ESTG - Artigos em revistas internacionais
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Percorrer ESTG - Artigos em revistas internacionais por Objetivos de Desenvolvimento Sustentável (ODS) "11:Cidades e Comunidades Sustentáveis"
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- A bi-criteria minimum spanning tree routing model for MPLS/overlay networksPublication . José Craveirinha; João Clímaco; Lúcia Martins; Silva, Carlos Gomes da; Nuno FerreiraThe MPLS platform enables the implementation of advanced multipath and multicast routing schemes. This work develops and analyses the performance of a new bicriteria minimum spanning tree model intended for routing broadcast messages in MPLS networks or constructing treebased overlay networks. The aim of the model is to obtain spanning trees which are compromise solutions with respect to two important traffic engineering metrics: load balancing cost and average delay bound. An exact solution to the formulated bi-criteria optimization problem is presented, which is based on an algorithm that enables the computation of the set of supported non-dominated spanning trees. An application model and a set of experiments on randomly generated Internet type topologies will also be presented. Finally a network performance analysis of the model considering three network performance metrics will be shown.
- Active reflection coefficients characterization system for multiple input multiple output antennasPublication . Jordão, Marina; Belo, Daniel; Caldeirinha, Rafael F. S.; Oliveira, Arnaldo S. R.; Carvalho, Nuno B.The main objective of this study is to present a characterization system that can be used to measure the active reflection coefficient of each port of the multiple input multiple output (MIMO) antennas, when the main beam is steered to an intended direction. Since MIMO systems are composed of antennas with several elements and each antenna element is connected to a power amplifier, an active component, the beamforming will contribute to the mismatch of each branch. To this extent, a calibrated measurement system has been implemented using off-the-shelf software defined radio and designed to effectively extract such coefficients, when all the ports are simultaneously excited. Results for linear and planar MIMO antenna arrays have been experimentally obtained for several beam directions and the impact of beamforming on each element of the antenna is presented and compared to simulated results. Additionally, their behaviour was also assessed when some of the radiation elements are deliberately disconnected, mimicking those not working properly.
- Active stereo tracking of N ≤ 3 targets using line scan camerasPublication . Barreto, Joao P.; Perdigoto, Luis; Caseiro, Rui; Araujo, HelderThis paper presents a general approach for the simultaneous tracking of multiple moving targets using a generic active stereo setup. The problem is formulated on the plane, where cameras are modeled as line scan cameras, and targets are described as points with unconstrained motion. We propose to control the active system parameters in such a manner that the images of the targets in the two views are related by a homography. This homography is specified during the design stage and, thus, can be used to implicitly encode the desired tracking behavior. Such formulation leads to an elegant geometric framework that enables a systematic and thorough analysis of the problem at hand. The benefits of the approach are illustrated by applying the framework to two distinct stereo configurations. In the first case, we assume two pan-tilt-zoom cameras, with rotation and zoom control, which are arbitrarily placed in the working environment. It is proved that such a stereo setup can track up to N = 3 free-moving targets, while assuring that the image location of each target is the same for both views. The second example considers a robot head with neck pan motion and independent eye rotation. For this case, it is shown that it is not possible to track more than N=2 targets because of the lack of zoom. The theoretical framework is used to derive the control equations, and the implementation of the tracking behavior is described in detail. The correctness of the results is confirmed through simulations and real tracking experiments.
- Adsorption Behavior and Mechanism of Oxytetracycline on Rice Husk Ash: Kinetics, Equilibrium, and Thermodynamics of the ProcessPublication . Andrade, Christhel A.; Zambrano-Intriago, Luis Angel; Oliveira, Nelson S.; Vieira, Judite S.; Quiroz-Fernández, Luis Santiago; Rodríguez-Díaz, Joan ManuelThe main objective of the present study is to determine the kinetics, thermodynamics, and adsorption mechanism of the oxytetracycline (OTC) on rice husk ash (RHA). The adsorbent was characterized by scanning electronic microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and nitrogen physisorption. Batch studies were carried out to evaluate the influence of the adsorbent dose, initial concentration, contact time, temperature, and initial pH. RHA was characterized as having heterogeneous, fibrous, and porous particles, consisting predominantly of silica. The removal of OTC depends on the pH of the medium, which is favored at acid pH values. The kinetic data followed the Bangham model, which indicated an OTC diffusion in the pores of RHA, although this was not the only process, as demonstrated through the use of the Weber-Morris model (IPD model). The Sips isotherm best represents the experimental results of the equilibrium study. It was found that the adsorption process was spontaneous and endothermic. The highest adsorption capacity was found at a pH in the range of 4–6, when the OTC is in its zwitterion form and the surface of the RHA is positively charged, thus permitting electrostatic interactions and the formation of hydrogen bonds between the adsorbent and adsorbate molecules. These findings demonstrate the potential of rice husk ash to remove oxytetracycline from water.
- AlineaGA - a genetic algorithm with local search optimization for multiple sequence alignmentPublication . Silva, Fernando José Mateus da; Pérez, Juan Manuel Sánchez; Pulido, Juan Antonio Gómez; Rodríguez, Miguel A. VegaThe alignment and comparison of DNA, RNA and Protein sequences is one of the most common and important tasks in Bioinformatics. However, due to the size and complexity of the search space involved, the search for the best possible alignment for a set of sequences is not trivial. Genetic Algorithms have a predisposition for optimizing general combinatorial problems and therefore are serious candidates for solving multiple sequence alignment tasks. Local search optimization can be used to refine the solutions explored by Genetic Algorithms. We have designed a Genetic Algorithm which incorporates local search for this purpose: AlineaGA. We have tested AlineaGA with representative sequence sets of the globin family. We also compare the achieved results with the results provided by T-COFFEE.
- Anaerobic Mesophilic Co-Digestion of Swine Slurry and Hidrolyzate in Batch Reactors: A Case StudyPublication . Domingues, Paulo S.; Pala, Helena; Oliveira, Nelson S.The management of residual flows from swine farms, such as slurry and hydrolyzate, is a serious environmental problem in Portugal, so the search for new solutions is important, especially if they can be implemented in production sites, avoiding the transport of waste. Anaerobic co-digestion can configure a sustainable method of management and valorization of these flows in swine farms, resulting in biogas to produce energy and a digestate with agronomic value. The swine hydrolyzate is the product from the elimination of swine carcasses on the farms, through a hydrolysis process. Its use in the anaerobic process wasn’t found in the literature, identifying the need to evaluate its potential. Thus, anaerobic co-digestion of swine slurry and hydrolyzate was carried out and the main purpose of this research was to find the best feeding ratio between the two substrates in batch test, focusing on biogas production. The study was developed in two phases, both under mesophilic conditions. In the first one, using 100 ml syringes, the effect of the relative proportion of substrates on the anaerobic co-digestion potential was investigated and the effect of pressure sterilization of the substrates on biogas production was verified. In the second phase, a larger scale study was carried out in a 4,500 ml digestor, ran under the conditions identified as the most favorable in the preliminary tests. The results obtained allowed us to conclude that the largest volume of accumulated biogas was obtained with the proportion of 90.9% swine slurry: 9.1% swine hydrolyzate (v/v); and that the sterilization of the substrates doesn’t constitute an effective thermal pre-treatment. The larger scale test revealed an inefficient anaerobic process due to the inhibitory effect caused by the accumulation of ammonia and volatile organic acids. However, the production yield was 606.8 LBiogas/kgVS and 431.6 LMethane/kgVS, indicating that process allowed a production of biogas and methane higher than the values cited in literature for anaerobic digestion of swine slurry. This result showed that the use of swine hydrolyzate as a co-substrate results in a better balance of nutrients, promoting a better development of microorganisms.
- Analysis of fatigue crack propagation in laser sintering metalPublication . Borrego, L. F. P.; Antunes, F. V.; Ferreira, J. A. M.; Costa, J. D.; Capela, C.Laser sintering metal has recently been used in the manufacture of components for different applications like aerospace or medicine. The approach to engineering design based on the cracks propagation assumption applying the concepts of linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM) is commonly used for aerospace engineering. However, fatigue crack propagation is linked to irreversible and non-linear mechanisms at the crack tip, therefore LEFM parameters can be successfully replaced by non-linear crack parameters, namely the plastic CTOD. A model linking da/dN with plastic CTOD is proposed here to characterize fatigue crack propagation. A comparison is made with other materials showing that for the same plastic CTOD the laser sintering material has a relatively large crack growth rate.
- Analysis of vehicle exhaust waste heat recovery potential using a Rankine cyclePublication . Domingues, António; Santos, Helder; Costa, MárioThis study evaluates the vehicle exhaust WHR (waste heat recovery) potential using a RC (Rankine cycle ). To this end, both a RC thermodynamic model and a heat exchanger model have been developed. Both models use as input, experimental data obtained from a vehicle tested on a chassis dynamometer. The thermodynamic analysis was performed for water, R123 and R245fa and revealed the advantage of using water as the working fluid in applications of thermal recovery from exhaust gases of vehicles equipped with a spark-ignition engine. Moreover, the heat exchanger effectiveness for the organic working fluids R123 and R245fa is higher than that for the water and, consequently, they can also be considered appropriate for use in vehicle WHR applications through RCs when the exhaust gas temperatures are relatively low. For an ideal heat exchanger, the simulations revealed increases in the internal combustion engine thermal and vehicle mechanical efficiencies of 1.4%-3.52% and 10.16%-15.95%, respectively, while for a shell and tube heat exchanger, the simulations showed an increase of 0.85%-1.2% in the thermal efficiency and an increase of 2.64%-6.96% in the mechanical efficiency for an evaporating pressure of 2 MPa. The results confirm the advantages of using the thermal energy contained in the vehicle exhaust gases through RCs. Furthermore, the present analysis demonstrates that improved evaporator designs and appropriate expander devices allowing for higher evaporating pressures are required to obtain the maximum WHR potential from vehicle RC systems.
- Are authentic leaders associated with more virtuous, committed and potent teams?Publication . Rego, Arménio; Vitória, Andreia; Magalhães, Ana; Ribeiro, Neuza; Pina e Cunha, MiguelThrough a team-level analysis, the study shows how authentic leadership (AL) predicts team potency both directly and through the mediating role of team virtuousness and team affective commitment. Data about AL and team virtuousness were collected two months before data collection on team affective commitment and team potency. Fifty-one teams were selected for testing the hypotheses. The main findings are the following: (a) AL predicts team affective commitment through the mediating role of team virtuousness; (b) team virtuousness predicts team potency through the mediating role of team affective commitment; (c) AL predicts team potency through the mediating role of team virtuousness and team affective commitment. By focusing on two positive constructs (AL and team virtuousness), for which interrelations have rarely been explored, the study contributes to the Positive Organizational Scholarship movement, and suggests that AL and virtuousness are good in themselves and also potential facilitators of team success.
- Assessing the relevance of load profiling information in electrical load forecasting based on neural network modelsPublication . Sousa, J.C.; Neves, L.P.; H.M. JorgeThe article is focused on evaluating the relevance of load profiling information in electrical load forecasting, using neural networks as the forecasting methodology. Different models, with and without load profiling information, were tested and compared, and, the importance of the different inputs was investigated, using the concept of partial derivatives to understand the relevance of including this type of data in the input space. The paper presents a model for the day ahead load profile prediction for an area with many consumers. The results were analyzed with a simulated load diagram (to illustrate a distribution feeder) and also with a specific output of a 60/15 kV real distribution substation that feeds a small town. The adopted methodology was successfully implemented and resulted in reducing the mean absolute percentage error between 0.5% and 16%, depending on the nature of the concurrent methodology used and the forecasted day, with a major benefit regarding the treatment of special days (holidays). The results illustrate an interesting potential for the use of the load profiling information in forecasting.