure and autism. In an Italian study twenty-eight peoples blood pressure was monitored for twenty-four hours. They were then given a CD of classical, Celtic, or Indian music to listen to for thirty minutes per day for one month. After the month the patients blood pressure was monitored once again. The patients blood pressure did in fact drop. Their average systolic blood pressure (the first number in a blood pressure reading) had dropped three points, and their average diastolic blood pressure (the second number in a blood pressure reading) had dropped four points. There were twenty other patients who did not listen to music and after monitoring their blood pressu re, there was no change (Hitti). Children who have been diagnosed with autism receive many benefits from music therapy. Depending on where children are placed on the autism spectrum music can assist with communication and provide structural regularity that the children need (downey). We have seen that music is used for healing but what about as a weapon of war? In 1989, music used as a weapon to torture first came into light. U.S. Troops blared loud music in an effort to induce the surrender of Manual Norriega, the Panamanian president. According to an article written by Suzanne G. Cusick this form of torture, called acoustic bombardment went mainstream after the cold war and is a common practice on the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan in Operation Enduring Freedom (Cusick). The US also used this acoustic bombardment during interrogations in Guantanamo (Rapp). What is it about music that has such a profound effect on the human mind and body? Research has shown that music with a strong beat can stimulate brain waves to sync with the beat. The fast beat encourages sharper thinking and better concentration whereas the slower beat creates a relaxed almost meditative state. Music can also stimulate the brain to change gears easier. It effects remain evident even when you are done listening (Saarman). Using music to advertise is a good way to for a company to get the attention of a potential client or customer and for them to purchase the product or service that they are offering. Jingles are often easier for people to remember than just plain information. Many companies use popular artists or songs as a medium to advertise their products. One such company is Dr. Pepper. Their advertisements feature popular songs in hopes of getting the attention and marketing to the specific demographic associated with the song. By using music in advertising the company wants the listener to associate the song or tune with the product or service so when they hear the song they will think of the product or service. This is a great way for people to remember what they are selling. Religion uses music as a means to express ones faith and devotion. Johann Sebastian Bach, one of the worlds most famous and influential composers, wrote most of his music for the Lutheran church. Modern Christian songs are derived from popular music tunes and uses religious lyrics. According to an article written by Lorenzo Candelaria who is an assistant music professor at the University of Texas at Austin, Sacred music and art allow us to touch the face of God, through our perception of the world around us.' He believes that music is a way for people to understand their faith and spirituality and is a direct way for people to try to make sense of life and the afterlife (Moini). Music is sometimes used solely for entertainment purposes and accompanies many group and individual activities. Must is played in places such as dance clubs and skating rinks and produces a feeling of power. Faster music will control the speed at which you skate or dance or put you in the mood to do any of these activities.   Music is almost always used in movies. It can used to produce the feeling of suspense or excitement. It is used in tear-jerkers to solicit an emotional response of empathy. As you can see music has been and will always be woven into the fabric of our society. There are many uses for music and it has many hidden meaning and uses. Who knew that music was such a powerful tool and could have so many effects on the human body and mind? Its power spans from entertainment and fun to the ability to heal, reducing stress, creating a desired atmosphere for shoppers and employees, and so much more. What does the future of music hold for us?

What Are The Mechanisms Of Ozone Depletion Environmental Sciences Essay

What Are The Mechanisms Of Ozone Depletion Environmental Sciences Essay The mechanism of global warming can be described by the Greenhouse effect; by which, solar radiation enters through the Earths atmosphere and is retained, resulting in increased temperatures. Solar radiation entering the Earths atmosphere is partially absorbed by the Earths surface and partially re-radiated back into space. However, having lost energy to the Earths surface, the infrared radiation is of an increased wavelength and is consequently absorbed by certain gasses (greenhouse gasses) in the Earths atmosphere. This results in the radiation being recycled within the Earths atmosphere, leading to an increased average temperature of the Earths near surface air and oceans. Ozone depletion is a result of the catalysed reactions between ozone and atomic chlorine or bromine. Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC) and bromofluorocarbons have the greatest ozone depleting potential as they form atomic chlorine and bromine upon photodissociation. Carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide can be considered to have the greatest global warming potential due to their abundance. From these gasses, nitrous oxide is 310 times more effective in absorbing radiation than carbon dioxide, and methane is 21 times more effective than carbon dioxide. What is the difference between winter and summer smog? Explain the mechanism by which they are generated. Winter and summer smog can be differentiated by their constituents and thus their environmental impacts. Winter smog is made up of sulphur dioxide, partially oxidised organics and particulate matter (PM), the concentrations of which are typically increased in winter months due to increased heating from sulphur rich fossil fuels such as coal and oil. It is also referred to as reducing smog. These pollutants can affect the respiratory system and form secondary pollutants. Sulphur dioxide can form acid rain from oxidation catalysed by PM or free radicals of oxygen and nitrogen. Summer, or photochemical smog, tends to occur as a result of increased nitrogen oxides or hydrocarbon concentrations in the atmosphere due to exhausts from internal combustion engines. Nitrogen oxides can be broken down by sunlight to form radicals causing low level ozone formation, nitric acid, peroxides, aldehydes and ketones. Both types of smog are more likely to form in cities and as a result of lack of wind. The lack of air movement can result in a temperature inversion which causes a layer of still warm air to cover a layer of cool air, trapping any pollutants below the warm layer near ground level. What is the difference between stratospheric and tropospheric ozone? Explain the role of NOx in the generation of tropospheric ozone. The ozone layer typically occurs in the stratosphere and is naturally formed and decomposed from the reactions between oxygen and oxygen free radicals which are formed from the decomposition of oxygen by ultraviolet light. The stratosphere is typically located from around 20 to 50 km above the Earths surface. The occurrence of ozone at this level helps absorb harmful ultraviolet light. Tropospheric ozone refers to ozone occurring in the troposphere (up to 12 km above the Earths surface). Ozone at this level can be poisonous and also acts as a greenhouse gas with a heat trapping effectiveness of 2000 times greater than CO2. The breakdown of nitrogen dioxide by ultraviolet light can lead to the formation of oxygen free radicals. NO2 = NO + O* O* + O2 = O3 Describe the mechanisms for acid rain and eutrophication, respectively. What are the effects of these two environmental impacts? Acid rain is primarily formed from SOx and NOx. Sulphur oxides are oxidised in the presence of ultraviolet light to form sulphur trioxide gas, through reacting with water, this can then form acid rain in the form of sulphurous acid and/or sulphuric acid. Nitrogen oxides are oxidised to nitrogen dioxide which may then lead to the reaction between water and nitrogen dioxide allowing for the formation of nitric and nitrous acid. Acid rain can effect vegetation, lakes and rivers, buildings and human health. Eutrophication is the process that occurs due to excessive growth of habitats to an extent where the growth becomes destructive to the environment. Use of artificial fertilisers from farming leads to increased levels of nitrates and phosphates accumulating in lakes and rivers. The nitrates and phosphates are nutrients that increase the growth of plants and algae. When these plants and algae die they can decompose aerobically to form carbon dioxide and water. With excessive decomposition, oxygen will be depleted and anaerobic decomposition will occur, leading to formation of hydrides such as ammonia and hydrogen sulphide. More species will die due to poisoning caused by the hydrides and may eventually lead to the death of the entire habitat. Which of the above environmental impacts do nitrogen oxides contribute to? Explain how. Nitrogen oxides contribute to the formation of acid rain either in the form of nitric or nitrous acid. Upon absorbing ultraviolet light nitrogen dioxide breaks down to form nitrogen oxide and oxygen radicals. These radicals can combine with water to form hydroxyl radicals which may then react with nitrogen oxide to form nitric acid. Air pollution prevention and control What options exist for the prevention and clean-up of acid gas emissions? Emissions of nitrogen oxides can potentially lead to the formation of acid rain, with several options available for its prevention and clean-up. These primarily include selective catalytic reduction (SCR), non-selective catalytic reduction (NSCR), and selective non-catalytic reduction (SNCR). The power industry uses SCR for post-combustion NOx clean up and/or low NOx burners and SNCR for prevention of NOx formation in the combustion stage. SCR involves reacting ammonia or urea with NOx over vanadium oxide catalysts in a temperature range of 300 to 400  °C and can remove up to 95 % of NOx. SNCR involves injecting ammonia/urea in the furnace at temperatures of 900 to 1100  °C, with a removal efficiency of only around 30 %. Non-selective catalytic reduction removes NOx in a method analgous to the three-way catalytic converter used in the automotive industry. This is typically applied in the chemical industries. Sulphur oxides can also lead to acid rain. Flue gas desulphurisation (FGD) plant involves scrubbing the gasses to remove sulphur oxides. For example, limestone scrubbing is one method of FGD, which converts sulphur oxides into calcium sulphate dihydrate (gypsum). Which stages in the life cycle of an installation must be considered within the IPPC Directive? All stages of the life cycle should be considered; i.e. from cradle to grave. In order to provide an integrated approach, no stage can be left out, and a full assessment of the environmental, social and economic impacts should be carried out for the raw materials, processing, storage and transportation stages involved. Which industrial sectors are regulated by the IPPC Directive? Why do you think these sectors have been included under the IPPC Directive? The industries covered by the IPPC directive include: Energy Production Refineries Production Processing of Metals Production of Cement Lime Activities involving Asbestos Glass, Glass Fibre and other Mineral Fibre Manufacture Ceramic Production Organic Inorganic Chemical Production Fertiliser Biocide Manufacture Pharmaceutical Manufacture Explosives Manufacture Storage of Bulk Chemicals Incineration Landfill Paper Manufacture Tar Bitumen Processes Coating, Printing and Textile Activities Dye, Ink and Coating Material Manufacture Timber Activities Rubber Activities Processing of Food; and Intensive Farming. These sectors have been included under the Directive due to the requirement of controlling and limiting the environmental impact these industries can have during the manufacturing process of their relevant products. Case study: Identifying BAT for the prevention and control of NOx emissions Nitric acid manufacture What influences the yield of nitric acid? Why is it important to maximise its yield? The yield of nitric acid is effected by: The efficiency of the catalytic oxidation of ammonia to nitrogen monoxide The efficiency of the oxidation of nitrogen monoxide to nitrogen dioxide The absorption of nitrogen dioxide in water to produce nitric acid Maximising its yield allows for an efficient production; thus generating more nitric acid at the same operating costs to achieve larger profits. Maximising yield means minimising unreacted nitrogen oxide which is consequently released to atmosphere. Why are the reaction (6) and the reverse of reaction (4) undesirable in this process? The reverse of reaction 4 results in a lower NO2 yield as the reaction will tend towards the NO and O2 through a shift in equilibrium to the reactants. As the absorption of NO2 is limited by NO2 concentration, it is desirable to ensure the forward reaction in reaction 4 occurs in order to maximise HNO3 yield. In addition to this, the occurrence of a reverse reaction (4) in which NO is formed allows for the possibility of nitrous acid formation (reaction 6). Again this is undesirable as NO2 is consumed in producing an unwanted product, consequently leading to a lower NO2 concentration and lower HNO3 yields. In addition to NOx and N2O emissions, what other releases to air, water and land can be expected from nitric acid manufacture? What environmental impacts can these releases cause? Carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels for energy requirements and transportation should be accounted for, as well as ammonia, nitric acid, nitrous acid leakages. Pollution prevention and control of NOx emissions Pollution prevention: Process design and operation The efficiency of NO2 absorption to produce HNO3 can be increased further by increasing pressure. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of pressurised systems in terms of their technical complexity, environmental impacts (including noise) and economic costs. As stated, the main advantage of a pressurised system is the improved absorption of NO2 to produce HNO3, this results in less NO2 being released to the atmosphere. However, pressurised systems require a more complex design as a result of the serious safety considerations associated with them. Failure of pressurised systems can lead to death or injury of workers on-site as well as the release of NO2 to atmosphere. Pressurised systems would require increased compression and pumping duties, contributing to increased noise pollution, operating costs and maintenance costs. The absorption column may not have been designed for higher pressures, i.e. materials of construction, column thickness, and column closures may not be suitable, and thus changes would have to be made, resulting in increased capital costs. These costs must be compared with the improved nitric acid yield in order to fully asses this option. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of supplying pure oxygen instead of air for oxidation of NO in the HNO3 absorption tower. Address the following issues: What are the advantages of using pure oxygen instead of air in terms of oxidation efficiency, gas flowrates, column volume etc? Using pure oxygen rather than air (21% oxygen, 79% nitrogen), allows for the volumetric gas flowrate of this stream to be reduced by 79% due to the elimination of nitrogen. This results in an improved oxidation efficiency, allowing more NO2 to be formed by reducing the amount of NO. The reduced gas flowrate results in a reduced column volume, assuming a constant gas hourly space velocity. Unlike air, oxygen does not come for free it has to be produced by separating nitrogen from air (you may remember this from the last years coursework on Waste Water Treatment within the module Introduction to Sustainable Development). This is usually done in a large scale cryogenic process (separation by cooling). What are the implications of this in the context of IPPC (i.e. taking into account all life cycle stages associated with this process option)? The cryogenic separation of oxygen from air is a highly energy intensive process. The main stages of the process include compression, cooling, and distillation. From a life-cycle perspective, the raw material (air) is free; however, it is the processing stage which incurs the majority of environmental impact. Energy is required in the compression and distillation stages of the process, thus, assuming energy is obtained from fossil fuel sources, greenhouse gas emissions become a concern. Further to this, the requirement of refrigeration may have environmental impacts depending on the refrigerant used. Transportation of the oxygen to the nitric acid plant may have potential impacts; however, in comparison to the processing stage, any environmental impacts are likely to be relatively small. Therefore the production of oxygen does have an environmental impact to an extent; however, the IPPC does not apply to this industry, so due to the lack of IPPC regulation in the sector inefficiencie s or environmental concerns may indirectly effect the nitric acid manufacturing process. The key concern of using pure oxygen is the additional cost. Pollution prevention: Extended absorption Explain the idea behind extended absorption. What is the link between the number of transfer units (NTU) in the HNO3 absorption tower and the NOx emissions? Extended absorption (EA) allows for any unreacted nitrogen dioxide to be absorbed in a second tower, thus increasing nitric acid production and reducing NOx emissions. Oxygen can also be injected to oxidise any nitrogen monoxide so that it can be absorbed in the new absorption column. An increase in NTU in the HNO3 absorption tower results in lower NOx emissions. How would you calculate the required height of the absorption column to increase the HNO3 production yield and reduce the emissions of NOx from the manufacture of nitric acid? What information and data would you need to do that? (See the Appendix.) In order to calculate the required height of the absorption column, the NTU must be calculated. This requires the gas mole fraction at the top of the column (yT) and at the bottom (yB). The gradient of the operating line, R is also required, this is obtained from the equilibrium of the operating line, the molar gas flowrate, and the molar liquid flowrate per unit tower area. This value is then multiplied by the height of a transfer unit which is given by: Where G is the molar gas flowrate per unit tower area, ky is the overall mass transfer coefficient, and a is the interfacial area per unit packed volume. Height = HTU x NTU Pollution control: Absorption in sodium hydroxide IPPC requires consideration of wider impacts of an activity, which means consideration of a number of life cycle stages of a process. In the case of NOx scrubbing by sodium hydroxide, what parts of the life cycle must be included for BAT assessment? Analysing this system, explain why absorption of NOx in NaOH is unlikely to represent BAT. All stages of the life cycle must be considered for a through and exhaustive analysis of BAT assessment. The final stage of the life-cycle for the sodium hydroxide scrubbing option is a key concern. The disposal of the sodium nitrite-nitrate effluent is a key concern. If no suitable disposal or recycle method can be identified for the effluent, then along with the increased costs incurred from NaOH feedstock and increased pumping, this option does not represent BAT. Pollution control: Non-selective catalytic reduction (NSCR) Non-selective catalytic reduction (NSCR) is quite efficient in reducing the emissions of NOx from the manufacture of nitric acid. However, it also generates additional environmental impacts. Identify these impacts for hydrogen and natural gas as reducing agents, respectively, and explain the origin of these impacts. The requirement of a reducing agent such as hydrogen and natural gas has significant environmental implications. Hydrogen is likely to have been produced from steam reforming of fossil fuels, and natural gas is a fossil fuel, therefore, consideration should be given to the process of extracting the fossil fuel, transporting it and processing it. In the case of hydrogen, the processing stage is likely to be a key concern as it is an energy intensive process which results in further emissions and additional environmental impacts. For example, steam reforming of methane to produce hydrogen and carbon monoxide is an endothermic reaction requiring heat generated often from burning fossil fuels. However, using methane as a reducing agent leads to the formation of CO2 in the process. Calculate the amount of carbon dioxide in t/yr generated in the NSCR process which removes 1.5 t NO2/day from the nitric acid tail gas using natural gas. Calculate the potential for global warming from these CO2 emissions. Compare that with the global warming avoided by the removal of the equivalent amount of N2O per day from the same tail gas. What do you conclude? 2CH4 + O2 + 2NO2 +2N2O = 2CO2 + 4H2O + 3N2 Mass of NO2 = 1500 kg/day Molecular Weight of NO2 = 46.01 kg/mol Moles of NO2 = 32.60 kmol/day Moles of CO2 = (2/2) * Moles of NO2 = 32.60 kmol/day Molecular Weight of CO2 = 44.01 kg/kmol Mass of CO2 = 1.4 t CO2/day Assuming that the plant is operational for 365 days per year, the annual amount of carbon dioxide generated by the NSCR process can be estimated as 524 tonnes per year. N2O has a heat trapping effectiveness of 150 times that of CO2; thus the saving made by converting N2O to CO2 is substantial with regards to global warming potential. The N2O produced would be equivalent to 78,551 tonnes of CO2 per year. Use the example in the previous question to calculate the equivalent acidification impact that would be avoided by the removal of NOx with the NSCR process. Compare this avoided impact with global warming generated through the use of natural gas to remove the NOx. What do you conclude? How should we approach situations like these, where reducing one environmental impact causes another? The classification factor for NOx is estimated as 0.7 kg/kg. Therefore acidification savings can be estimated as 1050 kg/day which is equivalent to 383 tonnes per year. In comparison to the 524 tonnes of CO2 produced per year, it can be noted that the reduction of the acidification impact does not outweigh the CO2 produced in the process. Pollution control: Selective catalytic reduction (SCR) What are the main environmental and safety concerns associated with the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) process? SCR typically uses ammonia or urea to catalytically convert nitrogen oxides to molecular nitrogen and water; however, the production of these reactants have key environmental considerations. Ammonia production typically involves steam reforming of a hydrocarbon feedstock such as natural gas or naphtha. Thus, fossil fuel depletion and the issues surrounding fossil fuel extraction, transportation and processing are all key sustainability concerns. However, ammonia produced from naphtha would be more of a concern than ammonia produced from natural gas due to the additional refining process from which it is produced. Ammonia production also involves the emission of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas. Gas preheating also has an impact on energy requirements and thus greenhouse gas emissions. On-site ammonia or urea storage would be required; any leakages of ammonia could prove fatal as it is toxic upon inhalation. Catalyst disposal may also have various environmental impacts depending on the toxicity of the used catalyst. Why is it important to minimise ammonia slip from the SCR process for NOx control? The occurrence of ammonia slip results in inefficient use of feedstock. Costs can be notably reduced by ensuring minimum ammonia slip throughout operation. Ammonia may also react with other compounds to form unwanted products. For example, ammonium bisulphate formation in power industry often results in damage to air heaters. Therefore, this should be further investigated for the application of nitric acid production to ensure any unwanted compounds are not formed. Further to this, as ammonia is toxic, any ammonia slip would result in release to atmosphere; therefore potential health concerns exist. Balancing environmental and economic costs What would be your answer to the above question on the comparison between SCR and NSCR? From table 2, it is evident that SCR can provide an improved NOx removal (exit level of 100 ppm) in comparison to NSCR (205 PPM); however, SCRs failure to remove N2O may be a key concern when compared to NSCR which does remove the compound. However, unlike NSCR, SCR does not result in significant CO2 emissions. The economics of both options demonstrate that when combined with EA, NSCR is significantly more expensive than SCR and only provides an improvement of 0.3 %. Therefore SCR would be chosen over NSCR. Analyse the data shown in Tables 3 and 4 and make your own choice of BAT for NOx prevention and control. Explain and justify your choice. The significant costs of NSCR in comparison to SCR would result in increased nitric acid prices, to the extent where it would not be profitable to manufacture. The small gains in removal efficiency made using NSCR over SCR with EA do not justify the large difference in price; therefore, the choice of BAT is between EA and EA with SCR. With EA adding a cost  £ 230 per tonne of acid, and EA+SCR adding a cost of  £ 880 per tonne of acid, from an economic perspective it would be most suitable to chose EA due to its high NOx removal of 94.8 %. However, the improved removal efficiency of SCR (98.5%) does allow for an argument to be made for its choice as BAT. With regards to cost, EA+SCR does provide increased costs and lower profits; however, its ability to sufficiently meet IPPC targets cannot be overlooked, thus for this reason, it should be chosen as BAT. The social implications of the pollution prevention and control techniques have not been considered above. Can you identify them for each option? Do the social considerations change your choice of BAT? Both EA and EA+SCR share common social implications such as the construction of new plant absorption column for EA, and a reactor for SCR. This involves construction vehicles travelling through the area, resulting in increased noise pollution. Other social impacts of EA are minimal as an increased compression requirement may result in slightly increased noise pollution. If energy is generated on-site for the compressors, then higher greenhouse gas emissions may be a concern. With regards to SCR, ammonia slip is a key concern, as the gas is toxic when inhaled. Further to this, the energy required for gas pre-heating also contributes to increased greenhouse gas emissions. Overall the EA option proves more suitable in terms of reducing social impacts and so this would be the option for BAT. Choosing BAT Why do you think the company has chosen to consider these two options and not any other described above? Choosing to modify the absorption column in order to operate at higher pressures would be a lot cheaper than employing the extend absorption option which would require the construction of an additional column, thus resulting in increased capital and operational costs. In addition to this, this option would be chosen over the NaOH absorption process, again due to the increased capital costs resulting from an additional absorption tower and the increased operational costs incurred from a NaOH feed. Increasing operating pressure does not have any significant on-site environmental releases/impacts other than an increased compression duty. SCR may have been chosen due to its ease to be retrofitted and its high removal efficiency. In comparison to other options, SCR provides the best performance for NOx removal. Choosing BAT: Environmental considerations Consider the LCA results shown in Figure 5 and answer the following questions: Why do you think the SCR option has higher fossil fuel and ozone depletion than the base case? The requirement of natural gas for the production of ammonia is likely to be the primary cause of increased fossil fuel depletion for SCR. NOx formed during ammonia production may also be a cause of the increased ozone depletion associated with SCR. In addition to this, ammonia slip may result in ammonia being released to atmosphere which then reacts with ammonia to produce ammonium nitrate. The fact that SCR is better for some impacts but worse for the others when compared with the base case makes it more difficult to chose BAT. If you as a plant operator had to choose between these two options, which one would you choose? Justify your choice by discussing the significance of global impacts (such as ozone depletion and fossil fuel depletion) and regional and local impacts (such as acidification and photochemical smog). In comparison to the base case, SCR only has a slightly higher fossil fuel and ozone depletion; whereas other impacts such as acidification and human toxicity are significantly reduced through using SCR. As efficiencies are made in the ammonia production process, SCR could potentially have a reduced impact on fossil fuel depletion. In addition to this, the production of ammonia using energy from renewable sources is also an option to reduce fossil fuel depletion, as well as the ability to generate hydrogen from the electrolysis of water using renewable energy. Based purely on environmental considerations, which process out of the three options (base case, HP and SCR) would you choose as BAT? Explain why. Based only on the environmental considerations, HP demonstrates BAT. In comparison to the base case and SCR, HP has the least environmental impact for fossil fuel depletion, global warming, ozone depletion, acidification, photochemical smog, and human toxicity. Compare now the SCR and HP options in terms of the level of NOx emissions that they can achieve. Which process would you as an operator choose? Why? The HP modification has a removal efficiency of 84%, removing 1202 ppm of NOx; however, SCR has a greater removal efficiency of 93%, removing 1332 ppm of NOx. As the base case plant produces 1432 ppm of NOx per hour, the outlet concentrations for the HP and SCR modifications are 230 ppm and 100 ppm, respectively. SCRs effectiveness in removing NOx is notably greater than that of the HP option; therefore, from an operational point of view, SCR would be chosen. Combine both the environmental impacts and the levels of NOx emission that each option can achieve and make an overall choice of BAT. Justify your choice by taking into account the IPPC principles. Both options satisfy the IPPC principles to a certain extent. However, HP has greater compliance than SCR with the IPPC principles. HP and SCR both provide protection for the environment as a whole by reducing NOx emissions from the nitric acid plant. Although, SCR has improved removal efficiency over HP, the impact of ammonia production fails to demonstrate SCR as the BAT in comparison to HP in this case. HP provides a better case for pollution prevention, by reducing NOx formation throughout the process; whereas SCR demonstrates a case for pollution control. As prevention is preferred to control, HP again provides the better option. In providing a balance between the environment, economics and social impacts, HP provides the better option. Significant reductions in global warming potential, acidification and human toxicity are made through employing HP over SCR, with notable gains in reducing fossil fuel depletion, ozone depletion and photochemical smog. Although SCR demonstrates a n improved NOx removal efficiency, overall, the environmental impact as a whole can be reduced by employing HP modifications. Further to this, the income generated by HP modifications, can contribute to further plant modifications leading to improved process efficiencies. Therefore, considering its wider compliance with IPPC principles HP would be chosen as BAT. Choosing BAT: Socio-economic considerations Choose your preferred NOx prevention or control option considering the internal (MAC) and external costs (MDC) shown Tables 6 and 7. Justify your choice. With regards to the marginal abatement costs (MAC) for NOx emissions, the HP option clearly proves to be the more attractive option due to the savings made ( MAC =  £ -92 per ppm). The surplus energy generated and increase in acid produced leads to improved revenue which consequently reduces the operating cost of the plant. However, SCR increases operating cost by  £ 225 per ppm of NOx removed. In order to asses if SCRs improved removal efficiency can justify such a cost, the marginal damage cost of both options was compared. The results indicate that MDC due to NOx emissions was lower for SCR ( £ 35,770 per year) than for HP ( £ 82,320 per year). However, the MDC fails to consider environmental impacts other than NOx emissions. If costs were considered for the impacts of ammonia production, it is likely that the MDC for SCR would be much higher. Considering this, HP was chosen as the best option. Choosing BAT: The whole picture List all criteria relevant for choosing BAT in the above case study. On the basis of the results obtained, rank the three options in order of their desirability. You may wish to create a ranking table, assigning a number to each technology to indicate the order of preference on a scale from 1-3 (e.g. number 1 indicates the best option and 3 the worst); this ranking should be done for each criterion you have listed. NOx removal efficiency/Marginal Damage Costs SCR HP Base Case Marginal Abatement Costs HP Base Case SCR Life-Cycle Environmental Impacts HP SCR Base Case Compliance with IPPC Principles HP SCR Base Case Identify BAT for the conditions of this case study, assuming that you are Head of Engineering and Technology Division in a company. Justify your choice. Based on the criteria listed in question 1, HP demonstrates the most suitable option for IPPC compliance, reducing overall environmental impacts as well as providing savings in operating costs. Although SCR has a greater NOx removal efficiency, HP is consistently and in some cases significantly better than SCR in reducing environmental impacts such as fossil fuel depletion, global warming, ozone depletion, acidification, photochemical smog, and human toxicity. In addition to this, choosing HP not only reduces the plants environmental impact, but allows for improved energy generation onsite. Therefore, gains in efficiency can be made, reducing reliance on volatile energy prices. The HP option does not require additional feedstock, unlike SCRs ammonia requirement, and is therefore not as directly exposed to price fluctuations. Thus, the option of HP modification is econo

Macbeth And Lord Jim :: essays research papers

Realization of one’s imminent death can drastically change an individual. Knowing that death is imminent can change the way we look at things, and cause us to confess our sins. In Lord Jim by Joseph Conrad and Macbeth by William Shakespeare, the main characters experience this trauma. The instant that Jim jumps from the Patna, his life becomes a series of lies that will tamper with him for the rest of his life. He cannot confess the cowardly act that plagues him incessantly and, thus, he is controlled by his hidden secret. Only when he realizes that he is going to die does Jim face the lie. In parallel, Macbeth also is controlled by a lie. Macbeth’s murder of Duncan ignites a guilt inside of him that can only be confronted before he fights Macduff. Macbeth also needs to face the false promises that the witches gave him. These promises give Macbeth a false sense of security which help lead to his demise. Macbeth, like Jim, is badgered by a singular act that prevents him fr om living an honest life. However, both men are able to redeem themselves prior to their deaths. By confronting the lies and dying with dignity, the two men are able to regain some of their honor. The similarity between the two works emphasizes the effect of lies on the way an individual lives, and further stresses the internal struggle that Jim faced after he had jumped from the Patna. In their respective stories, Jim and Macbeth face the lies that dictated their lives and, consequentially, die with some of the dignity and honor that they had once experienced in their lives. This process is described as each man realizes and confronts his lies, faces the fatal consequences, and eventually dies.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The most significant point in Lord Jim and Macbeth is the respective main character’s realization of his lies. The realization of the lies begin by a singular drastic event that catches both men by surprise. When Tamb’ Itam explains to Jim about Dain Waris’ death, Jim is shocked. Jim separates himself from everyone else to ponder both the past and the present. “What thoughts passed through his head - what memories? Who can tell? Everything was gone, and he who had been once unfaithful to his trust had lost again all men’s confidence. It was then I believe, he tried to write - to somebody and gave it up.

Sexual Harassment in the Workplace :: Workplace Harassment Essays

Sexual harassment in the work place is one of the most troubling matters for an employer. If it is left unattended, claims of sexual harassment could place the business at serious risk for costly financial damages and ruined reputations. Employers must open their eyes to the possibility that sexual harassment could happen in their work place and must take all possible steps to prevent its occurrence. In legal terms, sexual harassment is any unwelcome sexual advance or conduct on the job that creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive working environment. Sexual harassment is any offensive conduct related to an employee's gender that a reasonable woman or man should not have to endure. Sexual harassment covers a wide range of conduct that is all illegal. An employee who has been led to believe she must sleep with her boss to keep her job has been sexually harassed, as has one whose co-workers regularly tells offensive, sex-related jokes and plaster their walls with pictures of nude women. An employee who is pinched or fondled against his or her will by a co-worker has been sexually harassed, as has one whose colleagues smirk at her, block her path or act like they're going to grab her. An employee who is constantly belittled and referred to by sexist or demeaning names has been sexually harassed, as has on who is subjected to repeated rude or pornographic remarks. Sexual harassment occurs when a supervisor acts as if the women working under him owe him sexual favors, and it also occurs when a co-worker attacks or intimidates a woman because he doesn't think she should be doing what he considers man's work. It occasionally drives from an excess of sexual desi re by the harasser, but most often it is motivated by fear, power or hate. Most cases of sexual harassment are never reported, because the harassed women are too degraded, too uncertain of their rights or too fearful of retaliation to do anything about it. Thousands of harassment claims have been filed through government agencies and company complaint procedures. There are many misconceptions about sexual harassment that many men fear. Sexual harassment laws have prevented men from complimenting a woman or asking her out for a date, which is acceptable. Nothing in the law prevents dating, as long as it is done in a reasonable manner that respects a co-worker?

Love and Tradition in “Marriage Is a Private Affair”

Marriage traditions vary greatly throughout the world. In some cultures, people’s marriages are traditionally arranged by their parents. In others cultures, the partners make their own choice. This diversity in tradition causes many conflicts within the family as well as in the culture group. A great example of marriage and its importance to different cultures is the story by Chinua Achebe, â€Å"Marriage is a Private Affair. † The story takes place in Africa, a country of great cultural diversity. Old traditions continue to govern life in Nigerian villages, where parents often play a decisive role in choosing mates for their children. In the cities, however, modern practices displace many of the village traditions, including the role of parent as a mate finder. The tension between old and new ways of living sometimes creates conflict within families, especially between generations. The following story focuses on a conflict between a father and son about the choice of the son’s marriage partner. Despite of the strong devotion to the tradition, Okeke the father can hardly resist the love of his family. Firstly, the tradition plays a very important role in that story. Okeke is an old man, who lives in a Nigerian village, where the traditions have very important role in people’s lives. He is first introduced to the readers from the very beginning of the story in a conversation between Nene and Nnaemeka. Although this conversation reveals little about his character, we think of him as an authoritarian father. And, as a traditional Ibo, he does not accept the couple's engagement. For example, â€Å"They are most unhappy if the engagement is not arranged by them† (258) shows Nnaemeka fear of his father’s disapproval of their marriage. As a result, the conversation between Okeke and his son shows both Okeke's deep disappointment and firm objection. After this conversation Okeke does not talk to his son for eight years. This is another example of Okeke’s loyalty of his people’s tradition. As a result, he never accepts his son’s wife: â€Å"I shall never see her† (260). Okeke's actions show the reader that the tradition is stronger than amily relationships. On the other hand, despite of Okeke’s cold description in the first part of the story, he changes his thoughts after he reads the letter from Nene. Nene, his daughter-in-law, sends him a letter and the night after he reads the letter, Achebe points out that Okeke â€Å"hardly slept from remorse and a vague fear that he might die without making it up to his gran dchildren† (262). This conclusion to the story hints that the grandchildren would bring these two generations back together again. In conclusion, this story is a great example of the strong traditions in different cultures that can be stopped only with the great power of a loving family. Nnaemeka’s father was so devoted to the tradition to understand his son’s feelings or the consequences of having grandchildren that he would might never know. The letter that informs him about his grandsons breaks him down and lets the reader think of the happy ending of the story. Achebe teaches us to realize that love can conquer even the strongest traditions.

Employee Privacy Essay

Failure by employees to adhere to work ethics especially in the advent of Internet has led organizations to engage employee-monitoring activities. Where employees adhere to the professional code of conduct less challenges and problems in terms of bad conduct, scandals and conflicts are avoided in the work place. Security and Privacy have become synonymous with Internet use. Rarely can any one think of doing online transactions without first worrying about the twin issues of security, and privacy. Internet security is particularly a tricky and complex phenomenon because of the lack of universality in implementation of various security policies and acts. Secondly, the advent of Internet as well as its ever-rising relevancy and popularity has caught many stakeholders including governments, software companies as well as regulatory agencies by surprise. At first, few would imagine that Internet could be used negatively by employees. However, this has in recent times become a reality and employee abuse of office resources can authoritatively be termed as one of the most dangerous crimes facing organizations today. Finkin, 1995. Professionalism is the practical behavior portrayed in a place by both the employer and employee. Professionalism entails a number of characteristics key of which are the right focus towards the job, positive attitude and being goal oriented. Whether employee monitoring is professional behavior or not is very much debatable but definitely it is unfair for an employer to jump into secretly monitoring and surveying employees in the work place without their consent. Once employees notice that, they are under surveillance they are likely to become irritated and betrayed. As much as employers’ have a right to take all measures possible to cut down costs of production especially by minimizing wastage, this should be applied up to agreeable limits without infringing on personal freedom. Professionalism involves display of interest in the job, good communication skills, work etiquette, accountability and commitment to teamwork. If both the employer and employee adhere to professional conduct in their respective roles, incidences, which warrant surveillance, would significantly drop. In some instances, some employers rush into surveillance at the slightest provocation and sometimes the fear is not warranted at all. Majority of the organizations are rushing to install monitoring systems not because of security threats but rather because of technological evolution. S. Elizabeth, 1998. Their argument is valid bearing in mind that many organizations are keen to embrace modern information technology for the sake of public relations as opposed to warranted situations. Revolution in information technology has impacted on professionalism in that employers are more likely to overlook the professional aspect of a decision in favor of technological advantage, which comes with the kind of decision. Interestingly, many managers do not carry out studies to establish the employees’ attitudes towards such a decision before making those decisions. Privacy. Privacy can be defined as the personal interests touching on the individual’s right to personal space, whereby freedom from interference is guaranteed by the state or the organizations one works for. Hunt, 1984. Privacy of personal communication in the work place is jeopardized when an individual’s communications is tempered with, therefore curtailing the freedom of communication of the individual. The most common way this occurs in organizations is whereby the employer or management tracks and accesses employee communication otherwise not meant or directed to them. This occurs when employers use modern technology such as electronic surveillance to hack employees’ private information. A recent business survey on the extent of electronic surveillance in work places in US established a growing trend of employers in many corporate organizations using modern technologies to hack employees’ private information. This is alarming especially when it is coming in the wake of employee concerns about the advent of one being surveilled against their wish all day long. The prospect of gathering and sharing information amongst departments in organizations has made it easy to conduct business while at the same time cutting cost of communication dramatically. According to current research findings, it is approximated that most companies save up to 20 percent of operational costs by embracing modern technology. Finkin,1995. This is a significant amount of revenue considering that businesses exist to make profits by embracing effective and efficient technology. This leaves no doubt that effort to embrace information technology as long as it is applied in the right way is welcome. Despite the ranging debate on the right of employees to privacy, the employers seem to justify their action and every step of it. Before the advent of surveillance technology in the local organizations, the existence of employee theft especially in retail companies and in some key departments in organizations was a common occurrence. Finkin, 1995. Employers monitor employees for three major reasons; one legal liability, security, and productivity. All the three reasons put forward seem to be justifiable reasons but there is a need for legislation to govern the process for such legal framework lacks in most of the organizations. Majority of the big organizations in USA have adopted monitoring as way of ensuring security and not mainly for surveillance of employees. The latter is not a priority but employers cite it as a good deterrent to those employees who may want to misuse company property. Although the main purpose put forward for the introduction of the monitoring system was for the purposes of detecting crime, it is worthy mentioning that employers do use evidence garnered from the cctvs in apprehending workers for gross misconduct in the work place. McWhirter, 1989. In conclusion, it is not fair for an employee to oppose being monitored while he/she continues to act unprofessionally in the workplace. No employer will risk their business at the expense of employee privacy. It is therefore worthy noting that, depending on the situation, monitoring employees can be justified as long as it makes business sense.