Abstract: Persian (Farsi) script is totally cursive and each character is written in several different forms depending on its former and later characters in the word. These complexities make automatic handwriting recognition of Persian a very hard problem and there are few contributions trying to work it out. This paper presents a novel practical approach to online recognition of Persian handwriting which is based on representation of inputs and patterns with very simple visual features and comparison of these simple terms. This recognition approach is tested over a set of Persian words and the results have been quite acceptable when the possible words where unknown and they were almost all correct in cases that the words where chosen from a prespecified list.
Abstract: CO2 miscible displacement is not feasible in many oil fields due to high reservoir temperature as higher pressure is required to achieve miscibility. The miscibility pressure is far higher than the formation fracture pressure making it impossible to have CO2 miscible displacement. However, by using oleophilic chemicals, minimum miscibility pressure (MMP) could be lowered. The main objective of this research is to find the best oleophilic chemical in MMP reduction using slim-tube test and Vanishing Interfacial Tension (VIT) The chemicals are selected based on the characteristics that it must be oil soluble, low water solubility, have 4 – 8 carbons, semi polar, economical, and safe for human operation. The families of chemicals chosen are carboxylic acid, alcohol, and ketone. The whole experiment would be conducted at 100°C and the best chemical is said to be effective when it is able to lower CO2-crude oil MMP the most. Findings of this research would have great impact to the oil and gas industry in reduction of operation cost for CO2EOR which is applicable to both onshore and offshore operation.
Abstract: The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of adding coal to obtain insulating ceramic product. The preparation of mixtures is achieved with 04 types of different masse compositions, consisting of gray and yellow clay, and coal. Analyses are performed on local raw materials by adding coal as additive. The coal content varies from 5 to 20 % in weight by varying the size of coal particles ranging from 0.25mm to 1.60mm.
Initially, each natural moisture content of a raw material has been determined at the temperature of 105°C in a laboratory oven. The Influence of low-coal content on absorption, the apparent density, the contraction and the resistance during compression have been evaluated. The experimental results showed that the optimized composition could be obtained by adding 10% by weight of coal leading thus to insulating ceramic products with water absorption, a density and resistance to compression of 9.40 %, 1.88 g/cm3, 35.46 MPa, respectively. The results show that coal, when mixed with traditional raw materials, offers the conditions to be used as an additive in the production of lightweight ceramic products.
Abstract: In the Fe-3%Si sheets, grade Hi-B, with AlN and MnS
as inhibitors, the Goss grains which abnormally grow do not have a
size greater than the average size of the primary matrix. In this
heterogeneous microstructure, the size factor is not a required
condition for the secondary recrystallization. The onset of the small
Goss grain abnormal growth appears to be related to a particular
behavior of their grain boundaries, to the local texture and to the
distribution of the inhibitors. The presence and the evolution of
oriented clusters ensure to the small Goss grains a favorable
neighborhood to grow. The modified Monte-Carlo approach, which
is applied, considers the local environment of each grain. The grain
growth is dependent of its real spatial position; the matrix
heterogeneity is then taken into account. The grain growth conditions
are considered in the global matrix and in different matrixes
corresponding to A component clusters. The grain growth behaviour
is considered with introduction of energy only, energy and mobility,
energy and mobility and precipitates.
Abstract: Carbon Capture & Storage (CCS) is one of the various
methods that can be used to reduce the carbon footprint of the
energy sector. This paper focuses on the absorption of CO2 from
flue gas using packed columns, whose efficiency is highly dependent
on the structure of the liquid films within the column. To study the
characteristics of liquid films a CFD solver, OpenFOAM is utilised
to solve two-phase, isothermal film flow using the volume-of-fluid
(VOF) method. The model was validated using existing experimental
data and the Nusselt theory. It was found that smaller plate inclination
angles, with respect to the horizontal plane, resulted in larger wetted
areas on smooth plates. However, only a slight improvement in
the wetted area was observed. Simulations were also performed
using a ridged plate and it was observed that these surface textures
significantly increase the wetted area of the plate. This was mainly
attributed to the channelling effect of the ridges, which helped to
oppose the surface tension forces trying to minimise the surface area.
Rivulet formations on the ridged plate were also flattened out and
spread across a larger proportion of the plate width.
Abstract: Linear two-point boundary value problems of order
two are solved using cubic trigonometric B-spline interpolation
method (CTBIM). Cubic trigonometric B-spline is a piecewise
function consisting of trigonometric equations. This method is tested
on some problems and the results are compared with cubic B-spline
interpolation method (CBIM) from the literature. CTBIM is found to
approximate the solution slightly more accurately than CBIM if the
problems are trigonometric.
Abstract: Extraction of Fe(III) from aqueous solution using Trin-
butyl Phosphate (TBP) as carrier needs a highly acidic medium
(>6N) as it favours formation of chelating complex FeCl3.TBP.
Similarly, stripping of Iron(III) from loaded organic solvents requires
neutral pH or alkaline medium to dissociate the same complex. It is
observed that TBP co-extracts acids along with metal, which causes
reversal of driving force of extraction and iron(III) is re-extracted
back from the strip phase into the feed phase during Liquid Emulsion
Membrane (LEM) pertraction. Therefore, rate of extraction of
different mineral acids (HCl, HNO3, H2SO4) using TBP with and
without presence of metal Fe(III) was examined. It is revealed that in
presence of metal acid extraction is enhanced. Determination of mass
transfer coefficient of both acid and metal extraction was performed
by using Bulk Liquid Membrane (BLM). The average mass transfer
coefficient was obtained by fitting the derived model equation with
experimentally obtained data. The mass transfer coefficient of the
mineral acid extraction is in the order of kHNO3 = 3.3x10-6m/s > kHCl =
6.05x10-7m/s > kH2SO4 = 1.85x10-7m/s. The distribution equilibria of
the above mentioned acids between aqueous feed solution and a
solution of tri-n-butyl-phosphate (TBP) in organic solvents have been
investigated. The stoichiometry of acid extraction reveals the
formation of TBP.2HCl, HNO3.2TBP, and TBP.H2SO4 complexes.
Moreover, extraction of Iron(III) by TBP in HCl aqueous solution
forms complex FeCl3.TBP.2HCl while in HNO3 medium forms
complex 3FeCl3.TBP.2HNO3
Abstract: A collaboration among the Hospital S. Giovanni Battista
of Turin, the Politecnico of Turin, and the MUST company is
described. The content of the collaboration has been and is the use of
ICT-s, e-learning, and blended learning for the internal professional
education, training, and keeping up to date of the personnel of the
hospital. A platform for the delivery of the teaching materials has
been built, including an evaluation and self-evaluation tool. The first
on line courses have been developed and delivered and many more
are in preparation. The first results of the monitoring of the efficacy
of the online education have been positive.
Abstract: Single crystals of Magnesium alloys such as Mg-1Al,
Mg-1Zn-0.5Y, Mg-3Li, and AZ31 alloys were successfully fabricated in this study by employing the modified Bridgman method. Single
crystals of pure Mg were also made in this study. To determine the exact orientation of crystals, Laue back-reflection method and pole figure measurement were carried out on each single crystal. Dimensions of single crystals were 10 mm in diameter and 120 mm in
length. Hardness and compression tests were conducted and the results
revealed that hardness and the strength strongly depended on the
orientation. The closer to basal one the orientation was, the higher hardness and compressive strength were. The effect of alloying was
not higher than that of orientation. After compressive deformation of single crystals, the orientation of the crystals was found to rotate and to be parallel to the basal orientation.
Abstract: This paper presents investigation effects of a sharp edged gust on aeroelastic behavior and time-domain response of a typical section model using Jones approximate aerodynamics for pure plunging motion. Flutter analysis has been done by using p and p-k methods developed for presented finite-state aerodynamic model for a typical section model (airfoil). Introduction of gust analysis as a linear set of ordinary differential equations in a simplified procedure has been carried out by using transformation into an eigenvalue problem.
Abstract: α-Pinene is the main component of the most
turpentine oils. The hydration of α-pinene with acid catalysts leads to
a complex mixture of monoterpenes. In order to obtain more valuable
products, the α-pinene in the turpentine can be hydrated in dilute
mineral acid solutions to produce α-terpineol. The design of
separation processes requires information on phase equilibrium and
related thermodynamic properties. This paper reports the results of
study on liquid-liquid equilibrium (LLE) of system containing α-
pinene + water and α-terpineol + water.
Binary LLE for α-pinene + water system, and α-terpineol + water
systems were determined by experiment at 301K and atmospheric
pressure. The two component mixture was stirred for about 30min,
then the mixture was left for about 2h for complete phase separation.
The composition of both phases was analyzed by using a Gas
Chromatograph. The experimental data were correlated by
considering both NRTL and UNIQUAC activity coefficient models.
The LLE data for the system of α-pinene + water and α-terpineol +
water were correlated successfully by the NRTL model. The
experimental data were not satisfactorily fitted by the UNIQUAC
model. The NRTL model (α =0.3) correlates the LLE data for the
system of α-pinene + water at 301K with RMSD of 0.0404%. And
the NRTL model (α =0.61) at 301K with RMSD of 0.0058 %. The
NRTL model (α =0.3) correlates the LLE data for the system of α-
terpineol + water at 301K with RMSD of 0.1487% and the NRTL
model (α =0.6) at 301K with RMSD of 0.0032%, between the
experimental and calculated mole fractions.
Abstract: System MEMORI automatically detects and recognizes
rotated and/or rescaled versions of the objects of a database within
digital color images with cluttered background. This task is accomplished
by means of a region grouping algorithm guided by heuristic
rules, whose parameters concern some geometrical properties and the
recognition score of the database objects. This paper focuses on the
strategies implemented in MEMORI for the estimation of the heuristic
rule parameters. This estimation, being automatic, makes the system
a self configuring and highly user-friendly tool.
Abstract: In this paper a combination approach of two heuristic-based algorithms: genetic algorithm and tabu search is proposed. It has been developed to obtain the least cost based on the split-pipe design of looped water distribution network. The proposed combination algorithm has been applied to solve the three well-known water distribution networks taken from the literature. The development of the combination of these two heuristic-based algorithms for optimization is aimed at enhancing their strengths and compensating their weaknesses. Tabu search is rather systematic and deterministic that uses adaptive memory in search process, while genetic algorithm is probabilistic and stochastic optimization technique in which the solution space is explored by generating candidate solutions. Split-pipe design may not be realistic in practice but in optimization purpose, optimal solutions are always achieved with split-pipe design. The solutions obtained in this study have proved that the least cost solutions obtained from the split-pipe design are always better than those obtained from the single pipe design. The results obtained from the combination approach show its ability and effectiveness to solve combinatorial optimization problems. The solutions obtained are very satisfactory and high quality in which the solutions of two networks are found to be the lowest-cost solutions yet presented in the literature. The concept of combination approach proposed in this study is expected to contribute some useful benefits in diverse problems.
Abstract: We demonstrate that it is possible to compute wave function normalization constants for a class of Schr¨odinger type equations by an algorithm which scales linearly (in the number of eigenfunction evaluations) with the desired precision P in decimals.
Abstract: According to the new developments in the field of information and communication technologies, the necessity arises for active use of these new technologies in education. It is clear that the integration of technology in education system will be different for primary-higher education or traditional- distance education. In this study, the subject of the integration of technology for distance education was discussed. The subject was taken from the viewpoint of students. With using the information of student feedback about education program in which new technological medias are used, how can survey variables can be separated into the factors as positive, negative and supporter and how can be redesigned education strategy of the higher education associations with the examining the variables of each determinated factor is explained. The paper concludes with the recommendations about the necessitity of working as a group of different area experts and using of numerical methods in establishing of education strategy to be successful.
Abstract: Industrial robots become useless without end-effectors
that for many instances are in the form of friction grippers.
Commonly friction grippers apply frictional forces to different
objects on the basis of programmers- experiences. This puts a
limitation on the effectiveness of gripping force that may result in
damaging the object. This paper describes various stages of design
and development of a low cost sensor-based robotic gripper that
would facilitate the task of applying right gripping forces to different
objects. The gripper is also equipped with range sensors in order to
avoid collisions of the gripper with objects. It is a fully functional
automated pick and place gripper which can be used in many
industrial applications. Yet it can also be altered or further developed
in order to suit a larger number of industrial activities. The current
design of gripper could lead to designing completely automated robot
grippers able to improve the efficiency and productivity of industrial
robots.
Abstract: This paper presents a new function expansion method for finding traveling wave solution of a non-linear equation and calls it the (G'/G)-expansion method. The shallow water wave equation is reduced to a non linear ordinary differential equation by using a simple transformation. As a result the traveling wave solutions of shallow water wave equation are expressed in three forms: hyperbolic solutions, trigonometric solutions and rational solutions.
Abstract: During last decades, developing multi-objective
evolutionary algorithms for optimization problems has found
considerable attention. Flexible job shop scheduling problem, as an
important scheduling optimization problem, has found this attention
too. However, most of the multi-objective algorithms that are
developed for this problem use nonprofessional approaches. In
another words, most of them combine their objectives and then solve
multi-objective problem through single objective approaches. Of
course, except some scarce researches that uses Pareto-based
algorithms. Therefore, in this paper, a new Pareto-based algorithm
called controlled elitism non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm
(CENSGA) is proposed for the multi-objective FJSP (MOFJSP). Our
considered objectives are makespan, critical machine work load, and
total work load of machines. The proposed algorithm is also
compared with one the best Pareto-based algorithms of the literature
on some multi-objective criteria, statistically.
Abstract: The search for factors that influence user behavior has remained an important theme for both the academic and practitioner Information Systems Communities. In this paper we examine relevant user behaviors in the phase after adoption and investigate two factors that are expected to influence such behaviors, namely User Involvement (UI) and Personal Innovativeness in IT (PIIT). We conduct a field study to examine how these factors influence postadoption behavior and how they are interrelated. Building on theoretical premises and prior empirical findings, we propose and test two alternative models of the relationship between these factors. Our results reveal that the best explanation of post-adoption behavior is provided by the model where UI and PIIT independently influence post-adoption behavior. Our findings have important implications for research and practice. To that end, we offer directions for future research.
Abstract: This paper introduces an isolated and unique ancient language Burushaski, spoken in Hunza, Nagar, Yasin and parts of Gilgit in the Northern Areas of Pakistan. It explains the working mechanism of Multi Language Text Editor for Urdu and Burushaski. It is developed under the use of ISO/IEC 10646 Unicode standards for Urdu and Burushaski open-type fonts. It gives an ample opportunity to this regional ancient language to have a modern Information technology for its promotion and preservation. The main objective of this research paper is to help preserve the heritage of such rare languages and give smart way of automation. It also facilitates to those who are interested in undertaking research on Burushaski or keen to trace fonatic relationship between the national Urdu language and Burushaski. Since this editor covers both Burushaski and Urdu so it can play an important role to introduce Burusho linguistic culture to the world at large. Precisely, as a result of this research paper, Burushaski publication through IT means would be possible.