A tradeoff between unit capacity and average production cost in spinning reserve optimization

In power systems the spinning reserve (SR) amount can be determined by deterministic or probabilistic techniques. Probabilistic techniques draw more attention since they can consider the economics and the stochastic nature of system behavior and component failures. In probabilistic techniques, the tradeoff between cost and reliability directly affects the SR deployment and it has been extensively analyzed. However, there is another tradeoff which reflects the compromise between the unit capacity and average production cost in the SR optimization problem. This tradeoff impacts the solution accuracy to a certain extent and influences the complexity of the model, and it has not been explicitly analyzed before. In this paper, a new SR optimization method is proposed in which the tradeoff between unit capacity and average production cost is well respected. The proposed method strikes a good balance between solution accuracy and computation efficiency and can obtain better results within a desirable run time compared with those of the previous methods. Besides, the proposed method can also be used to improve the solution of the reserve constrained unit commitment problem. It can lower the total cost by just redistributing the MW dispatch even when the SSR is fixed. The efficiency and validity of the proposed method are verified using the IEEE reliability test system.     

Ultrathin WS2 nanosheets vertically aligned on TiO2 nanobelts as efficient alkaline hydrogen evolution electrocatalyst

Highly efficient and durable non-noble metal-based hydrogen evolution electrocatalysts are critical to advance the production of hydrogen energy via alkaline water electrolysis. Herein, we prepared a novel TiO₂@WS₂ hybrid via a facile and scalable two-step hydrothermal strategy combined with selective etching. Benefited from acid-etched TiO₂ nanobelts with rough surface as substrate, ultrathin WS₂ nanosheets nucleated and vertically grew into few layers in the confined configuration with more exposed active edges. Furthermore, the partial incorporation of oxygen in WS₂ inherited from the remaining O–W bonds of tungsten precursor enhanced the electrical conductivity of the hybrid. Therefore, TiO₂@WS₂ hybrid was proved to be efficient and durable electrocatalyst for hydrogen evolution in alkaline medium. Upon optimal conditions, the hybrid only required a small onset overpotential of 95 mV and a low overpotential of 142 mV at 10 mA cm⁻², superior to pristine WS₂ and TiO₂. In addition, better cycling stability during the alkaline HER process was also obtained, indicating its capability in future practical application. The synthesis strategy presents a cost-effective approach to produce efficient WS₂-based HER electrocatalyst for electrochemical water splitting.     

Simple method of designing centralized PI controllers for multivariable systems based on SSGM

A method is given to design multivariable PI/PID controllers for stable and unstable multivariable systems. The method needs only the steady state gain matrix (SSGM). The method is based on the static decoupler design followed by SISO PI/PID controllers design and combining the resulted decoupler and the diagonal PI(D) controllers as the centralized controllers. The result of the present method is shown to be equivalent to the empirical method proposed by Davison EJ. Multivariable tuning regulators: the feed-forward and robust control of general servo-mechanism problem. IEEE Trans Autom Control 1976;21:35–41. Three simulation examples are given. The performance of the controllers is compared with that of the reported centralized controller based on the multivariable transfer function matrix.     

Efficiency enhancement in perovskite solar cell utilizing solution-processable phthalocyanine hole transport layer with thermal annealing

We demonstrate efficiency enhancement in perovskite solar cells (PSCs) utilizing a free-dopant hole transporting material (HTM), non-peripherally substituted octapentyl phthalocyanine (C5PcH₂) with thermal annealing. Particularly, by using thermal annealing approach, the external quantum efficiency at around 480 nm increase from 78 to 84%. Hence, the fill factor and short-circuit current density are markedly improved from 0.35 ± 0.02 to 0.55 ± 0.05 and from 18 ± 1 to 18.8 ± 0.3 mA cm^-2, respectively. Finally, the best device is achieved with power conversion efficiencies of 12.2% by annealing at 130 °C for 10 min. The photoluminescence and photo-induced charge carrier extraction in linearly increasing voltages measurements indicate that the charge carrier mobility in C5PcH₂ increases, and thereby the hole extraction and transportation from the perovskite layer to the Au anode as well the photovoltaic performance of PCS is improved by using thermal annealing processing.     

A modified predictive control strategy of three-phase grid-connected converters with optimized action time sequence

Due to the excellent dynamic performance,the Finite Control Set Model Predictive Control has been widely used in various types of converters.However,when Finite Control Set Model Predictive Control is adopted,the switching frequency of converters varies significantly with system operating conditions.Consequently,constant-frequency predictive control strategy has been proposed.Two active voltage vectors and a zero voltage vector are selected within each sampling period.The action time sequence is then calculated.Due to the unsymmetrical distribution of current variation rates around zero,the calculated value of the voltage-vector action time will turn up negative.According to common sense,the voltage-vector action time is greater than or equal to zero.The action time is normally forced to zero whenever a negative value is predicted,resulting in the control failure and performance deterioration.To solve this problem,this paper proposes modified strategy.The modified strategy examines the action time calculated out.When negative action time comes out,the modified strategy reselects the active voltage vector accordingly,instead of forcing the action time to be zero.Optimized action time sequence is further determined by minimizing the cost function.The effectiveness of the modified strategy is clearly verified by experimental tests,and analytical remarks are all founded in practical results.     

Electrochemical properties of non-aqueous electrolytes containing spiro-type ammonium salts

Electrochemical properties of organic solvent electrolytes containing salt additive were investigated by means of cyclic voltammetry, ionic conductivity and charge–discharge curve. The electrolyte was prepared by a mixture of propylene carbonate (PC) and dimethyl carbonate (DMC), tetraethylammonium tetrafluoroborate (TEABF₄) and spiro-1,1′-bipyrolidinium tetrafluoroborate (SBPBF₄) as a salt additive. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the effect of spiro-type quaternary ammonium salt on electrochemical properties. The bulk resistance of the mixture electrolytes and interfacial resistance were investigated using an AC impedance method. The result shows that SBPBF₄ has good solubility in PC/DMC and the ionic conductivity is comparable to TEABF₄ in PC/DMC. From the experimental results, by using the SBPBF₄ salt, the interfacial resistance was decreased and capacity and ionic conductivity were increased. These results may be due to the higher mobility or ion dissociation of the SBP cation with smaller ion size than the TEA cation against the meso- or micro-pores of the activated carbons electrode.     

A hybrid genetic and imperialist competitive algorithm for green vendor managed inventory of multi-item multi-constraint EOQ model under shortage

The purpose of this paper is to develop a multi-item economic order quantity (EOQ) model with shortage for a single-buyer single-supplier supply chain under green vendor managed inventory (VMI) policy. This model explicitly includes the VMI contractual agreement between the vendor and the buyer such as warehouse capacity and delivery constraints, bounds for each order, and limits on the number of pallets. To create a kind of green supply chain, tax cost of green house gas (GHG) emissions and limitation on total emissions of all items are considered in the model. A hybrid genetic and imperialist competitive algorithm (HGA) is employed to find a near-optimum solution of a nonlinear integer-programming (NIP) with the objective of minimizing the total cost of the supply chain. Since no benchmark is available in the literature, a genetic algorithm (GA) is developed as well to validate the result obtained. For further validation, the outcomes are also compared to lower bounds that are found using a relaxed model in which all variables are treated continuous. At the end, numerical examples are presented to demonstrate the application of the proposed methodology. Our results proved that the proposed hybrid procedure was able to find better and nearer optimal solutions.     

Red@Black phosphorus core–shell heterostructure with superior air stability for high-rate and durable sodium-ion battery

Heterostructured electrodes have gained increasing attentions owing to the synergistic effects from individual building components and the unique interfaces. However, rational design and controllable fabrication of high areal capacity and durable phosphorus-based heterostructure anode for industry remains a critical challenge. Herein, a new red@black phosphorus core–shell heterostructure anchored on three-dimensional N-doped graphene (RP@BP/3DNG) has been prepared via a facile one-step solvothermal strategy. As demonstrated by experimental data and theoretical calculations, RP@BP/3DNG shows a superior high electronic conductivity and an extremely low Na⁺ diffusion barrier due to the build-in filed at the RP@BP heterointerface, thus RP@BP/3DNG delivers an ultra-high areal capacity of 3.46 mAh cm⁻² (1440.2 mAh/g at 0.05 A/g), impressive rate performance (521.3 mAh/g at 10.0 A/g) as well as unprecedented capacity retention rate of 89.3% after 1200 cycles at 10.0 A/g when evaluated as an anode for sodium ion batteries (SIBs). Furthermore, the internal electric field at the interfaces of RP@BP leads to the shift of electron cloud from BP to RP, which greatly suppresses the reaction activity of lone-pair electrons of BP atoms, and therefore RP@BP/3DNG shows much enhanced air stability. This work heralds a new insight for designing high-performance and stable P-based anodes for rechargeable batteries.     

Humidity-insensitive and low oxygen dependence tungsten oxide gas sensors

Gas sensing characteristics of WO₃ powder and its physical properties under different heat treatment conditions have been investigated. The WO₃ powder was synthesized by wet process from ammonium tungstate parapentahydrate and nitric solution. The precipitated product was then calcined at 300–800 °C for 2–12 h. The physical properties of the products were characterized by using X-ray diffractometer (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and BET method. It was found that the crystallite size, particle size and surface area of the WO₃ powders were in the range of 30–45 nm, 0.1–3.0 μm and 1.2–3.7 m²/g, respectively. Calcination at higher temperature and longer time led to the increase of particle size by more than 300%, and reduction in specific surface area by more than 60%. However, the crystallite size was found to increase only by ∼30% under identical heat treatment. These results inferred that such heat treatment had more profound effect on crystallite aggregation than on crystallite growth. Gas sensing measurement showed that the largest change of output voltage to both ethyl alcohol and ammonia was obtained from the sensor calcined at 600 °C for 2 h, which had the highest surface area. However, the highest sensitivity which is defined as the ratio of sensor's resistance in air to that in the sample gas, R_air/R_gas, was obtained from the sensor calcined at 600 °C for 6 h due to its highest background resistance in air. Moreover, it was also found that the sensors were less sensitive to the oxygen content in the carrier gas and did not sensitive at all to water vapor.     

基于改进YOLOv5的动车组关键部件缺陷检测

针对目前动车组(electric multiple units,EMUs) 关键部件缺陷检测模型复杂、小目标漏检率高和检测效率低的问题,提出一种基于改进YOLOv5的缺陷检测方法。该方法在利用生成对抗网络(generative adversarial network,GAN)进行数据增强的基础上,采用轻量级网络MobileNetV3-large对YOLOv5m主干网络进行替换,同时使用深度可分离卷积优化颈部3×3网络结构,以降低模型的参数量和计算量;在改进后的主干网络中引入坐标注意力机制(coordinate attention,CA),以捕获小目标的位置信息和通道信息,增强网络的特征表达能力;对非极大值抑制(non-max suppression,NMS)算法进行优化,融入重叠检测框中心点的位置信息,以提升预测框的定位准确性。在EMUs缺陷数据集上的实验结果表明,本文提出的检测模型相较于YOLOv5m,参数量减少了77%,计算量降低了80.9%,单张图片的检测时间减少了31.7%,平均精度均值(mean average precision,mAP)可达到0.804。另外,在NEU-DET数据集上的实验结果表明,改进后的模型也具有较强的泛化能力。