This book reviews and examines how power system low-frequency power oscillations and sub-synchronous oscillations may be affected by grid connection of wind power generation. Grid connection of wind power generation affects the power system small-signal stability and has been one of the most actively pursued research subjects in power systems and power electronics engineering in the last ten years. This book is the first of its kind to cover the impact of wind power generation on power system low-frequency oscillations and sub-synchronous oscillations. It begins with a comprehensive overview of the subject and progresses to modeling of power systems and introduces the application of conventional methods, including damping torque analysis, modal analysis and frequency-domain analysis, presented with detailed examples, making it useful for researchers and engineers worldwide.

This book focuses on the systematic design of architectures, parameters and control of typical hybrid propulsion systems for wheeled and tracked vehicles based on a combination of theoretical research and engineering practice. Adopting a mechatronic system dynamics perspective, principles and methods from the fields of optimal control and system optimization are applied in order to analyze the hybrid propulsion configuration and controller design. Case investigations for typical hybrid propulsion systems of wheeled and tracked ground vehicles are also provided.

Control Systems: Classical, Modern, and AI-Based Approaches provides a broad and comprehensive study of the principles, mathematics, and applications for those studying basic control in mechanical, electrical, aerospace, and other engineering disciplines. The text builds a strong mathematical foundation of control theory of linear, nonlinear, optimal, model predictive, robust, digital, and adaptive control systems, and it addresses applications in several emerging areas, such as aircraft, electro-mechanical, and some nonengineering systems: DC motor control, steel beam thickness control, drum boiler, motional control system, chemical reactor, head-disk assembly, pitch control of an aircraft, yaw-damper control, helicopter control, and tidal power control. Decentralized control, game-theoretic control, and control of hybrid systems are discussed. Also, control systems based on artificial neural networks, fuzzy logic, and genetic algorithms, termed as AI-based systems are studied and analyzed with applications such as auto-landing aircraft, industrial process control, active suspension system, fuzzy gain scheduling, PID control, and adaptive neuro control. Numerical coverage with MATLAB (R) is integrated, and numerous examples and exercises are included for each chapter. Associated MATLAB (R) code will be made available.

This edited volume establishes a forum for international experts to explore cutting-edge questions associated with the land use and biomass production. Topics include 'do we have enough land, either primary or marginal, to accommodate future production of biomass?', 'how are farming decisions made in response to biomass incentives?', 'is the current bio-mass production socially, economically and environmentally sustainable?', and 'what are the main constraints currently limiting biofuel deployment?' The expansion of biomass production is often at the cost of reduced land availability for food production and losses of areas with ecological functions such as forests and wetlands. This process often involves complex interplay of physical dynamics and human systems that are driven by numerous geographic and socio-economic factors at different scales. Thus, the state-of-the-art research on the land use issues surrounding the biomass production and its environmental impacts is important for informed land management decision making. This book will be of great use to researchers in land use management and biomass-based renewable energy, as well as practitioners.

Addressing the unprecedented international interest in China's high-speed railways, this book adopts a global perspective to examine the success of the system and probes into its going-global strategy in the context of the "Belt and Road" initiative, providing readers around the world a better understanding of infrastructure construction under the "Belt and Road" plan, as well as the global vision of communication and mutual exchange and prosperity among the countries along the Belt and Road route. The previous American President, Barack Obama, once told President Xi Jinping that there were two things about China that he particularly admired: the high-speed railway system, and the mathematics education. "The Belt and Road, and the Global Strategy of China's High-speed Rail" provides scholarly researchers and those generally interested in China's High-speed rail excellent insight into this impressive and rapid development.

The book contains 12 contributions that explain the current state of China's cruise industry and future development. Dating from the 1960s and with the rapid development of over 50 years, the modern cruise industry has developed into one of the fastest growing industries with the most remarkable economic benefits in the global tourism and hospitality industry, known as a "golden industry on the golden waterway". In recent years, with the gradual saturation of international cruise market and the eastward-moving trend of the center of cruise market, China has become a strategic emerging market with which international cruise lines have been competing. A number of international cruise lines, including Costa Crociere, Royal Caribbean Cruises, Princess Cruises, MSC Cruises, Star Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line and Dream Cruises, have entered the cruise market in Mainland China.

This book reports on the 12th International Workshop on Railway Noise held on 12-16 September 2016 at Terrigal, Australia. It gathers peer-reviewed papers describing the latest developments in rail noise and vibration, as well as state-of-the-art reviews by distinguished experts in the field. The papers cover a broad range of rail noise topics including wheel squeal, policy, regulation and perception, wheel and rail noise, predictions, measurements and monitoring, interior noise, rail roughness, corrugation and grinding, high speed rail and aerodynamic noise, and structure-borne noise, ground-borne vibration and resilient track forms. It offers an essential reference-guide to both scientists and engineers in their daily efforts to identify, understand and solve a number of problems related to railway noise and vibration, and to achieve their ultimate goal of reducing the environmental impact of railway systems.

In view of the increased consumption of energy due to the proliferation of electronic devices, this book addresses the trends, similarities, differences and advances in fuel cells of both chemical and biological composition. Fundamentals of microbial fuel cells are described, accompanied by details surrounding their uses and limitations. Chapters on electricigens, microbial group investigations and performance, Rumen Fluid microbes and state-of-the-art advances in microbial fuel cell technology are discussed. The book elaborates upon analytical techniques used for biofilm characterization. It also includes chapters on MFC models that include plant-based MFCs, Algal/Fungi MFCs, MDCs and MFCs using animal waste. A critical review on the performance of MFC technology in field trials is offered in an exclusively dedicated section. By addressing one of the most promising sources for clean and renewable energy, this book fills a pressing need to understand a possible solution for meeting the energy demands in our highly advanced technical world.

This book addresses electrocatalysis based on chalcogenides, particularly in the nanoscale domain. Special attention is paid to the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). The book provides an introduction to materials synthesis; the basic principles of electrocatalysis; related precious metal versus non-precious metal catalytic center chalcogenides as well as supports; and the role of such supports in stabilizing the catalytic centers. In short: pursuing a bottom-up approach, it covers the properties of this class of electrocatalysts and examines their applications in low-temperature fuel systems such as microfluidic fuel cells for portable devices. Accordingly, it is ideally suited for all professionals and researchers interested in electrochemistry, renewable energy and electrocatalysis, and non-precious metal centers for chemical energy conversion.

This research book provides state-of-the-art advances in several areas of energy generation from, and environmental impact of, fuels and biofuels. It also presents novel developments in the areas of biofuels and products from various feedstock materials along with thermal management, emission control and environmental issues. Availability of clean and sustainable energy is of paramount importance in all applications of energy, power, mobility and propulsion. This book is written by internationally renowned experts from around the globe. They provide the latest innovations in cleaner energy utilization for a wide range of devices. The energy and environment sustainability requires a multipronged approach involving development and utilization of new and renewable fuels, design of fuel-flexible combustion systems and novel and environmentally friendly technologies for improved fuel use. This book serves as a good reference for practicing engineers, educators and research professionals.

This book is devoted to the systematic description of the role of microgeometry of modern piezo-active composites in the formation of their piezoelectric sensitivity. In five chapters, the authors analyse kinds of piezoelectric sensitivity for piezo-active composites with specific connectivity patterns and links between the microgeometric feature and piezoelectric response. The role of components and microgeometric factors is discussed in the context of the piezoelectric properties and their anisotropy in the composites. Interrelations between different types of the piezoelectric coefficients are highlighted. This book fills a gap in piezoelectric materials science and provides readers with data on the piezoelectric performance of novel composite materials that are suitable for sensor, transducer, hydroacoustic, energy-harvesting, and other applications.

This book provides an interdisciplinary account of how technological advances - mainly in the domains of energy and transportation - contribute to the transformation towards a more sustainable economic system. Drawing on methods from engineering, the management sciences and economics, which it combines in the framework of a systems sciences approach, the book presents qualitative and quantitative studies on government regulation, resources management and firms' strategy. Topics covered include the state-market dilemma of government CO2 emission targets, implications of the electrification of the economy, incentives and coercion in government transport policies, and innovations in the electric vehicle industry.

This book details aluminum alloys with special focus on the aluminum silicon (Al-Si) systems - that are the most abundant alloys second only to steel. The authors include a description of the manufacturing principles, thermodynamics, and other main characteristics of Al-Si alloys. Principles of processing, testing, and in particular applications in the Automotive, Aeronautical and Aerospace fields are addressed.

This book systematically reviews the history of lead-free piezoelectric materials, including the latest research. It also addresses a number of important issues, such as new types of materials prepared in a multitude of sizes, structural and physical properties, and potential applications for high-performance devices. Further, it examines in detail the state of the art in lead-free piezoelectric materials, focusing on the pathways to modify different structures and achieve enhanced physical properties and new functional behavior. Lastly, it discusses the prospects for potential future developments in lead-free piezoelectric materials across disciplines and for multifunctional applications. Given its breadth of coverage, the book offers a comprehensive resource for graduate students, academic researchers, development scientists, materials producers, device designers and applications engineers who are working on or are interested in advanced lead-free piezoelectric materials.

This thesis presents the fundamental research and latest findings on novel flexible/wearable photovoltaic technology, and comprehensively summarizes the rapid developments in flexible photovoltaics, from traditional planar solar cells to fiber solar cells. It discusses the rational design of fiber solar cell materials, electrodes and devices, as well as critical factors including cost, efficiency, flexibility and stability . Furthermore, it addresses fundamental theoretical principles and novel fabrication technologies and their potential applications. The book provides practical information for university researchers and graduate students interested in flexible fiber photovoltaics, and inspires them to design other novel flexible/wearable electronics and textiles.

This book introduces the latest thinking on the use of Big Data in the context of urban systems, including research and insights on human behavior, urban dynamics, resource use, sustainability and spatial disparities, where it promises improved planning, management and governance in the urban sectors (e.g., transportation, energy, smart cities, crime, housing, urban and regional economies, public health, public engagement, urban governance and political systems), as well as Big Data's utility in decision-making, and development of indicators to monitor economic and social activity, and for urban sustainability, transparency, livability, social inclusion, place-making, accessibility and resilience.

This book written by a world-renowned expert with more than forty years of active gas turbine R&D experience comprehensively treats the design of gas turbine components and their integration into a complete system. Unlike many currently available gas turbine handbooks that provide the reader with an overview without in-depth treatment of the subject, the current book is concentrated on a detailed aero-thermodynamics, design and off-deign performance aspects of individual components as well as the system integration and its dynamic operation.This new book provides practicing gas turbine designers and young engineers working in the industry with design material that the manufacturers would keep proprietary. The book is also intended to provide instructors of turbomachinery courses around the world with a powerful tool to assign gas turbine components as project and individual modules that are integrated into a complete system. Quoting many statements by the gas turbine industry professionals, the young engineers graduated from the turbomachinery courses offered by the author, had the competency of engineers equivalent to three to four years of industrial experience.

These proceedings collect selected papers from the 7th International Conference on Green Intelligent Transportation System and Safety held in Nanjing on July 1-4, 2016. The selected works, which include state-of-the-art studies, are intended to promote the development of green mobility and intelligent transportation technology to achieve interconnectivity, resource sharing, flexibility and higher efficiency. They offer valuable insights for researchers and engineers in the fields of Transportation Technology and Traffic Engineering, Automotive and Mechanical Engineering, Industrial and System Engineering, and Electrical Engineering.

This book is the fourth volume of the sub series of the Lecture Notes in Mobility dedicated to Road Vehicle Automation. lts chapters have been written by researchers, engineers and analysts from all around the globe. Topics covered include public sector activities, human factors and challenges, ethical, legal, energy and technology perspectives, vehicle systems development, as well as transportation infrastructure and planning. The book is based on the Automated Vehicles Symposium which took place in San Francisco, California (USA) in July 2016.

This book provides a thorough overview of cutting-edge research on electronics applications relevant to industry, the environment, and society at large. It covers a broad spectrum of application domains, from automotive to space and from health to security, while devoting special attention to the use of embedded devices and sensors for imaging, communication and control. The book is based on the 2016 ApplePies Conference, held in Rome, Italy in September 2016, which brought together researchers and stakeholders to consider the most significant current trends in the field of applied electronics and to debate visions for the future. Areas addressed by the conference included information communication technology; biotechnology and biomedical imaging; space; secure, clean and efficient energy; the environment; and smart, green and integrated transport. As electronics technology continues to develop apace, constantly meeting previously unthinkable targets, further attention needs to be directed toward the electronics applications and the development of systems that facilitate human activities. This book, written by industrial and academic professionals, represents a valuable contribution in this endeavor.

This book introduces readers to essential technology assessment and forecasting tools, demonstrating their use on the basis of multiple cases. As organizations in the high-tech industry need to be able to assess emerging technologies, the book presents cases in which formal decision-making models are developed, providing a framework for decision-making in the context of technology acquisition and development. Applications of different technology forecasting tools are also discussed for a range of technologies and sectors, providing a guide to keep R&D organizations abreast of technological trends that affect their business. As such, the book offers a valuable the theoretical and practical reference guide for R&D managers responsible for emerging and future technologies.

Shock & Vibration, Aircraft/Aerospace and Energy Harvesting, Volume 9: Proceedings of the 35th IMAC, A Conference and Exposition on Structural Dynamics, 2017, the ninth volume of ten from the Conference brings together contributions to this important area of research and engineering. The collection presents early findings and case studies on fundamental and applied aspects of Shock & Vibration, Aircraft/Aerospace and Energy Harvesting including papers on: Shock & Vibration Testing Aircraft/Aerospace Applications Optical Techniques: Digital Image Correlation Vibration Suppression & Control Damage Detection Energy Harvesting

This thesis describes the working design principles of triboelectric mechanism-based devices. It presents an extensive study undertaken to explain the effect of surface topographies on the performance of triboelectric nanogenerators. It demonstrates the application of triboelectric mechanisms in the area of physical sensing such as force sensing and pressure sensing. It also discusses the major fabrication methods/techniques that can be used to realize these devices. It is a valuable reference resource for graduate students, researchers and scientists interested in exploring the potential of triboelectric mechanisms for energy harvesting and other applications.

This monograph presents urban simulation methods that help in better understanding urban dynamics. Over historical times, cities have progressively absorbed a larger part of human population and will concentrate three quarters of humankind before the end of the century. This "urban transition" that has totally transformed the way we inhabit the planet is globally understood in its socio-economic rationales but is less frequently questioned as a spatio-temporal process. However, the cities, because they are intrinsically linked in a game of competition for resources and development, self organize in "systems of cities" where their future becomes more and more interdependent. The high frequency and intensity of interactions between cities explain that urban systems all over the world exhibit large similarities in their hierarchical and functional structure and rather regular dynamics. They are complex systems whose emergence, structure and further evolution are widely governed by the multiple kinds of interaction that link the various actors and institutions investing in cities their efforts, capital, knowledge and intelligence. Simulation models that reconstruct this dynamics may help in better understanding it and exploring future plausible evolutions of urban systems. This would provide better insight about how societies can manage the ecological transition at local, regional and global scales. The author has developed a series of instruments that greatly improve the techniques of validation for such models of social sciences that can be submitted to many applications in a variety of geographical situations. Examples are given for several BRICS countries, Europe and United States. The target audience primarily comprises research experts in the field of urban dynamics, but the book may also be beneficial for graduate students.

This volume discusses post-socialist urban transport functioning and development in Russia, within the context of the country's recent transition towards a market economy. Over the past twenty-five years, urban transport in Russia has undergone serious transformations, prompted by the transitioning economy. Yet, the lack of readily available statistical data has led to a gap in the inclusion of Russia in the body of international transport economics research. By including ten chapters of original, cutting-edge research by Russian transport scholars, this book will close that gap. Discussing topics such as the relationship between urban spatial structure and travel behavior in post-soviet cities, road safety, trends and reforms in urban public transport development, transport planning and modelling, and the role of institutions in post-soviet transportation management, this book provides a comprehensive survey of the current state of transportation in Russia. The book concludes with a forecast for future travel development in Russia and makes recommendations for future policy. This book will be of interest to researchers in transportation economics and policy as well as policy makers and those working in the field of urban and transport planning.