0000000000108420
AUTHOR
Antonino Madonia
showing 20 related works from this author
Electron transfer between carbon dots and tetranuclear Dawson-derived sandwich polyanions
2022
Among the photocatalysts which could be used for converting solar energy, polyoxometalates are often regarded as ideal candidates because of their remarkable performances in photocatalytic water splitting and photodegradation of pollutants. Nonetheless, these polyanions are only capable of absorbing UV light, unless coupled to a visible-light photosensitizer. Carbon nanodots are especially promising for this purpose because of their strong visible-light absorption, photostability, non-toxicity, and very low production costs. In this work we demonstrate the possibility of coupling carbon dots to polyoxometalates with different structures, by a simple self-assembly approach based on electrost…
Photobleaching and Recovery Kinetics of a Palette of Carbon Nanodots Probed by In Situ Optical Spectroscopy
2022
Carbon dots (CDs) are a family of fluorescent nanoparticles displaying a wide range of interesting properties, which make them attractive for potential applications in different fields like bioimaging, photocatalysis, and many others. However, despite many years of dedicated studies, wide variations exist in the literature concerning the reported photostability of CDs, and even the photoluminescence mechanism is still unclear. Furthermore, an increasing number of recent studies have highlighted the photobleaching (PB) of CDs under intense UV or visible light beams. PB phenomena need to be fully addressed to optimize practical uses of CDs and can also provide information on the fundamental m…
Highly Efficient Electron Transfer in a Carbon Dot–Polyoxometalate Nanohybrid
2020
Using solar radiation to fuel catalytic processes is often regarded as the solution to our energy needs. However, developing effective photocatalysts that are active under visible light has proven to be difficult, often due to the toxicity, instability, and high cost of suitable catalysts. We engineered a novel photoactive nanomaterial obtained by the spontaneous electrostatic coupling of carbon nanodots with [P2W18O62]6-, a molecular catalyst belonging to the class of polyoxometalates. While the former are used as photosensitizers, the latter was chosen for its ability to catalyze reductive reactions such as dye decomposition and water splitting. We find the electron transfer within the na…
Analysis of the new submarine interconnection system between Italy and Malta: Simulation of transmission network operation
2016
In this paper, some simulations of the interconnected Sicilian and Maltese transmission systems are performed, in order to assess this new system configuration. The HVAC submarine interconnection between Italy and Malta came into operation in 2015 and is part of a European programme for transmission grid interconnection improvement. This new line has been built in order to allow a better management of the power system of both the islands. Firstly, a brief description of the interconnection system is given. Moreover, the transmission systems of Sicily and Malta are depicted and their structures are shown. The simulations are carried out by means of a model of the interconnected system create…
The interaction of photoexcited carbon nanodots with metal ions disclosed down to the femtosecond scale
2017
Fluorescent carbon nanodots are a novel family of carbon-based nanoscale materials endowed with an outstanding combination of properties that make them very appealing for applications in nanosensing, photonics, solar energy harvesting and photocatalysis. One of the remarkable properties of carbon dots is their strong sensitivity to the local environment, especially to metal ions in solution. These interactions provide a testing ground for their marked photochemical properties, highlighted by many studies, and frequently driven by charge transfer events. Here we combine several optical techniques, down to femtosecond time resolution, to understand the interplay between carbon nanodots and aq…
Contributed Review: Review of thermal methods for space charge measurement.
2016
The space charge accumulation phenomenon has garnered great interest over the last two decades because of the increased use of direct current in high voltage electrical systems. In this context, a significant relevance has been achieved by the thermal methods, used for solid dielectrics. This paper presents a review of this non-destructive measurement system used for the measurement of space charge. The thermal pulse method, the thermal step method, and the laser intensity modulation method are described. For each configuration, the principle of operation, the thicknesses analyzed, and the spatial resolution are described, reporting also the main related applications
Remote voltage synchronization for wireless Partial Discharge diagnostics
2016
The main objective of this paper is the assessment of the exact phase angle displacement of each Partial Discharge, PD, pulse with respect to the voltage reference waveform. Such problem also referred to as ‘synchronization’ is relevant when the cable is not accessible and the PD measure is carried out in wireless mode. It is well known, that the angle phase shift, due to the propagation phenomenon on the transmission line, can be calculated knowing the line type and length and typical operating conditions of the transmission line. The setup comprises a customized electronic device, the “Phase check”, a server to collect remote measurements and a Look up table to provide corrections to the …
Wireless Power Transmission for house appliances: A small-scale resonant coupling prototype
2016
This paper presents a low cost prototype of wireless power transfer system based on resonant coupling. The system here proposed can be useful for house appliances battery charging systems: as a matter of fact, it consists mainly of two copper wire coils or windings, placed one in front of the other on the same axis. By exploiting the coils resonance coupling effect, electric energy can be transferred from the inductor coil to the receiver in order to charge the batteries. Low cost experimental tests demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed wireless power transfer prototype, being it capable to reach an efficiency of about 80% and more along a distance of 30 cm.
Partial discharge of gel insulated high voltage power modules subjected to unconventional voltage waveforms
2016
Performances and duration of the new generation of high voltage power electronic components are dependent on dielectric materials aim to insulating their internal terminals. The presence of defects, some due to faults generated during the manufacturing process, but also due to the internal design of layers and connections, can cause local enhancements of electric field and consequently possible activity of partial discharges phenomena or other effects (aging, tracking) that may result in reduction of device reliability. Furthermore, the usage of unconventional voltage waveforms, like square waves or pulse width modulated waves, additionally increases the electrical aging of the insulation s…
Wireless partial discharge tracking on cross-linked polyethylene MV and HV cables
2018
Medium voltage (MV)/high voltage (HV) cable lines are high-value assets and require substantial costs for their installation or replacement. For this reason, the capability to assess the condition of cable lengths and accessories on site is of great importance. Cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) insulation is extensively used for MV, HV, and extra-high voltage (EHV) class cables [1] thanks to its excellent voltage-endurance and thermomechanical properties. In particular, XLPE-insulated cables feature substantially lower losses, easier manufacturing and jointing procedures, better environmental compatibility, and higher operating temperature compared with impregnated paper cables, which lead t…
Impact of non-programmable renewable sources in Day-Ahead Market in Sicily. Reasons to make more flexible and smarter the national transmission grid.
2014
This article describes technical and market aspects that characterize the Sicilian electrical system, the non-programmable renewable sources impacts on the energy markets (Day-Ahead Market and ancillary services market) and on Sicilian system operation, to evaluate the grid integration of renewable energy sources in a future Sicilian smart grid.
PD characteristics at Square Shaped Voltages Applying Two Different Detecting Techniques
2016
Nowadays power electronic converters are widely used and the fast switching voltage fronts results in an increased stress on the insulation material and may cause a reduction of the HV systems reliability. Nonsinusoidal voltage waveform have influence on the partial discharges (PD) characteristics in insulating systems due to the increased harmonic content which causes problems mainly in electrical PD measurement setups. In fact, impulse voltages cause strong switching disturbances, which make it much more difficult to distinguish PD signals from noise. This work investigates the influence of repetitive steep pulses on different types of test objects exposed to square wave voltages applying…
Overcoming synchronization issues in wireless technology Partial Discharge measurement
2016
In this paper, several aspects of the fundamentals of wireless Partial Discharge (PD) measurements are first discussed. Then, the relevance of the problem of voltage synchronization in PD wireless diagnosis is outlined. When portable instruments are used for PD detection, the main issue is the voltage measurement at the site where the PD detection is carried out. When such analysis is carried out over shielded cables, the AC (50/60 Hz) voltage reference signal is not easily detectable, while one of the basic parameters for PD diagnosis, the displacement of the inception voltage of the PD as compared to the reference voltage, is not available. Even if highperformance sensors are readily avai…
Critical issues in the PD testing methodology for XLPE-insulated MV cables: An experimental case
2017
This paper describes some critical issues arising during the partial discharge (PD) testing of a 500m delivery length of an XLPE-insulated MV cable. At first, conventional PD measurements were performed on the whole length by using a standard acquisition system; PDs activity was detected, but the system allowed the operator to localize the PDs only on a length of 70 m. A visual inspection of this section highlighted the presence of an excoriation in the outer sheet. Aiming at a more accurate pin-pointing of the defect, more measurements were carried out in the proximity of the outer defect using a portable PD detection system. These measurements showed PDs activity, whose source was located…
Space Charges and Partial Discharges Simultaneous Measurements under DC Stress
2016
In the field of HVDC, the main causes of insulation aging are due to the space charge and PD phenomena. In particular, the purpose of the present work is to verify a possibility to measure simultaneously the space charge and the PDs under DC stress in order to evaluate the correlation between both phenomena. The space charge was measured by using a modified PEA cell and PDs were measured by using a novel wireless sensor system. The space charge profile and the PD pulses carried out simultaneously have been reported and discussed.
PV systems in the vertical walls: A comparison of innovative structures
2016
This paper presents the performance comparison of PV windows with the purpose of tracing the behavior of next-generation systems, which could favor architectonical integration. More in detail, a dye sensitized solar cell (DSSC) and blue and grey thin film silicon panels have been analyzed. The systems can be placed behind a window or behind a wall of glass blocks. The three generation systems are then compared in terms of both efficiency and Fill Factor.
Partial discharges at different voltage waveshapes: Comparison between two different acquisition systems
2018
In modern HV apparatuses the wide use of electronic converters, increase the stress on the involved insulation systems and thus affect the reliability of the whole power grid. Additionally, such non-sinusoidal voltage shapes contain high gradient flanks that create problems in the detection of partial discharge (PD) activity. The aim of this paper is to discuss the methodology on how to suitably approach PD detection in insulation systems exposed to various voltage waveshapes in general by comparing two different measuring systems. The first one, equipped with a resonant PD decoupler, designed specifically for detection at typical power electronic waveshapes and the other one, based on an a…
Optimal power flow based on glow worm-swarm optimization for three-phase islanded microgrids
2014
This paper presents an application of the Glowworm Swarm Optimization method (GSO) to solve the optimal power flow problem in three-phase islanded microgrids equipped with power electronics dc-ac inverter interfaced distributed generation units. In this system, the power injected by the distributed generation units and the droop control parameters are considered as variables to be adjusted by a superior level control. Two case studies with different optimized parameters have been carried out on a 6-bus test system. The obtained results showed the effectiveness of the proposed approach and overcomes the problem of OPF in islanded microgrids showing loads unbalance.
Sulla sincronizzazione delle misure wireless di scariche parziali con il segnale di tensione a 50 Hz
2017
L’articolo descrive i vari aspetti dei sistemi di misura wireless delle scariche parziali (PD). In particolare, sul problema della sincronizzazione dell’angolo di fase della tensione per il rilevamento e la classificazione delle PD.
Sicilia-Malta: il nuovo collegamento RTN a 220 kV in corrente alternata
2015
Descrizione dettagliata degli aspetti tecnologici e delle prestazioni funzionali di maggiore rilevanza sui cavi utilizzati, sui sistemi e sulle logiche di protezione contro i guasti. Vantaggi, potenzialità e criticità legate all’esercizio.