Comparison of steam and autothermal reforming of methanol using a packed-bed low-cost copper catalyst

Small-scale reformers for hydrogen production via steam and autothermal reforming of hydrocarbon feedstocks can be a solution to the lack of hydrogen distribution infrastructure. A packed-bed reactor is one possible design for such purpose. However, the two reforming processes of steam and autothermal methods have different characteristics, thus they have different and often opposite design requirements. In implementing control strategy for small-scale reformers, understanding the overall chemical reactions and the reactor physical properties becomes essential. This paper presents some inherent features of a packed-bed reactor that can both improve and/or degrade the performance of a packed-bed reactor with both reforming modes.The high thermal resistance of the packed bed is disadvantageous to steam reforming (SR), but it is beneficial to the autothermal reforming (ATR) mode with appropriate reactor geometry. The low catalyst utilization in steam reforming can help to prevent the unconverted fuel leaving the reactor during transient by allowing briefly for higher reactant fuel flow rates. In this study, experiments were performed using three reactor geometries to illustrate these properties and a discussion is presented on how to take advantages of these properties in reactor design.     

Improving the accuracy of computer-aided radiographic weld inspection by feature selection

This paper presents new results of our continuous effort to develop a computer-aided radiographic weld inspection system. The focus of this study is on improving accuracy by feature selection. To this end, we propose two versions of ant colony optimization (ACO)-based algorithms for feature selection and show their effectiveness to improve the accuracy in detecting weld flaws and the accuracy in classifying weld flaw types. The performances of ACO-based methods are compared with that of no feature selection and that of sequential forward floating selection, which is a known good feature selection method. Four different classifiers, including nearest mean, k-nearest neighbor, fuzzy k-nearest neighbor, and center-based nearest neighbor, are employed to carry out the tasks of weld flaw identification and weld flaw type classification.     

轿车变速器可靠性寿命试验分析

本文简述了轿车变速器可靠性寿命试验的目的、方法和试验设计。并以一组轿车变速器可靠性寿命试验为例较详细地分析了试验数据的处理和可靠性的点估计和区间估计方法。     

GSM预付费业务的研究与实现

本文首先介绍了ＧＳＭ预付费业务在欧洲推出和应用的情况，该业务的功能需求、类型和特点，最后较详细地讲述了通过设立预付费业务处理中心和智能网两种业务实现方案。文章认为，第一种方案对现有ＧＳ网络影响较小，易于实现，但不能对用户帐目完全实行监控，功能单一，采用非标准协议，对其应用和发展产生限制。     

浅谈局域网安全策略

随着局域网络系统的大量使用，针对网络的病毒种类日益增多，ARP攻击现象十分突出，对网络安全构成极大的威胁。如何有效的防范和清除计算机病毒，是保证计算机网络系统正常运行所面临的最大问题。     

基于ANSYS Workbench机床主轴有限元分析

为了使机床的主轴部件具有刚度高、振动小、变形小、噪声低等性能,在进行结构设计时就应考虑各种可能导致主轴部件变形的因素,并采取有效的防范措施。笔者利用有限元分析软件ANSYS Workbench建立主轴模型,通过对有限元计算结果的分析,得到应力和应变分布情况。通过设计,提高了机床的工作性能,减轻了主轴的自重,节省了材料,降低了成本。     

The influence of gravity on dynamic properties in sheared granular flows

The influences of gravity on the granular flow behavior and dynamic properties were experimentally studied in a vertical shear cell device where the shear dilation direction of granular materials was perpendicular to the gravity direction. The particle motions were recorded by a high-speed camera from three different observational views. By using image processing technology and the particle tracking method, the average velocities and granular temperatures in the streamwise and the transverse directions were successfully measured and analyzed. The results show that the anisotropic motions exist in sheared granular flows. The dynamic properties in the streamwise direction are larger than those in the transverse direction. Due to the gravity effect and bulk flow of granular materials, the local packing structure is not homogenous in the vertical shear cell. By comparing the three different observational views in the vertical shear cell, we find that the spatial average velocity and self-diffusion coefficient are the greatest but the shear rate and granular temperature are the smallest when the particles are co-flowing with gravity causing the most dilute packing structure due to the gravity effect. Similar experiments were also performed in a horizontal shear cell where the shear dilation direction of granular materials was against the gravity direction. The dynamic properties are smaller in the horizontal shear cell than those in the vertical shear cell. It is because the horizontal shear cell has the smaller shear rate with the shear dilation direction against the gravity direction.     

Using a genetic algorithm to determine optimal complementary learning clusters for ESL in Taiwan

This paper proposes a strategy for using students’ complementary competencies in cooperative learning to increase their English learning performance. The concept of complementary learning is based on the idea that teaching is learning. The foundation of the complementary learning concept is composed of three stages proposed to derive the optimal learning clusters—input stage, genetic algorithm (GA) stage, and output stage. In tests and verification of the feasibility of using optimal complementary learning clusters in increasing students’ English learning outcome, comparisons between the experimental group (the optimal complementary learning clusters) and the control group showed that students in the experimental group had higher performances in listening, speaking, and reading competencies than those in the control group. Finally, according to the respective importance weights of different English competencies in different learning objectives, the fuzzy linguistic terms were applied to derive optimal complementary learning clusters to maximize students’ learning outcome.     

Enhancement of the water repellency durability of the fabrics treated by fluorinated nanocopolymer emulsions

The fluorinated copolymer emulsions containing different monomers with the reactive groups were successfully prepared at our lab, using emulsion polymerization technique. The water repellency and the durability for the fabrics treated by fluorinated water repellents after 30 and 50 washes were measured and compared. Actually, the combination of the comonomers containing blocked isocyanate or other reactive groups after copolymerization would increase the durability of the water repellency. In addition, the blocked isocyanate crosslinking agent (Jintexguard FCN) does, indeed, substantially increase the durability also. It clearly indicates that the copolymer emulsion prepared by the reaction of fluorinated acrylate, cyclohexyl methacrylate, and 3‐chloro‐2‐hydroxy‐propyl methacrylate(Topolene M) with monomers containing blocked isocyanate group(Jintexan BIA) showed very good durability. More importantly, the combination of this copolymer and Jintexguard FCN will significantly provide excellent water repellency and durability after 50 washes. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 104: 2451–2457, 2007     

Microstructural modification and mechanical property improvement in friction stir zone of thixo-molded AE42 Mg alloy

Thixo-molded AE42 Mg alloy was friction stir welded, and the soundness of joints was evaluated, together with the microstructure evolution and mechanical properties in friction stir zones. According to X-ray radiography, the optimum FSW condition range of AE42 alloy exists between AZ61 and AZ31 alloys, and it seems that the optimum welding condition range increases with decreasing Al content in the Mg alloys. There are mainly two kinds of compounds in the thixo-molded AE42 alloy, and FSW has little influence on the grainy Al₁₀RE₂Mn₇ compound, but it has great influence on Al₁₁RE₃ phase, which is changed from lamellar eutectic to small particles after welding. Furthermore, the average diameter of Al₁₁RE₃ particles in SZ decreases with increasing the traveling speed at constant rotation speed due to less heat input. The hardness in SZ is higher than that in BM, and tensile strength and elongation are both improved after welding because the stirring refines and uniforms the microstructure and intermetallic compounds.