An integrated model based on statistical process control and maintenance

The close relationship between quality and maintenance of manufacturing systems has contributed to the development of integrated models, which use the concept of statistical process control (SPC) and maintenance. Such models not only help to improve quality of products but also lead to lower maintenance cost. In this paper, an integrated model is presented which considers complete failure and planned maintenance simultaneously. This model leads to six different scenarios. A new procedure for calculating average cost per time unit is also presented. Finally, a numerical example is used to evaluate sensitivity of the model parameters and compare performance of the developed model to a planned maintenance model. Results indicate satisfactory performance for the developed model.     

Efficient numerical algorithms for the solution of “good” Boussinesq equation in water wave propagation

This paper proposes three fast and high accuracy numerical methods for solving a nonlinear partial differential equation (PDE) describing water waves and called the Boussinesq (Bq) equation. We numerically solve the Bq equation with fourth-order time-stepping schemes in combination with discrete Fourier transform. We discretize the original PDE with discrete Fourier transform in space and obtain a system of ordinary differential equations (ODEs) which will be solved with fourth-order time-stepping methods. After transforming the equation to a system of ODEs, the linear operator is not diagonal, but we can implement the methods such as diagonal case which reduces the CPU time. Comparing numerical solutions with analytical solutions demonstrates that those methods are accurate and readily implemented. Also we investigate the conservation of mass for Bq equation.     

Experimental Modeling of Gas–Solid Heat Transfer in a Pipe with Various Inclination Angles

Gas–solid flow in a pipe with different configurations (vertical, horizontal, and inclined positions) is studied experimentally. Air with temperature around 170°C and sand particles with mean diameter of 253 μm are used as gas and solid mediums, respectively. Effects of different parameters (pipe slope and solid particles feed rate) are studied on heat transfer rate between gas and solid particles. The Nusselt number decreases at lower solids feed rate in a dilute regime of the mixture; however, it increases at higher solids feed rates. Furthermore, results show that a higher Nusselt number takes place at the angles closer to 45 degrees.     

Estimating shear stress in a rectangular channel with rough boundaries using an optimized SVM method

Neural Computing and Applications - The accurate simulation of wall and bed shear stresses in rectangular channels is one of the most important topics in hydraulic engineering. In this study, the...     

Can Dentin Surfaces Be Bonded Safely With Ozone and Boric Acid?

The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of different cavity disinfectants on shear bond strength. In this study, 60 caries-free human molar teeth were used. Smooth dentin surfaces were revealed by cutting occlusal enamel and a standard smear layer was obtained by using 600-grid sandpaper. Specimens were randomly assigned to four groups according to the disinfectant used: Group 1: Control (no disinfectant); Group 2: Ozone; Group 3: Chlorhexidine, Group 4: Boric acid. Specimens were bonded using S3 Plus Bond and the composite buildups were created by using composite resin according to the manufacturer’s instructions. After specimens were kept for 24 h, at 37 °C in distilled water, the shear bond strength test was measured with a universal test machine. The highest bond strength values were observed in the control group. The bond strength was significantly lower in the chlorhexidine, and boric acid-treated groups than it was in the control group (respectively, p = 0.046 and p = 0.028); however, no significant difference in the bond strength was observed between the ozone group and the control group (p = 0.444). The ozone group was detected as having the best shear bond strength values in groups which were applied to cavity disinfectants.     

Energy,exergy and exergoeconomic analysis of a steam power plant: A case study

The objective of this paper is to perform the energy, exergy and exergoeconomic analysis for the Hamedan steam power plant. In the first part of the paper, the exergy destruction and exergy loss of each component of this power plant is estimated. Moreover, the effects of the load variations and ambient temperature are calculated in order to obtain a good insight into this analysis. The exergy efficiencies of the boiler, turbine, pump, heaters and the condenser are estimated at different ambient temperatures. The results show that energy losses have mainly occurred in the condenser where 306.9 MW is lost to the environment while only 67.63 MW has been lost from the boiler. Nevertheless, the irreversibility rate of the boiler is higher than the irreversibility rates of the other components. It is due to the fact that the combustion reaction and its high temperature are the most significant sources of exergy destruction in the boiler system, which can be reduced by preheating the combustion air and reducing the air–fuel ratio. When the ambient temperature is increased from 5 to 24°C, the irreversibility rate of the boiler, turbine, feed water heaters, pumps and the total irreversibility rate of the plant are increased. In addition, as the load varies from 125 to 250 MW (i.e. full load) the exergy efficiency of the boiler and turbine, condenser and heaters are increased due to the fact that the power plant is designed for the full load. In the second part of the paper, the exergoeconomic analysis is done for each component of the power plant in order to calculate the cost of exergy destruction. The results show that the boiler has the highest cost of exergy destruction. In addition, an optimization procedure is developed for that power plant. The results show that by considering the decision variables, the cost of exergy destruction and purchase can be decreased by almost 17.11%. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.