Robust and stable flow shop scheduling with unexpected arrivals of new jobs and uncertain processing times

In real scheduling problems, some disruptions and unexpected events may occur. These disruptions cause the initial schedule to quickly become infeasible and non-optimal. In this situation, an appropriate rescheduling method should be used. In this paper, a new approach has been proposed to achieve stable and robust schedule despite uncertain processing times and unexpected arrivals of new jobs. This approach is a proactive–reactive method which uses a two-step procedure. In the first step an initial robust solution is produced proactively against uncertain processing times using robust optimization approach. This initial robust solution is more insensitive against the fluctuations of processing times in future. In the next step, when an unexpected disruption occurs, an appropriate reactive method is adopted to deal with this unexpected event. In fact, in the second step, the reactive approach determines the best modified sequence after any unexpected disruption based on the classical objective and performance measures. The robustness measure is implemented in the reactive approach to increase the performance of the real schedule after disruption. Computational results indicate that this method produces better solutions in comparison with four classical heuristic approaches according to effectiveness and performance of solutions.     

Effects of poly(acrylic acid) and poly(ethylene oxide) adsorption on the stability of alumina suspension

The effect of adsorbed polymer on the stability of alumina suspension was investigated. Poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO), poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) and similar kinds of polymer salts were used as a dispersant. The amount of polymer adsorbed on alumina surface and the suspension stability was measured. The pH, molecular weight, and concentration were considered as experimental parameters. PEO shows low affinity on the alumina surface while PAA has high affinity. In the case of PAA adsorption, the surface charge change by polymer adsorption influences suspension stability strongly, but not in the case of PEO adsorption. In simultaneous adsorption of PEO and PAA, the PAA concentration was fixed and PEO concentration was varied. The stability of suspension increased with increasing PEO concentration, and this is partly due to the steric stabilization by adsorption of PAA-PEO complex or adsorption of PEO through pre-adsorbed PAA and the depletion effect of non-adsorbed polymer. Suspension adsorbing sodium salts of PAA and poly(methacrylic acid) (PMA) each showed similar stability. But, when the PEO and these kinds of salts were added together to the suspension, the one with PAA sodium salt could keep a higher stability even with lower molecular weights of PEO compared with suspension with PMA sodium salt.     

A model structure-driven hierarchical decentralized stabilizing control structure for process networks

Based on the structure of process models a hierarchically structured state-space model has been proposed for process networks with controlled mass convection and constant physico-chemical properties. Using the theory of cascade-connected nonlinear systems and the properties of Metzler and Hurwitz matrices it is shown that process systems with controlled mass convection and without sources or with stabilizing linear source terms are globally asymptotically stable. The hierarchically structured model gives rise to a distributed controller structure that is in agreement with the traditional hierarchical process control system structure where local controllers are used for mass inventory control and coordinating controllers are used for optimizing the system dynamics. The proposed distributed controller is illustrated on a simple non-isotherm jacketed chemical reactor.     

Stabilization of PCC dispersions prepared directly in the mother-liquid after synthesis through the carbonation of (hydrated) lime

Various CaCO₃-based products are often used in the form of concentrated aqueous dispersions. This study investigates the stabilization of PCC dispersions prepared directly in the mother-liquid after the carbonation of (hydrated) lime through the adsorption of a commercial sodium polyacrylate dispersant. The results demonstrate that the composition of the mother-liquid, particularly the Ca²⁺ activity, profoundly influences virtually all processes pertinent to dispersion stabilization—from the initial charging of the CaCO₃ surface in base PCC dispersions, to the surface charge regulation and dispersion stabilization efficiency of the polyacrylate dispersing agent. Rising prominence of the counterion condensation effects in Ca²⁺ rich solutions limits the conditions conducive to the surface charge regulation through dispersant adsorption to an optimum pH range of about 8-11. Furthermore, dispersion stability analysis, based on the classical DLVO theory of colloid stability, and corroborated by experimental evidence in the form of particle size distribution analyses, also indicates that optimum stability conditions for such PCC dispersions are established with small dispersant doses (0.25-0.5% per dry weight) in the pH range of about 9-11.     

吐温—20增稳浊度法快速测定水泥中三氧化硫

本文研究了一种以非离子表面活性剂吐温－20为介质，硫酸钡浊度法侧定水泥中三氧化硫的新方法。吐温-20的引入使硫酸钡颗粒分散均匀，体系稳定性提高。本文选420nm为测定波长，SO2-4含量在50～500μg／25ml范围内线性关系良好，可很好地适用于水泥样品的分析。     

EFFECTS OF NONIONIC SURFACTANTS ON PERFORMANCE OF COPPER CHEMICAL MECHANICAL POLISHING

During copper chemical mechanical polishing (Cu-CMP), the physical properties of slurry, such as the dispersion and suspension stability of abrasives, the interaction between particles and the polished surface, and the rheological characteristics, greatly affect the planarization efficiency. In this study, several nonionic surfactants were added to change the aforementioned physical characteristics of slurry and Cu-CMP performance. Their effects were investigated. The experimental results showed that Al₂O₃ slurry with 300 ppm Triton DF-16 could enhance the wettability of the Cu surface and stabilize the dispersion of abrasives in the slurry. Therefore, the passivation reaction on the Cu surface during CMP would occur uniformly, and the removal of particles during post cleaning could be improved. Cu CMP using the slurry with an adequate amount of nonionic surfactants, Triton DF-16, is proposed to reduce the surface roughness, enhancing the planarity.     

焦化柴油不安定因素考察

对焦化柴油的不安定因素进行了研究.通过研究发现,焦化柴油中的酸性物质、碱性物质、微量金属及可见光均是影响焦化柴油安定性的因素,空气对焦化柴油的安定性影响较小.     

Performance and stability of Pt-based ternary alloy catalysts for PEMFC

Carbon-supported Pt-based ternary alloy electrocatalysts were prepared by incipient wetness method in order to elucidate the origin of the enhanced activity of oxygen reduction reaction in PEMFC. To measure the catalytic activity and stability of the cathode alloy catalysts (electrodes containing Pt loading of 0.3 mg/cm², 20 wt.% Pt/C, E-TEK), the I-V polarization curves were obtained. All alloy catalysts showed higher performances than Pt/C. It can be concluded that as platinum formed alloys with transition metals, the electronic state of Pt and the nearest neighbor Pt-Pt distance changes, which significantly influence the electrocatalytic activity for oxygen reduction.Long-term stability test was performed with the Pt₆Co₁Cr₁/C alloy catalyst for 500 h. According to XPS analysis, the lower oxide component with Pt₆Co₁Cr₁/C electrocatalyst provides a large portion of platinum in metallic species in the electrocatalyst and it seems to be mainly responsible for its enhanced activity towards oxygen reduction.     

Enthalpy recovery of gases issued from H2 production processes: Activity and stability of oxide and noble metal catalysts in oxidation reaction under highly severe conditions

Oxidation activity and stability under reaction was investigated for a series of mixed oxide catalysts, doped or not by a precious metal (Pd, Pt). The reaction feedstock, containing CO, H₂, CH₄, CO₂ and H₂O, simulated gases issued from H₂ production processes for fuel cells. Contrarily to conventional noble metal catalysts, mixed oxide samples present generally good stability under reaction at high temperature. The activities measured for the perovskite and hexaaluminate catalysts, are however largely lower than that of the reference Pd/Al₂O₃ catalyst. High activities were obtained after impregnation of 1.1 wt.% Pd or 0.8 wt.% Pt on the hexaaluminates samples. Even if Pd/Al₂O₃ was found to present a high activity, this sample suffered from drastic deactivation at 700 °C. Better stability were obtained on perovskite. Furthermore, doping hexaaluminate by Pt led to samples with good activities and high stability. Even if better activities were obtained by doping the hexaaluminate samples by Pd, the Pd/BaAl₁₂O₁₉ strongly deactivated, as it was previously observed for the reference catalyst. Interestingly, this Pd deactivation was not observed when Pd was impregnated on the Mn substituted hexaaluminate, leading to a stable and active catalyst. This suggests that it is possible to stabilize the palladium in its oxidized form at high temperature (700 °C) on the surface of some supports.     

论医院ITIL管理

ITIL信息管理服务系统的核心是把IT与业务相链接。医院ITIL管理是将医院IT信息服务系统和医院的医疗业务结合在一起,使医院的医疗水平和服务水平都能有较大提高。探讨了医院在实行ITIL管理过程中的显著优势和不足,以及提高ITIL管理的效率:ITIL的稳定性和安全性,使医院在实行ITIL管理方面更上一层楼。