The purpose of this study is to investigate the transfer behavior of oxygen during the submerged arc welding process using CaF2-SiO2-CaO fluxes. In contrast to previous research that only focused on the final oxygen content in the final weld metal, this study introduces two new parameters, ΔdO and ΔwO, to quantify the oxygen transfer in essential regions: the droplet and weld pool zones, respectively. The transfer behavior of oxygen is analyzed by using typical Multi-Zone and equilibrium models. The results indicate that the Multi-Zone model is capable of capturing the metallurgical processes of oxidation and subsequent reduction during the submerged arc welding process. Moreover, the Multi-Zone model demonstrates superior predictive accuracy in estimating oxygen content in the metal compared to the equilibrium model. Based on measured values and metallurgical data, this article analyzes the oxygen transfer mechanism and non-equilibrium state in the submerged arc welding process from b... [more]

As the ‘heart’ of energy vehicles, the lithium-ion battery is in desperate need of precision improvement, green production, and cost reduction. To achieve this goal, the electro-hydraulic servo pump control system (EHSPCS) is applied to the lithium-ion battery pole rolling mill (LBPRM). However, this development can lead to limited dynamic performance and large power loss as a result of the EHSPCS unique volume direct-drive control mode. At present, how to solve this conflict has not been studied and how the EHSPCS component parameters influence the dynamic response, power loss, and economic performance is not clear. In this paper, a multi-objective optimization (MOO) model for the LBPRM-EHSPCS is proposed by comprehensively considering the dynamic, efficiency, and economic characteristics. Firstly, the evaluation model of the dynamic response, power loss, and cost is investigated. Then, the NSGA-II algorithm is introduced to address the Pareto front of the MOO model. Finally, the powe... [more]

Frequent accidents may happen during the string run-down and pull process due to the lack of accuracy in the prediction of string force analysis. In order to precisely predict the completion string axial force in horizontal wells, a new model is established, and an in-house software has been developed. The model aims to predict the multiple local resistances that occur at different points on the completion string, which makes up for the technical defects of the commonly used software. It can calculate resistance at different points of the string, which will lead to varying hook load amplification. This method can also predict the axial force of the completion string. By changing the hook load, location, and direction, the resistance can be determined more accurately. Based on the calculation and analysis, the relationship between local resistance, the blocking point, and the amplification factor is also obtained. Furthermore, this model is used to analyze the local resistance of a hori... [more]

Proteases play a role in different processes for protozoans and for the free-living amoeba Acanthamoeba. Some of these processes are related to pathogenicity and to encystment. In this study we describe the discovery of a protease with antimicrobial activity produced by Acanthamoeba. To identify it, we developed a novel zymogram using bacteria as an in-gel substrate that can help identify proteins capable of bacterial degradation. We used chromatography to isolate the proteases and showed that it quickly degrades in the environment. Additionally, we identified overexpressed proteases during encystment. The study of proteases from Acanthamoeba can serve several purposes including new antimicrobial proteins that the amoeba can use for potentially predigesting prokaryotes. Secondly, it can help with the identification of potential new therapies against Acanthamoeba infection.

The prevention and control of gas explosion accidents are important means to improving the level of coal mine safety, and risk assessment has a positive effect on eliminating the risk of gas explosions. Aiming at the shortcomings of current risk assessment methods in dynamic control, state expression and handling uncertainty, this study proposes a method combining fault tree analysis and fuzzy polymorphic Bayesian networks. The risk factors are divided into multiple states, the concept of accuracy is proposed to correct the subjectivity of fuzzy theory and Bayesian networks are relied on to calculate the risk probability and risk distribution in real time and to propose targeted prevention and control measures. The results show that the current risk probability of a gas explosion accident in Wangzhuang coal mine is as high as 35%, and among the risk factors, excessive ventilation resistance and spontaneous combustion of coal are sources of induced risk, and the sensitivity value of ele... [more]

Silver nanoparticles, also known as AgNPs, have been extensively researched due to their one-of-a-kind characteristics, including their optical, antibacterial, and electrical capabilities. In the era of the antibiotics crisis, with an increase in antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and a decrease in newly developed drugs, AgNPs are potential candidates because of their substantial antimicrobial activity, limited resistance development, and extensive synergistic effect when combined with other drugs. The effect of AgNPs depends on the delivery system, compound combination, and their own properties, such as shape and size, which are heavily influenced by the synthesis process. Reduction using chemicals or light, irradiation using gamma ray, laser, electron beams or microwave and biological synthesis or a combination of these techniques are notable examples of AgNP synthesis methods. In this work, updated AgNP synthesis methods together with their strength and shortcomings are reviewed. Furthe... [more]

Facing the development trend of electrification of construction machinery, in view of the drawbacks of the existing electro-hydraulic-load-sensitive system in terms of dynamic characteristics and usage of energy, based on the drive source of a servo motor-driven quantitative pump, an electro-hydraulic-load-sensitive system on the basis of torque open-loop control was proposed. Firstly, the working principle of the system was introduced and the system’s operating characteristics and energy consumption characteristics were theoretically analyzed. Secondly, in order to balance the system’s energy usage and maneuverability, a control strategy with a variable pressure margin was designed. Meanwhile, in order to solve the problem that the hydraulic pump’s mechanical efficiency causes system pressure control deviation, a torque compensation method based on offline data and speed prediction was proposed. Finally, simulation and testing were used to confirm the viability of the control strategy... [more]

Nanodiamonds (ND-COOH) are used as drug delivery systems because of their attractive properties, as they allow for optimized transport of therapeutic agents in cellular models. Metformin (MET) is a drug used in diabetes mellitus therapy and exhibits anti-cancer properties. In this study, dispersed nanodiamonds were functionalized with metformin by directly binding them to 1,6-hexanediol (ND-MET), and their effects on the cytotoxicity of breast and ovarian cancer cells were evaluated in vitro. A simple synthesis of ND-MET was performed and characterized using FT-IR, XPS, Boehm titration, RAMAN, XDR, TEM, and dynamic light scattering (DLS). Data showed an increased intensity of the C-N bond band, indicating the presence of metformin in ND-MET. We detected signals at 1427 cm−1 and 1288 cm−1 corresponding to the C-N and C-H bonds, and adsorptions at 1061 cm−1 and 3208 cm−1 corresponding to the N-O and N-H bonds, respectively. The deconvolution of the C1s binding energy was also found at 28... [more]

Defect detection is crucial in quality control for fabric production. Deep-learning-based unsupervised reconstruction methods have been recognized universally to address the scarcity of fabric defect samples, high costs of labeling, and insufficient prior knowledge. However, these methods are subject to several weaknesses in reconstructing defect images into defect-free images with high quality, like image blurring, defect residue, and texture inconsistency, resulting in false detection and missed detection. Therefore, this article proposes an unsupervised detection method for fabric surface defects oriented to the timestep adaptive diffusion model. Firstly, the Simplex Noise−Denoising Diffusion Probabilistic Model (SN-DDPM) is constructed to recursively optimize the distribution of the posterior latent vector, thus gradually approaching the probability distribution of surface features of the defect-free samples through multiple iterative diffusions. Meanwhile, the timestep adaptive mo... [more]

The optimization of photocatalysis is complex, as heterogenous catalysis makes its kinetic modeling or design of experiment (DOE) significantly more difficult than homogeneous reactions. On the other hand, Bayesian optimization (BO) has been found to be efficient in the optimization of many complex chemical problems but has rarely been studied in photocatalysis. In this paper, we developed a BO platform and applied it to the optimization of three photocatalytic CO2 reduction systems that have been kinetically modeled in previous studies. Three decision variables, namely, partial pressure of CO2, partial pressure of H2O, and reaction time, were used to optimize the reaction rate. We first compared BO with the traditional DOE methods in the Khalilzadeh and Tan systems and found that the optimized reaction rates predicted by BO were 0.7% and 11.0% higher, respectively, than the best results of optimization by DOE, and were significantly better than the original experimental data, which we... [more]

The integration of power electronics-interconnected generation systems to the grid has fostered a significant number of concerns on power system operations, particularly on the displacement of synchronous generators that leads to a reduction in the grid’s overall inertia and frequency response. These concerns have raised a significant amount of state-of-the-art mathematical proposals on how to estimate system inertia; however, the majority of the proposals do not differentiate generator inertia from load inertia. When inertia prediction for control room applications is required in real-time, the current state-of-the-art proposals use the inertia of generators as a proxy for a minimum, overall inertia estimate, counting the number of units committed in real-time and adding up their inertia. However, as dynamic conditions are becoming challenging with the integration of power electronics-interconnected generation systems, it is important to quantify the amount of inertia from the loads,... [more]

In this study, a diesel engine was used to operate with blends of light fraction waste cooking oil (LFWCO) with diethyl ether (DEE). DEE was blended as an additive in the 5% to 20% ratio in steps of 5% each. The test indicates that LFWCO+15-DEE produced optimum results regarding performance and emission. The BSFC for LFWCO+15-DEE was found to be higher by about 28.9%, and the BTE was lower by about 7.6%, in contrast to diesel, at 100% operating load, respectively. For LFWCO+15-DEE the EGT was lower by about 11.9%, in contrast to neat diesel, at 100% operating load. The various emissions such as carbon monoxide (CO), nitrous oxide (NO), and smoke opacity for LFWCO+15-DEE were found to be lower by about 32.9%, 25%, and 29.4%, but the NO release was more than other blends and it was about 36%, in contrast to diesel at 100% operating load, respectively.

In order to investigate the impact of a crushed rock shape on the storage coefficient of underground reservoirs in coal mines, statistical analysis of the shape characteristics of crushed rocks was conducted, which was followed by numerical packing tests using the rigid block model. These tests aimed to investigate the spatial structure characteristics of underground reservoir water storage space in coal mines under the influence of different shapes of crushed rock. The results demonstrated the following: (1) Crushed rock exhibits a lognormal distribution in its shape characteristic parameters at different scales with a predominant discoid shape. The shape coefficient M can be utilized as a comprehensive indicator to characterize the shape characteristics of crushed rock. (2) The average storage coefficient of crushed rock increases exponentially as the shape coefficient M increases. There is a 50.1% increase in the storage coefficient from M = 1 to 3.5. (3) The spatial structure of th... [more]

In order to improve the recovery efficiency of the Jimusaer tight reservoir in Xinjiang, the nanometer oil displacement agent system suitable for the Jimusaer reservoir was used. In view of the low permeability, high formation temperature, and high salinity characteristics of the prepared water in the Jimusaer tight conglomerate reservoir in Xinjiang, the performance of the nanometer oil displacement agent affecting oil recovery was studied; the study considered interfacial tension, temperature resistance, wetting performance, static oil washing efficiency, and long-term stability. Nanometer oil displacement agent No. 4 had the lowest interfacial tension and could reach the order of 10−1 mN∙m−1; it had excellent temperature resistance and the best static oil washing efficiency and stability. Nano-oil displacement agent No. 2 had the best emulsification performance and wettability and also had good stability. By studying the performance and final oil displacement effect of the nano-oil... [more]

Digestate is the material remaining after the anaerobic digestion of a biodegradable feedstock. The use of digestate as a bedding material is analyzed marginally. The aim of the paper is to monitor the change of the solid phase of digestate due to the action of radiant heat and, based on the results, determine the options of using the solid phase of the digestate for bedding material. Experimental determination of the digestate ignition temperature was carried out according to EN 50281-2-1 (1998) by a hotplate device. Different amounts of samples (3, 5, and 10 g) on the course of thermal degradation were monitored. The results showed higher temperatures of thermal degradation in samples of additionally dried digestate, where these processes were observed earlier in terms of time. Samples of 3 and 10 g of digestate are not suitable as bedding material due to the fire safety of the material.

Drilling-fluid loss has always been one of the challenging issues in the field of drilling engineering. This article addresses the limitations of a single fluid-loss pressure mechanism model and the challenges in predicting positive drilling-fluid-loss pressure. By categorizing fluid losses of various types encountered during drilling, different geological formations associated with distinct mechanisms are considered. The actual drilling-fluid density in the wellbore at the time of fluid-loss occurrence is taken as a reference value for calculating the positive drilling-fluid-loss pressure of the already drilled well. Building upon this foundation, a combined model utilizing the Sparrow Search Algorithm (SSA) and Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) neural network is constructed. This model effectively explores the intricate nonlinear relationship between well logging, logging engineering data, and fluid-loss pressure. By utilizing both data from the already drilled wells and upper formation... [more]

The shale of the Wufeng−Longmaxi formation in the Sichuan Basin is the preferred layer for shale gas exploration in China, and its petrophysical characteristics are the key to geological and engineering sweet spot prediction. However, the characteristics and impact mechanisms of its acoustic wave velocity and elastic anisotropy are currently unclear. In this paper, the Wufeng−Longmaxi shale is taken as the research object, and the P-wave and S-wave velocities of the samples are tested under the loading and unloading processes of confining pressure. The stress sensitivity variations in parameters such as wave velocity, wave velocity ratio, and anisotropy are discussed. P-wave and S-wave anisotropy parameters are correlated under different pressure conditions. X-ray diffraction, casting thin sections, scanning electron microscopy, micron CT scanning, and other analytical techniques are used to explore the mechanisms of stress sensitivity of elastic parameters. The research results indica... [more]

Fractures play a crucial role as fluid conduits and reservoir spaces in reservoirs. The distribution and characteristics of fractures determine the presence of high-quality reservoirs. To accurately analyze and observe fracture parameters, three-dimensional (3-D) digital cores generated from computed tomography (CT) are utilized. However, the current process of extracting fracture properties from these digital cores is time-consuming and labor-intensive. This paper introduces a new, fast, and automatic workflow for extracting the apparent dip angle and direction of fractures from 3-D digital core images. The proposed workflow involves several steps. Firstly, two perpendicular cross-sections are obtained from the digital core and converted into binary images. Next, the coordinates of four fracture feature points within the core image are automatically extracted. The fracture plane is then fitted using the least squares method based on the extracted coordinates. Finally, the apparent dip... [more]

To address the issues of strong subjectivity, low efficiency, and difficulty in on-site model deployment encountered in existing CCTV defect detection of pipelines, this article proposes an object detection model based on an improved YOLOv5s algorithm. Firstly, involution modules and GSConv simplified models are introduced into the backbone network and feature fusion network, respectively, to enhance the detection accuracy. Secondly, a CBAM attention mechanism is integrated to improve the detection accuracy of overlapping targets in complex backgrounds. Finally, knowledge distillation is performed on the improved model to further enhance its accuracy. Experimental results demonstrate that the improved YOLOv5s achieved an mAP@0.5 of 80.5%, which is a 2.4% increase over the baseline, and reduces the parameter and computation volume by 30.1% and 29.4%, respectively, with a detection speed of 75 FPS. This method offers good detection accuracy and robustness while ensuring real-time detecti... [more]

The multi-stage pulse competition of pressurized pulsed water jet becomes the initial pulse at the head tip, and hydraulic parameters are the key parameters that affect the characteristics of multiple pulses. Based on the ultra-high-speed imaging system, a pressurized pulsed water jet flow field capture system was constructed, and the effects of initial pressure and driving pressure of the pressurized chamber on the characteristics of multi-stage pulses were studied. The experimental results show that as the initial pressure of the booster chamber increases, the jet changes from a discontinuous state to a continuous state, and the multi-level pulse simultaneously changes from dominant multi-pulse to implicit multi-pulse; as the driving pressure increases, the initial spacing between the first pulse and the second pulse increases, and the peak velocity of the initial pulse gradually increases. At the same time, the location of the peak velocity also shifts away from the nozzle as the dr... [more]

The olefin separation from their mixture with paraffins by facilitated transport membranes is a very important process for the further macromolecular compounds production. Membranes loaded with silver ions, which are responsible for the facilitated olefin transport, are instable with time due to their reduction, while those containing protons catalyze the polymerization of olefins. In this work, membranes based on polyethylene with grafted sulfonated polystyrene in various ionic forms (H+, Li+, Na+) were used for the first time for the separation of the ethylene/ethane mixture. The influence of sulfonation time, relative humidity, and various ionic forms on ethylene separation was studied. The SEM study shows a non-uniform sulfur distribution over the membrane thickness for membranes sulfonated for different reaction times. With increasing sulfonation time and relative humidity the ethylene permeability and the factor of its separation with ethane increase. Separation factors for membr... [more]

To explore the flotation feasibility and flotation law of iron minerals from amphibole-type iron oxide ore with full-size minerals, a systematic study on the flotation behaviors of single minerals hematite, quartz, and amphibole was carried out with the anionic reverse flotation system. The effects of collectors, depressants, activators, and pH on the floatabilities of three single minerals was investigated. The flotation separations of binary mixed minerals and ternary mixed ores were carried out, respectively. The study results show that CaCl2 is adsorbed on the surfaces of quartz and amphibole, which can activate them. The hydroxyl groups of the starch molecular chain were adsorbed on the surfaces of the hematite and amphibole in the form of hydrogen bonds, but were hardly adsorbed on surface of the quartz. Therefore, both hematite and amphibole were depressed, resulting in a poor separation effect of the three single minerals in the anionic flotation system.

Ambrox is a marine natural compound with a delicious ambergris-type scent widely used in fine perfumery. The increase in the long-term scent and shelf life of perfumes has become a paramount endeavor in the fragrance industry. To the best of our knowledge, the exchange of hydrogen by deuterium to decrease the volatility of the constituents of a perfume has not yet been investigated. In this article, we propose this new use of deuteration to synthesize deuterated ambrox in order to decrease its volatility and improve the long-term scent and extend the shelf-life of perfumes.

Peanuts, being crucial crops of global importance, have gained widespread recognition for their versatility and nutritional value. In addition to direct consumption, either with or without treatment, peanuts can be the subject of diverse applications focusing mainly on two distinct objectives: oil extraction and defatting processes. As a result of the first process, a solid matrix is generated as a by-product, necessitating the exploration of strategies for its valorization, while the second process is centered on obtaining protein-rich, low-fat peanuts, for which the oil recovered becomes the by-product. As consumers increasingly seek out plant-based foods for their potential health benefits, this trend is expected to persist, encompassing peanut-based foods as well. This review elucidates the methods used for extracting peanut oil, including mechanical and chemical processes that have been combined with biological or physical pre-treatment techniques. Their primary goals are to maxim... [more]

Research on the flow electrification characteristic is of paramount importance for ensuring the electrostatic safety of liquid hydrogen transportation systems. However, the discussion about electrostatic saturation in flow electrification has been lacking. To address this gap, a theoretical model governing the process of flow electrification is constructed which couples the charge conservation equation with the Navier-Stokes equations and applies the Neumann boundary conditions at the solid-liquid interface, and the application of this model is validated by existing experimental data with the simulation parameters of At and n being 9.08 × 1012 and 0.85 for liquid hydrogen. A comparison with benzene reveals that benzene almost reaches the electrostatic saturation state after flowing one meter, whereas the flow of liquid hydrogen remains in the linear growth stage. However, with an increase in pipe length, a gradual saturation trend emerges in the curves of streaming current versus flow... [more]