Abstract: Study is on the vibration of thin cylindrical shells made of a functionally gradient material (FGM) composed of stainless steel and nickel is presented. The effects of the FGM configuration are studied by studying the frequencies of FG cylindrical shells. In this case FG cylindrical shell has Nickel on its inner surface and stainless steel on its outer surface. The study is carried out based on third order shear deformation shell theory. The objective is to study the natural frequencies, the influence of constituent volume fractions and the effects of configurations of the constituent materials on the frequencies. The properties are graded in the thickness direction according to the volume fraction power-law distribution. Results are presented on the frequency characteristics, the influence of the constituent various volume fractions on the frequencies.
Abstract: We introduce an effective approach for automatic offline au- thentication of handwritten samples where the forgeries are skillfully done, i.e., the true and forgery sample appearances are almost alike. Subtle details of temporal information used in online verification are not available offline and are also hard to recover robustly. Thus the spatial dynamic information like the pen-tip pressure characteristics are considered, emphasizing on the extraction of low density pixels. The points result from the ballistic rhythm of a genuine signature which a forgery, however skillful that may be, always lacks. Ten effective features, including these low density points and den- sity ratio, are proposed to make the distinction between a true and a forgery sample. An adaptive decision criteria is also derived for better verification judgements.
Abstract: Cluster analysis is the name given to a diverse collection of techniques that can be used to classify objects (e.g. individuals, quadrats, species etc). While Kohonen's Self-Organizing Feature Map (SOFM) or Self-Organizing Map (SOM) networks have been successfully applied as a classification tool to various problem domains, including speech recognition, image data compression, image or character recognition, robot control and medical diagnosis, its potential as a robust substitute for clustering analysis remains relatively unresearched. SOM networks combine competitive learning with dimensionality reduction by smoothing the clusters with respect to an a priori grid and provide a powerful tool for data visualization. In this paper, SOM is used for creating a toroidal mapping of two-dimensional lattice to perform cluster analysis on results of a chemical analysis of wines produced in the same region in Italy but derived from three different cultivators, referred to as the “wine recognition data" located in the University of California-Irvine database. The results are encouraging and it is believed that SOM would make an appealing and powerful decision-support system tool for clustering tasks and for data visualization.
Abstract: Let T,U and V be rings with identity and M be a unitary (T,U)-bimodule, N be a unitary (U, V )- bimodule, D be a unitary (T, V )-bimodule . We characterize homomorphisms and isomorphisms of the generalized matrix ring Γ = T M D 0 U N 0 0 V .
Abstract: Titanium nitride (TiN) has been synthesized using the
sheet plasma negative ion source (SPNIS). The parameters used for
its effective synthesis has been determined from previous
experiments and studies. In this study, further enhancement of the
deposition rate of TiN synthesis and advancement of the SPNIS
operation is presented. This is primarily achieved by the addition of
Sm-Co permanent magnets and a modification of the configuration in
the TiN deposition process. The magnetic enhancement is aimed at
optimizing the sputtering rate and the sputtering yield of the process.
The Sm-Co permanent magnets are placed below the Ti target for
better sputtering by argon. The Ti target is biased from –250V to –
350V and is sputtered by Ar plasma produced at discharge current of
2.5–4A and discharge potential of 60–90V. Steel substrates of
dimensions 20x20x0.5mm3 were prepared with N2:Ar volumetric
ratios of 1:3, 1:5 and 1:10. Ocular inspection of samples exhibit
bright gold color associated with TiN. XRD characterization
confirmed the effective TiN synthesis as all samples exhibit the (200)
and (311) peaks of TiN and the non-stoichiometric Ti2N (220) facet.
Cross-sectional SEM results showed increase in the TiN deposition
rate of up to 0.35μm/min. This doubles what was previously obtained
[1]. Scanning electron micrograph results give a comparative
morphological picture of the samples. Vickers hardness results gave
the largest hardness value of 21.094GPa.
Abstract: In this paper is shown that the probability-statistic methods application, especially at the early stage of the aviation gas turbine engine (GTE) technical condition diagnosing, when the flight information has property of the fuzzy, limitation and uncertainty is unfounded. Hence is considered the efficiency of application of new technology Soft Computing at these diagnosing stages with the using of the Fuzzy Logic and Neural Networks methods. Training with high accuracy of fuzzy multiple linear and non-linear models (fuzzy regression equations) which received on the statistical fuzzy data basis is made. Thus for GTE technical condition more adequate model making are analysed dynamics of skewness and kurtosis coefficients' changes. Researches of skewness and kurtosis coefficients values- changes show that, distributions of GTE work parameters have fuzzy character. Hence consideration of fuzzy skewness and kurtosis coefficients is expedient. Investigation of the basic characteristics changes- dynamics of GTE work parameters allows to draw conclusion on necessity of the Fuzzy Statistical Analysis at preliminary identification of the engines' technical condition. Researches of correlation coefficients values- changes shows also on their fuzzy character. Therefore for models choice the application of the Fuzzy Correlation Analysis results is offered. For checking of models adequacy is considered the Fuzzy Multiple Correlation Coefficient of Fuzzy Multiple Regression. At the information sufficiency is offered to use recurrent algorithm of aviation GTE technical condition identification (Hard Computing technology is used) on measurements of input and output parameters of the multiple linear and non-linear generalised models at presence of noise measured (the new recursive Least Squares Method (LSM)). The developed GTE condition monitoring system provides stage-bystage estimation of engine technical conditions. As application of the given technique the estimation of the new operating aviation engine temperature condition was made.
Abstract: This study aims to screen out and to optimize the
major nutrients for maximum carotenoid production and
antioxidation characteristics by Rhodotorula rubra. It was found that
supplementary of 10 g/l glucose as carbon source, 1 g/l ammonium
sulfate as nitrogen source and 1 g/l yeast extract as growth factor in
the medium provided the better yield of carotenoid content of 30.39
μg/g cell dry weight the amount of antioxidation of Rhodotorula
rubra by DPPH, ABTS and MDA method were 1.463%, 34.21% and
34.09 μmol/l, respectively.
Abstract: Cell formation is the first step in the design of cellular
manufacturing systems. In this study, a general purpose
computational scheme employing a hybrid tabu search algorithm as
the core is proposed to solve the cell formation problem and its
variants. In the proposed scheme, great flexibilities are left to the
users. The core solution searching algorithm embedded in the scheme
can be easily changed to any other meta-heuristic algorithms, such as
the simulated annealing, genetic algorithm, etc., based on the
characteristics of the problems to be solved or the preferences the
users might have. In addition, several counters are designed to control
the timing of conducting intensified solution searching and diversified
solution searching strategies interactively.
Abstract: As the global climate changes, the threat from
landslides and debris flows increases. Learning how a watershed
initiates landslides under abnormal rainfall conditions and predicting
landslide magnitude and frequency distribution is thus important.
Landslides show a power-law distribution in the frequency-area
distribution. The distribution curve shows an exponent gradient 1.0 in
the Sandpile model test. Will the landslide frequency-area statistics
show a distribution similar to the Sandpile model under extreme
rainfall conditions? The purpose of the study is to identify the extreme
rainfall-induced landslide frequency-area distribution in the Laonong
River Basin in southern Taiwan. Results of the analysis show that a
lower gradient of landslide frequency-area distribution could be
attributed to the transportation and deposition of debris flow areas that
are included in the landslide area.
Abstract: Current trends in manufacturing are characterized by
production broadening, innovation cycle shortening, and the products
having a new shape, material and functions. The production strategy
focused on time needed change from the traditional functional
production structure to flexible manufacturing cells and lines.
Production by automated manufacturing system (AMS) is one of the
most important manufacturing philosophies in the last years. The
main goals of the project we are involved in lies on building a
laboratory in which will be located a flexible manufacturing system
consisting of at least two production machines with NC control
(milling machines, lathe). These machines will be linked to a
transport system and they will be served by industrial robots. Within
this flexible manufacturing system a station for the quality control
consisting of a camera system and rack warehouse will be also
located. The design, analysis and improvement of this manufacturing
system, specially with a special focus on the communication among
devices constitute the main aims of this paper. The key determining
factors for the manufacturing system design are: the product, the
production volume, the used machines, the disposable manpower, the
disposable infrastructure and the legislative frame for the specific
cases.
Abstract: In this work a new platform for mobile-health systems is
presented. System target application is providing decision support to
rescue corps or military medical personnel in combat areas. Software
architecture relies on a distributed client-server system that manages a
wireless ad-hoc networks hierarchy in which several different types of
client operate. Each client is characterized for different hardware and
software requirements. Lower hierarchy levels rely in a network of
completely custom devices that store clinical information and patient
status and are designed to form an ad-hoc network operating in the
2.4 GHz ISM band and complying with the IEEE 802.15.4 standard
(ZigBee). Medical personnel may interact with such devices, that are
called MICs (Medical Information Carriers), by means of a PDA
(Personal Digital Assistant) or a MDA (Medical Digital Assistant),
and transmit the information stored in their local databases as well as
issue a service request to the upper hierarchy levels by using IEEE
802.11 a/b/g standard (WiFi). The server acts as a repository that
stores both medical evacuation forms and associated events (e.g., a
teleconsulting request). All the actors participating in the diagnostic
or evacuation process may access asynchronously to such repository
and update its content or generate new events. The designed system
pretends to optimise and improve information spreading and flow
among all the system components with the aim of improving both
diagnostic quality and evacuation process.
Abstract: This paper examines whether or not immigration has a positive influence on the duration of unemployment, in a macroeconomic perspective. We analyse also whether the degree of labor market integration can influence migration. The integration of immigrants into the labor market is a recurrence theme in the work on the economic consequences of immigration. However, to our knowledge, no researchers have studied the impact of immigration on unemployment duration, and vice versa. With two methodology of research (panel estimations (OLS and 2SLS) and panel cointegration techniques), we show that migration seems to influence positively the short-term unemployment and negatively long-term unemployment, for 14 OECD destination countries. In addition, immigration seems to be conditioned by the structural and institutional characteristics of the labour market.
Abstract: This paper presents a CFD analysis of the flow around
a 30° inclined flat plate of infinite span. Numerical predictions have
been compared to experimental measurements, in order to assess the
potential of the finite volume code of determining the aerodynamic
forces acting on a flat plate invested by a fluid stream of infinite
extent.
Several turbulence models and spatial node distributions have
been tested and flow field characteristics in the neighborhood of the
flat plate have been numerically investigated, allowing the
development of a preliminary procedure to be used as guidance in
selecting the appropriate grid configuration and the corresponding
turbulence model for the prediction of the flow field over a twodimensional
inclined plate.
Abstract: The liquid cargo contained in a partly-filled road tank
vehicle is prone to dynamic slosh movement when subjected to
external disturbances. The slosh behavior has been identified as a
significant factor impairing the safety of liquid cargo transportation.
The laboratory experiments have been conducted for analyzing fluid
slosh in partly filled tanks. The experiment results measured under
forced harmonic excitations reveal the three-dimensional nature of
the fluid motion and coupling between the lateral and longitudinal
fluid slosh at resonance. Several spectral components are observed
for the transient slosh forces, which can be associated with the
excitation, resonance, and beat frequencies. The peak slosh forces
and moments in the vicinity of resonance are significantly larger than
those of the equivalent rigid mass. Due to the nature of coupling
between sloshing fluid and vehicle body, the issue of the dynamic
fluid-structure interaction is essential in the analysis of tank-vehicle
dynamics. A dynamic pitch plane model of a Tridem truck
incorporated the fluid slosh dynamics is developed to analyze the
fluid-vehicle interaction under the straight-line braking maneuvers.
The results show that the vehicle responses are highly associated
with the characteristics of fluid slosh force and moment.
Abstract: The hybrid membranes containing inorganic materials in polymer matrix are identified as a remarkable family of proton conducting hybrid electrolytes. In this work, the proton conducting inorganic/organic hybrid membranes for proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) were prepared using polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), tetraethoxyorthosilane (TEOS) and heteropolyacid (HPA). The synthesized hybrid membranes were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Thermogravimetry analysis (TGA). The effects of heteropolyacid incorporation on membrane properties, including morphology and thermal stability were extensively investigated.
Abstract: Low silica type X (LSX) Zeolite is one of useful
material in many manufacturing due to the advantage properties
including high surface area, stability, microporous crystalline
aluminosilicates and positive ion in an extra–framework. The LSX
was used rice husk silica source which obtained by leaching with
hydrochloric acid and calcination at 500 C. To improve the
synthesis method, the LSX was crystallizated in Teflon–lined
autoclave will expedite deceasing of the amorphous particles. The
mixed gel with composition of 5.5 Na2O : 1.65 K2O : Al2O3 : 2.2
SiO2 : 122 H2O was crystallized in different container
(Polypropylene bottom and Teflon–lined autoclave). The obtained
powder was characterized by X–ray diffraction (XRD), X–ray
fluorescence spectrometry, N2 adsorption-desorption analysis BET
surface area Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier
transform infrared spectroscopy to justify the quality of zeolite. The
results showed the crystallized zeolite in Teflon lined autoclave has
102.8 nm of crystal size, 286 m2/g of surface area and fewer amounts
of round amorphous particles when compared with the crystallized
zeolite in Polypropylene.
Abstract: Double heterogeneity of randomly located pebbles in
the core and Coated Fuel Particles (CFPs) in the pebbles are specific
features in pebble bed reactors and usually, because of difficulty to
model with MCNP code capabilities, are neglected. In this study,
characteristics of HTR-10, Tsinghua University research reactor, are
used and not only double heterogeneous but also truncated CFPs and
Pebbles are considered.Firstly, 8335 CFPs are distributed randomly
in a pebble and then the core of reactor is filled with those pebbles
and graphite pebbles as moderator such that 57:43 ratio of fuel and
moderator pebbles is established.Finally, four different core
configurations are modeled. They are Simple Cubic (SC) structure
with truncated pebbles,SC structure without truncated pebble, and
Simple Hexagonal(SH) structure without truncated pebbles and SH
structure with truncated pebbles. Results like effective multiplication
factor (Keff), critical height,etc. are compared with available data.
Abstract: Active Power Filters (APFs) are today the most
widely used systems to eliminate harmonics compensate power
factor and correct unbalanced problems in industrial power plants.
We propose to improve the performances of conventional APFs by
using artificial neural networks (ANNs) for harmonics estimation.
This new method combines both the strategies for extracting the
three-phase reference currents for active power filters and DC link
voltage control method. The ANNs learning capabilities to
adaptively choose the power system parameters for both to compute
the reference currents and to recharge the capacitor value requested
by VDC voltage in order to ensure suitable transit of powers to
supply the inverter. To investigate the performance of this
identification method, the study has been accomplished using
simulation with the MATLAB Simulink Power System Toolbox. The
simulation study results of the new (SAPF) identification technique
compared to other similar methods are found quite satisfactory by
assuring good filtering characteristics and high system stability.
Abstract: This paper proposes a vehicle-to-vehicle propagation
model implemented with SDL. To estimate the channel
characteristics for Inter-Vehicle communication, we first define a
predicted propagation pathloss between the moving vehicles under
three typical scenarios. A Ray-tracing method is used for the simple
gamma model performance.
Abstract: Magnetic and semiconductor nanomaterials exhibit
novel magnetic and optical properties owing to their unique size and
shape-dependent effects. With shrinking the size down to nanoscale
region, various anomalous properties that normally not present in bulk
start to dominate. Ability in harnessing of these anomalous properties
for the design of various advance electronic devices is strictly
dependent on synthetic strategies. Hence, current research has focused
on developing a rational synthetic control to produce high quality
nanocrystals by using organometallic approach to tune both size and
shape of the nanomaterials. In order to elucidate the growth
mechanism, transmission electron microscopy was employed as a
powerful tool in performing real time-resolved morphologies and
structural characterization of magnetic (Fe3O4) and semiconductor
(ZnO) nanocrystals. The current synthetic approach is found able to
produce nanostructures with well-defined shapes. We have found that
oleic acid is an effective capping ligand in preparing oxide-based
nanostructures without any agglomerations, even at high temperature.
The oleate-based precursors and capping ligands are fatty acid
compounds, which are respectively originated from natural palm oil
with low toxicity. In comparison with other synthetic approaches in
producing nanostructures, current synthetic method offers an effective
route to produce oxide-based nanomaterials with well-defined shapes
and good monodispersity. The nanocystals are well-separated with
each other without any stacking effect. In addition, the as-synthesized
nanopellets are stable in terms of chemically and physically if
compared to those nanomaterials that are previous reported. Further
development and extension of current synthetic strategy are being
pursued to combine both of these materials into nanocomposite form
that will be used as “smart magnetic nanophotocatalyst" for industry
waste water treatment.