Tree-shaped flow structures designed by minimizing path lengths

This paper outlines a direct route to the construction of effective tree-shaped flow structures. Dendritic flow structures dominate the design of natural and engineered flow systems, especially in thermal and fluid systems. The starting point is the optimization of the shape of each elemental area or volume, such that the length of the flow path housed by the element is minimized. Proceeding toward larger and more complex structures - from elements, to first constructs, second constructs, etc. - the paper develops tree-shaped flow structures between one point and a straight line, one point and a plane, a circle and its center, and a point and many points distributed uniformly over an area. In the latter, the construction method is applied to a fluid flow configuration with laminar fully developed flow. The constructions reveal several features that are supported by empirical observations of natural tree-shaped flows: asymmetry, flow rate imbalance, pairing or bifurcation, angles between branches, and Y-shaped constructs that lie in a plane. It is shown that these basic features are necessary because of “packing”, i.e., assembling optimized elements into a fixed space, and filling the space completely. For the flow between an area and one point, the best elemental shape is the regular hexagon. It is shown that the emergence of string-shaped links that connect two or more elements are necessary features, which are also required by packing. Strings cover some of the inner zones of the tree network, particularly the inner zones of large and complex trees. Dichotomous Y-shaped constructs dominate the tree structure, especially the peripheral zones of the tree canopy. The practical importance of the simplified design method is discussed.     

Studies regarding simulation process to static loading of the structures obtained from polylactic acid, 3D printed

Being a relatively new process, additive manufacturing needs many studies to be able to produce parts with the required properties. The aim of the paper is to establish whether, based on the physical and mechanical properties determined by tensile testing and by applying finite element analysis (FEA), viable results can be obtained regarding the behavior of the 3D printed structures at the different, static loading. The application of FEA for the tensile testing of 3D specimens led to the results close to those obtained by the tests. The values of the results obtained by simulation are higher by up to 7.2% compared with those recorded by tests. The simulation was applied both for the printed specimens from a single material and from two materials (multi-material). Regardless of the materials used in printing and the simulation method, the results of applying FEA are close to those recorded by testing.     

Multidimensional analogs of the kendall equation for priority queueing systems: computational aspects

An analogy between celebrated Kendall equation for busy periods in the system M|GI|1 and analytical results for busy periods in the priority systemsM _r |GI _r |1 is drawn. These results can be viewed as generalizations of the functional Kendall equation. The methodology and algorithms of numerical solution of recurrent functional equations which appear in the analysis of such queueing systems are developed. The efficiency of the algorithms is achieved by acceleration of the numerical procedure of solving the classical Kendall equation. An algorithm of calculation of the system workload coefficient calculation is given.     

Pseudo Bond Graph modelling and on-line estimation of unknown kinetics for a wastewater biodegradation process

This paper deals with the problem of modelling and on-line estimation of kinetics for a biomethanation process. This bioprocess is in fact a wastewater biodegradation process with production of methane gas, which takes place inside a Continuous Stirred Tank Bioreactor. The reaction scheme and the analysis of biochemical phenomena inside the bioreactor are used in order to obtain a nonlinear dynamic model of the bioprocess, by means of the pseudo Bond Graph method. Two nonlinear estimation strategies are developed for the identification of unknown kinetics of the bioprocess. First, an estimator is developed by using a state observer based technique. Second, an observer based on high-gain approach is designed and implemented. Several numerical simulations are performed in order to analyse and compare the behaviour and the performance of the proposed estimators.     

Visual Tracking by Continuous Density Propagation in Sequential Bayesian Filtering Framework

Particle filtering is frequently used for visual tracking problems since it provides a general framework for estimating and propagating probability density functions for nonlinear and non-Gaussian dynamic systems. However, this algorithm is based on a Monte Carlo approach and the cost of sampling and measurement is a problematic issue, especially for high-dimensional problems. We describe an alternative to the classical particle filter in which the underlying density function has an analytic representation for better approximation and effective propagation. The techniques of density interpolation and density approximation are introduced to represent the likelihood and the posterior densities with Gaussian mixtures, where all relevant parameters are automatically determined. The proposed analytic approach is shown to perform more efficiently in sampling in high-dimensional space. We apply the algorithm to real-time tracking problems and demonstrate its performance on real video sequences as well as synthetic examples.     

Performance analysis of security aspects by weaving scenarios extracted from UML models

Aspect-oriented modeling (AOM) allows software designers to describe features that address pervasive concerns separately as aspects, and to systematically incorporate the features into a design model using model composition techniques. The goal of this paper is to analyze the performance effects of different security features that may be represented as aspect models. This is part of a larger research effort to integrate methodologies and tools for the analysis of security and performance properties early in the software development process. In this paper, we describe an extension to the AOM approach that provides support for performance analysis. We use the performance analysis techniques developed previously in the PUMA project, which take as input UML models annotated with the standard UML Profile for Schedulability, Performance and Time (SPT), and transform them first into Core Scenario Model (CSM), and then into different performance models. The composition of the aspects with the primary (base) model is performed at the CSM level. A new formal definition of CSM properties and operations is described as a foundation for scenario-based weaving. The proposed approach is illustrated with an example that utilizes two standards, TPC-W and SSL.     

Time-resolved GISAXS and cryo-microscopy characterization of block copolymer membrane formation

Time-resolved grazing-incidence small-angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS) and cryo-microscopy were used for the first time to understand the pore evolution by copolymer assembly, leading to the formation of isoporous membranes with exceptional porosity and regularity. The formation of copolymer micelle strings in solution (in DMF/DOX/THF and DMF/DOX) was confirmed by cryo field emission scanning electron microscopy (cryo-FESEM) with a distance of 72 nm between centers of micelles placed in different strings. SAXS measurement of block copolymer solutions in DMF/DOX indicated hexagonal assembly with micelle-to-micelle distance of 84–87 nm for 14–20 wt% copolymer solutions. GISAXS in-plane peaks were detected, revealing order close to hexagonal. The d-spacing corresponding to the first peak in this case was 100–130 nm (lattice constant 115–150 nm) for 17 wt% copolymer solutions evaporating up to 100 s. Time-resolved cryo-FESEM showed the formation of incipient pores on the film surface after 4 s copolymer solution casting with distances between void centers of 125 nm.     

A general statistical model for computer experiments with time series output

Manufacturing processes increasingly rely on computer experimentation as a substitute for costly physical experimentation. However, computer experimentation may not be very efficient because it often relies on computationally intensive simulation (or computer) models. To address this computational problem, this paper proposes a general statistical model as a computationally fast approximation for computer models with time series output. More precisely, the statistical models will be regression models with input-dependent design matrix and input-correlated errors. An example from the automotive industry will be used to illustrate the methodology.     

Electrochemical waste water treatment: Electrooxidation of acetaminophen

Oxidation of acetaminophen at boron-doped diamond (BDD) and at Ti/SnO₂ anodes in a plug-flow divided electrochemical reactor led to electrochemical combustion, whereas at Ti/IrO₂ benzoquinone was the exclusive product except at very long electrolysis times. The difference is explicable in terms of the different mechanisms of oxidation: direct oxidation at the anode for Ti/IrO₂ vs. indirect oxidation involving electrogenerated hydroxyl radicals at BDD and Ti/SnO₂. At BDD, at which the efficiency of degradation of acetaminophen was greatest, the rate of electrolysis at constant concentration was linearly dependent on the current, and at constant current linearly dependent on the concentration. Current efficiencies for mineralization up to 26% were achieved without optimization of the cell design.     

Indeno-Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons: A Versatile New Synthetic Route

Acylation of a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) adjacent to a ring junction with 2-bromobenzoyl chloride followed by Flash Vacuum Pyrolysis (FVP) of the resulting bromoketone affords the corresponding indeno-annulated PAH. The new method is illustrated by syntheses of indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene (1) from pyrene and indeno[1,2,3-cd]fluoranthene (2) from fluoranthene. The formation of indeno[1,2,3,4-defg]chrysene (11) from FVP of 8-(2-bromobenzoyl)-fluoranthene (10), and as a secondary product from FVP of 3-(2-bromobenzoyl)fluoranthene (9), reveals the ability of phenyl groups to migrate around the periphery of a didehydro-PAH. Mechanisms involving reversible hydrogen atom transfers are proposed. Diacylation of fluoranthene with 2-bromobenzoyl chloride followed by FVP gives the previously unknown, nonplanar, nonalternant, C₂₈H₁₄ PAH diindeno[1,2,3,4-defg: 1,2,3-rs]chrysene (21) in just two steps.