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The advanced travel information system is a prominent intelligent transportation system for which variable message signs (VMSs) are the major components. In Iran, more attention has been paid to sign placement than to other components which are complementary to placement and combine to create relevant and effective messages for the driver. The current study used a stated preference survey to investigate the attitudes and reactions of drivers to VMS information that then were used to build models to reveal the reasons behind driver reactions to a VMS request to change route. The survey included variables affecting driver decisions, such as driver characteristics, attitude and perceptions of current VMS information and traffic in general. The influence of personality traits as subjective factors for driver behavior regarding route choice also was investigated. The results of the estimation of sequential hybrid binary logistic regression model showed that visual health had a significant positive effect on the driver decisions to divert to an alternate route when the VMS messages related to an accident or traffic congestion. Provision of expected delay information about the current route was found to be the most significant factor causing drivers to change route when a VMS indicated traffic congestion ahead. Personality traits such as Agreeableness, neuroticism, extraversion and openness significantly affected driver decisions about changing route when the VMS indicated traffic congestion or adverse weather conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The world's largest Chemical Looping Combustion (CLC) demonstration unit is ready for start-up. • CLC seems to be the most cost-effective technology for power production based on solid fuels with carbon capture. • Building large units as a collaborative effort across continents is complicated, but may be both beneficial and very rewarding when all partners work closely together. The world's largest Chemical Looping Combustion (CLC) demonstration unit is being built close to the city of Chengdu in China. The design and construction of the unit, as well as the coming testing, is done within the CHEERS project, which is a collaborative project between Europe and China. The funding (∼25M€) comes from several of the project partners, in addition to EU's Horizon2020 and China's Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST). TotalEnergies has been responsible for the Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) study. The investment decision from December 2021 marks the transition from the R&D studies and design phases to Engineering, Procurement, Construction (EPC) and testing phase. The EPC phase has been led by Dongfang Boiler Co.,Ltd, and the demonstration unit is located at their technology development site in Deyang City, outside Chengdu in China. It is designed for a thermal input of 2–4 MW and includes two different reactor configurations. The first configuration is optimized for conversion of pet-coke, while the second one is tuned towards conversion of lignite. The oxygen carrier (OC) that will be used for the demonstration unit (ilmenite) will be presented, together with an overview of the various OC materials that were tested at various scales (up to 150 kWth) during the first part of the project. In addition, results from testing of a cold mock-up of the unit is presented. Finally, an overview of plans for the rest of the project is given, together with some thoughts related to intercontinental collaboration in highly collaborative projects, such as CHEERS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the event of an emergency evacuation of a tunnel, variable message signs are one of the tools available to tunnel operators to communicate with tunnel users and play an important role in guiding them. In this study, the primary focus is to determine the most appropriate message for variable message signs in terms of content and format for tunnel emergency evacuations. This study evaluates the responses of drivers to the visual comparison between variable message signs by using stated choice methods. Using a binary logit model, the results indicate that drivers prefer the text message "Turn off the car, exit the tunnel" in two lines on the right side of the sign along with the green image of the emergency exit on the left side. Therefore, it is anticipated that the findings obtained and their application at the time of the tunnel disaster will reduce the likelihood of catastrophic accidents and mitigate their consequences. • Providing the appropriate tunnel emergency evacuation message. • Variable message signs are compared using stated choice methods. • Driver preferences are identified using a binary logit model. • Drivers prefer the green emergency exit image along with the text message. • Tunnel accidents can be prevented and mitigated with the findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper gives a high level overview of the work performed in the EU-FP7 funded project SUCCESS (Scale-up of oxygen carrier for chemical looping combustion using environmentally sustainable materials). The project is the most recent one in a series of successful EU-funded research projects on the chemical looping combustion (CLC) technology. Its main objective is to perform the necessary research in order to demonstrate the CLC technology in the range of 10 MW fuel power input. The main focus is on scale-up of production of two different oxygen carrier materials using large scale equipment and industrially available raw materials. This will guarantee availability of oxygen carrier material at tonne scale. The scale-up of the two materials, a Cu and a Mn based, was successful and first tests with the Cu material have already been performed in four different pilot units up to 150 kW where the material showed excellent performance regarding fuel conversion. In addition to technology scale-up, extensive end-user evaluation is performed. This evaluation includes investigations on health, security and environmental impacts (HSE), a life cycle analysis and a techno-economic analysis to compare the CLC technology for steam generation against the current state-of-the-art technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many objective and subjective factors affect individual tendencies. Such subjective factors include personality traits, attitudes, identities, perceptions, and feelings. The choice of transportation mode is an individual tendency that is considered important in policy-making decisions, and it can affect sustainable transportation, particularly in metropolitan areas. The present study’s main aim is to determine the impact of the Big Five Personality Factors on individual preferences toward public transportation modes. We use data from a survey conducted in January and February of 2015 at Imam Khomeini International Airport (IKIA). Passengers were asked to indicate their preferred mode of transportation to access the IKIA and to respond to questions on the NEO Five-Factor Inventory. Based on 557 valid responses, hybrid discrete latent class modeling was conducted to understand the heterogeneity in the respondents’ individual preferences regarding the Big Five Personality Factors and their preferences toward public modes of transportation. The results indicated that individuals who display neuroticism were more likely than the others to be concerned about carrying heavy luggage and about inclement weather conditions when using public transportation. In addition, interesting results indicated that conscientious individuals likely paid more attention to travel cost than to any other attribute of public transportation, and the model of the conscientious latent personality trait was a better fit to the data. Finally, this paper examined the taste heterogeneity of each personality trait and the results indicate the usefulness of considering personality traits in mode choice models for richer insights toward sustainable transportation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]