Dynamic Coal Quantity Detection and Classification of Permanent Magnet Direct Drive Belt Conveyor Based on Machine Vision and Deep Learning

Real-time and accurate measurement of coal quantity is the key to energy-saving and speed regulation of belt conveyor. The electronic belt scale and the nuclear scale are the commonly used methods for detecting coal quantity. However, the electronic belt scale uses contact measurement with low measurement accuracy and a large error range. Although nuclear detection methods have high accuracy, they have huge potential safety hazards due to radiation. Due to the above reasons, this paper presents a method of coal quantity detection and classification based on machine vision and deep learning. This method uses an industrial camera to collect the dynamic coal quantity images of the conveyor belt irradiated by the laser transmitter. After preprocessing, skeleton extraction, laser line thinning, disconnection connection, image fusion, and filling, the collected images are processed to obtain coal flow cross-sectional images. According to the cross-sectional area and the belt speed of the belt conveyor, the coal volume per unit time is obtained, and the dynamic coal quantity detection is realized. On this basis, in order to realize the dynamic classification of coal quantity, the coal flow cross-section images corresponding to different coal quantities are divided into coal type images to establish the coal quantity data set. Then, a Dense-VGG network for dynamic coal classification is established by the VGG16 network. After the network training is completed, the dynamic classification performance of the method is verified through the experimental platform. The experimental results show that the classification accuracy reaches 94.34%, and the processing time of a single frame image is 0.270[Formula: see text]s.

The Correlation of Movements in the Technological System during Grinding Precise Holes

The article presents the results of the study of the quality parameters of the precise hole, depending on the size, spatial location and condition of the contacting surfaces, the parameters of the state of the contact zone, during finishing grinding. The correlation between the processing modes and the current parameters of the contact zone during internal grinding is established. Dependencies describe the flow cross-feed for the i-th turn increment of the depth of micro-cutting, compensation of radial material removal previous turn, deterioration of the wheel, the increment of the elastic and thermal strains. At the same time, the depth of micro-cutting and the increment of elastic and temperature deformations affect the values of the radial wear of the tool and the radial removal of the material. The equation of displacement balance is developed for discrete processes of hole processing with abrasive tools, during which the analyzed surface area comes into contact with the abrasive tool periodically.

Design and Safety Considerations for Coiled Tubing Operations in Geothermal Wells

This article, written by JPT Technology Editor Chris Carpenter, contains highlights of paper OTC 30408, “Design and Safety Considerations To Perform Coiled Tubing Operations in Large-Diameter, High-Temperature Geothermal Wells,” by Ishaan Singh, SPE, Danny Aryo Wijoseno, SPE, and Kellen Wolf, Schlumberger, et al., prepared for the 2020 Offshore Technology Conference Asia, originally scheduled to be held in Kuala Lumpur, 17–19 August. The paper has not been peer reviewed. Copyright 2020 Offshore Technology Conference. Reproduced by permission. The productive section in a high-pressure, high-temperature (HP/HT) geothermal Field A in the Philippines features shallow and deep reservoirs separated by a low-permeability formation. However, recent years have seen a reduction in production levels. To activate and enhance well production, coiled tubing (CT) nitrogen-lift operations were required. CT simulations were combined with simulations from the geothermal reservoir to overcome modeling limitations. The outcome helped the design of a new cooling-loop system and allowed optimization of the nitrogen-lift technique. As a result, two large-diameter geothermal wells were lifted safely with 2-in. CT. Introduction This study describes design and safety considerations in performing CT operations in high-temperature, large- diameter geothermal wells. The customized high-temperature-grade seal material was chosen to withstand high bottomhole temperatures (BHT) (600°F), and a heat exchanger riser system was designed and tested on the job to handle high-surface-temperature steam (350–400°F), thus mitigating potential well-control incidents. Challenges of Seal Damage Caused by High Surface Temperatures in Live Well Intervention The CT interventions in quenched HP/HT geothermal wells reduce the risk of surface equipment failure. The seal material readily available in the market is rated to 250°F, but, if quenching is not possible, the high-temperature steam (approximately 350–400°F) may flow into the pressure-control equipment, leading to seal damage and CT contingencies. At high temperatures (400°F), these seals are unusable. It becomes essential to use a surface heat exchange riser (HER) system to prevent this issue. Design and Execution of HER Systems in Field A To avoid any well contingency and to keep pressure-control equipment safe, HER systems can be used. Some basic designs for HERs are described in the complete paper. For this study, a customized 4.06-in. HER cooling system (Design 1, shown in Fig. 1) was designed to accommodate 2-in. CT pipe. Design 1 was chosen from an evaluation of three design candidates outlined in the complete paper. The wellhead stack featured seal elements rated to high temperatures (400°F). To prevent high- temperature steam from entering the wellhead stack, the blowout preventer, and other surface- equipment elements, an efficient HER system was designed wherein, while the CT is still in the well performing CT operations, the cold water can be pumped into the CT-stack annulus from the top flow cross through the cooling riser to the bottom flow cross and back to the return tank. The temperature of the cooling loop was continuously monitored to ensure that it was well below 212°F (the boiling point of water).

Measuring the Impact of Targeting FcRn-Mediated IgG Recycling on Donor-Specific Alloantibodies in a Sensitized NHP Model

BackgroundIn transplantation, plasmapheresis and IVIg provide the mainstay of treatment directed at reducing or removing circulating donor-specific antibody (DSA), yet both have limitations. We sought to test the efficacy of targeting the IgG recycling mechanism of the neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) using anti-FcRn mAb therapy in a sensitized non-human primate (NHP) model, as a pharmacological means of lowering DSA.MethodsSix (6) rhesus macaque monkeys, previously sensitized by skin transplantation, received a single dose of 30mg/kg anti-RhFcRn IV, and effects on total IgG, as well as DSA IgG, were measured, in addition to IgM and protective immunity. Subsequently, 60mg/kg IV was given in the setting of kidney transplantation from skin graft donors. Kidney transplant recipients received RhATG, and tacrolimus, MMF, and steroid for maintenance immunosuppression.ResultsCirculating total IgG was reduced from a baseline 100% on D0 to 32.0% (mean, SD ± 10.6) on d4 post infusion (p<0.05), while using a DSA assay. T-cell flow cross match (TFXM) was reduced to 40.6±12.5% of baseline, and B-cell FXCM to 52.2±19.3%. Circulating total IgM and DSA IgM were unaffected by treatment. Pathogen-specific antibodies (anti-gB and anti-tetanus toxin IgG) were significantly reduced for 14d post infusion. Post-transplant, circulating IgG responded to anti-FcRn mAb treatment, but DSA increased rapidly.ConclusionTargeting the FcRn-mediated recycling of IgG is an effective means of lowering circulating donor-specific IgG in the sensitized recipient, although in the setting of organ transplantation mechanisms of rapid antibody rise post-transplant remains unaffected.

Study of the vortex chamber and its application for the development of novel measurement and control devices

Based on studies of the flow structure in a short cylindrical vortex chamber, the dependence of the flow rate coefficient on its geometric parameters is proposed. It is shown that the liquid flow form in the chamber’s axial vortex the pressure on which surface is corresponds to the pressure of the outflow cavity. These results are used to measure pressure in high-temperature cavities, using a sleeve with a diameter equal to or slightly larger than the diameter of the axial vortex. The sleeve is installed in the vortex chamber, and connects the pressure on its surface to the pressure sensor. The possibility of using a vortex chamber as a damper of pressure fluctuations has been substantiated. The design of the vortex damper and its tests results are presented; these show the possibility of increasing the stabilization time of the outlet pressure more than three-fold. Variants of regulating devices with a vortex chamber, functioning without changing the flow cross-sections, are proposed and the results of their tests are presented. This is achieved either by introducing an obstacle into the chamber cavity or by displacing the axis of the outlet nozzle position.

Velocity field and discharge measurements at the turbine inlet of Iron Gate 2 hydropower plant

<p>To define the performance characteristics of turbines in Hydropower Plants (HPP) accurate hydraulic, mechanical and electrical quantities are needed. The discharge is the most difficult quantity to measure and assess its uncertainty (Adamkowski, 2012). Traditionally, during field acceptance tests the discharge is measured using velocity-area method. Often, no direct flow measurements are possible and only index methods are used, with flow coefficients obtained during physical model testing. In the non-standard situations, with adverse flow conditions this may lead to unpredicted flow uncertainty.</p><p>             The system used at the Iron Gate 2 HPP for control flow measurement at the inlet of bulb turbine is presented in this paper. The HPP is situated on a Danube river, between Serbia and Romania and is operational from 1985. The HPP is equipped with 20 horizontal Kaplan low head bulb turbines. The physical model experiments (JČInstitute, 2006) have concluded that due to the upstream flow conditions, the incident water flow direction is not parallel to the turbines (depending on operating conditions and can be up to 40<sup>o</sup>) as was assumed during the turbine’s model tests, raising the question of used Winter-Kennedy’s method accuracy.</p><p>             To perform a control flow measurement, a modular velocity-area system was designed. The system can be installed at the intake of any turbine, upstream of the trash rack. It consists of the 14.5x3.1 m steel frame, shaped to minimize flow disturbances, which can be traversed vertically through the flow cross section (28 m). Due to the high incident angles and large vortices in the front of the trash rack, propeller current meters were not suitable. The novel spherical 3D electromagnetic velocity meter (EMVM) was developed (Svet Instrumenata), enabling fast and continuous measurements of all the velocity vector components, with low flow disturbance. The 15 EMVMs were mounted on the frame and connected into the measurement network. Redundant velocity measurement was done using 2 Nortek “Vector” ADVs (Nortek). The measurement network also comprises of 2 water level pressure transducers and 2 steel frame position transducers (UniMeasure). All measurements were synchronized with HPP’s SCADA, so turbine’s operational parameters were downloaded off-line and merged.</p><p>             During the 2020, measurement system was used on the two turbines. The velocity profile was measured using two strategies: incrementally, the steel frame was raised from the bottom (average depth of 26 m) in increments of ~1.0 m and kept for at least 10 min in fixed position, and continuous where the steel frame was traversed through the flow cross-section with a constant speed of 0.05 m/s. Uncertainty assessment procedure, specifically tailored for this application, yielded discharge measurement uncertainties between 1.02 % and 2.00 %  for incremental, and between 1.65 % to 2.79 % for continuous regime.</p><p>References</p><p>Adamkowski, A. (2012). Discharge measurement techniques in hydropower systems with emphasis on the pressure-time method. Hydropower-practice and application.</p><p>Jaroslav Černi Institute (2006). Scale model investigation of turbine runner inflow at an unfavorable angle at HPP „Đerdap II“, SDHI (in Serbian)</p><p>NORTEK: https://www.nortekgroup.com/products/vector-300-m</p><p>Svet Instrumenata: http://www.si.co.rs/index-e.html</p><p>UniMeasure: https://unimeasure.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/HX-EP-SERIES-CATALOG-PAGES-1.pdf</p>

Numerical Study of the Microflow Characteristics in a V-ball Valve

V-ball valves are widely applied in many process industries to regulate fluid flow, and they have advantages of good approximately equal percentage flow characteristics and easy maintenance. However, in some applications, the V-ball valve needs to have good performance under both large and extremely small flow coefficients. In this paper, the improvement of the original V-ball valve is made and the flow characteristics between the original and the improved V-ball valve are compared. Two types of small gaps are added to the original V-ball, namely the gap with an approximately rectangular port and the gap with an approximately triangular port. The effects of the structure and the dimension of the gap on flow characteristics are investigated. Results show that within the gap, the flow coefficient increases but the loss coefficient decreases as the valve opening increases, and the flow coefficient has an approximately linear relationship with the flow cross-area of the added gap. Results also show that under the same flow cross-area, the flow coefficient has a higher value if the distance between the gap and the ball center is greater or if the gap is an approximately rectangular port, while the loss coefficient has an opposite trend.

Buckley–Leverett Theory for Two-Phase Immiscible Fluids Flow Model with Explicit Phase-Coupling Terms

The theory of two-phase immiscible flow in porous media is based on the extension of single phase models through the concept of relative permeabilities. It mimics Darcy’s law for a fixed average saturation through the introduction of saturation-based permeabilities to model the momentum exchange between the phases. In this paper, we present a model of two-phase flow, based on the extension of Darcy’s law including the effect of capillary pressure, but considering in addition the coupling between the phases modeled through flow cross-terms. In this work, we extend the Buckley–Leverett theory to the subsequent model, and provide numerical experiments shading the light on the effect of the coupling cross-terms in comparison to the classical Darcy’s approach.