Identification of aircraft gas-turbines dynamics: comparison of classical and neural techniques

A gas turbine is made up of three basic components: a compressor, a combustion chamber and a turbine. Air is drawn into the engine by the compressor, which compresses it and delivers it to the combustion chamber. There, the air is mixed with the fuel and the mixture ignited, producing a rise of temperature and therefore an expansion of the gases. These are expelled through the engine nozzle, but first pass through the turbine, designed to extract energy to keep the compressor rotating [1]. The work described here uses data recorded from a Rolls Royce Spey MK 202 turbine, whose simplified diagram can be seen in Fig. 1. Both the compressor and the turbine are split into low pressure (LP) and high pressure (HP) stages. The HP turbine drives the HP compressor and the LP turbine drives the LP compressor. They are connected by concentric shafts that rotate at different speeds, denoted as NH and NL.

Numerical techniques for modeling Doppler ultrasound spectra systems

Evaluation of blood-flow Doppler ultrasound spectral content is currently performed on clinical diagnosis. Since mean frequency and bandwidth spectral parameters are determinants on the quantification of stenotic degree, more precise estimators than the conventional Fourier transform should be seek. This paper summarizes studies led by the author in this field, as well as the strategies used to implement the methods in real-time. Regarding stationary and nonstationary characteristics of the blood-flow signal, different models were assessed. When autoregressive and autoregressive moving average models were compared with the traditional Fourier based methods in terms of their statistical performance while estimating both spectral parameters, the Modified Covariance model was identified by the cost/benefit criterion as the estimator presenting better performance. The performance of three time-frequency distributions and the Short Time Fourier Transform was also compared. The Choi-Williams distribution proved to be more accurate than the other methods. The identified spectral estimators were developed and optimized using high performance techniques. Homogeneous and heterogeneous architectures supporting multiple instruction multiple data parallel processing were essayed. Results obtained proved that real-time implementation of the blood-flow estimators is feasible, enhancing the usage of more complex spectral models on other ultrasonic systems.

Radio over fiber broadband access networks architectures based on wavelength division multiplexing techniques

The recent remarkable growth in bandwidth of both wired optical and wireless access networks supports a burst of new high bandwidth Internet applications such as: peer-topeer file sharing, cloud storage, on-line gaming, video streaming, etc. Within this scenario, the convergence of fixed and wireless access networks offers significant opportunities for network operators to satisfy user demands, and simultaneously reduce the cost of implementing and running separated wireless and wired networks. The integration of wired and wireless network can be accomplished within several scenarios and at several levels. In this thesis we will focus on converged radio over fiber architectures, particularly on two application scenarios: converged optical 60 GHz wireless networks and wireless overlay backhauling over bidirectional colorless wavelength division multiplexing passive optical networks (WDM-PONs). In the first application scenario, optical 60 GHz signal generation using external modulation of an optical carrier by means of lithium niobate (LiNbO3) Mach- Zehnder modulators (MZM) is considered. The performance of different optical modulation techniques, robust against fiber dispersion is assessed and dispersion mitigation strategies are identified. The study is extended to 60 GHz carriers digitally modulated with data and to systems employing subcarrier multiplexed (SCM) mm-wave channels. In the second application scenario, the performance of WDM-PONs employing reflective semiconductor optical amplifiers (RSOAs), transmitting an overlay orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) wireless signal is assessed analytically and experimentally, with the relevant system impairments being identified. It is demonstrated that the intermodulation due to the beating of the baseband signal and wireless signal at the receiver can seriously impair the wireless channel. Performance degradation of the wireless channel caused by the RSOA gain modulation owing to the downstream baseband data is also assessed, and system design guidelines are provided.

Réhabiliter l’enveloppe du bâtiment au Québec: Impact des considérations sociales et techniques sur l’analyse de la performance

Cette étude s’intéresse à la façon dont l’enveloppe du bâtiment s’est développée au Québec depuis l’industrialisation des procédés de construction, soit vers le milieu du XIXe siècle, jusqu’à nos jours. L’étude cherche à recenser l’ensemble des critères, de nature technique, social, historique, économique ou autre, qui influencent nos façons de penser, de construire et d’entretenir l’enveloppe, et ultimement nos approches d’intervention. Ce travail comporte trois volets principaux. La première partie vise à définir le contexte de la conservation en lien avec les enjeux liés à l’enveloppe du bâtiment. Une recherche documentaire a été pas la suite réalisée autant dans des ouvrages à propension théorique que dans d’autres plus techniques, pour comprendre comment est traitée l’enveloppe, ici et ailleurs. Enfin une synthèse de l’ensemble des études devait permettre de dégager la façon dont l’enveloppe du bâtiment est comprise, diagnostiquée et traitée dans le cadre de la réhabilitation des édifices. Les résultats de ce mémoire confirment que plusieurs facteurs influencent la conception et la réalisation de l’enveloppe. Ils confirment surtout que ces facteurs sont peu tenus en compte dans la cadre actuel de la conservation. Il est souhaitable que la réflexion entamée dans ce projet de recherche puisse se poursuivre, en vue de développer un outil d’accompagnement pour les professionnels spécialisés dans ce domaine. Mots-clés : Enveloppe, identité, histoire, matériau, système, assemblage, façade, performance, conservation, réhabilitation. Envelope, enclosure, identity, history, component, system, assembly, facade, performance, conservation, refurbishment, rehabilitation.

Spectroscopic techniques for characterizing portuguese glazed ceramics:a contribution to the study of ancient faiences of Coimbra

Tese de doutoramento, Física, Universidade de Lisboa, Faculdade de Ciências, 2013

Machine learning techniques for music information retrieval

Tese de doutoramento, Informática (Engenharia Informática), Universidade de Lisboa, Faculdade de Ciências, 2015

Using non-invasive techniques to examine black bear (Ursus americanus) abundance in the North Cascades Ecosystem, Washington State

Thesis (Master's)--University of Washington, 2013

Review of survey techniques used in urban freight studies

Report produced as part of the Green Logistics project (EPSRC and Department for Transport funded). This report is based on a review of studies in which data has been collected to obtain an understanding of road-based urban freight transport activities and patterns of operation. Studies from the UK and other countries have been included in this review. While it may be thought that relatively few such studies have been conducted, approximately 60 such studies have been identified as taking place in the UK and approximately 100 elsewhere since the 1960s. In addition, other studies have been carried out in order to assess industry and policy maker opinions about urban freight transport , however this type of study and survey work is not the focus of this report. Gaining an understanding of road-based urban freight transport activities is an important element in determining the current sustainability of such activity (in economic, social and environmental terms) and how best to go about enhancing its sustainability. By reviewing the existing survey work in this subject it has been possible to draw together the methodologies developed and implemented. This should therefore be of help in understanding which techniques are most commonly used, the strengths and limitations of the various techniques, and in assessing the most suitable urban freight survey techniques for a given study.