No-wait two stage hybrid flow shop scheduling with genetic and adaptive imperialist competitive algorithms

This article studies a no-wait two-stage flexible flow shop scheduling problem with setup times aiming to minimize the total completion time. The problem is solved using an adaptive imperialist competitive algorithm (AICA) and genetic algorithm (GA). To test the performance of the proposed AICA and GA, the algorithms are compared with ant colony optimisation, known as an effective algorithm in the literature. The performance of the algorithms are evaluated by solving both small and large-scale problems. Their performance is evaluated in terms of relative percentage deviation. Finally the results of the study are discussed and conclusions and potential areas for further study are highlighted.     

II. Electrodeposition/removal of nickel in a spouted electrochemical reactor

An investigation is presented of nickel electrodeposition from acidic solutions in a cylindrical spouted electrochemical reactor. The effects of solution pH, temperature, and applied current on nickel removal/recovery rate, current efficiency, and corrosion rate of deposited nickel on the cathodic particles were explored under galvanostatic operation. Nitrogen sparging was used to decrease the dissolved oxygen concentration in the electrolyte in order to reduce the nickel corrosion rate, thereby increasing the nickel electrowinning rate and current efficiency. A numerical model of electrodeposition, including corrosion and mass transfer in the particulate cathode moving bed, is presented that describes the behavior of the experimental net nickel electrodeposition data quite well.     

Modeling of CO2-brine interfacial tension: Application to enhanced oil recovery

Development of reliable and accurate models to estimate carbon dioxide–brine interfacial tension (IFT) is necessary, since its experimental measurement is time-consuming and requires expensive experimental apparatus as well as complicated interpretation procedure. In the current study, feed forward artificial neural network is used for estimation of CO₂–brine IFT based on data from published literature which consists of a number of carbon dioxide–brine interfacial tension data covering broad ranges of temperature, total salinity, mole fractions of impure components and pressure. Trial-and-error method is utilized to optimize the artificial neural network topology in order to enhance its capability of generalization. The results showed that there is good agreement between experimental values and modeling results. Comparison of the empirical correlations with the proposed model suggests that the current model can predict the CO₂–brine IFT more accurately and robustly.     

Ultrasound elastography: a dynamic programming approach

This paper introduces a 2-D strain imaging technique based on minimizing a cost function using dynamic programming (DP). The cost function incorporates similarity of echo amplitudes and displacement continuity. Since tissue deformations are smooth, the incorporation of the smoothness into the cost function results in reduced decorrelation noise. As a result, the method generates high-quality strain images of freehand palpation elastography with up to 10% compression, showing that the method is more robust to signal decorrelation (caused by scatterer motion in high axial compression and nonaxial motions of the probe) in comparison to the standard correlation techniques. The method operates in less than 1 s and is thus also potentially suitable for real time elastography.      

Analysis of third harmonic generation and four wave mixing in gold nanostructures by nonlinear finite difference time domain

Third order nonlinear effects and its enhancement in gold nanostructures has been numerically studied. Analysis method is based on computationally solving nonlinear Maxwell's equations, considering dispersion behavior of permittivity described by Drude model and third order nonlinear susceptibility. Simulation is done by method of nonlinear finite difference time domain method, in which nonlinear equations of electric field are solved by Newton-Raphshon method. As the main outcomes of third order nonlinear susceptibility, four wave mixing and third harmonic generation terms are produced around gold nanostructures. Results of analysis on different geometries and structures show that third order nonlinearity products are more enhanced in places where electric field enhancement is occurred due to surface plasmons. Results indicates that enhancement of nonlinearities is strongly occurred in structures whose interface is dielectric. According to analysis results, nonlinear effects are highly concentrated in the vicinity of nanostructures. Hence this approach can be used in applications where localized ultraviolet light is required.     

A review on the buyer–supplier dyad relationships in sustainable procurement context: past,present and future

Sustainable development is currently being applied in most fields of research. Procurement, focused on the buyer–supplier dyad, is one such discipline where sustainability is being widely applied. This paper provides a review of these research studies, conducting a systematic content analysis in order to present the state of the art in this domain. The paper carries out a detailed review of articles in international scientific journals and well-known international conferences related to green and sustainable supplier selection published between 2008 and 2014 inclusive. Seven designed research questions are proposed and answered based on this bibliography. Interesting results are reported in each section and gaps in the current body of literature are identified. The purpose of this review is to provide important future directions and limitations in this research topic.     

PHENOLIC WASTEWATER TREATMENT BY SUPPORTED LIQUID MEMBRANE USING DIFFERENT COOKING OILS AS LIQUID MEMBRANE

Transport of phenol through a flat sheet supported liquid membrane (SLM) containing cooking oil as liquid membrane (LM) was investigated. Factors affecting permeation of phenol such as membrane phase, support material, feed phase pH, stripping phase concentration, stirring speed, and initial concentration of phenol were studied. It was found that these parameters strongly influence phenol removal efficiency; PTFE membrane as support material, grape seed oil as liquid membrane, feed pH of 2.0, initial phenol concentration of 100 mg/L, stirring speed of 350 rpm, and 0.2 M sodium hydroxide as effective stripping agent were found as the best conditions for greater phenol transport. Under these conditions, permeability was found to be 7.46 × 10^?6 m/s. After 10.5 h, phenol was completely removed from the feed phase to strip phase. According to stability experiments, it was observed that the SLM is stable after 22 h. Thus, the use of cheap, nontoxic, and naturally oil as a novel and green membrane for recovery of phenol from wastewater was demonstrated.     

Study of Pressure Effects on the Elastic Stability and Optical Treatment of Co<Subscript>2</Subscript>VAl using GGA+U

First-principles calculations of the elastic and optical properties of Co₂VAl compound under pressure are performed in the framework of density functional theory. Applying pressure causes elastic stability, hardness, Young’s modulus and Shear modulus and Debye temperature. Also, Co₂VAl shows higher ductility and anisotropy under stress. Using GGA + U method, it is found that Co₂VAl has 100 % spin polarization at the Fermi level and its spin flip gap is increased by applying pressure. The Co₂VAl response to incident light is positive only in the visible area for all pressures, and its peak is shifted to higher energies under pressure. Also, in the visible range, a peak is observed for absorption and conduction which is increased by applying pressure.