The growing need and desire for the harvesting of energy from everyday mechanical interactions impose a challenge on the current design of such systems. Often their nature indicates slow response times and unsteady AC voltages. The objective of this work is to present a new method of designing and controlling an oscillating energy harvesting system using a cutting-edge algorithm for fast determination of the optimal operating condition. In this thesis, an energy harvesting backpack, which captures energy from the interaction between the user and the spring decoupled load, is being introduced. The new control strategy, Maximum Energy Harvesting Control (MEHC), is developed and applied to the aforementioned system to evaluate its improvement over the basic Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) algorithm. MEHC algorithm can also be used in many different applications, ranging from ocean wave to sports shoes energy harvesting.

Photovoltaic installations in urban areas operate under uneven lighting conditions. For such a system to achieve its peak efficiency, each solar panel is connected in series through a micro-converter, a dc-dc converter that performs per-panel distributed maximum power point tracking (DMPPT). The objective of this thesis is to design a compensator for the DMPPT micro-converter. A novel, systematic approach to plant modeling is presented for this system, together with a framework for characterizing the plant’s uncertainty. A robust control design procedure based on linear matrix inequalities is then proposed, which ensures robust performance and stability of the time-varying system. The proposed modeling and control design methods are demonstrated for an example rooftop photovoltaic installation. The system and the designed compensator are tested in simulations. Simulation results show satisfactory performance over a range of operating conditions, and the simulated system is shown to track the maximum power point of every panel.

Photovoltaic installations in urban areas operate under uneven lighting conditions. For such a system to achieve its peak efficiency, each solar panel is connected in series through a micro-converter, a dc-dc converter that performs per-panel distributed maximum power point tracking (DMPPT). The objective of this thesis is to design a compensator for the DMPPT micro-converter. A novel, systematic approach to plant modeling is presented for this system, together with a framework for characterizing the plant’s uncertainty. A robust control design procedure based on linear matrix inequalities is then proposed, which ensures robust performance and stability of the time-varying system. The proposed modeling and control design methods are demonstrated for an example rooftop photovoltaic installation. The system and the designed compensator are tested in simulations. Simulation results show satisfactory performance over a range of operating conditions, and the simulated system is shown to track the maximum power point of every panel.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2005. / Available online via OhioLINK's ETD Center; full text release delayed at author's request until 2006 Aug 15.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / This work presents a contribution to the study of AC Power Sources, where a prototype s development is presented. The stages that compose the system, including converter topology, filter, instrumentation and controller, are presented. The developed prototype is a three-phase four-wire source, which uses a four-leg voltage source inverter. This topology increases the flexibility for unbalanced waveforms generation or unbalanced load conditions, also simplifying the control problem of the process. This work first looks for justifying the use and the study of AC Power Sources, in this sense, some examples of tests and norms, whose tests demand its use, are given. The applications are in general related to electrical and electronic equipments and for driving electromechanical plants such as shakers. In this sense, AC Power Sources are equipment that can be used both in industry applications and didactic or research laboratories. In practically all applications, it is shown that good performance in waveforms generation is necessary. This performance is related to the ability for waveforms generation with low harmonic distortion even in conditions of variable frequency or amplitude and with nonlinear loads behavior. In this way, the use of an adequate converter topology is not enough, are too necessary controllers to guarantee performance for the system, even in adverse load conditions or in presence of unmodeled dynamics. The unmodeled dynamics are derived from some stages that compose the system, but they are generally related to the uncertainties on the model of the plant and load. Then, this work not only describes the implemented prototype and topological relative questions but also applies a Robust Model Reference Adaptive Control (RMRAC) for the plant control. This technique improves the robustness in the closed loop system even under presence of unmodeled dynamics and disturbances. The controller makes use of a Gradient type algorithm for parametric adaptation with four adapted parameters, which leads to a new error equation that is used for the controller s implementation / Este trabalho apresenta uma contribuição ao estudo de Fontes de Potência CA onde é apresentado o desenvolvimento de um protótipo. Os diversos estágios que compõem o sistema, desde a topologia do conversor, do filtro, da instrumentação e do controlador são apresentados e analisados. O protótipo desenvolvido é uma fonte trifásica a quatro fios, que utiliza um inversor de tensão de quatro braços. Esta topologia permite uma maior flexibilidade na geração de formas de onda desbalanceadas ou em condições de cargas desequilibradas, simplificando também o problema de controle do sistema. Este trabalho procura primeiramente justificar a utilização e o estudo de Fontes de Potência CA, neste sentido são dados alguns exemplos de ensaios e normas, cujos testes demandam a sua utilização. As aplicações são em geral relacionadas a equipamentos eletroeletrônicos e acionamento de outras plantas como vibradores eletromecânicos. Deste modo, as Fontes de Potência CA são equipamentos que podem ser utilizados tanto na indústria quanto em laboratórios didáticos e de pesquisa. Em praticamente todas as aplicações, é mostrado que um bom desempenho na geração de formas de onda é necessário. Este desempenho está relacionado à capacidade de geração de formas de onda com baixa distorção harmônica, não raro, em condições de freqüência e amplitude variáveis e com cargas de comportamento não-linear. Deste modo, a seleção de uma topologia de conversor adequado não basta, são também necessários controladores que garantam um bom desempenho do sistema, mesmo em condições adversas de carga e em presença de dinâmicas não-modeladas. As dinâmicas não-modeladas são oriundas das várias etapas que compõem o sistema, mas geralmente são relacionadas às incertezas sobre o modelo da planta e da carga. Neste sentido, este trabalho descreve não apenas o protótipo implementado e questões topológicas relativas a ele, mas também aplica um Controle Robusto por Modelo de Referência ou RMRAC (Robust Model Reference Adaptive Control) para o controle da planta. Esta técnica garante robustez do sistema em malha fechada mesmo na presença de dinâmicas não modeladas e distúrbios. O controlador utilizado faz uso de um algoritmo de adaptação paramétrica do tipo Gradiente, no qual quatro parâmetros são adaptados. Este fato leva a uma nova equação do erro, que é utilizada para a implementação do controlador.

This master’s thesis deals with the basic design of diesel injection control unit hardware. There is a description of the whole blocks of Motorpal Common Rail diesel injection system in the introduction. Next are described requirement of control unit hardware. In the following are descriptions of parts, which was choosed for adjustment. The second part of thesis describes the whole design of control unit wiring diagram. There is described each block in detail in this part. Next part describes component placement on printed circuit board. The conclusion of thesis compare designed version of control unit with elderly versions.

Durch den Ausbau insbesondere wetterabhängiger erneuerbarer Energien steigen zukünftig die Anforderungen an die Bereitstellung von Flexibilität im Stromsektor. Wärmespeicher und Power-to-Heat-Anlagen in der Fernwärmeversorgung können einen großen Beitrag zur Bereitstellung von Flexibilität an der Schnittstelle von Strom- und Wärmesektor liefern. Die vorliegende Arbeit untersucht vor dem Hintergrund von unterschiedlichen regulatorischen Rahmenbedingungen, an welchen Märkten der Einsatz der Power-to-Heat-Anlagen aus Systemsicht den größten Mehrwert zur Integration von erneuerbaren Energien liefern kann. Mithilfe des Strommarktmodells MICOES-Europe wird der stündliche Kraftwerkseinsatz aller europäischen Kraftwerke vor dem Hintergrund des Ausbaus der erneuerbaren Energien untersucht. Ziel der gemischt-ganzzahligen Optimierung, die insbesondere techno-ökonomische Charakteristika thermischer Kraftwerke berücksichtigt, ist die kostenminimale Deckung des Strombedarfs im Großhandelsmarkt bei gleichzeitiger Erfüllung der Leistungsvorhaltung für Regelenergie. In Deutschland werden die größten Fernwärmenetze mit ihren zugehörigen Erzeugungsanlagen (Kraft-Wärme-Kopplungsanlagen, Heizwerke, Wärmespeicher) abgebildet und stündlich die optimale Deckung des Wärmebedarfs berechnet. In einem Szenario für das Jahr 2025 wird die Verfügbarkeit von 1.000 MW an Elektrokesseln in großen deutschen Fernwärmenetzen angenommen. Hierbei wird deren Einsatz nur am Spotmarkt oder nur für negative Sekundärregelleistung dem Fall gegenübergestellt, dass die Anlagen auf beiden Märkten agieren und sich situationsabhängig zwischen ihnen entscheiden können. Es werden dabei die Fälle verglichen, bei denen Elektrokessel entweder Abgaben auf den Stromverbrauch zahlen oder keine zusätzlichen Abgaben tragen müssen. Der Einsatz der Elektrokessel in Verbindung mit Wärmespeichern in der Fernwärmeversorgung kann den Einsatz der KWK-Anlagen so flexibilisieren, dass sich deren Stromerzeugung stärker an die Einspeisesituation der erneuerbaren Energien anpassen kann. Auf diese Weise kann in allen betrachteten Szenarien die marktbedingte Abregelung von erneuerbaren Energien verringert werden. Dabei sinken die CO2-Emissionen der Strom- und Wärmeversorgung ebenfalls in allen Szenarien. Die größten Reduktionen sowohl bei CO2-Emissionen als auch bei den variablen Kosten der Strom- und Wärmeerzeugung werden dabei in den Szenarien mit Teilnahme der Elektrokessel am Regelleistungsmarkt erreicht. Stellen Elektrokessel negative Sekundärregelleistung bereit, kann hierdurch die Must-run-Erzeugung thermischer Kraftwerke in Stunden mit hoher Einspeisung von erneuerbaren Energien deutlich gesenkt werden. Hierdurch ergibt sich ein großer Hebel für die Integration von Strom aus erneuerbaren Energien. / The requirements for the provision of flexibility in the power sector will increase in the future due to the expansion of the usage of weather-dependent renewable energy sources. Heat storage and power-to-heat-plants (electric boilers) in the district heating supply can provide flexibility at the interface of the power and heat sector. At the moment the use of power-to-heat plants is only cost-effective on the control power market due to the current regulation. High charges for the direct use of electricity impede a use on the spot market. The present work examines from a system perspective on which market the use of electric boilers can provide the largest benefits for the integration of renewable energies considering different regu-latory frameworks. The year 2025 is considered where Germany aims to reach a share of 40 to 45 % renewable energy generation in the gross power consumption. For this purpose the hourly power plant dispatch of all European power plants is examined using the electricity market model MICOES-Europe. The model describes the wholesale electricity market and the control power market (secondary and tertiary reserve). The aim of the mixed-integer optimization is the calculation of the cost-minimal coverage of the electricity demand in the wholesale market while at the same time fulfilling the provision of control power. The optimization takes into account in particular the techno-economic characteristics of thermal power plants. In Germany, the largest district heating grids with their associated generation plants (combined heat and power plants, fossil-fuel and electric boilers, heat storage) are modelled and the optimal coverage of the heat demand is calculated for every hour. With the assumed payment of high electricity charges the use of electric boilers on the spot market is no business case in 2025. The situation changes in the scenario without electricity charges. Here, electric boilers reach between 1,050 and 2,140 full load hours. If the electric boilers provide negative secondary control power, the must-run generation of thermal power plants in hours with a high feed-in of renewable energies can be reduced significantly. This results in a large lever for the integration of renewable energies. Electric boilers reach up to 1,800 full load hours by providing control energy, if they provide control power all year round and without payment of electricity charges. The use of the electric boilers in combination with heat storages in the district heating system can make the dispatch of combined heat and power plants more flexible, so that their electricity generation can be better adapted to the feed-in situation of renewable energies. In this way, the market-dependent curtailment of renewable energies can be reduced in all scenarios. The CO2-emissions of the electricity and heat supply can be reduced by this technology in Germany. Furthermore, CO2-emissions in other European countries can be reduced as well due to effects of the power trade. The highest reductions in both CO2-emissions and variable costs of electricity and heat generation are achieved in the scenarios with electric boilers participating in the control power market.

No description available.

A utilização de conversores multiníveis tem sido uma importante alternativa para aplicações de alta potência e média tensão, graças aos altos níveis de potência alcançáveis por estas estruturas. Recentemente, esta topologia de conversores foi aplicada em sistemas com fontes alternativas para alimentar um sistema de geração distribuída, nos quais diferentes fontes de energia eram utilizadas. Com base nas características dos conversores multinível e sua potencial aplicabilidade em sistemas de geração distribuída, este trabalho tem como objetivo construir um sistema multinível conectado a rede de distribuição para utilização de fontes alternativas de energia como fontes primárias. Considerando que a energia fornecida pelas fontes alternativas pode sofrer variações, propõe-se a integração de sistemas armazenadores de energia, como capacitores, ao sistema multinível. Por isso, este trabalho desenvolve uma estratégia de controle para máxima transferência de potência ativa entregue à rede a fim de obter um fluxo ótimo. A topologia multinível deste trabalho possui em sua configuração dois módulos inversores conectados em série. Neste caso, é possível que pelo menos um desses inversores funcione com uma modulação em baixa frequência processando a maior parcela de potência. Assim, duas estratégias de controle modulação de fase e modulação de amplitude para a transferência de potência realizada pelo inversor de baixa frequência são analisadas. As vantagens e desvantagens de cada um dos métodos são expostas e então a estratégia mais adequada, no caso a modulação de amplitude, é utilizada na operação do conversor multinível. Além disso, são apresentados a modelagem das plantas e o projeto dos controladores de cada um dos módulos inversores. Por fim, a validação da proposta é feita através dos resultados de simulações e experimentais que mostram a capacidade do sistema de geração em transferir potência constante para a rede de distribuição e manter a corrente quase sem distorções em fase com a tensão. / The utilization of multilevel converters has been an important alternative for medium voltage applications with high power and power quality demand, thanks to the high power levels achievable for this kind of structure. Recently, this converter topology was proposed as a new possibility in renewable energy source applications, mainly in system delivering power to the grid, where different renewable energy resources may be used. Based on the characteristics of multilevel converters, and their potential applicability in distributed generation systems, this study aims to build a multilevel system that could be powered by renewable energy sources as primary sources and then connect them to a distribution grid. However, considering the energy produced by alternative sources can vary, it is analyzed the integration of a storage energy system in this multilevel topology. Taking into account this ends, the main concern of this study is related to the development of a control strategy to maximize the active power transferred to the grid. The multilevel topology employed in this study has two H-bridge inverter modules connected in series forming a cascaded configuration. Therefore, it is possible that at least one of these inverters, operating with a low frequency of modulation, process the majority of power with lower amount of losses. On this way, two control strategies for power transfer are analyzed. The advantages and disadvantages of each method are presented, and the most appropriated strategy is used in the operation of the multilevel converter system. In addition, it has been presented the design criteria for each controller and finally the validation of the proposed approach is done by mains of simulations and experimental results which show the ability of the converter to transfer constant active power to the grid and keep the grid current in phase with the grid voltage.

Thesis (MTech (Quality)--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2009 / There is a South African Government initiative to use State-owned Enterprises (SOE’s) to roll out a programme for the development and stimulation of local small businesses in South Africa. The state has requested SOE’s to set targets on a voluntary basis to increase trade with small businesses, with the purpose of developing small enterprises to eventually enhance skills transfer, training and employment. However, when large customers such as Eskom Nuclear Generation require ISO certification as a prerequisite for a supplier to provide goods and/or services to them, most small businesses are unable to comply. The requirement of ISO9000 compliance inhibits the ability of most small businesses to compete with their larger counterparts. Small businesses constitute as much as 90% of most world economies. They have many advantages to offer customers, such as a high level of flexibility, innovation and responsiveness to customer needs. These attributes can introduce healthy competition to the supply chain. Small businesses, by their very nature experience more risks, such as a higher vulnerability to volatile market forces and skills loss. In addition, they are generally less specialised. They are under continuous competitive pressure, and are generally not able to provide assurance of a sustainable product over a longer period. Although there is an imperative to develop and use small suppliers, they introduce higher risk to the supply chain. The primary research objective of this dissertation is to develop a robust model to identify risks inherent to small businesses, and to propose measures to mitigate such risks. A classification of problems with small suppliers that have occurred at Koeberg Nuclear Power Station over a period of 3 years (from June 2005 to May 2008), will form the basis of the research methodology. The anticipated findings of the research include the following. _ Several common critical issues of failure will be identified in the internal processes of small suppliers, with variations between types of suppliers, which will indicate which elements within the context of ISO9000 can be applied to address shortcoming in the suppliers’ processes. _ A matrix will be compiled from this by which the customer can identify the type of supplier, the types of risks inherent to that supplier, and which elements of ISO9000 the customer should insist upon to be adopted into an elementary quality management system of that small supplier. This should be executed as part of a larger supplier development programme.