Comparison of polymers and ceramics in new and discarded electrical insulators: reuse and recycling possibilities

The expansion and maintenance of electricity distribution networks generates large amounts of waste, much of it in the form of discarded insulators that are not reused or recycled. This paper describes the results of tests on used and new ceramic and polymeric insulators to verify if their exposure to weathering justifies their replacement. In new and used ceramic insulators, properties such as contact angle, relative density, porosimetry, dilatometry and X-ray diffraction patterns showed no differences or the differences that were found could not be related to their use. The discarded ceramic material showed high thermal stability, an interesting characteristic for application as chamotte. It can also be reused to replace gravel used in substations. In polymeric insulators, thermogravimetry, differential scanning calorimetry and relative density test results suggest degradation of used material compared to new. This would justify their replacement and discard as waste, but they show little recycling potential.

Distribution system restoration in a DG environment using a heuristic constructive multi-start algorithm

This paper proposes a heuristic constructive multi-start algorithm (HCMA) to distribution system restoration in real time considering distributed generators installed in the system. The problem is modeled as nonlinear mixed integer and considers the two main goals of the restoration of distribution networks: minimizing the number of consumers without power and the number of switching. The proposed algorithm is implemented in C++ programming language and tested using a large real-life distribution system. The results show that the proposed algorithm is able to provide a set of feasible and good quality solutions in a suitable time for the problem. © 2011 IEEE.

Viabilidade econômica da utilização do biogás produzido em granja suínícola para geração de energia elétrica

A produção de biogás por meio de biodigestão anaeróbia representa um avanço para equacionar o problema dos dejetos produzidos pela suinocultura e disponibilidade de energia no meio rural. Este trabalho teve como objetivo estimar a viabilidade econômica de um sistema biointegrado para geração de eletricidade a partir do aproveitamento de dejetos de suínos. Os dados para este estudo foram coletados em uma agroindústria, onde são realizadas diversas atividades agrícolas; entretanto, a suinocultura foi selecionada para o processo de análise de biodigestão anaeróbia, pelo fato de gerar uma grande quantidade de dejetos, com dificuldade de disposição no meio ambiente, configurando um estudo de caso. O biodigestor analisado é um modelo tubular contínuo, com calha de água em alvenaria e com uma manta plástica como gasômetro, onde são depositados diariamente os dejetos de 2.300 suínos em fase de terminação. O investimento inicial para implantação foi estimado em R$ 51.537,17, e os custos anuais do sistema foram de R$ 5.708,20 com manutenção, R$ 4.390,40 com depreciação e R$ 1.366,77 com juros. Concluiu-se que o sistema de produção de biogás é viável do ponto de vista econômico, se o consumo de energia elétrica for de 35 kWh por dia, em média, onde o valor presente líquido (VLP) é de R$ 9.494,90, e a taxa interna de retorno (TIR) é de 9,34% ao ano.

Alocação de modem PLC utilizando SNR em uma rede elétrica de baixa tensão

Pós-graduação em Engenharia Elétrica - FEIS

Isolamento e identificação das micobactérias em águas tratadas provenientes do sistema de abastecimento de Araraquara-SP

Water quality is very important for the health and the population welfare, and the public supply system must provide water quality and suffi cient quantity for the entire population. Water treatment stations, are the main way to obtain water quality. When this doesn’t occur, several problems can affect the population, in this case, using water with poor quality is a constant risk of emergence causing various diseases. The elimination of microorganisms in treated water reduces competition, encouraging the multiplication of chlorine resistant bacteria as Mycobacterium genus frequently isolated from treated and chlorinated water. Considering the lack of indication from examinations of mycobacteria routine laboratory for quality control of drinking water and other human uses, the objective was to verify the presence isolate and identify the environmental mycobacteria in the system water source surface of Araraquara - SP. We analyzed 40 water samples, distributed as follows: ten water gross collected at Station Water Treatment Plant (WTP), harvested after ten fi ltration; ten collected in the reservoir after chlorination and ten in the network distribution. Were recovered 43 isolates of mycobacteria. All isolates were subjected to PCR-PRA. The mycobacteria were identifi ed as M. lentifl avum, M. parafortuitum, M. genavense, M. gordonae, M. fortuitum, M. confl uent, M. duvalii, M. avium subspecies paratuberculosis and M. szulgai. With these results, was concluded that water is an important source of environmental mycobacteria probably related to several human diseases, suggesting the carrying out continuous monitoring of the microorganisms in the system drinking water.

Robust fault diagnosis in power distribution systems based on fuzzy ARTMAP neural network-aided evidence theory

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

An Efficient Codification to Solve Distribution Network Reconfiguration for Loss Reduction Problem

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Optimal Contract Pricing of Distributed Generation in Distribution Networks

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Network reconfiguration and loss allocation for distribution systems with distributed generation

Distribution systems with distributed generation require new analysis methods since networks are not longer passive. Two of the main problems in this new scenario are the network reconfiguration and the loss allocation. This work presents a distribution systems graphic simulator, developed with reconfiguration functions and a special focus on loss allocation, both considering the presence of distributed generation. This simulator uses a fast and robust power flow algorithm based on the current summation backward-forward technique. Reconfiguration problem is solved through a heuristic methodology and the losses allocation function, based on the Zbus method, is presented as an attached result for each obtained configuration. Results are presented and discussed, remarking the easiness of analysis through the graphic simulator as an excellent tool for planning and operation engineers, and very useful for training. © 2004 IEEE.

Network reconfiguration and loss allocation in a deregulated environment of distribution systems

Low flexibility and reliability in the operation of radial distribution networks make those systems be constructed with extra equipment as sectionalising switches in order to reconfigure the network, so the operation quality of the network can be improved. Thus, sectionalising switches are used for fault isolation and for configuration management (reconfiguration). Moreover, distribution systems are being impacted by the increasing insertion of distributed generators. Hence, distributed generation became one of the relevant parameters in the evaluation of systems reconfiguration. Distributed generation may affect distribution networks operation in various ways, causing noticeable impacts depending on its location. Thus, the loss allocation problem becomes more important considering the possibility of open access to the distribution networks. In this work, a graphic simulator for distribution networks with reconfiguration and loss allocation functions, is presented. Reconfiguration problem is solved through a heuristic methodology, using a robust power flow algorithm based on the current summation backward-forward technique, considering distributed generation. Four different loss allocation methods (Zbus, Direct Loss Coefficient, Substitution and Marginal Loss Coefficient) are implemented and compared. Results for a 32-bus medium voltage distribution network, are presented and discussed.

Distribution network reconfiguration using an efficient evolutionary algorithm

Network reconfiguration is an important tool to optimize the operating conditions of a distribution system. This is accomplished modifying the network structure of distribution feeders by changing the open/close status of sectionalizing switches. This not only reduces the power losses, but also relieves the overloading of the network components. Network reconfiguration belongs to a complex family of problems because of their combinatorial nature and multiple constraints. This paper proposes a solution to this problem, using a specialized evolutionary algorithm, with a novel codification, and a brand new way of implement the genetic operators considering the problem characteristics. The algorithm is presented and tested in a real distribution system, showing excellent results and computational efficiency. © 2007 IEEE.

Distribution network planning using a constructive heuristic algorithm

An optimization technique to solve distribution network planning (DNP) problem is presented. This is a very complex mixed binary nonlinear programming problem. A constructive heuristic algorithm (CHA) aimed at obtaining an excellent quality solution for this problem is presented. In each step of the CHA, a sensitivity index is used to add a circuit or a substation to the distribution network. This sensitivity index is obtained solving the DNP problem considering the numbers of circuits and substations to be added as continuous variables (relaxed problem). The relaxed problem is a large and complex nonlinear programming and was solved through an efficient nonlinear optimization solver. A local improvement phase and a branching technique were implemented in the CHA. Results of two tests using a distribution network are presented in the paper in order to show the ability of the proposed algorithm. ©2009 IEEE.

Network reconfiguration of distribution systems using metaheuristics and reliability measures

In an evermore competitive environment, power distribution companies need to continuously monitor and improve the reliability indices of their systems. The network reconfiguration (NR) of a distribution system is a technique that well adapts to this new deregulated environment for it allows improvement of system reliability indices without the onus involved in procuring new equipment. This paper presents a reliability-based NR methodology that uses metaheuristic techniques to search for the optimal network configuration. Three metaheuristics, i.e. Tabu Search, Evolution Strategy, and Differential Evolution, are tested using a Brazilian distribution network and the results are discussed. © 2009 IEEE.

An efficient codification to solve distribution network reconfiguration for loss reduction problem

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Two-level network design with intermediate facilities: An application to electrical distribution systems

We consider the two-level network design problem with intermediate facilities. This problem consists of designing a minimum cost network respecting some requirements, usually described in terms of the network topology or in terms of a desired flow of commodities between source and destination vertices. Each selected link must receive one of two types of edge facilities and the connection of different edge facilities requires a costly and capacitated vertex facility. We propose a hybrid decomposition approach which heuristically obtains tentative solutions for the vertex facilities number and location and use these solutions to limit the computational burden of a branch-and-cut algorithm. We test our method on instances of the power system secondary distribution network design problem. The results show that the method is efficient both in terms of solution quality and computational times. © 2010 Elsevier Ltd.