Software for information retrieval in the area of refractory linings

Abstract

The development of thermal equipment, furnaces, combustion chambers, tubes, and vessels is impossible without the use of a lining, a protective inner facing of brick, plates, blocks, rammed compounds, refractory chemically resistant and thermal insulation materials, etc. Appropriate scientific-research and experimental design work done for the purpose of development of refractory chemically resistant and thermal insulation linings involved information investigations making it possible to determine the level of technology and progressiveness of the materials being developed. One of the basic problems arising in conducting information investigations is establishment of the order of the search.The indices characterizing the order of the search are a list of the countries of publication of sources of information, a rectrospective of the information search, and entries of the classification systems.Selection of the countries of the information search does not cause difficulties as a rule. the leading countries in this technical direction are known. In a patent search selection of the countries is determined by standards documents. As a minimum the search is made for the USSR, the USA, France, Great Britain, the Federal Republic of Germany, Japan, Switzerland, Canada, Australia, and Austria. In an examination of the objects of technology for patent clearance the search is also made for those countries in regard to which the right of the assignees must not be violated [i, p. Ii].The thoroughness of the information search is determined by the life of the patent in the country of the search [i, p. 12] in examination of the object of technology for patent clearance, by the average life of the part (5-15 years) in determination of the level of technology, and by the standard life of 50 years in determination of novelty.One of the methods of determination of the retrospect of the search is determination for each of the countries of the eaeliest published covered documents (according to the headings of the International Invention Classification, the IIC).The greatest difficulty is presented by determination of the order of the subject search, especially in relation to selection of the headings of the IIC [2] in broadening of the order of search and more exact definition of adjacent headings. Subject (branch) lists of classification headings may be of known help in determinatin of the order of the search. However, in connection with the fact that new technical solutions are more frequently being developed at the boundary of different areas of science and technology, the problem arises of determination of all of the basic and adjacent headings. Quite frequently the problem arises of finding rapidly and with the least costs all possible headings from a single key word or ~ single heading.This article considers various variations of broadening the area of the information search with the use of various methods, systems of informatin classifications, and indexes.