Efeito da Gália como aditivo de sinterização em eletrólitos cerâmicos à base de céria sintetizados pelo método de complexação de cátions

Fuel cells are considered one of the most promising ways of converting electrical energy due to its high yield and by using hydrogen (as fuel) which is considered one of the most important source of clean energy for the future. Rare earths doped ceria has been widely investigated as an alternative material for the electrolyte of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) due to its high ionic conductivity at low operating temperatures compared with the traditional electrolytes based on stabilized zirconia. This work investigates the effect of gallium oxide (Gallia) as a sintering aid in Eu doped ceria ceramic electrolytes since this effect has already been investigated for Gd, Sm and Y doped ceria electrolytes. The desired goal with the use of a sintering aid is to reduce the sintering temperature aiming to produce dense ceramics. In this study we investigated the effects on densification, microstructure and ionic conduction caused by different molar fraction of the dopants europium (10, 15 and 20%) and gallium oxide (0.3, 0.6 and 0.9%) in samples sintered at 1300, 1350 and 1450 0 C. Samaria (10 and 20%) doped ceria samples sintered between 1350 and 1450 °C were used as reference. Samples were synthesized using the cation complexation method. The ceramics powders were characterized by XRF, XRD and SEM, while the sintered samples were investigated by its relative density, SEM and impedance spectroscopy. It was showed that gallia contents up to 0.6% act as excellent sintering aids in Eu doped ceria. Above this aid content, gallia addition does not promote significant increase in density of the ceramics. In Ga free samples the larger densification were accomplished with Eu 15% molar, effect expressed in the microstructure with higher grain growth although reduced and surrounded by many open pores. Relative densities greater than 95 % were obtained by sintering between 1300 and 1350 °C against the usual range 1500 - 1600 0 C. Samples containing 10% of Sm and 0.9% of Ga reached 96% of theoretical density by sintering at 1350 0 C for 3h, a gain compared to 97% achieved with 20% of Sm and 1% of Ga co-doped cerias sintered at 1450 0 C for 24 h as described in the literature. It is found that the addition of gallia in the Eu doped ceria has a positive effect on the grain conductivity and a negative one in the grain boundary conductivity resulting in a small decrease in the total conductivity which will not compromise its application as sintering aids in ceria based electrolytes. Typical total conductivity values at 600 and 700 °C, around 10 and 30 mS.cm -1 respectively were reached in this study. Samples with 15% of Eu and 0.9 % of Ga sintered at 1300 and 1350 °C showed relative densities greater than 96% and total conductivity (measured at 700 °C) between 20 and 33 mS.cm -1 . The simultaneous sintering of the electrolyte with the anode is one of the goals of research in materials for SOFCs. The results obtained in this study suggest that dense Eu and Ga co-doped ceria electrolytes with good ionic conductivity can be sintered simultaneously with the anode at temperatures below 1350 °C, the usual temperature for firing porous anode materials

Avaliação da espécie vegetal Croton cajucara Benth como inibidor de biocorrosão em aço carbono Aisi 1020

Actually in the oil industry biotechnological approaches represent a challenge. In that, attention to metal structures affected by electrochemical corrosive processes, as well as by the interference of microorganisms (biocorrosion) which affect the kinetics of the environment / metal interface. Regarding to economical and environmental impacts reduction let to the use of natural products as an alternative to toxic synthetic inhibitors. This study aims the employment of green chemistry by evaluating the stem bark extracts (EHC, hydroalcoholic extract) and leaves (ECF, chloroform extract) of plant species Croton cajucara Benth as a corrosion inhibitor. In addition the effectiveness of corrosion inhibition of bioactive trans-clerodane dehydrocrotonin (DCTN) isolated from the stem bark of this Croton was also evaluated. For this purpose, carbon steel AISI 1020 was immersed in saline media (3,5 % NaCl) in the presence and absence of a microorganism recovered from a pipeline oil sample. Corrosion inhibition efficiency and its mechanisms were investigated by linear sweep voltammetry and electrochemical impedance. Culture-dependent and molecular biology techniques were used to characterize and identify bacterial species present in oil samples. The tested natural products EHC, ECF and DCTN (DMSO as solvent) in abiotic environment presented respectively, corrosion inhibition efficiencies of 57.6% (500 ppm), 86.1% (500 ppm) and 54.5% (62.5 ppm). Adsorption phenomena showed that EHC best fit Frumkin isotherm and ECF to Temkin isotherm. EHC extract (250 ppm) dissolved in a polar microemulsion system (MES-EHC) showed significant maximum inhibition efficiency (93.8%) fitting Langmuir isotherm. In the presence of the isolated Pseudomonas sp, EHC and ECF were able to form eco-compatible organic films with anti-corrosive properties

Análise estatística de impedância da pele

In this work we analyze the skin bioimpedance statistical distribution. We focus on the study of two distinct samples: the statistics of impedance of several points in the skin of a single individual and the statistics over a population (many individuals) but in a single skin point. The impedance data was obtained from the literature (Pearson, 2007). Using the Shapiro-Wilk test and the assymmetry test we conclude that the impedance of a population is better described by an assymetric and non-normal distribution. On the other side, the data concerning the individual impedance seems to follow a normal distribution. We have performed a goodnes of fitting test and the better distribution to fit the data of a population is the log-normal distribution. It is interesting to note that our result for skin impedance is in simtony with body impedance from the literature of electrical engeneering. Our results have an impact over the statistical planning and modelling of skin impedance experiments. Special attention we should drive to the treatment of outliers in this kind of dataset. The results of this work are important in the general discussion of low impedance of points of acupuncture and also in the problem of skin biopotentials used in equipments like the Electrodermal Screen Tests.

Conversor CC/CA de alta freqüência baseado em inversores ressonantes com comutação seqüencial para excitação de uma tocha indutiva a plasma térmico

This work describes the study, the analysis, the project methodology and the constructive details of a high frequency DC/AC resonant series converter using sequential commutation techniques for the excitation of an inductive coupled thermal plasma torch. The aim of this thesis is to show the new modulation technique potentialities and to present a technological option for the high-frequency electronic power converters development. The resonant converter operates at 50 kW output power under a 400 kHz frequency and it is constituted by inverter cells using ultra-fast IGBT devices. In order to minimize the turn-off losses, the inverter cells operates in a ZVS mode referred by a modified PLL loop that maintains this condition stable, despite the load variations. The sequential pulse gating command strategy used it allows to operate the IGBT devices on its maximum power limits using the derating and destressing current scheme, as well as it propitiates a frequency multiplication of the inverters set. The output converter is connected to a series resonant circuit constituted by the applicator ICTP torch, a compensation capacitor and an impedance matching RF transformer. At the final, are presented the experimental results and the many tests achieved in laboratory as form to validate the proposed new technique

Metamaterial inspired improved antennas and circuits

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior

Caracterização de estruturas planares com substratos Iso/Anisotrópicos truncados através da técnica da ressonância transversa modificada

This work presents a theoretical and numerical analysis using the transverse resonance technique (TRT) and a proposed MTRT applied in the analysis of the dispersive characteristics of microstrip lines built on truncated isotropic and anisotropic dielectric substrates. The TRT uses the transmission lines model in the transversal section of the structure, allowing to analyze its dispersive behavior. The difference between TRT and MTRT consists basically of the resonance direction. While in the TRT the resonance is calculated in the same direction of the metallic strip normal axis, the MTRT considers the resonance in the metallic strip parallel plane. Although the application of the MTRT results in a more complex equivalent circuit, its use allows some added characterization, like longitudinal section electric mode (LSE) and longitudinal section magnetic mode (LSM), microstrips with truncated substrate, or structures with different dielectric regions. A computer program using TRT and MTRT proposed in this work is implemented for the characterization of microstrips on truncated isotropic and anisotropic substrates. In this analysis, propagating and evanescent modes are considered. Thus, it is possible to characterize both the dominant and higher order modes of the structure. Numerical results are presented for the effective permittivity, characteristic impedance and relative phase velocity for microstrip lines with different parameters and dimensions of the dielectric substrate. Agreement with the results obtained in the literature are shown, as well as experimental results. In some cases, the convergence analysis is also performed by considering the limiting conditions, like particular cases of isotropic materials or structures with dielectric of infinite size found in the literature. The numerical convergence of the formulation is also analyzed. Finally, conclusions and suggestions for the continuity of this work are presented

Antenas de microfita com patch quase-fractal para aplicações em Redes WPAN/WLAN

The microstrip antennas are in constant evidence in current researches due to several advantages that it presents. Fractal geometry coupled with good performance and convenience of the planar structures are an excellent combination for design and analysis of structures with ever smaller features and multi-resonant and broadband. This geometry has been applied in such patch microstrip antennas to reduce its size and highlight its multi-band behavior. Compared with the conventional microstrip antennas, the quasifractal patch antennas have lower frequencies of resonance, enabling the manufacture of more compact antennas. The aim of this work is the design of quasi-fractal patch antennas through the use of Koch and Minkowski fractal curves applied to radiating and nonradiating antenna s edges of conventional rectangular patch fed by microstrip inset-fed line, initially designed for the frequency of 2.45 GHz. The inset-fed technique is investigated for the impedance matching of fractal antennas, which are fed through lines of microstrip. The efficiency of this technique is investigated experimentally and compared with simulations carried out by commercial software Ansoft Designer used for precise analysis of the electromagnetic behavior of antennas by the method of moments and the neural model proposed. In this dissertation a study of literature on theory of microstrip antennas is done, the same study is performed on the fractal geometry, giving more emphasis to its various forms, techniques for generation of fractals and its applicability. This work also presents a study on artificial neural networks, showing the types/architecture of networks used and their characteristics as well as the training algorithms that were used for their implementation. The equations of settings of the parameters for networks used in this study were derived from the gradient method. It will also be carried out research with emphasis on miniaturization of the proposed new structures, showing how an antenna designed with contours fractals is capable of a miniaturized antenna conventional rectangular patch. The study also consists of a modeling through artificial neural networks of the various parameters of the electromagnetic near-fractal antennas. The presented results demonstrate the excellent capacity of modeling techniques for neural microstrip antennas and all algorithms used in this work in achieving the proposed models were implemented in commercial software simulation of Matlab 7. In order to validate the results, several prototypes of antennas were built, measured on a vector network analyzer and simulated in software for comparison

Implementação de um algoritmo para a análise de curtos-circuitos de alta impedância baseado no fluxo de carga soma de potências

This work has as main objective to show all the particularities regarding the Three-phase Power Summation Method, used for load flow calculation, in what it says respect to the influence of the magnetic coupling among the phases, as well as to the losses presented in all the existent transformers in the feeder to be analyzed. Besides, its application is detailed in the study of the short-circuits, that happen in the presence of high impedance values, which possess a problem, that is its difficult detection and consequent elimination on the part of common devices of protection. That happens due to the characteristic presented by the current of short¬ circuit, in being generally of the same order of greatness that the load currents. Results of simulations accomplished in several situations will be shown, objectifying a complete analysis of the behavior of the proposed method in several types of short-circuits. Confront of the results obtained by the method with results of another works will be presented to verify its effectiveness

Análise de antenas de microfita em rampa com múltiplas camadas dielétricas

The present work deals with the ana1ysis of microstrip patch antennas printed on tapered dielectric substrates. We investigate the influence ofthe substrate height variations on the properties of configurations such as microstrip patch antennas, microstrip patch antennas with overlay and suspendeô microstrip patch antennas. The dielectric substrates can be isotropic or anisotropic ones. This accurate analysis is based on the full-wave formulation. It is carried out initially for the determination of the impedance matrix, through the use of the spectral¬domain immitance approach. We use a model based on a segmentation of the considered line into uniform microstrip line subsections. Normalized phase constants and characteristic impedances are obtained by means of the Galerkin numerical technique. Then, the cascaded combination of the uniform microstrip subsections are analyzed through an interactive procedure. Numerical results are presented for the input reflection coefficient, voltage standing wave ratio, resonant frequency, and radiation pattems ofthe E_plane and H-plane diagrams. It is found that the variations in the substrate height profile produce a great influence on the bandwidth of microstrip antennas. This procedure gives bandwidth improvements without altering considerably the resonant frequency. Furthermore, the tapered microstrip antenna can be used as a lightweight altemative for bandwidth control and to eXtend the use of microstiip antenna technology to a wider variety of applications. Finally, suggestions for the continuity of this work are presented

Aplicações de arranjos de antenas de microfita com patch supercondutor

This work has as main objective the study of arrays of microstrip antennas with superconductor rectangular patch. The phases and the radiation patterns are analyzed. A study of the main theories is presented that explain the microscopic and macroscopic phenomena of superconductivity. The BCS, London equations and the Two Fluid Model, are theories used in the applications of superconductors, at the microstrip antennas and antennas arrays. Phase Arrangements will be analyzed in linear and planar configurations. The arrangement factors of these configurations are obtained, and the phase criteria and the spacing between the elements, are examined in order to minimize losses in the superconductor, compared with normal conductors. The new rectangular patch antenna, consist of a superconducting material, with the critical temperature of 233 K, whose formula is Tl5Ba4Ca2Cu9Oy, is analyzed by the method of the Transverse nTransmission Line (TTL), developed by H. C. C. Fernandes, applied in the Fourier Transform Domain (FTD). The TTL is a full-wave method, which has committed to obtaining the electromagnetic fields in terms of the transverse components of the structure. The inclusion of superconducting patch is made using the complex resistive boundary condition, using the impedance of the superconductor in the Dyadic Green function, in the structure. Results are obtained from the resonance frequency depending on the parameters of the antenna using superconducting material, radiation patterns in E-Plane and H -Plane, the phased antennas array in linear and planar configurations, for different values of phase angles and different spacing between the elements

Localização de faltas em linhas de transmissão de múltiplos terminais a partir de registros oscilográficos sincronizados via transformada wavelet

The electric energy is essential to the development of modern society and its increasing demand in recent years, effect from population and economic growth, becomes the companies more interested in the quality and continuity of supply, factors regulated by ANEEL (Agência Nacional de Energia Elétrica). These factors must be attended when a permanent fault occurs in the system, where the defect location that caused the power interruption should be identified quickly, which is not a simple assignment because the current systems complexity. An example of this occurs in multiple terminals transmission lines, which interconnect existing circuits to feed the demand. These transmission lines have been adopted as a feasible solution to suply loads of magnitudes that do not justify economically the construction of new substations. This paper presents a fault location algorithm for multiple terminals transmission lines - two and three terminals. The location method is based on the use of voltage and current fundamental phasors, as well as the representation of the line through its series impedance. The wavelet transform is an effective mathematical tool in signals analysis with discontinuities and, therefore, is used to synchronize voltage and current data. The Fourier transform is another tool used in this work for extract voltage and current fundamental phasors. Tests to validate the location algorithm applicability used data from faulty signals simulated in ATP (Alternative Transients Program) as well as real data obtained from oscillographic recorders installed on CHESF s lines.

Caracterização numérica de antenas para aplicações RFID utilizando o método das ondas - WCIP

In recent years, the radio frequency identification technology (RFID) has gained great interest both industrial communities as scientific communities. Its ability to locate and monitor objects, animals and persons with active or passive tags allows easy development, with good cost-benefice and still presents undeniable benefits in applications ranging from logistics to healthcare, robotics, security, among others. Within this aspect what else comes excelling are RFID tags and the antennas used in RFID readers. Most tags have antennas omnidirectional and are usually manufactured as dipoles modified printed. The primary purpose of a project of antenna for tag is to achieve the required input impedance to perform a good marriage impedance with the load impedance of the chip. Already the objective principal in project of antennas for readers is to achieve reduced sizes and structures with good data transmission capacity. This work brings the numerical characterization of antennas for RFID applications, being these divided into tags RFID and antennas for RFID readers. Three tags RFID and two antennas for RFID readers, found in literature, are analyzed. The analysis of these structures is made using the Method of Waves - WCIP. Initial results found in the literature are compared with those obtained through simulations in WCIP with objective to show that the Method of Waves is able to analyze such structures. To illustrate the results obtained in simulations is presented the behavior of electric and magnetic fields. It also performed a literature review on the characteristics and principles of RFID technology. Suggestions for continuity to this work are presented

Acoplador e linha de lâmina unilateral e bilateral com substrato fotônico

The aim of this work is to characterize and use the characteristic parameters of the planar structures constructed with fin lines looking for their applications in devices, using PBG Photonic Band Gap photonic materials as substrate, operating in the millimeter and optic wave bands.The PBG theory will be applied for the relative permittivity attainment for the PBG photonic substrate s and p polarizations. The parameters considered in the structures characterization are the complex propagation constant and the characteristic impedance of unilateral and bilateral fin lines that were obtained by the use of the TTL Transverse Transmission Line Method, together with the Method of the Moments. The final part of this work comprises studies related to the behavior of the asymmetric unilateral fin line coupler with photonic substrate. This research opens perspectives for new works in this modern area. Numerical results are shown by means of bi-dimensional and three-dimensional graphics. Conclusions and suggestions for future works are also presented

Aplicações de Dispositivos de Microondas utilizando Substrato EBG/PBG para Comunicações Móveis

The modern society depends on an efficient communications system able to of transmitting and receiving information with a higher speed and reliability every time. The need for ever more efficient devices raises optimization techniques of microstrip devices, such as techniques to increase bandwidth: thicker substrates and substrate structures with EBG (Electromagnetic Band Gap) and PBG (Photonic Band Gap). This work has how aims the study of the application of PBG materials on substrates of planar structures in microstrip, more precisely in directional quadrature couplers and in rat-race and impedance of transformers. A study of the planar structures in microstrip and substrates EBG is presented. The PBG substrates can be used to optimize the radiation through the air, thus reducing the occurrence of surface waves and the resulting diffraction edge responsible for degradation of radiation pattern. Through specific programs in FORTRAN Power Station obtained the frequencies and couplings for each structure. Are used the program PACMO - Computer Aided Design in Microwave. Results are obtained of the frequency and coupling devices, ranging the frequency band used (cellular communication and Wimax systems) and the permittivity of the substrate, comparing the results of conventional material and PBG materials in the s and p polarizations.

Efeito da inclinação do plano de terra para antenas de microfita multicamadas com elementos parasitas fractais

This work presents the analysis of an antenna of fractal microstrip of Koch with dielectric multilayers and inclinations in the ground plane, whose values of the angles are zero degree (without inclinations), three, seven and twelve degrees. This antenna consists of three dielectric layers arranged vertically on each other, using feeding microstrip line in patch 1, of the first layer, which will feed the remaining patches of the upper layers by electromagnetic coupling. The objective of this work is to analyze the effects caused by increase of the angle of inclination of the ground plane in some antenna parameters such as return loss, resonant frequency, bandwidth and radiation pattern. The presented results demonstrate that with the increase of the inclination angle it is possible to get antennas with characteristics multiband, with bigger bandwidth, and improving the impedance matching for each case analyzed, especially the larger angle