The article discusses the possibility of using blended biofuels from rapeseed oil (RO) as fuel for a diesel engine. RO blended diesel fuel (DF) and emulsified multicomponent biofuels have been investigated. Fuel physicochemical properties have been analyzed. Experimental tests of a diesel engine D-245 in the operating conditions of the external characteristic curve and the 13-mode test cycle have been conducted to investigate the effect of these fuels on engine performances. CFD simulations of the nozzle inner flow were performed for DF and ethanol-emulsified RO. The possibility of a significant improvement in brake thermal efficiency of the engine has been noted. The efficiency of using blended biofuels from RO as a motor fuel for diesel engines has been evaluated based on the experimental test results. It was shown that in comparison with the presence of RO in emulsified multicomponent biofuel, the presence of water has a more significant effect on NOx emission reduction. The content... [more]

It is broadly acknowledged that there is an urgent need to reduce carbon-based mobility systems and increase renewable energy alternatives. The automotive industry is one of the greatest consumers of energy in the world. It is fronted with many challenges that aim at reducing carbon emissions. Renewable energy costs are getting cheaper and more cost effective. However, well devised design and control strategies are also needed in order to optimize any systems that are adopted in this field. Previous research shows that the energy consumption for non-traction purposes may be of the same scale as the energy used to move rolling stock, and in some cases even larger. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is very interested in the implementation of policies that aim at reducing energy consumption and encouraging renewable energy programs. Under its Vision 2030 development program, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is looking to produce 30% of its energy from renewables and other sources, with solar energy... [more]

Multiple jet impingement is a widely implemented convective process for enhancing heat transfer over target surfaces. Depending on the engineering application, the impinging plate can have different configurations. However, the increased complexity of the surface induces complicated thermal behaviors that must be analyzed. In that sense, this study consisted of the experimental and numerical analysis of multiple jets impinging on a step surface. A particle image velocimetry technique was applied to measure velocity fields, while a heat flux sensor was mounted on the surface to determine the heat transfer. Numerical simulations, for both flat and non-flat plates, were conducted in ANSYS FLUENT applying the SST k-ω model, and experimental results were used to validate the model. Three surface configurations were analyzed, flat, 1 D, and 2 D steps, and the results show an increase in the average Nusselt number compared with the flat plate, 9% and 20%, respectively. This increase was mainl... [more]

The unit commitment problem (UCP) is one of the key and fundamental concerns in the operation, monitoring, and control of power systems. Uncertainty management in a UCP has been of great interest to both operators and researchers. The uncertainties that are considered in a UCP can be classified as technical (outages, forecast errors, and plugin electric vehicle (PEV) penetration), economic (electricity prices), and “epidemics, pandemics, and disasters” (techno-socio-economic). Various methods have been developed to model the uncertainties of these parameters, such as stochastic programming, probabilistic methods, chance-constrained programming (CCP), robust optimization, risk-based optimization, the hierarchical scheduling strategy, and information gap decision theory. This paper reviews methods of uncertainty management, parameter modeling, simulation tools, and test systems.

Today, the problem of energy shortage and climate change has urgently motivated the development of research engaged in improving the fuel efficiency of internal combustion engines (ICEs). Although many constructive alternatives—including battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and low-carbon fuels such as biofuels or hydrogen—are being put forward, they are starting from a very low base, and still face significant barriers. Nevertheless, 85−90% of transport energy is still expected to come from combustion engines powered by conventional liquid fuels even by 2040. Therefore, intensive passion for the improvement of engine thermal efficiency and decreasing energy loss has driven the development of reliable approaches and modelling to fully understand the underlying mechanisms. In this paper, literature surveys are presented that investigate the relative advantages of technologies mainly focused on minimizing energy loss in engine assemblies, including pistons and rings, bearings and valves, wat... [more]

Power system scheduling of renewable energy sources has been studied extensively due to the severe increase in pollution caused by conventional energy sources. In this study, a multi-objective scheduling model of a hybrid microgrid is proposed to minimize the cost of hybrid microgrids and maximize the power supply reliability. The main power generation units such as the wind turbines, photovoltaic (PV) cells, and battery banks are used in this hybrid microgrid. In this study, the optimal sizing of PV panels and battery banks are obtained using multi-objective particle swarm optimization (MOPSO) for the proposed multi-objective scheduling model. The lifetime of battery banks is considered in the energy storage system (ESS) model. Finally, the practicality of the scheduling model proposed in this study is verified by four examples.

The supercritical carbon dioxide (S-CO2) power cycle is a promising development for waste heat recovery (WHR) due to its high efficiency despite its simplicity and compactness compared with a steam bottoming cycle. A simple recuperated S-CO2 power cycle cannot fully utilize the waste heat due to the trade-off between the heat recovery and thermal efficiency of the cycle. A split cycle in which the working fluid is preheated by the recuperator and the heat source separately can be used to maximize the power output from a given waste heat source. In this study, the operating conditions of split S-CO2 power cycles for waste heat recovery from a gas turbine and an engine were studied to accommodate the temperature variation of the heat sink and the waste heat source. The results show that it is vital to increase the low pressure of the cycle along with a corresponding increase in the cooling temperature to maintain the low-compression work near the critical point. The net power decreases b... [more]

An electroluminescence (EL) phenomenon in unipolar-doped GaN/AlN/GaN double-barrier heterostructures—without any p-type contacts—was investigated from 4.2 K to 300 K. In the range of 200−300 K, the extracted peak photon energies agree with the Monemar formula. In the range of 30 to 200 K, the photon energies are consistent with A-exciton emission. At 4.2 K, the exciton type likely transforms into B-exciton. These studies confirm that the EL emission comes from a cross-bandgap (or band-to-band) electron-hole radiative recombination and is excitonic. The excitons are formed by the holes generated through interband tunneling and the electrons injected into the GaN emitter region of the GaN/AlN heterostructure devices.

This paper addresses the problem of route planning for a fleet of electric vehicles departing from a depot and supplying customers with certain goods. This paper aims to present a permutation-based method of vehicle route coding adapted to the specificity of electric drive. The developed method integrated with an evolutionary algorithm allows for rapid generation of routes for multiple vehicles taking into account the necessity of supplying energy in available charging stations. The minimization of the route distance travelled by all vehicles was taken as a criterion. The performed testing indicated satisfactory computation speed. A real region with four charging stations and 33 customers was analysed. Different scenarios of demand were analysed, and factors affecting the results of the proposed calculation method were indicated. The limitations of the method were pointed out, mainly caused by assumptions that simplify the problem. In the future, it is planned for research and method d... [more]

An electricity substitution strategy that replaces fossil fuels such as coal and oil with electricity in end-use energy consumption, can effectively contribute to an energy transition and the early achievement of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality targets. As the benefits of electricity substitution are not synchronized across China’s regions, this paper uses a three-stage data envelopment analysis (DEA) model to measure the efficiency of electric energy substitution in 30 provinces of China in 2017. The results show that both environmental factors and random errors have significant effects on energy efficiency. After eliminating these influences, the efficiency of electrical energy substitution among regions presented the following pattern: “high in the east and low in the west”. According to the evaluation results, this paper proposes corresponding suggestions for the development of electrical energy substitution.

In this contribution, a mathematical model allowing for the prediction of the AC surface arc propagation on polluted insulators under non-uniform electric field is proposed. The approach is based on the experimental concept of Claverie and Porcheron. The proposed model, which makes it possible to reproduce the surface electric discharge, includes a condition for arrest of the propagating discharge. The electric field at the tip of the discharge is the key parameter governing its random propagation. A finite element approach allows for mapping of the electric field distribution while the discharge propagation process is simulated in two dimensions. The voltage drop along the arc discharge path at each propagation step is also taken into account. The simulation results are validated against experimental data, taking into account several electro-geometric parameters (distance between electrodes, pollution conductivity, radius of high-voltage electrode, length of the plane electrode). Good... [more]

In this research, an alternative methodology is proposed for the location of Static VAR Compensators (SVC) in power systems, considering the reconfiguration of reactive power flows through the optimal switching of the transmission stage, which resembles the contingency restriction N-1 usually considered in transmission expansion planning. Based on this methodology, the contingency index was determined, which made it possible to determine which is the contingency that generates the greatest voltage degradation in the system. For the quantification of reactive flows, optimal AC power flows were used, which minimize the operating costs of the power system subject to transmission line switching restrictions, line charge-ability, voltages and node angles. To determine the node in which the compensation should be placed, the contingency index criterion was used, verifying the voltage profile in the nodes. The proposed methodology was tested in the IEEE test systems of 9, 14 nodes and large-s... [more]

Pressure retarded osmosis (PRO) power units, which produce electrical energy from salinity gradient sources located at coastlines, are a technology still in the process of maturation; however, there is an expectation that this technology will need to be integrated into electrical distribution networks. Such integration will drive changes in the electric response of the distribution systems which may lead to harmful operating conditions. Power flow analysis is a tool used to reveal the steady-state operating condition of distribution systems and which could be extended to study and address the integration of PRO power units. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, such extension of power flow analysis has not yet been addressed in the literature. Accordingly, this paper comprehensively provides a model to evaluate the electric current and complex power produced by PRO power units. This model is directly embedded in the forward-backward sweep (FBS) method, extending the power flow analysi... [more]

In this paper, a model predictive controller based on a generator model for prediction purposes is proposed to replace a standard generator controller with a stabilizer of a power system. Such a local controller utilizes an input-output model of the system taking into consideration not only a generator voltage Ug but also an additional, auxiliary signal (e.g., α, Pg, or ωg). This additional piece of information allows for taking oscillations into account that occur in the system and minimizing their impact on the overall system performance. Parameters of models used by the controller are obtained on the basis of the introduced black-box models both for a turbine and a synchronous generator, parameters of which are estimated in an on line fashion using a RLS method. The aim of this paper is to compare the behavior of the classical generator control system with a power system stabilizer and a model predictive control with an additional feedback signal. The novelty of the paper is related... [more]

With the accelerating progression of global climate change, switching to renewable energy sources is inevitable. Wind energy is a fast-growing branch of this industry, and according to the 2021 Global Wind Report, this trend must continue in order to limit the increase in global average temperature. While onshore wind turbines still dominate and account for most recent growth, offshore wind turbines are becoming a promising alternative for geographical, power density-related or even aesthetic reasons. Offshore wind turbines are subjected to more complex loading conditions and proper foundation design is very challenging, however, this is crucial for ensuring and maintaining the structure’s reliability. Soil dynamic tests are one of the bases for wind turbine foundation design. Technical regulations in many countries require such tests to be carried out in a Resonant Column (RC). In this study, a modification of the RC sensors and data acquisition system was introduced in order to condu... [more]

Through experiments and numerical simulation, this paper studies the related performance of a photovoltaic thermoelectric radiation cooling window structure, verifies the accuracy of the established solar thermoelectric radiation window calculation model, and analyzes the cooling performance of different parameters of thermoelectric sheet, radiation plate, and photovoltaic panel. On the basis of considering the relationship between the power generation and power consumption of the structure, the numerical calculation results show that the solar thermoelectric radiation window with non-transparent photovoltaic module (NTPV) has a total cooling capacity of 50.2 kWh, power consumption of 71.8 kWh, and power generation of 83.9 kWh from June to August. The solar thermoelectric radiation window with translucent photovoltaic module (STPV) has a total cooling capacity of 50.7 kWh, power consumption of 71.7 kWh, and power generation of 45.4 kWh from June to August. If the operation time of the... [more]

Recently, as DC power generation and DC loads such as renewable energy and EVs increase, the need for a low-voltage direct current (LVDC) distribution system has gradually emerged. The DC system has various advantages, such as system stability, transmission efficiency, and connectivity to renewable power generation compared to AC distribution systems. One of the important technical issues for commercialization of DC distribution system is safety. Since the DC system does not have a current zero point, unlike the AC system, a breaking arc accompanied by a high-temperature plasma is easily generated when the circuit is cut off. The arc can cause fire accidents that threaten people and facilities. In order to prevent customers and facilities from the accidents caused by the arc in the DC system, a study on the characteristics of the DC breaking arc is necessary. An important factor of characteristics for the DC breaking arc fault is an arc extinction distance at which the DC breaking arc... [more]

Low carbon city development and greenhouse gas (GHG) emission mitigation in urban communities are urgent. There is great potential to improve the GHG inventory at the community level. Meanwhile, building zero-waste cities and improving waste treatment efficiency have been significant environmental issues due to the rapid increase of waste generation. This research aims to develop a community-scale GHG emission inventory of the waste sector and improve its accuracy and consistency through applying the bottom-up approach. This study covers both direct and indirect emissions categories of the waste sector with the goal of building a zero-waste community. Honjo Waseda community, located in Japan, was used as a case study community. Energy consumption waste treatment sectors were evaluated and calculated through first-hand field data. GHG emission estimation of the waste sector included waste incineration, residential wastewater, and waste transport. The highest emissions originated from Be... [more]

Although Indonesia’s electrification ratio reached 99.2% in 2020, it has shown stagnating electrification since 2018. This is because most of the remaining areas that need to be electrified are remote and have unique characteristics that hamper implementation of microgrids for providing energy access. Furthermore, not only the deployment but also the long-term sustainability of microgrids is crucial for ensuring continuity of energy access. This paper aims to investigate the scaling and sustainability challenges of remote microgrid development in Indonesia by analyzing microgrids in the Maluku and North Maluku provinces. This study is a two-part publication; the first part focuses on identifying challenges in Indonesia’s remote microgrid development, while the second part focuses on potential technology solutions. In the first part, an assessment of energy access within a multi-tier framework was conducted, which was then analyzed using a multi-dimensional (institutional, social, techn... [more]

Mobile robots in industry are commonly used in warehouses and factories. To achieve the highest production rate, requirements for path planning algorithms have caused researchers to pay significant attention to this problem. The artificial potential field algorithm, which is a local path planning algorithm, has been previously modified to obtain higher smoothness of path, to solve the stagnation problem and to jump off the local minimum. The last itemized problem is taken into account in this paper—local minimum avoidance. Most of the modifications of artificial potential field algorithms focus on a mechanism to jump off a local minimum when robots stagnate. From the efficiency point of view, the mobile robot should bypass the local minimum instead of jumping off it. This paper proposes a novel artificial potential field supported by augmented reality to bypass the upcoming local minimum. The algorithm predicts the upcoming local minimum, and then the mobile robot’s perception is augme... [more]

Phase change heat transfer within microchannels is considered one of the most promising cooling methods for the efficient cooling of high-performance electronic devices. However, there are still fundamental parameters, such as the effect of channel hydraulic diameter Dh whose effects on fluid flow and heat transfer characteristics are not clearly defined yet. The objective of the present work is to numerically investigate the first transient flow boiling characteristics from the bubble inception up to the first stages of the flow boiling regime development, in rectangular microchannels of varying hydraulic diameters, utilising an enhanced custom VOF-based solver. The solver accounts for conjugate heat transfer effects, implemented in OpenFOAM and validated in the literature through experimental results and analytical solutions. The numerical study was conducted through two different sets of simulations. In the first set, flow boiling characteristics in four single microchannels of Dh =... [more]

According to the most recently revised European design strategy for DEMO breeding blankets, mature concepts have been identified that require a reduced technological extrapolation towards DEMO and will be tested in ITER. In order to optimize and finalize the design of test blanket modules, a number of issues have to be better understood that are related to the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) interactions of the liquid breeder with the strong magnetic field that confines the fusion plasma. The aim of the present paper is to describe the state of the art of the study of MHD effects coupled with other physical phenomena, such as tritium transport, corrosion and heat transfer. Both numerical and experimental approaches are discussed, as well as future requirements to achieve a reliable prediction of these processes in liquid metal blankets.

The proliferation of renewable energy sources distributed generation (RES-DG) into the grid results in time-varying inertia constant. To ensure the security of the grid under varying inertia, techniques for fast security assessment are required. In addition, considering the high penetration of RES-DG units into the modern grids, security prediction using varying grid features is crucial. The computation burden concerns of conventional time-domain security assessment techniques make it unsuitable for real-time security prediction. This paper, therefore, proposes a fast security monitoring model that includes security prediction and load shedding for security control. The attributes considered in this paper include the load level, inertia constant, fault location, and power dispatched from the renewable energy sources generator. An incremental Naïve Bayes algorithm is applied on the training dataset developed from the responses of the grid to transient stability simulations. An additive... [more]

In the current scenario, power electronic device-based induction heating (IH) technologies are widely employed in domestic cooking, industrial melting and medical applications. These IH applications are designed using different converter topologies, modulation and control techniques. This review article mainly focuses on the modelling of half-bridge series resonant inverter, electrical and thermal model of IH load. This review also analyses the performance of the converter topologies based on the power conversion stages, switching frequency, power rating, power density, control range, modulation techniques, load handling capacity and efficiency. Moreover, this paper provides insight into the future of IH application, with respect to the adaptation of wide band-gap power semiconductor materials, multi-output topologies, variable-frequency control schemes with minimum losses and filters designed to improve source-side power factor. With the identified research gap in the literature, an a... [more]

Failure of systems applied in machines comprising rolling and slewing bearings usually causes downtime of the entire heavy machine. The problem of failures can be aggravated by extremely difficult operating conditions, such as significant loads or a harsh environment. The entire issue inspired us to develop a method of monitoring the condition of such units. A study was carried out for six different large-scale excavators which examined strain distributions in the tested subassemblies. In order to estimate the technical condition of wheeled bogies, we used the phenomenon of strain propagation caused by the concentrated force acting in the ring girder web. Flamant theory was utilized to describe this phenomenon. Measurements were performed using strain gauges and the obtained results were compared with the FEM model. To determine whether bearing joints were in a good or bad condition, a coefficient of variation and an impulse factor were introduced as diagnostic indicators. It turned ou... [more]