Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Space heating and cooling, as required for chicken poultry farming, is an energy intensive operation. Due to the continuous rise in the prices of fossil fuel, water and electricity, there is a need to develop renewable and sustainable energy systems that minimise the use of fuel or electricity, for heating, and water, for cooling of air. The HYDROSOL (HYDro ROck SOLar) system, developed at Stellenbosch University, is such a renewable energy system that potentially provides a low cost solution. Instead of using conventional gas and electricity heaters for the heating of air during winter, the HYDROSOL system collects solar heat, stores it in a packed bed of rocks and dispatches the heat as required. During hot summer days, when cooling is needed, the rocks are cooled during the night when the ambient temperatures are low and/ or by evaporative cooling by spraying water onto them. During the day, hot air is then cooled when it passes through the colder rocks with minimal water consumption compared to current systems. In this thesis, a prototype of the HYDROSOL system is presented, designed and built for experimental testing. A transient 2-D thermo flow model is developed and presented for the analytical and experimental performance evaluation of this system for solar heating and night air cooling operation. This model is used to conduct a parametric study on HYDROSOL to gain a better understanding of the operation and control of the system. The HYDROSOL concept is intended to be used for heating and cooling of residential buildings, office suites, warehouses, shopping centres, food processing industries e.g. drying of foods, and various agricultural industries e.g. greenhouses. In this thesis, a HYDROSOL system is developed mainly for poultry broiler houses in South Africa focussing on convective dry cooling, charging the rock bed with night-time ambient air, and convective heating, harvesting solar heat during the day, with different modes of operation available. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Ruimte verhitting en verkoeling, soos benodig vir hoender pluimvee boerdery, is ‘n energie intensiewe bedryf. As gevolg van die voortdurende styging in fossiel brandstof-, water- en elektrisiteitpryse, het ‘n behoefte ontstaan om hernubare en volhoubare energie-stelsels te ontwikkel wat minder brandstof of elektrisiteit, vir verhitting, en water, vir verkoeling van lug, gebruik. Die HYDROSOL (HYDro ROck SOLar) stelsel, wat ontwikkel is by die Universiteit van Stellenbosch, is ‘n hernubare energie-stelsel wat ‘n potensiële lae koste oplossing bied. In plaas daarvan om konvensionele gas en elektrisiteit verwarmers vir verhitting van lug gedurende die winter te gebruik, maak HYDROSOL gebruik van son warmte, stoor dit in `n gepakte bed van klip en onttrek die warmte soos benodig. Gedurende die warm somer dae wanneer verkoeling benodig word, word die klippe gedurende die nag, met kouer omgewings lug en/of met verdampingsverkoeling, deur water op die klippe te spuit, afgekoel. Gedurende die dag word warm lug afgekoel deur die lug oor die koue klippe te forseer met minimale waterverbruik in vergelyking met huidige stelsels. ‘n Prototipe van die HYDROSOL word voorgestel, ontwerp en gebou vir eksperimentele doeleindes. ‘n 2-D tyd afhanklike termo- vloei model word voorgestel vir die analitiese en eksperimentele verrigting evaluering vir son verhitting en nag lug verkoeling. Hierdie model word gebruik om ‘n parametriese studie te doen om die werking en beheer van HYDROSOL beter te verstaan. Die HYDROSOL stelsel is bedoel om die verwarming en verkoeling vereistes van residensiële geboue, kantoor areas, pakhuise, winkelsentrums, voedsel verwerking nywerhede, soos bv. die droging van voedsel, en verskeie landboubedrywe, soos bv. kweekhuise, te bevredig. In hierdie tesis word ‘n HYDROSOL stelsel, hoofsaaklik vir pluimvee kuikenhuise in Suid- Afrika, ondersoek en fokus op die droë verkoeling, deur die rotsbed te laai gedurende die nag, asook droë- verhitting, wat gebruik maak van son energie gedurende die dag en kan beheer word op verskillende maniere.

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A growing human population and demands for food, freshwater and energy are causing extensive changes in the water and biogeochemical cycles of river catchments around the world. Addressing and investigating such changes is particularly important for transboundary river catchments, where they impose additional risk to a region’s stability. This thesis investigates and develops data-driven methodologies for detecting hydro-climatic and nutrient load changes and their drivers with limited available data and on different catchment scales. As a specific case study, we analyze the Sava River Catchment (SRC) and compare its results with other world regions. A past–present to future evaluation of hydro-climatic data is done on the basis of a water balance approach including analysis of historic developments of land use and hydropower development data and projections of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project, Phase 5 (CMIP5) output. Using observed water discharge and nutrient concentration data, we propose a novel conceptual model for estimating and spatially resolving total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) input and delivery-retention properties for a river catchment and its nested subcatchments, as well as detection of nutrient hotspots. The thesis identifies hydroclimatic change signals of hydropower-related drivers and finds consistency with other world regions. The proposed nutrient screening methodology provides a good distinction between human-related nutrient inputs and landscape-related transport influences on nutrient loading at subcatchment to catchment scale. A cross-regional comparison of the SRC data with the Baltic region shows similarity between nutrient-relevant indicators and driving socio-economic and hydro-climatic conditions. The study highlights a number of complexities with regard to CMIP5 model representation of water fluxes. The large intermodel range of CMIP5 future projections of fluxes calls for caution when using individual model results for assessing ongoing and future water and nutrient changes. / <p>QC 20170516</p> / VR 2009-3221 / FORMAS 2014-43

Master of Science / Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering / Anil Pahwa / In Afghanistan, electricity is mostly generated by hydroelectric, diesel and natural gas generators. A significant amount of electricity also is imported from neighboring countries. Accessibility of electricity is mostly limited to the capital and main towns. The government of Afghanistan and other development organizations, such as The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (German Agency for International Cooperation “GIZ”), are striving to develop accessibility of electricity to remote communities by supporting the local population of people to enhance living conditions. Although some of these remote communities are served by local diesel fuel generators for just a couple of hours during the night, still most communities do not have access to electricity and they are using wood and kerosene as major sources of energy in cooking, heating and lighting. For those remote communities who are served by local diesel fuel generators, the cost of electricity is much higher than from the national grid. On the other hand, grid extensions are too expensive and, in some cases, impossible for such communities because of the geographical features of Afghanistan. Afghanistan is a mountainous country which receives a significant amount of snow during the winter and once it melts the water runs into rivers, lakes and streams. Therefore mostly it does not face any shortage of running water during the year. Also Afghanistan has plentiful wind and solar energy. Therefore, small hydro-power, wind turbine and solar energy are attractive renewable energy sources for remote communities. The development of such a hybrid power system is a complex process and technical expertise is essential in design and construction phases. The main challenges are the high cost of civil works and equipment, technical expertise for design and construction and encouragement of local people for the support of the project. This report will give an insight into design, cost-effectiveness and feasibility of the system using HOMER in order to encourage private investors and local community people to take advantage of this potential available in Afghanistan and be convinced of the sustainability for investments in micro-hydropower, wind and solar.

Synchronous generators used for hydro power and nuclear power is a well known topology but there is a vast amount of intricate technologies and methods to making them function properly. This masters thesis covers the development, implementation and verification of a magnetisation system for a synchronous generator. The software implementation is made in the LabVIEW programming environment and uses a high performance CompactRIO with an FPGA for measurements, calculation and output control signals. Together with several peripheral devices, the CompactRIO forms an excitation system and most importantly, an automatic voltage regulator. This system keeps the output voltage of the generator stable and has a variety of safety features such as over excitation limits, under excitation limits and a V/Hz limiter. The resulting system successfully monitors and controls the generator characteristics and the controllers, based on PI controllers, have short rise times, low overshoot and no significant static error. This magnetisation system was verified on a 185 kW synchronous machine and all functions showed satisfying results with the exception of the implemented power system stabiliser which need to be re-tuned.

Os reservatórios são utilizados pelo homem há milhares de anos e são fundamentais em países que apresentam uma matriz energética predominantemente hidrelétrica como o Brasil. Desta forma, há uma preocupação relacionada à vida útil de um reservatório que é influenciada diretamente pelo transporte e deposição de sedimentos. No entanto, a maioria dos reservatórios nacionais não apresenta atualmente estudos hidrossedimentológicos consistentes para auxiliar seus gestores no planejamento e gerenciamento dos mesmos. Uma das principais justificativas apresentadas para a ausência destes estudos se refere à dificuldade na aplicação de metodologias relacionadas à sedimentologia nos recursos hídricos. Neste contexto, a tese apresenta o desenvolvimento de uma ferramenta computacional (NH Sediment) de livre acesso que poderá auxiliar os gestores de reservatórios no monitoramento e análise dos parâmetros hidrossedimentológicos. A ferramenta computacional é fundamentada em metodologias consolidadas na literatura técnica e acadêmica. Ela permite que o usuário estime parâmetros hidrossedimentólogicos, como a descarga sólida total, o peso específico aparente, a eficiência de retenção, além do volume assoreado e do tempo de vida útil de reservatórios. A ferramenta foi aplicada no Reservatório da Pequena Central Hidrelétrica de Mogi-Guaçu (SP) e foi possível observar que os resultados estavam condizentes com os parâmetros obtidos no levantamento de campo (dados primários) e com os dados fornecidos pela empresa que administra a PCH. Desse modo, a ferramenta computacional é mais uma alternativa para auxiliar o acompanhamento do processo de assoreamento em reservatórios, principalmente das pequenas centrais hidrelétricas onde este problema tende a ser maior. Além disso, ela também poderá ajudar na escolha das melhores medidas para prevenção ou minimização de parte dos problemas causados pelos sedimentos nos reservatórios. / Reservoirs have been used by people for thousands of years and are essential in countries with a predominantly hydroelectric energy matrix, such as Brazil. Although, there is a concern about the life of a reservoir, which is directly influenced by transport and deposition of sediments, most national reservoirs have not conducted consistent hydrosedimentological studies to assist their managers in their planning and managing. One of the main justifications for such a lack is the difficulty of application of methodologies related to sedimentology in water resources. This thesis addresses the development of a computational tool (NH Sediment) of free access that can assist reservoir managers in monitoring and analyzing hydrosedimentological parameters. The tool is based on methodologies consolidated in the technical and academic literature and enables users to estimate hydrosedimentological parameters, such as total solid discharge, apparent specific weight, retention efficiency, silting volume and lifetime of reservoirs. It was applied to the reservoir of the Small Hydropower Plant (SHP) of Mogi-Guaçu (SP) and the results were consistent with the parameters obtained in a field survey conducted and data provided by the company that manages SHP. It has proven an alternative to help users in monitoring the silting process in reservoirs, especially in small hydropower plants, where this problem tends to be more serious. It can also be employed for the choice of best measures for the prevention or minimization of problems caused by sediments in reservoirs.

MAKARON, Paula. Análise de Viabilidade de Projetos de Pequenas Centrais Hidrelétricas: Pontos Críticos de Sucesso a Partir de Estudos de Caso no Estado de Santa Catarina. 2012. 144f. Dissertação (Mestrado em Energia) - Programa de Pós-Graduação Em Energia - EP/FEA/IEE/IF da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 2012. Esta dissertação analisa os pontos críticos de sucesso de projetos de Pequenas Centrais Hidrelétrica da perspectiva econômico-financeira. Para tal, foram percorridas três etapas. A primeira delas visou à análise dos contextos mundial e nacional desse segmento de geração de energia, seguindo os conceitos técnicos que caracterizam os empreendimentos de geração hidrelétricos de pequeno porte. Nessa etapa analisou-se o processo de implementação de uma PCH, desde o levantamento de potencias de aproveitamento de um rio até a sua entrada em operação comercial. A segunda etapa debruçou-se sobre a metodologia aplicada no cálculo da viabilidade de um projeto de infraestrutura e as adequações metodológicas necessárias para o caso de uma usina de pequeno porte. Tais adequações incluíram a seleção de componentes específicos do fluxo de caixa e de critérios para a escolha das variáveis-chave em projetos de PCHs. Outro importante conceito discutido nessa etapa foram os riscos inerentes a esses projetos e a forma como a materialização de cada risco pode afetar seus resultados. Por fim, na terceira etapa, à luz da teoria previamente visitada nas fases anteriores, foram analisados dois estudos de casos práticos de projetos reais localizados no Estado de Santa Catarina. Tais estudos de caso incluíram a análise de viabilidade para: (a) a construção da PCH Fartura e (b) a aquisição da PCH Santa Ana, estando essa última já em operação comercial. Em ambos os estudos foram testadas variações de algumas premissas tais como: o preço de venda da energia; o custo do capital; e aumento do custo da construção. Da análise realizada foi possível concluir que, no cenário do período estudado, a construção de uma PCH não é viável, o preço praticado nos ambientes livre e regulado de contratação não tem sido suficiente para pagar os investimentos realizados. Por outro lado, a compra de uma usina já em operação comercial se mostrou um ótimo negócio, uma vez que os principais riscos do período de construção já haviam sido superados no e a usina apresentava fluxo de receita garantido. Como as variáveis analisadas permeiam a maioria dos projetos de PCH, estima-se que este trabalho possa contribuir para o melhor entendimento da crise que o segmento de geração de pequenas usinas vem atravessando no Brasil nesses anos compreendidos entre 2008 e 2012. / MAKARON, Paula. Feasibility Analysis of Small Hydro Power Projects: Critical Points of Success Drawn from Case Studies in the State of Santa Catarina. 2012. 144f. Masters Dissertation Graduate Program on Energy, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, 2012. This dissertation analyzes critical points of success of projects in Small Hydro Power Plants (SHP) from the economic/financial perspective. For this, three stages were drawn up. The first aimed at the analysis of world and national contexts of this segment of energy generation following the technical concepts which characterize the small-sized hydroelectric generating businesses. During this stage, the implementation process of a SHP was analyzed; starting with the survey of the potential of a river until the plant enters into commercial operation. The second stage focused on the methodology applied to calculating the viability of an infrastructure project and the necessary methodological adjustments for a small-sized plant. These adjustments include a selection of components specific to the cash flow and the criteria for choosing key-variants in SHC projects. Another important concept discussed during this stage was the inherent risks involved in these projects and the way in which each risk can affect the results. Finally, during the third stage, in light of the theory reviewed in previous stages, two practical case studies of real projects from the state of Santa Catarina were analyzed. Such case studies included the viability analysis for decision making regarding: (a) the construction of the SHP Fartura and (b) the acquisition of the SHP Santa Ana, the latter already in full commercial operation. In both studies, it was tested a variation of some key elements such as: the price of energy; the capital cost; the cost overruns. From the aforementioned analysis, it was possible to conclude that in studied scenario, the construction of a SHP is not viable. The energy price level in the free hiring and in the regulated environments has not been sufficient to pay back original investment. On the other hand, buying a plant already in commercial operation proved to be a good business proposition, once the main development risks during the construction period had been overcome and the plant presented a flow of guaranteed income. Seeming as the variables permeate most SHP projects, it is foreseen that this work can contribute to the better understanding of the crisis in which this segment of small generation plants are going through here in Brazil during the years 2008 to 2012.

The Humanoid Walking Robot (HWR) is a research platform for the study of legged and wearable robots actuated with Hydro Muscles. The fluid operated HWR is representative of a class of biologically inspired, and in some aspects highly biomimetic robotic musculoskeletal appendages showing certain advantages in comparison to more conventional artificial limbs and braces for physical therapy/rehabilitation, assistance of daily living, and augmentation. The HWR closely mimics the human body structure and function, including the skeleton, ligaments, tendons, and muscles. The HWR can emulate close to human-like movements even when subjected to simplified control laws. One of the main drawbacks of this approach is the inaccessibility of an appropriate fluid flow management support system, in the form of affordable, lightweight, compact, and good quality valves suitable for robotics applications. To resolve this shortcoming, the Compact Robotic Flow Control Valve (CRFC Valve) is introduced and successfully proof-of-concept tested. The HWR added with the CRFC Valve has potential to be a highly energy efficient, lightweight, controllable, affordable, and customizable solution that can resolve single muscle action.

Este trabalho tem como objetivo analisar o conflito diplomático ocorrido entre Brasil e Paraguai nos anos de 2008 e 2009, entendendo-o como um evento que contesta a hidrohegemonia brasileira. As bases teóricas desta pesquisa são conceitos e teorias da geografia política com ênfase na teoria da hidropolítica e no conceito de hidro-hegemonia. A metodologia está baseada em pesquisa bibliográfica, documental e entrevistas. Sob a perspectiva da hidropolítica o conflito diplomático analisado é um evento que compõe o processo de disputa pelo domínio dos recursos hídricos transfronteiriços do rio Paraná. Contextualizamos a origem da Itaipu Binacional no processo de disputa entre Brasil e Paraguai pelo domínio desses recursos hídricos transfronteiriços como uma solução interdependente para problemas interdependentes entre Estados vizinhos. Até a ratificação do Tratado de Itaipu a hidro-hegemonia brasileira estava consolidada por meio do controle físico do fluxo hídrico da bacia do Alto Paraná. Após a ratificação desse tratado o Brasil consolida o controle normativo do fluxo hídrico, posto que as bases deste Tratado são as assimetrias existentes entre os Estados. O conflito ocorrido entre 2008 e 2009 buscou reorientar a relação bilateral, com a contestação do exercício do poder material para a superação das divergências na Itaipu Binacional. Isto foi possível por meio do fortalecimento do poder ideacional paraguaio e o consequente fortalecimento do seu poder de negociação. / This work aims to analyze the diplomatic conflict occurred between Brazil and Paraguay in 2008 and 2009, understanding it as an event that challenges the Brazilian hydro-hegemony. The theoretical bases of this research are concepts and theories of political geography with an emphasis on Hydropolitics theory and hydro-hegemony concept. The methodology is based on bibliographical research, documents and interviews. From the perspective of the Hydropolitics this diplomatic conflict is an event that integrates the dispute process to dominate the transboundary water resources of the Parana River. The origin of Itaipu Binacional is contextualized in the process of dispute between Brazil and Paraguay for dominance of these transboundary water resources as an interdependent solution to interdependent problems between neighboring states. Until the ratification of the Itaipu Treaty Brazilian hydro-hegemony was consolidated through physical control of the water flow in the Upper Paraná basin. After the ratification of this treaty Brazil consolidates the regulatory control of the water flow, since the basis of this Treaty are the existing asymmetries between the states. The conflict occurred between 2008 and 2009 sought to reorient the bilateral relationship with the challenge of the exercise of the material power to overcome the divergences in Itaipu. This was possible through the strengthening of the Paraguayan ideational power and the consequent strengthening of their bargaining power.

O presente estudo aborda a questão da introdução de um modelo de seguro contra prejuízos causados pelas enchentes em uma micro-bacia hidrográfica localizada em São Carlos, SP, dentro de um contexto de manejo integrado de bacias hidrográficas (MIBH), devido à freqüência com que vêm ocorrendo enchentes em algumas das grandes cidades brasileiras motivou o desenvolvimento deste estudo. É desenvolvido um modelo de seguro associado ao MIBH (manejo integrado de bacias hidrográficas) baseado no modelo de seguro agrícola proposto por Pilar e Mendiondo (2001) nas proximidades do córrego do Gregório. Dentro dessa nova abordagem, é apresentado um estudo de caso onde se avalia o efeito das enchentes e com o intuito de quantificar os acréscimos nas vazões de cheia decorrente dos avanços da urbanização, caracterizada principalmente pelo aumento de áreas impermeáveis, foi escolhida uma área de teste na cidade de São Carlos, a região do micro-centro no córrego do Gregório. São propostos diferentes valores de prêmios. A análise dos resultados das simulações dos prêmios indica que são viáveis do ponto de vista do fundo do seguro conforme seu valor aumenta. / This work treats the introduction of an insurance model against damages caused by the floods in a personal hydrographic basin located in São Carlos, SP, inside of a context of integrated handling of hydrographics basins (MIBH), due to the frequency with that come happening floods in some of the great brazilian cities it motivated the development of this study. An insurance model associated to MIBH is developed (integrated handling of hydrographics basins) based on the model of safe agricultural proposed by Pilar and Mendiondo (2001). Inside of that new approach, a case study is presented where is evaluated the effects of the flood and with the intention of quantifying the increments in the discharge of full due to the progresses of the urbanization, characterized mainly by the increase of impermeable areas, it was chosen a test area in the city of São Carlos, the area of the personal hydrographic basin in Gregório\'s. Different values of prizes are proposed. The analysis of the results of the simulations of the prizes indicates that are viable of the point of view of the fund of the in accordance insurance its value it increases.