On the effect of spatial variances in historical rainfall time series to CSO performance evaluation.

Historical, high-resolution rain series are the backbone of modern combined sewer overflow (CSO) structure design. These rain series are the input to the computational estimation of the performance of the measures with respect to CSO pollution abatement. However, those historical precipitation measurements are available at only a few locations. Frequently rain series have to be used from gauging stations at a significant distance. In order to judge and to compensate for this influence an estimate between rain characteristics and combined sewer outflow (CSO) performance indicators would be useful. In this paper such correlations have been sought for a collection of 37 rain series covering large areas of Europe. It was found that the mean annual rain volume can explain most of the variances for the performance indicators Number of overflows and CSO volume. For explaining the spatial differences in the efficiency of the CSO structure another rain characteristic, i.e. the maximum event with a return period of one year, is to be used.     

A new polymer electrolyte poly(acrylonitrile)-dimethylsulphoxide-salt for electrochemical capacitors

The PAN-DMSO-Et₄NBF₄ and PAN-DMSO-Et₄NTf (Tf is triflate ion) electrolytes were prepared as white, turbid foils with a thickness in the range of 0.1-0.5 mm, using the casting technique. Room temperature conductance of the electrolytes, detected from ac impedance experiments, was at the level of 8 and 14 mS cm⁻¹ for Et₄NBF₄ and Et₄NTf salts, respectively. The electrochemical stability window of approximately 2.6-2.8 V was estimated using a glassy carbon electrode. Temperature dependence of the conductivity is of the Arrhenius-type for both electrolytes, with an activation energy of approximately 34 kJ mol⁻¹. The double-layer capacitors built with these electrolytes, serving both as separators and activated carbon powder (ACP) binders, showed a specific capacity of 50 F g⁻¹ of carbon material. Capacitors were assembled by sandwiching the PAN-DMSO-salt electrolyte between two PAN-salt-DMSO-ACP-AB electrodes and pressing across the system; the resulting devices had a coin-like shape with 8 mm diameter and thickness between 2.0 and 2.5 mm.     

Vehicle detection by means of stereo vision-based obstacles features extraction and monocular pattern analysis.

This paper presents a stereo vision system for the detection and distance computation of a preceding vehicle. It is divided in two major steps. Initially, a stereo vision-based algorithm is used to extract relevant three-dimensional (3-D) features in the scene, these features are investigated further in order to select the ones that belong to vertical objects only and not to the road or background. These 3-D vertical features are then used as a starting point for preceding vehicle detection; by using a symmetry operator, a match against a simplified model of a rear vehicle's shape is performed using a monocular vision-based approach that allows the identification of a preceding vehicle. In addition, using the 3-D information previously extracted, an accurate distance computation is performed.     

Dealumination–aging pattern of REUSY zeolites contained in fluid cracking catalysts

The evolution of the properties of a REUSY zeolite contained in a fluid cracking catalyst was investigated under laboratory steam deactivation procedures and in age fractions of the corresponding equilibrium catalyst (Ecat). The aging pattern, defined by the evolution of the zeolite surface area (ZSA) related to the decrease of the unit cell size (UCS), was similar between lab-steamed zeolites and Ecat fractions. A sharp drop in ZSA occurred at ca. 2.430 nm UCS. A study done by FT-IR spectroscopy suggested that zeolite dealumination initially took place more extensively on the sodalite cages and double six-member rings (D6R) of the structure and that the final collapse of the zeolite framework occurred through destruction of the 12-member rings (12M). This can be explained by a crystal fracture and break down process and disassembling of the sodalite cages in the faujasite structure. NH₃ microcalorimetry showed that strong acid sites in faujasites are destroyed by steam aging, but this effect does not lead to a reduction in the cracking activity of the Ecat form. The microactivity test (MAT) showed that the specific activity declined sharply at 2.430 nm UCS. Differences in product selectivity were related to the extent of damage of the zeolite, extra-framework alumina and mesoporosity. While further aging canceled the effect attributed to extra-framework alumina differences attributed to mesoporosity increased.     

A comprehensive study of hazelnut oil composition with comparisons to other vegetable oils,particularly olive oil.

Crude and refined hazelnut oils from different countries were characterised by major and minor compounds. Fatty acids, triacylglycerides, waxes, sterols, methyl-sterols, terpenic and aliphatic alcohols, tocopherols, tocotrienols and hydrocarbons were identified and quantified by gas chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography. The levels of these chemical compounds in hazelnut oils together with the equivalent carbon numbers and triacylglyceride carbon numbers, were compared with the results of analyses of samples of other vegetable oils. The statistical procedure of cluster analysis was used to characterise hazelnut oils versus other edible oils.     

Velocity selective filters recursively implemented in the spatiotemporal domain.

Energy-based methods for motion estimation in image sequences process the input data either in the spatiotemporal or in the frequency domain. In both cases, the algorithms already described in the literature often require a huge number of elementary operations. In this paper, we describe a class of velocity selective filters which yield an accurate detection of the edges moving in the sequence. We first present a filtering scheme based on a convolution operation computed on a finite size neighborhood and describe its properties in the spatiotemporal and frequency domains. Then, we show that filters with similar properties can be implemented recursively, i.e., as convolutions computed on infinite-size neighborhoods. As an example, we finally show the filters' responses in the case of two superimposed translational motions.     

Josef Maria Bro?ek (1913-2004).

Presents an obituary and information about the life and accomplishments of Josef Maria Bro?ek. Born August 14, 1913, in the ancient town of Melnik, in central Bohemia, today the Czech Republic, Josef spent his childhood in Poland (Warsaw, 1913- 1915) and in Siberia (1915-1920). His education in Czechoslovakia culminated with a thesis on "Memory, Its Measurement and Structure" and a PhD awarded in June 1937. In the history of psychology, his lifetime project bore the title "Historiography of Psychology Around the World," and it covered about 20 geographical areas. Extensive attention was devoted to institutional and organizational developments as journals, academic settings, archives, museums, research groups, conferences, and institutes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

塔里木油田水碳酸盐平衡系数与有机酸的意义

根据统计学规律,对塔里木盆地油田水进行了研究,阐明了该盆地油田水的碳酸盐平衡系数(简称为R_C)与有机酸的基本特征。从油田水的无机组分与有机组分的统计分析中发现了油田水的碳酸盐平衡系数与有机酸存在明显的负相关性,进一步论证了碳酸盐平衡系数和有机酸与油气聚集及油气性质的关系。碳酸盐平衡系数越低及低碳有机酸的含量越高,它们与油藏,尤其是与 轻质油或气藏的关系越密切。从两者的关系中初步了解到有机酸的溶蚀作用对油气藏中储层次生孔隙的形成应有较重要的影响。     

Start-up and steady-state results of a full-scale UASB reactor treating malting wastewater.

An Imhoff tank was reconstructed into a 250 m3 UASB reactor in order to treat a malting plant wastewater. The UASB was inoculated with sludge from an anaerobic lagoon used for slaughterhouse wastewater treatment. After two months of operation the reactor achieved full load with an HRT of 17 h, a COD removal higher than 80% and a biogas production of 300 m3/day (77% average methane content), with an organic loading rate of 3.6 kgCOD/m3.d (0.24 kgCOD/kgVSS.d). A yield coefficient of 0.09 gVSS/gCODrem was found from a mass balance. The fat present in the inoculated sludge (48 mg/gSSV) did not affect the start up performance. Sludge from the inoculum with high content of fat (270 mg/gSSV), was separated by flotation in the first week of operation. The COD removal efficiency was scarcely influenced by the reactor operation temperature (17-25 degrees C).