Optimum thermoeconomic and thermodynamic performance characteristics of an irreversible three-heat-source heat pump

The coefficient of performance and specific heating load of an irreversible three-heat-source heat pump are given by using a general cycle model affected by the finite-rate heat transfer, heat leak and internal irreversibility of the cyclic working fluid. The heat pumping load divided by the total cost per unit time is taken as a new objective function and used to investigate the performance of the heat pump. The thermoeconomic and thermodynamic performance characteristics of the heat pump are discussed in detail. Some important performance parameters such as the thermoeconomic objective function and coefficient of performance are optimized. The optimally operating regions of the heat pump and the bounds of several performance parameters are determined. Finally, it is pointed out that the Carnot heat pump may be taken as a special case of a three-heat-source heat pump and consequently its optimal performance can be directly derived from the results obtained here.     

A branch-and-price algorithm to solve the molten iron allocation problem in iron and steel industry

The molten iron allocation problem (MIAP) is to allocate molten iron from blast furnaces to steel-making furnaces. The allocation needs to observe the release times of the molten iron defined by the draining plan of the blast furnaces and the transport time between the iron-making and steel-making stages. Time window constraints for processing the molten iron must be satisfied to avoid freezing. The objective is to find a schedule with minimum total weighted completion time. This objective reflects the practical consideration of improving steel-making efficiency and reducing operation cost caused by the need for reheating. Such a problem can be viewed as a parallel machine scheduling problem with time windows which is known to be NP-hard. In this paper, we first formulate the molten iron allocation problem as an integer programming model and then reformulate it as a set partitioning model by applying the Dantzig–Wolfe decomposition. We solve the problem using a column generation-based branch-and-price algorithm. Since the subproblem of column generation is still NP-hard, we propose a state-space relaxation-based dynamic programming algorithm for the subproblem. Computational experiments demonstrate that the proposed algorithm is capable of solving problems with up to 100 jobs to optimality within a reasonable computation time.     

非标压力机箱形主梁全约束优化设计

根据非标设备结构优化问题的特点,给出满足《钢结构设计规范》(GBJ17 88)规定的箱形主梁全约束优化设计方 法。将编制的内罚函数法优化程序应用于主梁的设计,计算结果表明,该优化方法可应用于实际设计。     

Stability analysis of network-based cooperative resource allocation strategies

Resource allocation involves deciding how to divide a resource of limited availability among multiple demands in a way that optimizes current objectives. In this brief paper we focus on one type of distributed resource allocation problem where via an imperfect communication network multiple processors can share the load presented by multiple task types. We introduce asynchronous “cooperative” resource allocation strategies, and show that they lead to a bounded cumulative demand.     

长治市水资源优化配置及对策

文中介绍了长治市水资源的特点和水资源开发利用现状，并总结了长治市水资源开发利用中存在的问题。针对性地提出了合理配置水资源、建设节水型社会、开发新水源、建立高效运行管理体制、运用市场经济机制以及改革现行的水价政策等一系列措施．从而实现全市水资源的优化配置和合理使用，促进全市经济的全面发展。     

Composite scale modeling in the presence of censored data

A composite scale modeling approach can be used to combine several scales or variables into a single scale or variable. A typical application is to combine age and usage together to form a composite timescale model. The combined scale is expected to have better failure prediction capability than individual scales. Two typical models are the linear and multiplicative models. Their parameters are determined by minimizing the sample coefficient of variation of the composite scale. The minimum coefficient of variation is hard to apply in the presence of censored data. Another open issue is how to identify key variables when a number of variables are combined. This paper develops methods to handle these two issues. A numerical example is also included to illustrate the proposed methods.     

间断Galerkin方法的最优误差限

本文考虑了数性双曲方程的离散Ｇａｌｅｒｋｉｎ方法。如果精确到光滑的并且同是几乎均匀的，证明了对于分层常数元的最优的和超收敛的误差限。     

Optimizing investment levels for energy conservation: Individual versus social perspective and the role of uncertainty

The decision to invest in energy conservation must be made in the face of uncertainty: future energy prices and the magnitude of energy savings are uncertain. Since once does not know the optimal investment level in advance, one will incur cost penalties due to misoptimization. To analyse the cost penalties it is convenient to focus on the ratio of the life cycle costs that one pays and the life cycle costs one would have paid with an optimal investment level. Two models are used to evaluate this ratio: a model for conductive heat flow through a layer of insulation, and an exponential curve fit to a large number of residential energy conservation cost data. Plotting the life cycle cost ratio versus the ration of actual and guessed energy expenditures shows the effect both of price uncertainties and of uncertainties in the performance of conservation measures. The graph can also be used to evaluate the cost to society due to the mismatch between individual and social perspectives. The curve turns out to have a broad optimum, and penalties due to misoptimization are fairly small in most cases. With these models one can also calculate the long-term price elasticity of energy demand for rational consumers. It turns out to be -0.5 in the insulation model and -1.0 in the exponential model.     

Optimal Control of Solar Sludge Dryers

Optimal control (OC) methodology is used to develop a control policy for a batch-operated solar sludge dryer with ventilation as the dominant control. Batch performance criteria and instantaneous optimization criteria are developed for two economic environments: quota limited and capital limited. The general formulation, as well as simplifications resulting from the multiplicative form of the evaporation (drying) rate model, are presented. The multiplicative form results in a single constant number, called here “control intensity,” which is used to guide the on-line control decisions. These decisions turn out to be independent of the dry solids content (DSC) of the sludge. Further simplification, by assuming a strictly constant weather, is used to demonstrate the general effects of the economic and physical (weather) environment on the solution.

The OC approach is used to address, via simulation under realistic weather conditions, several design, operation, and pricing problems. In particular, the following have been considered: sizing of the ventilation fans, determination of a fair fee for sludge disposal, finding the best final DSC, and evaluating the effect of the price of electricity. Regarding the particular location represented by the data, it has been shown that the installed capacity of the ventilation fans should be increased and that there seems to be sufficient economic incentive for solar drying.     

Bandwidth allocation algorithms for weighted maximum rate constrained link sharing policy

This paper addresses the problem of bandwidth allocation under the weighted maximum rate constrained link sharing policy and proves a key theory in the condition of allocation termination. We propose several algorithms with various worst-case and average-case time complexities, and evaluate their computation elapse times.