Expert system for protective device adjustments on distribution systems with DG

Due to the high competitiveness of the power market along with cost reduction of new technologies, currently there exists a worldwide tendency for using novel electric power generation resources. In this way, according to technical and economic analyses, the insertion of such generation can be suitable not only within transmission networks, but also at medium and low voltage levels, within the distribution networks. However, this Distributed Generation (DG) makes some parts of the feeder lose its radiality. It has direct influence on the protective devices coordination installed on the feeder. DG placed on the distribution feeders affects the voltage profile and shortcircuit current levels, system stability, and may result in islanding of some network areas. Thus, an expert computational system for performing protection projects for overhead distribution feeders that present -or not- distributed generation (DG) is proposed. In order to assess the computational system efficiency a real-life distribution feeder is used

The use of barriers to limit the spread of aquatic invasive animal species: a global review

Aquatic invasive species (AIS) are one of the principal threats to freshwater biodiversity. Exclusion barriers are increasingly being used as a management strategy to control the spread of AIS. However, exclusion barriers can also impact native organisms and their effectiveness is likely to be context dependent. We conducted a quantitative literature review to evaluate the use of barriers to control animal AIS in freshwater ecosystems worldwide. The quantitative aspect of the review was supplemented by case studies that describe some of the challenges, successes, and opportunities for the use of the use of AIS exclusion barriers globally. Barriers have been used since the 1950s to control the spread of AIS, but effort has been increasing since 2005 (80% of studies) and an increasingly diverse range of AIS taxa are now targeted in a wide range of habitat types. The global use of AIS barriers has been concentrated in North America (74% of studies), Australasia (11%), and Europe (10%). Physical barriers (e.g., weirs, exclusion screens, and velocity barriers) have been most widely used (47%), followed by electric (27%) and chemical barriers (12%). Fish were the most targeted taxa (86%), followed by crustaceans (10%), molluscs (3%) and amphibians (1%). Most studies have been moderately successful in limiting the passage of AIS, with 86% of the barriers tested deterring >70% of individuals. However, only 25% of studies evaluated barrier impacts on native species, and development of selective passage is still in its infancy. Most studies have been too short (47% < 1 year, 87% < 5 years) to detect ecological impacts or have failed to use robust before-after-control-impact (BACI) study designs (only 5%). Hence, more effective monitoring is required to assess the long-term effectiveness of exclusion barriers as an AIS management tool. Our global case studies highlight the pressing need for AIS control in many ecoregions, and exclusion barriers have the potential to become an effective tool in some situations. However, the design and operation of exclusion barriers must be refined to deliver selective passage of native fauna, and exclusion barriers should only be used sparingly as part of a wider integrated management strategy

MÉTODOS PARA ESTIMAR O VOLUME DE FUSTES E GALHOS NA FLORESTA NACIONAL DO TAPAJÓS1

RESUMO Objetivou-se aplicar e avaliar métodos para estimar múltiplos volumes em uma Área de Manejo Comunitário, localizada na Floresta Nacional do Tapajós. Foram cubadas, rigorosamente, 516 árvores-amostra de 21 espécies comerciais, todas com 50 cm > dap < 160 cm. Utilizaram-se o modelo único para múltiplos volumes (análise de regressão) proposto por Leite et al. (1995) e redes neurais artificiais (RNA) para a estimativa do volume de fuste e galhos. Após os resultados preliminares usando o método de regressão, optou-se por separar os dados em três estratos, considerando a relação volume de galhos em razão do volume de fuste comercial. As equações geradas por estratos apresentaram melhoria nos ajustes, mas os resultados obtidos pela RNA foram melhores que os pelas equações de regressão