A framework for flexible loads aggregation

Las redes eléctricas inteligentes están integrando fuentes de generación renovable, lo cual puede producir desbalances en la red eléctrica debido a variaciones en la radiación solar. Se proponen programas de Respuesta de la Demanda (RD) para reducir los desbalances. La gestión de cargas flexibles mediante agregadores se propone para proveer servicios complementarios en RD. En esta tesis, se propone un marco para agregadores desarrollando modelos de cargas flexibles y estructuras de control directo de carga capaces de proveer servicios complementarios. El marco considera una metodología para que las cargas presenten servicios y se evalúa en Sistemas de Elevación de Presión de Agua (SEPA), unidades de Refrigeración TermoEléctrica (RTE), y cargadores de Vehículos Eléctricos (VE). Primero, se estima un modelo dinámico del SEPA y se sintoniza con datos experimentales. Se propone un agregador de SEPA para ofrecer servicios de reserva rodante. Segundo, se estima un modelo dinámico de la RTE y se caracteriza con datos experimentales. Se propone un agregador de RTE capaz de ofrecer reserva de contención de frecuencia. Tercero, se desarrolla un modelo dinámico de un cargador de VE, y se propone un agregador de cargadores de VE que busca minimizar el costo mientras maximiza la flexibilidad. El agregador puede ofrecer servicios de reserva rodante, y participar en mercados del día siguiente y de tiempo real. Se formula una definición de flexibilidad para cargadores de VE. Los resultados muestran la validación de los agregadores por medio de simulaciones, cumpliendo los tiempos y capacidades solicitadas por el operador del sistema.Smart Grids are integrating renewable generation in their electrical supplies. Consequently, fluctuations due to solar radiation can produce energy unbalances in the grid. Demand Response (DR) programs are proposed to reduce energy unbalances. Flexible loads management carried out by an aggregator is proposed to provide ancillary services in DR. In this dissertation, an aggregator framework is proposed, developing flexible loads models and direct load control structures able to operate in DR plans and provide ancillary services. The aggregator framework is presented considering a methodology for loads to provide ancillary services and is assessed on Water Booster Pressure Systems (WBPS), ThermoElectric Refrigeration (TER) units, and Electric Vehicle (EV) chargers. First, a WBPS dynamic model is estimated and tuned with real provide frequency containment reserve is proposed. Third, an EV charger dynamic model is developed, and an EV charger aggregator that looks for minimizing costs while maximizing flexibility is proposed. The EV aggregator can offer spinning reserve services and participate in Day-Ahead and Real-Time markets. A specific flexibility definition for EV chargers is formulated. As results, the aggregators are validated by simulations fulfilling the ancillary service's response time and the power capacity variations requested by the system operator. Finally, a hierarchical architecture able to manage the previous aggregators is proposed to provide different balancing services in a frequency restoration process.Doctor en IngenieríaDoctorad

Sistemas de elevación de presión como cargas flexibles en respuesta de la demanda

Con el concepto de red inteligente (Smart Grid), surge el concepto de Respuesta de la Demanda la cual aprovecha la flexibilidad de las cargas, para modificar su consumo de energía por medio del cambio en los parámetros de operación de la carga. En la presente investigación, se construye un modelo dinámico del Sistema de Elevación de presión de Agua a partir de datos experimentales de variables como: el caudal entregado por el sistema, la presión en el tanque y la potencia consumida,para con ellos determinar que el sistema puede funcionar como carga flexible variando los rangos de presión de operación del tanque. Se diseña una arquitectura de control que permite prestar servicios de reserva en giro (Spinning Reserve) usando un conjunto de varios sistemas.With the smart grid concept, emerges the Demand Response concept, it takes advantage of the flexibility of the loads to change their energy consumption by changing the operation parameters of the load. In this research, a dynamic model of the water booster pressure system is developed from experimental data such as the flow delivered by the system, the pressure in the tank and the power consumption. These to determine that the system can operate as a flexible load by varying the operating pressure range in the tank. A control architecture is designed to allow the delivery of spinning reserve using a set of various systems.Magíster en Ingeniería ElectrónicaMaestrí

Prototipo a escala de un equipo RTU para la medición y control de nodos de una microgrid

Diseñamos un equipo de medición para los nodos de una red de distribución eléctrica a escala capaz de detectar fallas de voltaje y corriente para desconectar la red de forma automática en caso de ser necesario. Adicionalmente envía información de forma inalámbrica a un computador para tener un monitoreo sobre el estado de la red.We designed a device capable of measuring voltage and current in the nodes of a scaled electric grid in order to detect failure and disconnect the grid automatically. It is also capable of sending information to a computer in order to have a monitoring system of the status of the electric grid.Ingeniero (a) ElectrónicoPregrad

Impact of COVID-19 on cardiovascular testing in the United States versus the rest of the world

Objectives: This study sought to quantify and compare the decline in volumes of cardiovascular procedures between the United States and non-US institutions during the early phase of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the care of many non-COVID-19 illnesses. Reductions in diagnostic cardiovascular testing around the world have led to concerns over the implications of reduced testing for cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity and mortality. Methods: Data were submitted to the INCAPS-COVID (International Atomic Energy Agency Non-Invasive Cardiology Protocols Study of COVID-19), a multinational registry comprising 909 institutions in 108 countries (including 155 facilities in 40 U.S. states), assessing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on volumes of diagnostic cardiovascular procedures. Data were obtained for April 2020 and compared with volumes of baseline procedures from March 2019. We compared laboratory characteristics, practices, and procedure volumes between U.S. and non-U.S. facilities and between U.S. geographic regions and identified factors associated with volume reduction in the United States. Results: Reductions in the volumes of procedures in the United States were similar to those in non-U.S. facilities (68% vs. 63%, respectively; p = 0.237), although U.S. facilities reported greater reductions in invasive coronary angiography (69% vs. 53%, respectively; p < 0.001). Significantly more U.S. facilities reported increased use of telehealth and patient screening measures than non-U.S. facilities, such as temperature checks, symptom screenings, and COVID-19 testing. Reductions in volumes of procedures differed between U.S. regions, with larger declines observed in the Northeast (76%) and Midwest (74%) than in the South (62%) and West (44%). Prevalence of COVID-19, staff redeployments, outpatient centers, and urban centers were associated with greater reductions in volume in U.S. facilities in a multivariable analysis. Conclusions: We observed marked reductions in U.S. cardiovascular testing in the early phase of the pandemic and significant variability between U.S. regions. The association between reductions of volumes and COVID-19 prevalence in the United States highlighted the need for proactive efforts to maintain access to cardiovascular testing in areas most affected by outbreaks of COVID-19 infection

Prototipo a escala de un equipo rtu para la medicion y control de nodos de una microgrid

Diseñamos un equipo de medición para los nodos de una red de distribución eléctrica a escala capaz de detectar fallas de voltaje y corriente para desconectar la red de forma automática en caso de ser necesario. Adicionalmente envía información de forma inalámbrica a un computador para tener un monitoreo sobre el estado de la red.We designed a device capable of measuring voltage and current in the nodes of a scaled electric grid in order to detect failure and disconnect the grid automatically. It is also capable of sending information to a computer in order to have a monitoring system of the status of the electric grid

Reduction of cardiac imaging tests during the COVID-19 pandemic: The case of Italy. Findings from the IAEA Non-invasive Cardiology Protocol Survey on COVID-19 (INCAPS COVID)

Background: In early 2020, COVID-19 massively hit Italy, earlier and harder than any other European country. This caused a series of strict containment measures, aimed at blocking the spread of the pandemic. Healthcare delivery was also affected when resources were diverted towards care of COVID-19 patients, including intensive care wards. Aim of the study: The aim is assessing the impact of COVID-19 on cardiac imaging in Italy, compare to the Rest of Europe (RoE) and the World (RoW). Methods: A global survey was conducted in May–June 2020 worldwide, through a questionnaire distributed online. The survey covered three periods: March and April 2020, and March 2019. Data from 52 Italian centres, a subset of the 909 participating centres from 108 countries, were analyzed. Results: In Italy, volumes decreased by 67% in March 2020, compared to March 2019, as opposed to a significantly lower decrease (p &lt; 0.001) in RoE and RoW (41% and 40%, respectively). A further decrease from March 2020 to April 2020 summed up to 76% for the North, 77% for the Centre and 86% for the South. When compared to the RoE and RoW, this further decrease from March 2020 to April 2020 in Italy was significantly less (p = 0.005), most likely reflecting the earlier effects of the containment measures in Italy, taken earlier than anywhere else in the West. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic massively hit Italy and caused a disruption of healthcare services, including cardiac imaging studies. This raises concern about the medium- and long-term consequences for the high number of patients who were denied timely diagnoses and the subsequent lifesaving therapies and procedures

Impact of COVID-19 on Diagnostic Cardiac Procedural Volume in Oceania: The IAEA Non-Invasive Cardiology Protocol Survey on COVID-19 (INCAPS COVID)

Objectives: The INCAPS COVID Oceania study aimed to assess the impact caused by the COVID-19 pandemic on cardiac procedure volume provided in the Oceania region. Methods: A retrospective survey was performed comparing procedure volumes within March 2019 (pre-COVID-19) with April 2020 (during first wave of COVID-19 pandemic). Sixty-three (63) health care facilities within Oceania that perform cardiac diagnostic procedures were surveyed, including a mixture of metropolitan and regional, hospital and outpatient, public and private sites, and 846 facilities outside of Oceania. The percentage change in procedure volume was measured between March 2019 and April 2020, compared by test type and by facility. Results: In Oceania, the total cardiac diagnostic procedure volume was reduced by 52.2% from March 2019 to April 2020, compared to a reduction of 75.9% seen in the rest of the world (p&lt;0.001). Within Oceania sites, this reduction varied significantly between procedure types, but not between types of health care facility. All procedure types (other than stress cardiac magnetic resonance [CMR] and positron emission tomography [PET]) saw significant reductions in volume over this time period (p&lt;0.001). In Oceania, transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) decreased by 51.6%, transoesophageal echocardiography (TOE) by 74.0%, and stress tests by 65% overall, which was more pronounced for stress electrocardiograph (ECG) (81.8%) and stress echocardiography (76.7%) compared to stress single-photon emission computerised tomography (SPECT) (44.3%). Invasive coronary angiography decreased by 36.7% in Oceania. Conclusion: A significant reduction in cardiac diagnostic procedure volume was seen across all facility types in Oceania and was likely a function of recommendations from cardiac societies and directives from government to minimise spread of COVID-19 amongst patients and staff. Longer term evaluation is important to assess for negative patient outcomes which may relate to deferral of usual models of care within cardiology

International Impact of COVID-19 on the Diagnosis of Heart Disease

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has adversely affected diagnosis and treatment of noncommunicable diseases. Its effects on delivery of diagnostic care for cardiovascular disease, which remains the leading cause of death worldwide, have not been quantified. Objectives: The study sought to assess COVID-19's impact on global cardiovascular diagnostic procedural volumes and safety practices. Methods: The International Atomic Energy Agency conducted a worldwide survey assessing alterations in cardiovascular procedure volumes and safety practices resulting from COVID-19. Noninvasive and invasive cardiac testing volumes were obtained from participating sites for March and April 2020 and compared with those from March 2019. Availability of personal protective equipment and pandemic-related testing practice changes were ascertained. Results: Surveys were submitted from 909 inpatient and outpatient centers performing cardiac diagnostic procedures, in 108 countries. Procedure volumes decreased 42% from March 2019 to March 2020, and 64% from March 2019 to April 2020. Transthoracic echocardiography decreased by 59%, transesophageal echocardiography 76%, and stress tests 78%, which varied between stress modalities. Coronary angiography (invasive or computed tomography) decreased 55% (p &lt; 0.001 for each procedure). In multivariable regression, significantly greater reduction in procedures occurred for centers in countries with lower gross domestic product. Location in a low-income and lower–middle-income country was associated with an additional 22% reduction in cardiac procedures and less availability of personal protective equipment and telehealth. Conclusions: COVID-19 was associated with a significant and abrupt reduction in cardiovascular diagnostic testing across the globe, especially affecting the world's economically challenged. Further study of cardiovascular outcomes and COVID-19–related changes in care delivery is warranted