Robust optimal operation of continuous catalytic reforming process under feedstock uncertainty

The continuous catalytic regenerative (CCR) reforming process is one of the most significant sources of hydrogen production in the petroleum refining process. However, the fluctuations in feedstock composition and flow rate could significantly affect both product distribution and energy consumption. In this study, a robust deviation criterion based multi-objective optimization approach is proposed to perform the optimal operation of CCR reformer under feedstock uncertainty, with simultaneous maximization of product yields and minimization of energy consumption. Minimax approach is adopted to handle these uncertain objectives, and the Latin hypercube sampling method is then used to calculate these robust deviation criteria. Multi-objective surrogate-based optimization methods are next introduced to effectively solve the robust operational problem with high computational cost. The level diagram method is finally utilized to assist in multi-criteria decision-making. Two robust operational optimization problems with different objectives are solved to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method for robust optimal operation of the CCR reforming process under feedstock uncertainty.     

Identification and U-control of a state-space system with time-delay

This article presents a state-space model with time-delay to map the relationship between known input-output data for discrete systems. For the given input-output data, a model identification algorithm combining parameter estimation and state estimation is proposed in line with the causality constraints. Consequently, this article proposes a least squares parameter estimation algorithm, and analyzes its convergence for the studied systems to prove that the parameter estimation errors converge to zero under the persistent excitation conditions. In control system design, the U-model based control is introduced to provide a unilateral platform to improve the design efficiency and generality. A simulation portfolio from modeling to control is provided with computational experiments to validate the derived results.     

Dual effect synergistically triggered Ce:(Y,Tb)3(Al,Mn)5O12 transparent ceramics enabling a high color-rendering index and excellent thermal stability for white LEDs

Ce:Y₃Al₅O₁₂ transparent ceramics (TCs) with appropriate emission light proportion and high thermal stability are significant to construct white light emitting diode devices with excellent chromaticity parameters. In this work, strategies of controlling crystal-field splitting around Ce³⁺ ion and doping orange-red emitting ion, were adopted to fabricate Ce:(Y,Tb)₃(Al,Mn)₅O₁₂ TCs via vacuum sintering technique. Notably, 85.4 % of the room-temperature luminescence intensity of the TC was retained at 150 °C, and the color rendering index was as high as 79.8. Furthermore, a 12 nm red shift and a 16.2 % increase of full width at half maximum were achieved owing to the synergistic effects of Tb³⁺ and Mn²⁺ ions. By combining TCs with a 460 nm blue chip, a warm white light with a low correlated color temperature of 4155 K was acquired. Meanwhile, the action mechanism of Tb³⁺ ion and the energy transfer between Ce³⁺ and Mn²⁺ ions were verified in prepared TCs.     

Farmers' preferences for adopting on-farm concentration of raw milk: Results from a discrete choice experiment in Germany

Milk concentrates are used in the manufacturing of dairy products such as yogurt and cheese or are processed into milk powder. Processes for the nonthermal separation of water and valuable milk ingredients are becoming increasingly widespread at farm level. The technical barriers to using farm-manufactured milk concentrate in dairies are minimal, hence the suspicion that the practice of on-farm raw milk concentration is still fairly uncommon for economic reasons. This study, therefore, set out to investigate farmers' potential willingness to adopt a raw milk concentration plant. The empirical analysis was based on discrete choice experiments with 75 German dairy farmers to identify preferences and the possible adoption of on-farm raw milk concentration. The results showed that, in particular, farmers who deemed the current milk price to be insufficient viewed on-farm concentration using membrane technology as an option for diversifying their milk sales. We found no indication that adoption would be impeded by a lack of trustworthy information on milk processing technologies or capital.     

Maximum likelihood-based adaptive differential evolution identification algorithm for multivariable systems in the state-space form

Parameter estimation plays an important role in the field of system control. This article is concerned with the parameter estimation methods for multivariable systems in the state-space form. For the sake of solving the identification complexity caused by a large number of parameters in multivariable systems, we decompose the original multivariable system into some subsystems containing fewer parameters and study identification algorithms to estimate the parameters of each subsystem. By taking the maximum likelihood criterion function as the fitness function of the differential evolution algorithm, we present a maximum likelihood-based differential evolution (ML-DE) algorithm for parameter estimation. To improve the parameter estimation accuracy, we introduce the adaptive mutation factor and the adaptive crossover factor into the ML-DE algorithm and propose a maximum likelihood-based adaptive differential evolution algorithm. The simulation study indicates the efficiency of the proposed algorithms.     

无线电综合测试仪校准装置的研究及其不确定度分析

This calibration device of radio comprehensive tester is studied and established in this paper. It solves the verification and calibration of a large number of general-purpose radio comprehensive testers. The calibration device consists of four calibration sub- systems and calibration software system, including RF generator, audio generator, audio analyzer and RF analyzer. It also researches on the configuration of standard equipment and analyzes the uncertainty of the calibration devices, ensuring accurate and reliable val- ue transfer.     

烟道流量计量标准装置

为了解决我国烟道流量计的量值溯源问题,中国计量科学研究院建立了烟道流量计量标准装置。装置使用可溯源至标准转盘的激光多普勒测速仪作为原级标准器,采用激光多普勒流速剖面扫描和超声流量计波动修正的方式测量标准流量,经校准的8声道超声流量计为工作级标准表,具备了908~104840m3/h的测量能力,扩展不确定度为0.62%(k=2),可对最大口径为1m的流量计进行校准。装置下游测试段包括圆形管段和矩形管段,能够开展烟道流量计测量性能的研究。     

Relationships between the accumulative damage and dielectric properties of woven BN-coated Hi-Nicalon™ SiC fibre-reinforced SiC matrix composites

The accumulative damage behaviour of BN-coated Hi-Nicalon™ SiC fibre-reinforced SiC matrix composite was examined under tensile cyclic loading at room and elevated temperatures. The accumulative damage occurring during the cyclic loading was quantitatively characterised using the damage parameter obtained by the hysteresis loop curves. The damage parameter increased with increasing applied stress beyond the matrix cracking stress, and it subsequently retained a nearly constant value until just before fracture. Moreover, the dielectric constant, dielectric loss and loss tangent of the composite were measured before and after the fracture in the frequency range 1–1000 MHz. The dielectric properties had similar frequency dependency before and after the fracture. However, the dielectric constant, dielectric loss and loss tangent were lower in the post-fractured specimens than in the pristine ones. The reduction of the dielectric properties was associated with the accumulative damage stored in the specimens. In addition, the relationships between the dielectric properties and the damage parameter were described in detail.     

Assessment of the different sources of uncertainty in a SWAT model of the River Senne (Belgium)

Although rainfall input uncertainties are widely identified as being a key factor in hydrological models, the rainfall uncertainty is typically not included in the parameter identification and model output uncertainty analysis of complex distributed models such as SWAT and in maritime climate zones. This paper presents a methodology to assess the uncertainty of semi-distributed hydrological models by including, in addition to a list of model parameters, additional unknown factors in the calibration algorithm to account for the rainfall uncertainty (using multiplication factors for each separately identified rainfall event) and for the heteroscedastic nature of the errors of the stream flow. We used the Differential Evolution Adaptive Metropolis algorithm (DREAM_(zs)) to infer the parameter posterior distributions and the output uncertainties of a SWAT model of the River Senne (Belgium). Explicitly considering heteroscedasticity and rainfall uncertainty leads to more realistic parameter values, better representation of water balance components and prediction uncertainty intervals.     

Control theory for stochastic distributed parameter systems,an engineering perspective

The main purpose of this paper is to survey some recent progresses on control theory for stochastic distributed parameter systems, i.e., systems governed by stochastic differential equations in infinite dimensions, typically by stochastic partial differential equations. We will explain the new phenomenon and difficulties in the study of controllability and optimal control problems for one dimensional stochastic parabolic equations and stochastic hyperbolic equations. In particular, we shall see that both the formulation of corresponding stochastic control problems and the tools to solve them may differ considerably from their deterministic/finite-dimensional counterparts. More importantly, one has to develop new tools, say, the stochastic transposition method introduced in our previous works, to solve some problems in this field.