Modeling of TIG welding and abrasive flow machining processes using radial basis function networks

Input-output relationships of tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding and abrasive flow machining (AFM) processes were determined using radial basis function networks (RBFNs). A batch mode of training was adopted to implement the principle of back-propagation (BP) algorithm (which works based on a steepest descent algorithm) and a genetic algorithm (GA), separately. The performances of RBFN tuned by a BP algorithm and that trained by a GA were compared, on some test cases related to the above two manufacturing processes. The GA-optimized RBFN was found to perform slightly better than the BP-tuned RBFN. The back-propagation algorithm works based on the principle of a steepest descent method, whose solutions have the chance of getting stuck at the local minima, whereas the probability of the GA-solutions for being trapped at the local minima is less. However, their performances may depend on the nature of the deviation (error) function.     

MRCS: multi-radii circular signature based feature descriptor for hand gesture recognition

Multimedia Tools and Applications - Deaf and hearing-impaired persons communicate by means of signs and gestures. In course of time, this form of communication has evolved as natural languages with...     

Pentachlorophenol adsorption and desorption characteristics of granular activated carbon-II. Kinetics

The kinetics of pentachlorophenol (PCP) adsorption/desorption with Calgon F300 granular activated carbon (GAC) was studied. A previously-developed model of GAC adsorption/desorption kinetics was applied to the case of PCP for both batch and continuous plug-flow liquid conditions. The model predictions were found to be in good agreement with the experimental observations.     

Investigation of novel tapered hybrid defected ground structure (DGS)

Novel defected ground structures (DGSs) have been investigated to achieve improved low‐pass filter (LPF) properties. A chronological development in designs ranging from conventional square‐patterned photonic‐bandgap structure (PBGS) and conventional dumbbell‐shaped DGS to proposed novel nonuniform DGS has been investigated theoretically and experimentally using computer‐aided design (CAD) tools. It can be seen that the proposed novel DGS having Chebyshev distribution provides excellent performances in terms of ripples in the passband, 10‐dB return‐loss bandwidth (RL‐BW), and 20‐dB rejection bandwidth, as compared to conventional DGSs and PBGSs. Thus, a perturbed surface below a standard 50Ω microstrip transmission line provides LPF characteristics. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J RF and Microwave CAE, 2005.     

An X-Ray Diffraction,Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy,and Scanning Electron Microscopy/Energy-Dispersive Spectroscopic Investigation of the Effect of Sodium Lignosulfonate Superplasticizer on the Hydration of Portland Cement Type V

This study investigated the effects of a common superplasticizer, ligno-sulfonate, on the hydration of Portland cement Type V. Samples of plain cement and superplasticizer-treated cement have been examined by x-ray diffraction, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy/energy-dispersive spectroscopy. Lignosulfonate has been observed to retard the hydration of cement through specific surface chemical reactions which involve Ca²⁺ ions in pore solution. The admixture has been found to retard the formation of Ca(OH)₂ and stabilize ettringite [Ca₆(Al₂2O₆)(SO₄)₃.32H₂O]. The inhibition of the rate of conversion of ettringite to monosulfate [Ca₄Al₂(OH)₁₂.SO₄.6H₂O] is attributed to charge-controlled reactions caused by large quantities of Ca²⁺ ions from initial hydration reactions. Leaching of the admixture doped cement by water-removed lignosulfonate and caused complete hydration of cement. A charge-controlled-reaction model involving the Ca²⁺ ions is proposed to explain the role of the admixtures during hydration of cement.     

NOVEL CHEBYSHEV DISTRIBUTED CHIRPED PHOTONIC BANDGAP (PBG) STRUCTURES

A microstrip transmission line on a Chebyshev distributed chirped I-D photonic bandgap structure (PBGS) is proposed. Two different approaches are utilized to realize Chirped PBGS. Firstly, the inter-element distance of PBG elements is chirped with conventional chirping technique. Secondly, using Chebyshev distribution varies the inter-element distance. For both the cases, the amplitude is made non-uniform by varying the amplitudes in accordance with the co-efficient of Chebyshev distribution. It can be seen that the conventionally chirped PBGS having Chebyshev distribution in amplitude improves the over all performance. The inclusion of Chebyshev distribution in period calculation further improves the performance. It can be seen that the Chirped and non-uniform PBGS generates excellent bandgap performances in lower valued height of substrate that are superior to the performances available in the open literature.     

An FTIR, SEM and EDS investigation of solidification/ stabilization of chromium using portland cement Type V and Type IP

The characterization of chromium-doped ordinary portland cement (Cr-OPC) before and after leaching has been carried out using Fourier transform infrare     

Synthesis and characterization of polycarbonates containing terminal and chain interior siloxane

Silicone polycarbonates having polydimethyl siloxane (PDMS) and heptamethyl trisiloxane (HMTS) were synthesized by the interfacial polymerization. Instead of common chain terminator p-tert-butyl phenol (PTBP), eugenol capped HMTS, and PDMS were used. PDMS was also attached into the chain interior of the polymer in different molar ratios. PDMS and HMTS were capped with eugenol through the hydrosilylation reaction using Karstedt’s catalyst. Both monohydroxy and dihydroxy terminated eugenosiloxanes were synthesized in order to use as chain terminator and interior subunit of polymer, respectively. Structural characterization and the study of the properties, such as thermal behavior, thermooxidative stability, surface morphology, wettability of the synthesized polymers were investigated. Flexibility and wettability of the synthesized polymers increases with increasing of silicone content. Polymers showed satisfactory thermo oxidative stability and transparency as good as bisphenol-A-polycarbonate.     

Maximizing the production of acetone—butanol in an alginate bead fluidized bed reactor using clostridium acetobutylicum

Low volumetric solvent productivities are one of the characteristics of an acetone-butanol fermentation by C. acetobutylicum. A calcium alginate immobilized continuous culture was used in a novel gas-sparged reactor to strip the solvents from the aqueous phase and reduce their toxicity. A dilution rate of 0.07 h^?1 was found to give maximum solvent productivity at 0.58 g dm^?3 h^?1, although at 0.12 h^?1 the productivity was slightly lower. In order to increase glucose uptake by the culture, feed glucose concentrations were increased over time to attempt to acclimatize the culture. This resulted in a productivity as high as 0.72 g dm^?3 h^?1 although this production rate was found to be unstable.