This book describes the operation and analysis of soft-commutated isolated DC-DC converters used in the design of high efficiency and high power density equipment. It explains the basic principles behind first- and second-order circuits with power switches to enable readers to understand the importance of these converters in high efficiency and high power density power supply design for residential, commercial, industrial and medical use as well as in aerospace equipment. With each chapter featuring a different power converter topology, the book covers the most important resonant converters, including series resonant converters; resonant LLC converters; soft commutation pulse width modulation converters; zero voltage switching; and zero current switching. Each topic is presented with full analysis, a showcase of the power stages of the converters, exercises and their solutions as well as simulation results, which mainly focus on the commutation analysis and output characteristic. This book is a valuable source of information for professionals working in power electronics, power conversion and design of high efficiency and high power density DC-DC converters and switch mode power supplies. The book also serves as a point of reference for engineers responsible for development projects and equipment in companies and research centers and a text for advanced students.

This book looks at the early history of nuclear power, at what happened next, and at its longer-term prospects. The main question is: can nuclear power overcome the problems that have emerged? It was once touted as the ultimate energy source, freeing mankind from reliance on dirty, expensive fossil energy. Sixty years on, nuclear only supplies around 11.5% of global energy and is being challenged by cheaper energy options. While the costs of renewable sources, like wind and solar, are falling rapidly, nuclear costs have remained stubbornly high. Its development has also been slowed by a range of other problems, including a spate of major accidents, security concerns and the as yet unresolved issue of what to do with the wastes that it produces. In response, a new generation of nuclear reactors is being developed, many of them actually revised versions of the ideas first looked at in the earlier phase. Will this new generation of reactors bring nuclear energy to the forefront of energy production in the future?

The focus of this book is the remarkable advances in understanding of low pressure RF (radio frequency) glow discharges. A basic analytical theory and plasma physics are explained. Plasma diagnostics are also covered before the practicalities of etcher use are explored.

This book explains the conversion of solar energy to chemical energy and its storage. It covers the basic background; interface modeling at the reacting surface; energy conversion with chemical, electrochemical and photoelectrochemical approaches and energy conversion using applied photosynthesis. The important concepts for converting solar to chemical energy are based on an understanding of the reactions' equilibrium and non-equilibrium conditions. Since the energy conversion is essentially the transfer of free energy, the process are explained in the context of thermodynamics.

This book addresses the potential of the transformation of biomass into a wide range of marketable products, and examines the biological, biochemical, physical and thermal processing of biomass into products such as fuels, power, heat, feeds, chemicals and materials. Respective chapters explore various topics including biomass characterization, biomass pre-conditioning and sustainability analysis, aspects that are supplemented by a global overview of their implementation in current pilot bio-refineries. Providing a valuable resource to energy engineers, chemical engineers, biotechnologists and economists, this book will also be of great interest to students and policymakers.

This book examines energy efficiency in the Australian built environment and presents current developments with a particular focus on the temperate setting of Victoria state. It is divided into four main parts discussing policies, climate, and carbon footprint and presenting case studies on the energy performance and indoor environmental quality of various building types. The book is intended for readers wanting to understand the various policies related to different buildings types and their energy performance.

Fire Pump Arrangements at Industrial Facilities, Third Edition delivers a practical reference from an author with a successful professional career in fire protection and loss prevention engineering in the oil and gas industry. While most regulatory standards are left to interpretation and try to cover multiple industries in one location, this book focuses on the equipment, standards and operations specific to the petroleum industry, covering quality controls, pump drivers and scheduled maintenance and audits so the equipment remains in safety compliance. Enhanced with new sections on human factors, case studies for modeling fire accidents and a look at recent events that have further shaped the safety and testing of fire pumps, the book provides the engineer and manager with a critical oil and gas resource for every aspect of firewater pumps.

Blowout and Well Control Handbook, Second Edition, brings the engineer and rig personnel up to date on all the useful methods, equipment, and project details needed to solve daily well control challenges. Blowouts are the most expensive and one of the most preventable accidents in the oil and gas industry. While some rig crews experience frequent well control incidents, some go years before seeing the real thing. Either way, the crew must always be prepared with quick understanding of the operations and calculations necessary to maintain well control. Updated to cover the lessons learned and new technology following the Macondo incident, this fully detailed reference will cover detection of influxes and losses in equipment and methods, a greater emphasis on kick tolerance considerations, an expanded section on floating drilling and deepwater floating drilling procedures, and a new blowout case history from Bangladesh. With updated photos, case studies, and practice examples, Blowout and Well Control Handbook, Second Edition will continue to deliver critical and modern well control information to ensure engineers and personnel stay safe, environmentally-responsible, and effective on the rig.

Renewable Energy Forecasting: From Models to Applications provides an overview of the state-of-the-art of renewable energy forecasting technology and its applications. After an introduction to the principles of meteorology and renewable energy generation, groups of chapters address forecasting models, very short-term forecasting, forecasting of extremes, and longer term forecasting. The final part of the book focuses on important applications of forecasting for power system management and in energy markets. Due to shrinking fossil fuel reserves and concerns about climate change, renewable energy holds an increasing share of the energy mix. Solar, wind, wave, and hydro energy are dependent on highly variable weather conditions, so their increased penetration will lead to strong fluctuations in the power injected into the electricity grid, which needs to be managed. Reliable, high quality forecasts of renewable power generation are therefore essential for the smooth integration of large amounts of solar, wind, wave, and hydropower into the grid as well as for the profitability and effectiveness of such renewable energy projects.

This volume provides a comprehensive overview of advanced research in the field of efficient, clean and renewable energy production, conversion and storage. The ten chapters, written by internationally respected experts, address the following topics: (1) solar and wind energy; (2) energy storage in batteries; (3) biomass; and (4) socio-economic aspects of energy. Given its multidisciplinary approach, which combines environmental analysis and an engineering perspective, the book offers a valuable resource for all researchers and students interested in environmentally sustainable energy production, conversion, storage and its engineering.

Taking the Qinghai-Tibet Railway as an example, this book introduces intelligent processing for Global Positioning Data (GPS) data. Combining theory with practical applications, it provides essential insights into the Chinese Qinghai-Tibet Railway and novel methods of data processing for GPS satellite positioning, making it a valuable resource for all those working with train control systems, train positioning systems, satellite positioning, and intelligent data processing. As satellite positioning guarantees the safe and efficient operation of train control systems, it focuses on how to best process the GPS data collected, including methods for error detection, reduction and information fusion.

This book provides a state-of-the-art review of floating offshore wind turbines (FOWT). It offers developers a global perspective on floating offshore wind energy conversion technology, documenting the key challenges and practical solutions that this new industry has found to date. Drawing on a wide network of experts, it reviews the conception, early design stages, load & structural analysis and the construction of FOWT. It also presents and discusses data from pioneering projects. Written by experienced professionals from a mix of academia and industry, the content is both practical and visionary. As one of the first titles dedicated to FOWT, it is a must-have for anyone interested in offshore renewable energy conversion technologies.

Loop control is an essential area of electronics engineering that today's professionals need to master. A control system is a complex electronics architecture involving setpoints and targets. One simple example is the cruise control system of an automobile. Rather than delving into extensive theory, this practical book focuses on what power electronics engineers really need to know for compensating or stabilizing a given system. Engineers can turn instantly to practical sections with numerous design examples and ready-made formulas to help them with their projects in the field. Readers also find coverage of the underpinnings and principles of control loops so they can gain a more complete understanding of the material. This authoritative volume explains how to conduct analysis of control systems and provides extensive details on practical compensators. It helps engineers measure their system, showing how to verify if a prototype is stable and features enough design margin. Moreover, professionals learn how to secure high-volume production by bench-verified safety margins.

Pipeline engineers, operators, and plant managers are responsible for the safety of pipelines, facilities, and staying on top of regulatory compliance and maintenance. However, they frequently need reference materials to support their decision, and many new pipeline engineers and plant managers are responsible for major repairs and decisions yet do not have the proper reference to set a holistic integrity plan in place. Pipeline Integrity, Second Edition delivers necessary pipeline inspection methods, identification of hazard mechanisms, risk and consequence evaluations, and repair strategies. Covering relevant standards and processes for risk, assessment, and integrity management, this go-to reference provides the principles that guide these concepts enhanced with more critical regulatory information and easier organization betwen liquid and gas pipelines. More detailed information is provided on asset reliability, including risk-based inspection and other inspection prioritizing tools such as value-driven maintenance and evidence-based asset management. Pipeline Integrity, Second Edition continues to provide engineers and plants managers a vital resource for keeping their pipelines and facilities safe and efficient.

This book provides a detailed description of fault tolerant design techniques for smart power drivers and their application in the design of automotive airbag ICs to ensure correct deployment. The book begins with an introduction to the nature of electrical loads in the car, then moves on to describe various current sensing circuits, featuring thermal simulations. It shows how simple design techniques can be applied to ensure appropriate functionality of the IC under any power up condition. It concludes by introducing diagnostic circuits and measurement results. This book is a useful reference for automotive IC designers and provides specifications and design guidelines not found in the current literature.

Intelligent prediction and decision support systems are based on signal processing, computer vision (CV), machine learning (ML), software engineering (SE), knowledge based systems (KBS), data mining, artificial intelligence (AI) and include several systems developed from the study of expert systems (ES), genetic algorithms (GA), artificial neural networks (ANN) and fuzzy-logic systems The use of automatic decision support systems in design and manufacturing industry, healthcare and commercial software development systems has the following benifits: Cost savings in companies, due to employment of expert system technology. Fast decision making, completion of projects in time and development of new products. Improvement in decision making capability and quality. Usage of Knowledge database and Preservation of expertise of individuals Eases complex decision problems. Ex: Diagnosis in Healthcare To address the issues and challenges related to development, implementation and application of automatic and intelligent prediction and decision support systems in domains such as manufacturing, healthcare and software product design, development and optimization, this book aims to collect and publish wide ranges of quality articles such as original research contributions, methodological reviews, survey papers, case studies and/or reports covering intelligent systems, expert prediction systems, evaluation models, decision support systems and Computer Aided Diagnosis (CAD).

Smart grid (SG), also called intelligent grid, is a modern improvement of the traditional power grid that will revolutionize the way electricity is produced, delivered, and consumed. Studying key concepts such as advanced metering infrastructure, distribution management systems, and energy management systems will support the design of a cost-effective, reliable, and efficient supply system, and will create a real-time bidirectional communication means and information exchange between the consumer and the grid operator of electric power. Optimizing and Measuring Smart Grid Operation and Control is a critical reference source that presents recent research on the operation, control, and optimization of smart grids. Covering topics that include phase measurement units, smart metering, and synchrophasor technologies, this book examines all aspects of modern smart grid measurement and control. It is designed for engineers, researchers, academicians, and students.

IFToMM conferences have a history of success due to the various advances achieved in the field of rotor dynamics over the past three decades. These meetings have since become a leading global event, bringing together specialists from industry and academia to promote the exchange of knowledge, ideas, and information on the latest developments in the dynamics of rotating machinery. The scope of the conference is broad, including e.g. active components and vibration control, balancing, bearings, condition monitoring, dynamic analysis and stability, wind turbines and generators, electromechanical interactions in rotor dynamics and turbochargers. The proceedings are divided into four volumes. This fourth volume covers the following main topics: aero-engines; turbochargers; eolian (wind) generators; automotive rotating systems; and hydro power plants.

The comprehensive, accessible introduction to fuel cells, their applications, and the challenges they pose

Fuel cells--electrochemical energy devices that produce electricity and heat--present a significant opportunity for cleaner, easier, and more practical energy. However, the excitement over fuel cells within the research community has led to such rapid innovation and development that it can be difficult for those not intimately familiar with the science involved to figure out exactly how this new technology can be used. Fuel Cells: Problems and Solutions, Second Edition addresses this issue head on, presenting the most important information about these remarkable power sources in an easy-to-understand way.

Comprising four important sections, the book explores:

The fundamentals of fuel cells, how they work, their history, and much more

The major types of fuel cells, including proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC), direct liquid fuel cells (DLFC), and many others

The scientific and engineering problems related to fuel cell technology

The commercialization of fuel cells, including a look at their uses around the world

Now in its second edition, this book features fully revised coverage of the modeling of fuel cells and small fuel cells for portable devices, and all-new chapters on the structural and wetting properties of fuel cell components, experimental methods for fuel cell stacks, and nonconventional design principles for fuel cells, bringing the content fully up to date.

Designed for advanced undergraduate and graduate students in engineering and chemistry programs, as well as professionals working in related fields, Fuel Cells is a compact and accessible introduction to the exciting world of fuel cells and why they matter.

Against the backdrop of rapid advances in the energy sector, this book provides a concise overview of the complex challenges in the energy paradigm today, which revolve around the seemingly unsolvable energy equation. The author, an experienced energy professional, combines the various aspects of the energy transition into a single perspective. While highlighting a number of salient problems, he also explores grounds for optimism that these challenges can and will be met. After establishing the historical context, the book presents an analysis of today's energy industry, different energy sources, countries and determinants of energy demand, supplementing all sections with a wealth of global and local data. It subsequently proposes measures to solve the energy equation and a roadmap for a sustainable future, based on more efficient energy use, cleaner energy production and advanced technologies.

This thesis focuses on the synthesis and characterization of various carbon allotropes (e.g., graphene oxide/graphene, graphene foam (GF), GF/carbon nanotube (CNT) hybrids) and their composites for electrochemical energy storage applications. The coverage ranges from materials synthesis to electrochemical analysis, to state-of-the-art electrochemical energy storage devices, and demonstrates how electrochemical characterization techniques can be integrated and applied in the active materials selection and nanostructure design process. Readers will also discover the latest findings on graphene-based electrochemical energy storage devices including asymmetric supercapacitors, lithium ion batteries and flexible Ni/Fe batteries. Given the unique experimental procedures and methods, the systematic electrochemical analysis, and the creative flexible energy storage device design presented, the thesis offers a valuable reference guide for researchers and newcomers to the field of carbon-based electrochemical energy storage.

From the Foreword: "...the presentation of real-time scheduling is probably the best in terms of clarity I have ever read in the professional literature. Easy to understand, which is important for busy professionals keen to acquire (or refresh) new knowledge without being bogged down in a convoluted narrative and an excessive detail overload. The authors managed to largely avoid theoretical-only presentation of the subject, which frequently affects books on operating systems. ... an indispensable [resource] to gain a thorough understanding of the real-time systems from the operating systems perspective, and to stay up to date with the recent trends and actual developments of the open-source real-time operating systems." -Richard Zurawski, ISA Group, San Francisco, California, USA Real-time embedded systems are integral to the global technological and social space, but references still rarely offer professionals the sufficient mix of theory and practical examples required to meet intensive economic, safety, and other demands on system development. Similarly, instructors have lacked a resource to help students fully understand the field. The information was out there, though often at the abstract level, fragmented and scattered throughout literature from different engineering disciplines and computing sciences. Accounting for readers' varying practical needs and experience levels, Real Time Embedded Systems: Open-Source Operating Systems Perspective offers a holistic overview from the operating-systems perspective. It provides a long-awaited reference on real-time operating systems and their almost boundless application potential in the embedded system domain. Balancing the already abundant coverage of operating systems with the largely ignored real-time aspects, or "physicality," the authors analyze several realistic case studies to introduce vital theoretical material. They also discuss popular open-source operating systems-Linux and FreRTOS, in particular-to help embedded-system designers identify the benefits and weaknesses in deciding whether or not to adopt more traditional, less powerful, techniques for a project.

This book is a compilation of selected papers from the 2nd International Petroleum and Petrochemical Technology Conference (IPPTC 2018). The work focuses on petroleum & petrochemical technologies and practical challenges in the field. It creates a platform to bridge the knowledge gap between China and the world. The conference not only provides a platform to exchanges experience but also promotes the development of scientific research in petroleum & petrochemical technologies. The book will benefit a broad readership, including industry experts, researchers, educators, senior engineers and managers.