In general, the amplitude-weighting method for an acoustic transducer array is widely used to improve the array directivity and reject disturbances. This paper presents a method to effectively reduce the side lobe level while minimizing the main lobe width increase. This is done using the simulated annealing algorithm (SAA) for a uniformly spaced arc array of omnidirectional underwater acoustic transducers, even at low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). We propose a new cost function for the SAA and obtain the weighting coefficients for all array elements using the SAA, and next compare them with various amplitude weighting methods. Through simulation and comparison, it is verified that the proposed method is effective in beamforming of the uniform arc array of underwater acoustic transducers.

Recently, new methods for utilization of converter slag have been sought. Slag processing by reduction in an electric arc furnace is one of such methods. However, the state of the relevant investigations is rather poor. This was the reason for carrying out study aimed at developing a new technology of the process under industrial conditions. The study presented allows chemical composition of non-metallic and metal phases and the reduction level of the converter slag components during process run in an electric arc furnace to be determined.