Permeability evolution mechanism and the optimum permeability determination of uranium leaching from low-permeability sandstone treated with low-frequency vibration

Low-frequency vibrations can effectively improve natural sandstone permeability,and higher vibration frequency is associated with larger permeability.However,the optimum permeability and permeability evolution mechanism for uranium leaching and the relationship between permeability and the change of chemical reactive rate affecting uranium leaching have not been determined.To solve the above problems,in this study,identical homogeneous sandstone samples were selected to simulate lowpermeability sandstone;a permeability evolution model considering the combined action of vibration stress,pore water pressure,water flow impact force,and chemical erosion was established;and vibration leaching experiments were performed to test the model accuracy.Both the permeability and chemical reactions were found to simultaneously restrict U6þleaching,and the vibration treatment increased the permeability,causing the U6þleaching reaction to no longer be diffusion-constrained but to be primarily controlled by the reaction rate.Changes of the model calculation parameters were further analyzed to determine the permeability evolution mechanism under the influence of vibration and chemical erosion,to prove the correctness of the mechanism according to the experimental results,and to develop a new method for determining the optimum permeability in uranium leaching.The uranium leaching was found to primarily follow a process consisting of(1)a permeability control stage,(2)achieving the optimum permeability,(3)a chemical reactive rate control stage,and(4)a channel flow stage.The resolution of these problems is of great significance for facilitating the application and promotion of lowfrequency vibration in the CO_(2)+O_(2) leaching process.

Optimum Design of Stair-Climbing Robots Using Taguchi Method

Environmental issues like pollution are major threats to human health.Many systems are developed to reduce pollution.In this paper,an optimal mobile robot design to reduce pollution in Green supply chain management system.Green supply chain management involves as similating environmentally and eco-nomically feasible solutions into the supply chain life-cycle.Smartness,advanced technologies,and advanced networks are becoming pillars of a sustainable supply chain management system.At the same time,there is much change happening in the logistics industry.They are moving towards a new logistics model.In the new model,robotic logistics has a vital role.The reasons for this change are the rapid growth of the e-commerce business and the shortage of workers.The advantages of using robotic logistics are reduction in human errors,faster delivery speed,better customer satisfaction,more safety for workers,and high workforce adaptability.A robot with rocker-bogie suspension is a six-wheeled mobile platform that has a distinctive potential to keep all wheels on the ground continuously.It has been designed to traverse rough and uneven terrain by distributing the load over its wheels equally.However,there is a limitation to achieving high-speed mobility against vertical barriers.In this research,an optimal design of product delivery wheeled robots for a sustainable supply chain system is proposed to ensure higher adaptability and maximum stability during climbing staircases.The design parameters of the proposed robot are optimized using Taguchi Method.The aim is to get a smooth trajectory of the robot’s center-of-mass.The proposed approach realizes a robot with much-improved stability which can climb over heights more than the size of the wheel(i.e.,3 times the radius of wheels).The results reveal that the modified rocker-bogie system not only increases the stair-climbing capability but also thwarts instability due to overturning of a wheel of the robot.

Optimum Application Rate of Nitrogen in Summer Peanut in Southern Shandong Area

[Objectives]To study the effect of nitrogen(N)on the growth demand of summer peanuts under a certain level of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers,and to carry out experiments on nitrogen fertilizer control of summer peanuts.[Methods]Four treatments were set up in the experiment:no-nitrogen plot(N 0P_(4)K_(4)),optimized nitrogen plot(N_(7)P_(4)K_(4)),70%optimized nitrogen plot(N_(5)P_(4)K_(4)),130%optimized nitrogen plot(N 9P 4K 4),repeated 3 times,and arranged in random blocks.The area of the plot was 42 m^(2),ridges were set between the plots,and protective rows of more than 1 m were set around the experimental site.The types of fertilizers were urea,superphosphate,and imported potassium chloride,and the variety of peanuts was Linhua 5.Except for the level of fertilization,other agricultural operations were the same,and soil sampling tests,field records,and yield testing were carried out according to the requirements of the plan.[Results]On the basis of 60 kg/ha of phosphorus and potassium fertilizer application,the optimum economical fertilizer application rate and the highest application rate of pure nitrogen were about 115.20 and 131.25 kg/ha,respectively.[Conclusions]This study is expected to provide a certain basis for the high-quality and high-yield summer peanuts in southern Shandong area.

Experimental investigation of the inhibition of deep-sea mining sediment plumes by polyaluminum chloride

Deep-sea sediment disturbance may occur when collecting polymetallic nodules,resulting in the creation of plumes that could have a negative impact on the ecological environment.This study aims to investigate the potential solution of using polyaluminum chloride(PAC)in the water jet.The effects of PAC are examined through a self-designed simulation system for deep-sea polymetallic nodule collection and sediment samples from a potential deep-sea mining area.The experimental results showed that the optimal PAC dose was found to be 0.75 g/L.Compared with the test conditions without the addition of PAC,the presence of PAC leads to a reduction in volume,lower characteristic turbidity,smaller diffusion velocity,and shorter settling time of the plume.This indicates that PAC inhibits the entire development process of the plume.The addition of PAC leads to the flocculation of mm-sized particles,resulting in the formation of cm-sized flocs.The flocculation of particles decreases the rate of erosion on the seabed by around 30%.This reduction in erosion helps to decrease the formation of plumes.Additionally,when the size of suspended particles increases,it reduces the scale at which they diffuse.Furthermore,the settling velocity of flocs(around 10^(-2) m/s)is much higher that of compared to sediment particles(around 10^(-5) m/s),which effectively reduces the amount of time the plume remains in suspension.

International law obligations for the disposal of Fukushima nuclear-contaminated water under the principles of nuclear safety

The disposal of contaminated water from Japan’s Fukushima nuclear power plant is a significant international nuclear safety issue with considerable cross-border implications.This matter requires compliance not only with the law of the sea but also with the principles of nuclear safety under international law.These principles serve as the overarching tenet of international and China’s domestic nuclear laws,applicable to nuclear facilities and activities.The principle of safety in nuclear activities is fully recognized in international and domestic laws,carrying broad legal binding force.Japan’s discharge of nuclear-contaminated water into the sea violates its obligations under the principle of safety in nuclear activities,including commitments to optimum protection,as low as reasonably practicable,and prevention.The Japanese government and the International Atomic Energy Agency(IAEA)have breached the obligation of optimum protection by restricting the scope of assessments,substituting core concepts,and shielding dissenting views.In the absence of clear radiation standards,they have acted unilaterally without fulfilling the obligation as low as reasonably practicable principle.The discharge of Fukushima nuclear-contaminated water poses an imminent and unpredictable risk to all countries worldwide,including Japanese residents.Japan and the IAEA should fulfill their obligations under international law regarding disposal,adhering to the principles of nuclear safety,including optimum protection,the obligation as low as reasonably practicable,and prevention through multilateral cooperation.Specifically,the obligation to provide optimum protection should be implemented by re-evaluating the most reliable disposal technologies and methods currently available and comprehensively assessing various options.The standard of the obligation as low as reasonably practicable requires that the minimization of negative impacts on human health,livelihoods,and the environment should not be subordinated to considerations of cutting costs and expenses.Multilateral cooperation should be promoted through the establishment of sound multilateral long-term monitoring mechanisms for the discharge of nuclear-contaminated water,notification and consultation obligations,and periodic assessments.These obligations under international law were fulfilled after the accidents at the Three Mile Island and Chernobyl nuclear power plants.The implications of the principles of nuclear safety align with the concept of building a community of shared future for nuclear safety advocated by China.In cases of violations of international law regarding the disposal of nuclear-contaminated water that jeopardize the concept of a community of a shared future for nuclear safety,China can also rely on its own strength to promote the implementation of due obligations through self-help.

Restoration or Rehabilitation of the Faleme River Affected by Mining Activities: What Methods?

The Faleme River, a West Africa long transboundary stream (625 km) and abundant flow (>1100 million m3) is affected by severe erosion because of mining activities that takes place throughout the riverbed. To preserve this important watercourse and ensure the sustainability of its services, selecting and implementing appropriates restorations techniques is vital. In this context, the purpose of this paper was to present an overview of the actions and techniques that can be implemented for the restoration/rehabilitation of the Faleme. The methodological approach includes field investigation, water sampling, literature review with cases studies and SWOT analysis of the four methods presented: river dredging, constructed wetlands, floating treatment wetlands and chemical precipitation (coagulation and flocculation). The study confirmed the pollution of the river by suspended solids (TSS > 1100 mg/L) and heavy metals such as iron, zinc, aluminium, and arsenic. For the restoration methods, it was illustrated through description of their mode of operation and through some case studies presented, that all the four methods have proven their effectiveness in treating rivers but have differences in their costs, their sustainability (detrimental to living organisms or causing a second pollution) and social acceptance. They also have weaknesses and issues that must be addressed to ensure success of rehabilitation. For the case of the Faleme river, after analysis, floating treatment wetlands are highly recommended for their low cost, good removal efficiency if the vulnerability of the raft and buoyancy to strong waves and flow is under control.

DYNAMICAL OPTIMUM DESIGN OF THE MECHANICAL OSCILLATION SYSTEM IN FLUIDIC GENERATOR

文中通过对射流发电机工作原理、结构特点及作用荷载的分析，建立了射流发电机机械振动系统的动力优化设计数学模型，以结构尺寸为设计变量，使结构重量极小化，满足动力位移、应力响应、基频以及尺寸限等约束条件，利用振型迭加法和复合形法求解。优化和试验结果表明：经优化后，既减轻结构重量，又显著地提高了射流发电机的输出功率。

Fuzzy Optimum Model of Semi-Structural Decision for Lectotype Optimization of Offshore Platforms

In the process of concept design of offshore platforms, it is necessary to select the best from feasible alternatives through comparison and filter. The criterion set, used to evaluate and select the satisfying alternative, consists of many qualitative and quantitative factors. Therefore, the selection is a problem of multicriteria and semi-structural decision-making. Different from traditional methods in semi-structural decision-making, a new framework and methodology is presented in this paper for evaluation of offshore platform alternatives, First, the criterion set is established for the evaluation of alternatives. Next, the approach is studied to construct the relative membership degree matrix, in which both qualitative and quantitative factors are consistent with the uniform calculating standard. And then a new weight-assessing method is developed for calculation of the weights based on the relative membership degree matrix. Finally, a multi-hierarchy fuzzy optimum model is adopted to select the satisfying offshore platform alternative. A case study shows that the new framework and methodology are scientific, reasonable and easy to use in practice.

Atlas Based Kinematic Optimum Design of the Stewart Parallel Manipulator

Optimum design is a key approach to make full use of potential advantages of a parallel manipulator. The optimum design of multi-parameter parallel manipulators（more than three design parameters）, such as Stewart manipulator, relies on analysis based and algorithm based optimum design methods, which fall to be accurate or intuitive. To solve this problem and achieve both accurate and intuition, atlas based optimum design of a general Stewart parallel manipulator is established, with rational selection of design parameters. Based on the defined spherical usable workspace（SUW）, primary kinematic performance indices of the Stewart manipulator involving workspace and condition number are introduced and analyzed. Then, corresponding performance atlases are drawn with the established non-dimensional design space, and impact of joint distribution angles on the manipulator performance is analyzed and illustrated. At last, an example on atlas based optimum design of the Stewart manipulator is accomplished to illustrate the optimum design process, considering the end-effector posture. Deduced atlases can be flexibly applied to both quantitative and qualitative analysis to get the desired optimal design for the Stewart manipulator with respect to related performance requirements. Besides, the established optimum design method can be further applied to other multi-parameter parallel manipulators.

Optimum design and layout of the cooling apparatus for long compaignship blast furnace

Generally, the cooler life can determine the blast furnace life. Theslag-metal skull frozen on the cooler can separate the cooler from the hot gas flow in blastfurnace. The key problem is how to freeze liquid slag-metal on the cooler, and the main measure isto decrease the hot surface temperature of the cooler. The computational technology of heat transferwas practically used for long campaign blast furnace design. The optimum design of the cast ironstave, copper stave, plate-stave combined system and flange stave was given by the computingresults. According to the results, the optimum arrangement of different coolers (cast iron or copperstave, flange stave and plate-stave combined system) on different height of blast furnace wall canbe found through all these temperature fields.

Optimum placement and characteristics of velocity-dependent dampers under seismic excitation

In this study, through novel drift-based equations of motion in the frequency domain, optimum placement and characteristics of linear velocity-dependent dampers are investigated. In this study, the sum of the square of the absolute values of transfer matrix elements for interstory drifts is considered as the optimization index. Optimum placement and characteristics of dampers are simultaneously obtained by minimizing the optimization index through an incremental procedure. In each step of the procedure, a predefined value is considered as the damper characteristic. The optimum story for this increment is selected such that it leads to a minimum value for the optimization index. The procedure is repeated for the next increments until the optimization index meets its target value, which is obtained according to the desired damping ratio for the overall structure. In other words, the desired overall damping ratio is the input to the proposed procedure, and the optimal placement and characteristics of the dampers are its output. It is observed that the optimal placement of a velocitydependent damper depends on the damping coefficient of the added damper, frequency of the excitation, and distribution of the mass, stiffness, and inherent damping of the main structure.

Limit equilibrium analysis for stability of soil nailed slope and optimum design of soil nailing parameters

Reinforcement of slopes using soil nailing can effectively improve slope stability, and it has been widely used in upgrading cut slopes. Based on the assumptions of stresses on the slip surface, a new method for analyzing the stability of a slope reinforced with soil nails was established in the limit equilibrium theory framework, by considering that slope sliding occurs owing to shear failure of the slip surface, which subjects to Mohr–Coulomb(M–C) strength criterion. Meanwhile, in order to easily analyze the stability of a soil nailed slope in actual engineering and facilitate optimum design of parameters for soil nailing, factor of safety(FOS) contour curve charts were drawn on the basis of the established linear proportional relationship between the spacing of soil nails and slope height, and the length of soil nails and slope height. Then, by analyzing and verifying the results obtained from classic examples, some conclusions can be got as follows: 1) The results obtained from the current method are close to those obtained from the traditional limit equilibrium methods, and the current method can provide a strict solution for the slope FOS as it satisfies all the static equilibrium conditions of a sliding body, thus confirming the feasibility of the current method; 2) The slope FOS contour curve charts can be used not only to reliably analyze the stability of a soil nailed slope, but also to design optimally the parameters of soil nailing for the slope with a certain safety requirement.

Application of numerical simulation on optimum design of two-dimensional sedimentation tanks in the wastewater treatment plant

The paper establishes the relationship between the settling efficiency and the sizes of the sedimentation tank through the process of numerical simulation, which is taken as one of the constraints to set up a simple optimum designing model of sedimentation tank. The feasibility and advantages of this model based on numerical calculation are verified through the application of practical case.

Application of computer-aided engineering optimum design method in aluminum profile extrusion mould

The finite element analysis and the optimum design of aluminum profile extrusion mould were investigated using the ANSYS software and its parameterized modeling method. The optimum dimensions of the mould were obtained. It is found that the stress distribution is very uneven, and the stress convergence is rather severe in the bridge of the aluminum profile extrusion mould. The optimum height of the mould is 70.527 mm, and the optimum radius of dividing holes are 70.182 mm and 80.663 mm. Increasing the height of the mould in the range of 61.282 mm to 70.422 mm can prolong its longevity, but when the height is over 70.422 mm, its longevity reduces.

Optimum geometry of tuned liquid column-gas damper for control of offshore jacket platform vibrations under seismic excitation

In this study, the effectiveness of a tuned liquid column-gas damper, TLCGD, on the.suppression of seismic-induced vibrations of steel jacket platforms is evaluated. TLCGD is an interesting choice in the case of jacket platforms because it is possible to use the structural elements as the horizontal column of the TLCGD. The objective here is to find the optimum geometric parameters, namely orientation and configuration of vertical columns, length ratio, and area ratio of the TLCGD, considering nonlinear damping of the TLCGD and water-structure interaction between the jacket platform and sea water. The effects of different characteristics of ground motion such as PGA and frequency content on the optimum geometry are also investigated and it is observed that these features have some influence on the optimum area ratio. Finally it is observed that pulse arrangement of ground acceleration is one of the most important parameters affecting the efficiency of a TLCGD. In other words, it is found that the TLCGD＇s capability to reduce the RMS responses depends only on the frequency content of the ground acceleration, but its capability to reduce the maximum responses depends on both the frequency content and the pulse arrangement of the ground acceleration.

ROBUST OPTIMUM DESIGN OF LAMINATED COMPOSITE PLATES

A last-ply failure (LPF) analysis method for laminated composite plates is incorpo- rated into the ?nite element code-ANSYS, and a robust optimum design method is presented. The composite structure is analyzed by considering both in-plane and out-of-plane loads. For a lamina, two major failure modes are considered: matrix failure and ?ber breakage that are characterized by the proper strength criteria in the literature. When a lamina has failed, the laminate sti?ness is modi?ed to re?ect the damage, and stresses in the structure are re-analyzed. This procedure is repeatedly performed until the whole structure fails and thus the ultimate strength is determined. A structural optimization problem is solved with the ?ber orientation and the lamina thickness as the design variables and the LPF load as the objective. Finally, the robust optimum design method for laminates is presented and discussed.

Optimum municipal wastewater treatment plant design with consideration of uncertainty

A newly developed model for the optimum municipal wastewater treatment plant(MWTP) design is presented. Through introducing the interval variables, the model attempts to consider the effects of uncertainties caused by the fluctuation of the wastewater quality and quantity during the design of MWTP. The model solution procedure is illustrated in detail, and a numerical example is given to verify the feasibility and advantage of the model. Furthermore, the possibility of the model application is briefly outlined.

Screening and flocculating properties of bioflocculant-producing microorganisms

Screening of bioflocculant-producing microorganisms was carded out. A strain that secreted excellent bioflocculant was isolated from municipal sewage using the spread plate technique, identified as Klebsiella sp. by the analytical profile index （API） identification system, and named A9. Several important factors that had an effect on A9＇s bioflocculant-producing and flocculating activity were studied. A total of 4 g/L Kaolin suspension was used to measure the flocculating activity of the bioflocculant from A9. It was found that maltose and urea were Ag＇s best carbon and nitrogen sources, respectively, and the flocculating activity of the flocculating agent from A9 was markedly increased by the addition of trivalent cations such as Fe^3＋ and Al^3＋; furthermore, the bioflocculant produced by A9 was most effective when the pH value was 6.0.

Screening of flocculant-producing microorganisms and flocculating activity

A strain saccharomycete STSM-1 with high flocculanting activity was isolated from activated sludge with conventional methods. The high production rate and the low cost STSM-1 medium was obtained by selecting different kinds of media, carbon source, nitrogen source and inorganic salt ion. The best flocculant-producing conditions were found by changing medium initial pH, culture temperature and ventilation flow. The best flocculating effect was obtained by changing positive ion types, density and concentration of flocculant.

APPLICATION OF FRACTAL METHOD TO OPTIMUM AND DECOUPLING DESIGN OF ELECTROMECHANICAL SYSTEM

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