The largest carbonate condensate field in China has been found in the central Tarim Basin. Ordovician carbonate reservoirs are generally attributed to reef-shoal microfacies along a platform margin. However, recent production success has been achieved along the NE-trending strike-slip fault zones that intersect at the platform margin. For this contribution, we analyzed the strike-slip fault effects on the reef-shoal reservoirs by using new geological, geophysical, and production data. Seismic data shows that some NE-trending strike-slip faults intersected the NW-trending platform margin in multiple segments. The research indicated that the development of strike-slip faults has affected prepositional landforms and the subsequent segmentation of varied microfacies along the platform margin. In addition, the strike-slip fault compartmentalized the reef-shoal reservoirs into multiple segments along the extent of the platform margin. We show that fractured reef-shoal complexes are favorable... [more]

Many problems arise in the operation of photovoltaic systems. Each of these problems affects the operation of photovoltaic systems by reducing the power of the entire system. Some problems can be avoided during the design of photovoltaic systems. For example, when designing photovoltaic systems, it is possible to eliminate the shading of photovoltaic panels from surrounding objects. It is also necessary to look at the shading from neighboring photovoltaic panels when designing photovoltaic systems. It is necessary to calculate the inclination of the sunlight based on the position of the sun and calculate the distance between the two panels accordingly. However, some problems appear during the operation of photovoltaic systems. These problems can be partially eliminated. The magnitude of the series resistance can be eliminated by reducing the transition resistance throughout the system. The paper describes these problems and their possible solutions in practice. In the practical part, w... [more]

The development of data-driven building energy consumption prediction models has gained more attention in research due to its relevance for energy planning and conservation. However, many studies have conducted the inappropriate application of data-driven tools for energy consumption prediction in the wrong conditions. For example, employing a data-driven tool to develop a model using a small sample size, despite the recognition of the tool for producing good results in large data conditions. This study delivers a review of 63 studies with a precise focus on evaluating the performance of data-driven tools based on certain conditions; i.e., data properties, the type of energy considered, and the type of building explored. This review identifies gaps in research and proposes future directions in the field of data-driven building energy consumption prediction. Based on the studies reviewed, the outcome of the evaluation of the data-driven tools performance shows that Support Vector Machin... [more]

A new type of brushless reverse claw-pole electrically excited generator is proposed for the problems of the low sine degree of the induced electromotive force waveform and the high harmonic content of the output voltage of the conventional electrically excited claw-pole generator. The design uses the equivalent magnetic network method to establish the equivalent magnetic circuit model of the motor and determines the equation for calculating the magnetoresistance of the isosceles trapezoidal variable section claw-pole structure. It derives the mathematical model of the no-load induced electric potential of the generator and completes to optimize the motor parameters with the no-load induced electric potential as the target. This study shows that the brushless reverse claw-pole electrically excited generator has the advantages of uniform magnetic field distribution, high harmonic fundamental amplitude of induced electromotive force and low harmonic content. It can better meet the applic... [more]

Humans have always been searching for new and efficient ways to convert fuels into usable energy. Solid oxide fuel cells, energy conversion devices capable of generating electrical energy, are widely used due to their high thermal energy production. In this research, fuzzy control was used to manage the voltage and current of solid oxide fuel cells. Simulations were conducted in two evaluation modes: checking the voltage, current, and power of the fuel cell, with and without the use of fuzzy control, and analyzing maximum power point tracking (MPPT) using fuzzy control. In the second mode, when connected to the load, the performance of the fuel cell was evaluated in the transient state, and the role of the controller was clearly visible According to the current−power characteristic of the fuel cell, which is a nonlinear curve and has a maximum point, and by using the fuzzy controller and the appropriate selection of input and output functions, this research aimed to make the system wor... [more]

Various external-recycle configurations of multi-pass flat-plate solar air collectors were studied theoretically to examine the optimal thermal performance under the same working dimension and operation conditions. An absorber plate and insulation sheet were implemented horizontally and vertically, respectively, into an open rectangular conduit to conduct a recycling four-pass operation, which the device lengthens the air flow channel and increases the air mass flow rate within the collector, and thus, a more heat transfer efficiency is obtained. Four recycling types with different external-recycle patterns were introduced and expected to augment the heat transfer rate due to the turbulent convective intensity through four subchannels in the present study. Coupling energy balances into one-dimensional modeling equations were derived by making the energy-flow diagram within a finite element, which the longitudinal temperature distributions for each subchannel were obtained. The theoreti... [more]

Medium chain carboxylic acids (MCCAs, e.g., caproic acid, caprylic acid, etc.) with 6−12 carbon atoms are valuable platform chemicals produced from organic waste via microbial chain elongation metabolism named as reversed β-oxidation and fatty acid-biosynthesis cyclical pathway. Recently, many articles reported that electricity could not only serve as the external electron donor and provide the reduction equivalent required for chain elongation but also regulate the microbiome structure and metabolic behaviors to promote MCCAs formation. Electricity-steering MCCAs bioproduction has become an appealing technique to valorize low-value organic waste, paving an alternative pathway for net-zero carbon emission energy systems and sustainable socio-economic development. However, the MCCAs’ bioproduction from organic waste steered by electric field has not been comprehensively reviewed. From a systematical analysis of publicly available literature, we first covered the basic working principle,... [more]

Renewable energy penetration increases Smart Grid (SG) instability. A power balance between consumption and production can mitigate this instability. For this, intelligent and optimizing techniques can be used to properly combine and manage storage devices like Electric Vehicle Batteries (EVBs) with Demand-Side Management (DSM) strategies. The EVB helps distribution networks with auxiliary services, backup power, reliability, demand response, peak shaving, lower renewable power production’s climate unpredictability, etc. In this paper, a new energy management system based on Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) is developed to maximize the performance of islanded SG-connected EVBs. The proposed ANN controller can operate at specified periods based on the demand curve and EVB charge level to implement a peak load shaving (PLS) DSM strategy. The intelligent controller’s inputs include the time of day and the EVB’s State of Charge (SOC). After the controller detects a peak demand, it alerts... [more]

One of the most important environmental and safety concerns in nuclear fusion plants is the confinement of radioactive substances into the reactor buildings during both normal operations and accidental conditions. For this reason, hydrogen build-up and subsequent ignition must be avoided, since the pressure and energy generated may threaten the integrity of the confinement structures, causing the dispersion of radioactive and toxic products toward the public environment. Potentially dangerous sources of hydrogen are related to the exothermal oxidation reactions between steam and plasma-facing components or hot dust, which could occur during accidents such as the in-vessel loss of coolant or a wet bypass. The research of technical solutions to avoid the risk of a hydrogen explosion in large fusion power plants is still in progress. In the safety and environment work package of the EUROfusion consortium, activities are ongoing to study solutions to mitigate the hydrogen explosion risk. T... [more]

The shipping industry has accelerated the transformation of its carbon emission reduction and decarbonization, and relevant patents are rapidly increasing, but the industry still lacks consensus on the low-carbon development route of ship propulsion technology. We used the Derwent Innovation Index to collect the global patent information on ship power systems between 1965 and 2022 and proposed a new patent information mining framework. It is used for the dynamic tracking and analysis of global technology correlation characteristics, hot technology topics, and competitive situations. The findings indicate that: (1) the innovation of ship power systems is more radical and concentrated in the fuel field represented by LNG technology, whereas technical innovation in the field of pure electric propulsion is more scattered. Small tonnage ships, underwater operations, and recreation technology are among its innovation hotspots. (2) Pure electric propulsion technology is dominated by combined... [more]

This paper examines the potential for reducing the cost of energy for super-scale wind turbines through the use of a downwind configuration. Using nonlinear aeroelastic modeling, the responses of 10 MW upwind and downwind wind turbine blades are simulated and compared under shear wind conditions. The study evaluates the impact of both nonlinear and linear aeroelastic models on the dynamic response of different blade sizes, highlighting the need for a nonlinear approach. Results indicate that the linear model overestimates blade deformations (18.14%) and the nonlinear model is more accurate for predicting the aeroelastic response of ultra-long blades of 86.35 m. The study also finds that the downwind turbine blade experiences smaller flapwise moment (17.53%), and blade tip flapwise deformation (33.97%) than the upwind turbine blade, with increased load and deformation fluctuation as wind shear increases.

In order to exchange the wood biomass energy for electric power with small capacity and high efficiency, it is most effective to use a reciprocating engine operated with a wood gasifier. On the other hand, such a small-capacity system is often installed in urban areas. Therefore, strict emission regulation should be observed. Normally, as the low heating value (LHV) of bio-syngas is small, the engine should be operated with a stoichiometric mixture to achieve a maximum power density. However, the emission with a stoichiometric mixture contains much unburned CO. This means that a stoichiometric mixture operation shows low efficiency and can’t observe the regulations. In this report, a mechanism of the unburned CO is considered, and a method to reduce the unburned CO ratio is shown with experimental results. In the experiment, a commercial reciprocating engine (4-stroke, modified single cylinder) is used. The bio-syngas, a producer gas from a fixed bed gasifier, is produced by a self-mad... [more]

This study presents the results of research on energy self-sufficiency, safety and production reliability in a salmonids fish farm. For the needs of the breeding facility under construction in the Recirculating Aquaculture System, energy requirement analyses were carried out and guidelines collected for the implementation of innovative solutions, which ensure the security and continuity of energy supplies and the plant’s energy self-sufficiency. This research included the development of solutions for the reliability of power supply and ensuring the continuity of operation of devices that are key to the fish farming process, i.e., lighting and pumps. In terms of ensuring the necessary amounts of energy, the possibility to diversify electricity sources was analysed, taking into account the possibility of self-production, including primarily from a photovoltaic power plant and from average power wind farms. The profitability of using energy storage was also examined. Recommendations and a... [more]

Energy performance contracts are a very promising area for attracting private investment in the renewable energy sector. The concept of energy performance contracting is a well-established mechanism aimed at increasing the energy efficiency of a facility and reducing annual maintenance costs. This paper presents a hierarchical model of a decentralized energy system with renewable energy sources and a battery energy storage system under an energy service agreement. This model reflects the interaction between the client and the performance company. The model includes the main parameters characterizing the energy service contract, such as net present value, contract duration and levelized cost of energy. As an example, a real decentralized power system is considered, which currently only uses diesel generation. In the case of building a photovoltaic system, the optimal equipment composition consists of a 100 kW solar station and storage batteries with a capacity of 240 kW·h. The optimal c... [more]

Energy policies of the European Union, the United States, China, and many other countries are focused on the growth in the number of and output from renewable energy sources (RES). That is because RES has become increasingly more competitive when compared to conventional sources, such as coal, nuclear energy, oil, or gas. In addition, there is still a lot of untapped wind energy potential in Europe and worldwide. That is bound to result in continuous growth in the share of sources that demonstrate significant production variability in the overall energy mix, as they depend on the weather. To ensure efficient energy management, both its production and grid flow, it is necessary to employ forecasting models for renewable energy source-based power plants. That will allow us to estimate the production volume well in advance and take the necessary remedial actions. The article discusses in detail the development of forecasting models for RES, dedicated, among others, to wind power plants. D... [more]

Monitoring the temperature of a semiconductor component allows for the prediction of potential failures, optimization of the selected cooling system, and extension of the useful life of the semiconductor component. There are many methods of measuring the crystal temperature of the semiconductor element referred to as a die. The resolution and accuracy of the measurements depend on the chosen method. This paper describes known methods for measuring and imaging the temperature distribution on the die surface of a semiconductor device. Relationships are also described that allow one to determine the die temperature on the basis of the case temperature. Current trends and directions of development for die temperature measurement methods are indicated.

The ability to accurately predict daily solar radiation reaching the earth’s surface is essential in applications such as solar power generation. Given their ease of use, many empirical models have been proposed based on different dependent variables such as cloud cover, daily temperature range, etc. In this study we evaluate 23 of these models for the prediction of daily solar radiation in the northern coastal zone of the Iberian Peninsula. Daily measurements during the period 2000−2018 from 16 meteorological stations spread over this area are used to adjust the parameters of each model, whose predictive capacity is then evaluated using measurements made between 2019 and 2022. Using different statistical metrics to assess their predictive performance, it was found that models based on hours of sunshine and level of cloudiness are significantly more accurate than those based on maximum and minimum daily temperature and day of the year. Specifically, the sunshine-based model by SBM3 obt... [more]

The European Union’s ambition to reach climate neutrality and a toxic-free environment by 2050 entails, among other things, cleaner road vehicles. The European Commission’s proposal for the next regulatory emissions standard, Euro 7, requires the measurement of pollutants currently not regulated on the road. In this study we compared a prototype portable emissions measurement system (PEMS) measuring CO2, CO, NO, NO2, N2O, NH3, CH4, and HCHO based on infrared laser absorption modulation (IRLAM), and two Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometers with laboratory grade analyzers. To this end, one Euro 6d Diesel, one Euro 6d gasoline, and one Euro 4 gasoline vehicle were tested at −7 °C and 23 °C with various driving cycles covering traffic conditions to highway dynamic driving. The results demonstrated that the differences among the instruments were small: ±1 mg/km for HCHO, N2O, and CH4, ±2.5 mg/km for NH3, ±10−15 mg/km for NOx, ±50 mg/km or ±15% for CO (whichever was larger), and ±... [more]

Environmental concerns and economic constraints have led to increasing installations of mixed conductor circuits comprising underground cables (UGCs) and overhead transmission lines (OHLs). Faults on the OHL sections of such circuits are usually temporary, while there is a higher probability that faults on UGC sections are permanent. To maintain power system reliability and security, auto-reclose (AR) schemes are typically implemented to minimize outage duration after temporary OHL faults while blocking AR for UGC faults to prevent equipment damage. AR of a hybrid UCG−OHL transmission line, therefore, requires effective identification of the faulty section. However, the different electrical characteristics of UGC and OHL sections present significant challenges to existing protection and fault location methods. This paper presents a selective AR scheme for mixed conductor circuits based on the evaluation of differential currents in multiple defined protection zones, using distributed cu... [more]

The stability of transmission tower bases is key to ensuring the safe operation of power lines. This paper proposes a joint displacement-control technique for foundation-inclined piles and prestressed foundation tie beams to address the problem of tower base displacement and durability degradation caused by environmental factors. A finite element model of an exposed-pile transmission tower conforming to the structural characteristics of the actual line tower was established based on the current situation of Tower 292 of the ±800 kV Tianzhong line in Xinjiang, China. Three different displacement-control schemes were analyzed under the combined effects of tower line load, ice-cover load, and wind load, including changing exposed pile height, changing inclined pile tilt angle, and increasing the prestressed foundation tie beam. The analysis shows that the combined displacement-control technology of foundation-inclined piles and prestressed foundation tie beams can reduce the horizontal di... [more]

Carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technology is considered an effective way to reduce greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide (CO2), which is significant for achieving carbon neutrality. Based on Derwent patent data, this paper explored the technology topics in CCUS patents by using the latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA) topic model to analyze technology’s hot topics and content evolution. Furthermore, the logistic model was used to fit the patent volume of the key CCUS technologies and predict the maturity and development trends of the key CCUS technologies to provide a reference for the future development of CCUS technology. We found that CCUS technology patents are gradually transforming to the application level, with increases in emerging fields, such as computer science. The main R&D institutes in the United States, Europe, Japan, Korea, and other countries are enterprises, while in China they are universities and research institutes. Hydride production, biological c... [more]

The modern era of green transportation based on Industry 4.0 is leading the automotive industry to focus on the electrification of all vehicles. This trend is affected by the massive advantages offered by electric vehicles (EV), such as pollution-free, economical and low-maintenance cost operation. The heart of this system is the electric motor powered by lithium-ion batteries; however, due to their many limitations, a hybrid energy storage system (HESS) consisting of batteries and ultracapacitors is currently gaining increased attention. This paper aims to review the distinct motor technologies such as brushless motors, synchronous reluctance and induction motors currently used in EVs. Additionally, through eleven selected criteria, such as regenerative braking efficiency and power density at different load ranges, the motors are classified in terms of their combined ability to operate with a HESS in order to maximize efficiency and sizing. The results show that permanent magnet and i... [more]

This article (case study) discusses the influence of household photovoltaic generation on the voltage quality in a three-phase 0.4 kV grid. The research analyzes remotely acquired data from two specially designed three-phase Y-connected power meters to understand the PV system’s influence on the grid. The values of the voltages, currents, THD, individual harmonics, power factor, and K-factor are obtained every 200 ms over several months, creating more than 20 GB of data. The loads are typical household electrical appliances and EV portable chargers. The main conclusion after analyzing the measurements is that three-phase PV generation in the presence of household loads can create or increase grid unbalance; important current values into the neutral wire and THD and K-factor increase in some cases. The results also uncovered that without current sensing at the household connection point to the three-phase grid to control the PV inverter, the balanced phase output power of the grid-tied... [more]

The development of urban logistics is closely related to the inhabitants of specific areas. People are changing their shopping habits, hence the growing share of online shopping. The consequence of the foregoing is increased demand for parcel delivery to customers’ addresses as well as in-store and automated pick-up points. This has increased the number of couriers that provide parcel delivery services. To achieve sustainable development, there is a real need to convert conventional combustion engine fleets using greener solutions such as electric vehicles. However, introducing such vehicles on a large scale involves constraints such as the vehicle running range on a single charge, the price of a new fleet and of its maintenance, and the location of charging stations. This article focuses on the strategies for siting of charging stations intended to be used by the providers of parcel delivery services. Different strategies as well as a method for identifying optimal goal-specific locat... [more]

Oil and gas (O&G) companies are facing increasing pressure to transform their businesses in order to contribute effectively to the transition from an economy based on fossil fuels to one driven by clean energy technologies. Understanding how O&G companies can define actions to comply with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and, specifically, how they can generate a positive impact in terms of sustainability through technology innovation becomes relevant in order to guarantee the success of such transformation. To explore this issue, this article analyzes, using a case study research methodology, the sustainability strategy of an O&G company in the Basque Country region (Spain) that is undergoing a profound transformation of its overall business strategy. In particular, the analysis focuses on how the company’s innovation and research and development (R&D) activities and projects related to clean technologies contribute to fulfilling the energy- and non-energy-rela... [more]