This paper looks at the recent phenomena of antimicrobial surfaces in major domestic appliances. The appearance of such surfaces follows an increase in the demand for antimicrobial consumer products, which is itself a manifestation of a rise in public anxiety over the threat posed by germs sincethe late eighties. This report investigates the need for antimicrobial protection in major appliances by looking at the actual risk that major appliances pose either as vectors or as harbingers of pathogenic microbes and the technologies available to give antimicrobial properties to appliance surfaces. The authors find evidence that microorganisms can survive on material surfaces common in major appliances and since appliances are frequently contacted surfaces in the domestic setting, there is the potential for cross-contamination. This being so, the study finds no real data on the actual level of risk. The authors also found no quantifiable data regarding the reduction in the spread of foodborne pathogenic organisms because of the increase use of domestic antimicrobial products. What the study does find is adegree of disagreement between those that believe the use of such compounds is unjustified, offer no measurable benefit and increase the risk of microbialresistance and those that promote antimicrobial surfaces as a way of improving microbial management and raising hygienic levels in the home.

We review the new developments in polymer materials in terms of their potential for creating product differentiation and in addressing some of the problems facing the appliance industry including the need to reduce costs, maintain innovation and address changing consumer preferences while respondingto increasing environmental constrains. Engineering polymers and polymer-based composites are providing manufactures of domestic appliances with a great deal of flexibility and potential for innovation in design. At the cutting edge of polymer, research is the development of nano-structured polymer hybrid materials, nano-engineered polymers, and so called smart or functional polymers. This report shows how these advanced polymer based materials are blurring the traditional distinctive properties of plastics and metals by mimicking their properties in terms of strength and even thermal andelectrical conductivity, while retaining the inherent beneficial propertiesof polymers like flexibility, mouldability, and better strength to weight ratios. The ultimate aim of many polymer engineers is therefore to construct so-called ĆsmartĆ (adaptive) polymeric materials that can sense and respond to environmental stimulus. Such functionality can offer a myriad of design opportunities to innovative appliance manufactures seeking product differentiation through smart functions.

V magistrskem delu je razvit postopek za analizo energijskih tokov v trigeneracijskem sistemu, ki ga sestavlja kogeneracijsko postrojenje s plinskim motorjem in absorpcijska hladilna naprava. Podane so smernice, ki so osnova za izbiro energetsko najmodernejše variante za sočasno pridobivanje toplote, električne energije in hladu. Z računskim postopkom je izvedena analiza kogeneracijskega modula proizvajalca Jenbacher AG. Poudarek je na določitvi energjiskih tokov v izmenjevalnikih toplote, v katerih grelna toplota ohlaja komprimirano zmes goriva in zraka, hladilno vodo in izpušne pline. Rezultati so zbrani v preglednicah in grafično predstavljeni v obliki Sankeyevega in Grassmannovega diagrama. V okviru trigeneracijskega sistema je obravnavan tudi absorpcijski hladilnik z delovnim parom LiBr-voda, ki je gnan z odvečno toploto kogeneracije. Na osnovi vhodnih podatkov pilotnega solarnega postrojenja je izveden preračun energijske in eksergijske bilance enostopenjske absorpcijske naprave. V delu so ugotovljene lastnosti kogeneracijskega postrojenja in absorpcijske naprave ter podana energetska upravičenost njune povezave v trigeneracijsko postrojenje z določitvijo eksergijskega izkoristka.