Experimental study of temperature gradient in track slab under outdoor conditions in Chengdu area

Temperature is one of the important loads for designing slab track. The characteristic of slab track tem- perature varies greatly with different regional climates. In this work, a bi-block slab track model was built under outdoor conditions in Chengdu area; the statistical characteristic of temperature gradient in track slab and the relationship between temperature gradient and surface air temperature were tested and analyzed. The results show that the track slab temperature gradient will vary periodically according to the surface air temperature, and show a clear nonlinearity along the height direction. The temperature gradient distribution is extremely uneven： the temperature gradient in the top part of the track slab is larger than that in the bottom part; the most frequently occurring temperature gradient of the track slab is around -3.5 ℃/m and more than 75 % locates in the level -10 to 10 ℃/m; concrete with a relatively good heat exchange condition with the surrounding air has a narrower band distribution. In addition, the frequency distribution histogram should exclude the time zone from 00：00 to 06：00 because there is almost no traffic in this period. The amplitude of track slab temperature variation is obviously lower than that of the air temperature variation, and the former is approximately linear with the latter.

Feedforward Variable Structural Proportional-Integral-Derivative for Temperature Control of Polymerase Chain Reaction

To track the rapidly changing temperature profiles of thermal cycling of polymerase chain reaction （PCR） accurately, an innovative feedforward variable structural proportional-integral-derivative （FVSPID） controller was developed. Based on the step response test data of the heat block, a reduced first order model was estabfished at different operating points. Based on the reduced model, the FVSPID controller combined a feedforward path with the variable structural proportional-integral-derivative （PID） control. The modified feedforward action provided directly the optimal predictive power for the desired setpoint to speed up the dynamic response. To cooperate with the feedforward action, a variable structural PID was applied, where the P mode was used in the case of the largest errors to speed up response, whereas the PD mode was used in the case of larger errors to suppress overshoot, and finally the PID mode was applied for small error conditions to eliminate the steady state offset. Experimental results illustrated that compared to the conventional PID controller, the FVSPID controller can not only reduce the time taken to complete a standard PCR protocol, but also improve the accuracy of gene amplification.

Robust Nonlinear Control of Continuous Stirred Tank Reactors

This paper deals with the temperature tracking control problem of continuous stirred tank reactors (CSTRs) widely used in chemical engineering. Design of robust tracking controller for a class of CSTRs plant with uncertainties is presented using input output feedback linearization techniques. The control scheme has been applied to a first order irreversible exothermic reaction process carried out in a CSTR, and simulation results show that it is effective.