Global ETD Search

31	A Study on the Integration of Multivariate MetOcean, Ocean Circulation, and Trajectory Modeling Data with Static Geographic Information Systems for Better Marine Resources Management and Protection During Coastal Oil Spill Response – A Case Study and Gap Analysis on Northeastern Gulf of Mexico Tidal Inlets Knudsen, Richard Ray 06 November 2015 (has links) The Oil Pollution Act of 1990 requires the development of Regional and Area Contingency Plans. For more than 20 years, the State of Florida, under both the Department of Environmental Protection and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, has worked closely with the U.S. Coast Guard and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to develop these plans for coastal and marine oil spill response. Current plans, developed with local, state and federal stakeholder input, use geographic information systems (GIS) data such as location and extent of sensitive ecological, wildlife, and human-use features (termed Environmental Sensitivity Index data), pre-defined protection priorities, and spatially explicit protection strategies to support decision-making by responders (termed Geographic Response Plans). However, they are long overdue for improvements that incorporate modern oceanographic modeling techniques and integrated data from coastal ocean observing systems. Better understanding of circulation in nearshore and estuarine waters, at a scale consistent with other spatial data, is especially lacking in Area Contingency Plans. This paper identifies the gaps in readily available information on the circulation-driven causes and effects missing in current oil spill contingency planning and describes a sample methodology whereby multiple coastal and ocean spatial science disciplines are used to answer questions that no single, non-integrated discipline can answer by itself. A path forward for further integration and development of more comprehensive plans to better support coastal protection in Florida is proposed. The advances made here are applicable to other coastal regions of the world. Panhandle Florida Geodatabase Contingency Planning Fish Wildlife Habitats Estuary Environmental Sensitivity Index (ESI) Geographic Information Sciences Library and Information Science Oceanography
32	SIMULATOR BASED MISSION OPTIMIZATION FOR SWARM UAVS WITH MINIMUM SAFETY DISTANCE BETWEEN NEIGHBORS Xiaolin Xu (17592396) 11 December 2023 (has links) <p dir="ltr">Methodologies for optimizing UAVs' control for varied environmental conditions have become crucial in the recent development for UAV control sector, yet they are lacking. This research focuses on the dynamism of the Gazebo simulator and PX4 Autopilot flight controller, frequently referenced in academic sectors for their versatility in generating close-to-reality digital environments. This thesis proposed an integrated simulation system that ensures realistic wind and gust interactions in the digital world and efficient data extraction by employing an industrial standard control communication protocol called MAVLink with the also the industry standard ground control software QGroundControl, using real and historical weather information from NOAA database. This study also looks into the potential of reinforcement learning, namely the DDPG algorithm, in determining optimal UAV safety distance, trajectory prediction, and mission planning under wind disruption. The overall goal is to enhance UAV stability and safety in various wind-disturbed conditions. Mainly focusing on minimizing potential collision risks in areas such as streets, valleys, tunnels, or really anywhere has winds and obstacles. The ROS network further enhanced these components, streamlining UAV response analysis in simulated conditions. This research presents a machine-learning approach to UAV flight safety and efficiency in dynamic environments by synthesizing an integrated simulation system with reinforcement learning. And the results model has a high accuracy, reaching 91%, 92%, and 97% accuracy on average in prediction of maximum shifting displacement, and left/right shifting displacement, when testing with real wind parameters from KLAF airport. </p> reinforcement learning using UAV flight planning software airspace conservation NOAA Climate Forecast System Simulator integration open source curriculum development Wind gust factor Control system;
33	Methods to Monitor Lake Erie's Harmful Algal Blooms: A Fellowship with the Cooperative Institute for Great Lakes Research Fyffe, Deanna Lynne 30 November 2017 (has links) No description available. Aquatic Sciences Environmental Health Environmental Science Environmental Studies Freshwater Ecology Microbiology Water Resource Management
34	Natural gas storage level forecasting using temperature data Sundin, Daniel January 2020 (has links) Even though the theory of storage is historically a popular view to explain commodity futures prices, many authors focus on the oil price link. Past studies have shown an increased futures price volatility on Mondays and days when natural gas storage levels are released, which could both implicate that storage levels and temperature data are incorporated in the prices. In this thesis, the U.S. natural gas storage level change is studied as a function of the consumption and production. Consumption and production are furthered segmented and separately forecasted by modelling inverse problems that are solved by least squares regression using temperature data and timeseries analysis. The results indicate that each consumer consumption segment is highly dependent of the temperature with R2-values of above 90%. However, modelling each segment completely by time-series analysis proved to be more efficient due to lack of flexibility in the polynomials, lack of used weather stations and seasonal patterns in addition to the temperatures. Although the forecasting models could not beat analysts’ consensus estimates, these present natural gas storage level drivers and can thus be used to incorporate temperature forecasts when estimating futures prices. Natural gas storage forecasting Natural gas storage Natural gas Storage forecasting Forecasting Futures Futures forecasting Natural gas futures forecasting Least squares regression Regression Machine learning Exponential Weighted Moving Average Moving Average EWMA MA Seasonality Commodity futures Optimisation Inverse problems Consumption forecasting Production Forecasting Residential Commercial Industrial Electric power NOAA EIA Pipelines Polynomial Weather stations Mathematics Matematik
35	Analysis of a novel thermoelectric generator in the built environment Lozano, Adolfo 05 October 2011 (has links) This study centered on a novel thermoelectric generator (TEG) integrated into the built environment. Designed by Watts Thermoelectric LLC, the TEG is essentially a novel assembly of thermoelectric modules whose required temperature differential is supplied by hot and cold streams of water flowing through the TEG. Per its recommended operating conditions, the TEG nominally generates 83 Watts of electrical power. In its default configuration in the built environment, solar-thermal energy serves as the TEG’s hot stream source and geothermal energy serves as its cold stream source. Two systems-level, thermodynamic analyses were performed, which were based on the TEG’s upcoming characterization testing, scheduled to occur later in 2011 in Detroit, Michigan. The first analysis considered the TEG coupled with a solar collector system. A numerical model of the coupled system was constructed in order to estimate the system’s annual energetic performance. It was determined numerically that over the course of a sample year, the solar collector system could deliver 39.73 megawatt-hours (MWh) of thermal energy to the TEG. The TEG converted that thermal energy into a net of 266.5 kilowatt-hours of electricity in that year. The second analysis focused on the TEG itself during operation with the purpose of providing a preliminary thermodynamic characterization of the TEG. Using experimental data, this analysis found the TEG’s operating efficiency to be 1.72%. Next, the annual emissions that would be avoided by implementing the zero-emission TEG were considered. The emission factor of Michigan’s electric grid, RFCM, was calculated to be 0.830 tons of carbon dioxide-equivalent (CO2e) per MWh, and with the TEG’s annual energy output, it was concluded that 0.221 tons CO2e would be avoided each year with the TEG. It is important to note that the TEG can be linearly scaled up by including additional modules. Thus, these benefits can be multiplied through the incorporation of more TEG units. Finally, the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) of the TEG integrated into the built environment with the solar-thermal hot source and passive ground-based cold source was considered. The LCOE of the system was estimated to be approximately $8,404/MWh, which is substantially greater than current generation technologies. Note that this calculation was based on one particular configuration with a particular and narrow set of assumptions, and is not intended to be a general conclusion about TEG systems overall. It was concluded that while solar-thermal energy systems can sustain the TEG, they are capital-intensive and therefore not economically suitable for the TEG given the assumptions of this analysis. In the end, because of the large costs associated with the solar-thermal system, waste heat recovery is proposed as a potentially more cost-effective provider of the TEG’s hot stream source. / text Thermoelectric generator TEG Novel thermoelectric generator Thermoelectrics Thermoelectric effect Thermoelectric modules Thermoelectric device Patent application Hot stream source Cold stream source EIA EERE Systems-level analysis Energy balance Control volume analysis Thermodynamic analysis Insolation data Insolation incident on a panel Incident insolation Extraterrestrial insolation NREL Ambient temperature data NOAA Renewable energy sources Energy generation technology Electricity generation technology Thermal energy Coupled system Emissions Greenhouse gas GHG Emissions analysis Zero-emission Emissions avoided Emission factor EF Reliability First Corporation RFC Built environment Integrated into the built environment Solar-thermal energy Solar collector system Photovoltaic thermal PVT panel Thermal storage tank Geothermal energy Geothermal heat pump GHP Ground source heat pump GSHP Numerical analysis Numerical model MATLAB Finite-difference Euler explicit Electric grid Annual energetic performance Annual electricity generation Operating efficiency System efficiency Thermodynamic characterization Economic analysis Levelized cost of energy LCOE Waste heat recovery Carbon dioxide equivalent CO2e Capital costs Installed costs Operating and maintenance costs

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