Abstract: The aim of this research was to investigate the combustion behaviour of coal and biomass blends using a pilot-scale bubbling fluidised bed reactor. The blends were prepared with a traditionally used biomass fuel (i.e. wood) and selected rich in alkali-metals biomass fuels (i.e. wheat straw and spent coffee grounds (SCG)) to investigate the potential of SCG as a fuel and the effect of ilmenite on agglomeration tendency when used as an additive and alternative bed material. To elucidate the interaction between the fuels in the blends and the effect of ash composition, thermogravimetric and ash fusibility studies were performed looking at both the parent fuels and blends. Initially, thermogravimetric studies focused on understanding the thermal decomposition of coal blended with by-products (spent coffee ground (SCG), and coffee husk (CH)) of coffee crop. Blends with wood were included for comparison purpose. The blends were prepared by blending coal with biomass at 10, 30 and 50 wt%. The experiments were performed under inert and oxidising conditions to elucidate the thermal behaviour and fuel interactions. The results showed that the inclusion of either spent coffee grounds or coffee husk in coal combustion can enhance the combustion performance. Indeed, the blends with spent coffee grounds were found to be more reactive than those with coffee husk and with similar characteristics to the blends with wood. It was attributed to the existence of synergistic effects. These results offer compelling evidence of the potential of by-products from the coffee crop, especially spent coffee grounds for energetic applications. The study of ash fusibility characteristics investigated the ash fusibility temperatures under oxidising conditions of coal ash blended with ash from spent coffee grounds. Blends with wheat straw ash were included for comparison purpose. Particular attention was paid to the blending ratio effect on ash fusibility temperatures. The results showed that SCG is an interesting fuel in co-processing due to the low ash content and high ash fusibility temperatures when blended with coal. The high ash fusibility temperatures of the blends were attributed to the high content of CaO, MgO, and P2O5 in SCG with negligible content of SiO2 and Cl, complementing the high content of Al2O3 and Fe2O3 in coal. Evidence from this study suggests that the high ash fusion temperatures in the blends of coal with spent coffee grounds can reduce the common operational issues related to biomass ash such as agglomeration. This can also provide confidence for large scale thermochemical conversion systems fuelled by such kind of coal and biomass blends to be able to maintain long-term stable operation. The final part of this research focused on co-combustion experiments in a pilot-scale BFB aiming to investigate the potential of SCG as a fuel, and ilmenite as an additive and alternative bed material. For comparison purpose blends of coal with wheat straw and wood pellets were also combusted in the same BFB reactor under similar combustion conditions. Similarly, kaolin and bauxite, and silica sand were compared to ilmenite when used as an additive and alternative bed material, respectively. The inclusion of biomass in coal combustion showed marked differences in the temperature profiles, gas emissions, and combustion performance. The results showed that coal and SCG blends can be combusted for energy applications with improved combustion efficiency compared to wheat straw and wood commercial pellets. Nevertheless, high N content in SCG represents a challenge in terms of NOx emissions that should be addressed.

Abstract: Bogotá Social Backbone proposes the development of a backbone of social infrastructure for the most needed people in Bogota, those who usually do not have access to the professional services of an architect. I selected three ""free"", abandoned, and problematic spaces along the Caracas Avenue in Bogotá, and three clients who inhabit them; a drug addict who was displaced from El Bronx, a prostitute from Santafé neighborhood and a recycler from Caracas 59. Social architecture is proposed with the objective of being a platform for these people to reintegrate into society with dignity, providing minimal housing, as well as places for training and for the development of a life project. Resumen: Bogotá Social Backbone propone el desarrollo de una columna vertebral de infraestructura social para las personas más necesitadas de Bogotá, aquellas que normalmente no tienen acceso a los servicios profesionales de un arquitecto. Seleccioné tres espacios ""libres"", abandonados y problemáticos a lo largo de la Avenida Caracas en Bogotá y tres clientes que los habitan; un drogadicto desplazado de El Bronx, una prostituta del barrio Santafé y un reciclador de la Caracas con 59. La arquitectura social se propone con el objetivo de ser una plataforma para que estas personas se reintegren dignamente a la sociedad, proporcionándoles una vivienda mínima, así como lugares para la formación y para el desarrollo de un proyecto de vida.

Abstract: Colombia is a country whose economy is largely driven by SMEs companies, but with the advance of technology, their production and growth is stagnating. Only companies that have under- stood the importance of innovation and have applied technologies framed in the DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION are making progress. One of the most critical reasons why these companies have not yet begun to go through this change of ideology is due to the lack of knowledge and support. The information is abundant but it is not compiled in a single digital site, where any- one can find it. Companies will continue to invest in technology to support the shift towards remote work and automation, but that is no longer enough. One of the most relevant findings when talking to various stakeholders, has been to understand that in the collective imagination of entrepreneurs, there are misconceptions about what DT means. It is common that this concept is framed in a series of myths that confuse and are transferred from voice to voice, creating a panorama of misinformation. That is why, I took on the challenge of creating a digital strategy that brings together in one place the dimensions that are part of the DT. The objective is to demystify the preconceived ideas of entrepreneurs so they can understand that their perception of digital reality has been created under ideas that do not correspond to the truth. Therefore, to achieve this change of mentality, a common and direct language will be used in order to make people feel identified with their false ideas about the concept and as a result, they will experience a desire to explore further. Resumen: Colombia es un país cuya economía está en gran medida impulsada por empresas pymes, pero con el avance de la tecnología, su producción y crecimiento se están estancando. Solo las empresas que han comprendido la importancia de la innovación y han aplicado tecnologías enmarcadas en la TRANSFORMACIÓN DIGITAL están progresando. Una de las razones más críticas por las cuales estas empresas aún no han comenzado a pasar por este cambio de ideología se debe a la falta de conocimiento y apoyo. La información es abundante, pero no está recopilada en un solo espacio digital, donde cualquiera pueda encontrarla. Las empresas continúan invirtiendo en tecnología para respaldar el cambio hacia el trabajo remoto y la automatización, pero eso ya no es suficiente. Uno de los hallazgos más relevantes al hablar con diversos interesados ha sido comprender que en la imaginación colectiva de los empresarios, hay conceptos erróneos sobre lo que significa la Transformación Digital. Es común que este concepto se enmarque en una serie de mitos que confunden y se transmiten voz a voz, creando un panorama de desinformación. Por eso, asumí el desafío de crear una estrategia digital que reúna en un solo lugar las dimensiones que forman parte de la TD. El objetivo es desmitificar las ideas preconcebidas de los empresarios para que puedan entender que su percepción de la realidad digital se ha creado bajo ideas que no corresponden a la verdad. Por lo tanto, para lograr este cambio de mentalidad, se utilizará un lenguaje común y directo con el fin de que las personas se sientan identificadas con sus ideas falsas sobre el concepto y, como resultado, experimenten el deseo de explorar más a fondo. Dentro de esta estrategia y como artefacto final, desarrollé un sitio web llamado ""Mitos Digitales"", los empresarios podrán comprender el concepto, sus componentes, beneficios, la tecnología más usada, historias de éxito y una recopilación de mitos desarticulados. Finalmente, podrán encontrar algunos recursos en términos de formación y ayuda financiera que el gobierno y las organizaciones privadas en Colombia están proporcionando para apoyar y fortalecer el crecimiento y desarrollo tecnológico de las pymes.

Abstract: Reservoir models of deep-water channels rely upon low-resolution but spatially extensive seismic data, high vertical resolution but spatially sparse well log data and geomodeling methods. The results cannot predict architecture below seismic resolution or between well logs. Usually, the data and interpretations that provide constraints for modeling workflows do not capture sub-seismic scale architecture. Therefore, standard modeling methods do not generate models that include details that can impact hydrocarbon flow and recovery. Constraining models to well and seismic data is problematic. Employing measured sections in the Tres Pasos Fm. (Magallanes Basin, Chile) is feasible to predict deep-water channel architecture, specifically channel stacking patterns with 1D information analogous to well data. This research performed near-wellbore modeling to generate multiple scenarios of channel stacking patterns constrained by machine learning-derived probabilities using (i) conditional Monte Carlo simulation with soft probabilities per channel element within the measured section choosing the highest probabilities for each element (ii) conditional Monte Carlo simulation of channel stacking, (iii) template-based modeling, (iv) forward modeling with Markov transition probabilities without matching to thickness and (v) conditional Monte Carlo simulation constrained to measured section thickness. Machine learning workflows generate channel position probabilities (i.e., axis, off-axis, margin) within a measured section given the interpreted top/bases of channel elements. These probabilities constitute the input for Monte Carlo simulations capturing channel element stacking patterns at the measured section locations. The most likely 2D channel stacking pattern scenarios defined channel centerline points, and volumes of the individual channel elements can be generated connecting them. Surface-based modeling offers a way to depict reservoirs of hydrocarbons, water or low-enthalpy geothermal systems in which small-scale heterogeneity needs to be captured explicitly by bounding surfaces because it impacts fluid flow, improving our forecasts of resource exploitation. Furthermore, predicting heterogeneity controlled by depositional architecture is critical for transport and storage capacity in CO2 reservoirs. The dataset provided and the advent of these flexible and accurate methods to depict the subsurface offer the opportunity to overcome the historical limitations of grid-based models and allow us to assess multiscale architecture that controls fluid flow. This research aims to show the results of modeling deepwater channels, including a 1D identification of architectural positions and a 2D arrangement of channel stacking patterns.

Abstract: The supply chain is a network of nodes that connects the different states through which a raw material must go from the source to being a finished product available to the consumer. The intermediate nodes that help reduce the distances between the manufacturer and the customer when distributing products are called warehouses, distribution centres or cross-docks. These facilities serve as temporary storage that reduces distribution costs and allows products to be available closer to the customers when required. In many operations worldwide where automation is not an option as it is a costly alternative, these warehouses, distribution centres and crossdocks manually operate with workers their activities of loading, unloading, picking, sorting, storing, among others. This study seeks to address the workforce sizing problem in warehouses, distribution centres or cross-docks to understand what the indicated number of workers should be to meet the site's performance indicators, meet demand and reduce operating costs. The research was developed under a methodology with mixed methods, where from an exploratory sequential approach, it begins with a systematic literature review to find the most relevant variables or factors used by multiple studies when trying to address the problem of dimensioning the workforce in distribution centres, warehouses, or cross-docks, as well as contrast their approaches and identify the techniques and tools used. With this, a total of 46 variables were found by breaking down their frequency of appearance by journal article or conference proceeding, clustering them into 7 categories which are input and output operations, material handling equipment (MHE) performance, warehouse configuration, warehouse performance, product complexity, picking operations and labour and worker conditions. Based on these variables, some were used in the technique that most frequently appeared in the literature, simulation. Here, a crossdock of a company belonging to the mass consumption sector was virtually represented using Flexsim software. The objective of this simulation was to find the number of forklifts needed to handle the loading and unloading operation of 5 types of trucks under different demand scenarios, or the total number of trucks to attend per day. After developing the model and extracting the results for 4 demand profiles, a sensitivity analysis was carried out where the influence of the forklift quantity on the crossdock performance measures was demonstrated, finding that as the number of forklifts increased, the average truck cycle time decreased, the total quantity of trucks attended reached the expected number per day according to the demand profile, and the average forklift utilization decreased. Finally, the limitations were shown from the literature and from the simulation model to address the workforce sizing problem, giving suggestions for future research that can deepen or address the problem from another approach.

Una de las áreas más productivas y diversas del Pacífico tropical es aquella que comprende las zonas de mar territorial de Colombia, Panamá y Costa Rica, llamada también "Pacífico Este Tropical", con el fin de darle un manejo adecuado a esta zona del Pacífico, se creó el Corredor Marino del Pacífico Este Tropical – CMAR. Como iniciativa concreta dentro del marco del CMAR, la Unidad Administrativa Especial del Sistema de Parques Nacionales Naturales de Colombia – UAESPNN, conjuntamente con la Fundación Malpelo y otros Ecosistemas Marinos, suscribió en Marzo de 2009 un proyecto de cooperación con el Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo – BID para desarrollar un "Sistema de Gestión Regional para el Uso Sostenible de los Recursos Pesqueros del CMAR", llamado también Proyecto de Pesca BID-CMAR. En la Biblioteca Virtual del Banco de la República, la comunidad científica y los interesados en el tema encontrarán bibliografías organizadas en las grandes cuatro categorías: Biología Pesquera, Medio Ambiente, Socio-económico, Normatividad Pesquera y dentro de ellas temas relacionados.