Valid parameter range analyses for chemical reaction kinetic models

The present work quantifies the relations between the structure of a chemical reaction kinetic model, its valid parameter range, and the truncation error tolerance of the model. General methods are presented to solve the three important problems of valid parameter range analysis: (1) identification of the valid parameter range of a kinetic model, (2) estimation of the error tolerance required when applying a kinetic model over a specified parameter range, and (3) improvement of existing model generation algorithms to construct more robust models. Finally, the relationship between a model's structure, its valid parameter range, and the truncation error tolerance are illustrated by the flexibility-tolerance-model graph. The new methods are applied to pyrolysis of methane/ethane mixtures.     

NONLINEAR PI CONTROLLER FOR pH PROCESS

The control of pH is one of the most difficult challenges in the process industry because of the severe nonlinearities and high precision required in manipulating the flow rate. The Wiener model, which consists of a linear dynamic element followed by a nonlinear static element, is used for representing such nonlinear processes. Piecewise continuous polynomials are used for mapping the nonlinear static gain accurately. A nonlinear PI controller was designed based on the Wiener model. Simulation results on the nonlinear mathematical model are presented to highlight the superior performance of the Wiener model based nonlinear PI controller in comparison to that of the local linear PI controller. The performance of the nonlinear PI controller was further improved upon by using the method of inequalities to obtain a single set of PI controller settings that takes into account the parametric variations in the linear dynamic element at different operating points. Simulation and experimental results are presented to support the work.     

Complete convergence of stochastic approximation algorithm in ℝd under random noises

In this article, we study a stochastic approximation algorithm that approximates the exact root θ of a function M defined in ?^d into ?^d. The function M cannot be known exactly, but only noisy measurements are available at each point x_n with the error ξ_n. The sequence of noise (_ξn)n is random; we treat both cases where it is independent and dependent and we establish the complete convergence of the approximated sequence of θ.     

线性不等式在具有FUZZY数系数时的解

本文讨论了线性不等式当系数为 Fuzzy 数时不等式的解.这是最优化问题中所常常遇到的问题.在本文中,我们把一般的线性不等式的解集看成是系数向量空间到解空间的点——集映射,然后用扩张原理,将该点——集映射扩张到 Fuzzy 集的运算,因而得到线性不等式在具有 Fuzzy 数系数时的 Fuzzy 解集 .并讨论了当系数为正则 Fuzzy 数时,Fuzzy 解集的性质.     

Re-thinking Spatial Inequalities in South Africa: Lessons from International Experience

Questions relating to the causes and responses to spatial inequalities are attracting renewed international focus. Uncertainty exists in South Africa as to appropriate responses to persistent and deep-rooted spatial inequalities in the country. This article analyses international research into patterns and causes of spatial inequality to inform policy debates on addressing spatial inequality in contemporary South Africa.     

Generalized projection method for a variational inequality system with different mapping in Banach spaces

The approximate solution of a system for variational inequality with different mapping in Hilbert spaces has been studied, based on the convergence of projection methods. However, little research has been done in Banach space. The primary reason is that projection mapping lacks preferable properties in Banach space. In this paper, we introduce generalized projection methods. By using these methods, the results presented in this paper have extended the main results of Chang et al.’s and Huang and Noor’s recent works [S.S. Chang, H.W. Joseph Lee, C.K. Chan, Generalized system for relaxed cocoercive variational inequalities in Hilbert spaces, Appl. Math. Lett. 20 (2007) 329–334; Zhenyu Huang, Muhammad Aslam Noor, An explicit projection method for a system of nonlinear variational inequalities with different (γ,r)-cocoercive mappings, Appl. Math. Comput. 190 (2007) 356–361] from Hilbert spaces to Banach space.     

A Merit Function for Variational Inequalities Applied to Equilibrium Problems

In this note, we introduce a new continuously differentiable merit functionfor solving variational inequalities. Our function is closely related to theaugmented lagrangian function for nonlinear optimization problems. We solvetwo equilibrium problems and obtain numerical results making use of aquasi-Newton method. Our computational experience shows that the new functionperforms quite well.     

Stability analysis of a multi-model predictive control algorithm with application to control of chemical reactors

We study a stabilizing multi-model predictive control strategy for controlling nonlinear process at different operating conditions. The control algorithm is a receding horizon scheme with a quasi-infinite horizon objective function that has finite and infinite horizon cost components. The finite horizon cost consists of free input variables that direct the system towards a terminal region which contains the desired operating point. The infinite horizon cost has an upper bound and steers the system to the desired operating point. The system is represented by a sequence of piecewise linear models. Based on the condition of the system states, the sequence of piecewise linear models is updated and the controller’s objective function switches form quasi-infinite to infinite horizon objective function. This results in a hybrid control structure. A recent approach in the analysis of hybrid systems that uses multiple Lyapunov functions is employed in the stability analysis of the closed-loop system. The stabilizing hybrid control strategy is illustrated on two examples and their closed-loop stability properties are studied.