abstract: Two major challenges in the transformer-less, single-phase PV string inverters are common mode leakage currents and double-line-frequency power decoupling. In the proposed doubly-grounded inverter topology with innovative active-power-decoupling approach, both of these issues are simultaneously addressed. The topology allows the PV negative terminal to be directly connected to the neutral, thereby eliminating the common-mode ground-currents. The decoupling capacitance requirement is minimized by a dynamically-variable dc-link with large voltage swing, allowing an all-film-capacitor implementation. Furthermore, the use of wide-bandgap devices enables the converter operation at higher switching frequency, resulting in smaller magnetic components. The operating principles, design and optimization, and control methods are explained in detail, and compared with other transformer-less, active-decoupling topologies. A 3 kVA, 100 kHz single-phase hardware prototype at 400 V dc nominal input and 240 V ac output has been developed using SiC MOSFETs with only 45 μF/1100 V dc-link capacitance. The proposed doubly-grounded topology is then extended for split-phase PV inverter application which results in significant reduction in both the peak and RMS values of the boost stage inductor current and allows for easy design of zero voltage transition. A topological enhancement involving T-type dc-ac stage is also developed which takes advantage of the three-level switching states with reduced voltage stress on the main switches, lower switching loss and almost halved inductor current ripple. In addition, this thesis also proposed two new schemes to improve the efficiency of conventional H-bridge inverter topology. The first scheme is to add an auxiliary zero-voltage-transition (ZVT) circuit to realize zero-voltage-switching (ZVS) for all the main switches and inherent zero-current-switching (ZCS) for the auxiliary switches. The advantages include the provision to implement zero state modulation schemes to decrease the inductor current THD, naturally adaptive auxiliary inductor current and elimination of need for large balancing capacitors. The second proposed scheme improves the system efficiency while still meeting a given THD requirement by implementing variable instantaneous switching frequency within a line frequency cycle. This scheme aims at minimizing the combined switching loss and inductor core loss by including different characteristics of the losses relative to the instantaneous switching frequency in the optimization process. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Electrical Engineering 2017

abstract: Solar photovoltaic (PV) deployment has grown at unprecedented rates since the early 2000s. As the global PV market increases, so will the volume of decommissioned PV panels. Growing PV panel waste presents a new environmental challenge, but also unprecedented opportunities to create value and pursue new economic avenues. Currently, in the United States, there are no regulations for governing the recycling of solar panels and the recycling process varies by the manufacturer. To bring in PV specific recycling regulations, whether the PV panels are toxic to the landfills, is to be determined. Per existing EPA regulations, PV panels are categorized as general waste and are subjected to a toxicity characterization leaching procedure (TCLP) to determine if it contains any toxic metals that can possibly leach into the landfill. In this thesis, a standardized procedure is developed for extracting samples from an end of life PV module. A literature review of the existing regulations in Europe and other countries is done. The sample extraction procedure is tested on a crystalline Si module to validate the method. The extracted samples are sent to an independent TCLP testing lab and the results are obtained. Image processing technique developed at ASU PRL is used to detect the particle size in a broken module and the size of samples sent is confirmed to follow the regulation. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Engineering 2017

Energy assessment in buildings is an essential topic in order to achieve the set goals for energy efficiency. This thesis investigated the energy consumption in various scenarios in Husmuttern’s buildings. Different purposes (school and apartment), locations (Spain and Sweden) and materials combinations are modelled and analysed. The models were created in the building performance simulation tool IDA ICE. After the yearly energy demand results were obtained they were processed and analysed. Then several factors were changed in the model in order to investigate different impacts in the energy consumption of the building, such as the overall heat transfer, hot water consumption, windows and doors. Also, PV panels were installed in the model to obtain the potential penetration of renewable energy in the buildings. The results showed the different consumption in the buildings depending on the purpose and location, and the impact of the changed factors in the overall energy consumption. The change of windows to more efficient ones showed that the apartments improve their consumption more than the schools, especially in when the Spanish location is considered. This case also had the biggest possible change when the hot water demand is varied. Whereas if the door was the changed, the Swedish apartment has the most possible improvement.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:27:21Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2008-03-20Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:35:45Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 pigatto_g_me_sjrp.pdf: 376138 bytes, checksum: 0d3df3ba13a94adf6610c9416261a91c (MD5) / Xanthomonas campestris é uma bactéria fitopatogênica que causa a podridão negra no sistema vascular das plantas da família das cruciferaceaes. Produz um exopolissacarídeo denominado goma xantana, que possui propriedades reológicas únicas sendo utilizada amplamente como agente de suspensão, espessante, emulsionante e estabilizante. É aplicados em indústrias petrolíferas, alimentícias, farmacêuticas, mineração, têxtil, termoquímicas, tintas, cosméticos e produtos agropecuários. O Brasil é um grande produtor mundial de cana de açúcar e álcool etílico. Produtos estes utilizados para a produção de xantana; o primeiro como substrato da fermentação e o segundo para a separação da goma. Apesar de todo esse potencial, o Brasil importa grande quantidade de goma xantana que poderá ser produzida com grande competitividade internacional. Portanto, este trabalho objetivou a utilização da técnica de irradiação ultravioleta, em uma linhagem específica de Xanthomonas campestris, para a obtenção de mutantes estáveis que possam melhorar o rendimento e/ou qualidade de goma obtida. A quantificação foi realizada através da determinação da biomassa, viscosidade, cálculos do rendimento da biomassa e goma. A irradiação UV por 600 segundos causou uma redução de 92,2% na população irradiada e as linhagens sobreviventes foram isoladas e analisadas nos testes de produção e viscosidade da goma xantana. As linhagens I6, I7, I9 e I10 apresentaram um aumento de 102% na produção de goma comparando com a linhagem não irradiada. Em relação à viscosidade do caldo, as linhagens irradiadas obtiveram um aumento de 48% comparadas com as não irradiadas de 20 e 30 rpm. A viscosidade da solução de goma xantana 1%, também foram superiores quando comparadas com a não irradiada. O aumento de... / Xanthomonas campestris is fitopatogenic bacterium that causes the black rotten in the vascular system of the plants of the family of the cruciferaceaes. It produces an exopolysaccharides that forms the xanthan gum, which is used in ample variety as agent of suspension, thicker, emulsifier and stabilizing, and singular rheological properties. It is applied in petroliferous, nourishing, pharmaceutical industries, of mining, textile, thermo chemistries, inks, cosmetics and farming products. Brazil is the worldwide producing greater of sugar cane of sugar and ethyl alcohol. Products theses used for the xanthan production; the first one as substratum of the fermentation, and the second as for the separation of the gum. Despite all this potential, the Brazil imports lot of xanthan gum that could be produced with great international competitiveness. This aimming work the used of the ultraviolet technique of irradiation in a specific strain of Xanthomonas campestris to obtain the mutants that can improve the income and/or quality of produced gum, through the determination of the biomass, viscosity, calculations of the income of the biomass and gum. The UV irradiation during 60 seconds caused a reduce of the 92.2% in the irradiated strains and the survived strains were isolated and analysed in the tests of production and viscosity of xanthan gum. The strains I6, I7, I9 e I10 showed increased in the xanthan production of 102% comparing with the non-irradiated strain. In relation the viscosity of the broth the irradiated strains the increase of 48% in shear rate of 20 and 30 rpm compared with the no irrdiated. The viscosity of the xanthan solution 1% irradiated were higher also whwn compared with no irradiated in both shear rate (20 and 30 rpm. The increase of viscosity was of 17% to rotational speed of 20 rpm and 16% to 30 rpm. The ...(Complete abstract click electronic access below)

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:28:31Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2007-06-19Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:37:29Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 lopes_mv_me_jabo_prot.pdf: 799999 bytes, checksum: a3da99204a58afdd2f525f466e3bf214 (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Funep/Oxiquimica / O objetivo do presente trabalho foi analisar as condições climáticas do Estado de São Paulo e desenvolver mapas de zonas de risco de epidemias de cancro cítrico, podridão floral e pinta preta do citros. Foram utilizados dados meteorológicos referentes aos anos de 2002, 2003, 2004 e 2005, os quais foram utilizados os modelos de previsão. Para o cancro cítrico desenvolvido por Campbell e Madden (1990) e Hau e Kranz (1990); podridão floral dos citros desenvolvido por Timmer e Zitko (1993) e Timmer e Brown (2000); pinta preta desenvolvido por Hau e Kranz (1990) e Bergamin Filho (1995. Após a contabilização dos índices, foram calculadas as porcentagens de dias favoráveis à ocorrência das doenças durante o ano e em períodos pré-definidos. A partir destas informações, foram gerados os mapas temáticos do Estado de São Paulo, com a distribuição espacial da porcentagem de dias favoráveis à ocorrência das doenças. A região Noroeste do Estado foi a que apresentou a maior porcentagem de dias favoráveis à ocorrência de cancro cítrico. As regiões Sul e Leste foram as que apresentaram maior favorabilidade de ocorrência da podridão floral do s citros. Para a pinta preta a região Sul com pontos no centro do Estado foi a que apresentou maior porcentagem de dias favoráveis a ocorrência da doença. / The objective of the present work was to analyze the climatic conditions of the State of São Paulo and to develop maps of zones of risk of epidemics of citrus canker, postbloom fruit drop of citrus and citrus black spot. They had been used given meteorological referring to the years of 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005, which had been used the forecast models. For the citrus canker developed by Campbell and Madden (1990) and Hau and Kranz (1990); postbloom fruit drop of citrus developed by Timmer and Zitko (1993) and Timmer and Brown (2000); it citrus black spot developed for Hau and Kranz (1990) and Bergamin Filho (1995). The frequency of the data was hourly and when some station presented imperfection in the series of data, these had been surpassed of the station next. After the accounting of the indices, had been calculated the percentages of days favorable to the occurrence of the diseases in the year and in the periods. From these information, the thematic maps of the State of São Paulo had been generated, with the space distribution of the percentage of days favorable to the occurrence of the diseases. The region the Northwest of the State was the one that presented the biggest percentage of days favorable to the occurrence of citrus canker. The regions South and East had been the ones that had presented greater favorable of occurrence of the postbloom fruit drop of citrus. For the citrus black spot the South region with points in the center of the State was the one that presented greater percentage of favorable days the occurrence of the diseases.

Orientador: Maria Célia Bertolini / Banca: Julio Cezar Franco de Oliveira / Banca: Eliana Gertrudes de Macedo Lemos / Banca: Shaker Chuck Farah / Banca: Celso Eduardo Benedetti / Resumo: O presente trabalho teve como principal objetivo realizar estudos funcionais na bactéria Xac, estudando o possível envolvimento dos genes copA, copB e cutC no mecanismo de resistência a cobre nesta bactéria. Estes estudos funcionais envolveram: análise da expressão dos genes durante o crescimento na presença de cobre por Northern e Western blots e por eletroforese bi-dimensional, produção e purificação das proteínas recombinantes e produção de anticorpos, inativação de um dos genes (copA) para avaliar a participação da proteína CopA no mecanismo de resistência a cobre e análise da interação das proteínas de resistência a cobre com outras proteínas de Xac através do ensaio de duplo híbrido de leveduras. Os resultados obtidos mostraram que a linhagem mutante infecta a planta, mas os sintomas são mais retardados na presença do metal, quando comparada à linhagem selvagem. O crescimento das células mutantes na ausência e presença de cobre in planta indicou maior sensibilidade ao cobre pelas células mutantes. Na tentativa de verificar se as proteínas CopA, CopB e CutC interagem com outras proteínas de Xac, um ensaio de duplo híbrido de leveduras foi realizado. Através deste ensaio, algumas proteínas foram identificadas, as quais necessitam de estudos de caracterização adicionais. / Abstract: Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. citri (Xac) is the causal agent of the citrus canker, a serious disease that affects the most commercial citrus cultivars causing serious economic impacts. Symptoms include canker lesions, leading to abscission of fruit and leaves and general tree decline. By sequencing the genome of this bacterium (ONSA Network, FAPESP, Brazil), a better knowledge of this microorganism and its molecular interactions with the host might be elucidated. For this, we analyzed the gene expression during growth in the presence of copper by Northern and Western blots, 2D-electrophoresis, production and purification of the CopA, CopB, and CutC recombinant proteins, inactivation of the copA gene to evaluate the participation of CopA protein in the copper resistance mechanism, and protein-protein interactions assays by the yeast two-hybrid assay. Results showed that the mutant strain infects the plant, but the lesions formation was retarded in the presence of copper. The mutant strain showed more sensitivity to copper than the wild type strain during growth in planta. In order to verify whether the CopA, CopB, and CutC proteins interact with other proteins of Xac, a yeast two-hybrid assay was performed. By this assay, some proteins were identified, which need further characterizations. / Doutor

Orientador: Antonio Carlos Maringoni / Banca: Renate Krause Sakate / Banca: Julio Rodrigues Neto / Resumo: O presente trabalho teve por objetivo avaliar a produção e a sensibilidade de 48 isolados de Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. citri e de 14 isolados de Xanthomonas spp. à bacteriocinas. Estudos foram realizados para verificar o efeito da temperatura, tempo de incubação e do tipo do meio de cultura sobre a produção de bacteriocina por isolados de X. axonopodis pv. citri. Todos isolados de X. axonopodis pv. citri não foram sensíveis às bacteriocinas produzidas por eles, não sendo essas afetadas pelo meio BDA, nutriente ágar + NaCl e YPDA, nos diferentes tempos e temperaturas de incubação. Porém, isolados de X. axonopodis pv. passiflorae foram sensíveis às bacteriocinas produzidas por 25 isolados de avaliados e o isolado de X. campestri pv. campestris e o de X. axonopodis pv. manihotis apresentaram sensibilidade variável. Dos 25 isolados de X. axonopodis pv. citri apenas cinco não foram inibidos pelas bacteriocinas produzidas por dois isolados de X. axonopodis pv. passiflorae. As bacteriocinas produzidas pelos isolados de X. axonopodis pv. citri (FDC-806) e de X. axonopodis pv. passiflorae (Mar 2850-A) foram termolábeis e resistentes à lisozima e sensíveis a DNAse. A bacteriocina produzida pelo isolado de X. axonopodis pv. passiflorae foi resistente à ação de proteinase K, tripsina e RNAse enquanto que a produzida pelo isolado de X. axonopodis pv. citri foi sensível a essas enzimas. / Abstract: The objective of this work was to evaluate the production and sensitivity of 48 Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. citri strains and 14 Xanthomonas spp. strains to bacteriocins. A number of studies were carried out to verify the effect of temperature, incubation time, and type of culture medium on bacteriocine yield by X. axonopodis pv. citri strains. None of the X. axonopodis pv. citri strains were sensitive to the bacteriocins produced by themselves, and were not affected by the PDA, nutrient agar + NaCl, and YPDA media, at the different incubation times and temperatures studied. However, X. axonopodis pv. passiflorae and strains were sensitive to the bacteriocins produced by the 25 Xac strains evaluated, while a X. campestri pv. campestris and X. axonopodis pv. manihotis strains showed variable sensitivity. Of the 25 X. axonopodis pv. citri strains, only five were not inhibited by the bacteriocins produced by the two X. axonopodis pv. passiflorae strains. The bacteriocins produced by X. axonopodis pv. citri (FDC-806) and X. axonopodis pv. passiflorae (Mar 2850-A) were thermolabile and resistant to lysozyme and sensitive to DNAse. The bacteriocin produced by the X. axonopodis pv. passiflorae was resistant to the action of proteinase K, trypsin and RNAse, while the bacteriocin produced by the X. axonopodis pv. citri isolate was sensitive to those enzymes. / Mestre

Submitted by Automa??o e Estat?stica (sst@bczm.ufrn.br) on 2017-03-20T20:04:27Z No. of bitstreams: 1 RamonRudaBritoMedeiros_DISSERT.pdf: 9691744 bytes, checksum: b0c63141b5ed151f490bfed5d79bccbc (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Arlan Eloi Leite Silva (eloihistoriador@yahoo.com.br) on 2017-03-22T21:18:49Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 RamonRudaBritoMedeiros_DISSERT.pdf: 9691744 bytes, checksum: b0c63141b5ed151f490bfed5d79bccbc (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-03-22T21:18:49Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 RamonRudaBritoMedeiros_DISSERT.pdf: 9691744 bytes, checksum: b0c63141b5ed151f490bfed5d79bccbc (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-01-25 / O presente trabalho apresenta um estudo de desempenho de um sistema h?brido fotovoltaico/t?rmico (sistema PVT), comparando-o com um sistema fotovoltaico (sistema PV). Foi analisada a pot?ncia el?trica e t?rmica, a efici?ncia e a energia produzida pelos sistemas, correlacionando ? influ?ncia da temperatura do m?dulo PV e a efici?ncia el?trica dos sistemas. O m?dulo fotovoltaico (PV) utilizado foi o MSX 77 da marca SOLAREX, composto por c?lulas solares policristalinas, cuja pot?ncia de pico ? de 77 Watts. O sistema PVT analisado foi do tipo PVT-l?quido, composto pelo m?dulo PV MSX77 e um coletor solar plano do tipo placa fabricado em acr?lico, a alimenta??o de ?gua do coletor foi do tipo for?ada por gravidade e com sistema aberto. Para determinar as curvas caracter?sticas do m?dulo PV e por consequ?ncia a pot?ncia el?trica m?xima gerada, foi desenvolvido um banco de carga formado por resistores de pot?ncia. A pot?ncia t?rmica foi quantificada aferindo a vaz?o da ?gua que alimentava o coletor e a diferen?a de temperatura da ?gua de entrada e sa?da. Com as pot?ncias e a radia??o incidente sobre os sistemas, foram determinadas as efici?ncias. A m?xima efici?ncia el?trica informada pelo fabricante do m?dulo PV ? de 10,8 %, contudo, em condi??es reais de opera??o, a m?xima efici?ncia do m?dulo PV foi de 8,46 %. No sistema PVT, o m?dulo PV apresentou uma efici?ncia m?xima de aproximadamente 7,8 % no ponto de m?xima pot?ncia gerada. A efici?ncia m?dia do sistema t?rmico foi na ordem de 42,5 %. O sistema PVT proporcionou a redu??o da temperatura do m?dulo PV, aumentando a efici?ncia de gera??o el?trica, proporcionando um aumento na ordem dos 6,9 % na energia el?trica m?dia di?ria. O sistema PVT al?m de proporcionar um aumento de energia el?trica, ainda fornece energia t?rmica com uma efici?ncia superior ? el?trica. A ?gua aquecida pode ser utilizada para alimentar sistemas de aquecimento de ?gua para banho, contribuindo para redu??o do consumo de energia el?trica de uma resid?ncia. / The present dissertation presents a performance study of a hybrid photovoltaic / thermal system (PVT system), comparing it with a photovoltaic system (photovoltaic system). The electrical and thermal power, efficiency and energy produced by the systems were analyzed, correlating the influence of the temperature of the photovoltaic module and the electrical efficiency of the systems. The photovoltaic (PV) module used was the MSX 77 of the brand SOLAREX, composed of polycrystalline solar cells, whose peak power is 77 Watts. The PVT system analyzed was of the PVT-liquid type, composed of the MSX77 photovoltaic module and a flat plate type solar collector made of acrylic, the water supply of the manifold was forced by gravity and with open system. To determine the characteristic curves of the PV module and consequently the maximum electric power generated, a load bank formed by power resistors was developed. The thermal power was quantified by measuring the flow of the water that fed the collector and the difference in temperature of the incoming and outgoing water. With the powers and the radiation incident on the systems, the efficiencies were determined. The maximum electrical efficiency reported by the manufacturer of the PV module is 10.8 %, however, under actual operating conditions, the maximum efficiency of the PV module was 8.46 %. In the PVT system, the PV module showed a maximum efficiency of approximately 7.8 % at the point of maximum power generated. The average efficiency of the thermal system was around 42.5 %. The PVT system provided a reduction in the temperature of the PV module, increasing the efficiency of electric generation, providing an increase in the order of 6.9 % in the average daily electric energy. The PVT system, besides providing an increase in electrical energy, still provides thermal energy with a higher efficiency than electric. The heated water can be used to power water heating systems for bathing, contributing to reduce the consumption of electric energy of a residence.

abstract: Potential induced degradation (PID) due to high system voltages is one of the major degradation mechanisms in photovoltaic (PV) modules, adversely affecting their performance due to the combined effects of the following factors: system voltage, superstrate/glass surface conductivity, encapsulant conductivity, silicon nitride anti-reflection coating property and interface property (glass/encapsulant; encapsulant/cell; encapsulant/backsheet). Previous studies carried out at ASU's Photovoltaic Reliability Laboratory (ASU-PRL) showed that only negative voltage bias (positive grounded systems) adversely affects the performance of commonly available crystalline silicon modules. In previous studies, the surface conductivity of the glass surface was obtained using either conductive carbon layer extending from the glass surface to the frame or humidity inside an environmental chamber. This thesis investigates the influence of glass surface conductivity disruption on PV modules. In this study, conductive carbon was applied only on the module's glass surface without extending to the frame and the surface conductivity was disrupted (no carbon layer) at 2cm distance from the periphery of frame inner edges. This study was carried out under dry heat at two different temperatures (60 °C and 85 °C) and three different negative bias voltages (-300V, -400V, and -600V). To replicate closeness to the field conditions, half of the selected modules were pre-stressed under damp heat for 1000 hours (DH 1000) and the remaining half under 200 hours of thermal cycling (TC 200). When the surface continuity was disrupted by maintaining a 2 cm gap from the frame to the edge of the conductive layer, as demonstrated in this study, the degradation was found to be absent or negligibly small even after 35 hours of negative bias at elevated temperatures. This preliminary study appears to indicate that the modules could become immune to PID losses if the continuity of the glass surface conductivity is disrupted at the inside boundary of the frame. The surface conductivity of the glass, due to water layer formation in a humid condition, close to the frame could be disrupted just by applying a water repelling (hydrophobic) but high transmittance surface coating (such as Teflon) or modifying the frame/glass edges with water repellent properties. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.S.Tech Engineering 2012

abstract: This study evaluates two 16 year old photovoltaic power (PV) plants to ascertain degradation rates and various failure modes which occur in a "hot-dry" climate. The data obtained from this study can be used by module manufacturers in determining the warranty limits of their modules and also by banks, investors, project developers and users in determining appropriate financing or decommissioning models. In addition, the data obtained in this study will be helpful in selecting appropriate accelerated stress tests which would replicate the field failures for the new modules and would predict the lifetime for new PV modules. The two power plants referred to as Site 4A and -4B with (1512 modules each) were initially installed on a single axis tracking system in Gilbert, Arizona for the first seven years and have been operating at their current location in Mesa, Arizona for the last nine years at fixed horizontal tilt Both sites experience hot-dry desert climate. Average degradation rate is 0.85%/year for the best modules and 1.1%/year for all the modules (excluding the safety failed modules). Primary safety failure mode is the backsheet delamination though it is small (less than 1.7%). Primary degradation mode and reliability failure mode may potentially be attributed to encapsulant browning leading to transmittance/current loss and thermo-mechanical solder bond fatigue (cell-ribbon and ribbon-ribbon) leading to series resistance increase. Average soiling loss of horizontal tilt based modules is 11.1%. About 0.5-1.7% of the modules qualify for the safety returns under the typical 20/20 warranty terms, 73-76% of the modules qualify for the warranty claims under the typical 20/20 power warranty terms and 24-26% of the modules are meeting the typical 20/20 power warranty terms. / Dissertation/Thesis / M.S.Tech Engineering 2013