Don’t Let the Bastards

Panel: Freedom’s Limits? Core Values in a Changing Worl

Exploring Restorative Justice and Other Alternatives for Youth Offenders in Singapore

Master'sMASTER OF SOCIAL SCIENCE

Writing Sample

Includes Harmonious Residences

Modelling Of Sensorless MPPT Controller For Variables Speed PMSG Wind Turbine Stand-Alone System

This thesis presents an assessment of the wind energy potential at Bayan Lepas in Penang Island, Malaysia and also the modelling of wind energy conversion systems (WECS) by using Matlab/Simulink. An overall modeling system illustrates the simulation of a simplified sensorless maximum power point tracking (MPPT) control strategy for capturing maximum energy from the fluctuating wind-speed in stand-alone small scale variable speed wind turbine generator system (VSWTGS) using permanent magnet synchronous generator (PMSG) and an inverter controller of a deadbeat-based proportional-integral (PI) sinusoidal pulse-width-modulation (SPWM) controller is applied in single-phase voltage source inverter (VSI) for sending power to stand-alone load. The proposed sensorless MPPT controller for a stand-alone small scale direct-driven PMSG WTGS also has been simulated in energy storage system. In addition, an inverter system describes the simulation of a deadbeat-based PI SPWM controller for stand-alone VSI using battery cell as primary energy sources. The wind data were statistically analyzed using Rayleigh distribution function in wind energy potential assessment. The results show that the measurement site falls under Class 1 of the International System Wind Classification. The climate in Penang Island is highly influenced by the Northeast (NE) and Southwest (SW) monsoon seasons. The mean annual wind power density (WPD) and mean annual wind energy density (WED) are estimated to be about 24.54 Wm-2 and 17.98 kWhm-2month-1, respectively. The total annual WED is 216 kWhm-2year-1

Investigating the feasibility of monitoring dynamic behavior of a fluidized bed using a piezoelectric accelerometer

Results obtained from the Geldart’s group B and D solids in a laboratory-scale fluidized bed indicate that significant information about the bed dynamics can be obtained from acoustic sensors. With simple pre-processing of acoustic signals with RMS filtering, the bed dynamics can be monitored by extracting the low-frequency acoustic-intensity modulation. Both linear and nonlinear analysis techniques show that pressure and acoustic signals share significant amount of information by characterizing various fluidization regimes associated with near minimum fluidization, developing slugs, slugging, and breaking slugs. Results demonstrate that piezoelectric accelerometer can be a useful tool for monitoring the dynamic behavior of fluidized bed, especially in hazardous systems where limited direct contact with the process is an advantage. Such monitoring capability shows great promise of becoming a valuable supplemental diagnostic tool for detecting anomalous or undesirable behavior such as defluidization and solid agglomeration in commercial fluidized bed reactors and combustors

Effect of financial factors and optimum currency area on real exchange rate in ASEAN-3 countries

Regional integration has become important subject among economists and is viewed capable of boosting monetary cooperation and foreign exchange arrangements among ASEAN-3 members thus promotes greater macro coordination, with the ultimate goal of reducing the extent of macroeconomics, such as real exchange rate. The purpose of the formation is to reduce exchange rate uncertainty and to avoid exchange rate misalignment among the ASEAN member countries. This research intends to investigate the extent of optimum currency area (OCA) variables and financial factors (FF) works within the context of ASEAN-3 countries with US Dollar used as anchor currencies, given their importance being major trading partners with the ASEAN countries and being the global demand currencies. In general, we found that several financial factors were found to have significant contribution on determining exchange rate variation. In addition, OCA variables have played an important role in explaining the bilateral real exchange rat

The role of SYN1 in early Arabidopsis meiosis

SYN1 is a meiosis-specific Arabidopsis homologue of yeast REC8. REC8 is an important component of the meiotic cohesion complex which maintains cohesion between sister chromatids. Cytological analysis of syn1$^{-/-}$ has shown chromosome fragmentation at metaphase I. To determine the basis of chromosome fragmentation in the syn1$^{-/-}$, three double mutants were constructed. I have demonstrated that chromosome fragmentation in syn1 is AtSPO11-1-dependent. Moreover, I have also shown that SYN1 has a role in DSB repair by analysing Atdmc1$^{-/-}$/syn1$^{-/-}$ meiocytes. To investigate this further, immunolocalization studies in wild-type and syn1$^{-/-}$ were conducted. Distribution of ASY1 and AtZYP1 was affected in syn1$^{-/-}$. Both proteins appeared as aggregates, developing into an abnormal short linear signal in early prophase I, suggesting that both axis formation and synapsis are compromised. Distribution of the recombination proteins AtRAD51 and AtMLH1 was also aberrant. Localization of SYN1 in wild-type nuclei revealed a continuous signal along the chromosome axes. However, careful inspection revealed that this was accompanied by patches of more intense signals, possibly corresponding to DSB regions. To investigate this further I analysed SYN1 distribution in an Atspo11-1-4$^{-/-}$ mutant. Whilst faint SYN1 signals were apparent along the axis, no patches of intense signals were visible. Cisplatin-induced DSBs restored AtZYP1 foci in Atspo11-1-4$^{-/-}$ and also resulted in restoration of intense patches of the SYN1 signals. This is consistent with the recruitment of SYN1 to DSB sites

Marketing adaptation strategy and export performance of Malaysian manufacturers: Moderating role of external market environment

The purpose of this study is to determine whether there is a significant relationship between marketing adaptation strategy and export performance among Malaysian manufacturers. The marketing adaptation factors surveyed include product adaptation, pricing adaptation, distribution adaptation and promotion adaptation. Furthermore, this study also examines the moderating effect of external environment on the relationship between marketing adaptation strategy and export performance. The two major external environment factors under study include market turbulence and competitive intensity. In the survey, data were gathered from 163 Malaysian manufacturers through emailed questionnaires and personal interviews. Data were then analysed using descriptive statistics, normality and reliability tests, factor analysis, correlation and multiple regression analyses. The findings suggest significant and positive relationship between marketing adaptation strategy and export performance of Malaysian manufacturers. This is especially so among consumer products manufacturers, large and medium firms, and more export experienced firms. Factors of significance are export product and pricing adaptation strategies while the significant factor in the external environment is market turbulence. The results signify the importance of Malaysian manufacturers adapting their marketing strategies in order to attain competitive advantage over their rivals in the international market place, leading to a more enhanced export performance. Also of paramount importance is the need to monitor the external market changes over time to provide directions in anticipating and responding to market volatility effectively which in turn will have an impact on export performance. Future research can be extended to be longitudinal to track changes and gain more insights over time. In addition, this study can be replicated in other developing as well as developed economies to facilitate comparisons of results under different conditions

Self Routing Traffic Light For Traffic Light Controller Using Priority Method Based On Volume Of Vehicles

Traffic congestion is defined as the volume of vehicles at the traffic junction which is higher than the available road capacity. However, with traffic light system installed, traffic congestion still happens especially during peak hours. This thesis proposes a new joint algorithm for traffic light system to manage and control the traffic flow at the traffic junction in conjunction with a proposed new sensing method. The aim is to improve the efficiency of conventional traffic light system in terms of reduction of the waiting and travelling times of road users. Normally, there are two methods used to control the conventional traffic light system which are sequencing and sensor demand methods. In the sequencing method, the traffic light system is designed to operate based on a preprogrammed sequence without consideration of real time behavior. In the sensor demand method, it is based on real time sensor detection where loop sensors are placed under certain road junctions. In order to increase and enhance the efficiency and accuracy of real time traffic flow, this thesis proposes a novel implementation of sensing method called Self-Routing Traffic Light (SRTL) which incorporates a self-algorithm program as a practical solution to reduce traffic congestion. SRTL is capable of counting the total number of vehicles entering a certain junction and exiting from the same junction on a real time basis. Based on the use of dual sensors at each road junction, the vehicles are detected by triggering the programmable logic controller to manage and control the traffic light indicators according to real traffic demand. This research uses data at a cross traffic junction in Perak between Jalan Taiping and Kuala Sepatang with the primary data provided by Jabatan Kerja Raya, JKR Larut Matang & Selama, Taiping. With the primary data provided, Simulation of Urban Mobility (SUMO) is used to create traffic simulation for different types of situation. The performance of STRL is compared with conventional sequencing and sensor demand methods. Based on the results of the simulation using SUMO, SRTL show better performance in terms of reducing waiting and travelling time of road users at the traffic junction during peak hours by 35.28% (waiting time) and 24.59% (travelling time) compared to the sensor demand method and an improvement compared to the sequencing method of 46.01% (waiting time) and 29.18% (travelling time). For off peak hours, SRTL also show better performance, 55.57% (waiting time) and 30.25% (travelling time) compared to the sensor demand method and an improvement compared to the sequencing method of 59.43% (waiting time) and 32.89% (travelling time). In conclusion, SRTL provides and ensures the smoothness of traffic flow especially during peak hours by reducing significantly the waiting and travelling times of vehicles at the traffic junction