Please read the abstract in the section 00front of this document. / Dissertation (MEng (Electronic Engineering))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering / unrestricted

The aim of this dissertation was the design, implementation and performance evaluation of a Recursive Least Squares (RLS), lattice based, adaptive, multidimensional, decision feedback equaliser (DFE) for the spectrally efficient four-dimensional digital modulation technique, re¬ferred to as Quadrature-Quadrature Phase-Shift Keying, Q2pSK. Q2PSK constitutes a relatively new modulation technique, and the application of adaptive equalisation to this technique has not yet been considered in the open literature. This dissertation represents an in depth study into the Q2PSK modulation technique, as well as the optimal implementation, in simulation, of such a modem to aid the inclusion of the adap¬tive lattice DFE, for application to high speed mobile digital communication over the V /UHF channel in the presence of multi path propagation. Specific aspects of synchronization applicable to this modem platform are also addressed. An in depth study was also conducted into the realisation of a V /UHF channel simulation, capable of producing a Ricean and/or Rayleigh fad¬ing multipath propagation environment for the evaluation of the modem platform and adaptive equaliser structure. The theoretical analysis of the effect of multi path on a Q2PSK signal led to the correct design of the adaptive lattice structure, as well as the correct interfacing of the equaliser to the receiver platform. The performance of the proposed synchronisation strategies, in tandem with the equalisation technique were evaluated for several static, as well as fading multipath channels. The simulation results obtained show the equaliser operates correctly, and can give large performance gains over the static matched filter (matched to the transmitted waveform) implementation of the modem platform. Several simulations were specifically designed to highlight the performance limitations of the adaptive equalisation technique. / Dissertation (MEng (Digital Communication))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering / unrestricted

This master’s thesis deals with the construction and realization of an ultrasound anemo- meter. Individual types of anemometers are compared in this thesis, including mechanical, thermo anemometer and ultrasound anemometer. Different construction renderings and measurement principles of ultrasonic anemometers are analyzed. In addition, an experi- mental method of measuring the speed of sound by phase shift between two transmitting frequency is described in the document. This thesis includes the design of an control unit and the realization of a simple prototype of an ultrasonic anemometer. Experimental confirmation of the characteristics of the ultrasound anemometer is the last part of the document.

Dans la majeure partie des cas, la séparation en taille de molécules d'ADN, étape primordiale lors d'unséquençage, est réalisée par électrophorèse sur gels, inadaptée à la séparation de longues molécules : larecherche de techniques de séparation alternatives est donc primordiale. Nous avons utilisé unetechnologie de fabrication alternative, la Lithographie par Décalage de Phase, pour fabriquer des matricesd’obstacles de 80 à 500 nm de diamètre, de formes cylindrique ou ellipsoïdale. Ces matrices nous ontpermis de mener une étude des dynamiques de collision ADN-obstacle à l’échelle de la moléculeindividuelle, par la caractérisation des effets de l’actionnement (électrophorétique ou hydrodynamique), dela dimension et de la forme des obstacles sur ces dynamiques, impliquées dans le processus de séparationen taille. Nous montrons enfin la première séparation hydrodynamique de fragments d’ADN dans desréseaux d’obstacles nanométriques / In most cases, separation by size of DNA molecules, a crucial step for sequencing, is realized by gelelectrophoresis, unadapted to long molecule separation: it is consequently relevant to investigate alternativeseparation techniques. We have used an alternative fabrication technology, Phase Shift Lithography, tofabricate obstacle matrices which sizes range from 80 to 500 nm, with cylindrical or ellipsoidal shapes.These matrices allowed us to investigate DNA-obstacle collision dynamics at the single molecule scale, bythe caracterisation of actuation effects (electrophoretic or hydrodynamic) and of the size and shape of theobstacles on these dynamics, involved in the separation by size process. We finaly showed the firsthydrodynamic separation of DNA fragments into nanopilar matrices

No description available.

No description available.

Fuel cells are a clean, high-efficiency source for power generation. This innovative technology is going to penetrate all aspects in our life, from utility distributed power, transportation applications, down to power sources for portable devices such as laptop computer and cell phones. To enable the usage of fuel cell, developing power converters dedicated for fuel cells becomes imminent. Currently, the full-bridge converter is the dominating topology in high power dc/dc applications. Although multiphase converters have been proposed, most of them are dealing with high input-voltage systems, and their device characteristic is not suitable for a low voltage source such as a fuel cell. For a high power fuel cell system, high voltage conversion ratios and high input currents are the major obstacles to achieving high-efficiency power conversions. This dissertation proposes a novel 3-phase 6-leg dc/dc power converter with transformer isolation to overcome these obstacles. Major features of the proposed converter include: (1) Increase converter power rating by paralleling phases, not by paralleling multiple devices; (2) Double the output voltage by transformer delta-wye connection, thus lowering the turns-ratio; (3) Reduce the size of output filter and input dc bus capacitor with interleaved control; (4) Achieve Zero-Voltage Zero-Current Switching (ZVZCS) over a wide load range without auxiliary circuitry. High conversion efficiency above 96% is verified with different measurement approaches in experiments. This dissertation also presents the power stage and control design for the proposed converter. Control design guideline is provided and the design result is confirmed with both simulation and hardware experiments. When using the fuel cell for stationary utility power applications, a low-frequency ripple interaction was identified among fuel cell, dc/dc converter and dc/ac inverter. This low frequency ripple tends to not only damage the fuel cell, but also reduce the source capability. This dissertation also investigates the mechanism of ripple current propagation and exploits the solutions. A linearized ac model is derived and used to explain the ripple propagation. An active ripple reduction technique by the use of the current loop control is proposed. This active current loop control does not add extra converters or expensive energy storage components. Rather, it allows a reduction in capacitance because the ripple current flowing into the capacitor is substantially reduced, and less capacitance can be used while maintaining a clean dc bus voltage. The design process and guideline for the proposed control is suggested, and the effectiveness of this active control is validated by both simulation and experimental results. / Ph. D.

[pt] Nos últimos anos, as bandas de frequências nas comunicações sem fio estão começando a saturar devido ao incremento do tráfego e o aumento dos usuários, é devido a isso que, é necessário estudar as bandas de frequências que não estão sendo utilizadas nas áreas das comunicações como a banda milimétrica e sub-milimétrica. A transmissão de dados na banda EHF o banda milimétrica constitui uma possível solução para conseguir transmitir maiores quantidades de informação a altas velocidades de transmissão aliviando as bandas de frequências atuais. Neste trabalho se estuda a transmissão de dados em frequências de 100, 200, 300 e 400 GHz, empregando a modulação Quadrature Phase-Shift Keying (QPSK) mediante uma arquitetura baseada no batimento de dois lasers, cujas frequências são combinadas em um Beam Splitter, para que a corrente resultante da soma dos campos elétricos dos dois lasers seja convertida em um sinal de alta frequência por meio de uma antena fotocondutora. O batimento dos dois lasers, com diferentes comprimentos de onda e com a mesma potência, ao interagir com uma antena fotocondutora dá como resultado uma frequência na ordem de Gigahertz. No experimento utilizaram-se dois tipos de diodos receptores, um de banda larga (menor que 4 GHz) e outro de banda estreita (menor que 1 MHz). As duas antenas foram testadas em diferentes distâncias e com diferentes frequências de portadora para verificar qual delas tinha o melhor desempenho na banda EHF para poder realizar a transmissão de dados. / [en] In recent years, the frequency bands in wireless communications are beginning to saturate due to the increase of traffic and the increase of users, and it for that reason that is necessary to study the frequency bands that are not begin used in the communication areas like millimeter and sub-millimeters bands. Data transmission in the EHF band is a possible solution to be able to transmit large amounts of information at high transmission speeds, alleviating current frequency bands. In this work, the transmission of data in frequencies of 100, 200, 300 and 400 Gigahertz is studied, using Quadrature phase-shift keying (QPSK) modulation with an architecture based on the beat of two lasers, whos frequencies are combined by means of Beam Splitter, so that result of the electric fields of two lasers is converted into a high frequency signal with the aid of a photoconductor antenna. The.beating of the two lasers, with different wavelengths and with the same power, when interacting with a photoconductor antenna results in a frequency in the order of Gigahertz. In the experiment, two types of receiver diodes were used, one Broadband (less than 4 GHz) and the other of narrowband (less than 1 MHz). The two antennas were tested at different distances and with different carrier frequencies to verify which one had the best performance in the EHF band in order to perform the data transmission.

International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / October 23-26, 2000 / Town & Country Hotel and Conference Center, San Diego, California / Bit error rate (BER) and bandwidth efficiency of several variations of enhanced Feher patented quadrature phase shift keying (FQPSK) [1] are described. An enhanced FQPSK increases the channel packing density of that of the IRIG 106-00 standardized FQPSK-B by approximately 50% in adjacent channel interference (ACI) environment. As the bandwidth efficiency of FQPSK-B DOUBLES (2×) that of pulse code modulation/Frequency modulation (PCM/FM) [5], the enhanced FQPSK, with a simpler transceiver than FQPSK-B, has a channel packing density of TRIPLE (3×) that of PCM/FM. One of the other enhanced FQPSK prototypes has an end to end system loss of only 0.4 dB at BER=1x10^(-3) and 0.5 dB at BER=1x10^(-4) from ideal linearly amplified QPSK theory. The enhanced FQPSK has a simple architecture, thus is inexpensive and has small size, for ultra high bit rate implementation. With low redundancy forward error correction (FEC) coding which expands the spectrum by approximately 10%, further improvement of about 3-4.5dB E N b o is attained with NLA FQPSK-B and enhanced FQPSK at BER=1x10^(-5) .

International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / October 25-28, 1999 / Riviera Hotel and Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada / The performance of novel experimental blind equalizers suitable for a large class of applications including telemetry systems and other wireless applications is described. Experimental hardware research of these adaptive patent pending Feher Equalizers (FE) confirms computer simulated data [1]. A two-ray RF selective faded telemetry channel has been simulated. A dynamically changing channel environment with a selective fade rate in the 1Hz to 50Hz range has been constructed by laboratory hardware. The Test and Evaluation (T&E) setup had RF frequency selective dynamic notch depth variations in the Power Spectral Density (PSD) within the band of the signal of up to 15dB. As an illustrative example of the adaptive equalizer capability we used a 1Mb/s rate Feher patented FQPSK [1] Commercially Of The Shelf (COTS) product. Both hardware experimental results as well as simulation indicate substantial performance improvement with the utilization of the FE. It is demonstrated that the FE improves for a large class of frequency selective faded systems the Bit Error Rate(BER) from 10^-2 to 10^-6. Similar performance improvements are presented for the Block Error Rate (BLER).