La sostenibilidad a examen: herramientas de certificación

Los sistemas de evaluación de sostenibilidad en la edificación, que se traducen en certificados que califican el grado de sostenibilidad en el sector edificatorio, constituyen uno de los principales catalizadores necesarios para el desarrollo y consolidación del marco global de la edificación sostenible. Durante décadas, diversas iniciativas normativas de índole internacional, nacional y local, en su mayoría de carácter no obligatorio, levemente han logrado cierta conciencia general acerca de la necesidad de un modelo edificatorio eficiente energéticamente y en equilibrio con el medioambiente. La aprobación y reciente transposición por parte de la Unión Europea (UE) de la Directiva 2010/31/UE de edificios de consumo de energía casi nulo, que deroga una Directiva previa de 2002, tiene como objetivo impulsar definitivamente a los estados miembros al desarrollo de un auténtico mercado para la edificación sostenible, que permita cumplir los objetivos marcados para el año 2020 relativo a edificios de nueva creación. España, con un parque inmobiliario lejos de satisfacer los estándares de calidad y eficiencia energética exigidos, apenas ha logrado corregir la situación a partir de la aprobación del Código Técnico de la Edificación (CTE), lastrada por la especial incidencia en el sector de la crisis económica y una escasa concienciación social. La obligatoriedad del CTE que establece llevar a cabo la calificación energética para edificios de nueva creación, a partir de la herramienta LIDER-CALENER, y que previsiblemente será ampliada para edificios existentes por un nuevo Real Decreto de inminente aprobación, se proyecta insuficiente para dicha empresa. En este contexto, se plantea urgente el estudio, la adaptación, perfeccionamiento y difusión de aquellas herramientas de evaluación de sostenibilidad edificatoria con mayor presencia en nuestro país, para alcanzar con la mayor celeridad posible el nivel de consolidación que se han ganado en los países de la UE líderes en la materia. Así, en la presente ponencia, se extracta de los métodos Breeam ES, Leed, PassivHaus, Perfil de Calidad y Verde, en base al estudio de sus respectivos manuales disponibles de forma gratuita, aquellos criterios de sostenibilidad a los que conceden mayor relevancia, clasificándolos posteriormente en grupos temáticos equivalentes. En aras de una mayor objetividad y precisión en el desarrollo del análisis, se acota su aplicación tipológica a la vivienda plurifamiliar de más de 3 alturas. Finalmente, se aborda un estudio de los criterios con mayor peso considerados por el total de los sistemas, pormenorizando cómo determinan las claves de sostenibilidad edificatoria en que se apoy

Estudio jurídico del interrogatorio de las partes en el proceso civil : consideraciones generales y aspectos procedimentales = Legal study of the questioning of the parties in the civil process : general considerations and procedural aspects

El interrogatorio de las partes, cuyo origen podemos encontrarlo en la vieja confesión judicial de las Leyes de Enjuiciamiento Civil de 1855 y 1881, comienza a tener entidad como tal con la LEC. A partir de entonces, podemos afirmar que se trata de un medio probatorio basado en las declaraciones orales de las partes en el proceso sobre los hechos controvertidos que son objeto del mismo, dotándole de una mayor espontaneidad y flexibilidad para garantizar una declaración no preparada. En el presente trabajo, se estudia el interrogatorio de las partes en su conjunto, partiendo del análisis de sus antecedentes históricos, de su conceptualización y de las peculiaridades de los sujetos intervinientes en el mismo, así como del desarrollo del procedimiento que se lleva a cabo, y finalizando con la diferenciación de las formas de valoración de estas declaraciones por parte de los tribunale

Novel High-Frequency Electrical Characterization Technique for Magnetic Passive Devices.

Integrated magnetic components are key elements of the power supply on chip modules. Due to the application requirements, these magnetic devices work at very high frequency and have low inductances. Conventional small-signal tests do not provide all the required information about the magnetic device. Hence, it is important to develop new setups to apply large signals to accurately measure the performance of devices under realistic operating conditions, including nonlinear core effects. The proposed experimental setup is suitable to measure the device impedance under different large-signal test conditions, similar to those in the actual converter, since the excitation current can be configured through every winding: ac current up to 0.5 A at frequencies up to 120 MHz and dc bias current up to 2 A through one or both windings. Voltage and current are measured using commercial instrumentation. Due to the characteristics of the probes and the high frequency of the test, the attenuation and delay due to the probes and the experimental setup have to be taken into account when processing the voltage and current waveforms to calculate the impedances. The compensation test to calculate this attenuation and delay is described. Finally, the proposed setup is validated by measuring a two-phase coupled inductor microfabricated on silicon.This work was supported in part by the European Union through FP7 (Project: PowerSwipe) under Grant 318529, in part by the Science Foundation Ireland through the Investigators Programme under Grant 15/IA/3180, and in part by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness and FEDER funds under Project DPI2014-53685-C2-1-R and Project DPI2017-88062-R. This paper was recommended for publication by Associate Editor Matthew A. Wilkowski

Comparison of different large signal measurement setups for high frequency inductors

This article belongs to the Special Issue High-Frequency Power Converters.The growing interest of miniaturized power converters has pushed the development of high frequency inductors integrated in Power Supply on Chip or Power Supply in Package. The proper characterization of inductor impedance is a challenge due to the dependence of the impedance on the current, the high quality factor (Q) and the high frequency range where these devices operate. In this paper, we present a comparison of different measuring methods to characterize high frequency and high Q inductors. The comparison is based on a systematic analysis of the measurement process, quantifying the influence of the parameters that affect the measurement result. Four common measurement setups are analyzed and compared. To validate the calculations, the resistance of a high frequency, high-Q inductor is characterized using every presented setup. The good match between calculations, simulation and measurement validates the analysis and the conclusions extracted.This research was founded by the Spanish Ministry of Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades and FEDER funds through the research project EPIIOT under Grant DPI2017-88062-R, and by the Madrid Government (Comunidad de Madrid-Spain) under the Multiannual Agreement with UC3M in the line of Excellence of University Professors (EPUC3M26), and in the context of the V PRICIT (Regional Programme of Research and Technological Innovation)

Nonparametric frequency response identification for Dc-Dc converters based on spectral analysis with automatic determination of the perturbation amplitude

Digital control for high switching frequency converter enables new features on DC-DC power conversion for a minimum cost. Frequency response identification is one such enabled functionality used in auto tunning, measurement of components to assess the converter’s state of health, or system stability monitoring. High accuracy, flexibility to operate in open or closed loop, and minimum impact in the converter’s regular operation are the frequency response identification system’s goals. We propose in this paper a nonparametric identification system addressing these main goals. First, it can autoadjust the perturbation size to reduce the perturbation’s impact on the converter’s output quantities. Second, as it is based on spectral analysis, it is suitable for open and closed-loop operation. Third, we demonstrate the identification system’s high accuracy, achieving a very low difference between the experimental measurements and the discrete model used as reference.This research was founded by the Spanish Ministry of Ciencia, Innovacióon y Universidades and FEDER funds through the research project EPIIOT under Grant DPI2017-88062-R, and by the Madrid Government (Comunidad de Madrid-Spain) under the Multiannual Agreement with UC3M in the line of Excellence of University Professors (EPUC3M26), and in the context of the V PRICIT (Regional Programme of Research and Technological Innovation)

General parameter identification procedure and comparative study of Li-Ion battery models

Accurate and robust battery models are required for the proper design and operation of battery-powered systems. However, the parametric identification of these models requires extensive and sophisticated methods to achieve enough accuracy. This article shows a general and straightforward procedure, based on Simulink and Simscape of Matlab, to build and parameterize Li-ion battery models. The model parameters are identified with the Optimization Toolbox of Matlab, by means of an iterative process to minimize the sum of the squared errors. In addition, this procedure is applied to a selection of five different models available in the literature for electric vehicle applications, obtaining a comparative study between them. Also, the performance of each battery model is evaluated through two current profiles from two driven profiles known as the Urban Driving Cycle (ECE-15 or UDC) and the Hybrid Pulse Power Characterization (HPPC). The experimental results obtained from a Li-ion polymer battery have been compared with the data provided by the models, confirming the effectiveness of the proposed procedure, and also, the application field of each model as a function of the required accuracy.This work was supported by the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness and FEDER funds through the research project “Storage and Energy Management for Hybrid Electric Vehicles based on Fuel Cell, Battery, and Supercapacitors”—ELECTRICAR-AG-(DPI2014- 53685-C2-1-R)

Non-inverting and Non-isolated Magnetically Coupled Buck-Boost Bidirectional DC-DC Converter

A new non-isolated DC-DC converter with non-inverting output and buck-boost operation, named Magnetically Coupled Buck-Boost Bidirectional converter (MCB³), is presented in this paper. The MCB³ passive components arrangement connects the input and output ports getting an equivalent behavior to that of the Dual Active Bridge (DAB) converter, but in a non-isolated topology. This equivalency allows applying Triple Phase Shift (TPS) modulation to MCB³. TPS is known to minimize conduction losses and to achieve soft-switching at any load in the DAB converter. Throughout the paper, the features of the DAB converter are used as a reference to show the main features of the proposed converter. Moreover, other modulation strategies based on TPS modulation are used in MCB³ to operate within the minimum losses path.The multiple operation modes found on the MCB³ under TPS modulation are identified, classified, and used to find the operating points that minimize the switching and conduction losses over the power range. The analysis is shown for the boost mode that is the worst-case design. MCB³ and DAB topologies are designed and simulated for the same specification to validate the theoretical study. Finally, experimental measurements on 460W-prototypes for both topologies corroborate the equivalent operation and the main features of the MCB³.This work was supported in part by the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness and ERDF funds through the Research Project “Energy Storage and Management System for Hybrid Electric Cars based on Fuel Cell, Battery and Supercapacitors” ELECTRICAR-AG- (DPI2014-53685-C2-1-R), and in part by the Research Projects CONEXPOT (DPI2017-84572-C2-2-R) and EPIIOT (DPI2017-88062-R

Absentismo laboral en trabajadores públicos de Mallorca

Objetivo. Valorar los procesos de absentismo en una empresa pública en el periodo 1991-2008 y la influencia de algunas variables socio demográficas. Material y método. Estudio descriptivo transversal un total de 10154 procesos de absentismo (incapacidad temporal, accidente de trabajo e indisposición) en trabajadores públicos. Se analiza la influencia de la edad y el sexo. Resultados. Se estudian un total de 6542 episodios de incapacidad temporal, 2297 indisposiciones y 615 accidentes laborales. El número total de días perdidos es de 302147. Las mujeres y los trabajadores mayores de 45 años son los grupos que presentan mayor número de procesos de absentismo y los que pierden mayor número de días. Conclusiones. El presente trabajo es uno de los primeros que presenta datos de indisposiciones, un aspecto del absentismo que muy pocas veces se ha analizado.Objective. Assess the processes of absenteeism in a public company between 1991-2008 and the influence of some socio demographic variables. Methods. Cross-sectional study of 10154 absences processes (temporary disability, industrial accident and mild ailments) in public workers. The influence of age and sex is analyzed. Results. 6542 episodes of temporary disability, 2297 mild ailments and 615 industrial accidents were studied. The total number of “lost days” is 302147. Women and workers over 45 are the groups with the highest number of absenteeism processes and more “lost days”. Conclusions. This work is one of the first to present data of mild ailments, one aspect of absenteeism rarely been analyzed

The fishing and seafood sector in the time of COVID-19: Considerations for local and global opportunities and responses

This paper provides an overview of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the fishing sector over the world, including several economic, social, environmental, and health challenges that the fisheries have had to face during the early days of the health crisis and some of them still continue today. These problems, in short, are translated into a decrease in seafood demand, loss of jobs, changes in food consumption habits, economic losses or increased vulnerability of the industry. As consequence, governments have been forced to implement regulations and measures in support of this sector. However, a positive aspect of the pandemic also stands out; the opportunity to transform the food system to be greener, more inclusive, and resilient against future shocks.This work was supported by the EAPA_576/2018 NEPTUNUS project. The authors would like to acknowledge the financial support of Interreg Atlantic Are

Industry 4.0: Spanish patents of the largest technology companies

A total of 2555 records were found, placing Spain in 15th position in the world, led by China and the USA, while Europe is in a discreet second place. European companies are mixed with Asian and US companies to a lesser extent. All three companies are heavily involved in the 5G technologies field. Figure 1 shows companies with at least 15 patents, where Qualcomm stands out, followed by Huawei and Ericsson. All three companies are heavily involved in the 5G technologies field. Most of these companies are technology companies specialized in microprocessors, computers, and telecommunications. Only one is not a company: the well-known German research institution Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft (mp3 developers). The only Spanish company in this ranking is Telefónica. Although most companies are widely known, how important are they worldwide? Is there a relationship between their Spanish patents and their worldwide patents? For this purpose, we have constructed the chart in Figure 2, with the above information and the ranking of the 25 worldwide most essential companies by 4IR patenting in the last two decades made by the EPO. The first thing that stands out in the chart is the position of Qualcomm and Samsung (Korea). As shown in Figure 1, Qualcomm is the leader in Spanish patents, although it is not the world leader. The opposite is true for Samsung, the world leader with more than twice as many patents but very little presence in Spain. Then there are LG Group (Korea) and Sony (Japan), which have a world position like Qualcomm (more than 6k) and similar to Samsung in Spain. There are seven companies between 3k and 5k, but only Huawei and Ericsson stand out in Spain, as mentioned above. Below 3k, two European companies and one American, Alphabet, we thought we would find a little higher in the world ranking. As it appears, autonomous driving has not yet created many patents. Samsung is the leader in 4IR patents and technology patents in general. Samsung Electronics alone has more than 255k patents in total, but if we add all the subsidiaries, it reaches a little less than 380k. There is little interest in Spain, with so many patents globally, which must have been covered with its EPO patents. The only European patent office that seems to take it seriously is the German one (DPMA). Of the three companies that seem to pay attention to the Spanish office, we can only say that they are in the middle of the global war on 5G. The 5G battlefield leads companies to be very careful and cover their intellectual property even in small offices such as the OEPM. Huawei is the company that has taken the lead but is being censored by the USA. The only company with a comprehensive option for 5G (outside Huawei) is the European Ericsson. Apart from the political war over 5G, it must be remembered that Qualcomm has had an intense legal fight for patents with giants such as Intel or Apple in recent years. What is truly curious is that the European country where Qualcomm has the most patents is Spain.This work was supported by Detección de tecnología española para la industria conectada 4.0 a través de las oficinas de patentes europeas (RTI2018-098966-B-I00), project funded by Proyectos de I+D+i «Retos investigación», Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, Spai