Application of the blind source separation method to feature extraction of machine sound signals

As the result of vibration emission in air, a machine sound signal carries important information about the working condition of machinery. But in practice, the sound signal is typically received with a very low signal-to-noise ratio. To obtain features of the original sound signal, uncorrelated sound signals must be removed and the wavelet coefficients related to fault condition must be retrieved. In this paper, the blind source separation technique is used to recover the wavelet coefficients of a monitored source from complex observed signals. Since in the proposed blind source separation (BSS) algorithms it is generally assumed that the number of sources is known, the Gerschgorin disk estimator method is introduced to determine the number of sound sources before applying the BSS method. This method can estimate the number of sound sources under non-Gaussian and non-white noise conditions. Then, the partial singular value analysis method is used to select these significant observations for BSS analysis. This method ensures that signals are separated with the smallest distortion. Afterwards, the time-frequency separation algorithm, converted to a suitable BSS algorithm for the separation of a non-stationary signal, is introduced. The transfer channel between observations and sources and the wavelet coefficients of the source signals can be blindly identified via this algorithm. The reconstructed wavelet coefficients can be used for diagnosis. Finally, the separation results obtained from the observed signals recorded in a semi-anechoic chamber demonstrate the effectiveness of the presented methods .     

Preparation and properties of silicone‐containing poly(methyl methacrylate) gels

Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) gels with varying amounts of silicone and solvent and constant amounts of crosslinker were prepared by solution free radical crosslinking copolymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA), ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDM), tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) and vinyltriethoxysilane (VTES) comonomer systems. They were then studied in benzene at a total monomer concentration of 3.5 mol L^?1 and 70 °C. The conversion of monomer, volume swelling ratio, weight fraction and gel point were measured as a function of the reaction time, silicone concentration and benzene content up to the onset of macrogelation. Structural characteristics of the gels were examined by using equilibrium swelling in benzene, gel fraction and Fourier‐transform infrared (FTIR) analysis. The morphology of the copolymers was also investigated by SEM. Based on the obtained results, it was concluded that the FTIR data did not have the capacity to show the presence of the VTES or TEOS moiety in these kinds of copolymers. On the other hand, the variation of weight fraction of gel, W_g, and its equilibrium volume swelling ratio in benzene, q_v, exhibited the same behaviour as that of MMA/EGDM copolymers. Also, the dilution of the monomer mixture resulted in an increase in the gel point and swelling degree and a decrease in the percent of conversion and gel fraction. Finally, TEOS is not an ideal silicone compound for reaction in the MMA/EGDM copolymerization system, whereas VTES is a suitable silicone comonomer for this system and it has been proved useful. Copyright © 2005 Society of Chemical Industry     

Thermodynamic state of reinforced interpenetrating polymer networks

The free energies of mixing of two networks in the interpenetrating polymer network based on crosslinked polyurethane and poly(ester acrylate) have been determined by the vapour sorption method. It was established that the constituent networks in the IPN are not miscible. The introduction of fillers of different chemical nature increases the compatibility. The thermodynamic affinity of the fillers to the individual networks and IPN was estimated. It was established that when the free energy of interaction of one or both components of the IPN with the filler is negative, reinforcement leads to the formation of a compatible and equilibrium system. For fillers having no affinity to the polymers, compatibilization is observed, which is connected with slowing down of phase separation in the system in the presence of filler.     

Process conditions for separating fatty acid esters by supercritical CO2

The solubilities of ethyl palmitate, ethyl oleate, ethyl eicosapentaenoate (EPA) and ethyl docosahexaenoate (DHA) in supercritical carbon dioxide were determined by a continuous flow method. The solubilities of fatty acid ethyl esters increased with pressure and decreased as the temperature was increased. An empirical equation, similar to Chrastil's equation, was used to describe the relationship between solute solubility and the density of carbon dioxide. The empirical equation was further used to qualitatively estimate the separation efficiency of isolating EPA and DHA ethyl esters from fatty acid esters. The operating conditions yielding high solubility gave fast extraction rate but resulted in low separation efficiency. Experiments were conducted to separate ethyl EPA and ethyl DHA from a model mixture containing four fatty acid ethyl esters and from esterified squid visceral oil. The experimental data compared closely with the calculated values.     

VARIATIONS IN ALFALFA JUICE SOLUTE CONCENTRATIONS AS WATER IS EVAPORATED

Alfalfa juice was extracted from plants during the graving phases of the first and second crops. The alfalfa juice was dried and solute concentrations were measured periodically during the process using freezing point depression (FPD) as an indicator. Solute/solvent weight ratios were calculated from the freezing point depression of fresh unconcentrated 'uice extracted from both firsc and second crops. At the time of harvest, tie FPD was a function of this ratio. The first and second crops behaved distinctively different during the drying process, with the second having a larger soluce concentration and a greater FPD at a given moisture content. The appearance of preci itate during the drying process and the general1 large FPD makes this materiay a questionable product for drying vitg low temperature processes.     

Monoalkyl Esters of Isoalkylphosphonic Acid as Extractants in Rare Earth Separation

Four monoalkyl esters of isoalkylphosphonic acids have been studied for the chromatographic separation ofrare earths (RE).The relationship between distribution ratios and acid concentration of the eluants forsamarium and ytterbium has been explored.The characteristics of these extractants loaded onto macroreticularpoly (methyl methacrylate) resin beads for the separation of lanthanum,cerium,praseodymium and neodymiumhave been compared.Among the extractants studied,mono(1-methylheptyl) ester of isooctylphosphonic acidwas found to be the best for RE separation.The acidity for separation is lower than any known P-containingextractants for the same purpose.For instance,with 1.73 mol·L~(-1) nitric acid as eluent,thulium,ytterbium andlutetium can be separated quantitatively.The extractant-loaded resins possess high column efficiency with goodkinetic characteristics.The extraction mechanism was also explored.     

Perverse Spite: The Possessive Gleam in the Mother's Eye and the Struggle to Own One's Soul: Reply to Stern (2004).

In this response to Jeffrey Stern's (2004) (see record 2004-21113-016) commentary on my article, "Giving the Devil His Due: Spite and the Struggle for Individual Dignity" (P. Shabad, 2000) (see record 2000-00917-004), I suggest that in emphasizing the conscious vindictiveness of explicit spite, Stern minimizes the perverse aspects of "cutting off one's nose to spite one's face" as a means of avenging oneself against powerful others. The underlying impetus of perverse spite is to break free from the prison of subtle developmental contingencies and unconscious seductions surrounding maternal possessiveness. When the child's self-assertive strivings are blocked because of the shame and fear of premature separateness, the inward obsessional churning of resentment becomes a fertile ground for perverse spite. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Complementary modelling of fluid separation processes

Optimal functioning of numerous technological processes depends primarily on relevant process design, properly selected column internals and sufficient understanding of the process behaviour. This can be achieved only with the help of accurate and reliable process models capable of considering process rates in a rigorous way, with respect to both transport phenomena and chemistry. In this article, a new modelling concept called complementary modelling is suggested for a large class of fluid separation processes. Since the conditions and criteria for these processes vary considerably, it is impossible to develop a unified modelling approach. Instead, a reasonable and effective combination of different modelling approaches provides solutions to many present and future tasks. The complementary modelling is discussed in detail and illustrated with several case studies.     

Fixed point theorems on fuzzy normed linear spaces

In this paper, definitions of strongly fuzzy convergent sequence, l-fuzzy weakly convergent sequence and l-fuzzy weakly compact set are given in a fuzzy normed linear space. The concepts of fuzzy normal structure, fuzzy non-expansive mapping, uniformly convex fuzzy normed linear space are introduced and fixed point theorems for fuzzy non-expansive mappings are proved.     

A new method for the determination of wax precipitation from non-diluted crude oils by fractional precipitation

Wax precipitation is one of the most important flow assurance problems. Unfortunately, experimental data are very scarce to confirm existing models for prediction of such precipitation problem. This work reports a new experimental method. Multistage fractional wax precipitation was carried out by decreasing the temperature of crude oil. No solvent dilution was used, so the effect of solvent on temperature wax precipitation was avoided. The reproducibility of the method was tested with comparable results. The precipitation curve and the wax appearance temperature were obtained for two crude oils with different chemical nature using the reported method.