The relationship between oil prices and US economy revisited

The authors revisit the relationship between US economic growth and crude oil prices considering Industrial Production Index and West Texas Intermediate crude oil spot prices as respective proxies for a period spanning over January 1986 to June 2017. To capture the asymmetric and time-varying relationship, the authors employ maximum overlap discrete wavelet transform (MODWT)-based quantile regression (QR) analysis. Interestingly, MODWT-based QR analysis provides evidence of supply-driven link between crude oil prices and economic growth in the short run. However, in the medium to long run a demand-driven link is dominant. In addition, the QR results without MODWT also advocate a demand-driven link. Overall, the result of this study adds a new dimension to the literature on the relationship between crude oil prices and economic growth by focusing upon the time-frequency varying business cycle fluctuations.     

Experimental study of the combustion characteristics of methanol‐gasoline blends pool fires in a full‐scale tunnel

The combustion characteristics of methanol‐gasoline blends pool fires were studied in a series of full‐scale tunnel experiments conducted with different methanol and gasoline blends. The parameters were measured including the mass loss rate, the pool surface temperature, the fire plume centerline temperature, the ceiling temperature, the smoke layer temperature profile, the flame height, and the smoke layer interface height. The gasoline components were analyzed by GC‐MS. The effects of azeotropism on the combustion characteristics of the different blends were discussed. On the basis of the results of the fire plume centerline temperature, the ceiling temperature, and the flame height, it shows that the tunnel fire regime gradually switches from fuel controlled to ventilation controlled with increasing gasoline fractions in the blends. The fire plume can be divided into 3 regions by the fire plume centerline temperature for the different blends. The N‐percentage rule to determine the smoke layer interface height is found to be applicable for tunnel fires with different blends for N = 26.     

An economic evaluation of management strategies to mitigate the negative effect of twinning in dairy herds

Our objectives were to develop an economic model to estimate the economic impact of twinning in dairy cows and to evaluate management strategies to mitigate the negative economic impact of twinning in dairy herds. A probabilistic tree considering spontaneous embryo reduction, early pregnancy loss, abortion, metritis, retained placenta, and culling rate at 120 d of the second, at the end of the second, and at the end of the third lactation was developed for a single pregnancy; we also developed 3 management options upon diagnosis of a twin pregnancy: (1) do nothing, (2) induce abortion using PGF_2α, or (3) attempt manual embryo reduction. A value was given to each branch of the tree by simulating cow states on a farm for 1,400 d to encompass 4 consecutive lactations. The incomes considered in the simulations included milk income over feed cost, income from calves, and slaughter value upon culling. The expenses taken into account depending on each branch included additional inseminations and synchronization protocols, embryo reduction, induction of abortion, replacement heifers, and costs due to metritis and retained placenta. The gross value for a singleton pregnancy and the 3 management options upon diagnosis of a twin pregnancy were calculated by adding the value of all braches multiplied by their probability. The costs for the 3 management options were calculated by subtracting its gross value minus the gross value of a singleton pregnancy. The negative economic impact of a twin pregnancy ranged from $97 to $225 depending on the type of twin pregnancy (unilateral vs. bilateral), parity, and DIM when the twin pregnancy occurred. The overall negative economic impact of twinning on dairy farm profitability in the United States was estimated to be $96 million per year. Attempting manual embryo reduction early during gestation upon diagnosis of a twin pregnancy was the optimal management strategy for mitigating the negative economic impact of twinning under a wide variety of scenarios.     

Free vibration behavior of a thermally post-buckled FG Timoshenko beam under large deflection using a tangent stiffness-based method

For thermally postbuckled configurations, the free vibration behavior of functionally graded (FG) Timoshenko beams are investigated. The postbuckling configurations are obtained through a geometrically nonlinear static problem. The free vibration problem around the postbuckled configuration is formulated using its tangent stiffness. The energy based governing equations are solved following the Ritz method. The elements of the tangent stiffness matrix are obtained using the Ritz coefficients. The results are shown to exhibit the effects of FG material, material profile parameter, and length-thickness ratio. The comparative results are presented for both the cases of the physical neutral surface and the geometrical neutral surface.     

基于竹筋-钢筋骨架的人工假顶首层充填厚度研究及现场应用

采用简支梁理论、ANSYS软件数值模拟与现场试验相结合的方法,对竹筋-钢筋骨架人工假顶进行了可行性、受力行为、破坏方式与合理设计参数研究。结果表明,竹筋-钢筋骨架人工假顶结构可有效保护上部充填体,最优充填厚度为4.75 m; 采用竹筋-钢筋配筋方式可兼顾采场稳定性与经济效益,减少支护成本约15%。     

一种X射线数字成像检测缺陷尺寸的测量方法

提出了一种X射线数字成像检测缺陷尺寸的测量方法。借鉴半波高法,以半波高法下的尺寸测量误差为基准,对不同缝隙尺寸试样在相同的检测条件下进行X射线数字成像检测,计算该检测条件下的总不清晰度,总结出缺陷尺寸与总不清晰度比值同波高比例的关系,并通过试验进行了验证。结果表明,该方法简单、实用性强,可为实现缺陷尺寸的准确测量提供技术支持。     

某新型X光管轴承内轴断裂分析

X光管是用来产生X射线的主要元件,轴承是X光管的关键器件之一。由轴身和法兰焊接而成的轴承内轴发生断裂。采用对断裂的轴承内轴进行了金相分析、断口检验、硬度检测及焊接质量检验,以揭示其断裂的原因。结果表明:轴身与法兰没有焊透,且焊缝有裂纹,导致其断裂。提出了几点关于预防轴承内轴断裂的建议。     

Investigation of the thermal behavior effect of the surrounding material environment on the swirling flame structure

This paper is focusing on the numerical simulation of a swirling flame, resulting from the interaction of multiple fires, evolving in a free and unlimited environment. A typical system, formed by a central fire source surrounded by four heat sources, is used. Since the thermal characteristic of the surrounding sources is the main engine for the rotation of flame, a detailed study is performed by varying the heating flux of these sources. This study shows that an increase of the heating flux of surrounding sources has as a result an intensification of the penetrating air puffs through the openings between the surrounding four heat sources. These puffs tangentially drive the central flame, thus producing a marked improvement on the angular momentum. Moreover, this study shows that the flame height is strongly affected by the flame rotation. Moreover, two different aspects of the flame height evolution are observed from the flow visualization and the thermal and dynamic fields for the different cases studied.     

退役电池回收产业现状及经济性分析

新能源汽车的快速发展使动力电池回收利用成为研究热点，但关于退役电池回收产业和经济性分析问题研究较少。研究了现阶段国内废旧电池回收产业现状及存在问题，对电池回收利用的经济性及生产经营过程产生的敏感性因素进行分析。同时指出电池回收技术的发展应以“退役动力电池资源再生-高值化锂电原材料”为主线，电池回收企业应积极与新能源汽车行业统筹协调发展、构建区域化回收利用体系、提升产业整体经济性水平，对动力电池回收行业具有一定的指导意义。     

Q235碳钢在静止和流动条件下的腐蚀不均匀性研究

目的研究Q235碳钢在静止和流动条件下腐蚀程度和主要腐蚀区域的差异。方法使用丝束电极(WBE)技术和电化学阻抗谱(EIS)技术分别研究了WBE在静止和流动条件下的电流密度分布、电荷转移电阻以及腐蚀形貌的变化和差异,同时分析了电极的极性转换现象。结果流动条件下Q235碳钢的电荷转移电阻明显降低。在静止条件下,Q235碳钢表面阳极电流区域所占的最大比例为47%,且阳极电流峰集中出现在WBE的中间区域,而四周边缘处的阳极电流峰较少。在流动条件下,Q235碳钢表面的阳极电流区域所占的最大比例为58%,阳极电流峰随机分布在整个WBE表面,且电流分布区间明显变窄。浸泡在静止条件下的58~#电极和流动条件下的39~#电极发生了多次极性转换现象。结论 Q235碳钢在静止和流动条件下均发生了明显的不均匀腐蚀现象。流动条件加剧了Q235碳钢的腐蚀且降低了腐蚀不均匀性。静止条件下Q235碳钢的腐蚀区域集中在中间区域,流动条件下Q235碳钢的腐蚀区域随机分布在整个碳钢表面。静止和流动条件下的钢电极均发生了电流的极性转换现象。