BATCH SEQUENCING

Consider the single machine scheduling problem where there are a number of part types to be processed. A part type is defined as follows: Two parts are of the same part type if the machine does not require a setup in between the processing of these parts. The problem investigated in this paper is to find a sequence of batches of parts (if there are any) where all the requirements for parts are met. A heuristic and an exact algorithm are developed, and computational analysis is performed to measure the performance of the heuristic. The time complexity function of the heuristic is O(n²), and the exact algorithm runs in polynomial time given a fixed upper bound on the number of setups.     

Manganese Distribution between FeO‐MnO‐SiO2–CaO–MgO‐Al2O3 Slags and Molten Iron

Pretreatment of high manganese hot metal is suggested to produce hot metal suitable for further processing to steel in conventional LD converter and rich manganese slags satisfy the requirements for the production of silicomanganese alloys. Manganese distribution between slag and iron represents the efficiency of manganese oxidation from hot metal. The present study has been done to investigate the effect of temperature, slag basicity and composition of oxidizer mixture on the distribution coefficient of manganese between slag and iron. Ferrous oxide activity was determined in molten synthetic slag mixtures of FeO‐MnO‐SiO₂–CaO–MgO‐Al₂O₃. The investigated slags had chemical compositions similar to either oxidizer mixture or slags expected to result from the treatment of high manganese hot metal. The technique used to measure the ferrous oxide activity in the investigated slag systems was the well established one of gas‐slag‐metal equilibration in which molten slags contained in armco iron crucibles are exposed to a flowing gas mixture with a known oxygen potential until equilibrium has been attained. After equilibration, the final chemical analysis of the slags gave compositions having a particular ferrous oxide activity corresponding to the oxygen potential of the gas mixture. The determined values of ferrous oxide activity were used to calculate the equilibrium distribution of manganese between slag and iron. Higher manganese distribution between slag and iron was found to be obtained by using oxidizer containing high active iron oxide under acidic slag and relatively low temperature of about 1350°C.     

Determination of gas dispersion in vapor extraction of heavy oil and bitumen

In this work, a mathematical model is developed and simulated to determine gas dispersion along with solubility during the vapor extraction (Vapex) of live oil from a laboratory scale physical model. The physical model is a rectangular block of homogenous porous medium saturated with heavy oil and bitumen. At a given temperature and pressure, the block is initially exposed on its side to a solvent gas, which diffuses into the medium and gets absorbed. The absorption of gas reduces the viscosity of heavy oil and bitumen causing it to drain under gravity. The low-viscosity “live oil” is produced at the bottom of the porous block. The production of live oil with time is accompanied by the shrinkage of oil in the block as well as its increased exposure to gas from top. These phenomena of Vapex are described by the mathematical model, which is used to calculate live oil production with various values of gas solubility and dispersion. Their optimal values are determined for the vapor extraction of Cold Lake bitumen with butane by matching calculated live oil production with its experimental values published earlier.     

Specimen preparation and image processing and analysis techniques for automated quantification of concrete microcracks and voids

Specimen preparation and image processing/analysis techniques were developed for use in automated quantitative microstructural investigation of concrete, focusing on concrete microcracks and voids. Different specimen preparation techniques were developed for use in fluorescent and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of concrete; then techniques produce a sharp contrast between microcracks/voids and the body of concrete. The image processing/analysis techniques developed specifically for use with concrete address the following usages: automatic threshold; development of intersecting microcracks/voids and connected voids; distinction of microcracks form voids based on geometric attributes; and noise filtration.     

Determination of water activities and osmotic and activity coefficients of the system NaCl–BaCl2–H2O at 298.15 K

The water activities of the mixed aqueous electrolyte NaCl–BaCl₂(aq) are measured at total molalities from 0.25 mol kg⁻¹ to about saturation for different ionic strength fractions (y) of NaCl with y=0.33,0.50,0.67. The results allow the deduction of osmotic coefficients. The experimental results are compared with the predictions of the Zdanovskii, Stokes, and Robinson (ZSR), Kusik and Meissner (KM), Robinson and Stokes (RS), Lietzke and Stoughton (LSII), Reilly, Wood, and Robinson (RWR), and Pitzer models. From these measurements, the Pitzer mixing ionic parameters are determined and used to predict the solute activity coefficients in the mixture. The excess Gibbs energy is also determined.     

Comparative study of the electrical properties of diamond films grown by microwave plasma assisted and hot-filament chemical vapor deposition

Schottky diodes were built on different polycrystalline diamond films grown by Microwave Plasma and Hot Filament Chemical Vapor Deposition and their electrical properties were studied. The barrier height increased with the diamond film quality and the corresponding ideality factor decreased. Even though the lower-quality HFCVD film displayed poor rectifying properties, it was found to be much less sensitive to variations in the operating conditions (air vs. vacuum). The activation energies of the films depend on morphological parameters, as preferable grain size or orientation. The bulk conduction also depends on the quality of the deposited films, changing from ohmic to trap-free or shallow trap SCLC and SCLC with an exponential distribution of traps. The hypothesis of using the electrical measurements as an indicator for film quality has been discussed.     

Polyurethane foams with 1,3‐pyrimidine ring

Attempts of obtaining of polyurethane foams using polyetherols with 1,3‐pyrimidine ring (obtained in reactions of 6‐aminouracil with oxiranes) are reported. Properties of the foams are investigated, especially their thermal stability. The foams show an improved thermal stability up to 200°C for a long time. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008     

Potentiometric studies of oxidation–reduction reactions with redox copolymers

Polymeric oxidants in the bead form that were macroporous styrene/divinylbenzene copolymers containing N‐chlorosulfonamide functional groups (in sodium or hydrogen form) or N‐bromosulfonamide groups (in sodium form) were synthesized and investigated to determine their oxidizing powers. The redox potentials of the N‐chlorosulfonamide/sulfonamide and N‐bromosulfonamide/sulfonamide systems were determined by potentiometric studies at different pH values with aqueous solutions of Na₂SO₃, KCN, and KSCN as reducers. The formal redox potentials of the N‐chlorosulfonamide copolymers were 0.79, 0.44, and ?0.12 V at pH's of 1.8, 8.45, and 13.6, respectively. The formal redox potential of the N‐bromosulfonamide copolymer was about 100 mV higher in comparable conditions and in solutions over pH = 5 (e.g., 0.56 V at pH = 8.56). The comparatively higher oxidizing power of the N‐bromosulfonamide copolymer was particularly evident in a strong alkaline medium (in which the N‐chlorosulfonamide copolymer was not reactive). In contrast, the N‐chlorosulfonamide copolymer showed strong oxidative properties in acidic media (in which the N‐bromosulfonamide copolymer decomposed itself). © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 2008     

Electrocopolymerization of aniline and ortho-phenylenediamine via facile negative shift of polyaniline redox peaks

Oxidative electropolymerization of aniline (Ani) in phosphoric acid (H₃PO₄) on composite 2B pencil graphite was accomplished using selected inorganic salts as supporting electrolytes. These salts determined the degree of conductivity of polyaniline (PAni) formed. The conductivity was in the order of CaCl₂ > KCl > ZnCl₂ > ZnSO₄ > Ca₃(PO₄)₂. The three pairs of redox peaks in the voltammogram of PAni formed in the presence of 0.06 M Ca₃(PO₄)₂ and 0.2 M ZnSO₄ have shifted 300 mV to the negative potential. The shifting of peaks is strongly influenced by type of anions' presence in the salts. However, the nature of the available cations had no significant effect. The negative shifts of redox peaks were exploited to facilitate the electrocopolymerization of Ani and ortho-phenylenediamine (oPD). The formation of the poly(Ani-co-oPD) was confirmed by the FTIR spectra.