El “nuevo” Canal de Panamá: presente y futuro

Una empresa española al frente de un consorcio internacional se ha adjudicado la parte sustancial del gran contrato de ampliación del Canal de Panamá. Este ARI resume la historia, el presente y el proyecto de futuro de una vía marítima de primer orden para la política y la economía mundial. La conexión entre el Atlántico y el Pacífico por el istmo centroamericano ha jugado un papel determinante en la historia. Los esfuerzos pioneros de los españoles, el fracaso del “Canal francés” impulsado por Lesseps y el éxito de EEUU en plena carrera hacia el liderazgo universal son los hitos de una magna obra de ingeniería combinada con un complejo y no siempre elogiable panorama social y político. La gran obra se inauguró en 1914 y mantiene desde su inicio un estatuto de neutralidad internacional que ha resistido a la creación de una nueva República, dos guerras mundiales y un cambio drástico en el régimen de explotación y control. La plena soberanía y control territorial por parte de Panamá desde los tratados Carter-Torrijos ha impulsado un ambicioso proceso de ampliación que permitirá al Canal interoceánico mantener e incluso incrementar su protagonismo en el universo geopolítico y económico del siglo XXI

Outils basés simulation pour la conception d'une protection haptique sur l'axe de roulis pour hélicoptère

International audienceThe latest evolution of pilot controllers, referred to as ASSU (Active Side Sticks Units) provides static and dynamic tactile force (or haptic) feedback to the pilot at the grip. Combined with FBW (fly-by-wire), this promising technology has enhanced safety levels compared to the original mechanical linkage systems they have started to replace, while offering vast improved benefits in terms of carefree handling and pilot situational awareness. In the framework of a PhD thesis, the Information Processing and Systems Department (DTIS) of ONERA and SAFRAN Electronics & Defense have started a cooperation to evaluate the interest and the different possibilities offered by the ASSU technology to improve safety and handling qualities of rotary wing aircraft. Up to now, the design and tuning of these functions were essentially performed thanks to numerous simulator sessions or flight tests with pilots. More than just providing a set of values for the required parameters defining the cueing function (hopefully an optimal set of parameters), it is expected that the approach presented here would reduce the number of piloted simulation tests and associated difficulties of the availability of pilots, the significant amount of time and material resources. The main objective of this work is to develop a design methodology based on the simulation of the entire helicopter control loop (also including the pilot in some form) and enabling the definition and parameterization of cueing functions. Moreover, some objective criteria will be defined and used to design the force feedback laws, bringing additional means of evaluation and validation than the classical subjective rating scales

Design methodology of force feedback laws through helicopter control loop simulation

International audienceThe latest evolution of pilot controllers, referred to as ASSU (Active Side Sticks Units) provides static and dynamic tactile force (or haptic) feedback to the pilot at the grip. Combined with FBW (fly-by-wire), this promising technology has enhanced safety levels compared to the original mechanical linkage systems they have started to replace, while offering vast improved benefits in terms of carefree handling and pilot situational awareness. In the framework of a PhD thesis, the Information Processing and Systems Department (DTIS) of ONERA and SAFRAN Electronics & Defense have started a cooperation to evaluate the interest and the different possibilities offered by the ASSU technology to improve safety and handling qualities of rotary wing aircraft. Up to now, the design and tuning of these functions were essentially performed thanks to numerous simulator sessions or flight tests with pilots. More than just providing a set of values for the required parameters defining the cueing function (hopefully an optimal set of parameters), it is expected that the approach presented here would reduce the number of piloted simulation tests and associated difficulties of the availability of pilots, the significant amount of time and material resources. This paper describes the work done during the first half of the thesis. The main objective of this work is to develop a design methodology based on the simulation of the entire helicopter control loop (also including the pilot in some form) and enabling the definition and parameterization of cueing functions. Moreover, some objective criteria will be defined and used to design the force feedback laws, bringing additional means of evaluation and validation than the classical subjective rating scales

Méthodologie de conception de lois de retour d'efforts pour un mini-manche actif

International audienceSAFRAN Electronics & Defense and the Information and Systems Processing Department (DTIS) of ONERA have begun a cooperation to evaluate the interest and the methods of use of Active Side Stick Units (ASSU) to improve the safety and flight qualities of helicopters. This paper describes the work carried out to model an environment for simulation and evaluation of haptic feedback laws. An experiment, implemented in the simulator PycsHel at ONERA Salon de Provence, has brought some insight about the influence of ASSU's parameters on the detection of specific haptic feedbacks (Softstops). The results obtained will be added to the simulation model in order to allow the specification, optimal if possible, of the haptic cues.SAFRAN Electronique & Défense et le département Traitement de l'Information et Systèmes (DTIS) de l’ONERA ont entamé une coopération pour évaluer l'intérêt et les méthodes d’utilisation des mini-manches (ASSU: Active Side Stick Units) pour améliorer la sécurité et la qualité de vol des hélicoptères. Ce papier décrit les travaux menés pour modéliser un environnement de simulation et d'évaluation des lois de retour haptique. Une expérimentation, implémentée dans le simulateur PycsHel de l’ONERA Salon de Provence, a apporté un éclairage sur l’influence de paramètres de l’ASSU pour la détection de rretours haptiques spécifiques (SoftStops). Les résultats obtenus seront intégrés au modèle de simulation afin de permettre la spécification, optimale si possible, des signaux haptique

La mediación como herramienta para la prevención del absentismo y el abandono escolar: el caso del alumnado inmigrante magrebí

El objetivo principal de este TFG es contemplar si realmente la Mediación influye positivamente en la prevención del absentismo y el abandono escolar, especialmente en el alumnado migrante magrebí, y si existe una relación entre los factores sociales que rodean a este tipo de alumnado y su desarrollo y/o rendimiento escolar

Análisis de criterios de diseño básico de una terminal de contenedores de sustancias químicas peligrosas aplicando el proceso analítico jerárquico (AHP)

[EN] During the last years the dangerous goods containers transport are increasing generating port congestion. We had analyzed the criteria for designing an inland dangerous goods container terminal using Analytic Hierarchic Process (AHP). Particularly we had work in 5 areas defined after studying the state of the art: machines and instruments, Business Intelligence (BI), protection and security, Technologies Information and Communication (TIC) and environment. In our study an expert panel has participated on the criteria defining and for obtaining criteria weights. We have defined 88 criteria. The results are of great interest for future applications on the design of container terminals with dangerous goods and will be applied in the selection process of terminals with the Analytic Network Process (ANP).[ES] En los últimos años se ha producido un incremento considerable del transporte de contenedores de mercancías peligrosas, con la consiguiente congestión de puertos, para dar respuesta a esta problemática, hemos investigado y desarrollado esta tesis. Nuestro objeto de estudio ha sido el análisis de criterios de diseño básico de una terminal interior de contenedores de sustancias químicas peligrosas aplicando el proceso analítico jerárquico (AHP). En particular se ha recurrido al estudio en 5 áreas principales: maquinaria y equipos, Bussines Intelligence (BI), seguridad y protección, Tecnologías de la Información y la Comunicación (TIC) y medio ambiente que han sido definidos tras el estudio del estado del arte. Para poder definir estas áreas se ha trabajado con un panel de expertos en la determinación y análisis de los criterios. Analizando mediante el método todos los factores y determinando los pesos locales y globales. Se han priorizado un total de 88 criterios. Los resultados de esta investigación servirán en próximos estudios para aplicarlos a la selección de terminales con el método proceso analítico en red (ANP).[CA] En els últims anys s'ha produït un increment considerable del transport de contenidors de mercaderies perilloses, amb la consegüent congestió de ports. Per donar resposta a aquesta problemàtica hem investigat i desenvolupat aquest treball de tesi. El nostre objecte d'estudi ha estat l'anàlisi de criteris de disseny bàsic en una terminal interior de contenidors de substàncies químiques perilloses aplicant-hi el procés analític jeràrquic (AHP, Analytic Hierarchic Process). En particular, l'estudi s'ha focalitzat en cinc àrees principals: maquinària i equips, Business Intelligence (BI), seguretat i protecció, Tecnologies de la Informació i la Comunicació (TIC) i, finalment, medi ambient.Per poder definir aquestes àrees s'ha treballat, amb l'ajut d'un panell d'experts, en la determinació i l'anàlisi dels criteris de disseny de la terminal, estudiant els factors i determinant-ne els pesos locals i globals. En total, s'hi han prioritzat i avaluat més de vuitanta criteris de disseny diferents. Com a línies obertes de treball, els resultats d'aquesta investigació serviran per fer la selecció de terminals mitjançant el mètode anomenat procés analític en xarxa (ANP, Analytic Network Process).Molero Prieto, GD. (2016). Análisis de criterios de diseño básico de una terminal de contenedores de sustancias químicas peligrosas aplicando el proceso analítico jerárquico (AHP) [Tesis doctoral no publicada]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/61773TESI

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of a Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) Plant in Tower Configuration with and Without Thermal Energy Storage (TES)

Despite the big deployment of concentrating solar power (CSP) plants, their environmental evaluation is still a pending issue. In this paper, a detailed life cycle assessment (LCA) of a CSP tower plant with molten salts storage in a baseload configuration is carried out and compared with a reference CSP plant without storage. Results show that the plant with storage has a lower environmental impact due to the lower operational impact. The dependence on grid electricity in a CSP tower plant without storage increases its operation stage impact. The impact of the manufacturing and disposal stage is similar in both plants. When analyzed in detail, the solar field system and the thermal energy storage (TES) and heat transfer fluid (HTF) systems are the ones with higher impact. Within the storage system, the molten salts are those with higher impact. Therefore, in this study the impact of the origin of the salts is evaluated, showing that when the salts come from mines their impact is lower than when they are synthetized. Results show that storage is a key element for CSP plants not only to ensure dispatchability but also to reduce their environmental impact.This work was partially funded by the Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades de España (RTI2018-093849-B-C31) and by the Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades-Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI) (RED2018-102431-T). This work is partially supported by ICREA under the ICREA Academia programme