A Discrete Artificial Bee Colony Algorithm for Minimizing the Total Flow Time in the Blocking Flow Shop Scheduling

A discrete artificial bee colony algorithm is proposed for solving the blocking flow shop scheduling problem with total flow time criterion. Firstly, the solution in the algorithm is represented as job permutation. Secondly, an initialization scheme based on a variant of the NEH (Nawaz-Enscore-Ham) heuristic and a local search is designed to construct the initial population with both quality and diversity. Thirdly, based on the idea of iterated greedy algorithm, some newly designed schemes for employed bee, onlooker bee and scout bee are presented. The performance of the proposed algorithm is tested on the well-known Taillard benchmark set, and the computational results demonstrate the effectiveness of the discrete artificial bee colony algorithm. In addition, the best known solutions of the benchmark set are provided for the blocking flow shop scheduling problem with total flow time criterion.

Scheduling a three-machine no-wait flowshop with separated setup time

In many practical flowshop production environments, there is no intermediate storage space available to keep partially completed jobs between any two machines. The workflow has to be continuous, implying that the no-wait conditions must be abided, which is typical in steel and plastic production. We discuss the three-machine no-wait flowshop scheduling problem where the setup times are considered as separated from processing times and sequence independent. The scheduling goal is to minimize the total flowtime. An optimal property and two heuristic algorithms for this problem are proposed. Evaluated over a large number of problems, the proposed heuristics are found that they can yield good solutions effectively with low computational complexity, and have more obvious advantage for the large size problem compared with the existing one.

Spectral Method for Solving Time Dependent Flow of Upper-Convected Maxwell Fluid in Tube

The ti me dependent flow of upper-convected Maxwell fluid in a horizontal circular pip e is studied by spectral method. The time dependent problem is mathematically re duced to a partial differential equation of second order. By using spectral meth od the partial differential equation can be reduced to a system of ordinary diff erential equations for different terms of Chebyshev polynomials approximations. The ordinary differential equations are solved by Laplace transform and the eige nvalue method that leads to an analytical form of the solutions.

Optimizing the Resource Utilization of Datacenter Networks with OpenFlow

Decreasing the flow completion time(FCT) and increasing the throughput are two fundamental targets in datacenter networks(DCNs), but current mechanisms mostly focus on one of the problems. In this paper, we propose OFMPC, an Open Flow based Multi Path Cooperation framework, to decrease FCT and increase the network throughput. OFMPC partitions the end-to-end transmission paths into two classes, which are low delay paths(LDPs) and high throughput paths(HTPs), respectively. Short flows are assigned to LDPs to avoid long queueing delay, while long flows are assigned to HTPs to guarantee their throughput. Meanwhile, a dynamic scheduling mechanism is presented to improve network efficiency. We evaluate OFMPC in Mininet emulator and a testbed, and the experimental results show that OFMPC can effectively decrease FCT. Besides, OFMPC also increases the throughput up to more than 84% of bisection bandwidth.

Time lag characteristics of sap flow in seed-maize and their implications for modeling transpiration in an arid region of Northwest China

Plant capacity for water storage leads to time lags between basal stem sap flow and transpiration in various woody plants. Internal water storage depends on the sizes of woody plants. However, the changes and its influencing factors in time lags of basal stem flow during the development of herbaceous plants including crops remain unclear. A field experiment was conducted in an arid region of Northwest China to examine the time lag characteristics of sap flow in seed-maize and to calibrate the transpiration modeling. Cross-correlation analysis was used to estimate the time lags between stem sap flow and meteorological driving factors including solar radiation（R_s） and vapor pressure deficit of the air（VPD_（air））. Results indicate that the changes in seed-maize stem sap flow consistently lagged behind the changes in R_s and preceded the changes in VPD_（air） both on hourly and daily scales, suggesting that light-mediated stomatal closures drove sap flow responses. The time lag in the maize＇s sap flow differed significantly during different growth stages and the difference was potentially due to developmental changes in capacitance tissue and/or xylem during ontogenesis. The time lags between stem sap flow and R_s in both female plants and male plants corresponded to plant use of stored water and were independent of total plant water use. Time lags of sap flow were always longer in male plants than in female plants. Theoretically, dry soil may decrease the speed by which sap flow adjusts ahead of shifts in VPD_（air） in comparison with wet soil and also increase the speed by which sap flow adjusts to R_s. However, sap flow lags that were associated with R_s before irrigation and after irrigation in female plants did not shift. Time series analysis method provided better results for simulating seed-maize sap flow with advantages of allowing for fewer variables to be included. This approach would be helpful in improving the accuracy of estimation for canopy transpiration and conductance using meteorological measurements.

Development of a Novel Parallel-spool Pilot Operated High-pressure Solenoid Valve with High Flow Rate and High Speed

High-pressure solenoid valve with high flow rate and high speed is a key component in an underwater driving system.However,traditional single spool pilot operated valve cannot meet the demands of both high flow rate and high speed simultaneously.A new structure for a high pressure solenoid valve is needed to meet the demand of the underwater driving system.A novel parallel-spool pilot operated high-pressure solenoid valve is proposed to overcome the drawback of the current single spool design.Mathematical models of the opening process and flow rate of the valve are established.Opening response time of the valve is subdivided into 4 parts to analyze the properties of the opening response.Corresponding formulas to solve 4 parts of the response time are derived.Key factors that influence the opening response time are analyzed.According to the mathematical model of the valve,a simulation of the opening process is carried out by MATLAB.Parameters are chosen based on theoretical analysis to design the test prototype of the new type of valve.Opening response time of the designed valve is tested by verifying response of the current in the coil and displacement of the main valve spool.The experimental results are in agreement with the simulated results,therefore the validity of the theoretical analysis is verified.Experimental opening response time of the valve is 48.3 ms at working pressure of 10 MPa.The flow capacity test shows that the largest effective area is 126 mm2 and the largest air flow rate is 2320 L/s.According to the result of the load driving test,the valve can meet the demands of the driving system.The proposed valve with parallel spools provides a new method for the design of a high-pressure valve with fast response and large flow rate.

Modeling study on the flow patterns of gas–liquid flow for fast decarburization during the RH process

A water model and a high-speed video camera were utilized in the 300-t RH equipment to study the effect of steel flow patterns in a vacuum chamber on fast decarburization and a superior flow-pattern map was obtained during the practical RH process. There are three flow patterns with different bubbling characteristics and steel surface states in the vacuum chamber： boiling pattern（BP）, transition pattern（TP）, and wave pattern（WP）. The effect of the liquid-steel level and the residence time of the steel in the chamber on flow patterns and decarburization reaction were investigated, respectively. The liquid-steel level significantly affected the flow-pattern transition from BP to WP, and the residence time and reaction area were crucial to evaluate the whole decarburization process rather than the circulation flow rate and mixing time. A superior flow-pattern map during the practical RH process showed that the steel flow pattern changed from BP to TP quickly, and then remained as TP until the end of decarburization.

VISUALIZATION OF FLOW STRUCTURES IN A TURBULENT BOUNDARY LAYER USING A NEW TECHNIQUE

In this paper, an experimental investigation on the flow structures in a turbulent bounda- ry layer employing a special laser light sheet-Hydrogen bubble flow visualization technique is described. It is observed that the high/low speed streaks are directly related to the hairpin or horseshoe-like vortices. This observation can give a better understanding of the physical mechanism in the turbulent boundary layer.

FURTHER DISCUSSION ON STATISTICAL PROPERTIES OF ACTIVITY FLOW TIME IN PERT

In this paper attempts are made at answering the problems on the statistical properties of activity flow time in PERT raised by the late famous mathematician Hua Loo-keng.

Hybrid Discrete Harmony Search Algorithm for Flow Shop Scheduling with Limited Buffers

The flow shop scheduling problem with limited buffers( LBFSP) widely exists in manufacturing systems. A hybrid discrete harmony search algorithm is proposed for the problem to minimize total flow time. The algorithm presents a novel discrete improvisation and a differential evolution scheme with the jobpermutation-based representation. Moreover,the discrete harmony search is hybridized with the problem-dependent local search based on insert neighborhood to balance the global exploration and local exploitation. In addition, an orthogonal experiment design is employed to provide a receipt for turning the adjustable parameters of the algorithm. Comparisons based on the Taillard benchmarks indicate the superiority of the proposed algorithm in terms of effectiveness and efficiency.

Velocity Component Comparison between CFD and EFD in Taylor Vortex Flow

Since the classical investigation of the Taylor vortex by G. I. Taylor in 1923, many researchers have studied the Taylor vortex as one of the most important vortex types in flow. In this study, the inner cylinder is rotating, while the outer cylinder, which is concentric with the inner cylinder, is stationary. In addition, the measurement of the velocity distribution is carried out by the PIV （Particle Image Velocimetry） method. The radius of the inner cylinder is 20 mm, and that of the outer cylinder is 30 mm. In this study, Re = 650-1,200 is assumed. In the upper part of the apparatus, movable ends are fixed to the upper and lower sides of the cylinder to change the aspect ratio. The aspect ratio is defined as the ratio of cylinder height to gap distance. A servo motor to rotate the inner cylinder, a servo-motor control device, a servo amplifier for rotation speed control, and a YAG laser light source are installed in the apparatus. For the visualization of Taylor vortex flow, aluminum powder composed of scale like fine particles is used. As tracer particles used in the PIV method, fluorescent particles with a size of 48 Ixm were used. The governing equations are Navier-Stokes equations with cylindrical coordinates （r, θ, z） and the equations of continuity. Each physical value is nondimensionalized using the angular velocity of the inner cylinder as the representative velocity, and the radius difference between the inner and outer cylinders as the representative length. Discretization of the governing equations is based on the MAC method. The results of EFD and CFD （computational fluid dynamics） are compared. The mode bifurcation is observed, and the flow structure is investigated.

Effects of relaxation time on start-up time for starting flow of Maxwell fluid in a pipe

Although the analytical solution of the starting flow of Maxwell fluid in a pipe has been derived for a long time, the effect of relaxation time λ on start-up time ts of this flow is still not well understood. Especially, there exist a series of jumps on the ts-λ. curve. In this paper we introduce a normalized mechanical energy by mode decomposition and mathematical analogy to describe the start-up process. An improved definition of start-up time is presented based on the normalized mechanical energy. It is proved that the ts-λ. curve contains a series of jumps if λ is larger than a critical value. The exact positions of the jumps are determined and the physical reason of the jumps is discussed.

A VARIATIONAL ANALYTICAL APPROACH TO TIME DEPENDENT FLOW OF OLDROYD B FLUID IN CIRCULAR TUBE

In the present investigation the time dependent flow of an Oldroyd fluid B in ahorizontal eylindrical pipe is stuided by the variational analytical approach developedby author. The tome dependent problem is mathematically reduced to a partialdifferential equation of third order. Using the improved variational approach due toKantorovich the partial differential equation can be reduced to a system of ordinarydifferential equations for different approximations. The ordinary differential equationsare solved by the method of the Laplace transform which is led to an analytical formof the solutions.

Fourier time spectral method for subsonic and transonic flows

The time accuracy of the exponentially accurate Fourier time spectral method（TSM） is examined and compared with a conventional 2nd-order backward difference formula（BDF） method for periodic unsteady flows. In particular, detailed error analysis based on numerical computations is performed on the accuracy of resolving the local pressure coefficient and global integrated force coefficients for smooth subsonic and non-smooth transonic flows with moving shock waves on a pitching airfoil. For smooth subsonic flows, the Fourier TSM method offers a significant accuracy advantage over the BDF method for the prediction of both the local pressure coefficient and integrated force coefficients. For transonic flows where the motion of the discontinuous shock wave contributes significant higherorder harmonic contents to the local pressure fluctuations,a sufficient number of modes must be included before the Fourier TSM provides an advantage over the BDF method.The Fourier TSM, however, still offers better accuracy than the BDF method for integrated force coefficients even for transonic flows. A problem of non-symmetric solutions for symmetric periodic flows due to the use of odd numbers of intervals is uncovered and analyzed. A frequency-searching method is proposed for problems where the frequency is not known a priori. The method is tested on the vortex shedding problem of the flow over a circular cylinder.

Evaluation of rutting performance of stone matrix asphalt mixtures containing warm mix additives

Permanent deformation or rutting, one of the most important distresses in flexible pavements, has long been a problem in asphalt mixtures and thus a great deal of research has been focused on the development of a rheological parameter that would address the rutting susceptibility of both unmodified and modified bituminous binders. In this research, three warm mix additives(Sasobit, Rheofalt and Zycotherm) were used to modify 60-70 penetration grade base binder. The rutting potential of both modified and unmodified binders were evaluated through the multiple stress creep recovery(MSCR)-based parameter, nonrecoverable compliance(Jnr) and recovery parameter(R). Several performance tests carried on stone matrix asphalt(SMA) mixtures comprising different nominal maximum aggregate sizes(NMASs, 9.5, 12.5 and 19 mm), like Marshall stability, dynamic and static creep and Hamburg wheel tracking tests to evaluate their rutting performance. The objective of this work is to correlate MSCR test results to performance. Results indicate that for the range of the gradations investigated in this work, increasing the nominal maximum aggregate size of the gradation would increase the permanent deformation resistance of the SMA mixture. Addition of 3% sasobit to base binder leads an increase in Jnr100 about 82%. Addition of 2% rheofalt to base binder leads an recovery increase of about 9.76 % and 27.44% in stress levels of 100 and 3200 Pa, respectively. The results reveal that rutting resistance of mixtures improves as Jnr decreases. The use of the MSCR test in the rutting characterization of bituminous binders is highly recommended based on the results of this work.

Numerical Simulation of ATPS Parachute Transient Dynamics Using Fluid-Structure Interaction Method

In order to simulate and analyze the dynamic characteristics of the parachute from advanced tactical parachute system(ATPS),a nonlinear finite element algorithm and a preconditioning finite volume method are employed and developed to construct three dimensional parachute fluid-structure interaction(FSI)model.Parachute fabric material is represented by membrane-cable elements,and geometrical nonlinear algorithm is employed with wrinkling technique embedded to simulate the large deformations of parachute structure by applying the NewtonRaphson iteration method.On the other hand,the time-dependent flow surrounding parachute canopy is simulated using preconditioned lower-upper symmetric Gauss-Seidel(LU-SGS)method.The pseudo solid dynamic mesh algorithm is employed to update the flow-field mesh based on the complex and arbitrary motion of parachute canopy.Due to the large amount of computation during the FSI simulation,massage passing interface(MPI)parallel computation technique is used for all those three modules to improve the performance of the FSI code.The FSI method is tested to simulate one kind of ATPS parachutes to predict the parachute configuration and anticipate the parachute descent speeds.The comparison of results between the proposed method and those in literatures demonstrates the method to be a useful tool for parachute designers.

Fabrication scheduling on a single machine to minimize the weighted sum of product completion time

In this paper, a fabrication scheduling problem concerning the production of components at a single manufacturing facility was studied, in which the manufactured components are subsequently assembled into a finite number of end products. Each product was assumed to comprise a common component to all jobs and a unique component to itself. Common operations were processed in batches and each batch required a setup time. A product is completed when both its two operations have been processed and are available. The optimality criterion considered was the minimization of weighted flow time. For this scheduling problem, the optimal schedules were described in a weignted shortest processing time first （WSPT） order and two algorithms were constructed corresponding to the batch availability and item availability, respectively.

Research on the Trusted Energy-Saving Transmission of Data Center Network

According to the high operating costs and a large number of energy waste in the current data center network architectures, we propose a kind of trusted flow preemption scheduling combining the energy-saving routing mechanism based on typical data center network architecture. The mechanism can make the network flow in its exclusive network link bandwidth and transmission path, which can improve the link utilization and the use of the network energy efficiency. Meanwhile, we apply trusted computing to guarantee the high security, high performance and high fault-tolerant routing forwarding service, which helps improving the average completion time of network flow.

Nature of Existence and Essence of Time in Existence

This study is based on the notion that every entity has two inseparable parts: the imperceptible existence and the perceptible body. Existence is comprised of space, time, and consciousness. These characteristics manifest in the perceptible forms of capability, activity, and awareness, respectively. The findings of this study suggest that physically (atoms), biologically (vegetation), psychologically (animals), and intellectually living entities (humans) have their own existences in the following elements: space (capability), time (activity), and consciousness (awareness). This study aims to discuss the context of time by visualizing the phenomenon in which the present penetrates the space fabric by touching consciousness and establishing self-sustaining life, termed as an entity. The second part of this study suggests that the negative and positive loops represent the future and the past in a sinusoidal wave, and the base line in between represents the continuous present. A small change occurs with each oscillation or wavelength, which increases entropy. The unit “change” occurs within one wavelength, which should be treated as the smallest unit of time. This unit may differ from the prevalent unit of time, which is measured based on duration.

Efficient contraflow algorithms for quickest evacuation planning

The optimization models and algorithms with their implementations on flow over time problems have been an emerging field of research because of largely increasing human-created and natural disasters worldwide.For an optimal use of transportation network to shift affected people and normalize the disastrous situation as quickly and efficiently as possible,contraflow configuration is one of the highly applicable operations research(OR)models.It increases the outbound road capacities by reversing the direction of arcs towards the safe destinations that not only minimize the congestion and increase the flow but also decrease the evacuation time significantly.In this paper,we sketch the state of quickest flow solutions and solve the quickest contraflow problem with constant transit times on arcs proving that the problem can be solved in strongly polynomial time O(nm^2(long n)~2)where n and m are number of nodes and number of arcs,respectively in the network.This contraflow solution has the same computational time bound as that of the best min-cost flow solution.Moreover,we also introduce the contraflow approach with load dependent transit times on arcs and present an efficient algorithm to solve the quickest contraflow problem approximately.Supporting the claim,our computational experiments on Kathmandu road network and on randomly generated instances perform very well matching the theoretical results.For a sufficiently large number of evacuees,about double flow can be shifted with the same evacuation time and about half time is sufficient to push the given flow value with contraflow reconfiguration.