State multiplicity in CSTR-separator-recycle polymerisation systems

This article continues earlier work (Comput. Chem. Eng. 24 (2000) 209) concerning the design and control of isothermal reactor-separator-recycle systems. The multiplicity behaviour of six reaction systems of increasing complexity, from one-reactant, first-order reaction to chain-growth polymerisation, is investigated. Below a critical value of the plant Damkohler number, Da<Da^cr, the only steady state involves infinite flow rates. Feasible steady states become possible if the critical value is exceeded, Da>Da^cr. For one-reaction systems, one stable steady state is born at a transcritical bifurcation. For consecutive-reaction systems, including polymerisation, a fold bifurcation can lead to two feasible steady states. Moreover, the transcritical bifurcation is destroyed when two reactants are involved. If the gel-effect is included, a maximum of four steady states are possible. When multiple steady states exist, the achievable conversion is constrained by the instability of the low-conversion branch. This has practical importance for polymerisation systems when the radicals’ quasi-steady state assumption is not valid or the gel effect is significant.     

Formal methods: The next generation of system design tools

Because of the growing demand for increasingly complex computer-based systems there is now an urgent need to provide tools to assist during the design of such systems. Formal specifications and formal methods provide such assistance but their widespread adoption has been hindered by the so-called ‘math fear’ and the perception that the tools are too difficult, too time consuming and too costly to use in a commercial environment. The aim of this article is to dispel the mystery surrounding the topic and to explain what formal methods are, how and why they are used, the benefits that accrue and why the technology should be accepted on a broader front. The application of formal methods to the design of computer-based systems will be discussed without resorting to jargon or mathematics. The discussion will concentrate more on the software content of systems but the arguments apply equally well to hardware. Some of the available tools will also be introduced.     

Synthesizing Energy-Efficient Embedded Systems with LOPOCOS

In this paper, we introduce the LOPOCOS (Low Power Co-synthesis) system, a prototype CAD tool for system level co-design. LOPOCOS targets the design of energy-efficient embedded systems implemented as heterogeneous distributed architectures. In particular, it is designed to solve the specific problems involved in architectures that include dynamic voltage scalable (DVS) processors. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate how LOPOCOS can support the system designer in identifying energy-efficient hardware/software implementations for the desired embedded systems. Hence, highlighting the necessary optimization steps during design space exploration for DVS enable architectures. The optimization steps carried out in LOPOCOS involve component allocation and task/communication mapping as well as scheduling and dynamic voltage scaling. LOPOCOS has the following key features, which contribute to this energy efficiency. During the voltage scaling valuable power profile information of task execution is taken into account, hence, the accuracy of the energy estimation is improved. A combined optimization for scheduling and communication mapping based on genetic algorithm, optimizes simultaneously execution order and communication mapping towards the utilization of the DVS processors and timing behaviour. Furthermore, a separation of task and communication mapping allows a more effective implementation of both task and communication mapping optimizationsteps. Extensive experiments are conducted to demonstrate the efficiency of LOPOCOS. We report up to 38% higher energy reductions compared to previous co-synthesis techniques for DVS systems. The investigations include a real-life example of an optical flow detection algorithm.     

Tracking trajectories of the cart-pendulum system

The problem of tracking a periodic trajectory of the well-known cart-pendulum system is solved. After a change of coordinates and a change of feedback, the equations of this system are nonlinear but feedforward. This property is extensively used to carry out for this system the design of uniformly asymptotically stabilizing time-varying state feedbacks by using the forwarding approach.     

Sky blue,but what blue? A new evaluation of the colors of the sky for artists and designers

This study describes a process of relating the perceptual analysis of the colors of the terrestrial atmosphere to currently available pigments used in artists' painting systems. This process sought to discover how the colors of the sky could be defined and simulated by these pigments. The author also describes how confusion over the bewildering choice of suitable pigments on offer in the market place can be clarified. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Col Res Appl, 32, 249–255, 2007     

井下气液分离及回注技术研究现状分析

气井产水量的不断增加对天然气生产构成严重威胁，其影响越来越受到人们的关注和重视。使用井下气液分离及回注技术，可以降低举升和处理费用，增加生产寿命，提高采收率，减少环境污染，简化地面分离设备，提高投资效益。针对井下分离及回注技术研究现状进行了分析，给出了并下气液分离及回注形式、适用条件和技术设计、应用方面的结论。     

稠油井注汽系统的热效率分析

建立了热采注汽系统热效率的计算模型。根据XX油田数据计算了2个注汽系统的热效率。提出了提高注汽系统热效率的三项措施：（1）降低锅炉的过剩空气系数；（2）按最大允许热损失设计地面输汽管线的保温层厚度；（3）使用视导热系数小的隔热油管，按箍增加隔热结构，防止热封隔器的泄漏等。     

Optimal predictor for a singular random process

An optimal predictor is developed for a singular random process generated by a known system driven by a white noise sequence. The properties of the predictor are compared with those of the optimal predictor for a nonsingular random process.     

Means of enhancing and promoting the use of solar energy

The development of renewable technologies in the last decade has been exceptional. In photovoltaic (PV) for example, efforts were not only limited to merely improving their efficiency but also to the reduction of the cost of cells and modules via volume production for commercial markets. There are many national schemes promoting the use of PV technology and regional targets for a share of renewable energy production. This paper attempts to relay to the reader a journey, based on experience, approaches for enhancing the prospect of utilising solar energy within the society we live in. The issue of expansion or enhancing the utilisation of solar energy can be undertaken by individuals, groups, institutions and governments. The aim of this paper is to provide some examples, which could serve as a framework in which action could be taken to promote solar technology.     

Relative importance of evaluation criteria for enterprise systems: a conjoint study

Abstract.  While a large body of research exists on the development and implementation of software, organizations are increasingly acquiring enterprise software packages [e.g. enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems] instead of custom developing their own software applications. To be competitive in the marketplace, software package development firms must manage the three-pronged trade-off between cost, quality and functionality. Surprisingly, prior research has made little attempt to investigate the characteristics of packaged software that influence management information system (MIS) managers' likelihood of recommending purchase. As a result, both the criteria by which MIS managers evaluate prospective packaged systems and the attributes that lead to commercially competitive ERP software products are poorly understood. This paper examines this understudied issue through a conjoint study. We focus on ERP systems, which are among the largest and most complex packaged systems that are purchased by organizations. In a conjoint study, 1008 evaluation decisions based on hypothetical ERP software package profiles were completed by managers in 126 organizations. The study represents the first empirical investigation of the relative importance that managers ascribe to various factors that are believed to be important in evaluating packaged software. The results provide important insights for both organizations that acquire such systems and those that develop them. The results show that functionality, reliability, cost, ease of use and ease of customization are judged to be important criteria, while ease of implementation and vendor reputation were not found to be significant. Functionality and reliability were found to be the most heavily weighted factors. We conclude the paper with a detailed discussion of the results and their implications for software acquisition and development practice.