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.     

基准平面垂直断面法在爆破漏斗试验中的应用

系统阐述了基准平面垂直断面法在爆破漏斗试验中测量爆破漏斗体积的基本原理,并将隧道激光断面仪应用于金厂河矿1 750 m水平15^#采场底部切割巷道爆破漏斗试验爆破漏斗体积测量中。通过与传统体重法等计算法所得漏斗体积分析比较,结果表明基于隧道激光断面仪与3D Mine软件分析的基准平面垂直断面法实用性强、操作方便、结果直观可靠,达到试验预期目的。     

Generalized differential quadrature analysis of MHD mixed convective motion of Casson fluids past an isothermal irregular slender geometry via Cattaneo–Christov's approach

Classical Fourier's theory is well-known in continuum physics and thermal sciences. However, the primary drawback of this law is that it contradicts the principle of causality. To explore the thermal relaxation time characteristic, Cattaneo–Christov's theory is adopted thermally. In this regard, the features of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) mixed convective flows of Casson fluids over an impermeable irregular sheet are revealed numerically. In addition, the resulting system of partial differential equations is altered via practical transformations into nonlinear ordinary differential equations. An advanced numerical algorithm is developed in this respect to get higher approximations for temperature and velocity fields, as well as their corresponding wall gradients. For validating our numerical code, the current outcomes are compared with the available literature results. Moreover, it is revealed that the velocity field is more prominent in the suction flow situation as compared with the injection flow case. It is also found that the Casson fluid is hastened in the case of lower yield stress. Larger values of thermal relaxation parameters create a lessening trend in the temperature distribution and its related boundary layer breadth.     

Analysis of pressure and heat distribution in a dilating or contracting filter chamber with two outlets using multivariate spectral quasilinearization method

The development of efficient filters is an essential part of industrial machinery design, specifically to increase the lifespan of a machine. In the filter chamber design considered in this study, the magnetic material is placed along the horizontal surface of the filter chamber. The inside of the filter chamber is layered with a porous material to restrict the outflow of unwanted particles. This study aims to investigate the flow, pressure, and heat distribution in a dilating or contracting filter chamber with two outlets driven by injection through a permeable surface. The proposed model of the fluid dynamics within the filter chamber follows the conservation equations in the form of partial differential equations. The model equations are further reduced to a steady case through Lie's symmetry group of transformation. They are then solved using a multivariate spectral-based quasilinearization method on the Chebyshev–Gauss–Lobatto nodes. Insights and analyses of the thermophysical parameters that drive optimal outflow during the filtration process are provided through the graphs of the numerical solutions of the differential equations. We find, among other results, that expansion of the filter chamber leads to an overall decrease in internal pressure and an increase in heat distribution inside the filter chamber. The results also show that shrinking the filter chamber increases the internal momentum inside the filter, which leads to more outflow of filtrates.     

Influence of radiation and viscous dissipation on MHD heat transfer Casson nanofluid flow along a nonlinear stretching surface with chemical reaction

The present article investigates the influence of Joule heating and chemical reaction on magneto Casson nanofluid phenomena in the occurrence of thermal radiation through a porous inclined stretching sheet. Consideration is extended to heat absorption/generation and viscous dissipation. The governing partial differential equations were transformed into nonlinear ordinary differential equations and numerically solved using the Implicit Finite Difference technique. The article analyses the effect of various physical flow parameters on velocity, heat, and mass transfer distributions. For the various involved parameters, the graphical and numerical outcomes are established. The analysis reveals that the enhancement of the radiation parameter increases the temperature and the chemical reaction parameter decreases the concentration profile. The empirical data presented were compared with previously published findings.     

南水北调中线总干渠藻类的生态调度

南水北调中线总干渠无在线调蓄水库,对藻类生态调度过程中出现的问题开展生态调度实现策略和实施方式研究。主要实现策略包括:划定自身的调蓄区,隔离生态调度对下游的影响;采用高效的渠池运行方式,减少生态调度时蓄量的反复调整;综合考虑安全、快速、平稳等需求,设定生态调度实施进程和方式。具体实施方式包括:将总干渠划分为流速调控区、调蓄区和正常运行区,分别实施等体积、控制蓄量和闸前常水位方式运行;将生态调度过程划分为充水阶段和泄水阶段,基于流速调控目标值、持续时长和水位降幅约束条件,确定各阶段时长和各分区的闸门群调控方案等。基于2018年3月输水工况,采用明渠一维非恒定流模型,仿真总干渠上游15个渠池的藻类生态调度过程。结果表明,生态调度可在3.5 d内完成,各渠池的平均流速由0.48 m/s增至0.93 m/s,持续时间超过2 h。在整个生态调度过程中,水位变化平稳,水位变幅符合安全阈值要求,下游渠道的正常运行未受生态调度明显影响。     

基于移动窗口法的城市遥感生态质量评价研究

为进一步提高城市生态监测的精确度，在前人开展的城市生态遥感监测研究的基础上引入“区域尺度”的概念，充分考虑小区域范围内不同地物间的交互作用，并利用移动窗口模型(Moving Window-Remote Sensing Ecology Index, MW-RSEI)对沈阳市浑南区的遥感影像进行逐像元分析。实验结果表明，MW-RSEI模型和生态遥感监测模型（Remote Sensing Ecology Index, RSEI)在整体生态评价趋势上表现出一致性。但MW-RSEI模型对城市生态中的细节区域表征更明显。考虑到建筑及裸地周围植被的影响，其较差生态区域的占比仅为6%，生态评价为优的区域占比为11%。研究区生态评价结果表现得较为连续，并未出现明显的断层现象。该结果具有现实意义且与实际生态分布更为符合。MW-RSEI模型在城市生态监测中更为适用，可为相关部门提供一定的技术参考。     

Automated prediction system of household energy consumption in cities using web crawler and optimized artificial intelligence

The supply of electrical energy is critical to convenient and comfortable living. However, people consume a large amount of energy, contributing to an energy crisis and global warming, and damaging some ecological cycles. Residential electricity consumption has greater elasticity than industrial and business consumption; it therefore has high energy-saving potential. This work establishes an automated platform, which provides information about residential electricity consumption in each city in Taiwan. Machine learning was used to forecast future residential electricity demand. A nature-inspired optimization method was applied to enhance the accuracy of the best machine learner, yielding an even better hybrid ensemble model. Performance measures indicate that the resulting model is accurate and provides effective information for reference. An automatic web-based system based on the model was combined with a web crawler and scheduled to run automatically to provide information on monthly residential electricity consumption in each county and city. By providing energy consumption information across the country, power providers and government can discuss policy and set different goals for energy use. The results of this study can facilitate the early implementation of energy-saving and carbon emission-reducing in cities and aid utility companies in establishing energy conservation guidelines.     

Influence of Sm and Cd co-substitutions on physical,magnetic, Mössbauer,electric, and dielectric properties of Co2X hexagonal ferrites in presence of a hematite phase

X-type samarium-cadmium co-substituted hexaferrite with compositions Ba_2-xSm_xCo₂Cd_yFe_28-yO₄₆ (0.00 ≤ x ≤ 0.08, and 0 ≤ y ≤ 0.4) were prepared at 1340 °C using a simple heat treatment technique. All heated samples were characterized using FTIR, XRD, SEM, VSM, M?ssbauer, and low-frequency dielectric measurements. XRD analysis of prepared samples shows the formation of X as a major phase along with hematite. The M_S value varied from 67.01 Am²/kg to 50.43 Am²/kg; whereas the H_c value changed from 2.95 kA/m to 6.17 kA/m, A high value of M_S (67.01 Am²/kg) is observed in the pure sample, and a very low value of H_c (2.95 kA/m) is observed for x = 0.06, y = 0.3 compositions, but Mr/Ms < 0.5 confirm the multi-domain nature of prepared hexaferrites. Hysteresis loops of all samples are narrow, and confirmed that formed samples belong to magnetically soft. Mössbauer spectra of the three samples (S1, S3, and S5) show the existence of doublets. Significantly low values of coercivity, retentivity, and loss tangent in Sm–Cd substituted samples signified those prepared materials can be used to design electromagnets, transformer cores, electric motors, and maybe a potential candidate for lossless low-frequency applications.     

立柱加固型框架大楼的爆破拆除

采用定向控制爆破技术拆除立柱加固型7层框架大楼。为了彻底炸毁加固立柱,确保大楼顺利定向倾倒,通过多次爆破试验确定了炸药单耗、布孔参数和装药结构。为了控制大楼塌落时的触地震动,采取了秒差分区爆破、空中解体、铺垫缓冲层和开挖减震沟等技术措施。爆破过程中进行了震动监测。此外还介绍了起爆顺序、安全防护措施及爆破结果。