A framework for improving the efficiency of operational testing through Bayesian adaptive design

When developing a product, it is important to consider product performance from a user perspective. This type of evaluation can be done through operational testing—assessing the ability of representative users to satisfactorily accomplish tasks with the product in operationally representative environments. This process can be expensive and time-consuming, but is critical to understanding whether the product can adequately do the job for which it was designed. We show how an existing design of experiments (DOEs) process for operational testing can be leveraged to construct a Bayesian adaptive design. This design, nested within the larger design created by the DOE process, allows interim analyses to stop testing early for success or futility. Representative simulations are presented to demonstrate how these interim analyses can be used in an operational test setting, and reductions in necessary test events are shown. The application of Bayesian-adaptive design methods will allow future operational testing to be conducted in less time and at less expense, on average, without compromising the ability of the existing process to verify the product meets the user's needs.     

Moving beyond ‘more crop per drop’: insights from two decades of research on agricultural water productivity

ABSTRACT

Concern over increasing water scarcity has led to the introduction of the concept of agricultural water productivity and an emphasis on interventions to achieve ‘more crop per drop’. Yet, a strong debate continues on how the concept is to be defined and used. Drawing largely from the irrigation literature, the origins of the concept and its methodological developments are reviewed, and its use in applied work over two decades is discussed. Based on this analysis of conceptual and applied research, key insights into the concept’s contributions and limitations are presented, as well as opportunities for further refinements.     

汽车自动定量高效充装硫酸技术研究与应用

金川集团股份有限公司镍冶炼厂硫酸产品主要通过汽车装运销往外地,通过深入观察、分析硫酸充装问题,从提高汽车充装硫酸的合规合法性、充装效率、精度和安全性考虑,进行了汽车定量自动充装计量、高效兑车、液位防溢保护及声光报警等方面技术创新,保证了定量自动充装的同时,兑车效率大幅提高,降低了操作人员劳动强度,确保了硫酸充装的安全性和可靠性。     

Ultrahigh and field-independent energy storage efficiency of (1-x)(Ba0.85Ca0.15)(Zr0.1Ti0.9)O3-xBi(Mg0.5Ti0.5)O3 ceramics

Relaxor ferroelectrics are attracting an increasing interest in the application of pulse power systems due to their excellent energy storage performance. In this paper, the (1-x)(Ba_0·85Ca_0.15)(Zr_0·1Ti_0.9)O₃-xBi(Mg_0·5Ti_0.5)O₃ ((1-x)BCZT-xBMT, x ≤ 0.2) relaxor ceramics are prepared by the solid state method. The influence of BMT on the microstructure, dielectric and energy storage properties of the prepared ceramics is investigated. The XRD results show that the peak intensity of impurities (Bi₂O₃, TiO₂ and Ba₂Bi₄Ti₅O₁₈) is gradually stronger than that of BCZT phase with x increasing. Meanwhile, the grain size of (1-x)BCZT-xBMT ceramics gradually increases on account of the appearance of impurities Bi₂O₃. Influenced by the impurities and BMT, the dielectric constant of prepared ceramics gradually decreases with x increasing. A large W_rec value of 0.65 J/cm³ with an ultrahigh η value of 97.89% is achieved at x = 0.15 due to the high breakdown strength and slim P-E hysteresis loop. Meanwhile, the η is insensitive to the electric field. The ultrahigh η leads to lesser energy loss during the charge and discharge process. It makes the 0.85BCZT-0.15BMT ceramic more attractive in the application of pulse power systems.     

基于Prophet人工智能算法的网络潮汐效应预测研究

本文使用Prophet人工智能算法研究与预测移动通信网络“潮汐效应”现象，探索网络“潮汐效应”在优化网络资源配置实现网络降本增效的作用。Prophet人工智能算法是一种简单、有效，且易于实现的人工智能算法。通过facebook的人工智能开源框架fbprophet，研究4G网络PRB利用率等网络资源指标的“潮汐效应”，并预测这些网络资源指标在未来的变化趋势，用来指导当前4G网络减容、扩容和4/5G节电节能等，实现优化网络资源配置达到降本增效的目的。     

Rapid Hormetic Responses of Photosystem II Photochemistry of Clary Sage to Cadmium Exposure

Five-day exposure of clary sage (Salvia sclarea L.) to 100 μM cadmium (Cd) in hydroponics was sufficient to increase Cd concentrations significantly in roots and aboveground parts and affect negatively whole plant levels of calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg), since Cd competes for Ca channels, while reduced Mg concentrations are associated with increased Cd tolerance. Total zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), and iron (Fe) uptake increased but their translocation to the aboveground parts decreased. Despite the substantial levels of Cd in leaves, without any observed defects on chloroplast ultrastructure, an enhanced photosystem II (PSII) efficiency was observed, with a higher fraction of absorbed light energy to be directed to photochemistry (Φ_PSΙΙ). The concomitant increase in the photoprotective mechanism of non-photochemical quenching of photosynthesis (NPQ) resulted in an important decrease in the dissipated non-regulated energy (Φ_NO), modifying the homeostasis of reactive oxygen species (ROS), through a decreased singlet oxygen (¹O₂) formation. A basal ROS level was detected in control plant leaves for optimal growth, while a low increased level of ROS under 5 days Cd exposure seemed to be beneficial for triggering defense responses, and a high level of ROS out of the boundaries (8 days Cd exposure), was harmful to plants. Thus, when clary sage was exposed to Cd for a short period, tolerance mechanisms were triggered. However, exposure to a combination of Cd and high light or to Cd alone (8 days) resulted in an inhibition of PSII functionality, indicating Cd toxicity. Thus, the rapid activation of PSII functionality at short time exposure and the inhibition at longer duration suggests a hormetic response and describes these effects in terms of “adaptive response” and “toxicity”, respectively.     

Rock brittleness indices and their applications to different fields of rock engineering:A review

Brittleness is an important parameter controlling the mechanical behavior and failure characteristics of rocks under loading and unloading conditions,such as fracability,cutability,drillability and rockburst proneness.As such,it is of high practical value to correctly evaluate rock brittleness.However,the definition and measurement method of rock brittleness have been very diverse and not yet been standardized.In this paper,the definitions of rock brittleness are firstly reviewed,and several representative definitions of rock brittleness are identified and briefly discussed.The development and role of rock brittleness in different fields of rock engineering are also studied.Eighty brittleness indices publicly available in rock mechanics literature are compiled,and the measurement method,applicability and limitations of some indices are discussed.The results show that(1)the large number of brittleness indices and brittleness definitions is attributed to the different foci on the rock behavior when it breaks;(2)indices developed in one field usually are not directly applicable to other fields;and(3)the term“brittleness”is sometimes misused,and many empirically-obtained brittleness indices,which lack theoretical basis,fail to truly reflect rock brittleness.On the basis of this review,three measurement methods are identified,i.e.(1)elastic deformation before fracture,(2)shape of post-peak stressestrain curves,and(3)methods based on fracture mechanics theory,which have the potential to be further refined and unified to become the standard measurement methods of rock brittleness.It is highly beneficial for the rock mechanics community to develop a robust definition of rock brittleness.This study will undoubtedly provide a comprehensive timely reference for selecting an appropriate brittleness index for their applications,and will also pave the way for the development of a standard definition and measurement method of rock brittleness in the long term.     

Experimental and computational study on the separation performance of an electrostatic precipitator with curved transvers collecting plates

Aiming at the problems of low collection efficiency of fine particulate matter and large area occupied by existing electrostatic precipitators (ESP), a new type of horizontal electrode ESP is proposed. It has the advantages of accelerating turbulent coalescence, increasing the effective dust collecting area and increasing the particle driving speed. The performance of the new type of ESP is systematic studied through simulation and experiment at the same time, and the results matches well. By comparing the dust removal effect of the horizontal electrode ESP and the conventional ESP, it can be concluded that the horizontal electrode ESP has a better dust removal efficiency, and can still maintain a better dust removal effect under high air velocity. The dust removal efficiency of new ESP can reach above 98% under the experimental conditions.     

Photocatalytic hydrogen production from water-methanol and -glycerol mixtures using Pd/TiO2(-WO3) catalysts and validation in a solar pilot plant

This paper is focused on the photocatalytic hydrogen production on Pd/TiO₂(-WO₃) catalysts from water-methanol and water-glycerol mixtures under UVA and solar irradiation. The photodeposition method for Pd was studied varying conditions such as Pd amount, catalyst concentration and methanol concentration. The catalysts were tested at lab scale under simulated solar light and UVA radiation and also at large scale (25 L) under solar energy using a pilot-scale solar Compound Parabolic Collector (CPC). The catalysts characterization was performed by means of ICP-OES, N₂ adsorption–desorption isotherms, XRD, HR-TEM, XPS and DR–UV–Vis spectroscopy. Hydrogen evolution was monitored by on-line gas chromatography.From results it was found the Pd photodeposition method plays a key role to increase the hydrogen evolution, affecting parameters like the Pd amount deposited, the Pd nanoparticles size and dispersion. The highest quantum efficiency (ϕ) obtained in this study was 11.8% and 41.2% under simulated solar and UVA irradiation, respectively, using Pd(0.24 wt%)/P25 in an aqueous solution of methanol (50 vol%). In the pilot-scale solar CPC, for Pd(0.24 wt%)//P25 catalysts in 5 vol% of methanol or glycerol as sacrificial agents, the quantum yield were 2.1 and 2.2%, respectively. When the concentration of the sacrificial agents decreased to 0.37 vol%, the quantum yields were 1.3 and 2.4% for methanol and glycerol, respectively. Compared to literature, the low noble metal content of these catalysts (0.25 wt%) seems to be a competitive factor considering their high price.     

Electrophoretic deposition of graphene oxide on carbon brush as bioanode for microbial fuel cell operated with real wastewater

Microbial fuel cell (MFC) is a promising technology for simultaneous wastewater treatment and energy harvesting. The properties of the anode material play a critical role in the performance of the MFC. In this study, graphene oxide was prepared by a modified hummer's method. A thin layer of graphene oxide was incorporated on the carbon brush using an electrophoretic technique. The deoxygenated graphene oxide formed on the surface of the carbon brush (RGO-CB) was investigated as a bio-anode in MFC operated with real wastewater. The performance of the MFC using the RGO-CB was compared with that using plain carbon brush anode (PCB). Results showed that electrophoretic deposition of graphene oxide on the surface of carbon brush significantly enhanced the performance of the MFC, where the power density increased more than 10 times (from 33 mWm^?2 to 381 mWm^?2). Although the COD removal was nearly similar for the two MFCs, i.e., with PCB and RGO-CB; the columbic efficiency significantly increased in the case of RGO-CB anode. The improved performance in the case of the modified electrode was related to the role of the graphene in improving the electron transfer from the microorganism to the anode surface, as confirmed from the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements.