abstract: State of art modern System-On-Chip architectures often require very low noise supplies without overhead on high efficiencies. Low noise supplies are especially important in noise sensitive analog blocks such as high precision Analog-to-Digital Converters, Phase Locked Loops etc., and analog signal processing blocks. Switching regulators, while providing high efficiency power conversion suffer from inherent ripple on their output. A typical solution for high efficiency low noise supply is to cascade switching regulators with Low Dropout linear regulators (LDO) which generate inherently quiet supplies. The switching frequencies of switching regulators keep scaling to higher values in order to reduce the sizes of the passive inductor and capacitors at the output of switching regulators. This poses a challenge for existing solutions of switching regulators followed by LDO since the Power Supply Rejection (PSR) of LDOs are band-limited. In order to achieve high PSR over a wideband, the penalty would be to increase the quiescent power consumed to increase the bandwidth of the LDO and increase in solution area of the LDO. Hence, an alternative to the existing approach is required which improves the ripple cancellation at the output of switching regulator while overcoming the deficiencies of the LDO. This research focuses on developing an innovative technique to cancel the ripple at the output of switching regulator which is scalable across a wide range of switching frequencies. The proposed technique consists of a primary ripple canceller and an auxiliary ripple canceller, both of which facilitate in the generation of a quiet supply and help to attenuate the ripple at the output of buck converter by over 22dB. These techniques can be applied to any DC-DC converter and are scalable across frequency, load current, output voltage as compared to LDO without significant overhead on efficiency or area. The proposed technique also presents a fully integrated solution without the need of additional off-chip components which, considering the push for full-integration of Power Management Integrated Circuits, is a big advantage over using LDOs. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Electrical Engineering 2016

[pt] Existe uma perspectiva crescente da utilização de alta tensão em corrente contínua (ATCC). Assim, com base em informações da literatura sobre ensaios elétricos em equipamentos para ATCC e em exigências quanto à confiabilidade de procedimentos metrológicos, nesta dissertação, propõe-se o monitoramento e análise de um parâmetro (ripple) de forma que se possa garantir a rastreabilidade de sistemas de medição de referência (SMR). Os SMRs permitem apenas uma análise quantitativa da tensão de calibração, sendo preciso avaliar e garantir que a incerteza não seja influenciada por ripples de até 3 por cento, mas torna-se necessário também fazer uma avaliação qualitativa. No caso de ensaios em ATCC, o uso de diferentes fontes e retificadores provoca ripple em diferentes níveis, influenciando na qualidade da tensão fornecida e possivelmente em outros parâmetros relevantes descritos na norma ABNT NBR IEC 60060-1:2013. Nesse contexto, o objetivo desta dissertação foi o aperfeiçoamento e validação, com o rascunho da norma IEC 61083-4, de um algoritmo de medição previamente desenvolvido em LabVIEW que se comunique com um multímetro de 8 (1 sobre 2) dígitos e estime todos os parâmetros normalizados. Estabeleceu-se, ainda, os procedimentos necessários para calibração em ATCC e a análise da influência do ripple a partir dos parâmetros definidos pela norma. Para validar a metodologia proposta nesta dissertação foram feitos ensaios com diferentes arranjos, cuja finalidade foi comparar, estatisticamente, as incertezas de medição da calibração com diferentes níveis de ripple no SMR. Finalmente, os resultados obtidos indicam que o ripple não influencia na calibração. / [en] There is a growing prospect of using high voltage in direct current (HVDC). Thus, based on information from the literature on dielectric tests in equipment for HVDC and requirements regarding the reliability of metrological procedures, this dissertation aims at monitoring and analyzing a specific parameter (ripple) in a way that can guarantee the traceability of reference systems. The reference systems allow only a quantitative analysis of the calibration voltage, being necessary to evaluate and ensure that the measurement uncertainty is not influenced by ripples of up to 3 percent, but it is also necessary to make a qualitative assessment. In the case of HVDC tests, the use of different power supplies and rectifiers causes ripple at different levels, influencing the quality of the supplied voltage and possibly other relevant parameters for the ABNT NBR IEC 60060-1:2013 standard. In this context, the objective of this dissertation was the improvement and validation, with the draft of the IEC 61083-4 standard, of a signal acquisition and processing algorithm developed in LabVIEW that communicates with an 8 (1 over 2) digit multimeter and estimates all the normalized parameters. It is also intended to establish the procedures introduced for HVDC calibration and an analysis of the ripple influence from the parameters defined by the standard. To validate the methodology proposed in this dissertation, tests were made with different arrangements, with universal and purely resistive dividers, and different ripple levels, in the laboratory, statistically comparing the calibration measurement uncertainties with different ripple levels in the traceability of reference systems. Finally, the results indicate that the ripple does not influence the calibration.

No description available.

Yes / In this paper we draw upon the close relationship between statistical physics and mathematical finance to develop a suite of models for financial bubbles and crashes. The derived models allow for a probabilistic and statistical formulation of econophysics models closely linked to mainstream financial models. Applications include monitoring the stability of financial systems and the subsequent policy implications. We emphasise the timeliness of our contribution with an application to the two largest cryptocurrency markets: Bitcoin and Ripple. Results shed new light on emerging debates over the nature of cryptocurrency markets and competition between rival digital currencies.

Switched reluctance motor(SRM)drives are favored in many industrial applications because of their cost advantage and ruggedness. However, the torque ripple and bus current ripple of SRM restrict its application range  compared with traditional AC and DC motors due to the doubly salient pole structure and the highly non-linear coupling between torque, rotor position and phase current. As a result of the torque ripple on the shaft, unwilling large acoustic noises are generated. The large current ripple at the DC bus input requires large electrolytic capacitors for attenuation. However, electrolytic capacitors are of low reliability, which will reduce the duration of the control system. Because of these disadvantages, the acceptance of SRM by the industry, especially in servo-type applications which require stationary torque at low speed, is quite slow. In order to obtain high quality control, there have been many efforts in developing techniques for torque ripple attenuation. Primarily, two approaches are used to give a smooth torque. One is to improve the magnetic design, the other is to use sophisticated control techniques. Some torque control techniques have been proved to obtain a relatively good performance by simulations and experimental results. This thesis gives an alternative torque ripple minimization technique. Simulations and Experiments are conducted to show the effectiveness of this new control scheme. Under this new control scheme, the current controller are much easier to be designed under high speed application, which could be an advantage of it. First, the SRM operating principle is presented. The torque of SRM is produced by the tendency of its moveable part shifting to a position where the inductance of the exited winding is maximized. The torque ripple origin is discussed in terms of both magnetization and control. The torque ripple is produced during phase commutation interval because the phase current cannot rise from zero to the nominal value instantaneously due to the existence of the phase inductance. Second, a new torque control scheme is proposed. The new torque control of SRM is split into two cascade sub-tasks. At first, a current reference for ripple free torque is determined. Then a current controller is designed to regulate the current in the stator winding to reference value. Simulations are conducted to verify the effective of this torque control scheme in both ideal 'sinusoidal' SRM and a 'Pseudo-Sinusoidal' SRM. Finally, a motor drive control system is built to implement the new control scheme. The motor is tested under different speeds to see the torque ripple produced in different speed ranges. As a conclusion, the new control algorithm for constant torque and damped input bus current ripple is investigated. The advantages of this new torque control method are listed in the paper. Simulation and experimental results show the effectiveness of this new control method. / Master of Science

This research aims to connect Africans from the continent to Africans dwelling in the diaspora through ripples of retention. This thesis examines the role of water and African water divinities as markers of cultural and spiritual retention in African communities abroad and on the continent of Africa. Drawing mostly from secondary sources for the investigation, this work revisits texts already documented to uncover the role of water in the survival and lived reality of Africans. The investigation starts by the Nile in Kemet (Egypt in antiquity) and travels through time and space. By beginning at the source of African civilization, this study solidifies the role of water in the ontology and cosmology of African people that is found in antiquity, in a number of ethnic groups along the west coast of Africa, and in the diaspora. Analysis of figures like Oshun, Yemaya, and Mami Wata reveals that external factors, one’s lived reality, and one’s social and physical environment is reflected in the characteristics and attributes of the water divinity abroad. For water spirits must reflect the African people; thus, the tremendous social and geographical changes African people undergo throughout the centuries can be noted as variations in a collective African culture. While this work is conducted in three chapters, future investigation is needed to explore the emancipatory features of water to Africans that are still burdened by the effects of colonialism, assimilation, imperialism, and slavery. Yet, this research in its present state adds to the collection of works in the field of Africana Studies and Africology by reestablishing the strong link among Africans from around the globe. / African American Studies

Among PWM power conversion topologies, the single-switch forward topology is the one that has been most widely used for decades. Its popularity has been based on many factors, including its low cost, circuit simplicity and high efficiency. However, several issues need to be addressed when using the forward converter such as the core reset, the voltage spikes caused by the transformer leakage inductance, and the pulsating input current waveform. The transformer is driven in a unidirectional fashion in the forward converter; a tertiary forward converter (TFC) is an example of this. Therefore, the third winding and reset diode must be provided with an adequate period of reset time so that the flux can be fully reset by the end of each switching cycle to prevent core saturation. Also, due to the utilization of a transformer, leakage inductances cannot be avoided. The energy stored in the leakage inductance during current ramp-up is not transferred to the load, and is not recovered during its discharge phase. As a result, the VDS waveform has a voltage spike and undesirable high-frequency oscillation. Therefore, a higher voltage-rating switch should be used to reduce the risk of high-voltage breakdown. Although a switch with amply high voltage ratings is available, it would tend to have a higher on-resistance, RDS(ON), resulting in increased conduction losses. Moreover, selection of a switch with higher voltage ratings than necessary may needlessly increase the cost of the design. Usually an additional circuit such as a snubber circuit or a clamp circuit or the soft-switching technique is used to absorb these voltage spikes. Consequently, the leakage inductance is intentionally minimized in the PWM power conversion technique so that it will not degrade the circuit performance. In contrast, the leakage inductance of the transformer may enhance rather than detract from circuit performance with a resonant power conversion technique. To date, however, no single-switch forward converter has been claimed to be able to enhance the converter performance with the PWM power conversion technique by utilizing the leakage inductance. Therefore, research on the utilization of the transformer leakage inductance in the PWM forward converter is needed. Two techniques, input current ripple reduction and an embedded filter, are proposed to enhance the performance of forward converter using the PWM technique. By inserting a capacitor between two primary windings of the TFC, an input current ripple reduction technique is proposed and a forward converter with ripple reduction (FRR) is presented in this research work. Because the voltage of the capacitor is clamped to input voltage, the capacitor becomes a second voltage source to share part of the load current. As a result, the input current ripple is reduced. Moreover, the capacitor voltage is clamped both at the static and dynamic states; thus the excessive voltage stress on the main switch S1 of the FAC during low-line to high-line step transient is eliminated. Furthermore, without an external LC filter, the EMI noise levels can be further reduced as a result of the embedded notch filter formed by the transformer leakage inductance and clamp capacitor if the notch frequency is designed to be the same as the switching frequency. With the help of the clamp capacitor, therefore, the leakage inductance can enhance rather than detract from the converter performance. The input current ripple can be reduced further by employing the proposed techniques. Two sets of the clamp capacitors and the leakage inductances are utilized, and the current ripple can even be cancelled if the condition is met. Consequently, the input current becomes a non-pulsating waveform and a forward converter with ripple cancellation (FRC) is presented. Moreover, without an external LC filter, the EMI noise levels can be further attenuated as a result of the embedded low-pass filter formed by the transformer leakage inductances and clamp capacitors. Again, the leakage inductance can enhance the converter performance just as the resonant converter does. In addition to providing the analysis and design procedure, this work verifies the performance of the presented converters, the FRR and the FRC, by the experimental results. By employing the proposed techniques, eight new topologies have been extended for different power conversion applications. Each member of the FRR and the FRC families is able to enhance the converter performance, in ways such as the elimination of the voltage spikes on the main switch without a snubber circuit and the improvement of the EMI performance with small filter components. Consequently, the cost can be reduced and the space of the converter can be saved. / Ph. D.

The variable reluctance motor (VRM) is known for its structural simplicity, lower cost and capability of higher specific outputs compared with the AC induction motor. These favourable attributes arise from the way the torque is generated. An asymmetric half bridge would commonly be used as the controller for the VRM. It is also a relatively simple circuit because unlike the requirement with an AC induction motor, the imput current for a VRM would only need to be able to travel in one direction.

<p>This is an empirical study which goal is to determine what causes changes in housing prices. It is done by using data for Stockholm and Sydney to create a model to forecast the change of house prices in the two cities. The findings suggest that the main determinants are nominal interest, household income, and the supply of new dwellings.</p><p>This is in line with previous studies. It is also investigated whether the use of financial indicators such as the development of the stock market has an impact on the house prices.</p><p>The findings regarding the implication of the financial indicators are dubious. Lastly, an investigation is made to see whether the so-called “ripple effect” can be applied to an international level. The inclusion of the ripple effect seems to be positive to the forecasting models used in this paper.</p>

This is an empirical study which goal is to determine what causes changes in housing prices. It is done by using data for Stockholm and Sydney to create a model to forecast the change of house prices in the two cities. The findings suggest that the main determinants are nominal interest, household income, and the supply of new dwellings. This is in line with previous studies. It is also investigated whether the use of financial indicators such as the development of the stock market has an impact on the house prices. The findings regarding the implication of the financial indicators are dubious. Lastly, an investigation is made to see whether the so-called “ripple effect” can be applied to an international level. The inclusion of the ripple effect seems to be positive to the forecasting models used in this paper.