Abstract: Post growth annealing of solution grown ZnO
nanowire array is performed under controlled oxygen ambience. The
role of annealing over surface defects and their consequence on
dark/photo-conductivity and photosensitivity of nanowire array is
investigated. Surface defect properties are explored using various
measurement tools such as contact angle, photoluminescence, Raman
spectroscopy and XPS measurements. The contact angle of the NW
films reduces due to oxygen annealing and nanowire film surface
changes from hydrophobic (96°) to hydrophilic (16°). Raman and
XPS spectroscopy reveal that oxygen annealing improves the crystal
quality of the nanowire films. The defect band emission intensity
(relative to band edge emission, ID/IUV) reduces from 1.3 to 0.2 after
annealing at 600 °C at 10 SCCM flow of oxygen. An order
enhancement in dark conductivity is observed in O2 annealed
samples, while photoconductivity is found to be slightly reduced due
to lower concentration of surface related oxygen defects.
Abstract: A reliability, availability and maintainability (RAM) model has been built for acid gas removal plant for system analysis that will play an important role in any process modifications, if required, for achieving its optimum performance. Due to the complexity of the plant, the model was based on a Reliability Block Diagram (RBD) with a Monte Carlo simulation engine. The model has been validated against actual plant data as well as local expert opinions, resulting in an acceptable simulation model. The results from the model showed that the operation and maintenance can be further improved, resulting in reduction of the annual production loss.
Abstract: In this paper, the requirement for Coke quality
prediction, its role in Blast furnaces, and the model output is
explained. By applying method of Artificial Neural Networking
(ANN) using back propagation (BP) algorithm, prediction model has
been developed to predict CSR. Important blast furnace functions
such as permeability, heat exchanging, melting, and reducing
capacity are mostly connected to coke quality. Coke quality is further
dependent upon coal characterization and coke making process
parameters. The ANN model developed is a useful tool for process
experts to adjust the control parameters in case of coke quality
deviations. The model also makes it possible to predict CSR for new
coal blends which are yet to be used in Coke Plant. Input data to the
model was structured into 3 modules, for tenure of past 2 years and
the incremental models thus developed assists in identifying the
group causing the deviation of CSR.
Abstract: Shear-layer instabilities of a pulsed stack-issued
transverse jet were studied experimentally in a wind tunnel. Jet
pulsations were induced by means of acoustic excitation. Streak
pictures of the smoke-flow patterns illuminated by the laser-light sheet
in the median plane were recorded with a high-speed digital camera.
Instantaneous velocities of the shear-layer instabilities in the flow were
digitized by a hot-wire anemometer. By analyzing the streak pictures
of the smoke-flow visualization, three characteristic flow modes,
synchronized flapping jet, transition, and synchronized shear-layer
vortices, are identified in the shear layer of the pulsed stack-issued
transverse jet at various excitation Strouhal numbers. The shear-layer
instabilities of the pulsed stack-issued transverse jet are synchronized
by acoustic excitation except for transition mode. In transition flow
mode, the shear-layer vortices would exhibit a frequency that would be
twice as great as the acoustic excitation frequency.
Abstract: Compacted clay liners (CCLs) are the main materials
used in waste disposal landfills due to their low permeability. In this
study, the effect on the shear resistant of clays with inorganic salt
solutions as permeate fluid was experimentally investigated. For this
purpose, NaCl inorganic salt solution at concentrations of 2, 5, 10%
and deionized water were used. Laboratory direct shear and Vane
shear tests were conducted on three compacted clays with low,
medium and high plasticity. Results indicated that the solutions type
and its concentration affect the shear properties of the mixture. In the
light of this study, the influence magnitude of these inorganic salts in
varies concentrations in different clays were determined and more
suitable compacted clay with the compare of plasticity were found.
Abstract: This paper is a survey of current component-based
software technologies and the description of promotion and
inhibition factors in CBSE. The features that software components
inherit are also discussed. Quality Assurance issues in componentbased
software are also catered to. The feat research on the quality
model of component based system starts with the study of what the
components are, CBSE, its development life cycle and the pro &
cons of CBSE. Various attributes are studied and compared keeping
in view the study of various existing models for general systems and
CBS. When illustrating the quality of a software component an apt
set of quality attributes for the description of the system (or
components) should be selected. Finally, the research issues that can
be extended are tabularized.
Abstract: A novel sponge submerged membrane bioreactor
(SSMBR) was developed to effectively remove organics and
nutrients from wastewater. Sponge is introduced within the SSMBR
as a medium for the attached growth of biomass. This paper evaluates
the effects of new and acclimatized sponges for dissolved organic
carbon (DOC) removal from wastewater at different mixed liquor
suspended solids- (MLSS) concentration of the sludge. It was
observed in a series of experimental studies that the acclimatized
sponge performed better than the new sponge whilst the optimum
DOC removal could be achieved at 10g/L of MLSS with the
acclimatized sponge. Moreover, the paper analyses the relationships
between the MLSSsponge/MLSSsludge and the DOC removal efficiency
of SSMBR. The results showed a non-linear relationship between the
biomass parameters of the sponge and the sludge, and the DOC
removal efficiency of SSMBR. A second-order polynomial function
could reasonably represent these relationships.
Abstract: Lanthanum oxide is to be recovered from monazite,
which contains about 13.44% lanthanum oxide. The principal
objective of this study is to be able to extract lanthanum oxide from
monazite of Moemeik Myitsone Area. The treatment of monazite in
this study involves three main steps; extraction of lanthanum
hydroxide from monazite by using caustic soda, digestion with nitric
acid and precipitation with ammonium hydroxide and calcination of
lanthanum oxalate to lanthanum oxide.
Abstract: In order to improve control performance and eliminate steady, a coupling compensation for 6-DOF parallel robot is presented. Taking dynamic load Tank Simulator as the research object, this paper analyzes the coupling of 6-DOC parallel robot considering the degree of freedom of the 6-DOF parallel manipulator. The coupling angle and coupling velocity are derived based on inverse kinematics model. It uses the mechanism-model combined method which takes practical moving track that considering the performance of motion controller and motor as its input to make the study. Experimental results show that the coupling compensation improves motion stability as well as accuracy. Besides, it decreases the dither amplitude of dynamic load Tank Simulator.
Abstract: In this paper we study a system composed by carbon
nanotube (CNT) and bundle of carbon nanotube (BuCNT) interacting
with a specific fatty acid as molecular probe. Full system is
represented by open nanotube (or nanotubes) and the linoleic acid
(LA) relaxing due the interaction with CNT and BuCNT. The LA has
in his form an asymmetric shape with COOH termination provoking
a close BuCNT interaction mainly by van der Waals force field. The
simulations were performed by classical molecular dynamics with
standard parameterizations.
Our results show that these BuCNT and CNT are dynamically
stable and it shows a preferential interaction position with LA
resulting in three features: (i) when the LA is interacting with CNT
and BuCNT (including both termination, CH2 or COOH), the LA is
repelled; (ii) when the LA terminated with CH2 is closer to open
extremity of BuCNT, the LA is also repelled by the interaction
between them; and (iii) when the LA terminated with COOH is
closer to open extremity of BuCNT, the LA is encapsulated by the
BuCNT. These simulations are part of a more extensive work on
searching efficient selective molecular devices and could be useful to
reach this goal.
Abstract: In this work some characterizations of semi Riemannian curvature tensor on almost split quaternion Kaehler manifolds and some characterizations of Ricci tensor on almost split quaternion Kaehler manifolds are given.
Abstract: Random Forests are a powerful classification technique, consisting of a collection of decision trees. One useful feature of Random Forests is the ability to determine the importance of each variable in predicting the outcome. This is done by permuting each variable and computing the change in prediction accuracy before and after the permutation. This variable importance calculation is similar to a one-factor-at a time experiment and therefore is inefficient. In this paper, we use a regular fractional factorial design to determine which variables to permute. Based on the results of the trials in the experiment, we calculate the individual importance of the variables, with improved precision over the standard method. The method is illustrated with a study of student attrition at Monash University.
Abstract: In policy discourse of 1990s, more inclusive spaces
have been constructed for realizing full and meaningful participation
of common people in education. These participatory spaces provide
an alternative possibility for universalizing elementary education
against the backdrop of a history of entrenched forms of social and
economical exclusion; inequitable education provisions; and
shrinking role of the state in today-s neo-liberal times. Drawing on
case-studies of bottom-up approaches to school governance, the study
examines an array of innovative ways through which poor people
gained a sense of identity and agency by evolving indigenous
solutions to issues regarding schooling of their children. In the
process, state-s institutions and practices became more accountable
and responsive to educational concerns of the marginalized people.
The deliberative participation emerged as an active way of
experiencing deeper forms of empowerment and democracy than its
passive realization as mere bearers of citizen rights.
Abstract: The fluid mechanics principle is used extensively in
designing axial flow fans and their associated equipment. This paper presents a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling of air flow
distribution from a radiator axial flow fan used in an acid pump truck Tier4 (APT T4) Repower. This axial flow fan augments the transfer
of heat from the engine mounted on the APT T4.
CFD analysis was performed for an area weighted average static pressure difference at the inlet and outlet of the fan. Pressure contours, velocity vectors, and path lines were plotted for detailing
the flow characteristics for different orientations of the fan blade. The results were then compared and verified against known theoretical observations and actual experimental data. This study
shows that a CFD simulation can be very useful for predicting and understanding the flow distribution from a radiator fan for further
research work.
Abstract: In this paper, cloud resource broker using goalbased
request in medical application is proposed. To handle recent
huge production of digital images and data in medical informatics
application, the cloud resource broker could be used by medical
practitioner for proper process in discovering and selecting correct
information and application. This paper summarizes several
reviewed articles to relate medical informatics application with
current broker technology and presents a research work in applying
goal-based request in cloud resource broker to optimize the use of
resources in cloud environment. The objective of proposing a new
kind of resource broker is to enhance the current resource
scheduling, discovery, and selection procedures. We believed that
it could help to maximize resources allocation in medical
informatics application.
Abstract: Rural tourism has many economical, environmental, and socio-cultural benefits. However, the development of rural tourism compared to urban tourism is also faced with several challenges added to the disadvantages of rural tourism. The aim of this study is to design a model of the factors affecting the motivations of rural tourists, in an attempt to improve the understanding of rural tourism motivation for the development of that form of tourism. The proposed model is based on a sound theoretical framework. It was designed following a literature review of tourism motivation theoretical frameworks and of rural tourism motivation factors. The tourism motivation theoretical framework that fitted to the best all rural tourism motivation factors was then chosen as the basis for the proposed model. This study hence found that the push and pull tourism motivation framework and the inner and outer directed values theory are the most adequate theoretical frameworks for the modeling of rural tourism motivation.
Abstract: The social force model which belongs to the
microscopic pedestrian studies has been considered as the supremacy
by many researchers and due to the main feature of reproducing the
self-organized phenomena resulted from pedestrian dynamic. The
Preferred Force which is a measurement of pedestrian-s motivation to
adapt his actual velocity to his desired velocity is an essential term on
which the model was set up. This Force has gone through stages of
development: first of all, Helbing and Molnar (1995) have modeled
the original force for the normal situation. Second, Helbing and his
co-workers (2000) have incorporated the panic situation into this
force by incorporating the panic parameter to account for the panic
situations. Third, Lakoba and Kaup (2005) have provided the
pedestrians some kind of intelligence by incorporating aspects of the
decision-making capability. In this paper, the authors analyze the
most important incorporations into the model regarding the preferred
force. They make comparisons between the different factors of these
incorporations. Furthermore, to enhance the decision-making ability
of the pedestrians, they introduce additional features such as the
familiarity factor to the preferred force to let it appear more
representative of what actually happens in reality.
Abstract: In this research, we propose to use the discrete cosine
transform to approximate the cumulative distributions of data cube
cells- values. The cosine transform is known to have a good energy
compaction property and thus can approximate data distribution
functions easily with small number of coefficients. The derived
estimator is accurate and easy to update. We perform experiments to
compare its performance with a well-known technique - the (Haar)
wavelet. The experimental results show that the cosine transform
performs much better than the wavelet in estimation accuracy, speed,
space efficiency, and update easiness.
Abstract: Internet today has a huge impact on all aspects of life,
and also in the area of the broader context of democracy, politics and
politicians. If democracy is freedom of choice, there are a number of
conditions that can ensure in practice the freedom to be achieved and
realized. These preconditions must be achieved regardless of the
manner of voting. The key contribution of ICT to achieve freedom of
choice is that technology enables the correlation of the citizens and
elected representatives on the better way than it was possible without
the Internet. In this sense, we can say that the Internet and ICT are
changing significantly, and potentially improving the environment in
which democratic processes are taking place. This paper aims to
describe trends in use of ICT in democratic processes, and analyzes
the challenges for implementation of e-Democracy in Montenegro
Abstract: Natural resources management including water resources requires reliable estimations of time variant environmental parameters. Small improvements in the estimation of environmental parameters would result in grate effects on managing decisions. Noise reduction using wavelet techniques is an effective approach for preprocessing of practical data sets. Predictability enhancement of the river flow time series are assessed using fractal approaches before and after applying wavelet based preprocessing. Time series correlation and persistency, the minimum sufficient length for training the predicting model and the maximum valid length of predictions were also investigated through a fractal assessment.