Stochastic Leadtimes in Two-Level Assembly Systems

Shortages of assembly parts often arise from late arrivals of one or more batches of components. We address the problem of determining planned leadtimes in two-level assembly systems with stochastic leadtimes, with the objective of minimizing the sum of inventory holding costs and tardiness costs. An algorithm is developed which exploits properties of the objective function to find optimal solutions. Computational results indicate that optimal solutions often have negative safety times for at least one of the components, as well as substantial safety times for the assembly stage.     

A fugacity based continuous and dynamic fate and transport model for river networks and its application to Altamaha River

In this paper, a continuous and dynamic fugacity-based contaminant fate and transport model is developed. The dynamic interactions among all phases in the physical domain are addressed through the use of the fugacity approach instead of the use of concentration as the unknown variable. The full form of Saint Venant equations is used in order to solve for the hydrodynamic conditions in the river network. Then a fugacity-based advection-dispersion equation is modeled to examine the fate and transport of contaminants in the river network for all phases.The fugacity-based, dynamic and continuous contaminant fate and transport model developed here is applied to Altamaha River in Georgia, USA to demonstrate its use in environmental exposure analysis. Altamaha River is the largest river system east of Mississippi which offers habitat for many species, including about 100 rare endangered species, along its 140 mile course. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), a highly hydrophobic and toxic chemical ubiquitous in nature, and atrazine, the most commonly-used agricultural pesticide are modeled as contaminants in this demonstration. Through this approach the concentration distribution of PCBs and atrazine in the water column of Altamaha River as well as the sediments can be obtained with relative ease, which is an improvement over concentration based analysis of phase distribution of contaminants.     

REACTIONS OF METHOXY-SUBSTITUTED AROMATIC COAL MOOELS IN SUPERCRITICAL SOLVENTS

Abstract

Reactions of α- and β-methoxy naphthalene and anisole in supercritical benzene and toluene were studied at 420 °C and 3.9-4.4 MPa pressure. The decomposition of these lower rank coal related model compounds in both solvents was found to obey the first order rate law. While naphthols were present in the reaction mixture of methoxy naphthalenes, phenol and cresoles were present in that of anisole. In addition to these products, diphenyl or dibenzyl was also present in the reaction mixture of supercritical benzene or toluene, respectively. The reactions between models and solvents might be explained by free radical and intermolecular rearrangement reaction pathways.     

Microwave-assisted synthesis and sintering of mullite

Mullitization behaviour of a mixture of clay and alumina as the starting materials was examined by microwave heating of (a) mixed powder and (b) compacted powder samples for different soaking times. X-ray diffraction results showed that in compacted samples mullitization process was completed after 20 min heating with a density of about 87%. Densification and microstructure of samples with different green densities heated in a microwave oven and conventional electric furnace were compared. Results showed that the grain growth of mullite was restricted by microwave heating.     

Aromatic products of 340 °C supercritical-toluene extraction of two Turkish lignites: an n.m.r. study

Fractions of Elbistan and Seyitomer (Turkish) lignites, extracted with supercritical toluene at 340 °C and 8 MPa, have been separated by solvent extraction and silica-gel chromatography. Analyses by n.m.r. and i.r. spectroscopies and other methods have been combined in structural-analysis schemes to yield information about the average molecule in aromatic extracts. Carbon aromaticities, f_a, derived from 22.63 MHz ¹H-decoupled pulse Fourier-transform (PFT) ¹³C-n.m.r. are more widely spread for Elbistan (0.34–0.56) than for Seyitomer (0.40–0.43), and are lower than for supercritical-gas (SCG) products from bituminous coals. ¹³C-n.m.r. also reveals the presence of aromatic ether-O in polar fractions. Narrow aromatic signals in 100 MHz ¹H-n.m.r. spectra suggest the presence of single-aromatic-ring average structures. In the hexane-soluble aromatics, 27% (Elbistan) and 29% (Seyitomer) of the available sites are substituted by alkyI groups, some of which are at least eight carbon atoms long; the hexane-soluble polar and asphaltene/asphaltol fractions contain fewer such groups.     

Mutations in PDX1, the human lipoyl-containing component X of the pyruvate dehydrogenase-complex gene on chromosome 11p1, in congenital lactic acidosis

We have identified and sequenced a cDNA that encodes an apparent human orthologue of a yeast protein-X component (ScPDX1) of pyruvate dehydrogenase multienzyme complexes. The new human cDNA that has been referred to as "HsPDX1" cDNA was cloned by use of the "database cloning" strategy and had a 1,506-bp open reading frame. The amino acid sequence of the protein encoded by the cDNA was 20% identical with that encoded by the yeast PDX1 gene and 40% identical with that encoded by the lipoate acetyltransferase component of the pyruvate dehydrogenase and included a lipoyl-bearing domain that is conserved in some dehydrogenase enzyme complexes. Northern blot analysis demonstrated that the major HsPDX1 mRNA was 2.5 kb in length and was expressed mainly in human skeletal and cardiac muscles but was also present, at low levels, in other tissues. FISH analysis performed with a P1-derived artificial chromosome (PAC)-containing HsPDX1 gene sublocalized the gene to 11p1.3. Molecular investigation of PDX1 deficiency in four patients with neonatal lactic acidemias revealed mutations 78del85 and 965del59 in a homozygous state, and one other patient had no PDX1 mRNA expression.     

Predicting pressure drop in venturi scrubbers with artificial neural networks

In this study a new approach based on artificial neural networks (ANNs) has been used to predict pressure drop in venturi scrubbers. The main parameters affecting the pressure drop are mainly the gas velocity in the throat of venturi scrubber (V(g)(th)), liquid to gas flow rate ratio (L/G), and axial distance of the venturi scrubber (z). Three sets of experimental data from five different venturi scrubbers have been applied to design three independent ANNs. Comparing the results of these ANNs and the calculated results from available models shows that the results of ANNs have a better agreement with experimental data.     

Studies of Gas Holdup in Bubble Column Reactors

Gas holdup in bubble columns has been investigated over a wide range of operational and geometrical parameters. A criterion has been developed for the prediction of the transitional velocity from the homogeneous to heterogeneous flow regime. Correlations for gas holdup in both regimes are developed and verified against experimental data.