THE OPTIMUM SPEED OF VISUAL INSPECTION USING A RANDOM SEARCH STRATEGY

Choosing a standard speed for visual inspection is difficult using standard work measurement techniques. This paper uses a different approach, taking a model of human functioning in inspection and deriving an optimum speed of working so as to balance the cost of time against the cost of errors. Random search is used as the model and both self-paced and externally-paced conditions are derived for multiple fault types. Optimization using a Golden Section search is used to provide optimum inspection speed.     

Kalman-filter-based algorithms of spectrometric datacorrection-Part I: an iterative algorithm of deconvolution

This series of two papers aims to present the different solutions of the problem of improving the resolution of spectrometric measurements via numerical processing of spectrometric data subject both to systematic instrumental errors and to random measurement errors. It is assumed that the model of the spectrometric data has the form of a convolution-type equation of the first kind. The method for improving the resolution consists in numerically solving this equation using the acquired data. In this first paper of the series, an algorithm of correction is proposed which is based on the iterative use of the Kalman filter incorporating a non-negativity constraint. Its applicability to the problem of correction is assessed not only from a purely metrological point of view (accuracy, resolution) but also with respect to its suitability for implementation as a VLSI processor dedicated to measuring systems. For this latter reason a time-invariant model of the data and a steady-state version of the Kalman filter is used. The efficiency of this approach to correction is demonstrated using both synthetic and real-world data     

High-pressure catalytic and thermal cracking of polyethylene

The thermal cracking and catalytic cracking processes of low-density polyethylene were studied in a closed autoclave. The compositions of gaseous and liquid products were analysed by means of GC/FID and GS/MS chromatographic methods. The fractional composition of liquid products was found by distillation. Increased temperature of PE depolymerisation process increases the production of gaseous products and low-boiling liquid compounds; more aromatic hydrocarbons are formed instead of alkenes. When a lower temperature and longer time are adopted for the process to reach the assumed conversion, more straight chained hydrocarbons are produced. The acidic aluminosilicate catalyst yields more low-boiling liquid fractions, more isoalkanes and more aromatics. The neutral alumina is favourable for the production of alkenes and vacuum gas oil fraction in comparison to a non-catalytic process. The Ni–Mo/Al₂O₃ catalyst is efficient in hydrogenation of depolymerisation products. The reaction products contain only saturated compounds then and no aromatics are formed.     

Pilot plant studies on the removal of trihalomethanes by composite reverse osmosis membranes

The effect of single trihalomethane (THM) (CHCl₃) content in various types of water on the performance of two types of reverse osmosis composite membranes (the AFC99 membrane in tubular module B1, PCI, and the FT30 membrane in a spiral-wound element BW3040, FilmTec) have been investigated. The performance of these membranes in RO tests carried out using distilled water, tap water and brackish water (1000–5000 ppm NaCl) with the addition of THM have been evaluated in terms of permeate flux and the rejection of dissolved solids and THM. The FT30 membrane provided THM rejection better than 99.5% during the reverse osmosis treatment of tap water and brackish water. The AFC99 membrane exhibited only 80% retention of THM, obtained for the transmembrane pressures in the range of 10 to 30 bars. It was found that the presence of CHCl₃ slightly affects the transport and separation properties of the composite membranes used.     

Purification of oily wastewater by hybrid UF/MD

Investigations on the treatment of oily wastewater by a combination of ultrafiltration (UF) and membrane distillation (MD) as a final purification method have been performed. A tubular UF module equipped with polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membranes and a capillary MD module with polypropylene membranes were tested using a typical bilge water collected from a harbour without pretreatment. The permeate obtained from the UF process generally contains less than 5 ppm of oil. A further purification of the UF permeate by membrane distillation results in a complete removal of oil from wastewater and a very high reduction of the total organic carbon (99.5%) and total dissolved solids (99.9%).     

Modeling the spectrometric microtransducer

Numerical correction of spectrograms is based on the use of mathematical models of the relationship between a spectrum to be measured and the data obtained by means of a spectrometer. In this paper, a method for mathematical modeling of the spectrometric microtransducer is proposed and discussed. This method is based on decomposition of the spectrometer into functional blocks and on gray-box modeling of those blocks. The input-output model of the spectrometric microtransducer of the spectrometer is obtained by combining the mathematical models of its functional blocks. An example of modeling of the spectrometric microtransducer of the spectrometer SD1000 (by Ocean Optics) is given. Conclusions, concerning the applicability of the results of modeling in the designer's practice, are drawn     

Integration of photocatalysis and membrane distillation for removal of mono- and poly-azo dyes from water

The paper reports investigations on the application of anatase-phase TiO₂ for the removal of azo dyes in a hybrid system coupling photocatalysis with direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD, MD). The process was conducted in a laboratory-scale installation equipped with a PP capillary module. The influence of reaction temperature and initial concentration of azo dyes on the effectiveness of their photodegradation was especially investigated. Two mono-azo dyes: Acid Red 18 (AR18) and Acid Yellow 36 (AY36) and one poly-azo dye, Direct Green 99 (DG99) were applied as model compounds. The increase of the reaction temperature from 313 to 333 K resulted in an improvement of the efficiency of photodecomposition of the dyes, as was found on the basis of changes of their masses in the feed solution. The comparison of the results obtained during photocatalysis alone and hybrid photocatalysis-MD process revealed that the reduction of feed volume in MD did not affect the photodegradation rate of the azo dyes. An improvement of the effectiveness of the degradation of dyes was obtained by an application of solutions with lower initial concentration (10 instead of 30 mg/dm³). Regardless of the process parameters applied, the product (distillate) was almost pure water with conductivity lower than 0.3 mS/m and pH above 5.2.     

Incorporation of a positivity constraint into a Kalman-filter-basedalgorithm for correction of spectrometric data

Improving the resolution of spectrometric analyses by numerical processing of spectrometric data subject to systematic errors of an instrumental type, as well as to random errors, is addressed. It is assumed that the model of the spectrometric data has the form of an integral, convolution-type equation of the first kind. The method for improving the resolution consists of numerically solving this equation on the basis of the acquired data. A new algorithm for dealing with this problem is proposed; it is based on the Kalman filter constrained in such a way that the negative values of the solution are suppressed. The efficiency of this constrained algorithm is demonstrated using both synthetic and real-world data     

Modified carbonization of polyacrylonitrile by incorporation of FeCl2 and Fe(NO3)3—pore structure

The structure and texture of the pyrolysis product was modified by the incorporation of FeCl₂ or Fe(NO₃)₃ into polyacrylonitrile (PAN). The additives were added to a PAN solution in dimethylformamide. The incorporation of FeCl₂ and Fe(NO₃)₃ into PAN was found to result in carbons with a smaller interlayer spacing than the carbon derived from pure PAN, as well as a larger crystallite size and a larger volume of micropores with a radius of ca. 1.8 nm. FeCl₂ was more effective than Fe(NO₃)₃ in the modification of the carbonization behavior of PAN.