Hydrogen starvation leads to the extreme deterioration of fuel cell performance due to the induced voltage reversal and carbon corrosion in the anode catalyst layer (ACL) and gas diffusion layer. In this paper, reversal-tolerant anodes (RTAs) with different ACL configurations are proposed, where IrOx/C is used as a water electrolysis catalyst. Experimental results show that the separate IrOx/C catalyst layer of MEA samples, layered reversal-tolerant catalyst-coated membrane (layered-RTA), and reversal-tolerant gas diffusion electrode (GDE-RTA) significantly enhance the reversal tolerance and cell performance compared to conventional anode and common RTA consisting of a homogeneous catalyst layer mixed with IrOx/C and Pt/C (hybrid-RTA). Of these, GDE-RTA possessed a reversal tolerance time of 86 min, a power density of 1.42 W cm−2, and a minimum degradation rate of 2.4 mV min−1, suggesting it to be the best RTA structure. Cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectrum were us... [more]

Variable speed, permanent magnet synchronous machines with hybrid excitation have attracted much attention due to their flux-control potential. In this paper, a design of permanent magnet axial flux machines with iron poles in the rotor and an additional electrically controlled source of excitation fixed on the stator is presented. This paper shows results pertaining to air-gap flux control, electromagnetic losses, electromagnetic torque, back emf and efficiency maps obtained through field-strengthening and weakening operations and investigated by 3D finite element analysis. Moreover, the temperature distribution of the machine was analyzed according to the fluid−thermal coupling method. The presented machine was prototyped and experimentally tested to validate the effectiveness of numerical models and achieved results.

Over the last 20 years, energy consumption in the residential sector in China has grown rapidly, and the growth is faster than that of any other energy form. To assess the limitations of the spatial characteristics of household energy consumption in urban areas, this paper selected Guangzhou as the research area. Specifically, the old town, core area, central area and peri-urban areas, which best reflect the evolutionary characteristics and spatial differentiation of households, were assessed. Based on the surveyed database of community-scale household energy consumption (N = 1097), the spatial heterogeneity of household energy consumption and carbon emissions at the community scale were assessed through exploratory spatial data analysis and the standard deviation ellipse method. The results report that (1) the main sources of energy consumption in Guangzhou households were water heating equipment, kitchen equipment and refrigeration equipment, which were related to the climatic condit... [more]

Energy storage plays a significant role in the rapid transition towards a higher share of renewable energy sources in the electricity generation sector. A liquid air energy storage system (LAES) is one of the most promising large-scale energy technologies presenting several advantages: high volumetric energy density, low storage losses, and an absence of geographical constraints. The disadvantages of LAES systems lay on the high investment cost, large-scale requirements, and low round-trip efficiency. This paper proposes a new configuration using an air Rankine cycle (ARC) to reduce the exergy destruction during heat-exchanging in the liquefaction process while reducing liquefaction power consumption. The addition of the ARC increases the round-trip efficiency of the LAES from 54.1% to 57.1%. Furthermore, the energy consumption per kg of liquid air drops 5.3% in comparison to the base case LAES system. The effects of compression, storage, and pumping pressure on the system performance... [more]

Proximate analysis of coal is of great significance to ensure the safe and economic operation of coal-fired and biomass-fired power generation units. Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) assisted by chemometric methods could realize the prediction of coal proximate analysis rapidly, which makes up for the shortcomings of the traditional method. In this paper, three quantitative models were proposed to predict the proximate analysis of coal, including principal component regression (PCR), artificial neural networks (ANNs), and principal component analysis coupled with ANN (PCA-ANN). Three model evaluation indicators, such as the coefficient of determination (R2), root-mean-square error of cross-validation (RMSECV), and mean square error (MSE), were applied to measure the accuracy and stability of the models. The most accurate and stable prediction of coal proximate analysis was achieved by PCR, of which the average R2, RMSECV, and MSE values were 0.9944, 0.39%, and 0.21, respecti... [more]

The progress of civilization and the related technological development have made electricity a necessary component of production processes and a necessary condition for the functioning of households and individuals [...]

Pyrolysis has been demonstrated to be a highly effective thermochemical process for converting complex biomaterials into biochar and syngas rich in hydrogen. The pyrolysis of mixed date palm seeds from Saudi Arabia was conducted using a fixed-bed pyrolyzer that was custom made for the purpose. The influence of the pyrolysis temperature (200−1000 °C) on the various physicochemical parameters of the date seed biochar generated through the pyrolysis process and the hydrogen-rich syngas was investigated. Proximate and ultimate analyses indicated a high carbon content in the lignocellulosic constituents such as cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. Using energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis, it was discovered that the elemental composition of biochar changes with the pyrolysis temperature. The date seeds pyrolyzed at 800 °C were found to have the maximum carbon concentration, with 97.99% of the total carbon content. The analysis of the biochar indicated a high concentration of carbon, as... [more]

Ni-gadolinia-doped ceria (GDC) based electrode materials have drawn significant attention as an alternative fuel electrode for solid oxide cells (SOCs) owing to mixed ionic conductivity of GDC and high electronic and catalytic activity of Ni. Moreover, the catalytic activity and electrochemical performance of the Ni-GDC electrode can be further improved by dispersing small quantities of other metal additives, such as gold or molybdenum. Therefore, herein, we considered gold and molybdenum modified Ni-GDC electrodes and focused on the upscaling; hence, we prepared 5 × 5 cm2 electrolyte-supported single cells. Their electrochemical performance was investigated at different temperatures and fuel gas compositions. The long-term steam electrolysis test, up to 1700 h, was performed at 900 °C with −0.3 A·cm−2 current load. Lastly, post-test analyses of measured cells were carried out to investigate their degradation mechanisms. Sr-segregation and cobalt oxide formation towards the oxygen elec... [more]

A lot of residual biomass has energy value and can be used for further applications through suitable treatments, such as pelletization. This treatment can improve properties, mainly energy density, but can also lead to problems due to their low ash melting temperatures, high ash content, and the formation of harmful compounds during combustion. This article deals with the energy potential of pellets produced from spruce sawdust, spruce bark, and pine cones in different proportions. The impact of cone and bark contents on pellet properties was also observed. The energy properties of the produced pellets were measured, such as the contents of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, moisture, volatile, fixed carbon, and ash, as well as calorific values and ash melting temperatures. Based on the results, it can be concluded that the addition of pine cones and spruce bark to spruce sawdust mainly affected the contents of nitrogen and ash and melting temperatures. Despite this, all produced pellets met... [more]

Deployment of renewable energy sources in Malta is limited by grid integration constraints. Photovoltaic (PV) systems pose a significant risk to grid stability due to their inherent intermittency and result in overvoltages at the medium-voltage and low-voltage networks. Investments in utility-scale battery energy storage systems (BESS) will facilitate further deployment of renewables and will help to achieve energy security. This study proposed a novel sizing strategy for utility-scale battery energy storage systems (BESS) based only on technical considerations to find the minimum required storage capacity based on historical electricity demand and PV generation. The modeling and simulation were constrained to a section of the Gozitan 11 kV electrical distribution network and the results showed that the utility-scale storage can reduce the impact of PV systems on the grid infrastructure by avoiding reverse power flows and improve the local energy security by reducing the peak electrici... [more]

This work aims to analyse different injection configurations for the analysis of the emulsification process in a Y-junction staggered horizontal pipeline. The case study comprises a multiphase analysis between two liquids, one with high and the other with low viscosity. Through numerical simulations, it is intended to explain the behaviour and describe the mechanism that produces the water−glycerol emulsification process with three supply zones for both fluids. According to the phase injection scheme, six input scenarios or combinations were analysed. Through strain rate and shear velocity analyses, it was possible to describe the early stages of the emulsification process before a flow pattern is constituted. The results show significant variations concerning the high viscosity fluid, mainly because it presents a partial pipe flooding, even in the injection zone of the low viscosity fluid. The fluid ratio varies according to the input position of the phases. Additionally, a smooth ble... [more]

To promote the frequency stability of a system with high penetration of wind power integrated into it, this paper presents a systematic frequency regulation strategy for wind farms (WFs). As preparation for frequency response, a coordinated deloading control (CDC) scheme combining the over-speed control (OSC) and the pitch angle control (PAC) methods is proposed for wind turbine generators (WTGs) to preserve power reserve. The novelty lies in the consideration of high wind speed situations and pitch angle protection. Then, a group-based droop control (GBDC) scheme is proposed for a WF consisting of WTGs with the CDC. In this scheme, WTGs are divided into two groups for different controls. To improve the frequency response performance and ensure stable operation, the droop coefficients of the WF, groups, and all WTGs are determined according to their frequency regulation capabilities (FRCs). Moreover, pitch angle protection during the frequency response process is considered in this sch... [more]

Improving the performance of internal combustion engines (ICE), together with lowering emissions, are the main targets for specialists in the automotive field. One option for increasing engine efficiency is creating a considerable amount of boost for the inlet combustion air by means of supercharging. In addition to common turbochargers, an alternative solution that has interested researchers for almost a century is the pressure wave supercharger (PWS). This paper is, at first, a complimentary tribute to most of the researchers that studied, experimented with and improved PW supercharging technology from the 50′s to the present. Second, this review emphasizes the performance achieved by ICEs when using PW supercharging, highlighting the limits of these main parameters in different operating conditions, based on the main reported results in the literature. It also provides an overview of PW supercharging technology, with its main advantages and disadvantages and suggests some technical... [more]

In the field of power electronics-based electrical power conversion, the Dual Active Bridge (DAB) topology has become very popular in recent years due to its characteristics (e.g., bidirectional operation and galvanic isolation), which are particularly suitable to applications such as interface to renewable energy sources, battery storage systems and in smart grids. Although this converter type has been extensively investigated, its analysis and control still pose many challenges, due to the multiple control variables that affect the complex behavior of the converter. This paper presents a theoretical model of the single-phase DAB converter. The proposed model is very general, i.e., it can consider any modulation technique and operating condition. In particular, the converter is seen as composed by four legs, each capable of generating voltage on the inductor, and by the two output legs, which can steer the resulting inductor current to the load. Three variables are considered as the c... [more]

Polymers and plastics are crucial materials in many sectors of our economy, due to their numerous advantages. They also have some disadvantages, among the most important are problems with the recycling and disposal of used plastics. The recovery of waste plastics is increasing every year, but over 27% of plastics are landfilled. The rest is recycled, where, unfortunately, incineration is still the most common management method. From an economic perspective, waste management methods that lead to added-value products are most preferred—as in the case of material and chemical recycling. Since chemical recycling can be used for difficult wastes (poorly selected, contaminated), it seems to be the most effective way of managing these materials. Moreover, as a result this of kind of recycling, it is possible to obtain commercially valuable products, such as fractions for fuel composition and monomers for the reproduction of polymers. This review focuses on various liquefaction technologies as... [more]

The market for electric vehicles is growing rapidly. Among them, the demand for a dual motor type 4 WD (Four -Wheel Driving) system is increasing. In this paper, we present the Torque Matching Strategy (TMS) method to select the optimal torque distribution ratio for dual motors. The TMS controller operates to set the optimal efficiency point by linearizing the drive efficiency combination of the two motors. Driving simulation and testing were performed through five drive cycles in the driver model interworking environment implemented in MATLAB and Carsim. The optimal distribution ratio was derived according to the front and rear gear ratios under the load condition, and the driving was verified by comparing it with the TMS control method. The efficiency was numerically verified by comparing the power loss of the driving motor. It reduced up to 34% in Urban Dynamometer Driving Schedule and up to 56.3% in Highway fuel efficiency test. The effectiveness of the TMS control method was demon... [more]

Although there are opportunities to reduce electrical energy demand in unit processes of mechanical pulp-based paper and paperboard production, this may not be financially beneficial. This is generally because energy optimization opportunities connected to reduced refiner electricity demand in mechanical pulping systems also results in less steam available for the drying of the paper. As modern high consistency refiner systems produce approximately one ton of steam for each MWh of electricity when producing one ton of pulp, a reduction in electric energy demand leads to increased fuel demand in steam boilers to compensate for the steam shortage. In this study, we investigated what the financial and environmental situation would look like if we were to expand the system border from a paper mill to a larger system consisting of a mechanical pulp-based paper or paperboard mill, a district heating system with an incineration boiler and a chemical pulp mill. Mechanical pulp production has a... [more]

Energy system integration enables raising operational synergies by coupling the energy infrastructures for electricity, methane, and hydrogen. However, this coupling reinforces the infrastructure interdependencies, increasing the need for integrated modeling of these infrastructures. To analyze the cost-efficient, sustainable, and secure dispatch of applied, large-scale energy infrastructures, an extensive and non-linear optimization problem needs to be solved. This paper introduces a nested decomposition approach with three stages. The method enables an integrated and full-year consideration of large-scale multi-energy systems in hourly resolution, taking into account physical laws of power flows in electricity and gas transmission systems as boundary conditions. For this purpose, a zooming technique successively reduces the temporal scope while first increasing the spatial and last the technical resolution. A use case proves the applicability of the presented approach to large-scale... [more]

It is well known that variations in stagger angle between rotor blades affect compressor performance. In this paper, the stagger angle of blade No. 8 is increased or decreased by six degrees for non-uniformity, and the influence of rotor non-uniformity caused by the change in only one blade stagger angle on the performance and stability of the compressor is investigated. The experimental results show that whether the local rotor stagger angle increases or decreases, the compressor stability will deteriorate. If the stagger angle of blade No. 8 is reduced by six degrees, the flow coefficient at the stall point increases by 8.5%. If the stagger angle of blade No. 8 is increased by six degrees, the flow coefficient at the stall point increases by 1.5%. The reason for the deterioration of compressor stability caused by the local non-uniform rotor stagger angle is explored. When the stagger angle of rotor blade No. 8 deviates from the designed state, the load of blade No. 8 and the surround... [more]

Recently, non-rare-earth motors are attracting more and more attention due to the booming of the electric vehicle (EV) market and, more importantly, the increasing price of the rare-earth magnet material. This paper focuses on the performance comparison among a commercial interior permanent magnet (IPM) motor and two non-rare-earth motors, including a synchronous reluctance motor (SynRM) and a permanent-magnet-assisted synchronous reluctance motor (PMaSynRM). The design procedure to develop a high-torque-density, low-torque-ripple and high-efficiency SynRM is presented. Combined with a developed automatic modeling and simulation procedure, the finite element analysis (FEA)-based differential evolution (DE) algorithm is introduced for the SynRM rotor optimization. In order to fully inspire the potential of the SynRM, a novel method to optimize the motor split ratio is proposed under the constraint of the copper loss. In addition, different slot−pole combinations are investigated to maxi... [more]

Targeting ultimate fidelity reactor physics calculations the Dynamic Monte Carlo (DMC) method simulates reactor transients without resorting to static or quasistatic approximations. Due to the capability to harness the computing power of Graphics Processing Units, the GUARDYAN (GpU Assisted Reactor DYnamic ANalysis) code has been recently upscaled to perform pin-by-pin simulations of power plant scale systems as demonstrated in this paper. A recent rod drop experiment at a VVER-440/213 (vodo-vodyanoi enyergeticheskiy reaktor) type power plant at Paks NPP, Hungary, was considered and signals of ex-core detectors placed at three different positions were simulated successfully by GUARDYAN taking realistic fuel loading, including burn-up data into account. Results were also compared to the time-dependent Paks NPP in-house nodal diffusion code VERETINA (VERONA: VVER Online Analysis and RETINA: Reactor Thermo-hydraulics Interactive). Analysis is given of the temporal and spatial variance dis... [more]

With the goals set for sustainable development and renewable energy technologies, major advancements have been observed in the domain of multi-source systems [...]

Despite the huge current challenges in sewage sludge treatment and disposal in China, anaerobic sludge stabilisation (AnSS) is still not a state-of-the-art process in WWTP in the country. However, the potential benefits of anaerobic sludge stabilisation may outweigh the drawbacks. One of these drawbacks is the backload from the sludge liquor that increases the nutrient load in the biological treatment stage. This work shows via computer modelling that not only can the sludge production and disposal costs be significantly reduced, but also that, with sensible automation and operational strategies (e.g., bypass of primary clarifiers, use of a centrate dosing strategy, incorporation of ammonium nitrogen sensors, etc.), the effects of the backload can be counteracted for nitrogen removal, even considering that wastewater in China often has an unfavourable C/N ratio for nitrogen removal. The tested strategies would even improve the overall plant performance in terms of norm compliance, slud... [more]

Accurate prediction of the aerodynamic characteristics of wind rotors subjected to various wind profiles is of considerable importance in the aerodynamics and structural design of wind turbines. As a very complex atmospheric phenomenon, the impact of a low-level jet (LLJ) on the aerodynamic characteristics of wind rotors is becoming more and more significant with the increase in wind turbine height. Additionally, during calculating the aerodynamic characteristics of the wind rotor, the known wind speed, rotor speed, and blade-pitch angle are generally required. However, when the wind profile is in the LLJ condition, it is difficult to determine the blade-pitch angle and rotor speed. Therefore, in this paper, the blade-element-momentum (BEM) method is exploited by considering the coupling with the generator-torque controller and blade-pitch controller. In order to solve the problem of the unknown rotor speed and blade-pitch angle under the LLJ condition, a C++ code is developed. Then, t... [more]

In this study, new composite materials of montmorillonite, biochar, or aerosil, containing metal−organic frameworks (MOF) were synthesized in situ. Overall, three different MOFs—CuBTC, UTSA-16, and UiO-66-BTEC—were used. Obtained adsorbents were characterized using powder X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, nitrogen adsorption porosimetry, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometry. Additionally, the content of metallic and nonmetallic elements was determined to investigate the crystalline structure, surface morphology, thermal stability of the obtained MOF-composites, etc. Cyclic CO2 adsorption analysis was performed using the thermogravimetric approach, modeling adsorption from flue gasses. In our study, the addition of aerosil to CuBTC (CuBTC-A-15) enhanced the sorbed CO2 amount by 90.2% and the addition of biochar (CuBTC-BC-5) increased adsorbed the CO2 amount by 75.5% in comparison to pristine CuB... [more]