A novel design for humidifying an open-cathode proton exchange membrane fuel cell using anode purge

The low performance of open-cathode proton-exchange-membrane fuel cells (OCPEMFCs) is attributed to the low-humidity ambient air supplied to the cathode using electric fans. To improve the OCPEMFC performance, this paper proposes a novel humidification method by collecting water purged from the anode and supplying it to the open cathode. The OCPEMFC performance is evaluated at various humidifier distances from the cathode inlet, and it is compared with that where no humidifier is used when the OCPEMFC operates under three different current levels of 1, 5, and 8 A. The results show that the novel design improves the stack power, and optimal performance is achieved at a humidifier distance of 2 cm. The energy efficiency achieves an improvement between 1.4% and 1.8% when a humidifier is used.     

Patterns in environmental priorities revealed through government open data portals

The ways in which environmental priorities are framed are varied and influenced by political forces. One technological advance--the proliferation of government open data portals (ODPs)--has the potential to improve governance through facilitating access to data. Yet it is also known that the data hosted on ODPs may simply reflect the goals and interests of multiple levels of political power. In this article, I use traditional statistical correlation and regression techniques along with newer natural language processing and machine learning algorithms to analyze the corpus of datasets hosted on government ODPs (total: 49,066) to extract patterns that relate scales of governance and political liberalism/conservatism to the priorities and meaning attached to environmental issues. I find that state-level and municipal-level ODPs host different categories of environmental datasets, with municipal-level ODPs generally hosting more datasets pertaining to services and amenities and state-level ODPs hosting more datasets pertaining to resource protection and extraction. Stronger trends were observed for the influences of political conservatism/liberalism among state-level ODPs than for municipal-level ODPs.     

Semantically enriched Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) platform

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are becoming an essential source of information for both students and teachers. Noticeably, MOOCs have to adapt to the fast development of new technologies; they also have to satisfy the current generation of online students. The current MOOCs’ Management Systems, such as Coursera, Udacity, edX, etc., use content management platforms where content are organized in a hierarchical structure. We envision a new generation of MOOCs that support interpretability with formal semantics by using the SemanticWeb and the online social networks. Semantic technologies support more flexible information management than that offered by the current MOOCs’ platforms. Annotated information about courses, video lectures, assignments, students, teachers, etc., can be composed from heterogeneous sources, including contributions from the communities in the forum space. These annotations, combined with legacy data, build foundations for more efficient information discovery in MOOCs’ platforms. In this article we review various Collaborative Semantic Filtering technologies for building Semantic MOOCs’ management system, then, we present a prototype of a semantic middle-sized platform implemented at Western Kentucky University that answers these aforementioned requirements.     

Collection Conduits Including Subsurface Drains

Numerous types of pipes and channels with spatially increasing flows in environmental engineering applications are identified by type and function and referred to as collection conduits. An overview of methods for designing and analyzing collection conduits is provided. Full conduits with nonuniform and uniform inflow are first considered. Dimensional analysis is then employed to demonstrate the relationship between variables for open channels; that leads to the identification of possibilities for generalized numerical solutions. Prior collection conduit applications are discussed within the framework of the dimensional analysis (which also pertains to some constant-flow applications). A previously unpublished generalized numerical solution for rectangular collection conduits is presented. Subsurface drains are addressed with particular emphasis, including the use of numerical methods to develop a new generalized chart and relation to other design methods. Among the important conclusions for subsurface drains is that the somewhat common practice of using Manning’s equation alone for such problems is not generally adequate. Examples and practical design suggestions are included, and the use of computer-based numerical methods is discussed more generally.     

新一代厂站计算机监控系统软件的研制

本介绍一种新的基于开放系统环境的计算机监控系统软件的开发研究及其设计目标、实现方法及应用情况。     

具有完整性的状态反馈控制

本文基于矩阵方程解，提出了一种开环稳定系统反馈的设计方法，所设计的系统对任意传感器失效具有完整性。     

A formal description of open distributed processing (ODP) trading based on guidelines for the definition of managed objects (GDMO)

New requirements of growing computer networks and information systems have an influence on extended client/server models with increased functionality. This forms the basis for service management in distributed systems which is realized by a service trading concept. This paper studies the requirements derived from the Open Distributed Processing (ODP) Reference Model in order to consider an open service market. Furthermore, it examines management possibilities for describing the service trading scenario. Because of similar architectures and properties ODP services, service offers, types, exporters and traders are mapped onto management components and modeled as managed objects. Therefore, the Guidelines for the Definition of Managed Objects (GDMO) are used. The final concept allows a precise and unambiguous study of the service trading scenario and provides means for exporting and importing of service offers in a distributed environment.     

Interweaving genetic programming and genetic algorithm for structural and parametric optimization in adaptive platform product customization

An adaptive product platform offers high customizability for generating feasible product variants for customer requirements. Customization takes place not only to product platform structure but also to its relevant parameters. Structural and parametric optimization processes are interwoven with each other to achieve the total optimality. This paper presents an evolutionary method dealing with interwoven structural and parametric optimization of adaptive platform product customization. The method combines genetic programming and genetic algorithm for handling structural and parametric optimization, respectively. Efficient genetic representation and operation schemes are carefully adapted. While designing these schemes, features specific to structural and parameter customization are considered for the simplification of platform product management. The experimental results show that the performance of the proposed algorithm outperforms that of the tandem evolutionary algorithm in which a genetic algorithm for parametric optimization is totally nested in a genetic programming for structural optimization.     

Air flow through a non-airconditioned bus with open windows

Open window buses without air-conditioning are a major mode of urban and inter-city transport in most countries. High occupancy combined with hot and humid conditions makes travel in these buses quite uncomfortable. In this study air flow through a bus has been studied that could be the basis for low cost and eco-friendly methods of increasing passenger comfort and possibly reduce drag. The aerodynamics of such a road vehicle has not been studied as previous investigations have been confined to vehicles with closed windows that present a smooth exterior to air flow. Using a 1:25 scaled Perspex model of an urban bus in Delhi, flow visualization was performed in a water channel. The Reynolds numbers were one-tenth of a real bus moving at 10 m/s. Smoke and tuft visualizations were also performed on an urban bus at 40 km/h. Numerical simulations were performed at the actual Reynolds number. Even though there were Reynolds number differences, the broad features were similar. Air enters the bus from the rear windows, moves to the front (relative to the bus) and exits from the front windows. Inside air velocity relative to the bus is about one-tenth of the free-stream velocity. The flow is highly three-dimensional and unsteady.