Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Studies on robust control of distillation columns

Distillation is undoubtedly the most important unit operation in chemical engineering. During design a significant effort is normally put into steady-state optimization of the column with respect to its size, feed location and reflux ratio. However, operating the column close to this optimal point requires reasonably tight control of the product compositions. This is usually not achieved in industrial practice due to stability problems. Improved strategies for distillation control offer a viable means for significant economic savings as compared to the existing ad hoc techniques. This thesis addresses robust control of distillation columns in the face of model-plant mismatch caused by model uncertainty, nonlinearity and changes in operating conditions. The robust control paradigm, introduced by Doyle and coworkers, is used as the basis for controller design and analysis. An important tool is the Structured Singular Value (SSV) which enables the evaluation of a plant's achievable control performance. This provides a consistent basis for comparing controllers and design alternatives. Achievable performance is also related to other commonly used measures such as the RGA and the condition number. Physical insight is used to derive low-order column models which address the issues most important for feedback control. It is shown that the dynamic behavior can be explained in terms of the fundamental difference between external and internal flows. This difference manifests itself both at steady-state and in the dynamic response. Furthermore, the initial response, which is of principal importance for feedback control, is affected much less by changes in the operating conditions than is the steady-state response. The initial response is even less markedly affected when logarithmic compositions are used. An important issue in distillation control is which two of the possible five manipulated inputs should be selected for composition control; each configuration may yield entirely different control performance. Issues which must be addressed include model uncertainty and dynamic response as well as rejection of flow disturbances by the level loops. Finally, a design method for robust decentralized controllers, which generalizes the SSV-interaction measure of Grosdidier and Morari, is introduced. Each loop is designed independently such that robust performance of the overall system is guaranteed.
Practical Guidelines and Recommendations for Selecting and Managing Environmental Key Performance Indicators for 1st Tier Suppliers

This thesis has explored practical concerns for selecting and managing environmental Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to manage environmental impacts of suppliers’ production processes upstream in the supply-chain. It has been accomplished by interviews with five front-runner companies. Findings show that companies primarily track environmental issues for 1st tier suppliers concerning energy use, greenhouse gas emission, and water use. The used KPIs are mainly absolute and normalised indicators. To improve the suppliers’ environmental performance the companies use traditional means such as targets and supplier scorecards. They also provide theoretical and practical support in order to raise the suppliers’ awareness and knowledge-level. The companies are limited by a number of factors. One such factor is the completely manual data reporting system, which is associated with a heavy workload. A key finding is strategies for implementing the KPIs to guarantee a high compliance rate. Altogether this thesis provides practical guidelines and recommendations for a company on the way to implement environmental KPIs for its 1st tier suppliers. It also identifies key problems that need to be addressed by future research.
Bird Smuggler Sentenced

On the rebound: soil organic carbon stocks can bounce back to near forest levels when agroforests replace agriculture in southern India H. C. Hombegowda, O. van Straaten, M. Köhler, and D. Hölscher Tropical Silviculture and Forest Ecology, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi, India Soil Science of Tropical and Subtropical Ecosystems, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany These authors contributed equally to this work.
Armor All: The Self-Conception of Private Security Contractors

Whereas the values, attitudes and motivations of soldiers serving in their countries’ armed forces have been widely studied, to date we know very little about the motivations and self-conception of individuals working for the private security industry. Using data obtained through an online survey, this article explores the values, attitudes and identity of more than 200 private security contractors with law enforcement backgrounds and operational experience with a security firm in Iraq. Contrary to media dominating images of ruthless, moneygrabbing mercenaries, respondents in this sample adhered to attitudes and values very similar to those of professional soldiers serving in Western militaries. Author Bio(s) Volker Franke is Associate Professor of Conflict Management at Kennesaw State University. He is the author of Preparing for Peace: Military Identity, Value-Orientations, and Professional Military Education and more than 30 journal articles, book chapters, case studies and research reports on issues related to peace and security studies, conflict management, civil-military relations, development policy and social identity. Email: vfranke@kennesaw.edu This article is available in Peace and Conflict Studies: http://nsuworks.nova. edu/pcs/vol19/iss2/5 Peace and Conflict Studies Volume 19, Number 2 259 Armor All: The Self-Conception of Private Security Contractors
STRATEGIES FOR PREVENTING FUTURE “REQUIREMENTS CREEP”

“Requirements Creep,” the gradual increase in the average number of requirements specified for a given type of system, poses a formidable challenge to the future of systems engineering efforts. In such cases where the number of system‐level requirements reaches into the hundreds (or even thousands), the tasks of identifying, decomposing, allocating, documenting and providing traceability of requirements quickly becomes a bookkeeping nightmare. Moreover, the critical tasks of identifying alternative system architectures, synthesizing design concepts and performing trade‐offs against an overwhelming array of criteria are becoming so complex as to confound and confuse even the most capable of systems engineers. And equally insidious is the impact of large numbers of requirements on system cost– since the term “requirement” has traditionally referred to a need that must be satisfied despite cost.In this paper, the author proposes that, in addition to developing the means to work effectively with large sets of requirements (e.g., computer data bases, modeling and simulation tools, etc.) systems engineering methodology should encompass strategies for limiting the number of requirements specified in the first place. The author then discusses a number of possible approaches, including elements of Quality Function Deployment, Analytic Hierarchy Processing and the so‐called “Eighty‐Twenty Rule,” and proposes how these might be applied collectively to determine the appropriate domain of requirements for a particular system. Although most readily applicable to non‐contract commercial or consumer system developments, such strategies could form a basis for future requirements definition efforts for government contract programs.
An optimal PWM algorithm implementation in a high performance 125 kVA inverter

A three-phase pulsewidth modulation algorithm is presented which is optimal in the following ways: it produces the maximum line-to-line output voltage for a given DC bus voltage without overmodulation; it allows full output voltage control from 0 to 100%; and it maximizes the theoretical lowest order harmonic frequency while minimizing the number of switchings per fundamental cycle. The optimal algorithm is compared with two currently used PWM methods. Experimental results for various load conditions on a 125 kVA inverter are presented. <<ETX>>
Nontechnical Guide to Petroleum Geology, Exploration, Drilling & Production

In this popular text that has trained thousands in the petroleum industry for years, Dr. Norman Hyne takes readers through upstream operations--from how oil and gas are formed; how to find commercial quantities; how to drill, evaluate, and complete a well--all the way through production and improved oil recovery. He uses lots of pictures, graphs, and illustrations to aid readers in understanding topics and to provide necessary visuals. Read it cover-to-cover as a complete primer, read it a section at a time as it comes up in your profession, and keep it handy as a quick reference. New to this edition: • A chapter on unconventional oil and gas (including gas shales) • Modern tools used in well logging • Modern drilling rig methods and equipment • Expanded glossary includes 1,500 new terms • More figures and plates • Up-to-date statistics
Hexapod locomotion control through a CNN based decentralized system

In this paper the decentralized locomotion control of a bio-inspired hexapod robot is realized by using cellular neural networks (CNNs). This approach is inspired by the model of decentralized locomotion control in the stick insect, where local influences, based on the leg status, revealed by contact sensors, coordinates the CNN cells devoted to control each of the legs. To prove the suitability of the approach, simulations of the control system when applied to a simplified dynamic hexapod model are presented. The good results obtained open the way to the realization of the control on the hexapod robot.
Multidimensional Design of Hydraulic Components and Systems

The importance of numerical simulation in hydraulic components design is rapidly increasing. In fact, the computational simulations of compressible and incompressible flows can relevantly support experiments, and the CFD is becoming a valuable tool also for the design and the pre-prototyping processes (Yang, 2002, 2005; Barman, 2005). Moreover, the human and computational resources to be involved in the numerical analysis are now not only acceptable, but also advantageous, thanks to the continuous development of computational platforms, as well as of the CFD tools. Nevertheless the accuracy and reliability of the numerical results must be addressed when approaching a new problem, since they demonstrated to be very sensitive to the fluiddynamics characteristics of the case studied (such as the Reynolds number in the critical sections, the geometry complexity and the boundary conditions). For example, the widely used cylindrical orifices (metering valves, directional valves, injectors, instruments, etc.) show that the fluid dynamic performance is significantly affected by the geometrical details; consequently, a sharp-edge inlet presents an efflux coefficient lower than a rounded one (Ohrn et al., 1991), while small modifications in the curvature can determine remarkable differences both in the flow field, and in pressure losses. Furthermore, a key feature in the design process of fluid power components and systems is the capability of controlling or avoiding cavitation and aeration. The problems caused by the cavitating phenomena are widely known (Oshima & Ichikawa, 1985, 1986) and they can lead to efficiency loss, vibrations and noise, unexpected change in the characteristics of flow rate and flow forces and even erosion of the components when the phenomenon becomes particularly aggressive (Oshima e al., 2001). Therefore, the possibility of predicting cavitation is fundamental in hydraulic components design and both experiments and numerical simulation have to be employed and integrated in order to help the understanding of the basics of cavitation occurrence. Particularly, numerical analysis can provide a great amount of data that can extend the experimental area and deepen the insight of the physical phenomenon (Yang, 2002, 2005). Nevertheless, the accuracy and reliability of the numerical models have to be addressed when approaching a new problem or when they are modified to account for a more detailed description of the physical process. The model sensitivity with respect to the fluid-dynamics characteristics of the case studied (such as the Reynolds number in the critical sections, the geometry
An UWB slot antenna without stub tuning

A slot omnidirectional wide‐band antenna without stub tuning is proposed. The antenna is fed with a slot waveguide, performing from 1.9 to 6.6 GHz and gain from 2 to 5 dB over the bandwidth. One of the main advantages is the small amount of parameters of the structure to modify and optimize, reducing the design complexity. The idea emerges from a complement of an UWB planarized elliptical monopole. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 55:2658–2662, 2015
Hot-Carrier Effects in MOS Devices

(Chapter Headings): MOS Device Fundamentals. Hot-Carrier Injection Mechanisms. Hot-Carrier Device Degradation. AC and Process-Induced Hot-Carrier Effects. Hot-Carrier Effects at Low Temperature and Low Voltage. Dependence of Hot-Carrier Phenomena on Device Structure. As-P Double Diffused Drain (DDD) Versus Lightly Doped Drain (LDD) Devices. Gate-to-Drain Overlatpped Devices (GOLD). References. Index.
Strategic alignment in the virtual organisation

This paper reviews the literature in relation to vi rtual E-business models and strategies. From this the authors develop a framework to test t wo new strategic alignment instruments designed to measure the espoused readin ess of an organisation to collaborate virtually and the actual preparedness t o operate virtually. These instruments will assist organisations in recognising and exploi ting their degree of virtuality and can assist organisations in developing new organisation al forms that fully leverage the value of their ICT assets.
Optimal configurations for integrated antenna feeders with linear dual-polarisation and multiple frequency bands

Different configurations for the antenna feeder of advanced microwave subsystems are introduced, working in several schemes which combine multiple frequency bands with two linear orthogonal polarisations. The aim of this study is to highlight state-of-art research results on different waveguide components for modern radio frequency (RF)/microwave subsystems, stressing the impact of the selected architecture in the whole system in both the electrical performance and the volume and size of the feeder. Two are the key components of this type of RF/microwave feeder: the ortho-mode transducer for polarisation discrimination and the multiplexers for separating the frequency bands. It will be shown that a careful study of the whole feeder architecture can simplify in some cases the individual components, with the consequent benefit in electric performance and size reduction. The computer-aided design of the presented architectures is outlined, showing examples for different applications and comparing numerical simulations by different methods with experimental results.
A comprehensive bipolar avalanche multiplication compact model for circuit simulation

In this paper, a new comprehensive bipolar transistor avalanche multiplication model is presented that takes into account the finite thickness of the epilayer, modulation of the electric field by the collector current (Kirk effect), current spreading in the epilayer and quasi-saturation. Two parameters are needed to model the collector voltage dependency at small current levels and one parameter is required to describe high current effects. The dependency of the collector-emitter breakdown voltage BV/sub ceo/ with collector current is shown. The model will be part of the bipolar compact transistor model Mextram 504, but also can be used separately.
CHARACTERISTICS OF RANGE HOODS IN CALIFORNIA HOMES - DATA COLLECTED FROM A REAL ESTATE WEB SITE

Proceedings of the Healthy Buildings 2009 Conference CHARACTERISTICS OF RANGE HOODS IN CALIFORNIA HOMES – DATA COLLECTED FROM A REAL ESTATE WEB SITE Victoria L. Klug and Brett C. Singer 1 Environmental Energy Technologies Division Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley CA Tod Bedrosian and Chris D’Cruz Bedrosian & Associates, Sacramento CA September 2011
Ellipsoidal Reflector for Measuring Oto-Acoustic Emissions

A truncated prolate ellipsoidal reﬂector having the ear canal of a listener at one focal point and large-diaphragm low-noise microphone at the other focal point is proposed for free-ﬁeld recordings of oto-acoustic emissions. A prototype reﬂector consisting of three pieces is presented, which enables measuring the response of the system with diﬀerent truncations. The response of the system is measured with a miniature loudspeaker, and proof-of-concept measurements of oto-acoustic emissions are presented. The eﬀect of truncation and other physical parameters to the performance of the system are discussed.
Multiple access in ultra-wideband communications using multiple pulses and the use of least squares filters

Multiple access (MA) in UWB communication has recently been studied in the context of multiple transmitted-reference short duration chirp pulses in the presence of additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN). The transmitted-reference (TR) receiver was extended in previous studies using multiple orthogonal pulses. Improved performance was observed in simulations by sampling the receiver autocorrelation function (ACF) at both zero- and non-zero lags. Sampling of non-zero ACF lags of orthogonal pulses is a novel approach. Method of using least squares filtering techniques for further tolerance against noise and interference for the TR method is proposed.
Transport Traffic Analysis for Abusive Infrastructure Characterization

Abstract : This thesis investigates a novel approach to identifying discriminating features of communications involving abusive hosts. The technique uses per-packet Transport Control Protocol (TCP) header and timing features to identify congestion, flow-control, and other low-level network and system characteristics. These characteristics are inherent to the poorly connected, under-provisioned, low-end, and overloaded hosts or links typical of abusive infrastructure, making them difficult for an adversary to manipulate. Supervised classifiers use these features to infer likely abusive network hosts. Prior work investigates such features to opportunistically identify inbound abusive traffic. This thesis seeks to perform active probing to generally characterize abusive infrastructure. Our approach is IP address and content agnostic, and therefore privacy-preserving to permit wider deployment than previously possible. On real-world traces obtained from accessing approximately 40,000 Alexa and 30,000 known-abusive web sites, we achieve a classification accuracy of 94 percent with a 3 percent false positive rate using only transport features. Our results suggest that transport traffic analysis can block and identify, in real-time, abusive hosts unknown to blocklists, and provide a difficult-to-subvert addition to existing schemes.
Modelling the user: how design for sustainable behaviour can reveal different stakeholder perspectives on human nature

Influencing more environmentally friendly and sustainable behaviour is a current focus of many projects, ranging from government social marketing campaigns, education and tax structures to designers work on interactive products, services and environments. There is a wide variety of techniques and methods usedwe have identified over 100 design patterns in our Design with Intent toolkiteach intended to work via a particular set of cognitive and environmental principles. These approaches make different assumptions about what people are like: how users will respond to behavioural interventions, and why, and in the process reveal some of the assumptions that designers and other stakeholders, such as clients commissioning a project, make about human nature. In this paper, we discuss three simple models of user behaviourthe Pinball, the Shortcut and the Thoughtfulwhich emerge from user experience designers statements about users while focused on designing for behaviour change. We characterise these models using systems terminology and examine the application of each model to design for sustainable behaviour via a series of examples.
Systems Engineering Value Stream Modelling

The V‐Model denotes the overall systems engineering value stream. The value stream consists of configuration baselines referencing the information handed over across the system architecture for top‐down design and bottom‐up integration. In addition, system integration preparation is depicted by direct flows from the left leg to the right leg of the V for each system. In order to exploit the full power of value stream thinking, the value streams for the generation of each particular configuration baseline have to be considered. This paper justifies the precedence of the value steam approach compared to document centred and process oriented approaches applied to particular documents. Configuration management in systems engineering is adjusted with respect to the value stream based approach. The process definition model for defining the value streams for generating individual configuration baselines is fully described. The paper concludes with considerations how to establish these work product generation sequences in practice.
A novel composite right/left‐handed transmission line with zero‐order resonant frequency

In this letter, a novel zero‐order‐resonant composite right/left‐handed transmission line (CRLH‐TL) is investigated and its equivalent circuit is proposed. Both the numerical simulations and the theoretical analysis show that the zero‐order resonant frequency occurs at 1.42 GHz, due to introduction of the spiral inductor, and the stop band between the left‐handed pass band and the right‐handed one disappears. We measure experimentally the five‐stage CRLH‐TL. The measurement results are in agreement with those of the simulations and theory. The CRLH‐TL with zero‐order resonant has potential for applications in miniaturization of microwave devices. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 51: 1592–1595, 2009; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.24342
Institutional Repositories in New Zealand: An Analysis of Coordinators’ Perspectives

This study is a small scale qualitative survey of coordinators working in institutional repository development in New Zealand since critical mass was reached in 2009. It aims to summarise their opinions on the current and future roles of their repository as both a preservation archive, and a discovery resource representing their institution’s research community. The research uses narrative development techniques within the interpretivist paradigm to provide a contextual analysis of the repository’s relationship with other repositories and the National Library. It is supported by quantitative analysis of the sampled repositories’ holdings and the metadata quality with which the holdings are endowed. The analysis finds that since the establishment of New Zealand repositories, coordinators have adapted their collection strategies to encourage depositors towards Open Access publishing. These findings are placed in the context of the growth of non-mandated repository holdings and the technical infrastructure for harvesting resources, and integrating workflows with university research management systems. The results are used to discuss the goals coordinators have for improving the efficiency and visibility of their repository.