Stratified air distribution systems are commonly used in large space buildings. The research on the airflow organization of stratified air conditioners is deficient in terms of the analysis of multivariable factors. Moreover, studies on the coupled operation of stratified air conditioners and natural ventilation are few. In this paper, taking a Shanghai Airport Terminal departure hall for the study, air distribution and thermal comfort of the cross-section at a height of 1.6 m are simulated and compared under different working conditions, and the effect of natural ventilation coupling operation is studied. The results show that the air distribution is the most uniform and the thermal comfort is the best (predicted mean vote is 0.428, predicted percentage of dissatisfaction is 15.2%) when the working conditions are 5.9% air supply speed, 11 °C cooling temperature difference and 0° air supply angle. With the coupled operation of natural ventilation, the thermal comfort can be improved fr... [more]

There are several threats that require the control of the conditions of switching operations in the transmission grid. They result mainly from the negative effects of the high-value current, which may appear after the breaker is closed. Problems considering closing the power circuit breakers on a large standing phase angle (SPA) are often formulated by grid operators. The literature most often discusses the problem of SPA reduction, which allows the system to be restored without the risk of damaging the turbogenerator shafts. This reduction can be achieved by various operational solutions; most often, it is the appropriate adjustment of active power generation, sometimes backed up by partial load shedding. The subject of the presented article is a slightly different approach to the SPA problem. The method of determining the maximum value of SPA for which the connection operation allows to avoid excessive transitional torques was presented. With this approach, finding the maximum value... [more]

In arid climates, almost half of the urban peak load of energy demand is used to supply cooling and air-conditioning in the summertime. The pressure placed on energy resources to satisfy inhabitants’ indoor comfort requirements is mounting due to accelerated urbanisation rates in developing countries and has led countries such as those in the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) to establish sustainable building codes to enhance their environmental performance. Using the extensive parametric energy simulations provided by DesignBuilder, this study addresses the potential of applying different GCC energy efficiency measures to reduce annual energy consumption and carbon emissions in a typical residential dwelling in the Kingdom of Bahrain. To do so, first, a base case validation simulation model was generated, followed by four design scenarios addressing the minimum requirements for Bahrain’s Energy Conservation Code, Abu Dhabi’s ESTIDAMA 1, Saudi Arabia’s code, and Kuwait’s building code. Th... [more]

In this work, a comparison between the gate-driving requirements of p-GaN HEMTs with gate contact of Schottky and Ohmic type is presented. Furthermore, the presence of a gate current of different magnitude is experimentally verified for both types of devices. Successively, the possibility of using the gate current as a temperature-sensitive parameter and its monitoring during real circuit operation is proposed. The viability of monitoring the gate current without introducing additional complexity in the gate driver is examined through experimental measurements on commercially available p-GaN HEMTs.

Recently, in order to overcome the difficulties of interrupting fault currents in multi-terminal direct current systems (MTDC), studies combining a saturated iron-core type superconducting current limiter (SFCL) and a direct current circuit breaker (DCCB) have been conducted. However, the effect of inductance change of the SI-SFCL on the interrupting time of the DCCB during fault has not been studied yet. In this paper, the interrupting time delay caused by the dynamic behavior of the inductance change during the fault current blocking process of the SI-SFCL combined with a DCCB was analyzed through experiments and a new fault detection method considering this phenomenon was proposed. After designing and manufacturing the laboratory-scale SI-SFCL and DCCB, a fault current interrupting test was performed and the inductance change pattern of the SI-SFCL was analyzed. Based on the analysis results, a new fault detection technique was proposed to alleviate the interruption time delay that... [more]

An uninterrupted chain of energy supplies is the core of every activity, without exception for the operations of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. A robust and efficient energy supply is fundamental for the success of missions and a guarantee of soldier safety. However, organizing a battlefield energy supply chain is particularly challenging because the risks and threats are particularly high. Moreover, the energy supply chain is expected to be flexible according to mission needs and able to be moved quickly if necessary. In line with ongoing technological changes, the growing popularity of hydrogen is undeniable and has been noticed by NATO as well. Hydrogen is characterised by a much higher energy density per unit mass than other fuels, which means that hydrogen fuel can increase the range of military vehicles. Consequently, hydrogen could eliminate the need for risky refuelling stops during missions as well as the number of fatalities associated with fuel delivery in combat ar... [more]

Dam reservoirs constitute an important element of protection against floods and hydrological droughts, and they ensure the possibility of producing electricity. Loss of reservoirs’ storage capacity has a significant impact on the management of their water resources, including flood protection and counteracting the effects of drought and the possibility of producing electricity. The paper presents changes in the capacity of 47 reservoirs in Poland that have the status of key objects of protection against floods and hydrological drought. Based on the collected, unpublished data, the changes in capacity from the beginning of the reservoirs’ existence to 31 March 2021 were calculated, which allowed us to determine the total amount of lost capacity and the pace of the processes taking place. From the beginning of operation (average operation time 48 years), the capacity has decreased by about 5%, which means that almost 200 million m3 less water is stored. Detailed analyses of the lost capa... [more]

Power transformer bushings withstand great electrical and mechanical stress during high voltage and high current working conditions. Sealing failure poses a great threat to the long-term and reliable operation of the bushing and power transformer; however, the criterion to evaluate the sealing status of a bushing caused by mechanical problems is still lacking. In this paper, a transformer bushing model is established to gain theoretical insight into the relationship between temperature and pressure of a compact multilayer bushing. To evaluate the bushing mechanical status, different sealing conditions are tested based on the temperature and pressure monitoring within the physical 110 kV bushing. The results show that mechanical sealing failure can be diagnosed when the fluctuation of the oil pressure value exceeds the theoretical curve in steady state by 3 kPa. With different reliability coefficients, gas leakage and oil leakage are available to be further determined. The primary and a... [more]

The article presents issues regarding the impact of operating conditions on the functional reliability of representative fire alarm systems (FASs) in selected critical infrastructure buildings (CIB). FAS should operate correctly under variable environmental conditions. FASs ensure the safety of people and CIB. Operational measurements for 10 representative systems were conducted in order to determine the impact of environmental conditions on FAS reliability. Selected operational indices were also determined. The next stage involved developing two models of representative FASs and the availability, pre-ageing time and operating process security indices. Determining operational indices is a rational selection of FAS technical and organizational solutions that enables the reliability level to be increased. Identifying the course of the FAS operating process security hazard changes in individual system lines, particularly at the initial operation stage, enables people that supervise the op... [more]

A fork-type heat pipe (FHP) is a passive heat-transport and air-cooling device used to remove the decay heat of spent nuclear fuels stored in a liquid pool during a station blackout. FHPs have a unique geometrical design to resolve the significant mismatch between the convective heat transfer coefficients of the evaporator and condenser parts. The evaporator at the bottom is a single heat-exchanger tube, whereas the condenser at the top consists of multiple finned tubes to maximize the heat transfer area. In this study, the heat transfer characteristics and operating limits of an FHP device were investigated experimentally. A laboratory-scale model of an FHP was manufactured, and a series of tests were conducted while the temperature was varied to simulate a spent fuel pool. As an index of the average heat transfer performance, the loop conductance was computed from the measurement data. The results show that the loop conductance of the FHP increased with the heat transfer rate but det... [more]

This article discusses issues regarding electromagnetic interference generated unintentionally by transport telematics systems and electronic security systems (ESS) located within a railway area. These systems should operate correctly, since they ensure the safety of both vehicles and passengers. The electronic devices they use are exposed to electromagnetic interference that may lead to incorrect ESS functioning. In order to determine the impact of electromagnetic interference on ESS, the authors measured unintentional low-frequency electromagnetic field generated by MV—15 and 30 kV—power lines. This enabled determining the areas with maximum values of electromagnetic interference. The next stage of the research was to develop an ESS operating process model that takes into account the impact of unintentionally generated electromagnetic interference on the operating process. Introducing the electromagnetic interference impact coefficient enables a rational selection of solutions aimed... [more]

Recently, “carbon neutrality”, the state of net-zero carbon dioxide emission, has been one of the most frequently used terms in the sustainable development of environmental and energy industries [...]

The use of Stirling-cycle-based heat pumps in high-temperature applications and waste heat recovery at an industrial scale is of increasing interest due to the promising role in producing thermal energy with zero CO2 emissions. This paper analyzes one such technology as developed by Olvondo Technology and installed at the pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca in Sweden. In this application, the heat pump used roughly equal amounts of waste heat and electricity and generated 500 kW of steam at 10 bar. To develop and widen the use of a high-performance high-temperature heat pump that is both economically and environmentally viable and attractive, various analysis tools such as exergy analysis and life cycle assessment (LCA) can be combined. The total cumulative exergy loss (TCExL) method used in this study determines total exergy losses caused throughout the life cycle of the heat pump. Moreover, an LCA study using SimaPro was conducted, which provides insight into the different emissions a... [more]

Energy management systems (EMSs) have been introduced in electrical power systems to optimize operations of the electrical grid infrastructure and to provide support to the grid operator in terms of optimized decisions [...]

The paper presents the results of research on the vibrating motion of a laboratory screen with a rectilinear (segmental) trajectory of vibrations during its start-up and braking. The investigations were carried out on a modernized stand equipped with a system of two vibrating motors applied in newer solutions of industrial screens, which are mounted directly on the riddle. The tests were carried out for three different frequencies using three-axis acceleration sensors. The analysed parameter was the increase in the amplitude of vibrations in transient states compared to the amplitude during the stable operation of the device. The maximum multiplication of the vibration amplitude of the classic drive system during start-up was 9.7 (mm/mm) in the vertical direction and 5.7 (mm/mm) for the new system. During braking, the maximum multiplication of the vibration amplitude of the classic drive system was 6.9 (mm/mm) vertically, while for the drive system with vibration motors, it was 11.4 (m... [more]

The number of aerial- and ground-based unmanned vehicles and operations is expected to significantly expand in the near future. While aviation traditionally has an excellent safety record in managing conflicts, the current approaches will not be able to provide safe and efficient operations in the future. This paper presents the development of a novel framework integrating autonomous aerial and ground vehicles to facilitate short- and mid-term tactical conflict management. The methodology presents the development of a modular web service framework to develop new conflict management algorithms. This new framework is aimed at managing urban and peri-urban traffic of unmanned ground vehicles and assisting the introduction of urban air mobility into the same framework. A set of high-level system requirements is defined. The incremental development of two versions of the system prototype is presented. The discussions highlight the lessons learnt while implementing and testing the conflict m... [more]

This article proposes a measurement solution designed to monitor the instantaneous frequency in power systems. It uses a data acquisition module and a GPS receiver for time stamping and traceability. A Python-based module receives data, computes the frequency, and finally transfers the measurement results to a database. The frequency is calculated with two different methods, which are compared in the article. The stored data is visualized using the Grafana platform, thus demonstrating its potential for comparing scientific data. The system as a whole constitutes an efficient, low-cost solution as a data acquisition system.

Operation modes are an important topic in the research of Rotating Detonation Chamber (RDC) as it can affect the stability of RDC. However, they have not been discussed in detail due to the limitation of measurement means in experiments. The aim of this research is to investigate the mechanism of different operation modes by numerical simulation. In this paper, a numerical simulation for RDCs with separate injectors is carried out. Different operation modes and mode switching are analyzed. There is a series of reversed shock waves in the flow field. It was found that they have great effects on operation mode and mode switching in RDCs. A reversed shock wave can transit into a detonation wave after passing through isolated fresh gas region where fresh gas and burnt gas distribute alternatively. This shock-to-detonation transition (SDT) phenomenon will influence the ignition process, contra-rotating waves mode and mode switching in RDCs. SDT makes the number of detonation wave increases,... [more]

The article presents an active bridge system that enables the solution of a significant problem consisting in ensuring correct indications of temperature values in a wide measuring range for a Pt100 temperature sensor with properties defined by the standard (EN-60751 + A2). The presented active bridge system combines the properties of the measuring amplifier with the stabilization of the current value in the branch in which the Pt100 sensor was placed. The article focuses on the comparison of the temperature measurement in a typical resistance bridge and the measurement made in the developed active bridge, which has also become the subject of a patent. For the performed tests, in which the correctness of the temperature measurement system operation was verified, and on the basis of the obtained results, the quality of temperature measurements was compared in a wide range of changes.

The motivation to improve components in electric power equipment brings new proposals from world-renowned scientists to strengthen them in operation. An essential part of every electric power equipment is its insulation system, which must have the best possible parameters. The current problem with mineral oil replacement is investigating and testing other alternative electrical insulating liquids. In this paper, we present a comparison of mineral and hydrocarbon oil (liquefied gas) in terms of conductivity and relaxation mechanisms in the complex plane of the Cole-Cole diagram and dielectric losses. We perform the comparison using the method of dielectric relaxation spectroscopy in the frequency domain at different intensities of the time-varying electric field 0.5 kV/m, 5 kV/m, and 50 kV/m. With the increasing intensity of the time-varying electric field, there is a better approximation of the Debye behavior in all captured polarization processes of the investigated oils. By comparing... [more]

Automated hydronic balancing in space heating systems is crucial for the fourth-generation district heating transition. The current manual balancing requires labor- and time-consuming activities. This article presents the field results of an innovative electronic radiator thermostat tested on two Danish multi-family buildings. The prototypes had an additional return temperature sensor on each radiator and an algorithm was used to accurately control valve opening to ensure automated hydronic balancing. The results highlighted that the new thermostat performed as expected and helped secure the cooling of district heating temperatures —defined as the difference between supply and return temperature—4−12 °C higher during the test compared to results obtained in 2020, when the prototypes were replaced with state-of-the-art thermostats in the first building. The measurements from the other building illustrated how only two uncontrolled radiators out of 175 could contaminate the overall retur... [more]

In this paper, a coupled-inductor interleaved LLC resonant converter (CI-ILLC) was proposed, which can achieve extensive operation range applications by multiplexing inductors and switches. In this proposed CI-ILLC, the coupled-inductor not only serves as a filter inductor but also plays the role of transformer to improve the power density. By changing the modulation methods, the proposed converter can work at three modes for a wide operation range, namely high gain (HG) mode, medium gain (MG) mode, and low gain (LG) mode. Moreover, the interleaved structure greatly reduces the current ripple and current stress of switches. Besides, in HG and MG modes, all switches can realize zero-voltage switching, with high energy transmission efficiency. Finally, the simulation and experiment results of the prototype with 120−200 V input and 50−200 V output are presented to verify the viability of the proposed converter.

The paper presents an analytical discussion of how to improve the energy efficiency of the steam cushion system operation for a Thermal Energy Storage (TES) tank. The EU’s green deal 2050 target policy requires an increase in the energy efficiency of energy production and use, as well as an increase in the share of renewable energy in the overall energy production balance. The use of energy-efficient TES is considered as one of the most important technologies to achieve the objectives of this EU policy. The analyses presented in the paper of energy-efficient operation of steam cushion (SC) systems were carried out by using operational data received from three District Heating Systems (DHSs) that supply heat and electricity to one of the largest cities in Poland and are equipped with the TES systems. These three analyzed TESs differ in capacities from 12,800 to 30,400 m3, tank diameters from 21 to 30 m and shell height from 37 to 48.2 m. The main purpose of using a steam cushion system... [more]

Detection of the axial displacement of power-transformer winding is important to ensure its highly reliable operation. Frequency response analysis is a promising candidate in detecting the axial displacement. However, a method of detecting the axial displacement at an incipient stage without the need for fingerprint data has not been investigated yet. This paper focuses on resonances showing a bipolar signature in the transfer function of inductive interwinding measurement, which is sensitive to the axial displacement of the winding. Transfer functions in the inductive interwinding measurements of eight power transformers are measured before shipping to elucidate the features of resonances showing a bipolar signature. The measured resonances showing the bipolar signature can be divided into the “stair type” and the “crossing-curve type”. It is found that the grounding points in an inductive interwinding measurement determine the type of resonance showing the bipolar signature, irrespec... [more]

Solar energy is planned to undergo large-scale deployment along with Thailand’s transformation to a carbon neutral society in 2050. In the course of energy transformation planning, the issue of energy infrastructure adaptation to climate change has often been left out. This study aims to identify climate-related risks and countermeasures taken in solar power plants in Thailand using thematic analysis with self-administered observations and structured interviews in order to propose points of consideration during long-term energy planning to ensure climate adaptation capacity. The analysis pointed out that floods and storms were perceived as major climate events affecting solar power plants in Thailand, followed by lightning and fires. Several countermeasures were taken, including hard countermeasures that require extensive investment. Following policy recommendations were derived from the climate-proofing investment scenario study. Policy support in terms of enabling regulations or fina... [more]