Online gasoline blending with EPA Complex Model for predicting emissions

The empirical Complex Model developed by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is used by refiners to predict the toxic emissions of reformulated gasoline with respect to gasoline properties. The difficulty in implementing this model in the blending process stems from the implicit definition of Complex Model through a series of disjunctions assembled by the EPA in the form of spreadsheets. A major breakthrough in the refinery-based Complex Model implementation occurred in 2008 and 2010 through the use of generalized disjunctive and mixed-integer nonlinear programming (MINLP). Nevertheless, the execution time of these MINLP models remains prohibitively long to control emissions with our online gasoline blender. The first objective of this study is to present a new model that decreases the execution time of our online controller. The second objective is to consider toxic thresholds as hard constraints to be verified and search for blends that verify them. Our approach introduces a new way to write the Complex Model without any binary or integer variables. Sigmoid functions are used herein to approximate step functions until the measurement precision for each blend property is reached. By knowing this level of precision, we are able to propose an extremely good and differentiable approximation of the Complex Model. Next, a differentiable objective function is introduced to penalize emission values higher than the threshold emissions. Our optimization module has been implemented and tested with real data. The execution time never exceeded 1 s, which allows the online regulation of emissions the same way as other traditional properties of blended gasoline.     

Synthesis of Titanium Oxycarbide from Titanium Slag by Methane-Containing Gas

In this study, reaction steps of a process for synthesis of titanium oxycarbide from titanium slag were demonstrated. This process involves the reduction of titanium slag by a methane-hydrogen-argon mixture at 1473 K (1200 °C) and the leaching of the reduced products by hydrofluoric acid near room temperature to remove the main impurity (Fe₃Si). Some iron was formed by disproportionation of the main M₃O₅ phase before gaseous reduction started. Upon reduction, more iron formed first, followed by reduction of titanium dioxide to suboxides and eventually oxycarbide.     

Algorithms for the single machine total weighted completion time scheduling problem with release times and sequence-dependent setups

This paper considers the problem of scheduling n jobs on a single machine to minimize the total weighted completion time in the presence of sequence-dependent setup times and release times. To the best of our knowledge, little research has been devoted to this scheduling problem. Therefore, we developed two exact algorithms, including a constraint programming model and a branch-and-bound method for small problems. The obtained optimal solutions can be used as a benchmark for evaluating the performance of heuristics. With the complexity in mind, two heuristics, including a best index dispatch (BID) and a modified weighted shortest processing time (MWSPT) based on non-delay concepts are also proposed for large problems. The time complexities of the two proposed heuristics are O(n ⁴) and O(n ³), respectively. The computational results showed that the branch-and-bound method could solve most instances with 40 jobs under the time limit of 7,200 s. The BID heuristic is superior to the MWSPT in solution quality, although both can efficiently and effectively obtain near-optimal solutions for large instances.     

编码器自动监测与故障诊断系统的研究与实现

文中介绍了某大型机电设备编码器的实时监测与故障诊断系统的设计工作.系统采用在线和离线两种工作方式,实现了接触式编码器的监测和诊断.系统硬件主要电路板基于PC104总线结构,18路I/O通道(9路输入,9路输出)完成9位编码器的检测和诊断.系统软件界面友好,巧妙地实现了格雷码与角度值的转换.本系统对其他编码器自动监测和故障诊断系统具有重要的借鉴意义.     

用浮动零点法消除温度对SAW加速度计测量准确度的影响

分析了温度漂移对声表面波谐振器(SAWR)及其声表面波振荡器(SAWO)频率特性、以及对SAW加速度计测量准确性的影响,探讨了提高SAW加速度计测量准确度的方法,提出了一种基于浮动零点原理抑制温度共模干扰的双对SAWR加速度计设计方案.本方案不仅通过设置浮动零点SAWR抑制了SAWO频率-温度漂移对SAW加速度计测量准确度的干扰,还在一定程度上降低了对SAWR表面制造工艺的要求.     

基于最优矢量量化零树编码的多小波图像压缩

提出一种基于多小波变换的矢量量化零树编码方案.利用多小波变换后各个子块之间的相关性,把图像的多小波分解看成是矢量四叉树结构,通过对多小波系数重排来保持小波系数的零树特征.对图像进行压缩仿真试验,结果表明多小波变换的图像压缩结果优于传统的小波变换结果.     

Design of current‐mode MOSFET‐C filters using OTRAs

In this paper, third‐order current‐mode MOSFET‐C filters that use operational transresistance amplifiers (OTRAs) with little parasitic capacitance effects are presented. On the basis of the proposed systematic method and design procedure, we can efficiently synthesize third‐order active filters with OTRAs along with simplified MOSFET resistor circuits, and all virtually grounded capacitors. Third‐order current‐mode Chebychev low‐pass and high‐pass filters are realized to verify the validity of the theoretical analysis. Experimental results employing commercially available current feedback amplifiers are also given. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

基于多通道增强现实的机器人遥操作技术研究

在传统的预测仿真控制方法的基础上,提出了多通道增强现实遥操作控制策略,以克服通讯时延的影响。通过实际视频图像和预测仿真图形的叠加来消除模型的误差,同时基于TIN(Triangulated Irregular Network)表达的虚拟环境中物体模型,对虚拟环境中的虚拟接触力进行实时再现,提高操作者的临场感,辅助操作者完成精细的远程操作。实验结果验证了本文所提方法有效性和实用性。     

Localized CO2 laser annealing induced dehydrogenation/ablation and optical refinement of silicon-rich silicon dioxide film with embedded si nanocrystals

CO2 laser annealing induced effects of dehydrogenation, Si nanocrystal precipitation, ablation, and optical refinement in PECVD grown SiO1.25 film are investigated. Dehydrogenation shrinks SiO1.25 thickness by 40 nm after annealing at laser intensity (Plaser) of 4 kW/cm(2) for 1.4 ms. As Plaser increases to 6 kW/cm(2), the photoluminescence (PL) red-shifts to 806 nm due to the size enlargement of Si nanocrystals, while a reduced optical bandgap energy from 3.3 to 2.43 eV and an enlarged refractive index from 1.57 to 1.87 are also observed. Transmission electron microscopy analysis reveals that the randomly oriented Si nanocrystals exhibit an average diameter of 5.3 nm and a volume density of 1.9 x 10(18) cm(-3). CO2 Laser ablation initiates at intensity higher than 7 kW/cm(2), which introduces numerous structural defects with a strong PL at 410 nm. Such an ablation inevitably leads to a blue-shifted optical bandgap energy from 2.43 to 2.76 eV as Plaser enlarges from 6 to 12 kW/cm(2) are concluded.