Abstract: A kinetic model for propane dehydrogenation in an
industrial moving bed reactor is developed based on the reported
reaction scheme. The kinetic parameters and activity constant are
fine tuned with several sets of balanced plant data. Plant data at
different operating conditions is applied to validate the model and
the results show a good agreement between the model
predictions and plant observations in terms of the amount of main
product, propylene produced. The simulation analysis of key
variables such as inlet temperature of each reactor (Tinrx) and
hydrogen to total hydrocarbon ratio (H2/THC) affecting process
performance is performed to identify the operating condition to
maximize the production of propylene. Within the range of operating
conditions applied in the present studies, the operating condition to
maximize the propylene production at the same weighted average
inlet temperature (WAIT) is ΔTinrx1= -2, ΔTinrx2= +1, ΔTinrx3= +1 ,
ΔTinrx4= +2 and ΔH2/THC= -0.02. Under this condition, the surplus
propylene produced is 7.07 tons/day as compared with base case.
Abstract: This paper includes a positive analysis to quantitatively grasp the relationship among vulnerability, information security incidents, and the countermeasures by using data based on a 2007 questionnaire survey for Japanese ISPs (Internet Service Providers). To grasp the relationships, logistic regression analysis is used. The results clarify that there are relationships between information security incidents and the countermeasures. Concretely, there is a positive relationship between information security incidents and the number of information security systems introduced as well as a negative relationship between information security incidents and information security education. It is also pointed out that (especially, local) ISPs do not execute efficient information security countermeasures/ investment concerned with systems, and it is suggested that they should positively execute information security education. In addition, to further heighten the information security level of Japanese telecommunication infrastructure, the necessity and importance of the government to implement policy to support the countermeasures of ISPs is insisted.
Abstract: Insufficient Quality of Service (QoS) of Voice over
Internet Protocol (VoIP) is a growing concern that has lead the need
for research and study. In this paper we investigate the performance
of VoIP and the impact of resource limitations on the performance of
Access Networks. The impact of VoIP performance in Access
Networks is particularly important in regions where Internet
resources are limited and the cost of improving these resources is
prohibitive. It is clear that perceived VoIP performance, as measured
by mean opinion score [2] in experiments, where subjects are asked
to rate communication quality, is determined by end-to-end delay on
the communication path, delay variation, packet loss, echo, the
coding algorithm in use and noise. These performance indicators can
be measured and the affect in the Access Network can be estimated.
This paper investigates the congestion in the Access Network to the
overall performance of VoIP services with the presence of other
substantial uses of internet and ways in which Access Networks can
be designed to improve VoIP performance. Methods for analyzing
the impact of the Access Network on VoIP performance will be
surveyed and reviewed. This paper also considers some approaches
for improving performance of VoIP by carrying out experiments
using Network Simulator version 2 (NS2) software with a view to
gaining a better understanding of the design of Access Networks.
Abstract: This paper proposes an efficient method for the design
of two channel quadrature mirror filter (QMF) bank. To achieve
minimum value of reconstruction error near to perfect reconstruction,
a linear optimization process has been proposed. Prototype low pass
filter has been designed using Kaiser window function. The modified
algorithm has been developed to optimize the reconstruction error
using linear objective function through iteration method. The result
obtained, show that the performance of the proposed algorithm is
better than that of the already exists methods.
Abstract: The possibilities of mobile technology generate new
demands for vocational teacher trainers to transform their approach
to work and to incorporate its usage into their ordinary educational
practice. This paper presents findings of a focus discussion group
(FDG) session on the usage of iPads within a school of vocational
teacher education (SoVTE). It aims to clarify how the teacher
trainers are using iPads and what has changed in their work during
the usage of iPads. The analytical framework bases on content
analysis and expansive learning cycle. It was not only found what
kind of a role iPads played in their daily practices but it brought also
into attention how a cultural change regarding the usage of social
media and mobile technology was desperately needed in the whole
work community. Thus, the FGD was abducted for developing the
knowledge practices of the community of the SoVTE.
Abstract: The Swine flu outbreak in humans is due to a new
strain of influenza A virus subtype H1N1 that derives in part from
human influenza, avian influenza, and two separated strains of swine
influenza. It can be transmitted from human to human. A
mathematical model for the transmission of Swine flu is developed in
which the human populations are divided into two classes, the risk
and non-risk human classes. Each class is separated into susceptible,
exposed, infectious, quarantine and recovered sub-classes. In this
paper, we formulate the dynamical model of Swine flu transmission
and the repetitive contacts between the people are also considered.
We analyze the behavior for the transmission of this disease. The
Threshold condition of this disease is found and numerical results are
shown to confirm our theoretical predictions.
Abstract: Protein 3D structure prediction has always been an
important research area in bioinformatics. In particular, the
prediction of secondary structure has been a well-studied research
topic. Despite the recent breakthrough of combining multiple
sequence alignment information and artificial intelligence algorithms
to predict protein secondary structure, the Q3 accuracy of various
computational prediction algorithms rarely has exceeded 75%. In a
previous paper [1], this research team presented a rule-based method
called RT-RICO (Relaxed Threshold Rule Induction from Coverings)
to predict protein secondary structure. The average Q3 accuracy on
the sample datasets using RT-RICO was 80.3%, an improvement
over comparable computational methods. Although this demonstrated
that RT-RICO might be a promising approach for predicting
secondary structure, the algorithm-s computational complexity and
program running time limited its use. Herein a parallelized
implementation of a slightly modified RT-RICO approach is
presented. This new version of the algorithm facilitated the testing of
a much larger dataset of 396 protein domains [2]. Parallelized RTRICO
achieved a Q3 score of 74.6%, which is higher than the
consensus prediction accuracy of 72.9% that was achieved for the
same test dataset by a combination of four secondary structure
prediction methods [2].
Abstract: We successfully developed a new straw combustion
technology that efficiently reduces problems with unmanageable deposits inside straw fueled boilers in Zluticka Heating Plant. The
deposits are mainly created by glass-forming melts. We plotted straw compositions in K2O-CaO-SiO2 phase diagram and illustrated
they are in the area of low-melting eutectic poi
melting of ash and the formation of deposits
compositions by injecting additives into biomass fuel
ueled points. To prevent the
deposits, we modified ash
fuel.
Abstract: In this paper we investigate how wide-ranging
organizational support and the more specific form of support,
namely management support, may influence on tourism workers
satisfaction with a cash transaction system. The IS continuance
theory, proposed by Bhattacherjee in 2001, is utilized as a
theoretical framework. This implies that both perceived usefulness
and ease of use is included in the research model, in addition to
organizational and management support. The sample consists of
500 workers from 10 cruise and tourist ferries in Scandinavia that
use a cash transaction system to perform their work tasks. Using
structural equation modelling, results indicate that organizational
support and ease of use perceptions is critical for the users- level of
satisfaction with the cash transaction system.The findings have
implications for business managers and IS practitioners that want
to increase the quality of IT-based business processes within the
tourism industry.
Abstract: This paper describes a one-dimensional numerical model for natural gas production from the dissociation of methane hydrate in hydrate-capped gas reservoir under depressurization and thermal stimulation. Some of the hydrate reservoirs discovered are overlying a free-gas layer, known as hydrate-capped gas reservoirs. These reservoirs are thought to be easiest and probably the first type of hydrate reservoirs to be produced. The mathematical equations that can be described this type of reservoir include mass balance, heat balance and kinetics of hydrate decomposition. These non-linear partial differential equations are solved using finite-difference fully implicit scheme. In the model, the effect of convection and conduction heat transfer, variation change of formation porosity, the effect of using different equations of state such as PR and ER and steam or hot water injection are considered. In addition distributions of pressure, temperature, saturation of gas, hydrate and water in the reservoir are evaluated. It is shown that the gas production rate is a sensitive function of well pressure.
Abstract: The existing information system (IS) developments
methods are not met the requirements to resolve the security related
IS problems and they fail to provide a successful integration of
security and systems engineering during all development process
stages. Hence, the security should be considered during the whole
software development process and identified with the requirements
specification. This paper aims to propose an integrated security and
IS engineering approach in all software development process stages
by using i* language. This proposed framework categorizes into three
separate parts: modelling business environment part, modelling
information technology system part and modelling IS security part.
The results show that considering security IS goals in the whole
system development process can have a positive influence on system
implementation and better meet business expectations.
Abstract: In this paper, we first give the representation of the general solution of the following least-squares problem (LSP): Given matrices X ∈ Rn×p, B ∈ Rp×p and A0 ∈ Rr×r, find a matrix A ∈ Rn×n such that XT AX − B = min, s. t. A([1, r]) = A0, where A([1, r]) is the r×r leading principal submatrix of the matrix A. We then consider a best approximation problem: given an n × n matrix A˜ with A˜([1, r]) = A0, find Aˆ ∈ SE such that A˜ − Aˆ = minA∈SE A˜ − A, where SE is the solution set of LSP. We show that the best approximation solution Aˆ is unique and derive an explicit formula for it. Keyw
Abstract: Panoramic view generation has always offered
novel and distinct challenges in the field of image processing.
Panoramic view generation is nothing but construction of bigger
view mosaic image from set of partial images of the desired view.
The paper presents a solution to one of the problems of image
seascape formation where some of the partial images are color and
others are grayscale. The simplest solution could be to convert all
image parts into grayscale images and fusing them to get grayscale
image panorama. But in the multihued world, obtaining the colored
seascape will always be preferred. This could be achieved by picking
colors from the color parts and squirting them in grayscale parts of
the seascape. So firstly the grayscale image parts should be colored
with help of color image parts and then these parts should be fused to
construct the seascape image.
The problem of coloring grayscale images has no exact solution.
In the proposed technique of panoramic view generation, the job of
transferring color traits from reference color image to grayscale
image is done by palette based method. In this technique, the color
palette is prepared using pixel windows of some degrees taken from
color image parts. Then the grayscale image part is divided into pixel
windows with same degrees. For every window of grayscale image
part the palette is searched and equivalent color values are found,
which could be used to color grayscale window. For palette
preparation we have used RGB color space and Kekre-s LUV color
space. Kekre-s LUV color space gives better quality of coloring. The
searching time through color palette is improved over the exhaustive
search using Kekre-s fast search technique.
After coloring the grayscale image pieces the next job is fusion of
all these pieces to obtain panoramic view. For similarity estimation
between partial images correlation coefficient is used.
Abstract: Prediction of benzene transport in soil and volatilization from soil to the atmosphere is important for the preservation of human health and management of contaminated soils. The adequacy of a simple numerical model, assuming two-phase diffusion and equilibrium of liquid/solid adsorption, was investigated by experimental data of benzene concentration in a flux chamber (with headspace) where Andosol and sand were filled. Adsorption experiment for liquid phase was performed to determine an adsorption coefficient. Furthermore, adequacy of vapor phase adsorption was also studied through two runs of experiment using sand with different water content. The results show that the model adequately predicted benzene transport and volatilization from Andosol and sand with water content of 14.0%. In addition, the experiment additionally revealed that vapor phase adsorption should be considered in diffusion model for sand with very low water content.
Abstract: The paper presents a detailed calculation of characteristic of five different topology permanent magnet machines for high performance traction including hybrid -electric vehicles using finite element analysis (FEA) method. These machines include V-shape single layer interior PM, W-shape single-layer interior PM, Segment interior PM and surface PM on the rotor and with distributed winding on the stator. The performance characteristics which include the back-emf voltage and its harmonic, magnet mass, iron loss and ripple torque are compared and analyzed. One of a 7.5kW IPM prototype was tested and verified finite-element analysis results. The aim of the paper is given some guidance and reference for machine designer which are interested in IPM machine selection for high performance traction application.
Abstract: Probabilistic characteristics of seismic responses of the
Partially Restrained connection rotation (PRCR) and panel zone
deformation (PZD) installed in older steel moment frames were
investigated in accordance with statistical inference in
decision-making process. The 4, 6 and 8 story older steel moment
frames with clip angle and T-stub connections were designed and
analyzed using 2%/50yrs ground motions in four cities of the
Mid-America earthquake region. The probability density function and
cumulative distribution function of PRCR and PZD were determined
by the goodness-of-fit tests based on probabilistic parameters
measured from the results of the nonlinear time-history analyses. The
obtained probabilistic parameters and distributions can be used to find
out what performance level mainly PR connections and panel zones
satisfy and how many PR connections and panel zones experience a
serious damage under the Mid-America ground motions.
Abstract: The research objective aims to search information about storytelling and fable associated with fireflies in Amphawa community, in order to design and create a story book which is appropriate for the interests of children in early childhood. This book should help building the development of learning about the natural environment, imagination, and creativity among children, which then, brings about the promotion of the development, conservation and dissemination of cultural values and uniqueness of the Amphawa community. The population used in this study were 30 students in early childhood aged between 6-8 years-old, grade 1-3 from the Demonstration School of Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University. The method used for this study was purposive sampling and the research conducted by the query and analysis of data from both the document and the narrative field tales and fable associated with the fireflies of Amphawa community. Then, using the results to synthesize and create a conceptual design in a form of 8 visual images which were later applied to 1 illustrated children’s book and presented to the experts to evaluate and test this media.
Abstract: The present contribution deals with the
thermophoretic deposition of nanoparticles over a rapidly rotating
permeable disk in the presence of partial slip, magnetic field, thermal
radiation, thermal-diffusion, and diffusion-thermo effects. The
governing nonlinear partial differential equations such as continuity,
momentum, energy and concentration are transformed into nonlinear
ordinary differential equations using similarity analysis, and the
solutions are obtained through the very efficient computer algebra
software MATLAB. Graphical results for non-dimensional
concentration and temperature profiles including thermophoretic
deposition velocity and Stanton number (thermophoretic deposition
flux) in tabular forms are presented for a range of values of the
parameters characterizing the flow field. It is observed that slip
mechanism, thermal-diffusion, diffusion-thermo, magnetic field and
radiation significantly control the thermophoretic particles deposition
rate. The obtained results may be useful to many industrial and
engineering applications.
Abstract: This paper studies stability of homogeneous beams
with piezoelectric layers subjected to axial load that is simply
supported at both ends lies on a continuous elastic foundation. The
displacement field of beam is assumed based on first order shear
deformation beam theory. Applying the Hamilton's principle, the
governing equation is established. The influences of applied voltage,
dimensionless geometrical parameter and foundation coefficient on
the stability of beam are presented. To investigate the accuracy of the
present analysis, a compression study is carried out with a known
data.
Abstract: Timing driven physical design, synthesis, and
optimization tools need efficient closed-form delay models for
estimating the delay associated with each net in an integrated circuit
(IC) design. The total number of nets in a modern IC design has
increased dramatically and exceeded millions. Therefore efficient
modeling of interconnection is needed for high speed IC-s. This
paper presents closed–form expressions for RC and RLC
interconnection trees in current mode signaling, which can be
implemented in VLSI design tool. These analytical model
expressions can be used for accurate calculation of delay after the
design clock tree has been laid out and the design is fully routed.
Evaluation of these analytical models is several orders of magnitude
faster than simulation using SPICE.