This thesis presents an application of the Ant Colony algorithm for optimizing filter placement and sizing on a radial distribution system to reduce power losses and keep the effective harmonic voltage values and the total harmonic distortion (THD) within prescribed limits. First, a harmonic load flow (HLF) algorithm is performed to demonstrate the effect of harmonic sources on total power loss. Then the Ant Colony algorithm is used in conjunction with HLF to place a selection of filter sizes available at each possible location so that both power loss and THD are minimized. As a result the optimal adjustment of location and size of the filter are determined. Results of computational experiments on standard test systems are presented to demonstrate improvement and effectiveness of using the filters at the optimal location. The methodology used can be easily extended to different distribution network configurations. / Master Thesis

An acid rock drainage (ARD) stream emanating from the Zn-Pb XY-deposit in the Yukon Territory was examined in order to evaluate the physico-chemical and geochemical processes governing the distribution of dissolved elements from the creek. The creek showed very high concentrations of metals (300 mg/L Fe, 500 mg/L Zn, 15 000 µg/L Ni, 1300 µg/L Cu and 4500 µg/L Cd), low water temperatures (1 – 12°C) and was acidic to moderately acidic (pH 3.1 – 5.0). It was found that this stream experienced a strong seasonal evolution, with increased sulphate and metal concentrations and decreased pH over the course of the summer. The mineral precipitates that formed under low pH conditions were a mixture of schwertmannite, goethite, jarosite and barite, while those that formed under moderately acidic conditions were a mixture of jurbanite, hydrobasaluminite, gibbsite and an X-ray amorphous Al-sulphate phase. Most of the mineral precipitates were of inorganic origin, although microbes may have played a role in mineral formation and trace metal sequestration in some of the precipitates. All of the mineral precipitates contained anomalous concentrations of trace elements (up to 1.5 % wt Zn) and showed a seasonal evolution in their mineralogy, both of which were determined to be a function of the pH and prevailing geochemical conditions. The geochemistry of the ARD creek draining the XY-deposit was compared to another ARD creek in the area that was likely draining shales. The two creeks were compared in order to determine if ARD geochemical characteristics can be used as a tool for the mineral exploration industry.

In this study, exchange rate pass-through into the export prices and import prices is analyzed separately at the disaggregate level. The study also attempts to differentiate exchange rate pass-through in the short-run and long-run. To analyze pass-through in the short-run, dynamic modeling is used. To analyze pass-through in the long-run, cointegration analysis is conducted. Estimation results show that exchange rate pass-through into the import prices is complete even at the disaggregate level. However, there is variation in the pass-through into the export prices across sectors both in the short-run and long-run. Not all exporting sectors, even in a small open economy like Turkey, are price takers in the foreign markets.

This study investigates the degree of exchange rate pass-through to prices in different sectors for Turkish economy using Johansen Cointegration procedure. The study is based on quarterly data from 1994:1 to 2003:4. In this study it is concluded that the long-run exchange rate pass-through to overall wholesale prices for Turkey is very high and nearly complete. High pass-through degrees are also valid for different sub-sectors wholesale prices like private, public, manufacturing industry and energy. Moreover, it is detected that the prices set by public sector have higher exchange rate pass-through but longer adjustment period as compared to private sector prices.

This work introduces fundamental knowledge of EMI, and presents three basic features correlated to EMI susceptibility: nonlinear distortion, asymmetric slew rate (SR) and parasitic capacitance. Different existing EMI-resisting techniques are analyzed and compared to each other in terms of EMI-Induced input offset voltage and other important specifications such as current consumption. In this work, EMI-robust analog circuits are proposed, of which the architecture is based on source-buffered differential pair in the previous publications. The EMI performance of the proposed topologies has been verified within a test IC which was fabricated in NCSU 0.5um CMOS technology. Experimental results are presented when an EMI disturbance signal of 400mV and 800mV amplitude was injected at the input terminals, and compared with a conventional and an existing topology. The tested maximal EMI-induced input offset voltage corresponds to -222mV for the new structure, which is compared to -712mV for the conventional one and -368mV for the one using existing source-buffered technique in literature. Furthermore the overall performances of the circuits such as current consumption or input referred noise are also provided with the corresponding simulation results.

Thesis (D. Min.)--New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, 2003. / Includes abstract and vita. Includes project proposal. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 128-132).

Thesis (D. Min.)--New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, 2003. / Includes abstract and vita. Includes project proposal. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 128-132).

Thesis (D. Min.)--New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, 2003. / Includes abstract and vita. Includes project proposal. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 128-132).

The finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method is one of most widely used computational electromagnetics (CEM) methods to solve the Maxwell's equations for modern engineering problems. In biomedical applications, like the microwave imaging for early disease detection and treatment, the human tissues are considered as lossy and dispersive materials. The most popular model to describe the material properties of human body is the Debye model. In order to simulate the computational domain as an open region for biomedical applications, the complex-frequency-shifted perfectly matched layers (CFS-PML) are applied to absorb the outgoing waves. The CFS-PML is highly efficient at absorbing the evanescent or very low frequency waves. This thesis investigates the stability of the CFS-PML and presents some conditions to determine the parameters for the one dimensional and two dimensional CFS-PML.The advantages of the FDTD method are the simplicity of implementation and the capability for various applications. However the Courant-Friedrichs-Lewy (CFL) condition limits the temporal size for stable FDTD computations. Due to the CFL condition, the computational efficiency of the FDTD method is constrained by the fine spatial-temporal sampling, especially in the simulations with the electrically small objects or dispersive materials. Instead of modifying the explicit time updating equations and the leapfrog integration of the conventional FDTD method, the spatial filtered FDTD method extends the CFL limit by filtering out the unstable components in the spatial frequency domain. This thesis implements filtered FDTD method with CFS-PML and one-pole Debye medium, then introduces a guidance to optimize the spatial filter for improving the computational speed with desired accuracy.

This dissertation consists of three research studies on capital flows to South Asian countries, estimation of interest rate pass through in Pakistan and the relative city price convergence in Pakistan. The study has used panel data techniques for empirical estimations. The first study attempts to estimate capital mobility in South Asia using saving investment relationship technique and real interest rate differentials methods as suggested by Frankel (1992). The study finds that real interest rate differentials of South Asian countries are stationary and mean reverting with North American, European and Asian countries. Although the RIDS are stationary showing strong evidence of capital mobility, the savings investment correlation is significant. The correlation of savings and investment decreased after 1990s, the post liberalization period implying increased capital mobility afterwards. The RIDs technique provided stronger evidence of than savings and investment correlation technique. The second study is on the estimation of interest rate pass through in Pakistan using two types of data sets i.e. aggregate bank type and retail bank data. The study finds that both lending, deposit and Treasury Bill (TB) rates are non stationary using aggregate data. The lending and TB rate are found to be cointegrated but deposit rate is not found to be cointegrated. The IRPT of four types of banks is found to be less than 1 but three banks showed the IRPT to be higher than 0.5. The highest IRPT is 0.72 in the case of nationalized banks followed by o.70 by privatized banks. The foreign banks IRPT are 0.60. The lowest IRPT is estimated at 0.3. The error correction model estimates overall IRPT to be 0.6 and the convergence parameter is 0.05. It is low and implies that convergence takes time. The study does not find change in 2005 after January 2005 but the speed of adjustment increased when the lending rate is below equilibrium. The retail data provides evidence that lending and deposit rates both are non stationary and cointegrated with TB rate. I found evidence of complete lending rate pass through with Spatial GLS but Phillips Loretain (1991) model shows incomplete pass through. The deposit rate is found to be incomplete and sticky with both the techniques. The third essay provides evidence on relative city price convergence in 35 Pakistani cities with 2 numeraire cities of Lahore and Karachi. The study estimates the autocorrelation coefficient with 2 techniques i.e. OLS and Spatial GLS. Furthermore city wise half life of price shock is also estimated. The empirical evidence supports the hypothesis of convergence in Pakistani cities with both the numeraire cities. The overall half life is estimated to be less than 6 months but there is found heterogeneity in the city wise half life estimates. The half life estimates from Spatial GLS are found to be lower than OLS. The convergence has been found even in the case of distant bordering cities. The overall results support that domestic Purchasing Power Parity holds in Pakistan.