Predicting the impact of subsurface heterogeneous hydraulic conductivity on the stochastic behavior of well draw down in a confined aquifer using artificial neural networks

Groundwater flow and behavior have to be investigated based on heterogeneous subsurface formation since the homogeneity assumption of this formation is not valid. Over the past twenty years, stochastic approach and Monte Carlo technique have been utilized very efficiently to understand the groundwater flow behavior. However, these techniques require lots of computational and numerical efforts according to the various researchers’ comments. Therefore, utilizing new techniques with much less computational efforts such as Artificial Neural Network (ANN) in the prediction of the stochastic behavior for the groundwater based on heterogeneous subsurface formation is highly appreciated. The current paper introduces the ANN technique to investigate and predict the stochastic behavior of a well draw down in a confined aquifer based on subsurface heterogeneous hydraulic conductivity. Several ANN models are developed in this research to predict the unsteady two dimensional well draw down and its stochastic characteristics in a confined aquifer. The results of this study showed that ANN method with less computational efforts was very efficiently capable of simulating and predicting the stochastic behavior of the well draw down resulted from the continuous constant pumping in the middle of a confined aquifer with subsurface heterogeneous hydraulic conductivity.     

Effects of exposure to oil sands process-affected water from experimental reclamation ponds on Chironomus dilutus

Effective detoxification of oil sands process-affected water (OSPW) is one issue associated with bitumen extraction in the Alberta oil sands. It has been suggested that reclamation ponds can be used to passively treat OSPW, potentially allowing for its safe return to the environment. In this study, OSPW was sampled in two batches (A and B) from the Syncrude Canada Ltd. West In-Pit (WIP) settling pond and from three experimental reclamation ponds - Big Pit, FE5, and TPW. Acute (10 d) and chronic (until adult emergence) exposures of Chironomus dilutus larvae to OSPW were conducted and survival, growth, development, and behavior were assessed. Masses of larvae exposed to WIP-OSPW were 64-77% less than the freshwater control (p < 0.001). Similarly, chronic exposure to WIP-OSPW resulted in significantly (p < 0.05) less pupation than in the freshwater control, with 31% (A) and 71% (B) less pupation of larvae exposed to WIP-OSPW. Rates of emergence were significantly less for larvae exposed to WIP-OSPW, with only 13% (A) and 8% (B) of larvae emerging as adults when exposed to WIP-OSPW, compared to 81% in the freshwater control (p < 0.0001). Pupation and emergence rates were significantly less in TPW than freshwater control (p < 0.05), but there were no differences observed in Big Pit or FE5. Lesser toxicity was observed in reclaimed OSPW compared to fresh OSPW and this coincided with lesser concentrations of NAs. The results presented are consistent with the hypothesis that an organic fraction is the cause of the toxicity of OSPW toward C. dilutus and that OSPW aged in reclamation ponds retains toxicity and therefore, more aggressive, targeted treatment of OSPW is required to accelerate decreases.     

Microstructural and hardness investigation of tool steel D2 processed by laser surface melting and alloying

Several techniques can be used to improve surface properties of metals. These can involve changes on the surface chemical composition such as alloying or on the surface microstructure, such as hardening. In the present work, melting of the surface by a 9 kW CO₂ CW laser of wavelength 10.6 μm was used to alter surface features of D2 tool steel. Carbon powder and nitrogen gas were used as sources of alloying elements during laser processing. The effect of various laser parameters (power and speed) on the microstructure and hardness of D2 tool steel was investigated. Laser powers from 1 to 8 kW and laser speeds from 5 to 15 mm/s were employed. It was found that as the laser power increases, the hardness of the melted zone decreases while that of the heat-affected zone increases. On the other hand, the depth of both of melted and heat-affected zones increases with power.     

Effect of accelerated aging on the properties of some writing paper sheets

Writing papers made from kraft softwood pulp and bagasse dissolving pulp were subjected to thermal aging for different time intervals (24, 48, 72, 96 and 120h) and the resulting changes in their chemical, physical and submicroscopic properties were investigated. The crystallinity changes in these pulps during thermal aging were studied by X-ray diffractograms. The carboxyl content of the kraft softwood pulp increased with time of thermal aging up to 96h and then decreased with increasing aging time, while the carboxyl content of bagasse dissolving pulp increased during thermal aging up to 72h and then decreased after this time. The crystallinity of kraft softwood pulp increased gradually during thermal aging. However, in the case of bagasse dissolving pulp the crystallinity increased up to 72h and then decreased. All pulps were characterized by a reduction in the degree of whiteness and chain depolymerization during the time of thermal aging.     

An Efficient Numerical Scheme for Solving Multi‐Dimensional Fractional Optimal Control Problems With a Quadratic Performance Index

The shifted Legendre orthogonal polynomials are used for the numerical solution of a new formulation for the multi‐dimensional fractional optimal control problem (M‐DFOCP) with a quadratic performance index. The fractional derivatives are described in the Caputo sense. The Lagrange multiplier method for the constrained extremum and the operational matrix of fractional integrals are used together with the help of the properties of the shifted Legendre orthonormal polynomials. The method reduces the M‐DFOCP to a simpler problem that consists of solving a system of algebraic equations. For confirming the efficiency and accuracy of the proposed scheme, some test problems are implemented with their approximate solutions.     

Directional Overcurrent Relays Coordination Restoration by Reducing Minimum Fault Current Limiter Impedance

FCL （fault current limiter） is used to solve relays miscoordination problem arises from DG （distributed generation） installation. In most published researches, different optimization methods are developed to obtain optimal relay settings to achieve coordination in case of not installing DG, then depending on the achieved optimal obtained relay settings, FCL impedance is deduced to ensure relays coordination restoration in case of installing DG. Based on original optimal relay settings, obtained FCL impedance is not the minimum one required to achieve relay coordination. The contribution of this paper is the generation of multi sets of original relay settings that increase the possibility of finding FCL impedance of minimum value which is lower than the calculated value based on original optimal relay settings. The proposed method achieves better economic target by reducing FCL impedance. The proposed approach is implemented and tested on IEEE-39 bus test system.     

An adaptive protection scheme for advanced series compensated (ASC)transmission lines

This paper presents an adaptive protection scheme for advanced series compensated (ASC) transmission lines. The scheme is based on Kalman and adaptive Kalman filters. The adaptive scheme utilizes the differences in the transient current signals for faults encountering and not encountering the ASC to determine the fault location with respect to the ASC and the faulted phases. Equations to determine the line impedance to the fault on these lines are developed. The adaptive scheme is tested for faults along and outside the protected line using EMTP simulated data     

Characterization of some radiation shielding,optical, and physical properties of fluorophosphate glasses modified by Sm3+

Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Electronics - Fluorophosphates glass systems with a composition of 70(P2O5)–20(LiF)–10(AlF3)–x (Sm2O3): x?=?0.0, 0.2, 0.5,...