Energy Storage for a Grid-Connected PV-System: A Feasibility Study

The work presented in this thesis concerns the dimensioning of an Energy Storage System (ESS) which will be used as an energy buffer for a grid-connected PV plant. This ESS should help managing the PV plant to inject electricity into the grid according to the requirements of the grid System Operator. It is desired to obtain a final production not below 1300kWh/kWp with a maximum ESS budget of 0.9€/Wp. The PV plant will be sited in Martinique Island and connected to the main grid. This grid is a small one where the perturbations due clouds in the PV generation are not negligible anymore. A software simulation tool, incorporating a model for the PV-plant production, the ESS and the required injection pattern of electricity into the grid has been developed in MS Excel. This tool has been used to optimize the relevant parameters defining the ESS so that the feed-in of electricity into the grid can be controlled to fulfill the conditions given by the System Operator. The inputs used for this simulation tool are, besides the conditions given by the System Operator on the allowed injection pattern, the production data from a similar PV-plant in a close-by location, and variables for defining the ESS. The PV production data used is from a site with similar climate and weather conditions as for the site on the Martinique Island and hence gives information on the short term insolation variations as well as expected annual electricity production. The ESS capacity and the injected electric energy will be the main figures to compare while doing an economic study of the whole plant. Hence, the Net Present Value, Benefit to Cost method and Pay-back period studies are carried on as dependent of the ESS capacity. The conclusion of this work is that it is possible to obtain the requested injection pattern by using an ESS. The design of the ESS can be made within an acceptable budget. The capacity of ESS to link with the PV system depends on the priorities of the final output characteristics, and it also depends on which economic parameter that is chosen as a priority.

Social impact bond feasibility study APAC Portugal: enhancing ex-offenders’ lives

Este estudo é uma análise à eficácia de um Social Impact Bond como como instrumento financeiro no modelo de intervenção da APAC Portugal. O objetivo é o de melhorar a vida de ex-criminosos e reduzir os índices de reincidência de modo a apoiar a sua reinserção na sociedade após a libertação. Enquanto os custos de funcionamento de um estabelecimento prisional forem suportados pelo sector público, como é de lei, o modelo inovador de intervenção terá de encontrar um meio alternativo de financiamento. Sendo assim, testámos a rentabilidade de um Social Impact Bond através de um bem estruturado modelo Excel que simula o mecanismo de investimento, tendo os resultados demonstrado que um Social Impact Bond pode, de facto, financiar o modelo de intervenção da APAC Portugal de forma eficaz.

A feasibility study for modelling tie strength with the facebook API

This thesis examines the concept of tie strength and investigates how it can be determined on the fly in the Facebook Social Network Service (SNS) by a system constructed using the standard developer API. We analyze and compare two different models: the first one is an adaptation of previous literature (Gilbert & Karahalios, 2009), the second model is built from scratch and based on a dataset obtained from an online survey. This survey took the form of a Facebook application that collected subjective ratings of the strength of 1642 ties (friendships) from 85 different participants. The new tie strength model was built based on this dataset by using a multiple regression method. We saw that the new model performed slightly better than the original adapted model, plus it had the advantage of being easier to implement. In conclusion, this thesis has shown that tie strength models capable of serving as useful friendship predictors are easily implementable in a Facebook application via standard API calls. In addition to a new tie strength model, the methodology adopted in this work permitted observation of the weights of each predictive variable used in the model, increasing the visibility of the factors that affects peoples’ relationships in online social networks.

Pure-transvaginal natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) ovariohysterectomy in bitches: a preliminary feasibility study

Cirurgia endoscópica por orifícios naturais (NOTES) constitui um acesso cirúrgico relativamente novo para abordagem minimamente invasiva, a qual vem sendo amplamente estudada na medicina humana. Porém, poucos estudos envolvendo sua aplicação na prática cirúrgica de pequenos animais foram realizados até o momento. O objetivo do presente estudo foi avaliar a factibilidade da ovário-histerectomia transvaginal por NOTES pura em cadelas. Cinco cadelas foram avaliadas. A cavidade abdominal foi acessada por um trocarte de 11mm introduzido por uma incisão vaginal. Empregando-se um endoscópio rígido com canal de trabalho, os pedículos ovarianos foram coagulados e seccionados usando-se diatermia bipolar. O corno uterino foi tracionado para o interior do trocarte e exteriorizado juntamente com a cânula. O corpo e vasos uterinos foram coagulados ou ligados com sutura. O coto uterino foi reposicionado na cavidade abdominal e o pneumoperitônio, drenado. O procedimento foi realizado com sucesso em quatro das cinco cadelas. Na primeira tentativa, houve conversão para uma técnica de NOTES-híbrida, devido à quebra de uma pinça de coagulação. O tempo cirúrgico médio foi 52,1 (DP±11,5 minutos) para a técnica de NOTES pura. A OHE por NOTES pura é factível em cadelas, sem resultar em complicações maiores e proporcionando excelente recuperação pós-operatória.

Economic and technical feasibility study of a combined-cycle cogeneration system associated with cellulose plants

In this paper, is presented an economical and technical feasibility study of a combined cycle cogeneration system proposed to be used in a pulp plant located in Brazil, where around 95% of country's pulp production is done by the use of Kraft Process. This process allows the use of black liquor and other by-products as fuel. This study is based upon actual data from a pulp plant with a daily production of 1000 tons., that generates part of the energy demanded by the process in a conventional cogeneration system with condensing steam turbine and two extractions. The addition of a gas turbine was studied to compare electricity production level and its related costs between original system and the new one, considering that the former can use industrial by-products and firewood as fuel, when required. Several parameters related to electric generation systems operation and production costs were studied. The use of natural gas in the combined cycle, in comparison with the use of firewood in the conventional system was studied. The advantages of natural gas fuel are highlighted. The surplus availability and the electricity generation costs are presented as a function of pulp and black liquor production.

Esophageal transit time assessed by magnetic methods: An in vitro feasibility study of the novel alternating current biosusceptometry with 3-axis magnetorresistor

A hybrid magnetic instrumentation to detect a magnetic field from a permanent magnet, and to detect magnetic markers and tracers using alternating current biosusceptometry (ACB) is discussed. The instrument was used to in vitro evaluation of the esophageal transit time. The sensitivity between both magnetic methods was compared, showing sensitivity for in vivo applications. © 2013 Springer-Verlag.

Caribbean Council for Social and Economic Development: feasibility study: resume

Entrega un resumen del estudio de factibilidad para la creacion del Consejo del Caribe para el Desarrollo Economico y Social.

Feasibility study on the establishment of a FLACSO graduate school of applied social anthropology in the Caribbean

Includes bibliography

Caribbean enterprise for the production and distribution of printed and audio-visual materials: a pre-feasibility study

Includes bibliography

Electrochemical feasibility study of methyl parathion determination on graphite-modified basal plane pyrolytic graphite electrode

A low-cost electrochemical method was developed for the determination of trace-level of methyl parathion (MP) based on the properties of graphite-modified basal plane pyrolytic graphite electrode (graphite-bppg). A combination of graphite-bppg with square-wave voltammetric (SWV) analysis resulted in an original, sensitive and selective electrochemical method for determination of MP pesticide in drinking water. The electrode was constructed and the electrochemical behavior of MP was studied. Immobilization is achieved via film modification from dispersing graphite powder in deionized water and through pipeting a small volume onto the electrode surface allowing the solvent to volatilize. The strong affinity of the graphite modifier for the phosphorous group of the MP allowed the deposition of a significant amount of MP in less than 60 seconds. The cyclic voltammetric results indicate that the graphite-bppg electrode can enhance sensitivity in current intensity towards the quasi-reversible redox peaks of the products of the cathodic reduction of the nitro group at negative potential (peak I = 0.077 V and peak II = –0.062 V) and that the cathodic irreversible peak (peak III = –0.586 V) in comparison with bare bppg electrode and is also adsorption controlled process. Under optimized conditions, the concentration range and detection limit for MP pesticide are respectively 79.0 to 263.3 mmol L-1 and 3.00 mmol L-1. The proposed method was successfully applied to MP determination in drinking water and the performance of this electrochemical sensor has been evaluated in terms of analytical figures of merit.

Efficacy of Oral and Parenteral Routes of Mycobacterium bovis Bacille Calmette-Guerin Vaccination Against Experimental Bovine Tuberculosis in White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus): A Feasibility Study

We investigated the efficacy of oral and parenteral Mycobacterium bovis bacille Calmette-Guerin Danish strain 1331 (BCG) in its ability to protect white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) against disease caused by M. bovis infection. Twenty-two white-tailed deer were divided into four groups. One group (n=5) received 109 colony-forming units (cfu) BCG via a lipid-formulated oral bait; one group (n=5) received 109 cfu BCG in culture directly to the oropharynx, one group (n=6) was vaccinated with 106 cfu BCG subcutaneously, and one group served as a control and received culture media directly to the oropharynx (n=6). All animals were challenged 3 mo after vaccination. Five months postchallenge the animals were examined for lesions. Results indicate that both oral forms of BCG and parenterally administerd BCG offered significant protection against M. bovis challenge as compared to controls. This study suggests that oral BCG vaccination may be a feasible means of controlling bovine tuberculosis in wild white-tailed deer populations.

Feasibility Study of Solar Driven Underground Cooling System

In the United States the peak electrical use occurs during the summer. In addition, the building sector consumes a major portion of the annual electrical energy consumption. One of the main energy consuming components in the building sector is the Heating, Ventilation, and Air-Conditioning (HVAC) systems. This research studies the feasibility of implementing a solar driven underground cooling system that could contribute to reducing building cooling loads. The developed system consists of an Earth-to-Air Heat Exchanger (EAHE) coupled with a solar chimney that provides a natural cool draft to the test facility building at the Solar Energy Research Test Facility in Omaha, Nebraska. Two sets of tests have been conducted: a natural passively driven airflow test and a forced fan assisted airflow test. The resulting data of the tests has been analyzed to study the thermal performance of the implemented system. Results show that: The underground soil proved to be a good heat sink at a depth of 9.5ft, where its temperature fluctuates yearly in the range of (46.5°F-58.2°F). Furthermore, the coupled system during the natural airflow modes can provide good thermal comfort conditions that comply with ASHRAE standard 55-2004. It provided 0.63 tons of cooling, which almost covered the building design cooling load (0.8 tons, extreme condition). On the other hand, although the coupled system during the forced airflow mode could not comply with ASHRAE standard 55-2004, it provided 1.27 tons of cooling which is even more than the building load requirements. Moreover, the underground soil experienced thermal saturation during the forced airflow mode due to the oversized fan, which extracted much more airflow than the EAHE ability for heat dissipation and the underground soil for heat absorption. In conclusion, the coupled system proved to be a feasible cooling system, which could be further improved with a few design recommendations.

Feasibility Study of a Solar Reactor for Phenol Treatment by the Photo-Fenton process in Aqueous Solution

Solar reactors can be attractive in photodegradation processes due to lower electrical energy demand. The performance of a solar reactor for two flow configurations, i.e., plug flow and mixed flow, is compared based on experimental results with a pilot-scale solar reactor. Aqueous solutions of phenol were used as a model for industrial wastewater containing organic contaminants. Batch experiments were carried out under clear sky, resulting in removal rates in the range of 96100?%. The dissolved organic carbon removal rate was simulated by an empirical model based on neural networks, which was adjusted to the experimental data, resulting in a correlation coefficient of 0.9856. This approach enabled to estimate effects of process variables which could not be evaluated from the experiments. Simulations with different reactor configurations indicated relevant aspects for the design of solar reactors.