Multi-scale and multi-patch transformer for sandstorm image enhancement

Sandstorm is a meteorological phenomenon common in arid and semi-arid regions. A sandstorm can carry large volumes of sand unexpectedly, which leads to severe color deviations and significantly degraded visibility when an image is taken in such a scenario. However, existing image enhancement methods cannot enhance sandstorm images well due to the challenging degradations and the scarcity of sandstorm training data. In this paper, we propose a Transformer with rotary position embedding to perform sandstorm image enhancement via building multi-scale and multi-patch dependencies. Our key insights in this work are 1) a multi-scale Transformer can globally eliminate the color deviations of sandstorm images via aggregating global information, 2) a multi-patch Transformer can recover local details well via learning the spatial variant degradations, and 3) a U-shape Transformer with rotary position embedding as the core unit of multi-scale and multi-patch Transformer can effectively build the long-range dependencies. We also contribute a real-world Sandstorm Image Enhancement (SIE) dataset including 1,400 sandstorm images with different degrees of degradations and various scenes. Experiments performed on synthetic images and real-world sandstorm images demonstrate that our proposed method not only obtains visually pleasing results but also outperforms state-of-the-art methods qualitatively and quantitatively.     

Recent progress on the discrete element method simulations for powder transport systems: A review

Powder transport systems are ubiquitous in various industries, where they can encounter single powder flow, two-phase flow with solids carried by gas or liquid, and gas–solid–liquid three-phase flow. System geometry, operating conditions, and particle properties have significant impacts on the flow behavior, making it difficult to achieve good transportation of granular materials. Compared to experimental trials and theoretical studies, the numerical approach provides unparalleled advantages over the investigation and prediction of detailed flow behavior, of which the discrete element method (DEM) can precisely capture complex particle-scale information and attract a plethora of research interests. This is the first study to review recent progress in the DEM and coupled DEM with computational fluid dynamics for extensive powder transport systems, including single-particle, gas–solid/solid–liquid, and gas–solid–liquid flows. Some important aspects (i.e., powder electrification during pneumatic conveying, pipe bend erosion, non-spherical particle transport) that have not been well summarized previously are given special attention, as is the application in some new-rising fields (ocean mining, hydraulic fracturing, and gas/oil production). Studies involving important large-scale computation methods, such as the coarse grained DEM, graphical processing unit-based technique, and periodic boundary condition, are also introduced to provide insight for industrial application. This review study conducts a comprehensive survey of the DEM studies in powder transport systems.     

复杂环境下氧化铝储槽定向爆破拆除

在较为复杂的环境下,爆破拆除钢筋混凝土氧化铝储槽。该储槽自重大、呈圆形,内有4根立柱支撑下料漏斗。为使储槽顺利定向倒塌,通过爆破方案选择、参数确定,采取梯形切口和预处理以及安全防护和减振措施,使储槽爆破拆除获圆满成功。     

An analytical model for gas leakage through contact interface in proton exchange membrane fuel cells

Sealing performance between two contacting surfaces is of significant importance to stable operation of proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells. In this work, an analytical micro-scale approach is first established to predict the gas leakage in fuel cells. Gas pressure and uneven pressure distribution at the interface are also included in the model. At first, the micro tortuous leakage path at the interface is constructed by introducing contact modelling and fractal porous structure theory. In order to obtain the leakage at the entire surface, contact pressure distribution is predicted based on bonded elastic layer model. The gas leakage through the discontinuous interface can be obtained with consideration of convection and diffusion. Then, experiments are conducted to validate the numerical model, and good agreement is obtained between them. Finally, influences of surface topology, gasket compression and gasket width on leakage are studied based on the model. The results show that gas leakage would be greatly amplified when the asperity standard deviation of surface roughness exceeds 1.0 μm. Gaskets with larger width and smaller thickness are beneficial to sealing performance. The model is helpful to understand the gas leakage behavior at the interface and guide the gasket design of fuel cells.     

超临界机组发生FAC的因素及相互关系分析

为了减轻因流动加速腐蚀(FAC)引起的锅炉结垢加速、汽水系统管道厚度减小甚至爆裂现象，对超临界机组发生流动加速腐蚀的机理及其主要影响因素进行了研究，并讨论了管壁内表面粗糙度、蒸汽含汽率、pH值、溶氧量对FAC的影响，以及温度与pH值、温度与流速、pH值与溶解氧量、溶解氧量与氢电导率等影响因素之间的相互作用关系，最后结合实际电厂的运行数据验证了分析结果。研究表明：减小工质流速、管壁粗糙度和氢电导率，增大给水的pH值和溶解氧含量可以使FAC的腐蚀速率减小，超临界加氧处理时pH值应在8.9～9.2之间，溶解氧量范围为45～100μg/L,氢电导率的期望值在0.1μS/cm以下。由于各影响因素之间的作用十分复杂，本文只给出了大致范围和趋势，并未给出准确数据。     

Hall current effects on MHD flow of chemically reacting fluid through a porous medium with heat source

We considered the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) free convective flow of an incompressible electrically conducting viscous fluid past an infinite vertical permeable porous plate with a uniform transverse magnetic field, heat source and chemical reaction in a rotating frame taking Hall current effects into account. The momentum equations for the fluid flow during absorbent medium are controlled by the Brinkman model. Through the undisturbed state, both the plate and fluid are in a rigid body rotation by the uniform angular velocity perpendicular to an infinite vertical plate. The perpendicular surface is subject to the homogeneous invariable suction at a right angle to it and the heat on the surface varies about a non-zero unvarying average whereas the warmth of complimentary flow is invariable. The systematic solutions of the velocity, temperature, and concentration distributions are acquired systematically by utilizing the perturbation method. The velocity expressions consist of steady-state and fluctuating situations. It is revealed that the steady part of the velocity field has a three-layer characteristic while the oscillatory part of the fluid field exhibits a multi-layer characteristic. The influence of various governing flow parameters on the velocity, temperature, and concentration are analyzed graphically. We also discuss computational results for the skin friction, Nusselt number, and Sherwood number in the tabular forms.     

Constitutive model for gas hydrate-bearing soils considering different types of hydrate morphology and prediction of strength-band

The present study proposes a new elasto-plastic constitutive model that considers different types of hydrates in pore spaces. Many triaxial compression tests on both methane hydrate-bearing soils and carbon dioxide hydrate-bearing soils have been carried out over the last few decades. It has been revealed that methane hydrate-bearing soils and carbon dioxide hydrate-bearing soils have different strength and dilatancy properties even though they have the same hydrate contents. The reason for this might be due to the different types of hydrate morphology. In this study, therefore, the effect of the hydrate morphology on the mechanical response of gas-hydrate-bearing sediments is investigated through a model analysis by taking into account the different hardening rules corresponding to each type of hydrate morphology. In order to evaluate the capability of the proposed model, it is applied to the results of past triaxial compression tests on both methane hydrate-containing and carbon dioxide hydrate-containing sand specimens. The model is found to successfully reproduce the different stress–strain relations and dilatancy behaviors, by only giving consideration to the different morphology distributions and not changing the fitting parameters. The model is then used to predict a possible range in which the maximum deviator stress can move for various hydrate morphology ratios; the range is defined as the strength-band. The predicted curve of the maximum deviator stress obtained by the constitutive model matches the empirical equations obtained from past experiments. It supports the fact that the hydrate morphology ratio changes with the total hydrate saturation. These findings will contribute to a better understanding of the relation between the microscopic structures and macro-mechanical behaviors of gas-hydrate-bearing sediments.     

Shock/expansion fan interaction with real gas effects for Earth and Mars atmospheric conditions

Numerical simulations are performed to investigate the real gas effects on shock/expansion fan interaction. Initial perfect gas simulations at low enthalpy capture the flow structures efficiently and outcomes are found to have excellent agreement with the analytical calculations. Furthermore, the simulations with the real gas solver for different enthalpies showed that the variation in enthalpy significantly changes the flow structures. It is observed that an increase in enthalpy leads to a decrease and increase in the postshock and postexpansion fan Mach numbers, respectively. Another important observation is the decrement in the peak pressure ratio with an increment in the enthalpy. These effects are noted to be more pronounced for Mars's environment due to the higher dependency of specific heat on temperature.     

Nonsimilar solution of a boundary layer flow of a Reiner–Philippoff fluid with nonlinear thermal convection

The thermodynamics modeling of a Reiner–Philippoff-type fluid is essential because it is a complex fluid with three distinct probable modifications. This fluid model can be modified to describe a shear-thinning, Newtonian, or shear-thickening fluid under varied viscoelastic conditions. This study constructs a mathematical model that describes a boundary layer flow of a Reiner–Philippoff fluid with nonlinear radiative heat flux and temperature- and concentration-induced buoyancy force. The dynamical model follows the usual conservation laws and is reduced through a nonsimilar group of transformations. The resulting equations are solved using a spectral-based local linearization method, and the accuracy of the numerical results is validated through the grid dependence and convergence tests. Detailed analyses of the effects of specific thermophysical parameters are presented through tables and graphs. The study reveals, among other results, that the buoyancy force, solute and thermal expansion coefficients, and thermal radiation increase the overall wall drag, heat, and mass fluxes. Furthermore, the study shows that amplifying the space and temperature-dependent heat source parameters allows fluid particles to lose their cohesive force and, consequently, maximize flow and heat transfer.