In the present study, the double-diffusive oscillatory convection of binary mixture, 3He−4He, in porous medium heated from below and cooled from above was investigated with stress-free boundary conditions. The Darcy model was employed in the governing system of perturbed equations. An attempt was made, for the first time, to solve these equations by using the nonlinear analysis-based truncated Fourier series. The influence of the Rayleigh number (R), the separation ratio (ψ) due to the Soret effect, the Lewis number (Le), and the porosity number (χ) on the field variables were investigated using the finite amplitudes. From the linear stability analysis, expressions for the parameters, namely, R and wavenumbers, were obtained, corresponding to the bifurcations such as pitchfork bifurcation, Hopf bifurcation, Takens−Bogdnanov bifurcation and co-dimension two bifurcation. The results reveal that the local Nusselt number (NL) increases with R. The total energy is enhanced for all increasin... [more]

The shock wave of a coal and gas outburst is a high-pressure and high-speed impact airflow formed rapidly after the outburst. The propagation destroys the ventilation facilities and causes the destruction of the ventilation system. The theoretical research on the outburst shock wave is of great significance. In order to deeply understand the formation mechanism of the outburst shock wave, this paper draws on the shock wave theory to theoretically analyze the microscopic formation process of the outburst shock wave. The main difference between the formation process of a coal and gas outburst shock wave and the formation process of a general shock wave is that the outburst shock wave has a solid−gas flow zone in the high-pressure zone. The calculation formulas of pressure, density, temperature and other parameters before and after the outburst shock wave are derived. After the outburst shock wave passes through, the pressure, temperature and density of the roadway air will change suddenl... [more]

Enhancing the sustainability and diversification of Iraq’s electricity system is a strategic objective. Achieving this goal depends critically on increasing the use of renewable energy sources (RESs). The significance of developing solar-powered technologies becomes essential at this point. Iraq, similar to other places with high average direct normal irradiation, is a good location for concentrated solar thermal power (CSP) technology. This study aims to recover the waste heat from the gas turbine cycle (GTC) in the Al-Qayara power plant in Iraq and integrate it with a solar power tower. A thermoeconomic analysis has been done to support the installation of an integrated solar combined cycle (ISCC), which uses concentrated solar tower technology. The results indicate that the examined power plant has a total capacity of 561.5 MW, of which 130.4 MW is due to the waste heat recovery of G.T.s, and 68 MW. is from CSP. Due to the waste heat recovery of GTC, the thermal and exergy efficienc... [more]

We wish to comment on factual inaccuracies around the purpose of the UK Geoenergy Observatory in Glasgow (GGERFS) in the recent Energies paper by Watson et al [...]

The condensation-collection and quantitative analysis of bio-oil limit its component investigation and utilization. In order to find a convenient method for the analysis of bio-oil, the present study conducted an attempt for bio-oil quantitative analysis with the addition of internal standards before pyrolysis. Based on their good thermal stability, phenethyl acetate and naphthalene were selected as standards in the study and experiments were carried out to compare the effects of two added modes (adding into the biowaste before pyrolysis or adding into bio-oil after pyrolysis) on the bio-oil analysis. The results showed that both phenethyl acetate and naphthalene were mainly volatilized under testing conditions, which could be transferred into the oil with the volatile matters during biowaste pyrolysis. Through the co-pyrolysis experiments of the internal standards with lignin and cellulose, almost no interactions were found between the internal standards and such components. Furthermo... [more]

Determination of local heat transfer coefficient at the interface of channel wall and fluid was the main goal of this experimental study in microchannel flow boiling domain. Flow boiling heat transfer to DI-water in a single microchannel with a rectangular cross section was experimentally investigated. The rectangular cross section dimensions of the experimented microchannel were 1050 μm × 500 μm and 1500 μm × 500 μm. Experiments under conditions of boiling were performed in a test setup, which allows the optical and local impedance measurements of the fluids by mass fluxes of 22.1 kg·m−2·s−1 to 118.8 kg·m−2·s−1 and heat fluxes in the range of 14.7 kW·m−2 to 116.54 kW·m−2. The effect of the mass flux, heat flux, and flow pattern on flow boiling local heat transfer coefficient and pressure drop were investigated. Experimental data compared to existing correlations indicated no single correlation of good predictive value. This was concluded to be the case due to the instability of flow c... [more]

Solid oxide fuel cells can operate with carbonaceous fuels, such as syngas, biogas, and methane, using either internal or external reforming, and they represent a more efficient alternative to internal combustion engines. In this work, we explore, for the first time, an alumina membrane containing straight, highly packed (461,289 cpsi), parallel channels of a few micrometers (21 µm) in diameter as a microreformer. As a model reaction to test the performance of this membrane, the dry reforming of methane was carried out using nickel metal and a composite nickel/ceria as catalysts. The samples with intact microchannels were more resistant to carbon deposition than those with a powdered sample, highlighting the deactivation mitigation effect of the microchannel structure. The coke content in the microchannel membrane was one order of magnitude lower than in the powder catalyst. Overall, this work is a proof of concept on the use of composite alumina membrane as microchannel reactors for h... [more]

Changing climatic conditions cause the variability of the parameters of the building’s surroundings, which in turn causes both the gains and losses of heat to change over time. There is variability in both daily and annual cycles. Meeting the requirements of thermal comfort in rooms requires maintaining the required parameters, including constant temperature. Heat gains and losses must be balanced, and this balance is ensured through appropriate heating systems. At the same time, the above means that the demand for heating buildings is not constant but depends on external weather conditions and the energy efficiency of the building. This, in turn, affects the thermal inertia, causing changes in the partition temperature to occur slower than the changes in air temperature. Therefore, the amplitude of the heating power changes is not proportional to the amplitude of the outside air temperature change. The paper presents an example of the analysis of thermal dynamics in buildings. Various... [more]

The critical stable sectional area (CSSA) for surge tanks corresponds to the critical stable state of hydropower stations and is an important index to evaluate the stability of the turbine regulation system. The research on CSSA for surge tanks is always one of the most important topics in the area of transient processes of hydropower stations. The CSSA for surge tanks provides the value basis for the sectional area of surge tanks. In engineering practice, the CSSA for surge tanks is widely used to guide their hydraulic design. This paper provides a systematic literature review about the CSSA for surge tank of hydropower stations. Firstly, the CSSA for surge tanks based on hydraulic transients is discussed. Secondly, the CSSA for surge tanks based on hydraulic-mechanical-electrical coupling transients is presented. Thirdly, the CSSA for air cushion surge tanks is illustrated. Finally, the CSSA for combined surge tanks, i.e., upstream and downstream double surge tanks and upstream serie... [more]

Increasing the fuel injection pressure is currently the most effective way to achieve a better fuel−air mixing quality in modern engines. Systems capable of delivering fuels at a pressure of over 250 MPa have been widely adopted in diesel engines. At such high injection pressures, the shock-wave generation during fuel injection has been noticed. Investigations can be found widely discussing on how the shock-wave generation during fuel injection would affect the spray dynamics. However, the argument remains whether the shock wave can occur at diesel engine conditions since the diesel engine is operated at very high ambient temperature and density. Even if it could occur, how significantly the spray-induced shock wave affects the spray characteristics is rarely known. To address these concerns, this study was proposed. First, experiments were conducted to obtain the detailed spray dynamics from the nozzle exit to spray downstream field by taking advantage of the X-ray phase-contrast imag... [more]

The article presents the calculation of the leakage inductance in power transformers. As a rule, the leakage flux in the transformer window is represented by the short-circuit inductance, which affects the short-circuit voltage, and this is a very important factor for power transformers. This inductance reflects the typical windings of power transformers well, but is insufficient for special transformers or in any case of the internal asymmetry of windings. This paper presents a methodology for calculations of the self- and mutual-leakage inductances for windings arbitrarily located in the air window. It is based on the 2D approach for analyzing the stray field in the air zone only, using discrete partial differential operators. That methodology is verified with the finite element method tested on real transformer data.

CO2-based transcritical refrigeration cycles are currently gaining significant research attention, as they offer a viable solution to the use of natural refrigerants (e.g., CO2). However, there are almost no papers that offer an exergoeconomic comparison between the different configurations of these types of systems. Accordingly, the present work deals with a comparative exergoeconomic analysis of four different CO2-based transcritical refrigeration cycles. In addition, the work is complemented by an analysis of the CO2 abatement costs. The influences of the variation of the evaporating temperature, the gas cooler outlet temperature, and the pressure ratio on the exergy efficiency, product cost rate, exergy destruction cost rate, exergoeconomic factor, and CO2 penalty cost rate are compared in detail. The results show that the transcritical cycle with the ejector has the lowest exergetic product cost and a low environmental impact.

The European Green Deal considers the increase in the share of renewable energy in final energy consumption (REFEC) among the main targets for achieving sustainable EU economies. In this context, the main aim of this paper is to provide an empirical evaluation of the relationship between GDP, global competitiveness index (GCI) and renewable energy consumption. According to panel data models based on the fully modified ordinary least squares method (FMOLS), there is a positive effect of renewable energy consumption progress on GDP and GCI growth, and also a positive influence of economic growth on renewable energy consumption in the period 2007−2019 in the EU countries. The energy consumption is more influenced by economic growth rather than economic competitiveness. Few scenarios were proposed for economic growth and share of renewable sources (RESs) in the final consumption using as forecasting method the proposed panel data models. The cluster analysis suggested two groups of countri... [more]

In the renewable energy source (RES) market, which is highly atomized, business events play an important role in supporting inter-organizational cooperation. The aim of this paper was to examine the impact of three characteristics of the events, namely, the location of the event, type of event (brokerage event versus company mission), and type of leading partner (public versus private), on the effectiveness of the business events (expressed by the number of meetings during an event and the number of partnerships initiated as a result of these meetings). We analyzed 304 promotional events organized in the European RES market. We employed basic statistical tests to verify our hypotheses. Our findings suggest that (1) the numbers of meetings and partnerships differ depending on the event’s location (country and region of Europe), (2) the type of the event (brokerage event versus company mission) affects the numbers of meetings and partnerships (in particular, during brokerage events (BEs)... [more]

One of the most important requirements concerning the quality of natural gases, guaranteeing their safe use, involves providing the proper level of their odorization. This allows for the detection of uncontrolled leakages of gases from gas networks, installations and devices. The concentration of an odorant should be adjusted in such a manner that the gas odor in a mixture with air would be noticeable by users (gas receivers). A permanent odor of gas is guaranteed by the stability of the odorant molecule and its resistance to changes in the composition of odorized gases. The article presents the results of experimental research on the impact of a hydrogen additive on the stability of tetrahydrothiophene (THT) mixtures in methane and in natural gas with a hydrogen additive. The objective of the work was to determine the readiness of measurement infrastructures routinely used in monitoring the process of odorizing natural gas for potential changes in its composition. One of the elements... [more]

The TBN (Total Base Number) parameter is generally recognized by both engine oil processors and engine manufacturers as a key factor of oil quality. This is especially true for lubricating oils used in diesel and gas engines, which are exposed to relatively high temperatures and, therefore, require more effective protection against degradation. The FTIR spectrometry method together with a multivariate statistical software helped to create a model for the determination of TBN of worn motor oil SAE 15W-40 ACEA: E5/E7, API: CI-4. The best results were provided using a model FTIR with Partial Least Squares (PLS) regression in an overall range of 4000−650 cm−1 without the use of mathematical adjustments of the scanned spectra by derivation. Individual spectral information was condensed into nine principal components with linear combinations of the original absorbances at given wavenumbers that are mutually not correlated. A correlation coefficient (R) between values of TBN predicted by the... [more]

Permeability characterizes the ability of rocks to store and transport natural gas, crude oil and reservoir fluids. Permeability heterogeneity of reservoir rocks, including dolomites, results from overlapping geological and physicochemical processes. The permeability study of gas-bearing dolomites was carried out on the Lubiatów hydrocarbon deposit (Poland), located at the Ca2 carbonate platform toe-of-slope, which is a prospective area for hydrocarbon exploration in Europe. Due to the complicated rock textures and overlapping alteration processes, including secondary crystallization or dissolution of minerals, the permeability of the deposit is variable. Studies of dolomites from a depth of 3242−3380 m show high mineralogical diversity; the percentage of dolomite ranges from 79% to 95% with a variable content of other minerals: anhydrite, gypsum, quartz, fluorite, plagioclase and clay minerals. The porosity variability ranges from 4.69% to 31.21%, depending on the measurement method u... [more]

The aim of this paper is to research the parameters that optimize the thermal performances of a horizontal single-duct Earth to Air Heat eXchanger (EAHX). In this analysis, the EAHX is intended to be installed in the city of Naples (Italy). The study is conducted by varying the most crucial parameters influencing the heat exchange between the air flowing in the duct and the ground. The effect of the geometrical characteristics of the duct (pipe length, diameter, burial depth), and the thermal and flow parameter of humid air (inlet temperature and velocity) has been studied in order to optimize the operation of this geothermal system. The results reveal that the thermal performance increases with length until the saturation distance is reached. Moreover, if the pipe is designed with smaller diameters and slower air flows, if other conditions remain equal, the outlet temperatures come closer to the ground temperature. The combination that optimizes the performance of the system, carried... [more]

The research on the deformation mechanism of monopile foundation supporting offshore wind turbines is significant to optimize the design of a monopile foundation under wave and current load. In this paper, a three-dimensional wave-pile-soil coupling finite element model is proposed to investigate the deformation mechanism of monopile undercurrent and fifth-order Stokes wave. Different from the conventional assumption that there is no slip at the pile-soil interface, Frictional contact is set to simulate the relative movement between monopile and soil. Numerical results indicate that under extreme environmental conditions, the monopile foundation sways within a certain range and the maximum displacement in the loading direction is 1.3 times the displacement in the reverse direction. A further investigation has been made for a large-diameter pipe pile with various design parameters. The finite element analyses reveal that the most efficient way to reduce the deflection of the pile head i... [more]

Synthetic esters have become more and more popular in last few decades, explaining the increasing number of units filled with this liquid year by year. They have been investigated under different aspects, both from the fundamental point of view and breakdown mechanisms, well as from the application point of view. However, their use in high voltage equipment is always a challenge and deeper knowledge of the various aspects that can be encountered in their exploitation is needed. The intent of this review paper is to present the recent research progress on synthetic ester liquid in relation to the selected issues, most important for ester development in the authors’ opinion. The described issues are the breakdown performance of synthetic esters, lightning impulse strength and pre-breakdown phenomena of synthetic esters, synthetic esters-based nanofluids, combined paper-synthetic ester based insulating systems, application of synthetic ester for retro-filling and drying of mineral oil-imm... [more]

The hydrogen compression cycle system recycles hydrogen compressed by a compressor at high pressure and stores it in a high-pressure container. Thermal stress is generated due to increase in the pressure and temperature of hydrogen in the hydrogen storage tank during the fast filing process. For the sake of safety, it is of great practical significance to predict and control the temperature change in the tank. The hydrogen charging process in the storage tank of the hydrogen charging station was studied by experimentation and simulation. In this paper, a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model for non-adiabatic real filling of a 50 MPa hydrogen cylinder was presented. In addition, a shear stress transport (k-ω) model and real gas model were used in order to account for thermo-fluid dynamics during the filling of hydrogen storage tanks (50 MPa, 343 L). Compared to the simulation results with the experimental data carried out under the same conditions, the temperatures calculated from t... [more]

The increasingly serious environmental pollution and the shortage of social energy have promoted the rapid development of fuel cell vehicles. The major factor which limits the commercialization of fuel cell vehicles is durability. Accurately estimating the state and parameters of a fuel cell is critical to extending the life of the fuel cell. To address this challenge, we extended a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) lumped parameter model and incorporated new algorithms that are essential to estimate the health of the fuel cell in a range-extended fuel cell car. The unscented Kalman filter (UKF) algorithm has been used to estimate the ohmic internal resistance of the fuel cell in real time. By using the unscented transformation (UT) method, the linearization of the nonlinear state equation is avoided, and the filtering accuracy is improved without increasing the complexity of the system. By comparing simulation and experimental results, the feasibility and accuracy of the algo... [more]

One of the environmental aims of the European Union is to achieve climate neutrality by 2050. According to European Parliament data, transport emissions accounted for about 25% of global carbon dioxide emissions in 2016, in which road transport had the largest share (approximately 72%). This phenomenon is particularly visible in urban agglomerations. The solution examples are the popularization of hybrid vehicles and the development of electromobility. The aim of this paper is an assessment of the energy consumption and exhaust emissions from passenger cars fitted with different powertrains in actual operation. For the tests, passenger cars with conventional engines of various emission classes were used as well as the latest hybrid vehicles and an electric car. It enabled a comparative assessment of the energy consumption under different traffic conditions, with particular emphasis on the urban phase and the entire RDE (Real Driving Emissions) test. The results were analyzed to identif... [more]

Methanol is a clean fuel and an important feedstock for the petrochemical industry. Conventionally, the coal-to-methanol process generates a substantial amount of CO2 emissions with a low yield of methanol. In this study, we propose the conceptual design development of coal-to-methanol process using captured CO2 from the gasification plant by implying process intensification. The base case and three alternative designs have been developed using the Aspen Plus to analyze the process performance. The four designs have been compared in terms of their energy consumption, economics, methanol production rate, and carbon emissions while maintaining the gasifier operation conditions, sulfur content in the syngas, and stoichiometric number at the methanol synthesis reactor. Among the developed designs, the most feasible design requires an energy requirement and product cost of 21.9 GJ and $142.5 per ton of methanol product. The study also showed that the coal-to-methanol process assisted with e... [more]

The combined cooling, heating and power (CCHP) system is a promising energy-efficient technology to realize energy cascade utilization. With the integration of photovoltaic/thermal panels and thermal energy storage, the comprehensive performance of the system can be further improved. However, the performance is also affected by the operation strategy. This paper proposes an effective operation strategy to deal with the energy flow of the system well to achieve a better performance. The mathematical model of a CCHP system hybridized with photovoltaic/thermal panels and thermal energy storage is established in this paper. The optimal size of key components of the CCHP system is determined by the particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm. Case studies of four scenarios of a residential zone in Beijing are conducted to verify the effectiveness of the system structure and efficiency of the proposed method. The results show that by adding photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) panels and thermal ener... [more]