Unified power converters for battery charging and traction drive systems for electric vehicles: cost and performance analysis

Electric vehicles (EVs) are a promising solution to mitigate the emission of greenhouse gases and atmospheric pollution. Although EVs existence spans from more than one century, only in the recent years there has been a considerable development in the electric mobility paradigm. This development is also verified in the operation modes for the EV, giving it an important role in smart grids. Moreover, the implementation of unified power converters for battery charging and traction drive systems is also a key topic about EVs, allowing at the same time a hardware reduction and an increasing in its functionalities. However, no economic studies about the practical feasibility of these unified systems for EVs have been reported in the literature. In this context, this paper presents a cost assessment of unified battery charging and traction drive systems for EVs focusing on practical aspects. An economic comparison is performed between a traditional EV and a unified system in order to attain a cost/performance analysis for the unified power converters that can be used in EVs.This work has been supported by FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia within the Project Scope: UID/CEC/00319/2019. This work has been supported by FCT within the Project Scope DAIPESEV – Development of Advanced Integrated Power Electronic Systems for Electric Vehicles: PTDC/EEI-EEE/30382/2017. This work is part of the FCT project 0302836 NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-030283. Mr. Tiago Sousa is supported by the doctoral scholarship SFRH/BD/134353/2017 granted by the Portuguese FCT agency

Development of a flexible pressure sensor for measurement of endotension

An aneurysm is a bulge in a weakened portion of a blood vessel wall much like the bulge that results from over-inflating an inner tube. If left untreated, it may burst or rupture causing shock and/or death due to massive blood loss. Endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) is one of the treatments available for aortic aneurysms but, in spite of major advances in the operating techniques, complications still occur and lifelong surveillance is recommended. Current surveillance protocols are based on medical imaging exams that besides being expensive are time consuming. After a brief introduction to EVAR and its complications, this paper reviews post-EVAR surveillance protocols and the current devices to measure endotension. Finally, are introduced two new concepts for a flexible pressure sensor with passive telemetry.The first author wishes to thank FCT-Fundacao para a Ciencia e Tecnologia, in Portugal, for the financial support provided by the grant SFRH/BD/42967/2008.This work is supported by FCT under the project MIT-Pt/EDAM-EMD/0007/2008

Study of pressure sensors placement using an Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) model

An Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) model for post-EVAR (endovascular aneurysm repair) analysis, including the blood flow, the bifurcated stent-graft, the aorta aneurysm wall motion and the stagnant blood inside the aneurysm sac, was built and solved using a Fluid Structure Interaction (FSI) code. The post-EVAR analysis aims to check the feasibility of EVAR surveillance using a remote pressure sensor, and the study of the pressure variations inside the aneurysm sac to determine the best placement position for the pressure sensor(s). First results suggest that aneurysm sac pressure measurement is feasible and can be a good indicator of aneurysms post-EVAR evolution.This work is supported by FCT under the project MIT-Pt/EDAM-EMD/0007/2008

A new endoprosthesis with sensing capability

An aneurysm is a severe health condition with high impact in human life. One of its current treatments is endovascular aneurysm repair, a minimally invasive surgery in which a stent-graft is guided, from the femoral artery to the affected segment, in order to prevent wall rupture. Stent-grafts are endoprosthesis composed of a metallic scaffold and a polymeric covering membrane. While early devices were made from stainless steel stents and woven polyester grafts, nowadays other materials are being used. The devices performance has been improved by the introduction of new materials; nevertheless, literature shows that more can be done. This article reviews the design of some thoracic home-made stent-grafts as well as the commercial devices available both in Europe and in the USA. Additionally, future trends concerning the development of this type of devices are presented, including the design of a new endoprosthesis with an embedded flexible pressure sensor

Health-related quality of life in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus in the different geographical regions of Brazil : data from the Brazilian Type 1 Diabetes Study Group

Background: In type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) management, enhancing health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is as important as good metabolic control and prevention of secondary complications. This study aims to evaluate possible regional differences in HRQoL, demographic features and clinical characteristics of patients with T1DM in Brazil, a country of continental proportions, as well as investigate which variables could influence the HRQoL of these individuals and contribute to these regional disparities. Methods: This was a retrospective, cross-sectional, multicenter study performed by the Brazilian Type 1 Diabetes Study Group (BrazDiab1SG), by analyzing EuroQol scores from 3005 participants with T1DM, in 28 public clinics, among all geographical regions of Brazil. Data on demography, economic status, chronic complications, glycemic control and lipid profile were also collected. Results: We have found that the North-Northeast region presents a higher index in the assessment of the overall health status (EQ-VAS) compared to the Southeast (74.6 ± 30 and 70.4 ± 19, respectively; p < 0.05). In addition, North- Northeast presented a lower frequency of self-reported anxiety-depression compared to all regions of the country (North-Northeast: 1.53 ± 0.6; Southeast: 1.65 ± 0.7; South: 1.72 ± 0.7; Midwest: 1.67 ± 0.7; p < 0.05). These findings could not be entirely explained by the HbA1c levels or the other variables examined. Conclusions: Our study points to the existence of additional factors not yet evaluated that could be determinant in the HRQoL of people with T1DM and contribute to these regional disparities

Unified power converters for battery charging and traction drive systems for electric vehicles: cost and performance analysis

Electric vehicles (EVs) are a promising solution to mitigate the emission of greenhouse gases and atmospheric pollution. Although EVs existence spans from more than one century, only in the recent years there has been a considerable development in the electric mobility paradigm. This development is also verified in the operation modes for the EV, giving it an important role in smart grids. Moreover, the implementation of unified power converters for battery charging and traction drive systems is also a key topic about EVs, allowing at the same time a hardware reduction and an increasing in its functionalities. However, no economic studies about the practical feasibility of these unified systems for EVs have been reported in the literature. In this context, this paper presents a cost assessment of unified battery charging and traction drive systems for EVs focusing on practical aspects. An economic comparison is performed between a traditional EV and a unified system in order to attain a cost/performance analysis for the unified power converters that can be used in EVs. This work has been supported by FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia within the Project Scope: UID/CEC/00319/2019. This work has been supported by FCT within the Project Scope DAIPESEV – Development of Advanced Integrated Power Electronic Systems for Electric Vehicles: PTDC/EEI-EEE/30382/2017. This work is part of the FCT project 0302836 NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-030283. Mr. Tiago Sousa is supported by the doctoral scholarship SFRH/BD/134353/2017 granted by the Portuguese FCT agency