Increasing the Safety of People Activity in Aggressive Potential Locations, Analyzed through the Probability Theory, Modeling/Simulation and Application in Underground Coal Mining

This paper deals with the increasing safety of working in aggressive potential locations, having SCADA system and WSN sensors, using a “probabilistic strategy” in comparison with a “deterministic” one, modeling/simulation and application in underground coal mining. In general, three conditions can be considered: 1) an unfriendly environment that facilitates the risk of accidents, 2) aggressive equipments that can compete to cause accidents and 3) the work security breaches that can cause accidents. These conditions define the triangle of accidents and are customized for an underground coal mining where the methane gas is released with the exploitation of the massive coal. In this case, the first two conditions create an explosive potential atmosphere. To allow people to work in a safe location it needs: first, a continuing monitoring through SCADA system of the explosive potential atmosphere and second, the use of antiexplosive equipment. This method, named “deterministic strategy”, increases the safety of working, but the explosions have not been completely eliminated. In order to increase the safety of working, the paper continues with the presentation of a new method based on hazard laws, named “probabilistic strategy”. This strategy was validated through modeling/simulation using CupCarbon software platform, and application of WSN networks implemented on Arduino equipments. At the end of the paper the interesting conclusions are emphases which are applicable to both strategies.

Dynamic Monitoring of Plant Cover and Soil Erosion Using Remote Sensing, Mathematical Modeling, Computer Simulation and GIS Techniques

Dynamic monitoring of plant cover and soil erosion often uses remote sensing data, especially for estimating the plant cover rate (vegetation coverage) by vegetation index. However, the latter is influenced by atmospheric effects and methods for correcting them are still imperfect and disputed. This research supposed and practiced an indirect, fast, and operational method to conduct atmospheric correction of images for getting comparable vegetation index values in different times. It tries to find a variable free from atmospheric effects, e.g., the mean vegetation coverage value of the whole study area, as a basis to reduce atmospheric correction parameters by establishing mathematical models and conducting simulation calculations. Using these parameters, the images can be atmospherically corrected. And then, the vegetation index and corresponding vegetation coverage values for all pixels, the vegetation coverage maps and coverage grade maps for different years were calculated, i.e., the plant cover monitoring was realized. Using the vegetation coverage grade maps and the ground slope grade map from a DEM to generate soil erosion grade maps for different years, the soil erosion monitoring was also realized. The results show that in the study area the vegetation coverage was the lowest in 1976, much better in 1989, but a bit worse again in 2001. Towards the soil erosion, it had been mitigated continuously from 1976 to 1989 and then to 2001. It is interesting that a little decrease of vegetation coverage from 1989 to 2001 did not lead to increase of soil erosion. The reason is that the decrease of vegetation coverage was chiefly caused by urbanization and thus mainly occurred in very gentle terrains, where soil erosion was naturally slight. The results clearly indicate the details of plant cover and soil erosion change in 25 years and also offer a scientific foundation for plant and soil conservation.

Modeling and Numerical Simulation of Wings Effect on Turbulent Flow between two contra-rotating cylinders

Many industries in the world take part in the pollution of the environment. This pollution often comes from the reactions of combustion. To optimize these reactions and to minimize pollution, turbulence is a funda- mental tool. Several factors are at the origin of turbulence in the complex flows, among these factors, we can quote the effect of wings in the rotating flows. The interest of this work is to model and to simulate numeri- cally the effect of wings on the level of turbulence in the flow between two contra-rotating cylinders. We have fixed on these two cylinders eight wings uniformly distributed and we have varied the height of the wings to have six values from 2 mm to 20 mm by maintaining the same Reynolds number of rotation. The numerical tool is based on a statistical model in a point using the closing of the second order of the transport equations of the Reynolds stresses (Reynolds Stress Model: RSM). We have modelled wings effect on the flow by a source term added to the equation tangential speed. The results of the numerical simulation showed that all the average and fluctuating variables are affected the value of the kinetic energy of turbulence as those of Reynolds stresses increase with the height of the wings.

Modeling and realization of real time electronic countermeasure simulation system based on SystemVue

In this paper,we proposed a new design scheme of real time electronic countermeasure simulation system.This paper mainly expounds the modeling and realization methods of each part of the whole simulation system,and the real-time property of system has been lucubrated.Electronic countermeasure simulation system is the key part of military training of individuals;it can also allow the realistic evaluation of the performance of modern equipments and techniques.As a proof,we have drawn up a series of simulation scenarios,such as radar electronic reconnaissance simulation scenario,to explain the feasibility and the superiority of our modeling scheme in this paper.

Towards Production and Energy Coupling System Modeling and Simulation for Energy Optimization in the Process Industry

The production and energy coupling system is used to mainly present energy flow, material flow, information flow, and their coupling interaction. Through the modeling and simulation of this system, the performance of energy flow can be analyzed and optimized in the process industry. In order to study this system, the component based hybrid Petri net methodology (CpnHPN) is proposed, synthesizing a number of extended Petri net methods and using the concept of energy place, material place, and information place. Through the interface place in CpnHPN, the component based encapsulation is established, which enables the production and energy coupling system to be built, analyzed, and optimized on the multi-level framework. Considering the block and brief simulation for hybrid system, the CpnHPN model is simulated with Simulink/Stateflow. To illustrate the use of the proposed methodology, the application of CpnHPN in the energy optimization of chlorine balance system is provided.

Robust Modeling, Sliding-Mode Controller, and Simulation of an Underactuated ROV Under Parametric Uncertainties and Disturbances

A dynamic model of a remotely operated vehicle(ROV)is developed.The hydrodynamic damping coefficients are estimated using a semi-predictive approach and computational fluid dynamic software ANSYS-CFX?and WAMIT?.A sliding-mode controller(SMC)is then designed for the ROV model.The controller is subsequently robustified against modeling uncertainties,disturbances,and measurement errors.It is shown that when the system is subjected to bounded uncertainties,the SMC will preserve stability and tracking response.The paper ends with simulation results for a variety of conditions such as disturbances and parametric uncertainties.

Numerical simulation of seismic damage and cracking of concrete slabs of high concrete face rockfill dams

Based on the damage constitutive model for concrete, the Weibull distribution function was used to characterize the random distribution of the mechanical properties of materials by finely subdividing concrete slab elements, and a concrete random mesoscopic damage model was established. The seismic response of a 100-m high concrete face rockfill dam(CFRD), subjected to ground motion with different intensities, was simulated with the three-dimensional finite element method(FEM), with emphasis on exploration of damage and the cracking process of concrete slabs during earthquakes as well as analysis of dynamic damage and cracking characteristics during strong earthquakes. The calculated results show that the number of damaged and cracking elements on concrete slabs grows with the duration of earthquakes. With increasing earthquake intensity, the damaged zone and cracking zone on concrete slabs grow wider. During a 7.0-magnitude earthquake, the stress level of concrete slabs is low for the CFRD, and there is almost no damage or slight damage to the slabs. While during a 9.0-magnitude strong earthquake, the percentages of damaged elements and macrocracking elements continuously ascend with the duration of the earthquake, peaking at approximately 26% and 5% at the end of the earthquake, respectively. The concrete random mesoscopic damage model can depict the entire process of sprouting, growing, connecting, and expanding of cracks on a concrete slab during earthquakes.

A Hybrid Local/Nonlocal Continuum Mechanics Modeling and Simulation of Fracture in Brittle Materials

Classical continuum mechanics which leads to a local continuum model,encounters challenges when the discontinuity appears,while peridynamics that falls into the category of nonlocal continuum mechanics suffers from a high computational cost.A hybrid model coupling classical continuum mechanics with peridynamics can avoid both disadvantages.This paper describes the hybrid model and its adaptive coupling approach which dynamically updates the coupling domains according to crack propagations for brittle materials.Then this hybrid local/nonlocal continuum model is applied to fracture simulation.Some numerical examples like a plate with a hole,Brazilian disk,notched plate and beam,are performed for verification and validation.In addition,a peridynamic software is introduced,which was recently developed for the simulation of the hybrid local/nonlocal continuum model.

Modeling and Simulation of Two-Staged Separation Process for an Onshore Early Production Facility

Early Production Facilities are makeshift process deployment that ensures that marginal oilfield operators make revenues from their new discoveries with little cash outlay and limited investment risks. Authors have in past simulated a gas process facility using Hysys without particularly developing mathematical models for the key equipment. There also has been modeling of phase separation dynamics and process simulation but still without models for equipment. We basically developed models for the critical process equipment for early production, sized the equipment with data from a marginal field in the Niger delta region of Nigeria and then ran a dynamic simulation with the sized equipment. The important elements of the deployment are two-phase process vessel, 3-phase process vessel;knock-out drum, produced water treatment unit. Mathematical models were developed and adapted with Mathlab for the equipment sizing whilst ASPEN PLUS was used for simulating the process. Process data retrieved from a marginal field in Nigeria was used as input to quantify the equipment models. Sized equipment was deployed in Hysys V8.8 for a steady and dynamic state. The system simulation was comprised of a two-phase process vessel followed by a 3-phase process vessel [1]. The unwanted gas was sent to knock out drum for removal of entrained liquid droplets before flaring (this was because the volume of gas processed is deemed uneconomical) and produced water to treatment unit for removing droplets of oil before disposal. Gas, oil and water were fed into the first stage separator (2-phase) at 132918.34 Ibmole/hr, 7622.95 Ibmole/hr and 1082.74 Ibmole/hr respectively. The operating pressures of the first and second vessels were at 850 psi and 150 psi respectively. The 2-phase vessel flashed off 96.7% of the gas and increased the liquid recovery by 3.3%. At the end of the second stage separation, oil yield increased by 270 Ibmole/hr, the gas increased by 110.15 Ibmole/hr whilst water reduced by 379 Ibmole/hr. This result confirmed that the vessels were sized to optimize recovery of hydrocarbons entrained in the various phases into the most required oil phase.

Sauna Technique, Drying Kinetic Modeling and Effectiveness on Solar Drying Compared with Direct Drying in Drying Process of <i>Kappaphycus striatum</i>in Selakan Island Malaysia

A sauna drying technique—the solar drier was designed and imposed, constructed and tested for drying of seaweed. The seaweed moisture content was decreased around 50% in 2-day sauna. Kinetic curves of drying of seaweed were known to be used in this system. The non-linear regression procedure was used to fit three different drying models. The models were compared with experimental data of red seaweed being dried on the daily average of air temperature about 40℃. The fit quality of the models was evaluated using the coefficient of determination (R2), Mean Bias Error (MBE) and Root Mean Square Error (RMSE). The highest values of R2 (0.99027), the lowest MBE (0.00044) and RMSE (0.03039) indicated that the Page model was the best mathematical model to describe the drying behavior of sauna dried seaweed. The percentage of the saved time using this technique was calculated at 57.9% on the average solar radiation of about 500 W/m2 and air flow rate of 0.056 kg/s.

Hydrate agglomeration modeling and pipeline hydrate slurry flow behavior simulation

Dynamic modeling and numerical simulation of hydrate slurry flow behavior are of great importance to offshore hydrate management.For this purpose, a dynamic model of hydrate agglomeration was proposed in this paper.Based on population balance equation, the frame of the dynamic model was established first, which took both hydrate agglomeration and hydrate breakage into consideration.Then, the calculating methods of four key parameters involved in the dynamic model were given according to hydrate agglomeration dynamics.The four key parameters are collision frequency, agglomeration efficiency, breakage frequency and the size distribution of sub particles resulting from particle breakage.After the whole dynamic model was built, it was combined with several traditional solid–liquid flow models and then together solved by the CFD software FLUENT 14.5.Finally, using this method, the influences of flow rate and hydrate volume fraction on hydrate particle size distribution, hydrate volume concentration distribution and pipeline pressure drop were simulated and analyzed.

Nonlinear mixed-effects height to crown base and crown length dynamic models using the branch mortality technique for a Korean larch( Larix olgensis ) plantations in northeast China

Korean larch(Larix olgensis)is one of the main tree species for aff orestation and timber production in northeast China.However,its timber quality and growth ability are largely infl uenced by crown size,structure and shape.The majority of crown models are static models based on tree size and stand characteristics from temporary sample plots,but crown dynamic models has seldom been constructed.Therefore,this study aimed to develop height to crown base(HCB)and crown length(CL)dynamic models using the branch mortality technique for a Korean larch plantation.The nonlinear mixed-eff ects model with random eff ects,variance functions and correlation structures,was used to build HCB and CL dynamic models.The data were obtained from 95 sample trees of 19 plots in Meng JiaGang forest farm in Northeast China.The results showed that HCB progressively increases as tree age,tree height growth(HT growth)and diameter at breast height growth(DBH growth).The CL was increased with tree age in 20 years ago,and subsequently stabilized.HT growth,DBH growth stand basal area(BAS)and crown competition factor(CCF)signifi cantly infl uenced HCB and CL.The HCB was positively correlated with BAS,HT growth and DBH growth,but negatively correlated with CCF.The CL was positively correlated with BAS and CCF,but negatively correlated with DBH growth.Model fi tting and validation confi rmed that the mixed-eff ects model considering the stand and tree level random eff ects was accurate and reliable for predicting the HCB and CL dynamics.However,the models involving adding variance functions and time series correlation structure could not completely remove heterogeneity and autocorrelation,and the fi tting precision of the models was reduced.Therefore,from the point of view of application,we should take care to avoid setting up over-complex models.The HCB and CL dynamic models in our study may also be incorporated into stand growth and yield model systems in China.

The Trends and Tasks of Modeling and Simulation for Reduction of Heat Treatment Distortion

The development of simulation model and benchmark work have expanded in the past decade and many models and soft ware are introduced. The leading software "Hearts’ developed by Prof Inoue[1] and several other have proved the effectiveness as the pre-production simulation work at many part of heat treatment processes[2-10]. Although, numerous other models and simulation studies dealt with many fundamental factors are reported at many conferences except very few models have not completed three dimensional computation methods, or lack of validation work to evaluate their tools exactly. In this paper, several distortion case studies will be introduced and the needs of fundamental study of distortion and internationally collaborative program on model evaluation and construction of materials database are proposed.

Epileptic brain network mechanisms and neuroimaging techniques for the brain network

Epilepsy can be defined as a dysfunction of the brain network,and each type of epilepsy involves different brain-network changes that are implicated diffe rently in the control and propagation of interictal or ictal discharges.Gaining more detailed information on brain network alterations can help us to further understand the mechanisms of epilepsy and pave the way for brain network-based precise therapeutic approaches in clinical practice.An increasing number of advanced neuroimaging techniques and electrophysiological techniques such as diffusion tensor imaging-based fiber tra ctography,diffusion kurtosis imaging-based fiber tractography,fiber ball imagingbased tra ctography,electroencephalography,functional magnetic resonance imaging,magnetoencephalography,positron emission tomography,molecular imaging,and functional ultrasound imaging have been extensively used to delineate epileptic networks.In this review,we summarize the relevant neuroimaging and neuroelectrophysiological techniques for assessing structural and functional brain networks in patients with epilepsy,and extensively analyze the imaging mechanisms,advantages,limitations,and clinical application ranges of each technique.A greater focus on emerging advanced technologies,new data analysis software,a combination of multiple techniques,and the construction of personalized virtual epilepsy models can provide a theoretical basis to better understand the brain network mechanisms of epilepsy and make surgical decisions.

Modeling and Simulation of Adaptive Surface Tracked Vehicle Based on RecurDyn

In order to improve the adaptability of the tracked vehicle in the road and strengthen the grip of the tracked vehicle, a track surface adaptive mechanism was provided. In theory, it has been proved practically. Meanwhile, RecurDyn, which is a multi-body kinematics software, was used to build a multi-body soft hybrid model, based on structure, elasticity, linear damping adaptive tracked vehicle;meanwhile the model was used to carry on the kinematics simulation. Through the comparison between simulated motion trail and that of traditional motion trail, this paper analyzed the deviation of the motion trail and also simulated the motion trail of the warped surface so as to test the adaptive ability of the mechanism. According to the results, the adaptive mechanism was equipped with great surface adaptability. It can also adapt to the complex warped surface, and enjoy a damping effect.

The assessment of time dependent flow of Williamson fluid with radiative blood flow against a wedge

The present pagination reports both Brownian diffusion and thermophoresis aspects subject to magneto hydrodynamic Williamson fluid model.Assuming the flow is unsteady and blood is treated as Williamson fluid over a wedge with radiation.The governing equations are transformed into ordinary differential equations by using similarity variables.The analytical solutions of the transformed governing equations are obtained by using the RK 4th order method along with shooting technique solver.The effects of various physical parameters such as Hartmann number,local Weissenberg number,radiation parameter,unsteadiness parameter,Prandtl number,Lewis number,Brownian diffusion,thermophoresis,wedge angle parameter,moving wedge parameter,on velocity,temperature,concentration,skin friction,heat transfer rate and mass transfer rate have been discussed in detail.The velocity and temperature profile deprives for larger We and an opposite trend is observed for concentration.The radiation parameter is propositional to temperature and a counter behaviour is observed for Pr.

A comparison of piecewise cubic Hermite interpolating polynomials,cubic splines and piecewise linear functions for the approximation of projectile aerodynamics

Modelling and simulation of projectile flight is at the core of ballistic computer software and is essential to the study of performance of rifles and projectiles in various engagement conditions.An effective and representative numerical model of projectile flight requires a relatively good approximation of the aerodynamics.The aerodynamic coefficients of the projectile model should be described as a series of piecewise polynomial functions of the Mach number that ideally meet the following conditions:they are continuous,differentiable at least once,and have a relatively low degree.The paper provides the steps needed to generate such piecewise polynomial functions using readily available tools,and then compares Piecewise Cubic Hermite Interpolating Polynomial(PCHIP),cubic splines,and piecewise linear functions,and their variant,as potential curve fitting methods to approximate the aerodynamics of a generic small arms projectile.A key contribution of the paper is the application of PCHIP to the approximation of projectile aerodynamics,and its evaluation against a set of criteria.Finally,the paper provides a baseline assessment of the impact of the polynomial functions on flight trajectory predictions obtained with 6-degree-of-freedom simulations of a generic projectile.

Experimental optimization and mathematical modeling of supercritical carbon dioxide extraction of essential oil from Pogostemon cablin

The supercritical carbon dioxide extraction was applied to obtain essential oil from Pogostemon cablin in this work.Effect of extraction parameters including temperature,pressure,extraction time and particle size on extraction yield was investigated,and the response surface methodology with a Box–Behnken Design was used to achieve the optimized extraction conditions.The maximum yield of essential oil was 2.4356%under the conditions of extraction temperature 47°C,pressure 24.5 MPa and extraction time 119 min.Moreover,based on the Brunauer–Emmett–Teller theory of adsorption,a mathematical modeling was performed to correlate the measured data.The model shows a function relationship between extraction yield and time by a simple equation with three significantly adjustable parameters.These model parameters have been optimized through simulated annealing algorithm.The predicted data from the mathematical model show a good agreement with the experimental data of the different extraction parameters.

Assessing Lysine Requirement of Growing Chicken by Direct Comparison between Supplementation Technique and “Goettingen Approach”

Validated procedures play an important role to obtain accurate information about individual amino acid requirement data. The aim of the present study was to assess lysine (Lys) requirement of growing chicken both by classical supplementation technique and principles of diet dilution technique as applied with “Goettingen approach”. During the starter period (1 - 21 d), a growth study with male meat type chicken (Ross 308) was conducted making use of five graded dietary Lys-levels (3 repetition boxes with 3 birds/box). L-Lys×HCl was gradually added to a diet based on wheat, soybean protein concentrate, wheat gluten and fishmeal to yield 80%, 87.5%, 95%, 102.5% and 110% of the expected requirement level (13 g Lys/kg as fed). Diets were iso-energetic (12.8 MJME/kg) and iso-nitrogenous (21.65% crude protein). Birds were fed on free choice level also to assess the feed intake (FI) effects as important factor on traditional response criteria. Analyzed body composition at start and end of the growth study yielded N deposition (ND) data for further data assessment using exponential approximations depending on dietary Lys content or observed Lys intake. The results indicated significant differences (p < 0.05) in response on body weight gain (BWG) and observed dietary protein quality with unexpected consequences for the derived Lys requirement data. According to the independent variable (Lys in % of diet versus daily Lys intake) and aimed level of daily ND, the needed in-feed content of Lys varied between 1.24% and 1.46%. Application of the exponential modelling by “Goettingen approach” overcame these misleading conclusions by modelling the relationship between required Lys intake and observed response data (BWG, ND) taking also into account the expected real feed intake to formulate the needed in-feed concentration.

A state-of-the-art review on single drop study in liquid–liquid extraction:Experiments and simulations

The experimental and numerical investigations of single drop in liquid/liquid extraction system have been reviewed with particular focus on experimental techniques and computational fluid dynamic simulation approaches.Comprehensive surveys of available experimental techniques and numerical approaches for single drop rising and falling were given.Subsequently,single drop mass transfer was also reviewed both experimentally and numerically.Additionally,single drop breakage and coalescence process and the influencing factors were summarized and compared,so as to establish sub-models for population balance model.Future directions on single drop mass transfer,drop breakage and coalescence were suggested.It is believed that the single drop is a powerful tool to assist extraction process design from lab-scale to pilot-scale.