An engineering method for complex structural optimization involving both size and topology design variables

This work presents an engineering method for optimizing structures made of bars, beams, plates, or a combination of those components. Corresponding problems involve both continuous (size) and discrete (topology) variables. Using a branched multipoint approximate function, which involves such mixed variables, a series of sequential approximate problems are constructed to make the primal problem explicit. To solve the approximate problems, genetic algorithm (GA) is utilized to optimize discrete variables, and when calculating individual fitness values in GA, a second-level approximate problem only involving retained continuous variables is built to optimize continuous variables. The solution to the second-level approximate problem can be easily obtained with dual methods. Structural analyses are only needed before improving the branched approximate functions in the iteration cycles. The method aims at optimal design of discrete structures consisting of bars, beams, plates, or other components. Numerical examples are given to illustrate its effectiveness, including frame topology optimization, layout optimization of stiffeners modeled with beams or shells, concurrent layout optimization of beam and shell components, and an application in a microsatellite structure. Optimization results show that the number of structural analyses is dramatically decreased when compared with pure GA while even comparable to pure sizing optimization.     

Development of mobile miniature natural gas liquefiers

With increasing consumption of natural gas (NG), small NG reservoirs, such as coalbed methane and oil field associated gas, have recently drawn significant attention. Owing to their special characteristics (e.g., scattered distribution and small output), small-scale NG liquefiers are highly required. Similarly, the mixed refrigerant cycle (MRC) is suitable for small-scale liquefaction systems due to its moderate complexity and power consumption. In consideration of the above, this paper reviews the development of mobile miniature NG liquefiers in Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry (TIPC), China. To effectively liquefy the scattered NG and overcome the drawbacks of existing technologies, three main improvements, i.e., low-pressure MRC process driven by oil-lubricated screw compressor, compact cold box with the new designed heat exchangers, and standardized equipment manufacturing and integrated process technology have been made. The development pattern of “rapid cluster application and flexible liquefaction center” has been eventually proposed. The small-scale NG liquefier developed by TIPC has reached a minimum liquefaction power consumption of about 0.35 kW·h/Nm³. It is suitable to exploit small remote gas reserves which can also be used in boil-off gas reliquefaction and distributed peak-shaving of pipe networks.     

Group sequential crossover trial designs with strong control of the familywise error rate

Crossover designs are an extremely useful tool to investigators, and group sequential methods have proven highly proficient at improving the efficiency of parallel group trials. Yet, group sequential methods and crossover designs have rarely been paired together. One possible explanation for this could be the absence of a formal proof of how to strongly control the familywise error rate in the case when multiple comparisons will be made. Here, we provide this proof, valid for any number of initial experimental treatments and any number of stages, when results are analyzed using a linear mixed model. We then establish formulae for the expected sample size and expected number of observations of such a trial, given any choice of stopping boundaries. Finally, utilizing the four-treatment, four-period TOMADO trial as an example, we demonstrate that group sequential methods in this setting could have reduced the trials expected number of observations under the global null hypothesis by over 33%.     

Unraveling the effect of alumina-supported Y- doped ceria composition and method of preparation on the WGS activity of gold catalysts

The demands for high-purity hydrogen required in fuel-cell applications impose new goals and challenges for design of well performing water-gas shift (WGS) catalysts. Gold-based catalysts have exhibited high activity in the WGS reaction at low temperature. Preparation of appropriate and economically viable supports with complex composition by various synthesis procedures is an attractive approach to WGS performance improvement. The effect of two different preparation methods (wet impregnation or mechanical mixing) and ceria content (10, 20 or 30 wt%) on textural, structural, surface and reductive properties and WGS activity of gold catalysts was studied. Additionally, the role of Y₂O₃ as a promoter of ceria was examined. Long-term stability test was carried out at 260 °C over the most active catalyst. The composition of the best performing sample (composed of about 70 wt% alumina), prepared by mechanical mixing, was considered promising in case of practical applications because of its cost efficiency. The combination of gold nanoparticles and alumina supported Y-doped ceria proved an advantageous approach for developing new catalytic formulations with high effectiveness in clean hydrogen production.     

Study on Hydrocracking of VGO Derived from Kazakhstan-Russian Mixed Crude

1 Introduction With the successful completion of the construction of the China-Kazakhstan oil pipeline the refinery at Dushanzi Pet- rochemical Company will process the Kazakhstan-Russian mixed crude at full steam starting 2007. The high sulfur, nitro- gen and heavy metals contents in the Kazakhstan-Russian mixed crude would have a serious impact on the secondary processing units of the Dushanzi refinery, in particular on the distillate hydrocracking unit, which mainly operates on vacuum g…     

基于USB总线的虚拟频谱分析仪设计

文章详细介绍了基于USB总线的虚拟频谱分析仪的设计过程。该仪器使用嵌入式混合处理器MC56F8323来实现动态信号的实时采集、频谱分析和数字滤波等功能。处理结果由USB2．0接口芯片CY7C68013上传至PC机．以完成数据显示、存储、绘制图形等功能。其中，CY7C68013工作于Slave FIFO模式，以实现与MC56F8323间的数据传输。该系统可同时对两路动态信号进行实时谱分析，每路采样频率高选500kHz。     

Mixed Mode VLSI Implementation of a Neural Associative Memory

A mixed mode digital/analog special purpose VLSI hardware implementation of an associative memory with neural architecture is presented. The memory concept is based on a matrix architecture with binary storage elements holding the connection weights. To enhance the processing speed analog circuit techniques are applied to implement the algorithm for the association. To keep the memory density as high as possible two design strategies are considered. First, the number of transistors per storage element is kept to a minimum. In this paper a circuit technique that uses a single 6-transistor cell for weight storage and analog signal processing is proposed. Second, the device precision has been chosen to a moderate level to save area as much as possible. Since device mismatch limits the performance of analog circuits, the impact of device precision on the circuit performance is explicitly discussed. It is shown that the device precision limits the number of rows activated in parallel. Since the input vector as well as the output vector are considered to be sparsely coded it is concluded, that even for large matrices the proposed circuit technique is appropriate and ultra large scale integration with a large number of connection weights is feasible.     

中低品位硅钙质胶磷矿富集技术探讨

过去的正反浮选工艺具有产生的磷精矿中MgO含量低，产品脱水性能好的优点，但选矿成本较高，直接经济效益不显著，为此对“矿浆无需加温”、正浮选作业“无碱”、“无碳酸盐抑制剂”、反浮选“无需添加磷酸”的“四无”正反浮选新工艺进行了研究，结果表明：该新工艺具有技术指标先进，选矿成本低的优点。     

Efficient mixed Timoshenko–Mindlin shell elements

The precise representation of rigid body motions in the displacement patterns of curved Timoshenko–Mindlin (TM) shell elements is considered. This consideration requires the development of the strain–displacement relationships of the TM shell theory with regard to their consistency with the rigid body motions. For this purpose a refined TM theory of multilayered anisotropic shells is elaborated. The effects of transverse shear deformation and bending‐extension coupling are included. The fundamental unknowns consist of five displacements and eight strains of the face surfaces of the shell, and eight stress resultants. On the basis of this theory the simple and efficient mixed models are developed. The elemental arrays are derived using the Hu–Washizu mixed variational principle. Numerical results are presented to demonstrate the high accuracy and effectiveness of the developed 4‐node shell elements and to compare their performance with other finite elements reported in the literature. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

白钨矿浮选731捕收剂低温乳化试验研究

介绍了731捕收剂在低温条件下试验的情况。试验研究结果表明，采用A和B药剂以5：6的比例混合组成的复合乳化剂对731进行乳化，低温时乳化体系稳定性好，浮选过程中降低乳化731的用量，同时提高了选择性，降低了浮选成本，实现了低温环境下白钨矿正常浮选作业，达到选矿技术攻关指标。