Semantically enriched Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) platform

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are becoming an essential source of information for both students and teachers. Noticeably, MOOCs have to adapt to the fast development of new technologies; they also have to satisfy the current generation of online students. The current MOOCs’ Management Systems, such as Coursera, Udacity, edX, etc., use content management platforms where content are organized in a hierarchical structure. We envision a new generation of MOOCs that support interpretability with formal semantics by using the SemanticWeb and the online social networks. Semantic technologies support more flexible information management than that offered by the current MOOCs’ platforms. Annotated information about courses, video lectures, assignments, students, teachers, etc., can be composed from heterogeneous sources, including contributions from the communities in the forum space. These annotations, combined with legacy data, build foundations for more efficient information discovery in MOOCs’ platforms. In this article we review various Collaborative Semantic Filtering technologies for building Semantic MOOCs’ management system, then, we present a prototype of a semantic middle-sized platform implemented at Western Kentucky University that answers these aforementioned requirements.     

A semicontinuous approach for heterogeneous azeotropic distillation processes

The separation of azeotropes has substantial energy and investment costs, and the available methods require high capital costs for reconstruction of process plants. As an alternative, a semicontinuous configuration that utilizes an existing plant with minor modifications has been explored. In this paper, a semicontinuous, heterogeneous azeotropic distillation process is proposed and acetic acid dehydration process is used as a case study. To carry out the simulation work, Aspen HYSYS^® simulation software is used along with MATLAB^® and an interface program to handle the mode-transition of the semicontinuous process. Sensitivity analyses on operating parameters are performed to identify the process limits. Comparisons are made to conventional heterogeneous azeotropic distillation, and dividing-wall distillation column on the annual cost. The results proved that the semicontinuous system is the best setup in terms of total annual costs and energy requirements.     

Usability of a cloud-based collaborative learning framework to improve learners’ experience

Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) is concerned with how Information and Communication Technology (ICT) might facilitate learning in groups which can be co-located or distributed over a network of computers such as Internet. CSCL supports effective learning by means of communication of ideas and information among learners, collaborative access of essential documents, and feedback from instructors and peers on learning activities. As the cloud technologies are increasingly becoming popular and collaborative learning is evolving, new directions for development of collaborative learning tools deployed on cloud are proposed. Development of such learning tools requires access to substantial data stored in the cloud. Ensuring efficient access to such data is hindered by the high latencies of wide-area networks underlying the cloud infrastructures. To improve learners’ experience by accelerating data access, important files can be replicated so a group of learners can access data from nearby locations. Since a cloud environment is highly dynamic, resource availability, network latency, and learner requests may change. In this paper, we present the advantages of collaborative learning and focus on the importance of data replication in the design of such a dynamic cloud-based system that a collaborative learning portal uses. To this end, we introduce a highly distributed replication technique that determines optimal data locations to improve access performance by minimizing replication overhead (access and update). The problem is formulated using dynamic programming. Experimental results demonstrate the usefulness of the proposed collaborative learning system used by institutions in geographically distributed locations.     

一种2,6-二甲基苯甲酸的改进合成方法

以2,6-二甲基苯胺为原料,通过重氮化反应制备2,6-二甲基苯腈,经水蒸汽蒸馏法提纯后,采用75%硫酸酸化,再经酸碱法对产物进行脱色和纯化得产物2,6-二甲基苯甲酸,总收率68.4%。工艺简单、操作安全、适合工业化生产。     

Control of reactive distillation production of high-purity isopropanol

The process characteristics and control strategy of a high-purity IPA reactive distillation column were investigated. A robust nominal operation was found by maintaining an excess of propylene feed to the column and recycling the unreacted propylene to the feed instead of the top stage. Stage temperature and propylene composition with one-to-one relationship with reboiler duty and propylene feed are selected as controlled variables for maintaining bottom purity and feed ratio in the presence of possible measurement bias respectively. High nonlinearity between selected input–output pair was reduced by using variable transformation. Dynamic simulations demonstrated that such a control scheme with nonlinear transformed variable was capable of providing much superior control performance than the one using natural variable.     

Evaluating the effects of frame of reference on spatial collaboration using desktop collaborative virtual environments

Spatial collaboration is an everyday activity in which people work together to solve a spatial problem. For example, a group of people will often arrange furniture together or exchange directions with one another. Collaborative virtual environments using desktop PCs are particularly useful for spatial activities when the participants are distributed. This work investigates ways to enhance distributed, collaborative spatial activities. This paper explores how different frames of reference affect spatial collaboration. Specifically, it reports on an experiment that examines different combinations of exocentric and egocentric frames of reference with two users. Tasks involve manipulating an object, where one participant knows the objective (director) and the other performs the interactions (actor). It discusses the advantages and disadvantages of the different combinations for a spatial collaboration task. Findings from this study demonstrate that frames of reference affect collaboration in a variety of ways and simple exocentric-egocentric combinations do not always provide the most usable solution.     

基于进化算法的常减压装置模拟

提出了基于优选优生进化算法（Select—best and prepotency evolution algorithm，SPEA）的常减压装置模拟方法。以各塔的温度分布为目标，基于生产过程和分析数据，采用SPEA确定各塔板Murphree效率，从而精确描述各塔板平衡偏离程度。在实际应用中，获得具有良好精度的常减压装置模型。系统分析了SPEA算法的关键参数——优选领域大小与计算复杂性及寻优性能之间的关系，结果显示其取值为群体规模的10％最为合适。     

催化精馏合成N-异丙基苯胺

在Joback基团贡献法估算反应的G ibbs函数的基础上,得到了异丙醇与苯胺合成N-异丙基苯胺的平衡常数与反应温度的关系式。研究了回流比、异丙醇与苯胺的摩尔比、塔釜操作温度、苯胺进料口位置距塔顶的距离对异丙醇与苯胺催化精馏合成N-异丙基苯胺的影响,确定了适宜的工艺条件:回流比2.5~3.5、异丙醇与苯胺的摩尔比1.5、塔釜操作温度223℃、苯胺进料口位置距塔顶300~400mm。在优化条件下,苯胺的转化率可达到99%,N-异丙基苯胺的选择性可达到99.5%,N-异丙基苯胺的质量分数可稳定在98.8%以上。     

常减压装置设备腐蚀分析及防护措施

文章介绍了中国石油化工股份有限公司齐鲁石化分公司胜利炼油厂第二常减压蒸馏装置的总体情况,分析总结了装置在2000-2005年期间停工闲置及开工运行过程中设备腐蚀情况和防护中所做的工作,可供相似类型、相似状态的装置借鉴。