Interaction bounds in multivariable control systems

Time-domain limitations due to right half-plane zeros and poles in linear multivariable control systems are studied. Lower bounds on the interaction are derived. They show not only how the location of zeros and poles are critical in multivariable systems, but also how the zero and pole directions influence the performance. The results are illustrated on the quadruple-tank process, which is a new multivariable laboratory process.     

MICROSTRUCTURE AND FATIGUE PROPERTIES OF A WELDED DUPLEX STAINLESS STEEL

Abstract— In response to the increasing structural applications in duplex steels for welded structures, fatigue behaviour of a SAF 2304 grade duplex stainless steel was investigated, considering both the base metal and GTAW welded joints. Fatigue curves and fatigue limits under rotary bending fatigue were obtained. The study focused attention on the microstructural features of fatigue crack propagation of the two series of experiments, thereby permitting an evaluation of the tortuous crack path of welded joints and the mechanisms related to threshold microstructural barriers.     

Flammability and thermal stability studies of ABS/Montmorillonite nanocomposite

Acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene (ABS)/montmorillonite nanocomposites have been prepared using a direct melt intercalation technique by blending ABS and organophilic clay of two different particle sizes: OMTa (5 µm) and OMTb (38 µm). Their structure and flammability properties were characterized by X‐ray diffraction, high resolution electronic microscopy (HREM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and cone calorimeter experiments. The results of HREM showed that ABS/5 wt% OMTa nanocomposite was a kind of intercalated–delaminated structure, while ABS/5 wt% OMTb nanocomposite was mainly an intercalated structure. The nanocomposites showed a lower heat release rate peak and higher thermal stability than the original ABS by TGA and cone calorimeter experiments. Also, the intercalated nanocomposite was more effective than an exfoliated–intercalated nanocomposite in fire retardancy. Copyright © 2003 Society of Chemical Industry     

A parametric interpolator with confined chord errors, acceleration and deceleration for NC machining

Parametric interpolation has many advantages over linear interpolation in machining curves. Real time parametric interpolation research so far has addressed achieving a uniform feed rate, confined chord errors and jerk limited trajectory planning. However, simultaneous consideration of confined chord errors that respect the acceleration and deceleration capabilities of the machine has not been attempted. In this paper, the offline detection of feed rate sensitive corners is proposed. The velocity profile in these zones is planned so that chord errors are satisfied while simultaneously accommodating the machine's acceleration and deceleration limits. Outside the zone of the feed rate sensitive corners, the feed rate is planned using the Taylor approximation. Simulation results indicate that the offline detection of feed rate sensitive corners improves parametric interpolation. For real time interpolation, the parametric curve information can be augmented with the detected feed rate sensitive corners that are stored in 2×2 matrices.     

Flammability ranking of foliage species by factor analysis of physical and chemical pyric properties

In this paper, factor analysis is introduced to evaluate the flammability of 55 foliage species that may be used in China for construction of the fuel break network of forest strips with lower flammability. Six pyric parameters, i.e. air dry moisture content, absolute dry moisture content, ignition point, ash content, caloric value and extractive content, are measured and used as variables for factor analysis. The covariance analysis shows that four principal factors can be extracted to reflect the flammability in different physical and chemical senses. In terms of the contributions of the four factors to the variances and the physical significance of the relevant parameters, the four factors are, respectively, termed as ‘flaming factor,’ ‘air dry factor,’ ‘ash factor’ and ‘absolute dry factor.’ The stability of the factor analysis method is examined by a different number of samples considered, and the variation degrees of the orderings indicate that the method has high reliability to measure the total flammability of foliage species. The results of the flammability evaluation are verified by comparison with the recommended tree species in the Chinese technology standard. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An improved bacterial foraging algorithm for combined static/dynamic environmental economic dispatch

Economic dispatch is carried out at the energy control center to find out the optimal output of thermal generating units such that power balance criterion is met, unit operating limits are satisfied and the fuel cost is minimized. With growing environmental awareness and strict government regulations throughout the world, it has become essential to optimize not only the total fuel cost but also the harmful emissions, both, under static as well as dynamic conditions. The static environment economic dispatch finds the optimal output of generating units for a fixed load demand at a given time, while the dynamic environmental economic dispatch schedules the output of online generators with changing power demands over a certain time period (normally one day) so as to minimize these two conflicting objectives, simultaneously. In this paper, the price penalty factor approach is employed for simultaneous minimization of cost and emission. The generator ramp rate constraints, non-convex and discontinuous nature of cost function and the large number of generators in practical power plants, make this problem very difficult to solve. Here, a fuzzy ranking approach is employed to identify the solution which offers the best compromise between cost and emission objectives.     

环境流计算新方法:水文变化的生态限度法

水文变化的生态限度框架(ELOHA)是环境流理论最新成果。ELOHA要求对河流按照水文情势特征进行分类,相同类型河流的水文—生态关系具有相似性。ELOHA还要求对开发前后水文情势变化进行分析,计算现状水文条件与基准水文条件的偏离程度。ELOHA提出了水文情势变化预期生态响应的若干假定,总结了一套为建立水文—生态关系采用的生态指标。在建立大型水文和生物数据库的基础上,运用统计学方法拟合水文—生态函数关系。最后,各利益相关者对水文变化引起的生态风险进行评估,认定可以接受的生态风险水平,再依据水文—生态曲线,确定环境流标准。     

一种单面涂铝PVC塑料吊顶材料燃烧性能的实验研究

采用锥形量热仪对市场上常见的一种内装修单面涂铝PVC吊顶材料的燃烧性能进行了实验研究。实验结果表明，在不同的辐射功率和不同暴露面下，该材料表现出不同的燃烧性能。当涂铝面(正面)暴露燃烧时，其质量损失速率(即燃烧速率)比未涂铝面(背面)小，正面的引燃时间比背面引燃时间长，这些特性对减小燃烧时的火焰蔓延速度有利；而正面暴露燃烧时的发烟量和一氧化碳的产率则比背面暴露燃烧时大，这一特性将增大材料燃烧时的烟气危害性。     

Combustion of a gasoline-hydrogen-air mixture in a reciprocating internal combustion engine cylinder and determining the optimum gasoline-hydrogen ratio

This paper reports results of an analysis of experimental data on the combustion of a gasoline-hydrogen-air mixture in a reciprocating internal combustion engine cylinder. The completeness of combustion of the mixture is shown to depend on the amount of hydrogen in the fuel mixture and the composition and physicochemical properties of the mixture. In particular, the conditions of addition of hydrogen to the gasoline-air mixture with active chemical action on the combustion process and the action of hydrogen as an additional fuel component are determined. A dimensionless universal relation is proposed that allows one to uniquely determine the initial composition of the fuel mixture (hydrogen to gasoline ratio) to accomplish combustion of the fuel mixture at the lean combustion limit. __________ Translated from Fizika Goreniya i Vzryva, Vol. 43, No. 4, pp. 8–14, July–August, 2007.     

碱金属热管轴向传热极限的研究

通过钠热管测试过程中的实验现象，分析研究热管轴向传热率受粘性传热极限、声速传热极限、毛细力传热极限的限制。给出各种传热极限时的壁温分布曲线，并将实验的传热率值与理论值进行比较。最后对实验过程中未发现携带传热极限进行了详细的分析。