轻组分绝对占优的蒸汽再压缩隔离壁蒸馏塔的最优拓扑结构

隔离壁蒸馏塔（DWC）的双塔多段拓扑结构导致蒸汽再压缩热泵（VRHP）的应用具有多种可能性，包括单VRHP、多VRHP、多级VRHP以及它们的相互组合等复杂结构，这显著加剧了蒸汽再压缩隔离壁蒸馏塔（DWC-VRHP）综合与设计的复杂性与烦琐性。为解决这一问题，针对轻组分绝对占优的三元宽沸点物系的分离问题推演了DWC-VRHP的最优拓扑结构，由此能够有效回避系统综合与设计过程中的结构搜索问题并显著降低模型化与搜索计算的工作强度。轻组分绝对占优与宽沸点物性导致了塔顶冷凝器与预分离蒸馏塔的提馏段是主要的热源与热阱，也决定了DWC-VRHP的最优拓扑结构，即一个二级VRHP与DWC的耦合系统。第一级VRHP用于进料预热，既充分利用温度提升跨度小的特点，又可以通过进料分流强化气液相间的物质传递。第二级VRHP用于加热预分离蒸馏塔的提馏段（或公共提馏段），能够最大限度地降低分离操作的非可逆性。采用苯/甲苯/邻二甲苯和正戊烷/正己烷/正庚烷两个物系的分离问题对所提出的DWC-VRHP的最优拓扑结构进行了分析与验证。通过与DWC以及DWC-VRHP其他潜在结构的系统性比较，显示了所提出系统结构在稳态性能方面的优越性。     

Decentralized output feedback stabilization for switched stochastic high-order nonlinear systems with time-varying state/input delays

This paper investigates decentralized output feedback stabilization problem for a class of switched stochastic high-order systems with time-varying state/input delays. With the help of coordinate transformations, a scaling gain is incorporated into the observers and controllers for the nominal system. Based on the homogeneous domination approach and stochastic Lyapunov–Krasovskii stability theorem, it is shown that global asymptotic stability in probability of the closed-loop system can be implemented by tuning the scaling gain. Two examples are given to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed control method.     

利用Gibbs采样的同频混合信号单通道盲分离

针对非合作接收的单通道同频数字调制混合信号,提出一种基于Gibbs采样的分离算法。该算法利用统计的方法获得未知符号序列概率密度的随机样本,运算复杂度随信道阶数的增加不呈指数增长。重点研究了基于单符号对、多符号对的分离算法和信道响应的跟踪,并对Gibbs分离算法和PSP分离算法的性能进行了详细的分析比较。仿真结果表明,针对2路QPSK调制的混合信号,在与L=4时的PSP算法具有近似分离性能的同时,Gibbs分离算法可使复杂度降低近17倍。     

Global stabilisation for a class of upper-triangular nonlinear systems with unmodelled dynamics and time-delay

This paper considers the stabilisation control problem of upper-triangular nonlinear time-delay systems. One distinct characteristic of this work is that the systems contain unmodelled dynamics, unknown control coefficients and time-varying delay, which make the control design much more difficult. By modifying the homogeneous domination approach and introducing a gain-scaling method, a new controller is constructed such that all the states of the closed-loop systems are bounded and convergent to the origin. Simulation examples are given to illustrate the validity of the theory.     

An application of paired quasilinearization on double‐diffusive convection flow over a cone embedded in a porous medium in the presence of nanoparticles

Mixed convection flow of a nanofluid near a vertical cone embedded in a a porous medium with Soret and Dufour effects is exercised. The bearing of a porous medium is recounted by the Darcy model. The partial differential equations, modeling the concerned problem, is nondimensionalised by implementing compatible transformations, which results in a similar form. A new paired spectral quasilinearization method is adopted to get the accurate numerical solution. Convergence and accuracy of the solution is elaborated by analyzing the norm of residual and solution errors. Alteration of velocity, temperature, nanoparticle and solute concentration profiles due to flow controlling parameters, namely, Brownian motion, thermophoresis, Soret, Dufour, Lewis number, and buoyancy ratio is outlined by reproducing the obtained numerical solution in graphs and tables. Analysis reveals that the flow profiles are greatly influenced by the physical parameters under investigation.     

基于变异算子和邻域值自适应的MOEA/D算法

基于分解的多目标进化算法（MOEA/D）在解决多目标问题时，具有简单有效的特点。但多数MOEA/D采用固定的控制参数，导致全局搜索能力差，难以平衡收敛性和多样性。针对以上问题提出一种基于变异算子和邻域值自适应的多目标优化算法。该算法根据种群中个体适应度值的分散或集中程度进行判断，并据此对变异算子进行自适应的调节，从而增强算法的全局搜索能力；根据进化所处的阶段以及个体适应度值的集中程度，自适应地调节邻域值大小，保证每个个体在不同的进化代数都有一个邻域值大小；在子问题邻域中，统计子问题对应个体的被支配数，通过判断被支配数是否超过设定的上限，来决定是否将Pareto支配关系也作为邻域内判断个体好坏的准则之一。将提出的算法与传统的MOEA/D在标准测试问题上进行对比。实验结果表明，提出的算法求得的解集具有更好的收敛性和多样性，在求解性能上具有一定的优势。     

Rental Discrimination in the Multi-ethnic Metropolis: Evidence from Sydney

Investigating differential treatment in rental housing markets is important to ensure that renters are not discriminated against based on their personal characteristics. However, little Australian research has focused systematically on this question. This paper reports the results of a study that used paired tests to estimate the extent of differential treatment of Anglo, Indian, and Muslim Middle Eastern renters in the Sydney metropolitan housing market. We find statistically significant differences in treatment on several measures, including the likelihood an agent will offer an individual appointment, will provide additional information about other housing, will provide additional information about completing the application form, and will contact a prospective renter after an inspection.     

Balancing CapEx reduction and network stability with stable routing–virtual topology capacity adjustment (SR–VTCA)

This paper investigates the merits of the SR–VTCA (stable routing–virtual topology capacity adjustment) approach as a mechanism to find a beneficial trade-off between network stability and reduction in capital expenditures (CapEx). These are two main objectives for the entities that own the optical infrastructure, such as network operators (NOs), and those also acting as Internet service providers (ISPs). The SR–VTCA scheme is a novel approach to adapt transparent optical networks to time-varying traffic by adjusting the number of lightpaths between node pairs, while keeping the IP routing unchanged. Lightpath bundling (LB) and anycast (AS) switching are combined in SR–VTCA operation to advertise lightpath additions/removals to the IP layer as mere adjustments (increments or decrements) in the capacity, allowing to keep the IP routing stable, and thus, simplifying control plane operations. On the contrary, a fully-reconfigurable (FR) network design, where IP routing can be also modified, would increase the burden in the control plane, but at a higher CapEx reduction, since the optical infrastructure is used more efficiently. In this work, we investigate the CapEx overprovision introduced by SR–VTCA with respect to a FR scheme. In order to do this, SR–VTCA planning problem is first modeled as a MILP formulation. A heuristic procedure based on traffic domination is then proposed to solve large instances of the problem. Exhaustive experiments are conducted comparing the SR–VTCA solutions obtained by the aforementioned MILP and heuristic proposal with solutions found by other optimization methods presented in the literature to solve the FR planning problem. Finally, the results show that SR–VTCA can achieve similar results to the FR case in terms of CapEx reduction, while a huge number of IP reroutings are saved by maintaining IP stability. Thus, SR–VTCA provides an advantageous balance between CapEx overprovisioning and the control plane overhead associated with IP rerouting.