Sizing Algorithm for a Photovoltaic System along an Urban Railway Network towards Net Zero Emission

A reliable transportation system is essential for the development of a community. Especially in urban transportation, rail transportation is a faster, more comfortable way to travel for the commuters. These benefits can be valued further when the rail transportation system is with zero emissions. Electric trains can be considered a zero-emission transportation method. However, a rail transportation system operates with net-zero emissions when electricity is generated from zero-emission-based sources. Photovoltaic systems have already been integrated into railway stations and spare land owned by railways to achieve net-zero emissions. Furthermore, medium-voltage DC network and microgrid concepts have been proposed to incorporate more renewable energy sources into railway electrification systems. However, the energy generated from those systems is not enough to realise net-zero emissions, as the power requirements of an urban railway electrification system are high. Accordingly, this article investigates the possibility of implementing a photovoltaic system along the railway tracks to meet the energy demands of an urban railway electrification system so that net-zero emissions can be achieved. Other significant advantages of the proposed photovoltaic system are lower feeder losses due to distributed photovoltaic systems integrated into the railway electrification system, lower conversion losses due to the direct integration of the photovoltaic system into the railway electrification system, and the nonrequirement of additional space to install the photovoltaic system. In this paper, a photovoltaic system capacity sizing algorithm is proposed and presented by considering a railway electrification system, the daily schedule of trains, and historical photovoltaic weather data. This proposed photovoltaic system capacity sizing algorithm was evaluated considering a section of the urban railway network of Sri Lanka and a three-year, 2017-2020, photovoltaic weather data. The results indicated that the potential for photovoltaic generation by installing photovoltaic systems along a railway track is much higher than the requirement, and it is possible to meet the required train scheduling options with proper sizing. Furthermore, in the three-year analysis, it is possible to achieve 90% of the energy required for the railway electrification system with effective train scheduling methods.

Conceptual design of coastal patrol vessel (CPV) with flight deck for the reception and deployment of helicopter

This paper presents the development of the conceptual design of a coastal Patrol vessel with the capacity to receive and deploy a helicopter, in order to increase the efficiency of coastguard operations developed by the Colombian National Navy. As a starting point, the design of the coastal patrol vessel built by Cotecmar and named CPV46 was taken, on which modifications were implemented in its main dimensions and distribution of spaces, which allowed to include a flight deck to receive a BELL 412 EP helicopter, complying with the regulations for this type of operations.This design was developed based on the design spiral method, where each turn of the spiral includes estimates and performance calculations influenced by each other and corresponding to the different stages of the design. For this work, the conceptual design was divided into eight booklets containing the state of the art, mission profile, capacity sizing, naval architecture, propeller selection, generator selection, stability study and cost estimation, concluding in the feasibility of the design based on its cost at a conceptual level.

Optimal Capacity Sizing for the Integration of a Battery and Photovoltaic Microgrid to Supply Auxiliary Services in Substations under a Contingency

Auxiliary services are vital for the operation of a substation. If a contingency affects the distribution feeder that provides energy for the auxiliary services, it could lead to the unavailability of the substation’s service. Therefore, backup systems such as diesel generators are used. Another alternative is the adoption of a microgrid with batteries and photovoltaic generation to supply substation auxiliary services during a contingency. Nevertheless, high battery costs and the intermittence of photovoltaic generation requires a careful analysis so the microgrid capacity is defined in a compromise between the investment and the unavailability reduction of auxiliary services. This paper proposes a method for the capacity sizing of a microgrid with batteries, photovoltaic generation, and bidirectional inverters to supply auxiliary services in substations under a contingency. A set of alternatives is assessed through exhaustive search and Monte Carlo simulations to cater for uncertainties of contingencies and variation of solar irradiation. An unavailability index is proposed to measure the contribution of the integrated hybrid microgrid to reduce the time that the substation is not in operation. Simulations carried out showed that the proposed method identifies the microgrid capacity with the lowest investment that satisfies a goal for the unavailability of the substation service.

Balancing of assembly operations and detailed design of workplace in software environment

The plants are primarily focused on increasing the efficiency of internal processes. The management of production plants therefore needs to know a realistic picture of their current state, risks and opportunities, so that the plant's presence on the market is not jeopardized and they are able to effectively manage internal and external processes. All this will be possible only through the implementation of new technologies and the transformation of existing factories through digitization. This combination must be based on the scheduling currently provided by interactive software scheduling systems. The article deals with the area of using a software solution for interactive evaluation and capacity sizing of production workers.