Longwall automation: Delivering enabling technology to achieve safer and more productive underground mining

The ongoing need to deliver improved safety, productivity and environmental benefit in coal mining presents an open challenge as well as a powerful incentive to develop new and improved solutions. This paper assesses the critical role that enabling technologies have played in the delivery of remote and automated capability for longwall mining. A brief historical account is given to highlight key technical contributions which have influenced the direction and development of present-day longwall technology. The current state of longwall automation is discussed with particular attention drawn to the technologies that enable automated capability. Outcomes are presented from an independently conducted case study that assessed the impact that CSIRO＇s LASC longwall automation research has made to the longwall mining industry in Australia. Importantly, this study reveals how uptake of this innova- tive technology has significantly benefitted coal mine productivity, improved working conditions for personnel and enhanced environmental outcomes. These benefits have been widely adopted with CSIRO automation technology being used in 60 per cent of all Australian underground operations. International deployment of the technology is also emerging. The paper concludes with future challenges and opportunities to highfight the ongoing scope for longwall automation research and development.

A stock assessment for Illex argentinus in Southwest Atlantic using an environmentally dependent surplus production model

The southern Patagonian stock（SPS） of Argentinian shortfin squid, Illex argentinus, is an economically important squid fishery in the Southwest Atlantic. Environmental conditions in the region play an important role in regulating the population dynamics of the I. argentinus population. This study develops an environmentally dependent surplus production（EDSP） model to evaluate the stock abundance of I. argentines during the period of 2000 to 2010. The environmental factors（favorable spawning habitat areas with sea surface temperature of 16–18°C） were assumed to be closely associated with carrying capacity（K） in the EDSP model. Deviance Information Criterion（DIC） values suggest that the estimated EDSP model with environmental factors fits the data better than a Schaefer surplus model without environmental factors under uniform and normal scenarios.The EDSP model estimated a maximum sustainable yield（MSY） from 351 600 t to 685 100 t and a biomass from 1 322 400 t to1 803 000 t. The fishing mortality coefficient of I. argentinus from 2000 to 2010 was smaller than the values of F（0.1） and F（MSY）. Furthermore, the time series biomass plot of I. argentinus from 2000 to 2010 shows that the biomass of I.argentinus and this fishery were in a good state and not presently experiencing overfishing. This study suggests that the environmental conditions of the habitat should be considered within squid stock assessment and management.

Degradation Dynamics of Pyrethroids in Cigarette Production Environment

[ Objective] In order to provide a reference for safe and reasonable use of pyrethroids in cigarette production, the degradation behaviors of three kinds of pyrethroids in cigarette production environment were studied. [ Method ] Three kinds of pyrethroids （permethrin, cyfluthrin and c/s-cypermethrin） were adminis- trated to two media （cut tobacco and iron sheet surface） in cigarette production environment at MRLs concentration, and the first sampling was conducted at 24 d post administration. Afterwards, sampling was performed once every 7 d, with a total of six times. The degradation rates of insecticides in different media were cal- culated, and degradation models were established. [ Result ] The contents of three kinds of insecticides in two media gradually declined with the prolongation of time, and degradation rates presented the trend of fast-slow-fast ; the degradation rates of permethrin, cyfluthrin and c/s-cypermethrin in cut tobacco at 36 d post ad- ministration were 97.14%, 88.89% and 95.38%, respectively; the degradation rates on iron sheet surface were 29.95%, 48.99% and 40. 24%, respectively. The half lives of three kinds of insecticides in cut tobacco were 1 -2 d, while those on iron sheet surface were 6 - 10 d. [ Conclusion] The contents of three kinds of insecticides in two media gradually declined with the prolongation of time, and their degradation regularity accorded with first order kinetic equation.

An Empirical Study on Environmental Regulatory Costs &Environmental TFP

This paper examines the cost of environmental regulation and the environmental total factor productivity （TFP） with directional distance function and the Malmquist-Luenberger （ALL） index respectively, using inputs and output data of 36 two-digit industries over the period 1998- 2010. It finds that Chinese industries incur a relatively high environmental regulatory cost and that China has paid a high price fulfilling its promise to emissions mitigation. A comparison between conventional and environmental TFP shows that the two indicators for all industries declined on average, but a hypothesis test reveals insignificant difference between the two. In addition, the rise in environmental TFP is mainly due to technological progress, which is consistent with findings of many researches; analysis demonstrates signs of absolute convergence of environmental TFP.

Resolving Trade and Environment Conflicts:A Focus on Sustainable Trade in China

This paper begins by analysing the mutual influence between international trade and the environment, and then proceeds to explore the environment and trade conflicts. On the basis of sustainable development theories and the above discussion, the article suggests taking sustainable trade as a solution to the existing conflicts. This paper aims to find the way to strike a balance between international trade and environment based on the present situation in China.

Standards System and Evaluation Indicators System for Environmental Protection Products

Environmental protection products and equipment are important substance basis and insurance which provide supporting for to the realization of the strategic objective of reduced energy use and emissions while improving the resource economy ＆ environmental kindly society building, as well as the sustainable development economy and environment in a sustainable fashion. Here, the framework of the standards system and evaluation indicators system for environmental protection products are described based on the present deficiencies in independent innovation, lower levels of standardization, and poor operating effectiveness of such equipment in China with a goal of forcing the development of standardization, seriation and currency used in the environmental protection industry. The results presented here should serve as a reference for the promotion of quality and effectiveness in environmental protection products and equipments.

An Atomic Product: The Unison Jerk in Drug Transportation

A three dimensional unison product with third derivative of displacement system of differential equations is presented. A projected plasma efavirenz concentration profile of a patient who had been on an orally administered 600 mg daily dose of efavirenz is used as a structural aggregate. A three compartmental model of ordinary differential equations is suggested and solved numerically. The model projects descriptors associated with the product of a bounce that is a closed system. The product consists of three independent phases with two variable states, intenseness (concentration) that measures a structural aggregate and an environmental influence which is gravity. The third phase of the product is a processing function (spartial aggregate) which is a free potential. The function, a free potential, is responsible for ordering the product. A dynamical system with an attractive subspace which is an external potential (stable) with a zero eigenvalue is derived. The unison jerk’s Jacobian Matrix has corresponding negative, positive and zero eigenvalues.

Physicochemical and Sensory Properties of japonica Rice Varied with Production Areas in China

Northeast of China and Jiangsu Province are major production areas of japonica rice in China.Rice from northeast of China is well-known for its good-eating and appearance quality,and that from Jiangsu Province is viewed as inferior.However,little is known concerning the difference in physicochemical and sensory properties of rice between the major two production areas.Analysis of 16 commercial rice samples showed marked differences in physicochemical properties,including chalky grain rate,contents of amylose and protein and pasting properties between the two main areas.Northeastern rice contained more shortchain amylopectin as compared with Jiangsu rice.However,Jiangsu rice is comparable to northeastern rice in terms of sensory quality including overall acceptability and textural properties of springiness,stickiness and hardness as evaluated by trained panel.Our results indicated the limitation of conventional index of physicochemical properties,and suggested the necessity of identification of new factors controlling rice sensory property.In addition,the taste analyzer from Japan demonstrates limitation in distinguishing the differences between northeastern and Jiangsu rice,and therefore needs localization to fit China.

Refractory Raw Materials

Products： tabular alumina, sintered mullite, rare earth corundum, active alumina, 99 alumina ceramic ball, ceramic lining and Zirconia ring series.

Conceptual Framework for Calculation of Climate Performance with Pre-verified LCA-Tools

This article proposes the use of current European standards and verification rules for EPDs （environmental product declarations） as a basis for evaluating the climate impact of contractors＇ alternative designs of infrastructural projects. The proposed conceptual framework for verified climate calculations is based on the Swedish-based, the International EPD System. Several Swedish and Norwegian stakeholders were engaged in this joint project to understand driving forces and obstacles and provide key insights for the successful implementation of the framework for a transparent and comparable assessment of climate impact from alternative design options. In order to perform a sharp test of some main hypothesizes, the project participants tested the proposed framework in bridge and roads projects.

Study on Vaccination Efficacy against Avian Influenza in Rajshahi, Bangladesh

Vaccines are used in integrated control strategies to guard poultry against H5N1 high-pathogenicity avian influenza （AI）. This study was to evaluate the efficacy of AI vaccine against AI in poultry. About 400 serum samples were collected from the selected 130 farms located at Rajshahi region, Bangladesh. The study was carried out from January, 2013 to January, 2015. The AI vaccine titres were compared in different breed of layer, environmental temperature, feed and egg production. Result showed that the value of titres （mean ± SD） in Hyline brown, Hyline white, Bovans white and Novogen white were 6.71 ± 0.05, 6.67 ± 0.06, 6.79 ± 0.03 and 6.43 ± 0.04, respectively. The highest serum antibody titres were 6.61 ± 0.24 against AI antibody in 〉 26 ℃ environment temperature. The highest and lowest serum antibody value of AI against feed brand （nutrient） were 7.75 ± 0.08 and 5.58 ± 0.22 for Aftab and Quality brand feed, respectively.

National Ecological Deficit Accounting of China with Detailed Ecological Footprint

Ecological footprint is a new method to assess sustainable development quantitatively. It translates production into biologically productive areas offering material flows to measure the utilized degree of nature by humankind. At present, China runs ecological deficits because footprints required for consumption are larger than available ones. In the paper, the ecological footprint model is applied to calculate the deficits by resource, environment and import-export accounting. It is clear that the deficits have caused enormous pressure to resource and environment, which would become bigger with more factors of resource and environment being accounted. In the primary production and energy trade, import footprint turned from deficit to surplus after 1996, which benefited the conservation of national resource. But compared with the huge depletion caused by resource and environment, they had small effects on deficits.

A Brief Discussion on the Market Status and Development Trend of Detergent Products

The current state of the market scale of each subdivision category of detergents was briefly introduced,and the information of global detergent products in recent ten years was traced to analyze the changes in detergent categories,concentrated product form,new product claims and formula composition.The market development trend of detergent products was summarized as follows:from a consumer market of single cleaning products to the one which is prosperous for both cleaning and care products;laundry pods will become the main force to promote the process of detergent concentrating;environmental protection and sustainable development are the main themes of detergent products.

Responses of Grassland Net Primary Productivity to Environmental Variables in Northern China

Various environmental factors affect net primary productivity （NPP） of grassland ecosystem. Extensive reports on the effects of environmental variables on NPP can be found in literature. However, the agreement on the relative importance of various factors in shaping the spatial pattern of grassland NPP has not yet been reached. Here a grassland in situ NPP database comprising 602 samples in northern China for 1980-1999 was developed based on a literature review of published biomass and forage yield field measurements. Correlation analyses and dominance analysis were used to quantify the separate and combined effects of environmental variables （climate topography and soil） on spatial variation in NPP separately. Grassland NPP ranged from 4.76 g C m-2a-1 to 975.94gCm-2a-1, showing significant variations in space. NPP increased with annual precipitation and declined with annual mean temperature significantly. Specifically, precipitation had the greatest impact on deserts, followed by steppes and meadows. Grassland NPP decreased with increasing altitude because of water limitation, and positively correlated with slope, but weakly correlated with aspect. Soil quality showed positive effects on NPP. Annual precipitation was the dominant factor affecting the spatial variability of net primary productivity, followed by elevation.

The fit of Industry 4.0 applications in manufacturing logistics： a multiple case study

The fourth industrial revolution, Industry 4.0, is expected to cause disruptive changes in industrial produc- tion. It is driven by rapid technological developments and the need for manufacturing companies to make themselves independent of high labor costs. Industry 4.0 concerns several aspects of industrial production, including manu- facturing logistics, business models and products and ser- vices. The applications of Industry 4.0 have been vastly outlined. However, the fit of Industry 4.0 applications in different production environments is not clear. The purpose of this paper is to identify and investigate the Industry 4.0 technologies that are applicable to manufacturing logistics, and how the production environment influences the appli- cability of these technologies. This is done through a multiple case study of four Norwegian manufacturing companies. The findings from the study indicate that the applicability of Industry 4.0 in manufacturing logistics is dependent on the production environment. Companies with a low degree of production repetitiveness see less potential in applying Industry 4.0 technologies in manufacturing logistics, while companies with a highly repetitive pro- duction see a higher potential.

The fit of planning methods for the part manufacturing industry,a case study

This paper investigates the specific planning environment of an automotive part manufacturer and characterizes this environment based on variables regarding the product,its demand and the manufacturing process.The fit of different planning methods,namely material requirements planning,reorder point,cyclic planning,kanban,and heijunka to this specific planning environment is analyzed and evaluated by exploratory research.The results show that different product characteristics make it hard to apply a single planning method.None of the investigated methods show the ability to cover the complex requirements of a combined planning environment of two partly divergent product types with a deep value chain.