Microinverter has become a new trend for photovoltaic (PV) grid-tie systems due to its advantages which include greater energy harvest, simplified system installation, enhanced safety, and flexible expansion. Since an individual microinverter system is typically attached to the back of a PV module, it is desirable that it has a long lifespan that can match PV modules, which routinely warrant 25 years of operation. In order to increase the life expectancy and improve the long-term reliability, electrolytic capacitors must be avoided in microinverters because they have been identified as an unreliable component. One solution to avoid electrolytic capacitors in microinverters is using a two-stage architecture, where the high voltage direct current (DC) bus can work as a double line ripple buffer. For two-stage electrolyte-free microinverters, a high boost ratio dc-dc converter is required to increase the low PV module voltage to a high DC bus voltage required to run the inverter at the second stage. New high boost ratio dc-dc converter topologies using the hybrid transformer concept are presented in this dissertation. The proposed converters have improved magnetic and device utilization. Combine these features with the converter's reduced switching losses which results in a low cost, simple structure system with high efficiency. Using the California Energy Commission (CEC) efficiency standards a 250 W prototype was tested achieving an overall system efficiency of 97.3%. The power inversion stage of electrolyte-free microinverters requires a high efficiency grid-tie inverter. A transformerless inverter topology with low electro-magnetic interference (EMI) and leakage current is presented. It has the ability to use modern superjunction MOSFETs in conjunction with zero-reverse-recovery silicon carbide (SiC) diodes to achieve ultrahigh efficiency. The performance of the topology was experimentally verified with a tested CEC efficiency of 98.6%. Due to the relatively low energy density of film capacitors compared to electrolytic counterparts, less capacitance is used on the DC bus in order to lower the cost and reduce the volume of electrolyte-free microinverters. The reduced capacitance leads to high double line ripple voltage oscillation on DC bus. If the double line oscillation propagates back into the PV module, the maximum power point tracking (MPPT) performance would be compromised. A control method which prevents the double line oscillation from going to the PV modules, thus improving the MPPT performance was proposed. Finally, a control technique using a single microcontroller with low sampling frequency was presented to effectively eliminate electrolyte capacitors in two-stage microinverters without any added penalties. The effectiveness of this control technique was validated both by simulation and experimental results. / Ph. D.

A cana-de-açúcar é uma das mais importantes cadeias do agronegócio brasileiro, além do seu elevado destaque no contexto internacional como fonte de energia renovável e sustentável. Com a competitividade que as Usinas vem passando e pelas perspectivas de crescimento, este trabalho teve como hipóteses: i) o preparo profundo em cana-de-açúcar proporciona um maior volume de solo explorado pelas raízes; ii) o trafégo controlado de máquinas aliado ao espaçamento em fileiras duplas irá trazer uma maior população de plantas, traduzindo isso em incrementos de produtividade e redução de custos para o produtor. O objetivo geral, portanto, foi avaliar métodos de preparo do solo e desenvolver o tráfego contrololado na área, propondo assim que o produtor tenha redução nos custos com o manejo da cultura e também aumente a produtividade e longevidade do canavial. Portanto, pode-se concluir que na análise do comprimento de raízes, em todas as profundidades estudadas, o Preparo Profundo obteve comprimento, área e volume de raízes maiores estatisticamente. A Resistência do solo a penetração no tratamento Preparo Profundo, para as profundidades de 20-40 e 40-60 cm foi de 0,29 MPa e 0,45 MPa, respectivamente. Nas avaliações biométricas da parte área, o Preparo Profundo se destacou com um IAF de 7,1. Os custos das operações no momento do plantio foram bem inferiores no Preparo Profundo, sendo 33% e 58% inferiores aos Mínimo duplo e Convencional duplo, respectivamente. A movimentação do solo causada pelo sistema Preparo Profundo no preparo do solo, foi de até 80% inferior ao tratamento Convencional duplo. O tráfego controlado que o Preparo Profundo proporciona, diminui em até 70% o tráfego de máquinas na lavoura; menor consumo de combustível; redução no tempo das operações agrícolas; redução do parque de máquinas; e menor custo operacional. / Sugarcane is one of the most important crops in the Brazilian agribusiness chain, besides its great branch in the international context as a renewable and sustainable energy source. Through the competitiveness that sugar mills experience and through the growth perspectives of the sector, this study focuses the deep soil preparation for sugarcane crop renewal, since it provides a larger soil volume to be explored by the root system. Furthermore, the machinery traffic controlled by a smaller number of soil preparation operations, reduces farmer´s production costs. The general objective was, therefore, evaluate soil preparation methods and develop a controlled traffic system in the area, in order to propose to the farmer a cost reduction in the farm soil management along with yield increase and extension of the longevity of the crop. As a result of the imposed treatments it was possible to conclude that by the root length analysis in all depths of the Deep Soil Preparation, root length, area and volume were greater. Soil resistance to penetration in the Deep Soil Preparation system was much less in relation to the other treatments, assuming values of 0.29 MPa and 0.45 Mpa in the 20-40 and 40-60 cm layers, respectively. The above ground evaluations showed leaf area index of 7.1 for the Deep Soil Preparation, much higher in relation to the other treatments. Operation costs at planting time were much less for the Deep Soil Preparation, 33% and 58% smaller than for the Double Minimum Tillage and Double conventional, respectively. Soil movement caused by Deep Preparation was up to 80% less in relation to the Double conventional. The controlled machinery traffic that the Deep Soil Preparation provides, reduced up to 70% the farming operations, therefore presenting a lower fuel consumption, a reduction of the time used in farming operations, reduction of the machinery park, and a lower operational cost.

A cana-de-açúcar é uma das mais importantes cadeias do agronegócio brasileiro, além do seu elevado destaque no contexto internacional como fonte de energia renovável e sustentável. Com a competitividade que as Usinas vem passando e pelas perspectivas de crescimento, este trabalho teve como hipóteses: i) o preparo profundo em cana-de-açúcar proporciona um maior volume de solo explorado pelas raízes; ii) o trafégo controlado de máquinas aliado ao espaçamento em fileiras duplas irá trazer uma maior população de plantas, traduzindo isso em incrementos de produtividade e redução de custos para o produtor. O objetivo geral, portanto, foi avaliar métodos de preparo do solo e desenvolver o tráfego contrololado na área, propondo assim que o produtor tenha redução nos custos com o manejo da cultura e também aumente a produtividade e longevidade do canavial. Portanto, pode-se concluir que na análise do comprimento de raízes, em todas as profundidades estudadas, o Preparo Profundo obteve comprimento, área e volume de raízes maiores estatisticamente. A Resistência do solo a penetração no tratamento Preparo Profundo, para as profundidades de 20-40 e 40-60 cm foi de 0,29 MPa e 0,45 MPa, respectivamente. Nas avaliações biométricas da parte área, o Preparo Profundo se destacou com um IAF de 7,1. Os custos das operações no momento do plantio foram bem inferiores no Preparo Profundo, sendo 33% e 58% inferiores aos Mínimo duplo e Convencional duplo, respectivamente. A movimentação do solo causada pelo sistema Preparo Profundo no preparo do solo, foi de até 80% inferior ao tratamento Convencional duplo. O tráfego controlado que o Preparo Profundo proporciona, diminui em até 70% o tráfego de máquinas na lavoura; menor consumo de combustível; redução no tempo das operações agrícolas; redução do parque de máquinas; e menor custo operacional. / Sugarcane is one of the most important crops in the Brazilian agribusiness chain, besides its great branch in the international context as a renewable and sustainable energy source. Through the competitiveness that sugar mills experience and through the growth perspectives of the sector, this study focuses the deep soil preparation for sugarcane crop renewal, since it provides a larger soil volume to be explored by the root system. Furthermore, the machinery traffic controlled by a smaller number of soil preparation operations, reduces farmer´s production costs. The general objective was, therefore, evaluate soil preparation methods and develop a controlled traffic system in the area, in order to propose to the farmer a cost reduction in the farm soil management along with yield increase and extension of the longevity of the crop. As a result of the imposed treatments it was possible to conclude that by the root length analysis in all depths of the Deep Soil Preparation, root length, area and volume were greater. Soil resistance to penetration in the Deep Soil Preparation system was much less in relation to the other treatments, assuming values of 0.29 MPa and 0.45 Mpa in the 20-40 and 40-60 cm layers, respectively. The above ground evaluations showed leaf area index of 7.1 for the Deep Soil Preparation, much higher in relation to the other treatments. Operation costs at planting time were much less for the Deep Soil Preparation, 33% and 58% smaller than for the Double Minimum Tillage and Double conventional, respectively. Soil movement caused by Deep Preparation was up to 80% less in relation to the Double conventional. The controlled machinery traffic that the Deep Soil Preparation provides, reduced up to 70% the farming operations, therefore presenting a lower fuel consumption, a reduction of the time used in farming operations, reduction of the machinery park, and a lower operational cost.

This dissertation is an ecclesiological study, conducted in the form of a case study that examines worship praxis in six parishes in the diocese of Luleå between 1990 and 2009. The specific research problem of the dissertation is whether the organizational changes that took place in connection with the relational change between Church and State in 2000 are reflected in local worship and in church service related decisions in diocese and parishes, and how the concrete relationship between worship praxis and regulations is manifested. The research problem also includes what ecclesiological impact the organizational changes may have had in the studied parishes and what the empirical results can reveal about the ecclesiality of the Church. The dissertation addresses four research questions. In response to the first question: “Are the organizational changes of 2000 reflected in local worship and in worship related decisions in dioceses and parishes and, if so, in what way?” it is noted that organizational change is reflected indirectly in expressions of growing autonomization. In response to the second question "What is the relationship between worship praxis and regulations in the Church ordinance and The Swedish Church manual 1986?” there is a tangible difference between worship praxis and regulations throughout the studied period, i.e. even before the relational change, although the difference over time has increased. Regarding the third question "What impact could the organizational change, associated with the relational change between the Church of Sweden and the State, have had on the ecclesiologies in the worship praxis which the studied parishes represent and hold?” I have not found that the new order has affected, in any direct way, the parishes’ implicit ecclesiologies during the time span covered by the study. Rather, it seems that the Church ordinance that was established at the time of the relational change has reinforced an already existing implicit ecclesiology where the parishes are considered to be autonomous. The fourth question "How can the empirical result be interpreted theologically with regard to its implicit ecclesiology, and what does that say about the ecclesiality of the Church of Sweden?” The theological interpretation of autonomization indicates an overall "immanent ecclesiology", which can be visualized in current praxis in the diocese of Luleå. The ambition that the Church of Sweden despite organizational change in the year 2000 would be the same also indicates a similar implicit ecclesiology. This is because the Church was not thought to change its identity despite being subjected to a revision in form. The study shows that the arsenal of theories and the methodical approach have implications for how much can be clarified and that different ways of studying the Church should be combined. The present study is an example of this by the study's abductive approach and exploratory character, which have allowed both interaction between praxis-related empiricism and theory and interaction between descriptive analysis and hermeneutic interpretation. The study also shows that “ordo-related theories” may be applicable to the study of the Church as an organizational structure.