分布式电源在配电网中布点规划研究

为了满足我国经济高速发展的需求,在己建中央电站及电网的基础上,大力发展分布式发电技术将是电力系统未来发展的必然趋势。但是,大量分布式电源的渗入也使得配电网在规划和运行方面要面临比以往更多的不确定性因素。在总结国内外研究成果的基础上,在含分布式发电的配电网规划中,对分布式电源的布点规划问题进行研究。这里首先对分布式发电技术进行了概念性的介绍,并系统地分析了分布式电源接入配电网后在规划和运行方面可能带来的影响;建立了以配电网最小网络损耗为目标函数的经济性模型,应用遗传算法对分布式电源的位置和容量进行优化,对遗传过程中生成的每个分布式电源位置和容量方案个体,考虑分布式电源对配电网潮流和线路负载能力的影响;最后通过IEEE33节点算例验证了所提方法能够得到较合理的分布式电源接入位置和容量的方案。     

Macro repositioning movements of pelvis and trunk during simulated driving tasks

Low back pain (LBP)³ is one of the most important features of discomfort in prolonged sitting postures. This is evidenced by an increase in the number of postural changes called macro-movements. The focus of study was the frequencies of macro repositioning movements in prolonged sitting posture resulting from the perception of discomfort caused by low-back pain. Eighteen (18) drivers performed driving tasks for a period of 90 min. The results indicate that LBP participants performed more movements (10.52 rep/h), compared to without low back pain participants (8.52 rep/h). However, the latter moved more than expected due to joint macro movements of the pelvis and trunk. LBP subjects generally performed macro-repositioning movements of the trunk only, while without low back pain (WLBP)⁴ subjects moved pelvis and trunk simultaneously. Although the WLBP participants moved less than those with LBP symptoms, they applied different movement strategies which should be considered in further research. Finally, the authors also propose that future research should be directed towards determining the influence of these lumbo pelvic movements when provided in a controlled manner, to improve comfort in seats and to help manufactures to offer better ergonomic seats.Relevance to industryAccording to the findings of this study, control of lumbo pelvic movements could be used to improve the design and production of ergonomic seats for driving activities.     

Static and dynamic postural loadings during computer work in females: Sitting on an office chair versus sitting on an exercise ball

Seated computer work results in prolonged static loading, which has been associated with the development of musculoskeletal disorders. A popular alternative to sitting on an office chair while performing computer work is to sit on an exercise ball. Sitting on an exercise ball might affect static and dynamic aspects of working posture. We monitored posture, muscle activation and spinal shrinkage in 10 females performing a 1-h typing task, while sitting on an office chair with armrests and while sitting on an exercise ball. Sitting on an exercise ball resulted in 33% more trunk motion and in 66% more variation in lumbar EMG. Both of these findings can be considered to be an advantage for the exercise ball. However, the fifth percentile and average lumbar EMG were also higher when sitting on an exercise ball, with 38% and 78%, respectively. In addition, more spinal shrinkage occurred when sitting on an exercise ball than when sitting on an office chair. Arm flexion was reduced, but trapezius activation was unaffected when sitting on an exercise ball. It is concluded that the advantages with respect to physical loading of sitting on an exercise ball may not outweigh the disadvantages.     

Does prolonged sitting with limited legroom affect the flexibility of a healthy subject and their perception of discomfort?

This study examined for differences in subjective ratings of discomfort and comfort (Numerical Rating Scale) and objective measures of hamstring (Sit-Reach test), lumbar (Schöber’s test) and neck (Cervical Range of Motion) flexibility in healthy young subjects (n = 24) following 4 h of sitting on stacking chairs with or without limited legroom.When comparing the limited and unlimited legroom groups for differences in subjective and objective measures over 4 h, no significant findings were seen at the 5% level of confidence. However, differences in buttock, neck, shoulder and average discomfort were significantly negatively correlated to differences between post-warm up Sit-Reach scores (Correlation Co-efficients: −.763, −.434, −.408, and −.445; p values of .004, .034, .048, and .029, respectively). The difference in buttock discomfort was significantly negatively correlated to the difference between pre-warm up Sit-Reach scores (Correlation Coefficient: −.750; p = 0.005), post-sitting/pre-warm up and pre-sitting/post-warm up Sit-Reach scores (Correlation Coefficient: −.756; p = 0.004), and Schöber’s tests (Correlation Coefficient: −.578; p = 0.049).Although the above results suggest a relationship between a loss in flexibility and an increase in discomfort, the mechanism influencing this relationship is not clear from this study. What does appear clear is that the limiting of legroom to the parameters used in this study does not seem to exacerbate change in flexibility and discomfort which are a consequence of prolonged sitting.

Relevance to industry

Many forms of public transport provide limited legroom for their passengers, which may have an adverse affect on the user’s flexibility or experience of discomfort. Determining which objectively measurable parameters are associated with the subjective level of discomfort during sitting should allow for a greater appreciation of the changes that underpin such subjective perceptions.     

Indicators for choosing an optimal mix of major working postures

North American workers usually stand while working, and prolonged standing is associated with discomfort and cardiovascular problems. Since prolonged sitting is also associated with health problems, and standing postures differ as to mobility and access to seating, it is desirable to identify an optimal mix of postures. As a step towards this identification, it is desirable to develop indicators of potential health effects that respond to changes in work requirements. We observed 65 subjects who usually stood at work, in four types of workplaces. Pressure-pain threshold (PPT) recorded on the plantar surface was used as an indicator of discomfort and arterial blood pressure was used as an indicator of cardiovascular effects. PPT after work was significantly lower than that before work. Sitting for even a small part of the day appeared to be protective. The effects of static vs. dynamic work on PPT and arterial blood pressure may differ.     

Dynamic leg volume changes when sitting in a locked and free floating tilt oé ce chair

It is well established that prolonged sitting may lead to swelling of the lower extremities. However, activation of the vein pump system by repeated walking breaks or dynamic tiltable foot-rests have been shown to reduce foot and leg oedema. Some oé ce chairs incorporate tilt mechanisms facilitating movements of the body from the feet up. The present study was undertaken to establish whether a beneficial effect on the transcapillary fluid balance of the legs by enabling such mechanisms could be documented. An oé ce chair where the tilt mechanism could be locked or open was used for the study. The seat position and seat activity level was recorded by a transducer system developed for the study. Calf volume and calf muscle pump activity was detected by mercury strain gauge plethysmography. In the locked position there was a steady increase in volume of mean=1.2% (range=0.8–1.8%) for all participants in the 30-min study period. On the other hand, for all participants there was a decrease in calf volume (mean=0.7%, range=0.1–1.2%, p=0.008) when the tilt mechanism was open (30-min period), irrespective of what study period came first. The study showed that upward seat deflection was not associated with concomitant venous obstruction, since such obstruction was detected in less than 2% of the time period with more than 50% of maximal upward deflection. A locked seat mechanism does not prevent activation of the vein pump mechanism, but the study indicates that oé ce chairs that permit variation in seat angle per se stimulate movements of the leg. This, in turn, activates vein pumps and counteracts local oedema formation in seated working postures.     

Sitting comfort and discomfort and the relationships with objective measures

The concepts of comfort and discomfort in sitting are under debate. There is no widely accepted definition, although it is beyond dispute that comfort and discomfort are feelings or emotions that are subjective in nature. Yet, beside several subjective methodologies, several objective methods (e.g. posture analysis, pressure measurements, electromyography (EMG) are in use to assess sitting comfort or discomfort. In the current paper a theoretical framework is presented, in which comfort and discomfort were defined and the hypothetical associations with underlying factors were indicated. Next, the literature was reviewed to determine the relationships between objective measures and subjective ratings of comfort and discomfort. Twenty-one studies were found in which simultaneous measures of an objective parameter and a subjective rating of comfort or discomfort were obtained. Pressure distribution appears to be the objective measure with the most clear association with the subjective ratings. For other variables, regarding spinal profile or muscle activity for instance, the reported associations are less clear and usually not statistically significant.     

Hamstring stretching significantly changes the sitting biomechanics

The tightened hamstring connecting the tibia to the pelvis provides more posterior pelvic tilting and consequent backward curvature of the sacral and lumbar vertebrae. Therefore, the study goal was to quantitatively investigate the effect of hamstring and low back stretching on the trunk biomechanics in a system-level perspective. Twelve healthy subjects performed two stretching interventions (hamstring only (HS); hamstring + low back (HLS)) for 40 s on two separate days. They sat on a stool before and after the intervention while capturing trunk kinematics and EMG. In addition, the lumbar flexion angle at which the L4 paraspinals deactivate (i.e., flexion-relaxation phenomenon; FRP) was monitored while trunk flexion-extension trials, performed before and after the protocol. The FRP onset angle was captured to verify the biomechanical changes in the lower extremity and trunk systems. In the results, the stretching intervention significantly increased the reaching distance by 6.3 cm in the sit-and-reach test performed immediately before and after the intervention. The flexible hamstring improved the lumbar flexion angle and head postures in both the HS and HLS. However, the HLS induced laxity in lumbar passive tissues, as confirmed by changes in the FRP, and significantly increased co-activation in the low back. The stress-relaxation of the hamstring and surrounding passive tissues could help to maintain better lumbar flexion angle (i.e., lumbar lordosis) while sitting. Periodic HS for 40 s without any significant lumbar flexion may be recommendable for office workers who sit for long periods.     

Variation in sitting pressure distribution and location of the points of maximum pressure with rotation of the pelvis,gender and body characteristics

The pressure distribution and the locations of the points of maximum pressure, usually below the ischial tuberosities, were measured for subjects sitting on a flat, hard and horizontal support, and at various angles of the rotation of the pelvis. The pressure data were analysed for force- and pressure-related quantities. Multiple regression was applied to explore relationships between these quantities and (i) a set of body characteristics and (ii) the pelvis rotation. The maximum pressure and the pressure gradient were mainly found to be explained by the ectomorphic index and the distance between the maximum pressure points by gender and the angle of rotation of the pelvis.     

垂足而坐的悬浮感-坐具设计语意的一种新表达

文章明确了坐具设计语意依附于语境,表达文化伦理内涵的角色定位,并选取了垂足而坐的悬浮感这个语意表达入手,分三层次进行剖析解读,得到一些清晰的设计线索,并和电影文学作品中的语意意象进行融合贯通,大设计学科间的融合对坐具语意研究的提升及家具设计学科内涵和外沿的拓展起着积极作用.