The aim of this research is to work out the graphic method for the calculation of the maximum rain intensity with a different guarantee in Riga. In order to develop this method analysis as regards the rainfall rates having a different probability was carried out. The measurement data of maximum rainfall minute intensity (mm minE-1) 3 and 9 hours as well as daily common rainfall from the accessible archive materials in the period 1954-2006 have been studied in this research and treated with the mathematical statistics methods. After the data collection and calculations, the final results are shown in a graphical way in which it is easy to determine which guarantee percent and repetition probability the rain intensity in Riga may be foreseen. In order to determine which module of one factor regression is the most accurate, five different modules were investigated. From the modules studied the most adequate one for data analyses was the logarithmic module having the accuracy up to 92%. The analysis of the rainfall data as well as the research of the situation of the location place can help to choose the system of rain accumulation and infiltration for each building location thus improving the operation of the total sewerage system. The calculations may be useful in practice to calculate the runoff rates from the areas of different covering. If necessary, using the graphic, it is possible to work out a mathematical expression for the calculation of the maximum rain intensity having any necessary probability. The accessibility and application of a wide range of materials for modern surfaces or infiltration buildings in the world present a wider range of their practical use for separate modern solutions in Riga.

Today e-learning is a term which is commonly used, but does not have a universally accepted definition, but it can be considered as technology-enhanced learning, where all types of digital technologies are used to support the learning process. Over the years some new functionality has appeared as mobile and wireless technologies (m-learning) and digital television provided possibilities for interactive study materials management (tv-learning). Latest options for training process acceleration are offered by virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR) technologies. The aim of this paper is to find solution for appropriate hardware selection before constructing VR/AR system for training needs focusing on platforms used for operators preparation to work with industrial equipment. In the beginning of the paper all hardware devices for such systems are summarized and explained. Then by using set theory and combinatorics all possible sets of input/output devices are described and calculated. Next dynamic modelling is used to create deterministic, static simulation model with an aim to ease the process of hardware selection for VR/AR training systems development. Simulation model is used for development of two pilot projects.

Sewage sludge is a specific bulky waste and its utilization is hampered by the presence of the environmentally dangerous contaminated substances in the composition presented mainly by heavy metals, pathogens and coagulants. At the same time sewage sludge may serve as a valuable biological raw material. Utilization of the sewage sludge is crucial environmental and economic challenge. Application of the pneumatic pulse method in the technology of dehydration and utilization of the sewage sludge may allow us to speed up the process of drying, reduce power consumption and capital investment, execute process of dehydration at lower temperatures and in less hazardous explosive conditions. Proposed solution is founded on the use of the compact equipment for dehydration and utilization, including pneumatic pulse drying method. For this purpose the pulser – an airflow feeder with required time intervals or pulses, was included in the technological process. In the process of the drying sewage sludge with the use of pneumatic pulse, there is no need to spend all the energy on evaporation of the water molecules and this fact significantly reduces power consumption. Preliminary calculations, taking into account laboratory data, showed that proposed technology of drying sewage sludge allows to reduce power consumption by 25% upon receipt of the dry sludge. The aim of the study is development of sewage sludge dehydration technology for further utilization of design solutions using the pulse method.

The electricity consuming end-user profile has changed in latest years, due to development of new electrical devices with increased functionality and complexity. Also increasing number of electricity consuming equipment that is available to end-user, makes very hard to identify real electricity consumption of each device. The existing wall plug digital power meters are too expensive for long-term power metering of each consuming device. The article describes a different approach of power metering system that lowers the costs and price of needed metering equipment. A new concept of low-cost energy monitoring system with wireless communication is developed.

The negative impact of agricultural pollution with biogenic materials on surface water bodies is a relevant problem. This problem is addressed by limiting or prohibiting certain activities in so called buffer areas. The biogenic materials are carried by surface or groundwater runoff. Water infiltration is influenced by the lithological composition of sediments. Its structure is determined by analyzing geological and geomorphological maps and by drilling boreholes in the selected area. With the help of boreholes the level of groundwater and chemical composition of the infiltrate can be assessed. An installed system of lysimeters and piezometers in the borehole allows monitoring the change of water quality and groundwater level in vertical level of sediments over time. The set of lysimeter boreholes allows to capture and mapping the spatial change of these parameters. This article presents the systematic and practical methodology of drilling the lysimetric boreholes of original construction and using long-term monitoring equipment for water quality.

In Latvia, Class 1 levelling network crosses major rivers. In the places where the river cannot be crossed over the bridge, the levelling across the river should be done directly. The paper describes the methodology, the applied instruments and the results of levelling performed across the Lielupe and Daugava rivers. The levelling across the Daugava River at the creek, where the length of the sight reaches 700 m, was performed simultaneously with two Ni002 levellers. To facilitate the reading of the levelling rod, across the river, a special scale type mark was constructed and fitted on a levelling rod. It was concluded that for the levelling across up to 200-m-wide rivers, levelling rods with 3-mm-wide stripes can be successfully used. The scale type mark makes significantly easier and speeds up the measurements. Under unfavourable weather conditions, measurements performed across the Daugava at the creek were less accurate. There was no explanation for the difference in the elevations measured by the two instruments; therefore, further careful studies of both levellers are needed.

The European Parliament and Council Directive 2003/30/EK ‘On the promotion of the use of biofuels and other renewable fuels for transport’ determines that pure or straight vegetable oil, produced from oil plants by pressing, extracting or comparable procedures, crude or refined but chemically unmodified, compatible with common engines, and corresponding to emission requirements, is also considered as biofuel. The biggest problems imposed by these conditions are directly associated with the carrying-out of the emission requirements, because when using vegetable oil as a fuel, usually increases the composition of the solid particles and nitrogen oxides in exhaust gases, that not only adversely affect the environment, but also is a serious threat to human health, and as a result trying to save the world from the global warming, human health continues to deteriorate. It is therefore necessary to carry out studies and find solutions to reduce harmful emissions from diesel engines when using vegetable oil fuel. For more qualitative and effective research on vegetable oil fuel emissions, the equipment for vegetable oil fuel testing has been developed. This equipment allows fast checking of theoretically proposed hypotheses and detailed calculations for vegetable oil fuel combustion processes and objective data acquisition. The equipment consists of the classic diesel engine adapted for work with vegetable oil and is equipped with several high-precision devices to get and store the measuring data. During pilot tests the optimal measuring modes (engine rotation frequencies, number and duration of repetitions) for further research are estimated.

The paper contains description of the working principles and evaluation of the operational parameters of the commercially available fuel conversion adapter, intended to adapt gasoline fuelled spark ignition (SI) engine for use of high ethanol content blended fuel, known as E85. Commercially available gasoline and E85 fuel were used as test fuels. Production automobile, equipped with 1.8 litre 4 cylinder SI port fuel injection (PFI) engine was tested on the roll-type eddy-current chassis dynamometer in wide open throttle (WOT) constant speed mode. High precision fuel consumption measurement system AVL KMA Mobile was used. Engine operating parameters, used for evaluation of the efficiency of the fuel conversion adapter was engine torque (T), engine brake power (Pb ), air/fuel equivalence ratio (λ), specific fuel consumption (SFC) and engine thermal efficiency (ηt ). Analysis of engine operational parameters showed successful operation of fuel conversion adapter with E85 fuel, resulting in increase of engine peak torque by 4.4%, increase of energy efficiency in whole tested engine speed range up to 6.1% but increase of specific fuel consumption by approximately 22%, when compared with the gasoline use.

Root rot caused by Heterobasidion spp. is one of the most important pathogens in Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.) stands in Latvia. It is estimated that in Latvia on average 22.9% of Norway spruce stumps are infected with Heterobasidion spp. The aim of this study was to compare four different electronic devices for Heterobasidion root rot detection in Norway spruce. In the autumn of 2009, in a sample plot located in the forests of Kalsnava district 27 trees were used to compare the possibility of instruments to detect root rot. The results show that IML-RESI F400 accuracy for detecting root rot in Norway spruce is high and the instrument is usable for detecting root rot, but additional accumulators are needed for large sample plots. Rotfinder’s accuracy for detecting root rot varies from probe to probe taken from one tree. Conditiometer AS-1 and Arbo-Sonic decay detector show slightly higher average values for infected trees, but the difference for both instruments between healthy and decayed trees is not significant, thus leaving the usage of instruments questionable.

Systainable energy systems and food security can be obtained in rural areas by usage of renewable energy resources and development of agro-ecotechnologies. Substitution of fossil feedstock for energy and raw materials by biomass is important measure also for greenhouse gas (GHG) emission mitigation. The article presents investigation of reed biomass size reduction processes flattening and cutting. The necessity to reduce the size of common reeds (Phragmites australis) to particles smaller than 3 mm for solid biofuel production is determined by compaction properties of biomass. It was stated that unflattened reed stem cutting energy consumption is 2 times more than flattened stem cutting energy. There are no sufficient differences in the energy consumption values for single flattened reed stalk cutting with different shaped knives. The average difference is approximately 2.4 kJ square m with knife edge angles 90 deg and 20 deg.