Computational Tools for Data Processing in Smart Cities

Smart Grids provide many benefits for society. Reliability, observability across the energy distribution system and the exchange of information between devices are just some of the features that make Smart Grids so attractive. One of the main products of a Smart Grid is to data. The amount of data available nowadays increases fast and carries several kinds of information. Smart metres allow engineers to perform multiple measurements and analyse such data. For example, information about consumption, power quality and digital protection, among others, can be extracted. However, the main challenge in extracting information from data arises from the data quality. In fact, many sectors of the society can benefit from such data. Hence, this information needs to be properly stored and readily available. In this chapter, we will address the main concepts involving Technology Information, Data Mining, Big Data and clustering for deploying information on Smart Grids

Emerging Technologies for Renewable Energy Systems

Considering all aspects involving smart grid deployment, several subjects extrapolate the electrical sector. In the Brazilian scenario, it can be clear that power companies cannot support, by themselves, all steps for establishing renewable energy sources in smart grid systems. The technology demands are greater than what the electric sector can deliver. Such discussions about regulations of renewable energy sources are largely discussed in the society. The search for deploying eolic and solar generation with big energy farms are opposite to the smart grid and smart city renewable energy concept, which require decentralized actions. This chapter will show the concepts of eolic and solar energy sources specifically in the context of Smart Grids

"Our interaction was very productive": levels of reflection in learners’ diaries in teletandem

This investigation aims to analyze what Brazilian participants say about teletandem interaction in their diaries and how (or if) they reflect upon it. Data are elicited from 350 diaries written in English and stored in MulTeC (Multimodal Teletandem Corpus) (Aranha, Lopes, 2019) and compiled by 333 fragments of text in which the most frequent word “interaction” (Leone et al., ongoing) occurs. The analytical framework is based on Moon´s (2004) reflective writing and Garcia et.al (2017) proposal of metacognitive operations. Results reveal that 41% of the fragments featured mere descriptions of the events that occurred during the interaction, while most (59%) of them presented some degree of reflection. In our data, reflection seems to be based on: (i) the assessment of the interaction, in line with Garcia et al. (2017)´s proposal that assessment represents a frequent metacognitive operation; (ii) recognition of different elements that are relevant for language learning in teletandem, i.e., partner’s collaboration and task specificities. Our findings also indicate that the other metacognitive operations (setting goals, planning, selecting resources, managing emotions) support or motivate the judgments made by learners. This finding corroborates the notion proposed in other research (Moon, 2004; 2010) that writing diaries may promote reflection, which is a fundamental aspect of autonomous learning

Efficient Asset Management Practices for Power Systems Using Expert Systems

Electric power companies have high financial costs due to poor asset management practices. Therefore, it is crucial to use decision-making processes to decrease the global costs of an active asset and to extend its lifetime to a maximum. Asset management programs, which are frequently used to tackle optimization problems, aim to guide the use of the physical assets of a business, mainly by optimizing their lifetime. Efficient asset management practices establish operation and maintenance for each equipment, from the time the equipment is acquired until the appropriate time for its replacement. So, based on these assumptions, we propose a method to assist asset management decision-making in the electric power companies, which is embodied by computer software

Computational Intelligence to Estimate Fault Rates in Power Transformers

Asset management in power transmission systems is one of the significant practices carried out by power companies. With the aging of the devices, the development of optimized tools, capable of considering failure rates, regulatory scenarios, and operational parameters, is increasingly mandatory. The purpose of this work is to present a statistics-based tool for optimized asset management. For such an objective, we have developed a computational method based on database processing and statistical studies that can support decision-making on preventive maintenance in the equipment of the electric sector. The final system interface is Business Intelligence-based

Voltage regulation in power distribution substation transformer using fuzzy implementation

Este trabalho apresenta um controlador fuzzy para realizar o ajuste automático de tensão em transformadores de subestação de distribuição de energia elétrica. Tal controle atuará em tempo-real nos transformadores dotados de comutadores de tap sob carga. O sistema inteligente foi empregado para tornar o relé regulador de tensão adaptativo. Ainda como foco do estudo, pretende-se atuar apenas na subestação de distribuição, realizando medições no barramento secundário e implementando ações de controle também neste barramento. A capacidade dos sistemas fuzzy em tratar incertezas, assim como sua habilidade em interpretar informações qualitativas, permitiu a formulação de uma estratégia de controle de tensão que atende a todas as regulamentações dos órgãos fiscalizadores brasileiros e, também, os anseios das concessionárias de distribuição frente aos aspectos relacionados com a qualidade de energia, pois os resultados obtidos foram bem satisfatórios.A fuzzy controller is introduced in this paper in order to make the voltage adjustment in power distribution substation transformer. The real-time controller in each case would act on power transformers equipped with under-load tap changers. Learning systems are employed to turn the voltage-control relays into adaptive devices. The scope of the present study has been limited to the power distribution substation, and both the voltage measurements and control actions are carried out on the secondary bus. The capacity of fuzzy systems to handle approximate data, together with their unique ability to interpret qualitative information, make it possible to design voltage control strategies that satisfy both the requirements of the Brazilian regulatory bodies and the real concerns of the electric power distribution companies in relation to the aspects involved with power quality, since the test results were highly satisfactory.FAPES

Intelligent System for the Estimation of Gases Dissolved in Insulating Mineral Oil from Physicochemical Tests

The objective of this work was to make the modeling through artificial neural networks of the gas concentrations dissolved in insulating mineral oil from the results of physicochemical tests. In this case, a mapping between the data of physicochemical tests and gas chromatography was obtained by means of artificial neural networks. The proposed approach proved to be efficient to identify the amount of gases, taking the following attributes as input: color degree, density, dielectric rigidity, interfacial tension, power factor of the insulating oil, neutralization index, and water level. In addition, artificial neural networks provide not only a new methodology to support decisions but also satisfactory results comparatively to actual analyses when referring to the estimation of gases

Monitoring and Evaluation as a Way to Complete and to Implement a Policy : The Case of Brazilian National Innovation Policy

The present National Innovation Policy (henceforth called PNI) was instituted in Brazil by Decree No. 10.537, of October 28, 2020, within the federal public administration. The policy's objective is to guide, coordinate and articulate strategies, programs, and actions across several public entities to foster innovation in the productive sector. Thus, it aims to increase the productivity and competitiveness of companies and other institutions throughout the innovation process. The policy is structured around six axes: funding innovation, innovation culture, technological background, market development, educational systems, and intellectual property. Objectives and guidelines are defined for each of these Axes. However, neither a previous Theory of Change, a Logical Framework, nor a monitoring and evaluation system was established to guide the implementation. Operationally speaking, the policy was implemented by gathering ongoing actions from eighteen different federal ministries and agencies and then assigning them to the axes above. It was an ad hoc measure to put the policy into practice. As can be inferred, the selected actions did not emerge as a breakdown from axes. In 2021 the design and implementation of a monitoring and evaluation model (M&E) were commissioned to an independent evaluation group. The objective was to develop an original methodology and indicators for monitoring and evaluating outputs, outcomes and impacts of the PNI. The challenge of the model is twofold: to adjust the matching amongst actions, axes, and the policy's objectives, and to implement a common framework for M&E able to coordinate the involved agencies. A Theory of Change and a Logical Framework were ex-post designed and validated, and based on these references, the model was conceived. It defined a classical template for monitoring the ongoing actions (using flags and lights according to execution), adding indicators of outcomes and impacts. It is an integrated M&E model that, once implemented, will require that new actions be justified not only in terms of their outputs but also on the expected outcomes and impacts. Standard indicators of science, technology and innovation outcomes and impacts from different sources as for OECD, UNESCO, Global Innovation Index and Sustainable Development Goals (SDG/UN) have been gathered and organized to be employed in the M&E process. Non-standard indicators are also foreseen so that the model can measure internationally comparable and specific indicators. The whole model is now under development and validation among stakeholders. We expect this process to go beyond the domain of M&E and influences the way priorities are defined, and governance is established and run. By involving different actors, incorporating the SDGs into the policy's core, the evaluation process facilitated the policy's implementation and coordination. Furthermore, the articulation between the different stakeholders, promoted by the M&E, minimized fragmentation and uncoordinated actions within the scope of the policy's formulation. It is in this sense that the evaluation process is a way to transform the policy itsel

Lewis Carroll: matématico, fotógrafo e escritor, as diversas faces do autor de Alice no País das Maravilhas

Considerando a transferência cultural existente no século XIX, estudamos o autor inglês Charles Ludwig Dodgson, mais conhecido como Lewis Carroll, autor do famoso clássico da literatura infantil Alice no País das Maravilhas, grande nome do estilo nonsense, fotógrafo estimado e professor de matemática da universidade de Oxford. Mergulhamos na biografia do Sr. Dodgson, estudando brevemente seus gostos e características, assim como os polêmicos rumores que fizeram de Alice uma das mais conhecidas obras da literatura infantil mundial. Analisamos o número de edições, traduções e críticas, identificando assim Alice no País das Maravilhas como a obra de maior circulação no período. Estudamos o livro juntamente com as críticas literárias da época para uma possível reflexão do motivo de seu sucesso e de sua entrada no cânone literário

Organocatalytic access to enantioenriched spirooxindole-based 4-methyleneazetidines

This work describes the synthesis of enantioenriched spiro compounds, incorporating the azetidine and the oxindole motifs. The preparation relies on a formal [2 + 2] annulation reaction of isatin-derived N-tert-butylsulfonyl ketimines with allenoates. The asymmetric induction is secured by an organocatalytic strategy, exploiting a bifunctional cinchona-type \uce\ub2-isocupridine-based catalyst. Some post-transformation products, including unexpected spiropyrroline and 3,3-disubstituted oxindole derivatives, are also presented