Three-phase tri-state buck-boost integrated inverter

This paper presents a three-phase integrated inverter suitable for stand-alone and/or grid-connected applications. The usage of the special features of the tri-state coupled with the special space vector modulation allows the inverter to present an attractive degree of freedom for the controllers' design, i.e. input and output can be controlled independently. Additionally all controllers are based on dq0 transformation, the system are described and interesting simulation results are available to confirm the proposal. Finally, this paper presents experimental evaluations of the inverter feeding a three-phase stand-alone load confirming the remarkable features of the decoupling control. © 2013 IEEE.

Efeitos alelopáticos de microcistinas em rúcula (Eruca sativa Mill.)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

The British Virgin Islands national integrated development strategy

Includes bibliography

Estratégias de controle de insetos-pragas nas culturas do tomateiro (Lycopersicum esculentum Mill) e pimentão (Capsicum annum L.)

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Micro-inverter for integrated grid-tie photovoltaic module using resonant controller

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

A Fuzzy Goal Programming model for solving aggregate production-planning problems under uncertainty: A case study in a Brazilian sugar mill

This paper proposes a Fuzzy Goal Programming model (FGP) for a real aggregate production-planning problem. To do so, an application was made in a Brazilian Sugar and Ethanol Milling Company. The FGP Model depicts the comprehensive production process of sugar, ethanol, molasses and derivatives, and considers the uncertainties involved in ethanol and sugar production. Decision-makings, related to the agricultural and logistics phases, were considered on a weekly-basis planning horizon to include the whole harvesting season and the periods between harvests. The research has provided interesting results about decisions in the agricultural stages of cutting, loading and transportation to sugarcane suppliers and, especially, in milling decisions, whose choice of production process includes storage and logistics distribution. (C)2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Integrated cutting machine programming and lot sizing in furniture industry

In this paper a mathematical model that combines lot-sizing and cutting-stock problems applied to the furniture industry is presented. The model considers the usual decisions of the lot sizing problems, as well as operational decisions related to the cutting machine programming. Two sets of a priori generated cutting patterns are used, industry cutting patterns and a class of n-group cutting patterns. A strategy to improve the utilization of the cutting machine is also tested. An optimization package was used to solve the model and the computational results, using real data from a furniture factory, show that a small subset of n-group cutting patterns provides good results and that the cutting machine utilization can be improved by the proposed strategy.

Mapping surface deformation in open pit iron mines of Carajas Province (Amazon Region) using an integrated SAR analysis

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

Germinação de sementes de atemoia (Annona Cherimola Mill. x A. squamosa L.) cv 'Gefner' submetidas a tratamentos com ácido Giberélico (GA3) e ethephon

O objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar os efeitos do ácido giberélico (GA3), do ethephon e da interação de ambos os reguladores vegetais no processo germinativo de sementes de atemoia (Annona cherimola Mill. x A. squamosa L. ), cultivar 'Gefner'. Empregou-se delineamento experimental inteiramente casualizado, em esquema fatorial 5², com os tratamentos constituídos pela combinação de cinco concentrações de GA3 (ácido giberélico) e cinco concentrações de ethephon, resultando em 25 tratamentos, com quatro repetições de 25 sementes por parcela. As concentrações de GA3 empregadas foram: 0; 250; 500; 750 e 1.000 mg L-1 i.a.e de ethephon: 0; 25; 50; 75 e 100 mg L-1 i.a.. Os tratamentos com os reguladores vegetais foram aplicados na semente por imersão das mesmas nas soluções de GA3 e ethephon por período de 36 horas. As sementes foram semeadas em rolo de papel germitest e levadas à câmara de germinação onde permaneceram no escuro, com temperatura alternada entre 20ºC por 8 horas e 30ºC por 16 horas. As variáveis avaliadas foram: percentagem, tempo e índice de velocidade de germinação, percentagem de plântulas normais e percentagem de sementes dormentes. Existe interação da ação dos reguladores vegetais estudados no processo germinativo de sementes de atemoia, o que permite concluir que a percentagem de germinação de sementes de atemoia (Annona cherimola Mill. x A. squamosa L. ) cv 'Gefner' é aumentada com o emprego de 778 mg L-1 de GA3, enquanto a associação entre elevadas concentrações de GA3 e 75 a 100 mg L-1 de ethephon incrementam o índice de velocidade de germinação e a percentagem de plântulas normais.

Bio-hydrogen production based on catalytic reforming of volatiles generated by cellulose pyrolysis: an integrated process for ZnO reduction and zinc nanostructures fabrication

The paper presents a process of cellulose thermal degradation with bio-hydrogen generation and zinc nanostructures synthesis. Production of zinc nanowires and zinc nanoflowers was performed by a novel processes based on cellulose pyrolysis, volatiles reforming and direct reduction of ZnO. The bio-hydrogen generated in situ promoted the ZnO reduction with Zn nanostructures formation by vapor–solid (VS) route. The cellulose and cellulose/ZnO samples were characterized by thermal analyses (TG/DTG/DTA) and the gases evolved were analyzed by FTIR spectroscopy (TG/FTIR). The hydrogen was detected by TPR (Temperature Programmed Reaction) tests. The results showed that in the presence of ZnO the cellulose thermal degradation produced larger amounts of H2 when compared to pure cellulose. The process was also carried out in a tubular furnace with N2 atmosphere, at temperatures up to 900 °C, and different heating rates. The nanostructures growth was catalyst-free, without pressure reduction, at temperatures lower than those required in the carbothermal reduction of ZnO with fossil carbon. The nanostructures were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The optical properties were investigated by photoluminescence (PL). One mechanism was presented in an attempt to explain the synthesis of zinc nanostructures that are crystalline, were obtained without significant re-oxidation and whose morphologies are dependent on the heating rates of the process. This route presents a potential use as an industrial process taking into account the simple operational conditions, the low costs of cellulose and the importance of bio-hydrogen and nanostructured zinc.

Integrated Intermediate Waveband and Wavelength Switching for Optical WDM Mesh Networks

As wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) evolves towards practical applications in optical transport networks, waveband switching (WBS) has been introduced to cut down the operational costs and to reduce the complexities and sizes of network components, e.g., optical cross-connects (OXCs). This paper considers the routing, wavelength assignment and waveband assignment (RWWBA) problem in a WDM network supporting mixed waveband and wavelength switching. First, the techniques supporting waveband switching are studied, where a node architecture enabling mixed waveband and wavelength switching is proposed. Second, to solve the RWWBA problem with reduced switching costs and improved network throughput, the cost savings and call blocking probabilities along intermediate waveband-routes are analyzed. Our analysis reveals some important insights about the cost savings and call blocking probability in relation to the fiber capacity, the candidate path, and the traffic load. Third, based on our analysis, an online integrated intermediate WBS algorithm (IIWBS) is proposed. IIWBS determines the waveband switching route for a call along its candidate path according to the node connectivity, the link utilization, and the path length information. In addition, the IIWBS algorithm is adaptive to real network applications under dynamic traffic requests. Finally, our simulation results show that IIWBS outperforms a previous intermediate WBS algorithm and RWA algorithms in terms of network throughput and cost efficiency.

Adopting an integrated, flexible approach to reducing the birdstrike risk from Canada geese

Canada Geese overflying the runways at London’s Heathrow Airport have been struck on eleven occasions by aircraft during the last ten years. Four of these occurred during the pre-breeding season and seven during the post moult period. A monitoring study was initiated in 1999 to evaluate the movements of geese around the airport and determine appropriate mitigation strategies to reduce the risk of birdstrike. Moult sites within 13km of the airport were identified. 4,900 moulting geese were caught and fitted with colour rings and radio-transmitters between 1999 and 2004. 2,500 visits were made to over 300 sites resulting in over 10,000 sightings of known individuals. Birds that crossed the airport approaches whilst moving between roost sites and feeding areas in newly harvested cereal crops were identified. Throughout the monitoring period efforts were made to control the risk, but by 2003 it was estimated that 10,000 bird transits of the approaches involving almost 700 individuals occurred during a 50 day period. The knowledge of the movements of ringed and tagged birds was used to inform a revised habitat management, daily roost dispersal and on-airfield bird deterrence programme in 2004. By adopting a flexible approach to management, an estimated 70% reduction in bird transits was achieved. This paper discusses the techniques used to achieve this reduction.

Paper-based diffusive gradients in thin films technique coupled to energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry for the determination of labile Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn and Pb in river water

The diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) technique has shown enormous potential for labile metal monitoring in fresh water due to the preconcentration, time-integrated, matrix interference removal and speciation analytical features. In this work, the coupling of energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) with paper-based DGT devices was evaluated for the direct determination of Mn, Co. Ni, Cu, Zn and Pb in fresh water. The DGT samplers were assembled with cellulose (Whatman 3 MM chromatography paper) as the diffusion layer and a cellulose phosphate ion exchange membrane (Whatman P 81 paper) as the binding agent. The diffusion coefficients of the analytes on 3 MM chromatography paper were calculated by deploying the DGT samplers in synthetic solutions containing 500 mu g L-1 of Mn. Co, Ni, Cu, Zn and Pb (4 L at pH 5.5 and ionic strength at 0.05 mol L-1). After retrieval, the DGT units were disassembled and the P81 papers were dried and analysed by EDXRF directly. The 3 MM chromatographic paper diffusion coefficients of the analytes ranged from 1.67 to 1.87 x 10(-6) cm(2) s(-1). The metal retention and phosphate group homogeneities on the P81 membrane was studied by a spot analysis with a diameter of 1 mm. The proposed approach (DGT-EDXRF coupling) was applied to determine the analytes at five sampling sites (48 h in situ deployment) on the Piracicaba river basin, and the results (labile fraction) were compared with 0.45 mu m dissolved fractions determined by synchrotron radiation-excited total reflection X-ray fluorescence (SR-TXRF). The limits of detection of DGT-EDXRF coupling for the analytes (from 7.5 to 26 mu g L-1) were similar to those obtained by the sensitive SR-TXRF technique (3.8 to 9.1 mu g L-1). (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An integrated approach of software development and test processes to distributed teams

The Distributed Software Development (DSD) is a development strategy that meets the globalization needs concerned with the increase productivity and cost reduction. However, the temporal distance, geographical dispersion and the socio-cultural differences, increased some challenges and, especially, added new requirements related with the communication, coordination and control of projects. Among these new demands there is the necessity of a software process that provides adequate support to the distributed software development. This paper presents an integrated approach of software development and test that considers distributed teams peculiarities. The approach purpose is to offer support to DSD, providing a better project visibility, improving the communication between the development and test teams, minimizing the ambiguity and difficulty to understand the artifacts and activities. This integrated approach was conceived based on four pillars: (i) to identify the DSD peculiarities concerned with development and test processes, (ii) to define the necessary elements to compose the integrated approach of development and test to support the distributed teams, (iii) to describe and specify the workflows, artifacts, and roles of the approach, and (iv) to represent appropriately the approach to enable the effective communication and understanding of it.

Advanced oxidation process H2O2/UV combined with anaerobic digestion to remove chlorinated organics from bleached kraft pulp mill wastewater

This study investigated the application of an advanced oxidation process combining hydrogen peroxide with ultraviolet radiation (H2O2/UV) to remove recalcitrant compounds from Kraft bleaching effluent. Anaerobic pre-treatment was performed to remove easily degraded organics using a horizontal-flow anaerobic immobilized biomass (HAIB) reactor. Bleaching plant effluent was treated in the HAIB reactor processed over 19 h of hydraulic retention time (HRT), reaching the expected removal efficiencies for COD (61 +/- 3%), TOC (69 +/- 9%), BOD5 (90 +/- 5%) and AOX (55 +/- 14%). However, the anaerobic treatment did not achieve acceptable removal of UV254 compounds. Furthermore, there was an increase of lignin, measured as total phenols. The H2O2/UV post-treatment provided a wide range of removal efficiencies depending on the dosage of hydrogen peroxide and UV irradiation: COD ranged from 0 to 11%, UV254 from 16 to 35%, lignin from 0 to 29% and AOX from 23 to 54%. All peroxide dosages applied in this work promoted an increase in the BOD5/COD ratio of the wastewater. The experiments demonstrate the technical feasibility of using H2O2/UV for post-treatment of bleaching effluents submitted to anaerobic pre-treatment.