Construção e validação de um receptor GPS para uso espacial

Global Positioning System, or simply GPS, it is a radionavigation system developed by United States for military applications, but it becames very useful for civilian using. In the last decades Brazil has developed sounding rockets and today many projects to build micro and nanosatellites has appeared. This kind of vehicles named spacecrafts or high dynamic vehicles, can use GPS for its autonome location and trajectories controls. Despite of a huge number of GPS receivers available for civilian applications, they cannot used in high dynamic vehicles due environmental issues (vibrations, temperatures, etc.) or imposed dynamic working limits. Only a few nations have the technology to build GPS receivers for spacecrafts or high dynamic vehicles is available and they imposes rules who difficult the access to this receivers. This project intends to build a GPS receiver, to install them in a payload of a sounding rocket and data collecting to verify its correct operation when at the flight conditions. The inner software to this receiver was available in source code and it was tested in a software development platform named GPS Architect. Many organizations cooperated to support this project: AEB, UFRN, IAE, INPE e CLBI. After many phases: defining working conditions, choice and searching electronic, the making of the printed boards, assembling and assembling tests; the receiver was installed in a VS30 sounding rocket launched at Centro de Lançamento da Barreira do Inferno in Natal/RN. Despite of the fact the locations data from the receiver were collected only the first 70 seconds of flight, this data confirms the correct operation of the receiver by the comparison between its positioning data and the the trajectory data from CLBI s tracking radar named ADOUR

Evolução, avaliação e validação do software RoboEduc

Considering the transition from industrial society to information society, we realize that the digital training that is addressed is currently insufficient to navigate within a digitized reality. As proposed to minimize this problem, this paper assesses, validates and develops the software RoboEduc to work with educational robotics with the main differential programming of robotic devices in levels, considering the specifics of reality training . One of the emphases of this work isthe presentation of materials and procedures involving the development, analysis and evolution of this software. For validation of usability tests were performed, based on analysis of these tests was developed version 4.0 of RoboEduc

Simulador computacional do comportamento em regime de poços de petróleo equipados com gas-lift contínuo

Amongst the results of the AutPoc Project - Automation of Wells, established between UFRN and Petrobras with the support of the CNPq, FINEP, CTPETRO, FUNPEC, was developed a simulator for equipped wells of oil with the method of rise for continuous gas-lift. The gas-lift is a method of rise sufficiently used in production offshore (sea production), and its basic concept is to inject gas in the deep one of the producing well of oil transform it less dense in order to facilitate its displacement since the reservoir until the surface. Based in the use of tables and equations that condense the biggest number of information on characteristics of the reservoir, the well and the valves of gas injection, it is allowed, through successive interpolations, to simulate representative curves of the physical behavior of the existing characteristic variable. With a simulator that approaches a computer of real the physical conditions of an oil well is possible to analyze peculiar behaviors with very bigger speeds, since the constants of time of the system in question well are raised e, moreover, to optimize costs with assays in field. The simulator presents great versatility, with prominance the analysis of the influence of parameters, as the static pressure, relation gas-liquid, pressure in the head of the well, BSW (Relation Basic Sediments and Water) in curves of request in deep of the well and the attainment of the curve of performance of the well where it can be simulated rules of control and otimization. In moving the rules of control, the simulator allows the use in two ways of simulation: the application of the control saw software simulated enclosed in the proper simulator, as well as the use of external controllers. This implies that the simulator can be used as tool of validation of control algorithms. Through the potentialities above cited, of course one another powerful application for the simulator appears: the didactic use of the tool. It will be possible to use it in formation courses and recycling of engineers

Análise da magnetohidrodinâmica com transferência de calor em canais de placas paralelas via transformação integral

The main goal of the present work is related to the dynamics of the steady state, incompressible, laminar flow with heat transfer, of an electrically conducting and Newtonian fluid inside a flat parallel-plate channel under the action of an external and uniform magnetic field. For solution of the governing equations, written in the parabolic boundary layer and stream-function formulation, it was employed the hybrid, numericalanalytical, approach known as Generalized Integral Transform Technique (GITT). The flow is sustained by a pressure gradient and the magnetic field is applied in the direction normal to the flow and is assumed that normal magnetic field is kept uniform, remaining larger than any other fields generated in other directions. In order to evaluate the influence of the applied magnetic field on both entrance regions, thermal and hydrodynamic, for this forced convection problem, as well as for validating purposes of the adopted solution methodology, two kinds of channel entry conditions for the velocity field were used: an uniform and an non-MHD parabolic profile. On the other hand, for the thermal problem only an uniform temperature profile at the channel inlet was employed as boundary condition. Along the channel wall, plates are maintained at constant temperature, either equal to or different from each other. Results for the velocity and temperature fields as well as for the main related potentials are produced and compared, for validation purposes, to results reported on literature as function of the main dimensionless governing parameters as Reynolds and Hartman numbers, for typical situations. Finally, in order to illustrate the consistency of the integral transform method, convergence analyses are also effectuated and presented

Estudo numérico de escoamento turbulento em padrão anular gás-líquido em dutos verticais

Multiphase flows in ducts can adopt several morphologies depending on the mass fluxes and the fluids properties. Annular flow is one of the most frequently encountered flow patterns in industrial applications. For gas liquid systems, it consists of a liquid film flowing adjacent to the wall and a gas core flowing in the center of the duct. This work presents a numerical study of this flow pattern in gas liquid systems in vertical ducts. For this, a solution algorithm was developed and implemented in FORTRAN 90 to numerically solve the governing transport equations. The mass and momentum conservation equations are solved simultaneously from the wall to the center of the duct, using the Finite Volumes Technique. Momentum conservation in the gas liquid interface is enforced using an equivalent effective viscosity, which also allows for the solution of both velocity fields in a single system of equations. In this way, the velocity distributions across the gas core and the liquid film are obtained iteratively, together with the global pressure gradient and the liquid film thickness. Convergence criteria are based upon satisfaction of mass balance within the liquid film and the gas core. For system closure, two different approaches are presented for the calculation of the radial turbulent viscosity distribution within the liquid film and the gas core. The first one combines a k- Ɛ one-equation model and a low Reynolds k-Ɛ model. The second one uses a low Reynolds k- Ɛ model to compute the eddy viscosity profile from the center of the duct right to the wall. Appropriate interfacial values for k e Ɛ are proposed, based on concepts and ideas previously used, with success, in stratified gas liquid flow. The proposed approaches are compared with an algebraic model found in the literature, specifically devised for annular gas liquid flow, using available experimental results. This also serves as a validation of the solution algorithm

Modelagem numérica de escoamento em padrão anular com transferência de calor e massa

Annular flow is the prevailing pattern in transport and energy conversion systems and therefore, one of the most important patterns in multiphase flow in ducts. The correct prediction of the pressure gradient and heat transfer coefficient is essential for optimizing the system s capacity. The objective of this work is to develop and implement a numerical algorithm capable of predicting hydrodynamic and thermal characteristics for upflow, vertical, annular flow. The numerical algorithm is then complemented with the physical modeling of phenomena that occurs in this flow pattern. These are, turbulence, entrainment and deposition and phase change. For the development of the numerical model, axial diffusion of heat and momentum is neglected. In this way the time-averaged equations are solved in their parabolic form obtaining the velocity and temperature profiles for each axial step at a time, together with the global parameters, namely, pressure gradient, mean film thickness and heat transfer coefficient, as well as their variation in the axial direction. The model is validated for the following conditions: fully-developed laminar flow with no entrainment; fully developed laminar flow with heat transfer, fully-developed turbulent flow with entrained drops, developing turbulent annular flow with entrained drops, and turbulent flow with heat transfer and phase change

Validação de uma metodologia de ensaio de resistência ao cisalhamento para avaliação da aderência de interfaces revestimento metálico-bainha de cimento aplicada a poços de petróleo

Improving the adherence between oilwell metallic casing and cement sheath potentially decrease the number of corrective actions present/y necessary for Northeastern wells submitted to steam injection. In addition to the direct costs involved in the corrective operations, the economic impact of the failure of the primary cementing aIso includes the loss in the production of the well. The adherence between casing and cement is current/y evaluated by a simple shear tests non standardized by the American Petroleum Institute (API). Therefore, the objective of the present is to propose and evaluate a standardized method to assess the adherence of oilwell metallic casing to cement sheath. To that end, a section of a cemented oilwell was simulated and used to test the effect of different parameters on the shear stress of the system. Surface roughness and different cement compositions submitted or not to thermal cycling were evaluated. The results revealed that the test geometry and parameters proposed yielded different values for the shear stress of the system, corresponding to different adherent conditions between metallic casing and cement sheath

Modelagem e simulação de um separador bifásico com inversão de fases induzida

The present work has the main goal to study the modeling and simulation of a biphasic separator with induced phase inversion, the MDIF, with the utilization of the finite differences method for the resolution of the partial differencial equations which describe the transport of contaminant s mass fraction inside the equipment s settling chamber. With this aim, was developed the deterministic differential model AMADDA, wich was admensionalizated and then semidiscretizated with the method of lines. The integration of the resultant system of ordinary differential equations was realized by means of a modified algorithm of the Adam-Bashfort- Moulton method, and the sthocastic optimization routine of Basin-Hopping was used in the model s parameter estimation procedure . With the aim to establish a comparative referential for the results obtained with the model AMADDA, were used experimental data presented in previous works of the MDIF s research group. The experimental data and those obtained with the model was assessed regarding its normality by means of the Shapiro-Wilk s test, and validated against the experimental results with the Student s t test and the Kruskal-Wallis s test, depending on the result. The results showed satisfactory performance of the model AMADDA in the evaluation of the MDIF s separation efficiency, being possible to determinate that at 1% significance level the calculated results are equivalent to those determinated experimentally in the reference works

Atividades estruturais de equações polinomiais numa abordagem histórica por meio de e-book

The present study investigates how the inter-relationship of the content of polynomial equations works with structured activities and with the history of mathematics through a sequence of activities presented in an e-book, so that the result of this research will proceed will result in a didactic and pedagogic proposal for the teaching of polynomial equations in a historical approach via the reported e-book. Therefore, we have considered in theoretical and methodological assumptions of the History of Mathematics, in structured activities and new technologies with an emphasis on e-book tool. We used as a methodological approach the qualitative research, as our research object adjusts to the objectives of this research mode. As methodological instruments, we used the e-book as a synthesis tool of the sequence of activities to be evaluated, while the questionnaires, semi-structured interviews and participant observation were designed to register and analyze the evaluation made by the research, participants in the structured activities. The processing and analysis of data collected though the questionnaires were organized, classified and quantified in summary tables to facilitate visualization, interpretation, understanding, and analysis of these data. As for participant observation was used to contribute to the qualitative analysis of the quantified data. The interviews were synthetically transcribed and qualitatively analyzed. The analysis ratified our research objectives and contributed to improve, approve and indicate the use of e-book for the teaching of polynomial equations. Thus, we consider that this educational product will bring significant contributions to the teaching of mathematical content, in Basic Education

Validação do questionário Internacional de Atividade Física (IPAQ) através da acelerometria em idosas

Physical activity is one of the main components of a healthy lifestyle, responsible for many health benefits. Despite being considered important for both disease prevention and health promotion there is high prevalence of sedentary behavior in the elderly population. Questionnaires are practical and feasible instruments for assessing levels of physical activity. However, they may have limitations in older age ranges. Accelerometers, movement sensors that make physical activity data more objective, emerge as reliable measuring devices. Aim: Determine the validity of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) adapted for elderly with accelerometry in elderly women. Methods: 57 elderly women, with mean age of 66.05 ± 5.98 years who took part in hypertension control and physical activity incentive programs were assessed in relation to objective and subjective measures of physical activity. The accelerometer was used for 07 consecutive days, 24 hours per day before the IPAQ was applied. Data were analyzed using measures of central tendency and dispersion to characterize the sample according to variables collected. To check the validity of the data we used the Spearman correlation test, considering a significance level of p <0.05. Results: With respect to the categories of physical activity obtained by IPAQ, 46.4% developed moderate physical activity, followed by a high (30.3%) and low level (23.2%). There was a negative correlation only between self-reported time spent sitting and time spent on light activities as measured by accelerometry (r = - 0.408; p = 0.003) and mean activity level (counts/min) with physical activity levels evaluated by IPAQ (r = 0.297; p = 0.036). Conclusion: The IPAQ used in elderly women shows moderate to low validity levels according to accelerometry measures. Assessment of sedentary activities exhibited acceptable levels compared to accelerometry; however, moderate (r = 0.096; p > 0.05) to vigorous (r = 0.098; p > 0.05) activities were not correlated, demonstrating the inability of IPAQ to evaluate this type of activity in elderly women

Equações preditivas para as pressões respiratórias máximas de crianças brasileiras

I ntroduction: The assessment of respiratory muscle strength is important in the diagnosis and monitoring of the respiratory muscles weakness of respiratory and neuromuscular diseases. However, there are still no studies that provide predictive equations and reference values for maximal respiratory pressures for children in our population. Aim: The purpose of this study was to propose predictive equations for maximal respiratory pressures in healthy school children. Method: This is an observational cross-sectional study. 144 healthy children were assessed. They were students from public and private schools in the city of Natal /RN (63 boys and 81 girls), subdivided in age groups of 7-8 and 9-11 years. The students presented the BMI, for age and sex, between 5 and 85 percentile. Maximal respiratory pressures were measured with the digital manometer MVD300 (Globalmed ®). The maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP) and maximal expiratory pressures (MEP) were measured from residual volume and total lung capacity, respectively. The data were analyzed using the SPSS Statistics 15.0 software (Statistical Package for Social Science) by assigning the significance level of 5%. Descriptive analysis was expressed as mean and standard deviation. T'Student test was used for unpaired comparison of averages of the variables. The comparison of measurements obtained with the predicted values in previous studies was performed using the paired t'Student test. The Pearson correlation test was used to verify the correlation of MRP's with the independent variables (age, sex, weight and height). For the equations analysis the stepwise linear regression was used. Results: By analyzing the data, we observed that in the age range studied MIP was significantly higher in boys. The MEP did not differ between boys and girls aged 7 to 8 years, the reverse occurred in the age between 9 and 11 years. The boys had a significant increase in respiratory muscle strength with advancing age. Regardless sex and age, MEP was always higher than the MIP. The reference values found in this study are similar to a sample of Spanish and Canadian children. The two models proposed in previous studies with children from other countries were not able to consistently predict the values observed in this studied population. The variables sex, age and weight correlated with MIP, whereas the MEP was also correlated with height. However, in the regression models proposed in this study, only gender and age were kept exerting influence on the variability of maximal inspiratory and expiratory pressures. Conclusion: This study provides reference values, lower limits of normality and proposes two models that allow predicting, through the independent variables, sex and age, the value of maximal static respiratory pressures in healthy children aged between 7 and 11 years old

Validação da escala de fatigabilidade percebida para avaliação da fadiga em idosas

The term fatigability concerns the degree of fatigue associated with performing an activity of any type (physical, mental, emotional and / or social). Recently scales for assessing fatigue in the English language were created, however, gaps exist regarding the validity of these scales in relation to oxygen consumption and levels of perceived fatigue. Objective: To investigate the validity of perceived fatigability scale in older women frail and non-frail by the expired gases kinetics. Methods: This is a study of type validation, where were evaluated 48 elderly. The evaluation was conducted at two different sessions. In the first, data were collected demographic partners, as well as assessment of cognitive function, physical health, and the phenotype of frailty. The second was composed by the test 6-minute walk (6MWT) associated the expired gases kinects and assessment of perceived fatigability. Statistical analysis was performed a descriptive analysis and then we used the Pearson correlation test to evaluate the relationship between the measure of perceived fatigue and variables oxygen consumption (VO2), carbon dioxide production (VCO2), respiratory exchange ratio (RER)before and after 6MWT. We used a linear regression model initially considering the following explanatory variable: age, Body Mass Index (BMI), presence of frailty, comorbidities, level of physical activity, distance covered in the 6MWT , the energy cost of walking and severity of fatigability on performance. Results: The final sample consisted of 44 elderly women, 4 elderly were excluded because they didn t complete all phases of this study. The mean age obtained was 75 years (± 7.2 years). There was no significant correlation between fatigability measures and the values of VO2 ( r = .09 , p = .56 ) , VCO2 ( r = .173 , p = .26 ) , RER ( r = - .121 , p = .43 ). The final linear regression model showed that the energy cost of walking, the usual level of physical activity and the performance severity of fatigability explained 83.5 % (R2 = 0.835, p < 0.01) of the variation in the perceived fatigability. Conclusion: Our findings indicate a relationship between greater severity of fatigability and lower levels of physical activity and increased energy cost in walking, suggesting that the fatigability analyses using a simple numeric scale is valid and viable for assessment of fatigue in older women

Métodos numéricos para resolução de equações diferenciais ordinárias lineares baseados em interpolação por spline

In this work we have elaborated a spline-based method of solution of inicial value problems involving ordinary differential equations, with emphasis on linear equations. The method can be seen as an alternative for the traditional solvers such as Runge-Kutta, and avoids root calculations in the linear time invariant case. The method is then applied on a central problem of control theory, namely, the step response problem for linear EDOs with possibly varying coefficients, where root calculations do not apply. We have implemented an efficient algorithm which uses exclusively matrix-vector operations. The working interval (till the settling time) was determined through a calculation of the least stable mode using a modified power method. Several variants of the method have been compared by simulation. For general linear problems with fine grid, the proposed method compares favorably with the Euler method. In the time invariant case, where the alternative is root calculation, we have indications that the proposed method is competitive for equations of sifficiently high order.

Validação de um método auxiliar de diagnóstico como preditivo da presença de cárie de dentina em dentes decíduos

Esse estudo se propôs a avaliar um método auxiliar de diagnóstico (DIAGNOdent®) na predição de cárie de dentina em dentes decíduos, através de validação histológica e de microdureza. Verificando possíveis diferenças entre os valores obtidos através do método auxiliar, além de determinar um ponto de corte para parada de remoção de tecido cariado. A amostra do estudo foi de 15 crianças que apresentaram 21 cavidades de cárie, tratadas e analisadas desde antes da realização da restauração até quando da exodontia do elemento dentário. Os espécimes foram analisados através do DIAGNOdent® antes da abertura das cavidades, após a remoção do tecido cariado e depois da reabertura das cavidades que se deu após a exodontia dos elementos dentários. Posteriormente, receberam preparo metalográfico para realização de testes de microdureza e microscopia óptica que serviram como forma de validação para as mensurações obtidas pela fluorescência a laser. Houve diferença significativa entre os valores DIAGNOdent® encontrados antes da abertura da cavidade e os demais (p < 0,0001). Havendo correlação significativa (r = 0,432 ; p = 0,019) apenas para as aferições obtidas antes da abertura das cavidades e quando do término da remoção do tecido cariado. Para a microdureza, as médias axiais foram significativamente maiores que as pulpares, existindo correlação entre a microdureza pulpar e os valores do DIAGNOdent® após a reabertura (r = - 0,472 ; p = 0,002). Valores de 15,38% para a sensibilidade, 100% para a especificidade, 100% para o valor preditivo positivo e 71,79% para o valor preditivo negativo, foram obtidos quando se utilizou um ponto de corte de 30 para fluorescência a laser, tendo como padrão-ouro a microdureza pulpar. Partindo da média dos valores de fluorescência a laser obtidos após a remoção do tecido cariado e acrescentando-se um desvio-padrão a esta, o método indicou o valor de 19 como ponto de corte para cessar a remoção de dentina. Concluiu-se que, nas condições analisadas, o método auxiliar de diagnóstico (DIAGNOdent®) é um método acurado na predição de cárie de dentina em dentes decíduos. Além disso, o método comprovou que o padrão usual de remoção de dentina garante a remoção do tecido cariado

Adaptação e validação da escala de motivação à prática de atividades físicas

The study of the motivation to practice physical activities is relevant once through this it is possible to develop intervention strategies for sedentary population. In this way, the present dissertation aimed to adapt and validate for the Brazilian context the Motives for Physical Activity Measure Revised (MPAM-R). It was investigated yet the relation of some socio-demographic variables (age, gender, Body Mass Index - BMI, types of physical activity; way to practice and time of practice) and the participants means in the motives studied. The physical activity (PA) is defined as any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles resulting in energy expenditure above the basal level. However, in the present study it was considered motivation for two types of PA: the physical exercises and sports. The Self-Determination Theory (SDT) underlay this research, once it has been used in the sportive context, beyond the facto of it was used as theoretical base to the development of MPAM-R. To attain the proposed goals, it was accomplished translations to Portuguese of the original English scale. Next, was carried out the semantic analysis and the judge analysis. For the empirical analysis of items, participated 309 practitioner of PA, classified in physical exercises practitioners and sports practitioners, with ages between 16 and 74 years, distributed equally by sex. They answered the final version in Portuguese of the MPAM-R and socio-demographic questions. The data was collected in Natal/RN, where the researcher approached people in some places where the PA is practiced, following she communicated that their involvement will be spontaneous and their responses will be confidential. The obtained results pointed the confirmation of the existence of five factors in the final version of the instrument, that was composed by 26 items that presented the following statistics indexes: x² (289) = 757.75, p < 0.000, x²/DF = 2.62, with GFI of 0.83, AGFI of 0.80 and RMSEA of 0.07. The reliability (Cronbach Alpha) of the complete instrument was 0.90, and the indexes of each factor were considered satisfactory too: Enjoyment (α = 0.88), Health (α = 0.84), Appearance (α = 0.79), Competence (α = 0.85) and Social (α = 0.75). It was observed that, in general, the main motive presented by the participants to practice PA was Health. It was verified yet, that women and aged had a higher mean in the Health factor; among the exercise practitioners was found a higher mean in the Appearance factor; and a higher mean in the Social factor was found among those that practice PA with accompaniment. It was concluded that the MPAM-R presented satisfactory psychometric parameters, became it useful in futures researches. Moreover, proposed the accomplishment of new studies that considered others variables to the intent of the better understanding of motivation to practice physical activity