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Low carbon manufacturing: Fundamentals, methodology and application case studies
This thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and awarded by Brunel University.The requirement and awareness of the carbon emissions reduction in several scales and
application of sustainable manufacturing have been now critically reviewed as important manufacturing trends in the 21st century. The key requirements for carbon emissions reduction in this context are energy efficiency, resource utilization, waste minimization and even the reduction of total carbon footprint. The recent approaches tend to only analyse and evaluate
carbon emission contents of interested engineering systems. However, a systematic approach based on strategic decision making has not been officially defined with no standards or guidelines further formulated yet. The above requirements demand a fundamentally new approach to future applications of sustainable low carbon manufacturing. Energy and resource efficiencies and effectiveness based low carbon manufacturing (EREEbased LCM) is thus proposed in this research. The proposed EREE-based LCM is able to provide the systematic approach for integrating three key elements (energy efficiency, resource utilization and waste minimization) and taking account of them comprehensively in a scientific manner. The proposed approach demonstrates the solution for reducing carbon emissions in
manufacturing systems at both the machine and shop floor levels. An integrated framework has been developed to demonstrate the feasible approach to achieve effective EREE-based LCM at different manufacturing levels including machine, shop floor,
enterprise and supply chains. The framework is established in the matrix form with appropriate tools and methodologies related to the three keys elements at each manufacturing level. The theoretical model for EREE-based LCM is also presented, which consists of three essential elements including carbon dioxide emissions evaluation, an optimization method and waste
reduction methodology. The preliminary experiment and simulations are carried out to evaluate the proposed concept. The modelling of EREE-based LCM has been developed for both the machine and shop floor
levels. At the machine level, the modelling consists of the simulation of energy consumption due to the effect of machining set-up, the optimization model and waste minimization related to the optimized machining set-up. The simulation is established using sugeno type fuzzy logic. The learning method uses on experimental data (cutting trials) while the optimization model is created using mamdani type fuzzy logic with grey relational grade technique. At the shop floor level, the modelling is designed dependent on the cooperation with machine level modelling. The determination of the work assignment including machining set-up depends on fuzzy integer linear programming for several objectives with the evaluation of energy consumption data from
machine level modelling. The simulation method is applied as the part of shop floor level modelling in order to maximize resource utilization and minimize undesired waste. The output from the shop floor level modelling is machine production a planning with preventive plan that can minimize the total carbon footprint. The axiomatic design theory has been applied to generate the comprehensive conceptual model E-R-W-C (energy, resource, waste and carbon footprint) of EREE-based LCM as a generic
perspective of the systematic modelling. The implementation of EREE-based LCM on both the
machine and shop floor levels are demonstrated using MATLAB toolbox and ProModel based simulation. The proposed concept, framework and modelling have been further evaluated and validated through case studies and experimental results.This work is financially supported by The Royal Thai Government
Sub-grid modelling for two-dimensional turbulence using neural networks
In this investigation, a data-driven turbulence closure framework is
introduced and deployed for the sub-grid modelling of Kraichnan turbulence. The
novelty of the proposed method lies in the fact that snapshots from
high-fidelity numerical data are used to inform artificial neural networks for
predicting the turbulence source term through localized grid-resolved
information. In particular, our proposed methodology successfully establishes a
map between inputs given by stencils of the vorticity and the streamfunction
along with information from two well-known eddy-viscosity kernels. Through this
we predict the sub-grid vorticity forcing in a temporally and spatially dynamic
fashion. Our study is both a-priori and a-posteriori in nature. In the former,
we present an extensive hyper-parameter optimization analysis in addition to
learning quantification through probability density function based validation
of sub-grid predictions. In the latter, we analyse the performance of our
framework for flow evolution in a classical decaying two-dimensional turbulence
test case in the presence of errors related to temporal and spatial
discretization. Statistical assessments in the form of angle-averaged kinetic
energy spectra demonstrate the promise of the proposed methodology for sub-grid
quantity inference. In addition, it is also observed that some measure of
a-posteriori error must be considered during optimal model selection for
greater accuracy. The results in this article thus represent a promising
development in the formalization of a framework for generation of
heuristic-free turbulence closures from data
Big data analytics:Computational intelligence techniques and application areas
Big Data has significant impact in developing functional smart cities and supporting modern societies. In this paper, we investigate the importance of Big Data in modern life and economy, and discuss challenges arising from Big Data utilization. Different computational intelligence techniques have been considered as tools for Big Data analytics. We also explore the powerful combination of Big Data and Computational Intelligence (CI) and identify a number of areas, where novel applications in real world smart city problems can be developed by utilizing these powerful tools and techniques. We present a case study for intelligent transportation in the context of a smart city, and a novel data modelling methodology based on a biologically inspired universal generative modelling approach called Hierarchical Spatial-Temporal State Machine (HSTSM). We further discuss various implications of policy, protection, valuation and commercialization related to Big Data, its applications and deployment
Can biological quantum networks solve NP-hard problems?
There is a widespread view that the human brain is so complex that it cannot
be efficiently simulated by universal Turing machines. During the last decades
the question has therefore been raised whether we need to consider quantum
effects to explain the imagined cognitive power of a conscious mind.
This paper presents a personal view of several fields of philosophy and
computational neurobiology in an attempt to suggest a realistic picture of how
the brain might work as a basis for perception, consciousness and cognition.
The purpose is to be able to identify and evaluate instances where quantum
effects might play a significant role in cognitive processes.
Not surprisingly, the conclusion is that quantum-enhanced cognition and
intelligence are very unlikely to be found in biological brains. Quantum
effects may certainly influence the functionality of various components and
signalling pathways at the molecular level in the brain network, like ion
ports, synapses, sensors, and enzymes. This might evidently influence the
functionality of some nodes and perhaps even the overall intelligence of the
brain network, but hardly give it any dramatically enhanced functionality. So,
the conclusion is that biological quantum networks can only approximately solve
small instances of NP-hard problems.
On the other hand, artificial intelligence and machine learning implemented
in complex dynamical systems based on genuine quantum networks can certainly be
expected to show enhanced performance and quantum advantage compared with
classical networks. Nevertheless, even quantum networks can only be expected to
efficiently solve NP-hard problems approximately. In the end it is a question
of precision - Nature is approximate.Comment: 38 page
Key Challenges and Opportunities in Hull Form Design Optimisation for Marine and Offshore Applications
New environmental regulations and volatile fuel
prices have resulted in an ever-increasing need for reduction
in carbon emission and fuel consumption. Designs of marine
and offshore vessels are more demanding with complex
operating requirements and oil and gas exploration
venturing into deeper waters and hasher environments.
Combinations of these factors have led to the need to
optimise the design of the hull for the marine and offshore
industry. The contribution of this paper is threefold. Firstly,
the paper provides a comprehensive review of the state-ofthe-
art techniques in hull form design. Specifically, it
analyses geometry modelling, shape transformation,
optimisation and performance evaluation. Strengths and
weaknesses of existing solutions are also discussed.
Secondly, key challenges of hull form optimisation specific
to the design of marine and offshore vessels are identified
and analysed. Thirdly, future trends in performing hull
form design optimisation are investigated and possible
solutions proposed. A case study on the design optimisation
of bulbous bow for passenger ferry vessel to reduce wavemaking
resistance is presented using NAPA software.
Lastly, main issues and challenges are discussed to stimulate
further ideas on future developments in this area, including
the use of parallel computing and machine intelligence
AI and OR in management of operations: history and trends
The last decade has seen a considerable growth in the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for operations management with the aim of finding solutions to problems that are increasing in complexity and scale. This paper begins by setting the context for the survey through a historical perspective of OR and AI. An extensive survey of applications of AI techniques for operations management, covering a total of over 1200 papers published from 1995 to 2004 is then presented. The survey utilizes Elsevier's ScienceDirect database as a source. Hence, the survey may not cover all the relevant journals but includes a sufficiently wide range of publications to make it representative of the research in the field. The papers are categorized into four areas of operations management: (a) design, (b) scheduling, (c) process planning and control and (d) quality, maintenance and fault diagnosis. Each of the four areas is categorized in terms of the AI techniques used: genetic algorithms, case-based reasoning, knowledge-based systems, fuzzy logic and hybrid techniques. The trends over the last decade are identified, discussed with respect to expected trends and directions for future work suggested
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