Comparison of mass transfer efficiency in horizontal rotating packed beds and rotating biological contactors

In this study, the mass transfer efficiencies of a novel horizontal rotating packed (h‐RPB) bed and the conventional disc‐type rotating biological contactor (RBC) were studied at four speeds and seven submergences. Pall rings of two different sizes (25, 38 mm), superintalox saddles and a wiremesh spiral bundle were used as packings in the h‐RPB. Volumetric gas–liquid mass transfer coefficients were determined by unsteady state absorption of atmospheric oxygen in de‐aerated water. Power consumption per unit liquid volume has been found for all geometries tested. The oxygen transfer efficiency values for the h‐RPB were found to be 2–5 kg kWh^?1 and for the disc RBC were found to be 1–2 kg kWh^?1. The performance of the h‐RPB was also compared with other gas–liquid contactors such as surface aerators. The study proves that the h‐RPB is a energy efficient alternative to conventional contactors. Copyright © 2005 Society of Chemical Industry     

Material state remapping in computational solid mechanics

A computational procedure for remapping material state information from one finite element mesh to another is described. The procedure is useful in connection with evolving meshes for inelastic problems, as for example occur in the context of fracture simulation and adaptive mesh refinement. The proposed method is based on weak enforcement of equality between corresponding fields on the two meshes, where piecewise‐constant fields on both meshes are generalized from the quadrature‐point values. The essential algorithmic problem is that of calculating the volume partition of an arbitrary convex region with respect to a covering set of disjoint convex regions. Instead of geometrically resolving the associated intersections, the problem is herein approximated by a constrained optimization problem, which may be readily and efficiently solved computationally. This formulation is a main contribution of the paper. Computational examples are given that illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed procedure. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Value management and common accounting performance measures for corporations

Management is aware that the value of firms is the ultimate measure of company performance. However, management has been using common accounting measures as an operating guide because the linkage between operational planning and value is vague and complex and, therefore, difficult to apply. Managers need to have clear targets and performance measures to track progress. This paper examines if a set of common accounting performance measures are linked tightly to the overall value of the firm. An abductive learning network (ALN) approach, an artificial intelligence technique, is used in this research because an ALN approach is non-parametric and can capture a subtle dynamic relationship between input and output variables, which is not obvious in linear statistical analysis. Empirical results show that an ALN model is very effective in synthesizing the value of the firm using six common accounting variables. The results also provide four strategic variables that can be used for devising strategic and operating plans to maximize the value of firms.     

提高网络教学效果的方法浅析

中国的网络远程教育目前也正处于蓬勃发展的阶段,各种远教机构如雨后春笋般涌现。但在远教课程向网络转型的过渡时期,难免会有各种不尽如人意的地方。设计不够贴近学生、缺乏师生互动和技术运用的片面与僵化等是很多网络课程常有的通病。如何在课程设计上进行改进,使网络课程更具人性化,真正实现以学生为中心,是中国网络教育更上一层楼的关键问题之一。     

Virtual teamwork in very large undergraduate classes

Collaborative work is an important part of tertiary education but it is very difficult to arrange and supervise for extremely large classes of students in their first year. The possibility that computer-mediated communication can be used to facilitate this type of learning is appealing from a pragmatic organisational point of view. This paper explains in detail what a ‘virtual team’ is in the educational context. It reports on an interpretive field study where students taking an introductory course were allowed to choose where and when they did the required collaborative work. The paper discusses the factors that should be taken into account when offering students the option of working as a virtual team. These include factors that influence the students’ choice. The project cannot be considered to have been successful but indicates reasons for the lack of success and suggests contexts in which it would be valuable to repeat the project. The importance of extensive preparation in terms of teaching the students necessary social and technological skills cannot be over emphasised.     

A hierarchical model for structure learning based on the physiological characteristics of neurons

Almost all applications of Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) depend mainly on their memory ability. The characteristics of typical ANN models are fixed connections, with evolved weights, globalized representations, and globalized optimizations, all based on a mathematical approach. This makes those models to be deficient in robustness, efficiency of learning, capacity, anti-jamming between training sets, and correlativity of samples, etc. In this paper, we attempt to address these problems by adopting the characteristics of biological neurons in morphology and signal processing. A hierarchical neural network was designed and realized to implement structure learning and representations based on connected structures. The basic characteristics of this model are localized and random connections, field limitations of neuron fan-in and fan-out, dynamic behavior of neurons, and samples represented through different sub-circuits of neurons specialized into different response patterns. At the end of this paper, some important aspects of error correction, capacity, learning efficiency, and soundness of structural representation are analyzed theoretically. This paper has demonstrated the feasibility and advantages of structure learning and representation. This model can serve as a fundamental element of cognitive systems such as perception and associative memory.     

Mass transfer kinetics of neodymium(III) extraction by calix[4]arene carboxylic acid using a constant interfacial area cell with laminar flow

BACKGROUND: Thermodynamics and kinetics data are both important to explain the extraction property. In order to develop a novel separation technology superior to current extraction systems, many promising extractants have been developed including calixarene carboxylic acids. The extraction thermodynamics behavior of calix[4]arene carboxylic acids has been reported extensively. In this study, the mass transfer kinetics of neodymium(III) and the interfacial behavior of calix[4]arene carboxylic acid were investigated. RESULTS: The rate constant (K_ao) becomes constant when the stirring speed was controlled between 250 rpm and 400 rpm. The activation energy (E_a) was calculated to be 21·41 kJ mol^?1 or 88·17 kJ mol^?1 (dependent on temperature) from the slope of log K_ao against 1000/T. The linear relationship between the specific area and the extraction rate is the characteristic of an interfacial reaction control. The minimum bulk concentration of the extractant necessary to saturate the interface (C_min) is lower than 4·19 × 10^?4 mol L^?1. CONCLUSION: The effect of stirring speed, temperature, and species concentration on the extraction rate demonstrates that the extraction regime depends on the extraction conditions. The chemical reaction control governs the extraction regime at temperatures below 303 K and a mixed control regime occurs when the temperature is between 303 K and 318 K. The probable locale for the chemical reaction is at the liquid–liquid interface and the rate equation is deduced to be: ? d[Nd³⁺]_(a)/dt = k_f[Nd³⁺]_(a)[H₄A]_(o)^0·727[H⁺]_(a)^?0·978. The rate‐controlling step was suggested by the analysis of the experimental results. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry     

Heat transfer of a row of three butane/air flame jets impinging on a flat plate

Experiments were performed to investigate the heat transfer characteristics of a row of three premixed, laminar, butane/air flame jets impinging on a water-cooled flat plate. The between-jet interference was found to reduce the heat transfer rate in the jet-to-jet interacting zone due to the depressed combustion. The interference became stronger when the jet-to-jet spacing and/or the nozzle-to-plate distance were/was small. The positive pressure existed in the between-jet interacting zone caused the asymmetric flame and heat transfer distribution of the side jet. The meeting point of the spreading wall jets of the central and the side jets did not occur at the midpoint of the neighboring jets, but at a location shifted slightly outwards. The maximum local heat flux and the maximum area-averaged heat flux occurred at a moderate nozzle-to-plate distance of 5d with a moderate jet-to-jet spacing of 5d. The lowest area-averaged heat flux was produced when both the jet-to-jet spacing and the nozzle-to-plate distance were small. Comparing with a single jet under the same experimental conditions, the heat transfer rates in both the stagnation point and the maximum heat transfer point were shown to be enhanced in a row of three-jet-impingement system. The present study provided detailed information on the heat transfer characteristics of a row of three in-line impinging flame jets, which had rarely been reported in previous study.     

Model for Nanoscopic Domain Formation in Dipalmitoyl-PC/Dilauroyl-PC/Cholesterol Mixture

We describe the lyotropic liquid crystalline phase transitions in the lipid mixture dipalmitoil-PC/dilauroy-PC/cholesterol by 3D spin-1 lattice model. The formation of nanoscale domains with the characteristic size about 300 nm was studied in experiments on confocal fluorescence microscopy (CFM) (G. V. Feigenson and J. T. Buboltz, Biophys. J. 80, 2775 (2001)). The structure parameters of the lamellar vesicle in dipalmitoil-PC-rich phase, corresponding to these regions, are verified by numerical Monte Carlo simulations on the lattice. We point its superconductivity analogy properties at the region of phase stability for composition-dependent nanoscopic region.