This study describes the development and use of a mathematical model that will enable mine operators to minimise the costs of electricity consumed by the ventilation and refrigeration systems used for environmental control in deep mines. This model was calibrated and tested by using actual data from a gold mine near Welkom in South Africa. In a first simulation, the mine's current practice of controlling conditions to a wet bulb temperature (Twb) of 25S°C, was optimised. The model demonstrated that this environmental condition could be sustained at lower electricity consumption. In so doing, the mine realised a saving of 30 000 kWh per day. The energy saving and load management led to a cost saving of R 1.5 million per year. However, a better indicator of environmental conditions is the Air Cooling Power index, (ACP). Research has shown that for hard physical work in hot conditions workers need an ACP of 300 w/m2. It was found that the case study mine actually supplied their workplace with a cooling capacity of 422 w/m2. The new model optimised the refrigeration and ventilation systems in such a manner that the workers were supplied with exactly 300 w/m2, no more and no less. It was found that by doing this, an electricity saving of 57 600 kWh per day could be realised when compared with the current mine practices. The energy saving and load management led to a potential cost saving of R 2.55 million per year. (Certain capital costs, such as for variable speed drives may have to be incurred to realise these savings.) The new model could be further extended to take advantage of the new Real Time Price offerings from Eskom It will be able to identify an operating point for the refrigeration and ventilation systems to supply 300 w/m2 for the workers, in real time, at the lowest electricity cost. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Mechanical Engineering))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2004.

The purpose of this research is to develop a method of making system equivalents for the Real Time Digital Simulator (RTDS), which should enhance its capability of simulating large power systems. The proposed equivalent combines a Frequency Dependent Network Equivalent (FDNE) for the high frequency electromagnetic transients and a Transient Stability Analysis (TSA) type simulation block for the electromechanical transients. The frequency dependent characteristic for FDNE is obtained by curve-fitting frequency domain admittance characteristics using the Vector Fitting method. An approach for approximating the frequency dependent characteristic of large power networks from readily available typical power-flow data is also introduced. A new scheme of incorporating TSA solution in RTDS is proposed. This report shows how the TSA algorithm can be adapted to a real time platform. The validity of this method is confirmed with examples, including the study of a multi in-feed HVDC system based network.

This study describes the development and use of a mathematical model that will enable mine operators to minimise the costs of electricity consumed by the ventilation and refrigeration systems used for environmental control in deep mines. This model was calibrated and tested by using actual data from a gold mine near Welkom in South Africa. In a first simulation, the mine's current practice of controlling conditions to a wet bulb temperature (Twb) of 25S°C, was optimised. The model demonstrated that this environmental condition could be sustained at lower electricity consumption. In so doing, the mine realised a saving of 30 000 kWh per day. The energy saving and load management led to a cost saving of R 1.5 million per year. However, a better indicator of environmental conditions is the Air Cooling Power index, (ACP). Research has shown that for hard physical work in hot conditions workers need an ACP of 300 w/m2. It was found that the case study mine actually supplied their workplace with a cooling capacity of 422 w/m2. The new model optimised the refrigeration and ventilation systems in such a manner that the workers were supplied with exactly 300 w/m2, no more and no less. It was found that by doing this, an electricity saving of 57 600 kWh per day could be realised when compared with the current mine practices. The energy saving and load management led to a potential cost saving of R 2.55 million per year. (Certain capital costs, such as for variable speed drives may have to be incurred to realise these savings.) The new model could be further extended to take advantage of the new Real Time Price offerings from Eskom It will be able to identify an operating point for the refrigeration and ventilation systems to supply 300 w/m2 for the workers, in real time, at the lowest electricity cost. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Mechanical Engineering))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2004.

The purpose of this research is to develop a method of making system equivalents for the Real Time Digital Simulator (RTDS), which should enhance its capability of simulating large power systems. The proposed equivalent combines a Frequency Dependent Network Equivalent (FDNE) for the high frequency electromagnetic transients and a Transient Stability Analysis (TSA) type simulation block for the electromechanical transients. The frequency dependent characteristic for FDNE is obtained by curve-fitting frequency domain admittance characteristics using the Vector Fitting method. An approach for approximating the frequency dependent characteristic of large power networks from readily available typical power-flow data is also introduced. A new scheme of incorporating TSA solution in RTDS is proposed. This report shows how the TSA algorithm can be adapted to a real time platform. The validity of this method is confirmed with examples, including the study of a multi in-feed HVDC system based network.

The use of robotic systems in consumer goods industry has increased over recent years. However, food industry has not taken to the robotics technology with the same desire as in other industries due to technical and commercial reasons. Difficulties in matching human speed and flexibility, variable nature of food products, high production volume rates, lack of appropriate end-effectors, high initial investment rate of the so-called systems and low margins in food products are still blocking the range of use of robotics in food industry. In this thesis study, as a contribution to the use of robotic systems in food industry, a secondary packaging robotic system is designed. The system is composed of two basic subsystems: a dual-axis controlled robotic arm and a special-purpose gripper. Mechanical and control systems design of basic subsystems are performed within the scope of the study. During the designing process, instead of using classical design methods, modern computer-aided design and engineering tools are utilized.

Techn. Universiẗat, Diss., 2003--Darmstadt.

Η παρούσα διπλωματική εργασία πραγματεύεται την μελέτη και τον σχεδιασμό της υπολογιστικής υποστήριξης και συγκεκριμένα της προσομοίωση της δυναμικής του συστήματος του UPSat, ενός δορυφόρου τύπου Cubesat. Η εργασία αυτή εκπονήθηκε στο Εργαστήριο Γενικής Ηλεκτροτεχνίας του Τμήματος Ηλεκτρολόγων Μηχανικών και Τεχνολογίας Υπολογιστών της Πολυτεχνικής Σχολής του Πανεπιστημίου Πατρών. Αρχικά γίνεται αναφορά στο σύστημα του δορυφόρου και στα επιμέρους υποσυστήματα από τα οποία αποτελείται. Περιγράφεται το περιβάλλον στο οποίο θα βρεθεί και παρατίθενται πληροφορίες για την τροχιά του. Στη συνέχεια, γίνεται μία ανάλυση στο σύστημα ελέγχου θέσης και περιγράφονται οι πιθανές μέθοδοι σταθεροποίησης του δορυφόρου. Παρουσιάζεται επίσης η επιλογή της μεθόδου και των ενεργοποιητών του συστήματος. Κατόπιν, γίνεται η ανάλυση του μαθηματικού μοντέλου του συστήματος τόσο ως προς τρείς διαστάσεις, όσο και ως προς δύο, αφού πρώτα αναφέρονται κάποια χρήσιμα εργαλεία για την εξαγωγή του. Τέλος, παρουσιάζεται η υλοποίηση της προσομοίωσης του επιλεγμένου μοντέλου, τα αποτελέσματα και τα συμπεράσματα που βγήκαν από την διαδικασία αυτή. / This thesis addresses the design and execution of computational support and especially the simulation of the dynamics of the UPSat(University of Patras Satellite), a Cubesat type satellite.

Apresenta-se neste trabalho uma plataforma de simulação, acionamento e controle de máquinas de indução trifásicas e pentafásicas, baseada na integração entre ambientes de simulação e de prototipação em tempo real. Esta plataforma é composta por ferramentas de software desenvolvidas para MATLAB/Simulink R que interagem com a plataforma de hardware dSPACE R DS1104, permitindo gerar aplicações diretamente do ambiente de simulação para acionamento da plataforma física de máquinas de maneira rápida e transparente para o usuário. Inicialmente é abordada a teoria que envolve o acionamento e o controle de máquinas de indução. Descrevem-se os modelos da máquina de indução trifásica e da máquina de indução pentafásica, o segundo incluindo efeitos de terceiro harmônico do campo do entreferro. Também são abordados os modelos de inversores de frequência e as técnicas, escalar V=f e vetorial por orientação indireta e direta de campo, de controle de máquinas de indução. Depois disso, são descritas as ferramentas de software desenvolvidas e também a plataforma de hardware utilizada. As ferramentas de simulação implementadas são validadas para permitir a reprodução da dinâmica das máquinas de indução, dos blocos sensores de corrente, velocidade e torque e do acionamento de potência. Além disso, são desenvolvidas ferramentas de controle que implementam as técnicas de controle V=f e orientação de campo, também incluindo blocos que implementam estimadores de fluxo, transformação de coordenadas e de referencial, entre outros. A integração entre o ambiente de simulação e a prototipação do algoritmo de controle é obtida por meio do uso do framework da plataforma dSPACE DS1104 e da implementação de ferramentas de tempo real que servem de link entre ambiente de simulação e de prototipação. Do ponto de vista do usuário da biblioteca proposta, a transição entre ambiente de simulação e de prototipação é realizada pela substituição de blocos de modelos por blocos de tempo real. O algoritmo de controle pode ser simulado em ambiente Simulink e diretamente compilado a partir deste para a plataforma dSPACE DS1104, onde será executado em tempo real. São criados experimentos que demonstram a aplicabilidade da plataforma proposta por meio da implementação em simulação e também em tempo real de controladores de velocidade para a máquina de indução trifásica e para a máquina de indução pentafásica. Utilizam-se as técnicas de controle escalar V=f e controle vetorial por orientação direta e indireta de campo. / In this work is presented a platform for simulation and prototyping of control techniques for 3-phase and 5-phase induction machines. It is developed a toolbox library in MATLAB/Simulink R to be used with dSPACE R DS1104 platform. The software tools and the hardware platform are both described and provide an integrated environment which allows the user to develop and evaluate control techniques for induction machines by means of pure simulation as well as executing them on an underlying hardware platform connected to the machine. The transition from simulation to a hardware platform is done transparently for the user using rapid prototyping tools. Firstly it is presented the induction machine control theory. The model for the 3- phase induction machine is described, as well as the model for the 5-phase machine. The model for the 5-phase induction machine allows the inclusion of the effects of the third harmonic of the air-gap field. The models for the power inverters with 3 and 5 phases are also described and the theory of the V=f control together with the theory of field oriented control are detailed. The developed software tools for simulation, control and real time execution of control techniques are explained in details and the hardware implementation for signals instrumentation are also presented. The integration between software simulation and real time execution is achieved by means of the use of the dSPACE R DS1104 framework together with the real time tools developed in MATLAB R . From the user point-of-view, the transition from simulation environment to real time execution environment is achieved by simply changing the model blocks by the real time blocks, both developed in the proposed framework library. The real time environment can be compiled inside Simulink and the algorithm can be loaded into DS1104 board to be executed. Experiments that demonstrate the applicability of the proposed framework are presented which implement the V=f, indirect field oriented and direct field oriented controls on both, 3-phase and 5-phase, induction machines.

Apresenta-se neste trabalho uma plataforma de simulação, acionamento e controle de máquinas de indução trifásicas e pentafásicas, baseada na integração entre ambientes de simulação e de prototipação em tempo real. Esta plataforma é composta por ferramentas de software desenvolvidas para MATLAB/Simulink R que interagem com a plataforma de hardware dSPACE R DS1104, permitindo gerar aplicações diretamente do ambiente de simulação para acionamento da plataforma física de máquinas de maneira rápida e transparente para o usuário. Inicialmente é abordada a teoria que envolve o acionamento e o controle de máquinas de indução. Descrevem-se os modelos da máquina de indução trifásica e da máquina de indução pentafásica, o segundo incluindo efeitos de terceiro harmônico do campo do entreferro. Também são abordados os modelos de inversores de frequência e as técnicas, escalar V=f e vetorial por orientação indireta e direta de campo, de controle de máquinas de indução. Depois disso, são descritas as ferramentas de software desenvolvidas e também a plataforma de hardware utilizada. As ferramentas de simulação implementadas são validadas para permitir a reprodução da dinâmica das máquinas de indução, dos blocos sensores de corrente, velocidade e torque e do acionamento de potência. Além disso, são desenvolvidas ferramentas de controle que implementam as técnicas de controle V=f e orientação de campo, também incluindo blocos que implementam estimadores de fluxo, transformação de coordenadas e de referencial, entre outros. A integração entre o ambiente de simulação e a prototipação do algoritmo de controle é obtida por meio do uso do framework da plataforma dSPACE DS1104 e da implementação de ferramentas de tempo real que servem de link entre ambiente de simulação e de prototipação. Do ponto de vista do usuário da biblioteca proposta, a transição entre ambiente de simulação e de prototipação é realizada pela substituição de blocos de modelos por blocos de tempo real. O algoritmo de controle pode ser simulado em ambiente Simulink e diretamente compilado a partir deste para a plataforma dSPACE DS1104, onde será executado em tempo real. São criados experimentos que demonstram a aplicabilidade da plataforma proposta por meio da implementação em simulação e também em tempo real de controladores de velocidade para a máquina de indução trifásica e para a máquina de indução pentafásica. Utilizam-se as técnicas de controle escalar V=f e controle vetorial por orientação direta e indireta de campo. / In this work is presented a platform for simulation and prototyping of control techniques for 3-phase and 5-phase induction machines. It is developed a toolbox library in MATLAB/Simulink R to be used with dSPACE R DS1104 platform. The software tools and the hardware platform are both described and provide an integrated environment which allows the user to develop and evaluate control techniques for induction machines by means of pure simulation as well as executing them on an underlying hardware platform connected to the machine. The transition from simulation to a hardware platform is done transparently for the user using rapid prototyping tools. Firstly it is presented the induction machine control theory. The model for the 3- phase induction machine is described, as well as the model for the 5-phase machine. The model for the 5-phase induction machine allows the inclusion of the effects of the third harmonic of the air-gap field. The models for the power inverters with 3 and 5 phases are also described and the theory of the V=f control together with the theory of field oriented control are detailed. The developed software tools for simulation, control and real time execution of control techniques are explained in details and the hardware implementation for signals instrumentation are also presented. The integration between software simulation and real time execution is achieved by means of the use of the dSPACE R DS1104 framework together with the real time tools developed in MATLAB R . From the user point-of-view, the transition from simulation environment to real time execution environment is achieved by simply changing the model blocks by the real time blocks, both developed in the proposed framework library. The real time environment can be compiled inside Simulink and the algorithm can be loaded into DS1104 board to be executed. Experiments that demonstrate the applicability of the proposed framework are presented which implement the V=f, indirect field oriented and direct field oriented controls on both, 3-phase and 5-phase, induction machines.

Apresenta-se neste trabalho uma plataforma de simulação, acionamento e controle de máquinas de indução trifásicas e pentafásicas, baseada na integração entre ambientes de simulação e de prototipação em tempo real. Esta plataforma é composta por ferramentas de software desenvolvidas para MATLAB/Simulink R que interagem com a plataforma de hardware dSPACE R DS1104, permitindo gerar aplicações diretamente do ambiente de simulação para acionamento da plataforma física de máquinas de maneira rápida e transparente para o usuário. Inicialmente é abordada a teoria que envolve o acionamento e o controle de máquinas de indução. Descrevem-se os modelos da máquina de indução trifásica e da máquina de indução pentafásica, o segundo incluindo efeitos de terceiro harmônico do campo do entreferro. Também são abordados os modelos de inversores de frequência e as técnicas, escalar V=f e vetorial por orientação indireta e direta de campo, de controle de máquinas de indução. Depois disso, são descritas as ferramentas de software desenvolvidas e também a plataforma de hardware utilizada. As ferramentas de simulação implementadas são validadas para permitir a reprodução da dinâmica das máquinas de indução, dos blocos sensores de corrente, velocidade e torque e do acionamento de potência. Além disso, são desenvolvidas ferramentas de controle que implementam as técnicas de controle V=f e orientação de campo, também incluindo blocos que implementam estimadores de fluxo, transformação de coordenadas e de referencial, entre outros. A integração entre o ambiente de simulação e a prototipação do algoritmo de controle é obtida por meio do uso do framework da plataforma dSPACE DS1104 e da implementação de ferramentas de tempo real que servem de link entre ambiente de simulação e de prototipação. Do ponto de vista do usuário da biblioteca proposta, a transição entre ambiente de simulação e de prototipação é realizada pela substituição de blocos de modelos por blocos de tempo real. O algoritmo de controle pode ser simulado em ambiente Simulink e diretamente compilado a partir deste para a plataforma dSPACE DS1104, onde será executado em tempo real. São criados experimentos que demonstram a aplicabilidade da plataforma proposta por meio da implementação em simulação e também em tempo real de controladores de velocidade para a máquina de indução trifásica e para a máquina de indução pentafásica. Utilizam-se as técnicas de controle escalar V=f e controle vetorial por orientação direta e indireta de campo. / In this work is presented a platform for simulation and prototyping of control techniques for 3-phase and 5-phase induction machines. It is developed a toolbox library in MATLAB/Simulink R to be used with dSPACE R DS1104 platform. The software tools and the hardware platform are both described and provide an integrated environment which allows the user to develop and evaluate control techniques for induction machines by means of pure simulation as well as executing them on an underlying hardware platform connected to the machine. The transition from simulation to a hardware platform is done transparently for the user using rapid prototyping tools. Firstly it is presented the induction machine control theory. The model for the 3- phase induction machine is described, as well as the model for the 5-phase machine. The model for the 5-phase induction machine allows the inclusion of the effects of the third harmonic of the air-gap field. The models for the power inverters with 3 and 5 phases are also described and the theory of the V=f control together with the theory of field oriented control are detailed. The developed software tools for simulation, control and real time execution of control techniques are explained in details and the hardware implementation for signals instrumentation are also presented. The integration between software simulation and real time execution is achieved by means of the use of the dSPACE R DS1104 framework together with the real time tools developed in MATLAB R . From the user point-of-view, the transition from simulation environment to real time execution environment is achieved by simply changing the model blocks by the real time blocks, both developed in the proposed framework library. The real time environment can be compiled inside Simulink and the algorithm can be loaded into DS1104 board to be executed. Experiments that demonstrate the applicability of the proposed framework are presented which implement the V=f, indirect field oriented and direct field oriented controls on both, 3-phase and 5-phase, induction machines.