The potential for traditional food and drink products in Eastern Europe: Fruit processing — especially brandy (“tuica”) distilling —in Romania
The traditional peasant way of life has involved the maximum use of local resources for subsistence with a surplus for commercial activity where local supplies and market conditions allow. In the Subcarpathian region of Romania fruit constitute a major resource and plums have been valued for their usefulness in supplying jam, dried fruit and brandy. The latter product (“tuica”) is still finding a considerable commercial outlet despite the competition from urban-based distilleries and from imported spirits. Despite the discouragement of distilling in rural areas under communism (especially in areas that were collectivised) there are good opportunities today in the context of farm diversification and pluriactivity which is crucial for the survival of small farms in the hill regions of the country. The paper outlines the ways in which plums may be valorised, examines the particular significance of plum brandy and considers the potential for future expansion.
L'invention de nouvelles campagnes en Roumanie
La loi fonciere de fevrier 1991 supprimant les cooperatives agricoles en Roumanie a mis fin a l'ordre impose aux campagnes depuis trente ans et provoque un extraordinaire morcellement du parcellaire de propriete. Faute de veritable politique agricole, elle a remis au niveau communal la liberte d'inventer de nouvelles formes d'organisation de la production. On assiste donc a l'invention de systemes multiples et tâtonnants, construits par les acteurs locaux, sans reference precise a un modele etabli et sans intention clairement affichee du legislateur. En cette periode de crise, les formes en gestation sont fortement soumises aux contraintes de leur matrice locale. Quatre communes tres differentes permettent d'apprecier la capacite des systemes locaux a orienter le changement.
Stability of planar PEMFC in Printed Circuit Board technology
Abstract The use of planar PEMFCs in printed circuit board (PCB) technology with a thickness of less than 3.5 mm are presented. This planar design consists of an open cathode side which allows a completely passive, self-breathing operation of the fuel cell. Power densities of 100 mW/cm 2 at 500 mV with hydrogen as a fuel were achieved. A steady operation with this type of fuel cell was demonstrated over a week without any cell flooding. Since the electrical conducting elements of PCBs usually are made of copper, corrosion in the wet environment of a PEMFC is expected. Thus, a significant degradation in performance of fuel cells made of plain copper PCBs was seen in long-term operation. In order to avoid corrosion, the copper layer has to be coated. Fuel cells in PCB design with diverse coatings were tested in long-term operations up to 1000 h under load. Moreover, corrosion currents have been determined by the use of potentiodynamic scans. Promising coatings are electroplated Cr and Ni and a combination of Ni/Au.