Surface modification of hybrid fibres for fire protection

The formation of polyaluminosiloxane networks through surface modification of cellulose-polysilicic acid hybrid fibres with inorganic aluminium compounds enhances flame retardancy and laundry performance of these fibres. Fibres of cellulose-polysilicic acid (VISIL) have been reported as a flame retardant. In contrast to their thermal property, these fibres undergo a significant change, in terms of flame retardancy, when subjected to alkaline conditions (pH > 10). Surface modification of these fibres with inorganic aluminium compounds not only reduces the solubility behaviour but also increases the flame retardancy.     

Augmented ε-constraint method in multiobjective staff scheduling problem: a case study

Staff scheduling is one of the most relevant issues among production planning managers. The problem is to set up an appropriate schedule for various employees to maximize the performance measurement. There are different conflicting criteria with any scheduling problem such as cost minimization, efficiency maximization, etc. The proposed model of this paper develops a new multiobjective decision-making scheduling problem, and the resulted problem is solved using two different techniques of goal programming and augmented epsilon constraint. The implementation of the new proposed model is demonstrated with a real-world case study, and they are analyzed. The preliminary results indicate that the epsilon-constraint method somewhat performs better than goal programming technique.     

Estimating Total Organic Carbon Content and Source Rock Evaluation,Applying ΔlogR and Neural Network Methods: Ahwaz and Marun Oilfields,SW of Iran

Abstract

Well logging is a useful method for sedimentary basin and source rock evaluation. Source rocks have special responses in porosity and resistivity logs that can make them distinguishable from surrounding rocks. Therefore, well logging data and diagrams can be used as indicators of determination of source rock potential. Characterizations of Kazhdomi, Pabdeh, and Gurpi source rocks have been determined by geochemical analysis in some Iranian oilfields, but no total organic carbon (TOC) zonation and interpretation have been carried out in these formations yet. Several studies have confirmed the petroleum potential of the Kazhdomi formation in Dezful Embayment, but Pabdeh formation (more significant) and Gurpi (less significant) have been always the topics of Iranian petroleum geologist discussions in order to deermine whether these formations have the potential of generating oil and what the organic matter properties of these formations are. The purpose of this article is to calculate TOC values of the Pabdeh formation in Ahwaz and Marun oilfields using a combination of sonic and resistivity logs (ΔlogR method) and a neural network method. Then these TOC values were compared with TOC from geochemical analysis. Finally, the zonations of source rock in terms of TOC richness were carried out and TOC changes in the oilfields were shown by plotting Iso-TOC maps. It was found that due to the high local temperature gradient Pabdeh reaches an oil window level in some parts of Ahwaz and Marun oilfields. Hence, Pabdeh acts as a source rock for these two oilfields in some sections.     

An analytical model for production data analysis of under saturated oil reservoirs subjected to edge aquifer

Analysis of production data is an important method for estimating recoverable reserves and probable life of the reservoirs. Robust techniques for analysis of production data have been developed and widely used for many years. These methods range from the traditional Arps decline method to modern production data analysis. The most recent techniques are based on material balance time to account for variable operating conditions. In these methods, production rate and flowing bottom hole pressure must be known. A major limitation of many existing modern techniques is volumetric assumption of the reservoir.This paper presents a new model that accounts for non-volumetric effects of edge aquifers on production data analysis of single phase oil reservoirs by defining a new material balance time function. This new time function and material balance time help us to introduce flowing material balance (FMB) equations for such reservoirs. Validity of these equations is justified using analytical solutions. For development of analytical solutions, special simplifying assumptions are considered. To justify these assumptions, comparison is made using a commercial numerical reservoir simulator across some ranges of reservoir parameters.Furthermore, based on the validated FMB equations and obtained analytical flow equations, specific procedures are developed for parameter estimation of such reservoirs. The use of these procedures in estimation of oil in place and reservoir external radius is demonstrated using synthetic examples. On the basis of the considered assumptions, the proposed procedures cannot be applied to multi-phase flow conditions, reservoirs with other types of aquifer (such as bottom aquifer), and gas reservoirs.We also show that the given FMB equations are applicable for any irregularly shaped reservoir which is partially contacted with a non-cylindrical limited edge aquifer. For such reservoir geometries, numerical solution is used for justification. This is followed by introducing a simple equation for predicting average reservoir pressure.     

Effect of Phase Transformation During Long-Term Solution Treatment on Microstructure,Mechanical Properties,and Bio-corrosion Behavior of Mg–5Zn–1.5Y Cast Alloy

The influence of long-term solution treatment for various intervals on the microstructure,mechanical properties,and corrosion resistance of the as-cast Mg–5Zn–1.5Y alloy was investigated.Variation of secondary phases was studied during solution treatment through thermal analysis test and thermodynamic calculations.Tensile and hardness tests,as well as polarization and immersion tests,were performed to evaluate the mechanical properties and corrosion behavior of the ascast and heat-treated alloy,respectively.Results show that solution treatment transforms I-phaseinto W-phaseas well as dissolves it into the a-Mg matrix to some extent;therefore,the amount of W-phase increases.Moreover,prolonged solution treatment decreases the volume fraction of the phases.In the first stage of solution treatment for 14 h,the tensile properties significantly increase due to the incomplete phase transformation.Although long-term solution treatment sharply decreases the tensile and hardness properties of the alloy,it improves the corrosion resistance due to the transformation of I-phase into W-phase.In fact,it decreases corrosion potential and simultaneously dissolves intermetallic compounds into the a-Mg matrix,resulting in the reduction in galvanic microcells between the matrix and compounds.It is found that the optimum time for long-term solution treatment is 14 h,which improves both corrosion behavior and mechanical properties.     

Self-similar set identification in the time-scale domain

We study the wavelet transform of deterministic self-similar signals and derive their properties, as well as a new algorithm for identification of the self-similarity parameter. We also include such applications as characterization and analysis of real chaotic signals in the presence of additive noise     

Wound dressing application of castor oil- and CAPA-based polyurethane membranes

Polymer Bulletin - The objective of this study was to investigate and compare the effects of two different types of polyols on properties of synthesized polyurethanes (PUs), to develop biomedical...     

Simulating Unsaturated Zone of Soil for Estimating the Recharge Rate and Flow Exchange Between a River and an Aquifer

Coupling surface water and groundwater models dynamically based on a simultaneous simulation of saturated and unsaturated zones of soil is a useful method for determining the recharge rate and flow exchange between a river and an aquifer as well as simultaneous operation of water resources systems. Thus, the main objectives of this study are to investigate the effects of surface water and groundwater interactions through their systematic simulation and to create a dynamic coupling between surface water and groundwater resources of the area by relevant mathematical models. Accordingly, hydrologic soil moisture method and MODFLOW model were employed to simulate the unsaturated and saturated zones, respectively. The results revealed that simultaneous simulation of the saturated and unsaturated zones of the soil can illustrate the interaction between surface water and groundwater at any spatial and temporal intervals well through using complete hydroclimatological balance components in the form of a coupled model. The application of this method in the Loor-Andimeshk Plain, located in the southwest of Iran, showed that aquifer recharge through the plain area from November to March is due to precipitation. On the other hand, in the warm months (June to September), the plain is merely fed through irrigation water penetration. As the level of river water in both Dez and Balarood rivers is higher than the Loor-Andimeshk aquifer level, hence the exchange occurs as a leakage from the river to the aquifer. The highest and lowest values of average exchangeable water in Balarood River occur in March and April and in Dez River are from June to September.

     

An Improved Estimation of the Angstrom–Prescott Radiation Coefficients for the FAO56 Penman–Monteith Evapotranspiration Method

The FAO56 Penman–Monteith (FAO56-PM) method is known as the standard method for estimating reference evapotranspiration (ET₀) in a variety of climate types. Global solar radiation (R_s) is one of the essential inputs of this model, which is usually estimated from the Angstrom–Prescott (AP) method. The major drawback of the FAO56 pre-defined AP coefficients application is that the AP coefficients might need local calibration, to estimate ET₀ accurately. The aim of this study is to compare the effect of the FAO56 pre-defined AP coefficients (i.e. a and b) and the locally calibrated ones, on estimating daily ET₀ in 15 sites over Iran. Using long-term (1980–2007) experimental global solar radiation data (R_s), new locally calibrated (a) and (b) coefficients are suggested and new ET₀ values are determined accordingly. It was found that the range of the calibrated AP coefficients (a, b) are climate dependent and locally different from those of recommended by the FAO56-PM method. Estimated ET₀ at daily scale, improved up to 72.7 % when the calibrated AP coefficients were applied instead of FAO56 pre-defined AP coefficients. Based on the results, applying the FAO56 pre-defined AP coefficients (i.e. a?=?0.25 and b?=?0.50) in northern subtropical-humid and southern hot climates caused larger ET₀ errors. By contrast, the least ET₀ errors were found in cool arid and cool semi-arid inland climates, locating about 1,330 above sea level. The correlations between the calibrated AP coefficients and geographical factors are also discussed in this research.     

Antiradical activity of different parts of Walnut (Juglans regia L.) fruit as a function of genotype

The objective of this work was to analyse phenolic compounds and antiradical capacity of different parts of walnut fruit among six genotypes of Juglans regia L. Therefore, total phenolic and flavonoid content were determined and methanolic extracts of walnut genotypes were considered by the reducing power, DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl), superoxide anion and nitric oxide radical scavenging. Significant differences were found in phenolic content and radical scavenging capacity of different parts of fruits and among various genotypes. High correlation coefficient (R² = 0.81) was observed between phenol content and radical scavenging activity, but this was not always true (R² = 0.01). These results demonstrated that walnut genotypes have different phenolic compounds and phenolic compounds have different radical scavenging power. The differences of phenolic compounds were confirmed by using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).