2023
Authors
Baptista, J; Jesus, B; Cerveira, A; Pires, EJS;
Publication
SUSTAINABILITY
Abstract
The last two decades have witnessed a new paradigm in terms of electrical energy production. The production of electricity from renewable sources has come to play a leading role, thus allowing us not only to face the global increase in energy consumption, but also to achieve the objectives of decarbonising the economies of several countries. In this scenario, where onshore wind energy is practically exhausted, several countries are betting on constructing offshore wind farms. Since all the costs involved are higher when compared to onshore, optimising the efficiency of this type of infrastructure as much as possible is essential. The main aim of this paper was to develop an optimisation model to find the best wind turbine locations for offshore wind farms and to obtain the wind farm layout to maximise the profit, avoiding cable crossings, taking into account the wake effect and power losses. The ideal positioning of wind turbines is important for maximising the production of electrical energy. Furthermore, a techno-economic analysis was performed to calculate the main economic indicators, namely the net present value, the internal rate of return, and the payback period, to support the decision-making. The results showed that the developed model found the best solution that maximised the profits of the wind farm during its lifetime. It also showed that the location of the offshore substation played a key role in achieving these goals.
2023
Authors
Nunes, C; Nunes, R; Pires, EJS; Barroso, J; Reis, A;
Publication
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
Abstract
The massive industrialization of products in a factory environment requires testing the product at a stage before its exportation to the sales market. For example, the end-of-line tests at Continental Advanced Antenna contribute to the validation of an antenna's functionality, a product manufactured by this organization. In addition, the storage of information from the testing process allows the data manipulation through automated machine learning algorithms in search of a beneficial contribution. Studies in this area (automatic learning/machine learning) lead to the search and development of tools designed with objectives such as preventing anomalies in the production line, predictive maintenance, product quality assurance, forecast demand, forecasting safety problems, increasing resources, proactive maintenance, resource scalability, reduced production time, and anomaly detection, isolation, and correction. Once applied to the manufacturing environment, these advantages make the EOL system more productive, reliable, and less time-consuming. This way, a tool is proposed that allows the visualization and previous detection of trends associated with faults in the antenna testing system. Furthermore, it focuses on predicting failures at Continental's EOL.
2023
Authors
Tosin, R; Monteiro-Silva, F; Martins, R; Cunha, M;
Publication
BIOSYSTEMS ENGINEERING
Abstract
This paper introduces a tomography-like method for assessing grape maturation. It analyses inner tissue spectra through point-of-measurement (POM) sensing. A multi-block hierarchical principal component analysis (MHPCA) algorithm was used for the spectral reconstruction of total grapes (skin, pulp, and seed). Two grape cultivars, Loureiro (white; n = 216) and Vinhao (red; n = 205) were measured at 12 dates after veraison (DAV). The reconstructed spectra showed no significant differences (p < 0.001) from the originals for both grapes. Loureiro had better statistical metrics (Person's correlation coefficient (r) values for: total grape: 0.99, skin: 1; pulp: 1, seed: 0.94) than Vinhao (r values for: total grape: 0.92, skin: 0.92; pulp: 0.95, seed: 0.95). Using self learning artificial intelligence (SL-AI), the following parameters were predicted for both grapes: soluble solids content (%; MAPE <13%), puncture force (N; MAPE <29%), chlorophyll content (a.u.; MAPE <29%), and anthocyanin content (a.u.; MAPE <17%, Vinhao only). When comparing observed values with predicted skin, pulp, and seed spectra, Vinhao showed no statistical differences for most parameters, except pulp chlorophyll on one DAV in the final maturation stage. The same was done with the Loureiro cultivar. Although Loureiro mostly showed no statistical differences in assessed parameters across tissues and dates, variations were found in pulp and skin chlorophyll content and puncture force. This tomography-like approach based on tissue maturation can help viticulturists to access instant data on grape maturation, supporting informed decision-making and promoting more sustainable agricultural practices.
2023
Authors
Tosin, R; Monteiro Silva, F; Martins, R; Cunha, M;
Publication
CSAC 2023
Abstract
2023
Authors
Moura, D; Vilela, J; Saraiva, S; Monteiro-Silva, F; De Almeida, JMMM; Saraiva, C;
Publication
FOODS
Abstract
The aim of this study was to assess the antimicrobial effects of myrtle (Myrtus communis L.) essential oil (EO) on pathogenic (E. coli O157:H7 NCTC 12900; Listeria monocytogenes ATCC BAA-679) and spoilage microbiota in beef and determine its minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and antioxidant activity. The behavior of LAB, Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonas spp., and fungi, as well as total mesophilic (TM) and total psychotropic (TP) counts, in beef samples, was analyzed during storage at 2 and 8 C-degrees in two different packaging systems (aerobiosis and vacuum). Leaves of myrtle were dried, its EO was extracted by hydrodistillation using a Clevenger-type apparatus, and the chemical composition was determined using chromatographical techniques. The major compounds obtained were myrtenyl acetate (15.5%), beta-linalool (12.3%), 1,8-cineole (eucalyptol; 9.9%), geranyl acetate (7.4%), limonene (6.2%), alpha-pinene (4.4%), linalyl o-aminobenzoate (5.8%), alpha-terpineol (2.7%), and myrtenol (1.2%). Myrtle EO presented a MIC of 25 mu L/mL for E. coli O157:H7 NCTC 12900, E. coli, Listeria monocytogenes ATCC BAA-679, Enterobacteriaceae, and E. coli O157:H7 ATCC 35150 and 50 mu L/mL for Pseudomonas spp. The samples packed in aerobiosis had higher counts of deteriorative microorganisms than samples packed under vacuum, and samples with myrtle EO presented the lowest microbial contents, indicating good antimicrobial activity in beef samples. Myrtle EO is a viable natural alternative to eliminate or reduce the pathogenic and deteriorative microorganisms of meat, preventing their growth and enhancing meat safety.
2023
Authors
Neto, A; Libânio, D; Ribeiro, MD; Coimbra, MT; Cunha, A;
Publication
CENTERIS/ProjMAN/HCist
Abstract
Metaplasia detection in upper gastrointestinal endoscopy is crucial to identify patients at higher risk of gastric cancer. Deep learning algorithms can be useful for detecting and localising these lesions during an endoscopy exam. However, to train these types of models, a lot of annotated data is needed, which can be a problem in the medical field. To overcome this, data augmentation techniques are commonly applied to increase the dataset's variability but need to be adapted to the specificities of the application scenario. In this study, we discuss the potential benefits and identify four key research challenges of a promising data augmentation approach, namely image combination methodologies, such as CutMix, for metaplasia detection and localisation in gastric endoscopy imaging modalities.
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