Search results for "indicator"
showing 10 items of 997 documents
The Performance Evaluation of Polytechnic Higher Education Institutions: Tensions and Reconfigurations Resulting from the Adoption of Specific Metrics
2017
Aligned with the binary structure of the higher education system in Portugal, divided into universities and polytechnics, the Government acknowledged, in 2014, the need to identify distinct performance indicators/metrics aiming at a more accurate assessment of the effect and quality of the action developed by Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). For the Polytechnic Higher Education Institutions (PHEIs) it was necessary to define «(...) performance indicators that address the production, transfer and diffusion of knowledge» (FCT, 2014: 1), aiming to measure «(...) the applied research and the cultural production activities as well as their impact on the region where they [PHEIs] are located…
Validation of the group nuclear safety climate questionnaire.
2013
Abstract Introduction Group safety climate is a leading indicator of safety performance in high reliability organizations. Zohar and Luria (2005) developed a Group Safety Climate scale (ZGSC) and found it to have a single factor. Method The ZGSC scale was used as a basis in this study with the researchers rewording almost half of the items on this scale, changing the referents from the leader to the group, and trying to validate a two-factor scale. The sample was composed of 566 employees in 50 groups from a Spanish nuclear power plant. Item analysis, reliability, correlations, aggregation indexes and CFA were performed. Results Results revealed that the construct was shared by each unit, a…
Variable Selection in Predictive MIDAS Models
2014
In short-term forecasting, it is essential to take into account all available information on the current state of the economic activity. Yet, the fact that various time series are sampled at different frequencies prevents an efficient use of available data. In this respect, the Mixed-Data Sampling (MIDAS) model has proved to outperform existing tools by combining data series of different frequencies. However, major issues remain regarding the choice of explanatory variables. The paper first addresses this point by developing MIDAS based dimension reduction techniques and by introducing two novel approaches based on either a method of penalized variable selection or Bayesian stochastic searc…
Towards more equity concerning quality of Urban Waste Management services in the context of cities
2018
Abstract An innovative combined evaluation approach is proposed in the present paper to deal with the issue of the performance measurement and comparison of Urban Waste Management (UWM) services in the context of cities. The ELECTRE III method is initially considered as tool able to execute a multi-criteria analysis aimed at ranking UWM systems based on their integration and sustainability levels. The latter are comprehensively evaluated via the recently developed “Wasteaware” Integrated and Sustainability Waste Management indicators framework, which takes into account physical components and governance aspects of UWM systems. Then, on the basis on ELECTRE III results, a practical gaps inve…
Arc Fault Detection Method Based on CZT Low-Frequency Harmonic Current Analysis
2017
This paper presents a method for the detection of series arc faults in electrical circuits, which has been developed starting from an experimental characterization of the arc fault phenomenon and an arcing current study in several test conditions. Starting from this, the authors have found that is it possible to suitably detect arc faults by means of a high-resolution low-frequency harmonic analysis of current signal, based on chirp zeta transform, and a proper set of indicators. The proposed method effectiveness is shown by means of experimental tests, which were carried in both arcing and nonarcing conditions and in the presence of different loads, chosen according to the UL 1699 standard…
A review of multiple faults diagnosis methods in Voltage Source Inverters
2015
This paper examines, as in short review, the methods of diagnosis of simple and multiple faults on Voltage Source Inverter (VSI). The methods examined here are essentially based on the inspection of the load currents. Some of these diagnosis methods are characterized by low computational effort, other for a better reliability avoiding faultless positive tests. Some solutions are characterized by a share of these benefits while others prefer an enforcement of trustworthiness, in spite of the lower calculation amount. The analysis of the technical literature, certainly, offers a glimpse about the creation of new algorithms and significant advances for the future.
An efficient diagnostic technique for distribution systems based on under fault voltages and currents
2010
Service continuity is one of the major aspects in the definition of the quality of the electrical energy, for this reason the research in the field of faults diagnostic for distribution systems is spreading ever more. Moreover the increasing interest around modern distribution systems automation for management purposes gives faults diagnostics more tools to detect outages precisely and in short times. In this paper, the applicability of an efficient fault location and characterization methodology within a centralized monitoring system is discussed. The methodology, appropriate for any kind of fault, is based on the use of the analytical model of the network lines and uses the fundamental co…
Solving underwater crimes: development of latent prints made on submerged objects.
2013
Underwater crime scenes always present a challenge for forensic researchers, as the destructive effect of water considerably complicates the chances of recovering material of evidential value. The aim of this study is to tackle the problem of developing marks that have been left on submerged objects. Fingermark deposition was randomly made on two surfaces - glass and plastic whilst the material was submerged under tap water and then left for one to fifteen days before drying and development. For their later development, various reagents - Black Powder, Silver Metallic Powder, Fluorescent Powder, Sudan Black (powder and solution) and Small Particle Reagent - were used and the effectiveness o…
A Geometrical Simple Approach for Power Silicon Devices Fault Detection and Fault-Tolerant Operation of a Voltage Source Inverter
2012
Fault-tolerant converters have been widely investigated for years and nowadays an extensive technical literature on this field exists. This paper presents a novel fault detection algorithm based on a simple geometrical approach. In the algorithm analysis both the case of faults in single device and the lose of an entire inverter leg have been considered. False positive detections are avoided by considering a proper number of current samples. The proposed fault detection algorithm is characterized by simplicity, low computational and implementation effort with a consequent enough fast execution, easy control integration with the possibility to use it both in hardware in the loop systems and …
Ground fault distribution on overhead transmission lines
2006
When a ground fault occurs on an overhead transmission line in a power network with grounded neutral, the fault current returns to the grounded neutral through the tower structures, ground return paths and ground wires. This paper presents an analytical method in order to evaluate the ground fault current distribution in an effectively grounded power network. The effect of soil resistivity, ground resistance of towers and power line configuration, on the magnitude of return currents, has been examined.