Prediction Model of Wax Deposition Rate in Waxy Crude Oil Pipelines by Elman Neural Network Based on Improved Reptile Search Algorithm

A hard problem that hinders the movement of waxy crude oil is wax deposition in oil pipelines.To ensure the safe operation of crude oil pipelines,an accurate model must be developed to predict the rate of wax deposition in crude oil pipelines.Aiming at the shortcomings of the ENN prediction model,which easily falls into the local minimum value and weak generalization ability in the implementation process,an optimized ENN prediction model based on the IRSA is proposed.The validity of the new model was confirmed by the accurate prediction of two sets of experimental data on wax deposition in crude oil pipelines.The two groups of crude oil wax deposition rate case prediction results showed that the average absolute percentage errors of IRSA-ENN prediction models is 0.5476% and 0.7831%,respectively.Additionally,it shows a higher prediction accuracy compared to the ENN prediction model.In fact,the new model established by using the IRSA to optimize ENN can optimize the initial weights and thresholds in the prediction process,which can overcome the shortcomings of the ENN prediction model,such as weak generalization ability and tendency to fall into the local minimum value,so that it has the advantages of strong implementation and high prediction accuracy.

Challenges and opportunities in the production of magnesium parts by directed energy deposition processes

Mg-alloys have gained considerable attention in recent years for their outstanding properties such as lightweight,high specific strength,and corrosion resistance,making them attractive for applications in medical,aerospace,automotive,and other transport industries.However,their widespread application is hindered by their low formability at room temperature due to limited slip systems.Cast Mg-alloys have low mechanical properties due to the presence of casting defects such as porosity and anisotropy in addition to the high scrap.While casting methods benefit from established process optimization techniques for these problems,additive manufacturing methods are increasingly replacing casting methods in Mg alloys as they provide more precise control over the microstructure and allow specific grain orientations,potentially enabling easier optimization of anisotropy properties in certain applications.Although metal additive manufacturing(MAM)technology also results in some manufacturing defects such as inhomogeneous microstructural evolution and porosity and additively manufactured Mg alloy parts exhibit lower properties than the wrought parts,they in general exhibit superior properties than the cast counterparts.Thus,MAM is a promising technique to produce Mg alloy parts.Directed energy deposition processes,particularly wire arc directed energy deposition(WA-DED),have emerged as an advantageous additive manufacturing(AM)technique for metallic materials including magnesium alloys,offering advantages such as high deposition rates,improved material efficiency,and reduced production costs compared to subtractive processes.However,the inherent challenges associated with magnesium,such as its high reactivity and susceptibility to oxidation,pose unique hurdles in the application of this technology.This review paper delves into the progress made in the application of DED technology to Mg-alloys,its challenges,and prospects.Furthermore,the predominant imperfections,notably inhomogeneous microstructure evolution and porosity,observed in Mg-alloy components manufactured through DED are discussed.Additionally,the preventive measures implemented to counteract the formation of these defects are explored.

Investigation on the deposition rate and the dilution ratio of plasma surface welding

A new kind of plasma technology with both high deposition rate and low dilution ratio was developed under the calculation and analysis of the arc flame characteristics of plasma arc,the kinematics behavior of powder and powder's heating in the arc. Compared with normal plasma surfacing method, the idea using constricting nozzle with small orifice diameter, long plasma arc and increasing the distance from meeting point of the two beams of powder to workpiece, to achieve the goals of high deposition rate and low dilution ratio, was put forward here. In order to prove this idea, a set of experimental system was built up and obtained satisfied results including high deposition rate(more than 25 kg/h )and low dilution ratio(less than 5%). The success of this study offers a promising prospect for developing the powder plasma surface welding in China and may open a way to improve this technology further in efficiency and quality.

Analysis on Suspended Sediment Deposition Rate for Muddy Coast of Reclaimed Land

A new expression for calculating suspended fine-sediment deposition rate is developed based on theoretic analysis and experiments. The resulting equation is applied to simulation of fine sediment deposition in the reclaimed land in the Hangzhou Bay, China. The hydrodynamic environment in this area is solved by use of a long wave model, which gives the 2D-velocity field and considers bathymetric changes due to fine sediment deposition. The expression is proved convenient to use in engineering practice, and the predicted deposition rate agrees with the annual data available from field measurements from the first year to the third year after the construction of the long groin as a reclaiming method.

Effect of deposition rate on microstructure and mechanical properties of wire arc additive manufacturing of Ti-6Al-4V components

Wire arc additive manufacturing(WAAM)is a novel manufacturing technique by which high strength metal components can be fabricated layer by layer using an electric arc as the heat source and metal wire as feedstock,and offers the potential to produce large dimensional structures at much higher build rate and minimum waste of raw material.In the present work,a cold metal transfer(CMT)based additive manufacturing was carried out and the effect of deposition rate on the microstructure and mechanical properties of WAAM Ti-6Al-4V components was investigated.The microstructure of WAAM components showed similar microstructural morphology in all deposition conditions.When the deposition rate increased from 1.63 to 2.23 kg/h,the ultimate tensile strength(UTS)decreased from 984.6 MPa to 899.2 MPa and the micro-hardness showed a scattered but clear decline trend.

Online evaluation of electroless deposition rate by electrochemical noise method

Continuous noise resistance calculation(CNRC)technique was used for online determination of the electroless nickel deposition rate on zirconium pretreated magnesium alloy.For this purpose,the noise resistance(R_n) variation with time was calculated for the pretreated alloy surface in the electroless plating solution.The CNRC results were described by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy(EDS)and scanning electron microscopy(SEM)techniques.Also,potentiodynamic polarization and gravimetric measurements were used for determination of the electroless deposition rate at the same time period and the results were compared with the CNRC results.The Rn variation with plating time shows that the electroless plating consists of different stages with various deposition rates.The results of the CNRC and polarization methods were not in acceptable agreement due to the limitations of the polarization method for online monitoring of the deposition rate.However,the results of the gravimetric measurements were in complete agreement with the CNRC technique and so,the CNRC can be considered as suitable tool for online evaluation of the electroless deposition rate.

Research on deposition rate of TiZrV/Pd film by DC magnetron sputtering method

An accelerator storage ring needs clean ultrahigh vacuum.A TiZrV non-evaporable getter(NEG) film deposited on interior walls of the chamber can realize distributed pumping,effective vacuum improvement and reduced longitudinal pressure gradient.But accumulation of pollutants such as N_2 and O_2 will decrease the adsorption ability of the NEG,leading to a reduction of NEG lifetime.Therefore,an NEG thin film coated with a layer of Pd,which has high diffusion rate and absorption ability for H_2,can extend the service life of NEG and improve the pumping rate of H_2 as well.In this paper,with argon as discharge gas,a magnetron sputtering method is adopted to prepare TiZrV-Pd films in a long straight pipe.By SEM measurement,deposition rates of TiZrV-Pd films are analyzed under different deposition parameters,such as magnetic field strength,gas flow rate,discharge current,discharge voltage and working pressure.By comparing the experimental results with the simulation results based on Sigmund's theory,the Pd deposition rate C can be estimated by the sputtered depth.

Deposition rate and morphology of carbon nanotubes at different positions in a CVD reactor

Carbon nanotubes （CNTs） were synthesized through the catalytic decomposition of a ferrocene-xylene mixture in a horizontal chemical vapor deposition reactor. The deposition rate of CNTs along the axial direction was measured. The morphology of CNTs was observed by scanning electron microscopy （SEM） and transmission electron microscopy （TEM）. The results showed that the deposition rate of CNTs along the axial direction first increased and later decreased, the position achieving the maximum deposition rate was influenced by the operating conditions. The morphologies of CNTs also changed along the axial direction.

Effect of Substrate Bias on Microstructures of Zirconia Thin Films Deposited by Cathodic Vacuum Arc

Zirconium oxide （Zr02） thin films are deposited at room temperature by cathodic arc at substrate biases of 0 V, -60 V and -120 V, respectively. The crystal structure, composition, morphology, and deposition rate of the as-deposited thin films are systematically investigated by x-ray diffraction, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy （XPS） as well as scanning electron microscopy. The results show that the crystal structure, morphology and deposition rate of the films all are dependant on substrate bias. With the increase of bias voltage from 0 V to -120 V, the zirconium oxide thin film grown on silicon wafer first exhibits monoclinic lattice and tetragonal lattice, further evolves monoclinic phase with the preferred orientation along the （-111） and （-222） directions at -60 V and finally along nearly one observed preferred （002） direction under -120 V. In addition, the variations of morphology with bias voltage are correlated to changes of the film structure. The results of XPS demonstrate that Zr elements are almost oxidized completely in the films achieved under -120 V bias.

Effect of frequency and pulse-on time of high power impulse magnetron sputtering on deposition rate and morphology of titanium nitride using response surface methodology

Titanium nitride thin films were deposited on silicon by high power impulse magnetron sputtering(HiPIMS)method at different frequencies(162-637 Hz)and pulse-on time(60-322μs).Response surface methodology(RSM)was employed to study the simultaneous effect of frequency and pulse-on time on the current waveforms and the crystallographic orientation,microstructure,and in particular,the deposition rate of titanium nitride at constant time and average power equal to 250 W.The crystallographic structure and morphology of deposited films were analyzed using XRD and FESEM,respectively.It is found that the deposition rate of HiPIMS samples is tremendously dependent on pulse-on time and frequency of pulses where the deposition rate changes from 4.5 to 14.5 nm/min.The regression equations and analyses of variance(ANOVA)reveal that the maximum deposition rate(equal to(17±0.8)nm/min)occurs when the frequency is 537 Hz and pulse-on time is 212μs.The experimental measurement of the deposition rate under this condition gives rise to the deposition rate of 16.7 nm/min that is in good agreement with the predicted value.

Spatial and temporal gradients in the rate of dust deposition and aerosol optical thickness in southwestern Iran

The southwestern Iran is one of the regions that are most prone to dust events.The objective of this study is the analysis of the spatial and temporal distributions of dust deposition rate as a key factor for finding the relative impact of the dust.First,the monthly mean aerosol optical thickness(AOT)from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer(MODIS)was analyzed and compared with the dust amount variations from ground deposition rate(GDR),and the results were further used to investigate the spatial and temporal distributions of dust events in southwestern Iran for the period between 2014 and 2015.Moving air mass trajectories,using the Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory(HYSPLIT)model,were proven to be a discriminator of their local and regional origin.The results from GDR analysis produced a correlation coefficient between dust event history and deposition rates at dust magnitudes of>0.93 that is meaningful at the 95%confidence level.Furthermore,the deposition rates varied from 3 g/m2 per month in summer to 10 g/m2 per month in spring and gave insight into the transport direction of the dust.Within the same time series,AOT correspondences with MODIS on Terra in four aerosol thickness layers(clean,thin,thick,and strong thick)were shown in relation to each other.The deepest mixed layers were observed in spring and summer with a thickness of approximately 3500 m above ground level in the study area.Investigations of ground-based observations were correlated with the same variations for each aerosol thickness layer from MODIS images and they can be applied to discriminate layers of aeolian dust from layers of other aerosols.Together,dust distribution plots from AOT participated to enhance mass calculations and estimation deposition rates from the thick and strong thick aerosol thickness layers using the results from GDR.Despite all the advances of AOT,under certain circumstances,ground-based observations are better able to represent aerosol conditions over the study area,which were tested in southwestern Iran,even though the low number of observations is a commonly acknowledged drawback of GDR.

Selective Area Growth and Characterization of GaN Nanorods Fabricated by Adjusting the Hydrogen Flow Rate and Growth Temperature with Metal Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition

CaN nanorods are successfully fabricated by adjusting the flow rate ratio of hydrogen （H2）/nitrogen （N2） and growth temperature of the selective area growth （SAG） method with metal organic chemical vapor deposition （MOCVD）. The SAG template is obtained by nanospherical-lens photolithography. It is found that increasing the flow rate of 1-12 will change the CaN crystal shape from pyramid to vertical rod, while increasing the growth temperature will reduce the diameters of GaN rods to nanometer scale. Finally the CaN nanorods with smooth lateral surface and relatively good quality are obtained under the condition that the H2：N2 ratio is 1：1 and the growth temperature is 1030℃. The good crystal quality and orientation of GaN nanorods are confirmed by high resolution transmission electron microscopy. The cathodoluminescence spectrum suggests that the crystal and optical quality is also improved with increasing the temperature.

Tests on Application of Soil Magnetic and Integrated Gamma Ray TLD and TC Methods to the Exploration of Sandstone-Type Uranium Deposits

This paper introduces the test results of the soil magnetic survey and the integrated gamma-ray TLD and TC methods for sandstone-type uranium exploration and describes the prospecting mechanism. The tests have proved that these approaches have yielded good results on classifying the sedimentary facies, defining the redox transitional zones and reflecting deep mineralization information. They may probably become new methods on searching for sandstone-type uranium deposits.

Effect of Rare Earth Elements on Depositing Rate of Nickel Alloy Brush Plating Coatings

The effect of four kinds of rare earth elements on the depositing rate of Ni-based alloy brush plating coatings was investigated. The results indicate that all of the selected rare earth elements increase the depositing rate of Ni-based alloy coatings, and Sm increases the depositing rate most obviously. There is an optimum amount of rare earth addition in the plating solution. With the change of plating voltage to a certain extent, the results reveal no differences. The mechanism of the increase of the depositing rate was analyzed.

Optimization of the Deposition Rate of Tungsten Inert Gas Mild Steel Using Response Surface Methodology

In welding, so many factors contribute to good quality welds. The deposition rate is the rate of weld metal deposit at fusion zone during welding, which also is a key factors affecting the quality of welded joints. Too high or low deposition rate compromises the integrity of weld. This study was carried out with the aim of providing an approach for producing better weldments by optimizing and predicting deposition rate of low carbon steel using Response Surface Methodology (RSM). 30 sets of experiments were done, adopting the central composite experimental design. The tungsten inert gas welding equipment was used to produce the welded joints. Argon gas was supplied to the welding process to shield the weld from atmospheric interference. Mild steel coupons measuring 60 × 40 × 10 mm was used for the experiments. The results obtained show that the voltage and current have very strong influence on the deposition rate. The models developed possess a variance inflation factor of 1. And P-value is less than 0.05, indicating that the model is significant. The models also possessed a high goodness of fit with R2 (Coefficient of determination) values of 91%. The model produced numerically obtained optimal solution of current of 160.00 Amp, voltage of 20 volts and a gas flow rate of 17 L/min produces a welded material having deposition rate of 0.4637 kg/hr. This solution was selected by design expert as the optimal solution with a desirability value of 98.8%. A weld simulation using the optimum value obtained produced a weld with good quality.

A Model of Interest Rate and Loan Covenant Competition

This paper develops a model where two lenders to subprime borrowers compete with the interest rates charged and the severity of loan covenants. The model has a stable equilibrium, which demonstrates how an increase in the number of borrowers or an increase in the cost of meeting covenants will reduce the severity of the covenants required by lenders, and each of these changes will increase the difference in the severity of the loan covenant levels. An increase in the expected losses to the lender from relaxing covenants will increase the severity of loan covenants, and this will also make the levels of severity more dispersed. Additional analysis demonstrates how exogenous shifts affect the interest rates charged by the lenders and their profits

The Effects of Intangible Assets （IA） on the Loan Interest Rates for Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises （SMEs） in Taiwan

This study is motivated by the lack of direct empirical research on the relationship between intangible assets （IA） and loan interest rates for small- and medium-sized enterprises （SMEs） in emerging markets. This study uses a multivariate regression to investigate the effects of 1A on loan interest rates by focusing on SMEs. Using a panel sample of 186 publicly-listed SMEs with 952 annual observations in Taiwan from 2001 to 2006, the empirical findings indicate that an SME＇s IA does negatively affect loan interest rates. The main contribution of this study lies in its direct testing of whether IA can affect the loan interest rates for SMEs in an emerging market. The finding provides empirical evidence that an SME with greater IA leads to lower interest rates on bank loans, implying that SMEs should strive to invest in IA and enhance their knowledge management for obtaining more benefits of loan interest rates. Furthermore, the findings may provide empirical evidence for SMEs in emerging markets and can be compared with those for firms in industrialized economies.

Mineral occurrence for Dachang gold deposit and its impact on gold recovery rate in Qumarleb County,Qinghai

Based on X-ray diffraction,optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy analysis of the Dachang gold ore,it is showed that the sulfide of ore is the main carrier minerals of gold. A majority of gold is embedded in pyrite and tetrahedrite as the form of inclusion and a small amount intergrowth with pyrite and gangue mineral,occasionally the presence is in form of monomer natural gold. The main factors which influence the recovery rate are sulfide mineral particle size,and the fine grained sulfide is beneficial for the dissociation and flotation of gold bearing minerals. The monomer dissociation degree of gold bearing minerals can reach91. 3%,when the grinding fineness is less than 0. 074 mm and grain level accounts as 80%. It is not conducive to the flotation of sulfide if the grinding fineness is low or high. It is difficult to completely dissociate the monomer if there is a small amount of pyrite and arsenopyrite in the ore. Therefore,before leaching the gold,it must conduct pretreatment to reach the ideal recovery rate of the gold,like roasting oxidation,pressure oxidation and biological oxidation. The fine microscopic gold has little influence on the gold recovery rate.

Effects of Temperature on the Deposition Rate of Supersaturated Silicic Acid on Ca-type Bentonite Tsuyoshi Sasagawa, Taiji Chida and Yuichi Niibori

Na-type bentonite is commonly used as a tunnel backfilling material to prevent groundwater and radionuclide migration during the construction of a geological disposal system for high-level radioactive waste in Japan. However, host rock fractures with strong water flow can develop groundwater paths in the backfilling material. Especially, the alteration to Ca-type bentonite causes degradation of the barrier performance and accelerates the development of groundwater paths. Additionally, using cementitious materials gradually changes pH between 13 and 8. High alkaline groundwater results in high solubility of silicic acid; therefore, silicic acid is eluted from the host rock. Downstream, in the low alkaline area, the groundwater becomes supersaturated in silicic acid. This acid is deposited on Ca-type bentonite, thus leading to the clogging of the groundwater paths. In the present study, we investigate the silicic acid deposition rate on Ca-type bentonite under 288-323 K for depths greater or equal to 500 m. The results indicate that temperature does not affect the silicic acid deposition rate up to 323 K. However, in this temperature range, the deposition of silicic acid on Ca-type bentonite in backfilled tunnels results in clogging of the flow paths.

氧化亚铜改性四针状氧化锌晶须表面及其光催化性能研究

本文采用简便的液相还原法以乙二醇(EG)为还原剂,聚乙烯吡咯烷酮(PVP)为表面活性剂,制备了Cu_(2)O/T-ZnOw复合半导体催化剂样品,对样品的物相、微观形貌、禁带宽度、光致发光性能、光催化性能,以及可回收利用性能进行了详细研究。结果表明:随着PVP添加量的增加,四针状氧化锌晶须(T-ZnOw)表面沉积的Cu_(2)O由立方体形逐渐向球形转变;T-ZnOw表面沉积Cu_(2)O后可使半导体催化剂的禁带宽度(Eg)变窄,且能有效减少光生电子和空穴对的复合,使其光催化活性得到明显改善,紫外光照100 min时复合半导体催化剂对甲基橙(MO)溶液的降解率均提高到90%以上;复合催化剂中Cu_(2)O形貌不同其光催化活性有所差异,同等条件下,立方体形Cu_(2)O/T-ZnOw复合催化剂比球形Cu_(2)O/T-ZnOw表现出更好的光催化活性;同时复合催化剂样品展现出良好的可回收利用性能,经过六个周期的回收循环光催化降解试验后,样品对MO溶液的降解率仍能保持在80%以上。