First International Diagnosis Competition - DXC'09

A framework to compare and evaluate diagnosis algorithms (DAs) has been created jointly by NASA Ames Research Center and PARC. In this paper, we present the first concrete implementation of this framework as a competition called DXC 09. The goal of this competition was to evaluate and compare DAs in a common platform and to determine a winner based on diagnosis results. 12 DAs (model-based and otherwise) competed in this first year of the competition in 3 tracks that included industrial and synthetic systems. Specifically, the participants provided algorithms that communicated with the run-time architecture to receive scenario data and return diagnostic results. These algorithms were run on extended scenario data sets (different from sample set) to compute a set of pre-defined metrics. A ranking scheme based on weighted metrics was used to declare winners. This paper presents the systems used in DXC 09, description of faults and data sets, a listing of participating DAs, the metrics and results computed from running the DAs, and a superficial analysis of the results

Developing Methods of Obtaining Quality Failure Information from Complex Systems

The complexity in most engineering systems is constantly growing due to ever-increasing technological advancements. This result in a corresponding need for methods that adequately account for the reliability of such systems based on failure information from components that make up these systems. This dissertation presents an approach to validating qualitative function failure results from model abstraction details. The impact of the level of detail available to a system designer during conceptual stages of design is considered for failure space exploration in a complex system. Specifically, the study develops an efficient approach towards detailed function and behavior modeling required for complex system analyses. In addition, a comprehensive research and documentation of existing function failure analysis methodologies is also synthesized into identified structural groupings. Using simulations, known governing equations are evaluated for components and system models to study responses to faults by accounting for detailed failure scenarios, component behaviors, fault propagation paths, and overall system performance. The components were simulated at nominal states and varying degrees of fault representing actual modes of operation. Information on product design and provisions on expected working conditions of components were used in the simulations to address normally overlooked areas during installation. The results of system model simulations were investigated using clustering analysis to develop an efficient grouping method and measure of confidence for the obtained results. The intellectual merit of this work is the use of a simulation based approach in studying how generated failure scenarios reveal component fault interactions leading to a better understanding of fault propagation within design models. The information from using varying fidelity models for system analysis help in identifying models that are sufficient enough at the conceptual design stages to highlight potential faults. This will reduce resources such as cost, manpower and time spent during system design. A broader impact of the project is to help design engineers identifying critical components, quantifying risks associated with using particular components in their prototypes early in the design process and help improving fault tolerant system designs. This research looks to eventually establishing a baseline for validating and comparing theories of complex systems analysis

Advances and Technologies in High Voltage Power Systems Operation, Control, Protection and Security

The electrical demands in several countries around the world are increasing due to the huge energy requirements of prosperous economies and the human activities of modern life. In order to economically transfer electrical powers from the generation side to the demand side, these powers need to be transferred at high-voltage levels through suitable transmission systems and power substations. To this end, high-voltage transmission systems and power substations are in demand. Actually, they are at the heart of interconnected power systems, in which any faults might lead to unsuitable consequences, abnormal operation situations, security issues, and even power cuts and blackouts. In order to cope with the ever-increasing operation and control complexity and security in interconnected high-voltage power systems, new architectures, concepts, algorithms, and procedures are essential. This book aims to encourage researchers to address the technical issues and research gaps in high-voltage transmission systems and power substations in modern energy systems

Representação em Bond Graphs de motores Brushless DC e inverosres de frequência

Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro Tecnológico, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Engenharia de Automação e Sistemas, Florianópolis, 2013.Este trabalho apresenta a construção de um modelo computacional para estudo do comportamento energético de um Motor Brushless e do inversor de frequência utilizado para acioná-lo. Para a construção desses modelos foi utilizada a técnica de representação em Bond Graphs. Essa técnica cria uma representação totalmente gráfica para o modelo, no qual, as equações dinâmicas estão intrínsecas aos elementos. Isso permite uma melhor compreensão de como interagem os componentes de um sistema dinâmico. A técnica de Bond Graphs permite ao usuário uma análise do modelo ainda durante a fase de modelagem, o que evita trabalhos de remodelagem. A representação criada para o motor brushless foi baseada no modelo dinâmico vetorial decomposto no eixo de referência d-q desse motor. Para o inversor de frequência foram estudadas duas propostas de modelagem. A primeira foi construída baseada no circuito equivalente resistivo para este conversor. A segunda proposta utiliza a aplicação de um novo elemento do Bond Graphs para facilitar a representação do inversor. Os dois modelos foram reproduzidos, analisados e melhorados neste trabalho. Por fim, os modelos obtidos foram simulados e analisados para verificar se apresentavam o comportamento teórico esperado. Os modelos também foram submetidos a uma análise energética, provando serem boas ferramentas para fins de estudo do consumo de energia.Abstract : This work presents the development of a computational model for study of the energetic behavior of a brushless motor and a frequency inverter used to drive it. For the construction of these models, the technique of representation by Bond Graphs was used. This technique creates a fully graphical representation for the model, where the dynamic equations are intrinsic to the elements. This allows a better understanding of how the components of the system interact with each other. The Bond Graphs allow the user to run an analysis of the model during the modeling phase, which prevents remodeling work. The representation created for the brushless motor is based on vector dynamic model decomposed in d-q reference frame of this motor. Were studied two proposals for modeling the Inverter. The first one was built based on the resistive equivalent circuit for this converter. The second proposal uses the application of a new element of Bond Graphs to facilitate the representation of the inverter. These two models were reproduced, analyzed and improved in this work. Finally, the developed models were simulated and analyzed to verify that they presented the expected theoretical behavior for these equipment. The models were also submitted to an energy analysis, proving that they are good tools for studying the energy consumption

Use, Operation and Maintenance of Renewable Energy Systems:Experiences and Future Approaches

The aim of this book is to put the reader in contact with real experiences, current and future trends in the context of the use, exploitation and maintenance of renewable energy systems around the world. Today the constant increase of production plants of renewable energy is guided by important social, economical, environmental and technical considerations. The substitution of traditional methods of energy production is a challenge in the current context. New strategies of exploitation, new uses of energy and new maintenance procedures are emerging naturally as isolated actions for solving the integration of these new aspects in the current systems of energy production. This book puts together different experiences in order to be a valuable instrument of reference to take into account when a system of renewable energy production is in operation

Diagnóstico de falhas de Curto-circuito nos interruptores de um VSI Monofásico em Ponte baseado na Teoria de Conjuntos Aproximados.

Neste trabalho é apresentado um método de diagnóstico de falhas de curto-circuito (SC) em interruptores de um Inversor Fonte de Tensão (Voltage Source Inverter, VSI), com o uso da Teoria de Conjuntos Aproximados (TCA) – em inglês, Rough Sets Theory (RST). Esta teoria é uma ferramenta matemática que descreve o comportamento de um sistema através de um conjunto de regras, baseadas em um número reduzido e suficiente de dados. Diversos estudos mostram que a falha de SC em um interruptor de potência eleva o custo do VSI, além de comprometer a sua vida útil e o seu desempenho. Este contexto justifica a busca por um eficiente método de diagnóstico que utilize o menor número possível de variáveis para a detecção dos sinais de interesse no processo. Inicialmente são apresentados no texto diversos métodos de diagnóstico, suas variáveis, vantagens e desvantagens. Em seguida, é apresentada a TCA e a sua viabilidade como ferramenta no diagnóstico de falhas de SC em interruptores de potência. A topologia do VSI é monofásica, em ponte, com carga indutiva. A aplicação da TCA proporcionou um número reduzido de variáveis e um conjunto de regras de diagnóstico, as quais são realizadas com funções lógicas básicas. Logo, o circuito de diagnóstico obtido é digital. O diagnóstico de falhas é realizado com apenas quatro variáveis: dois sinais de comando e dois sinais de corrente dos interruptores do VSI. De posse dos resultados adequados obtidos em simulação foi montado um protótipo em laboratório, cujos resultados experimentais validam o método de diagnóstico

Development of a Port-Hamiltonian Model for use in oscillating water column control scheme investigations.

With global energy demand estimated to rise considerably and global warming accepted by the majority of scientists, the pressure to reduce fossil fuel usage is increasing. To this end, the UK government has set a target of generating 50% of electricity from renewable energy sources by 2050. It can therefore be deduced that decreasing the cost of renewable energy by increasing the energy capture is critical. Oscillating Water Columns (OWCs) employing bidirectional turbines coupled with generators can be used to capture energy from oceanic waves and convert it to electrical energy. This thesis includes a study to quantify the potential power smoothing that can be achieved from a wave farm of ideal OWC devices and from auxiliary hardware such as flywheel energy storage systems. Also detailed are the upgrades to the OWC test facility at Cranfield University, including the world-first capability to simulate polychromatic waves. This test facility has been employed to validate turbine characteristics derived from Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) numerical results. This thesis contains a literature review of the existing control strategies for OWCs that concludes that the optimization of power capture from individual components in the energy chain forces system-level compromises. This conclusion drove the development of an unique energy-based model of the complete wave-to-wire system utilizing port-Hamiltonian mechanics which mandated two modifications to the port-Hamiltonian framework. The first modification to the port-Hamiltonian framework resulted in a new generalized means of modeling systems where the potential energy is dependent on the momentum variables. The second modification expands the port-Hamiltonian framework to allow the modeling of ow source systems in addition to effort source systems. The port-Hamiltonian wave-to-wire OWC model enables the future development of a control approach that optimizes power capture at a system level. As a first step to achieving this goal an Injection Damping Assignment (IDA) Passivity Based Control (PBC) strategy was successfully applied to an OWC system and an energy storage flywheel system. These strategies pave the way for future developments utilizing optimization techniques, such as the use of cost functions to identify the peak efficiency operating condition.Engineering and Physical Sciences (EPSRC)PhD in Energy and Powe

CBR and MBR techniques: review for an application in the emergencies domain

The purpose of this document is to provide an in-depth analysis of current reasoning engine practice and the integration strategies of Case Based Reasoning and Model Based Reasoning that will be used in the design and development of the RIMSAT system. RIMSAT (Remote Intelligent Management Support and Training) is a European Commission funded project designed to: a.. Provide an innovative, 'intelligent', knowledge based solution aimed at improving the quality of critical decisions b.. Enhance the competencies and responsiveness of individuals and organisations involved in highly complex, safety critical incidents - irrespective of their location. In other words, RIMSAT aims to design and implement a decision support system that using Case Base Reasoning as well as Model Base Reasoning technology is applied in the management of emergency situations. This document is part of a deliverable for RIMSAT project, and although it has been done in close contact with the requirements of the project, it provides an overview wide enough for providing a state of the art in integration strategies between CBR and MBR technologies.Postprint (published version

Multi-Agent Systems

A multi-agent system (MAS) is a system composed of multiple interacting intelligent agents. Multi-agent systems can be used to solve problems which are difficult or impossible for an individual agent or monolithic system to solve. Agent systems are open and extensible systems that allow for the deployment of autonomous and proactive software components. Multi-agent systems have been brought up and used in several application domains

Sustainable Mobility and Transport

This Special Issue is dedicated to sustainable mobility and transport, with a special focus on technological advancements. Global transport systems are significant sources of air, land, and water emissions. A key motivator for this Special Issue was the diversity and complexity of mitigating transport emissions and industry adaptions towards increasingly stricter regulation. Originally, the Special Issue called for papers devoted to all forms of mobility and transports. The papers published in this Special Issue cover a wide range of topics, aiming to increase understanding of the impacts and effects of mobility and transport in working towards sustainability, where most studies place technological innovations at the heart of the matter. The goal of the Special Issue is to present research that focuses, on the one hand, on the challenges and obstacles on a system-level decision making of clean mobility, and on the other, on indirect effects caused by these changes