The skinner automaton: A psychological model formalizing the theory of operant conditioning

Operant conditioning is one of the fundamental mechanisms of animal learning, which suggests that the behavior of all animals, from protists to humans, is guided by its consequences. We present a new stochastic learning automaton called a Skinner au- tomaton that is a psychological model for formalizing the theory of operant conditioning. We identify animal operant learning with a thermodynamic process, and derive a so-called Skinner algorithm from Monte Carlo method as well as Metropolis algo- rithm and simulated annealing. Under certain conditions, we prove that the Skinner automaton is expedient, 6-optimal, optimal, and that the operant probabilities converge to the set of stable roots with probability of 1. The Skinner automaton enables ma- chines to autonomously learn in an animal-like way.

Sensorimotor Self-Learning Model Based on Operant Conditioning for Two-Wheeled Robot

Traditional control methods of two-wheeled robot are usually model-based and require the robot’s precise mathematic model which is hard to get. A sensorimotor self-learning model named SMM TWR is presented in this paper to handle these problems. The model consists of seven elements: the discrete learning time set, the sensory state set, the motion set, the sensorimotor mapping, the state orientation unit, the learning mechanism and the model’s entropy. The learning mechanism for SMM TWR is designed based on the theory of operant conditioning (OC), and it adjusts the sensorimotor mapping at every learning step. This helps the robot to choose motions. The leaning direction of the mechanism is decided by the state orientation unit. Simulation results show that with the sensorimotor model designed, the robot is endowed the abilities of self-learning and self-organizing, and it can learn the skills to keep itself balance through interacting with the environment. © 2017, Shanghai Jiaotong University and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.

Generation of input spectrum for electrolysis stack degradation test applied to wind power PEM hydrogen production

Hydrogen production by proton exchange membrane electrolysis has good fluctuation adaptability,making it suitable for hydrogen production by electrolysis in fluctuating power sources such as wind power.However,current research on the durability of proton exchange membrane electrolyzers is insufficient.Studying the typical operating conditions of wind power electrolysis for hydrogen production can provide boundary conditions for performance and degradation tests of electrolysis stacks.In this study,the operating condition spectrum of an electrolysis stack degradation test cycle was proposed.Based on the rate of change of the wind farm output power and the time-averaged peak-valley difference,a fluctuation output power sample set was formed.The characteristic quantities that played an important role in the degradation of the electrolysis stack were selected.Dimensionality reduction of the operating data was performed using principal component analysis.Clustering analysis of the data segments was completed using an improved Gaussian mixture clustering algorithm.Taking the annual output power data of wind farms in Northwest China with a sampling rate of 1 min as an example,the cyclic operating condition spectrum of the proton-exchange membrane electrolysis stack degradation test was constructed.After preliminary simulation analysis,the typical operating condition proposed in this paper effectively reflects the impact of the original curve on the performance degradation of the electrolysis stack.This study provides a method for evaluating the degradation characteristics and system efficiency of an electrolysis stack due to fluctuations in renewable energy.

Aero-Hydro-Elastic-Servo Modeling and Dynamic Response Analysis of A Monopile Offshore Wind Turbine Under Different Operating Scenarios

This paper constructs a coupled aero-hydro-elastic-servo simulation framework for a monopile offshore wind turbine(OWT).In this framework,a detailed multi-body dynamics model of the monopile OWT including the gearbox,blades,tower and other components(nacelle,hub,bedplate,etc.)has been explicitly established.The effects of pile−soil interaction,controller and operational conditions on the turbine dynamic responses are studied systematically in time domain and frequency domain.The results show that(1)a comprehensive drivetrain model has the capability to provide a more precise representation of the complex dynamic characteristics exhibited by drivetrain components,which can be used as the basis for further study on the dynamic characteristics of the drivetrain.(2)The pile−soil interaction can influence the wind turbine dynamic responses,particularly under the parked condition.(3)The effect of the pile−soil interaction on tower responses is more significant than that on blade responses.(4)The use of the controller can substantially affect the rotor characteristics,which in turn influences the turbine dynamic responses.(5)The tower and blade displacements under the operational condition are much larger than those under the parked condition.The model and methodology presented in this study demonstrate potential for examining complex dynamic behaviors of the monopile OWTs.To ensure accuracy and precision,it is imperative to construct a detailed model of the wind turbine system,while also taking into account simulation efficiency.

Numerical Investigation on Thermal Performance of Two-Phase Immersion Cooling Method for High-Power Electronics

The power density of electronic components grows continuously,and the subsequent heat accumulation and temperature increase inevitably affect electronic equipment’s stability,reliability and service life.Therefore,achieving efficient cooling in limited space has become a key problem in updating electronic devices with high performance and high integration.Two-phase immersion is a novel cooling method.The computational fluid dynamics(CFD)method is used to investigate the cooling performance of two-phase immersion cooling on high-power electronics.The two-dimensional CFD model is utilized by the volume of fluid(VOF)method and Reynolds StressModel.Lee’s model was employed to calculate the phase change rate.The heat transfer coefficient along the heatedwalls and the shear-lift force on bubbles are calculated.The simulation data are verified with the literature results.The cooling performance of different coolants has been studied.The results indicate that the boiling heat transfer coefficient can be enhanced by using a low boiling point coolant.The methanol is used as the cooling medium for further research.In addition,the mass flow rate and inlet temperature are investigated to assess the thermal performance of twophase immersion cooling.The average temperature of the high-power electronics is 80℃,and the temperature difference can be constrained to 8℃.Meanwhile,the convective heat transfer coefficient reaches 2740 W/(m2・℃)when the inlet temperature is 50℃,and the mass flow rate is 0.3 kg/s.In conclusion,the results demonstrated that two-phase immersion cooling has provided an effective method for the thermal management of high-power electronics.

Influence of pavement frictional properties on braking distance

In order to study the relationship between pavement friction management criteria and braking distance requirements of road geometric design, an approach for determining the braking distance considering pavement frictional properties is proposed. A finite element model （FEM） of a rolling tire under steady state is established based on theoretical hydrodynamics and mechanics principles, in which factors, including tire type, water film thickness, pavement surface properties, and vehicle speed, are considered. With the FEM, braking distances under different operating conditions are calculated. Furthermore, the allowable water film thickness is determined by comparing braking distances calculated with friction management criteria and that required by road geometric design. The results show that the braking distance is affected by the above operating conditions. As a result, it is necessary to maintain consistency between geometric design braking distance requirements and pavement friction management to achieve safe road operations.

Effect of Inertial Shock on RF MEMS Capacitive Switches Property in Low Vacuum

The influence of outside inertial shock combined with RF signal voltages on the properties of a shunt capacitive MEMS switch encapsulated in a low vacuum environment is analyzed considering the damping of the air around the MEMS switch membrane. An analytical expression that approximately computes the displacement induced by outside shock is obtained. According to the expression, the minimum required mechanical stiffness constant of an MEMS switch beam in some maximum tolerated insertion loss condition and some external inertial shock environment or the insertion loss induced by external inertial shock can also be obtained. The influence is also illustrated with an RF MEMS capacitive switch example,which shows that outside environment factors have to be taken into account when designing RF MEMS capacitive switches working in low vacuum. While encapsulating RF MEMS switches in low vacuum diminishes the air damping and improves the switch speed and operation voltage,the performances of a switch is incident to being influenced by outside environment. This study is very useful for the optimized design of RF MEMS capacitive switches working in low vacuum.

Pre-Compression Volume on Flow Ripple Reduction of a Piston Pump

Axial piston pump with pre-compression volume（PCV） has lower flow ripple in large scale of operating condition than the traditional one. However, there is lack of precise simulation model of the axial piston pump with PCV, so the parameters of PCV are difticult to be determined. A finite element simulation model for piston pump with PCV is built by considering the piston movement, the fluid characteristic（including fluid compressibility and viscosity） and the leakage flow rate. Then a test of the pump flow ripple called the secondary source method is implemented to validate the simulation model. Thirdly, by comparing results among the simulation results, test results and results from other publications at the same operating condition, the simulation model is validated and used in optimizing the axial piston pump with PCV. According to the pump flow ripples obtained by the simulation model with different PCV parameters, the flow ripple is the smallest when the PCV angle is 13~, the PCV volume is 1.3 ~ I0-4 m3 at such operating condition that the pump suction pressure is 2 MPa, the pump delivery pressure 15 MPa, the pump speed 1 000 r/min, the swash plate angle 13~. At the same time, the flow ripple can be reduced when the pump suction pressure is 2 MPa, the pump delivery pressure is 5 MPa,15 MPa, 22 MPa, pump speed is 400 r/min, 1 000 r/rain, 1 500 r/rain, the swash plate angle is ll~, 13~, 15~ and 17~, respectively. The finite element simulation model proposed provides a method for optimizing the PCV structure and guiding for designing a quieter axial piston pump.

Feature Extraction Method Based on Pseudo-Wigner-Ville Distribution for Rotational Machinery in Variable Operating Conditions

In the case of fault diagnosis for roller bearings, the conventional diagnosis approaches by using the time interval of energy impacts in time-frequency distribution or the pass-frequencies are based on the assumption that machinery operates under a constant rotational speed. However, when the rotational speed varies in the broader range, the pass-frequencies vary with the change of rotational speed and bearing faults cannot be identified by the interval of impacts. Researches related to automatic diagnosis for rotational machinery in variable operating conditions were quite few. A novel automatic feature extraction method is proposed based on a pseudo-Wigner-Ville distribution （PWVD） and an extraction of symptom parameter （SP）. An extraction method for instantaneous feature spectrum is presented using the relative crossing information （RCI） and sequential inference approach, by which the feature spectrum from time-frequency distribution can be automatically, sequentially extracted. The SPs are considered in the frequency domain using the extracted feature spectrum to identify among the conditions of a machine. A method to obtain the synthetic symptom parameter is also proposed by the least squares mapping （LSM） technique for increasing the diagnosis sensitivity of SP. Practical examples of diagnosis for bearings are given in order to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method. The verification results show that the features of bearing faults, such as the outer-race, inner-race and roller element defects have been effectively extracted, and the proposed method can be used for condition diagnosis of a machine under the variable rotational speed.

Study on iron-manganese catalysts for Fischer-Tropsch synthesis

铁锰催化剂被一起沉淀方法准备。催化剂的描述被使用 X 光衍射(XRD ) 执行，扫描电子显微镜学(SEM ) ，温度程序减小(TPR ) ， N2 吸附解吸附作用大小。从 Fischer-Tropsch 合成的催化表演测试的结果证明铁锰催化剂对催化剂作文和材料来源敏感过度。当 CH4 和 CO2 由使用从铁(II ) 准备的铁锰催化剂减少了时， C24 轻石蜡增加了，这被发现当 CH4 和 CO2 由使用从铁(II ) 准备的铁锰催化剂减少了时硫酸盐(催化剂) 。催化剂的活动和选择处于不同运作的条件被学习。结果证明为 C24 轻石蜡生产的最好的运作的条件在 260 点是 H2/CO=1/1 (GHSV=2400 h1 )

Coupled Dynamic Response Analysis of A Multi-Column Tension-Leg-Type Floating Wind Turbine

This paper presents a coupled dynamic response analysis of a multi-column tension-leg-type floating wind turbine（Wind Star TLP system） under normal operation and parked conditions. Wind-only load cases, wave-only load cases and combined wind and wave load cases were analyzed separately for the Wind Star TLP system to identify the dominant excitation loads. Comparisons between an NREL offshore 5-MW baseline wind turbine installed on land and the Wind Star TLP system were performed. Statistics of selected response variables in specified design load cases（DLCs） were obtained and analyzed. It is found that the proposed Wind Star TLP system has small dynamic responses to environmental loads and it thus has almost the same mean generator power output under operating conditions as the land-based system. The tension mooring system has a sufficient safety factor, and the minimum tendon tension is always positive in all selected DLCs. The ratio of ultimate load of the tower base fore-aft bending moment for the Wind Star TLP system versus the land-based system can be as high as 1.9 in all of the DLCs considered. These results will help elucidate the dynamic characteristics of the proposed Wind Star TLP system, identify the difference in load effect between it and land-based systems, and thus make relevant modifications to the initial design for the Wind Star TLP system.

Performance and characterization of iron-nickel catalysts for light olefin production

A series of x （Fe,Ni）/Al2O3 catalysts （x = 2-12 wt%） were prepared using incipient wetness method and studied for the conversion of synthesis gas to light olefins.6 wt%（Fe,Ni）/Al2O3 catalyst was found to be the optimal catalyst for the production of C2-C4 olefins.The effects of calcination behaviors and operational conditions on the catalytic performance of the optimal catalyst were investigated.The best operational conditions were molar feed ratio H2/CO = 2/1,T = 260 ℃,gas hourly space velocity （GHSV） = 2600 h^-1 and the pressure of 3 bar.Character-izations of both precursors and catalysts were carried out using X-ray diffraction （XRD）,temperature-programmed reduction （TPR）,scanning electron microscopy （SEM）,N2-adsorption-desorption measurement,thermal gravimetric analysis （TGA） and differential scanning calorimetry （DSC）.

TiO_2 supported cobalt-manganese nano catalysts for light olefins production from syngas

Cobalt-manganese nano catalysts were prepared by sol-gel method. This research investigated the effects of different cobalt-manganese （Co/Mn = 1/1） loading, pH and calcination conditions on the catalytic performance of Co-Mn/TiO2 catalysts for Fischer-Tropsch synthesis （FTS） in a fixed bed reactor. It was found that the catalyst containing 30wt%（Co-Mn）/TiO2 was an optimal catalyst for the conversion of synthesis gas to light olefins especially propylene. The activity and selectivity of optimal catalyst were studied under different operational conditions. The results showed that the best operational conditions were H2/CO = 1/1 molar feed ratio at 250 ℃ and GHSV = 1300 h-1 un- der atmospheric pressure. Characterization of catalysts was carried out by X-ray diffraction （XRD）, scanning electron microscopy （SEM）, transmission electron microscopy （TEM）, N2 adsorption-desorlation measurements.

Effects of preparation and operation conditions on precipitated iron nickel catalysts for Fischer-Tropsch synthesis

Iron nickel oxide catalysts were prepared using co-precipitation procedure and studied for the conversion of synthesis gas to light olefins.In particular,the effects of a range of preparation variables such as Fe/Ni molar ratios of the precipitation solution,precipitate aging times,calcination conditions,different supports and loading of optimum support on the structure of catalysts and their catalytic performance for the tested reaction were investigated.It was found that the catalyst containing 40%Fe/60%Ni/40wt%Al 2O3 ,which was aged for 180 min and calcined at 600 ℃ for 6 h was the optimum modified catalyst.The catalytic performance of optimal catalyst has been studied in different operation conditions such as reaction temperatures,H2 /CO molar feed ratios and reaction total pressure.Characterization of both precursors and calcined catalysts was carried out by powder X-ray diffraction（XRD）,scanning electron microscopy（SEM）,Brunauer-Emmett-Teller（BET） surface area measurements,thermal analysis methods such as thermal gravimetric analysis（TGA） and differential scanning calorimetry（DSC）.

Modal Analysis Using Operating Modal Identification Method

Sometimes it is very difficult for some large-scale operating structures tomeasure the input forces. Modal parameters must be estimated on response-only. A poly-referencetime-domain operating modal identification complex exponential method is presented sincecross-correlation functions have the same form as impulse response functions. Then a poly-referencefrequency-domain operating modal identification method is proposed in this paper. An experiment onan aircraft model is performed to verify the proposed schemes. The results show that both outlinedschemes can extract the parameters from output-only and the modal parameters extracted by proposedfrequency-domain method are more accurate than those by presented time-domain complex exponentialmethod.

Lifetime Evaluating and the Effects of Operation Conditions on Automotive Fuel Cells

Lifetime isone of the important indicators of automotive proton exchange membrane fuel cells. People used to evaluate the lifetime of vehicular fuel cells by laboratory tests or road tests that usually take thousands hours even years. In order to achieve a rapid evaluation technique and to seek lifetime extension methods, a lifetime calculation formation was drawn out in consideration of the vehicle driving cycle and the working condition factors. Bench experiments were individually carried out on two fuel-cell stacks same as ones applied on vehicle, and the performance decay rates of the two stacks were obtained under four operation conditions of changing load cycle, start-stop cycle, idling and heavy load. As a result, the predicted lifetimes rather conform to the actual running status in road test. And the research on the fuel cell performance decay rates under different load conditions was also done. Consequently, an unexpected finding was discovered that operating under micro-current has an effect on recovering fuel cell performance. The vehicle fuel cell rapid assessment method only requires four laboratory tests of driving cycle, load cycle, idle operating conditions and heavy load conditions, and the whole process merely lasts less than 250 h. These experimental results can be used to predict the vehicular fuel cell lifetimes on various utility models or driving cycles, therefore to optimize the application model to prolong the fuel cell lifetime. Actually in the experiment, it has already been proved successfully that the fuel cell lifetime could be extended from 1 100 h to 2 600 h by optimizing operating mode. The quick evaluation method is helpful to develop extended life fuel cell and to deplete fuel cell for a longer time.

Analysis of pressure pulsation mechanism and dynamic characteristics of axial piston pump

The pressure pulsation of axial piston pump is not only an important cause of rotation speed fluctuation,vibration noise and output stability of the hydraulic system,but also the main information source for obtaining fault information.Hydraulic system is characterized by strong noise interference,which leads to low signal-to-noise ratio(SNR)of detection signals.Therefore,it is necessary to dig deep into the system operating state information carried by pressure signals.Firstly,based on flow loss mechanism of the plunger pump,the mapping relationship between flow pulsation and pressure pulsation is analyzed.After that,the pressure signal is filtered and reconstructed based on standard Gabor transform.Finally,according to the time-domain waveform morphology of pressure signal,four characteristic indicators are proposed to analyze the characteristics of pressure fluctuations under different working conditions.The experimental results show that the standard Gabor transform can accurately extract high-order harmonics and phase frequencies of the signal.The reconstructed time-domain waveform of pressure pulsation of the axial piston pump contains a wealth of operating status information,and the characteristics of pulsation changes under various working conditions can provide a new theoretical basis and a method support for fault diagnosis and health assessment of hydraulic pumps,motors and key components.

Optimal reaction conditions for pyridine synthesis in riser reactor

Pjridine has been generally synthesized by aldehydes and ammonia in a turbulent fluidized-bed reactor. In this paper, a novel riser reactor was proposed for pyridine synthesis. Experiment result showed that the yield of pyridine and 3-picoline decreased, but the selectivity of pyridine over 3-picoline increased compared to turbulent fluidized-bed reactor. Based on experimental data, a modified kinetic model was used for the determination of optimal operating condition for riser reactor. The optimal operating condition of riser reactor given by this modified model was as follows： The reaction temperature of 755 K, catalyst to feedstock ratio （CTFR） of 87, residence timeof3.8sandinitialacetaldehydesconcentrationof0.0029mol.L-1 （acetaldehydes to formaldehydes ratio by mole （ATFR） of 0.65 and ammonia to aldehydes ratio by mole （ATAR） of 0.9, water contention of 63wt% （formaldehyde solution））.

Influences of fluid physical properties,solid particles,and operating conditions on the hydrodynamics in slurry reactors

Slurry reactors are popular in many industrial processes,involved with numerous chemical and biological mixtures,solid particles with different concentrations and properties,and a wide range of operating conditions.These factors can significantly affect the hydrodynamic in the slurry reactors,having remarkable effects on the design,scale-up,and operation of the slurry reactors.This article reviews the influences of fluid physical properties,solid particles,and operating conditions on the hydrodynamics in slurry reactors.Firstly,the influence of fluid properties,including the density and viscosity of the individual liquid and gas phases and the interfacial tension,has been reviewed.Secondly,the solid particle properties(i.e.,concentration,density,size,wettability,and shape)on the hydrodynamics have been discussed in detail,and some vital but often ignored features,especially the influences of particle wettability and shape,as well as the variation of surface tension because of solid concentration alteration,are highlighted in this work.Thirdly,the variations of physical properties of fluids,hydrodynamics,and bubble behavior resulted from the temperature and pressure variations are also summarized,and the indirect influences of pressure on viscosity and surface tension are addressed systematically.Finally,conclusions and perspectives of these notable influences on the design and scale-up of industrial slurry reactors are presented.

Boosting lithium batteries under harsh operating conditions by a resilient ionogel with liquid-like ionic conductivity

New chemistries are being developed to increase the capacity and power of rechargeable batteries. However, the risk of safety issues increases when high-energy batteries using highly active materials encounter harsh operating conditions. Here we report on the synthesis of a unique ionogel electrolyte for abuse-tolerant lithium batteries. A hierarchically architected silica/polymer scaffold is designed and fabricated through a facile soft chemistry route, which is competent to confine ionic liquids with superior uptake ability (92.4 wt%). The monolithic ionogel exhibits high conductivity and thermal/mechanical stability, featuring high-temperature elastic modulus and dendrite-free lithium cycling. The Li/LiFePO_(4) pouch cells achieve outstanding cyclability at different temperatures up to 150 ℃, and can sustain cutting, crumpling, and even coupled thermal–mechanical abuses. Moreover, the solid-state lithium batteries with LiNi_(0.60)Co_(0.20)Mn_(0.20)O_(2), LiNi_(0.80)Co_(0.15)Al_(0.05)O_(2), and Li_(1.2)Mn_(0.54)Ni_(0.13)Co_(0.13)O_(2) cathodes demonstrate excellent cycle performances at 60 ℃. These results indicate that the resilient and high-conductivity ionogel electrolyte is promising to realize high-performance lithium batteries with high energy density and safety.