Neural network prediction of bioleaching of metals from waste computer printed circuit boards using Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm

The applicability of artificial neural network (ANN) to predict the bioleaching of metals using from computer printed circuit boards (CPCB) and the influence of process parameters were studied. The influence of process parameters initial pH (1.6-2.4), pulp density (2%-13%), and the initial volume of Inoculum (5%-25%) were investigated on the rate of bioleaching of metals from CPCB. Network inputs were fed as initial pH, pulp density, and inoculum volume and with the extraction of Cu, Ag, and Au as output. The ANN was developed using the Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm and trained for modeling and prediction. The most fitting architectures for Cu, Ag, and Au were [4-5-5-2-1], [4-7-5-2-1], [4-7-1-1-1] trained with Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm, respectively. The R values were observed to be 0.996, 0.997, and 0.993 for Cu, Ag, and Au extraction predictions, respectively. The genetic algorithm model defined by ANN was used to achieve maximum extraction rates for Cu, Au, and Ag. The predicted data showed that there is a great capability of using ANN for the prediction of Cu, Ag, and Au extraction from CPCB through bioleaching process. Hence, the ANN model can be used to control the operational conditions for improved metals extraction through bioleaching.     

Processing and Thermal Conductivity of Lead Telluride Microwires

We present a unique method for producing continuous PbTe microwires which may be spooled for commercial use, and provide evidence that such wires tend to form single crystals with diameters less than 10 μm. Because PbTe microwires can, potentially, be used to fabricate miniature thermoelectric generators, a commercial fiber optic draw tower was used to produce such wires. In general, the thermoelectric figure of merit of a semiconductor is expected to decrease if its thermal conductivity increases. Because PbTe microwires with diameters less than 10 μm contain no grain boundaries and have fewer other defects, for example cracks and pores, their thermal conductivity was expected to be high, as a result of reduced phonon scattering. Accordingly, it was of interest to determine how the thermal conductivity of PbTe microwires behaved in two diameter ranges, i.e., those with diameters <10 μm and those with substantially larger diameters. We report thermal conductivity data for such microwires, at 725 K, determined by use of the 3ω method. Special attention was paid to minimizing conduction and radiation losses which are sources of error at high temperatures. The results prove that the thermal conductivity of PbTe microwires remains invariant in the diameter range 1.6–60 μm.     

A new structure of three-phase five-level inverter with nested two-level cells

This paper presents a new structure of three-phase five-level inverter with a single direct current (DC) source for low- and medium-voltage applications. The proposed configuration is built with a cascade connection of two-level cells in a nested form and owns the advantages of a reduced number of passive components, total blocking voltage of the switches, and isolated DC sources. In order to make this topology attractive, a comparison is made with five-level inverter topologies proposed for low- and medium-voltage applications in recent years. The proposed circuit is powered using a single DC source and an auxiliary voltage-balancing circuit (AVBC) to maintain the desired DC-link capacitor voltages. A sinusoidal pulse width modulation (SPWM) scheme is implemented in field-programmable gate array (FPGA), using Xilinx blocks developed in MATLAB/SIMULINK environment, to control the inverter switches. The performance of the proposed topology is verified through MATLAB simulation and prototype model for a step change in load. Finally, the experimental results are presented to validate the effectiveness of the proposed topology.     

Effect of copper and graphite addition on sinterability of iron

In ferrous powder metallurgy, copper and graphite are used as common alloying elements. Copper melts at low temperature compared to iron and forms liquid which promote interparticle bond formation. However, it also results in compact swelling. To negate this, graphite is used as an additive. This study examines the influence of copper and graphite addition on the densification, dimensional changes, and mechanical properties of iron compacts sintered at 1120°C. These properties have been correlated with the microstructure.     

Synthesis and Study of Structural,Morphological and Magnetic Properties of ZnFe2O4 Nanoparticles

Superparamagnetic zinc ferrite (ZnFe₂O₄) nanoparticles were prepared by a surfactant assisted hydrothermal method and subjected to the heat treatment. The structure, vibrational, morphology, and magnetic properties of synthesized product were characterized by XRD, FT-IR, HR-SEM, and VSM measurements. XRD result confirms the formation of regular spinel structured ZnFe₂O₄ with space group of Fd3m and an average crystalline size was calculated as 21 nm and 28 nm for the samples annealed in air atmosphere at 300 °C and 600 °C. The HR-SEM image shows that the particles are in spherical shape with small aggregation. A room temperature superparamagnetic behavior was observed for both samples. The saturation magnetization (M _s) of 12.0 emu/g and 9.10 emu/g were observed for the samples annealed in air atmosphere at 300 °C and 600 °C, respectively.     

Global pollution monitoring of polybrominated diphenyl ethers using skipjack tuna as a bioindicator

To elucidate the global distribution of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), these chemicals were determined in the muscle of skipjack tuna (Katsuwonus pelamis) collected from offshore waters of various regions in the world (Japan, Taiwan, Philippines, Indonesia, Seychelles, and Brazil, and the Japan Sea, East China Sea, South China Sea, Indian Ocean, and North Pacific Ocean). PBDEs were detected in almost all the skipjack tuna collected from the locations surveyed (from < 0.1 to 53 ng/g of lipid), indicating widespread contamination by these compounds in the marine environment. Residue levels of PBDEs in these samples from the northern hemisphere seem to be higher than those from the southern hemisphere, which is plausibly due to larger usage of these compounds in the northern hemisphere. Higher concentrations of PBDEs were detected in the samples from waters around the East China Sea (up to 53 ng/g of lipid). Developing countries around the East China Sea are supposedly the "hot spots" releasing these chemicals into the marine environment. With regard to the composition of PBDE congeners, the percentage contribution by lower brominated congeners (BDE15, -28, and -47) showed an increasing trend with increasing latitude. On the other hand, higher brominated congeners (BDE153, -154, and -183) showed a reverse trend. These patterns suggest that lower brominated congeners of PBDEs (di-, tri-, and tetra-BDEs) were preferentially transported from pollution sources to northern colder regions through the atmosphere. PBDEs may have a high potency to cause global pollution like PCBs.     

Structural,morphological and magnetic properties of hydrothermally synthesized ZnFe2O4 nanoparticles

Zinc ferrite (ZnFe₂O₄) nanoparticles were synthesized by a surfactant assisted hydrothermal method using different concentrations of ethylamine (EA) namely, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 ml. The powder X-ray diffraction measurements revealed that the amount of EA plays an important role in the formation of single phase ZnFe₂O₄ nanoparticles. The amount of 2 and 4 ml of EA yielded mixed phases of α-Fe₂O₃ and ZnFe₂O₄ whereas 6 ml of EA produced well crystalline and single phase ZnFe₂O₄ with regular spinel structures. Field emission scanning electron microscopy images revealed that ZnFe₂O₄ possess spherical shape, irrespective of the concentrations of EA. Magnetic characterizations revealed that the synthesized samples with EA concentrations 6, 8, 10 ml were superparamagnetic in nature at room temperature.     

Unified analysis of practical selection diversity system indifferent fading environments

A general expression is presented for the bit error rate performance of a signal plus interference and noise (S+I) selection diversity system over generalised fading channels, including all possible conditions of signal strengths and arbitrary fading parameters     

Efficient computation of MRC diversity performance in Nakagamifading channel with arbitrary parameters

A very efficient numerical expression is described for MRC diversity performance in a Nakagami fading channel with arbitrary parameters, including all possible conditions of received signal strength and arbitrary fading figures