The performance of a fuel cell stack is affected by the operating temperature of the stack. The thermal management subsystem of a multi-stack fuel cell system (MFCS) is particularly significant for the operating temperature control of each stack in the MFCS. To study the influence of different topologies of a MFCS thermal management subsystem, this paper proposes and establishes two different topologies. Firstly, the integrated topology is proposed. Secondly, seven component models, namely the mixer, thermostat, radiator, tank, pump, bypass value, and proton exchange membrane fuel cell stack temperature models, are described in detail. Finally, the performance of the two topologies of the MFCS thermal management subsystem under two working conditions, steady (200 A) and variable (China heavy-duty commercial test cycle, C-WTVC), is compared. Furthermore, there are two evaluating indicators, including the stability duration and deviation of the operating temperatures of the single stack... [more]

Transmission losses through the building envelope account for a large proportion of building energy balance. One of the most important parameters for determining transmission losses is thermal transmittance. Although thermal transmittance does not take into account dynamic parameters, it is traditionally the most commonly used estimation of transmission losses due to its simplicity and efficiency. It is challenging to estimate the thermal transmittance of an existing building element because thermal properties are commonly unknown or not all the layers that make up the element can be found due to technical-drawing information loss. In such cases, experimental methods are essential, the most common of which is the heat-flux method (HFM). One of the main drawbacks of the HFM is the long measurement duration. This research presents the application of deep learning on HFM results by applying long-short term memory units on temperature difference and measured heat flux. This deep-learning r... [more]

Isobaric expansion (IE) technology is a promising solution for mini- and medium-scale low-grade heat utilization. IE engines directly convert heat to mechanical energy and are particularly interesting as direct-acting, vapor-driven pumps and compressors. The elimination of multiple energy transformations, technical simplicity and the ability to use widely available low-grade heat (<100 °C) instead of fossil fuels are attractive features of this technology. The purpose of this paper was to present a new compression technology based on IE Worthington type engines, analyze the process analytically and numerically, and provide a first assessment of its potential. The simplest single- and double-acting schemes were considered for arbitrary low and high pressures of the compressed gas/vapor and driving vapor. In these schemes, the compressor piston was rigidly connected to that of an engine/driver. The vapor use efficiency of the driver process was characterized by the ratio of the networ... [more]

To solve the problem of layout design of charging stations in the early stage of the electric vehicle industry, the user’s satisfaction and the charging convenience are considered. An electric vehicle charging station site-selection model is established based on the kernel density analysis of the urban population. The goal of this model is maximum electric vehicle user satisfaction and the highest charging convenience. Then, according to model characteristics, the immune algorithm is designed and optimized to solve the model. The optimization of the immune algorithm includes two aspects. On the one aspect, judging that the stop condition is added in the mutation link. On the other aspect, two mutation operators are designed in the optimized immune algorithm. Finally, the simulation example is determined by a three-step method in Jinan City. The results show that the electric vehicle charging station site-selection model in this paper can better meet user needs compared with traditional... [more]

Pellets are solid biofuels with a combustion efficiency of 85−90%, low CO2 emissions and costs, great comfort and versatility. However, the ash generated during combustion can present sintering and fusibility, decreasing boiler efficiency and potentially malfunctioning. Ash composition indexes can be useful to predict observed ash sintering and fusion but require further analysis for a variety of feedstocks. The objective of this work was to determine the effect of the mineral composition of pellet ash from 15 biomasses of forest and agro-industrial sources on observed pellet ash slagging using a laboratory test. The chemical composition of pellets and the indexes B, NaK/B, SiP/CaMg and SiPNaK/CaMg at 550 and 1000 °C were determined. Pearson correlation tests were also performed between cumulative percentages of slag at different sieve sizes. The concentrations of CaO ranged from 4.49 to 65.95%, MgO varied from 1.99 to 17.61%, and the SiO2 concentration was between 16.11 and 28.24% and... [more]

This paper presents an improved structure for the submodules (SMs) in the three-phase modular inverter (TPMI) based on a dual isolated SEPIC/CUK (DISC) converter for large-scale photovoltaic (LSPV) plants. The DISC SMs can offer several advantages, including increased efficiency, reduced passive elements, and galvanic isolation via compact-size high-frequency transformers. The SMs can also provide a wide range for the output voltage and draw continuous currents with low ripples from the input source. However, the high dv/dt value across the switches during hard switching can cause current oscillations and voltage spikes, which will impair the operation of complementary switches and affect the safety of the power devices. For this challenge, the DISC SM is improved by replacing the output switches with diodes and adding a bypassing switch. In comparison to the conventional DISC SM, the improved DISC SM reduces the switch’s voltage spikes; hence, it can increase the overall efficiency. T... [more]

For the purpose of clarifying the seismic response characteristics of fractured-cavity reservoirs of Dengying Formation in the central Sichuan Basin, the paper first intends to establish three geological models of fracture cave reservoirs based on drilling, logging, and core data of the Dengying Formation in the central Sichuan Basin. Then, the formation reflection is calculated with reference to anisotropic Horizontal Transverse Isotropy (HTI) medium. Finally, further research on Amplitude Variation with Azimuth (AVAZ) seismic forward modeling has been conducted to clarify the seismic response characteristics of different reservoir types in the study area. The results suggest that: Seismic response characteristics of fractured-cavity reservoirs are controlled by incident angle and azimuth angle of seismic waves in different types of reservoirs. The incident angle of the seismic wave controls the difference in amplitude caused by different micro-fracture densities, and the azimuth angl... [more]

The exploitation of underground coal resources has stepped up local economic and social development significantly. However, it was inevitable that time-dependent surface settlement would occur above the mined-out voids. Subsidence associated with local geo-mining can last from several months to scores of years and can seriously impact infrastructure, city planning, and underground space utilization. This paper addresses the problems in predicting progressive residual surface subsidence. The subsidence process was divided into three phases: a duration period, a residual subsidence period, and a long-term subsidence period. Then, a novel mathematical model calculating surface progressive residual subsidence was proposed based on the logistic time function. After the duration period, the residual subsidence period was extrapolated according to the threshold of the surface sinking rate. The validation for the proposed model was estimated in light of observed in situ data. The results demon... [more]

To improve the air quality in urban areas, diesel buses are getting replaced by battery electric buses (BEBs). This conversion introduces several challenges, such as the proper control of the charging process and a reduction in the operational costs, which can be addressed by introducing smart charging concepts for BEB fleets. Therefore, this paper proposes a real-time scheduling and optimization (RTSO) algorithm for the charging of multiple BEBs in a depot. The algorithm assigns a variable charging current to the different time slots the charging process of each BEB is divided to provide an optimal charging schedule that minimizes the charging cost, while satisfying the power limitations of the distribution network and maintaining the operation schedule of the BEBs. A genetic algorithm is used to solve the formulated cost function in real time. Several charging scenarios are tested in simulation, which show that a reduction in the charging cost up to 10% can be obtained under a dynami... [more]

In this paper, for the data set of the Iberian Electricity Market for the period 1 January 2015 to 30 June 2019, 19 different models are considered from econometrics, statistics, and artificial intelligence to explain how electricity markets work. This survey allows us to obtain a more complete, critical view of the most cited models. The machine learning models appear to be very good at selecting the best explanatory variables for the price. They provide an interesting insight into how much the price depends on each variable under a nonlinear perspective. Notwithstanding, it might be necessary to make the results understandable. Both the autoregressive models and the linear regression models can provide clear explanations for each explanatory variable, with special attention given to GARCHX and LASSO regression, which provide a cleaner linear result by removing variables that have a minimal linear impact.

By employing a specific particle interaction theory and a high-precision equation of states for the liquid and vapor phases of H2, respectively, a new H2 solubility model in pure water and aqueous NaCl solutions is proposed in this study. The model established by fitting the experimental data of H2 solubility can be used to estimate H2 solubility in pure water at temperatures and pressures of 273.15−423.15 K and 0−1100 bar, respectively, and in salt solutions (NaCl concentration = 0−5 mol/kg) at temperatures and pressures of 273.15−373.15 K and 0−230 bar, respectively. By adopting the theory of liquid electrolyte solutions, the model can also be used to predict H2 solubility in seawater without fitting the experimental data of a seawater system. Within or close to experimental data uncertainty, the mean absolute percentage error between the model-predicted and experimentally obtained H2 solubilities was less than 1.14%.

In order to ensure the safety of power generation in Poland and to maintain energy production from coal-fired units with the long in-service time, it is required to develop a strategy for the further operation of the conventional power plants in conditions of increased flexibility. The presented research focuses on the critical component of the steam turbine, which is the high-pressure rotor. The methodology of the forecasting of crack propagation and growth of life-consumption processes was described, and the probability of a failure in subsequent years was estimated. The development of the identified phenomena depends mainly on the stress increases during start-ups; therefore, these increases were determined to ensure the safety of the turbine’s operation during the assumed period of operation (13 years). The permissible stress for rotor central bore (threatened with crack propagation) was 220 MPa for start-ups which were not carried out “on demand”, and for heat grooves (threatened... [more]

In the 21st century, society has been undergoing a technology-driven transformation which heralds a new revolution that has potential to strengthen the position of an individual and community but may also lead to the marginalization of certain groups. The Internet of Things takes advantage of the technology’s potential to improve digital competencies and the quality of life in society. The purpose of this paper is to obtain information about the digital competencies and needs of contemporary seniors and pre-senior age people, as well as socially sensitive groups from Poland’s rural areas. To strength the level of internet infrastructure in rural areas, power line communication (PLC) systems that utilize high-voltage line(s) between transformer substations are presented as a cost-effective communication tool. PowerLink IP has made PLC systems today more attractive and efficient than ever before. Based on nation-wide representative surveys conducted in deliberately selected groups, we co... [more]

Non-abatable emissions are one of the decarbonization challenges that could be addressed with carbon-neutral fuels. One promising production pathway is the direct air capture (DAC) of carbon dioxide, followed by a solar thermochemical cycle and liquid fuel synthesis. In this study, we explore different combinations of these technologies to produce methanol from an economic perspective in order to determine the most efficient one. For this purpose, a model is built and simulated in Aspen Plus®, and a solar field is designed and sized with HFLCAL®. The inherent dynamics of solar irradiation were considered with the meteorological data from Meteonorm® at the chosen location (Riyadh, Saudi Arabia). Four different integration strategies are assessed by determining the minimum selling price of methanol for each technology combination. These values were compared against a baseline with no synergies between the DAC and the solar fuels production. The results show that the most economical metha... [more]

To accurately and reliably predict the occurrence of rockburst disasters, a rockburst intensity level prediction model based on FA-SSA-PNN is proposed. Crding to the internal and external factors of rockburst occurrence, six rockburst influencing factors (σθ, σt, σc, σc/σt, σθ/σc, Wet) were selected to build a rockburst intensity level prediction index system. Seventy-five sets of typical rockburst case data at home and abroad were collected, the original data were preprocessed based on factor analysis (FA), and the comprehensive rockburst prediction indexes, CPI1, CPI2, and CPI3, obtained after dimensionality reduction, were used as the input features of the SSA-PNN model. Sixty sets of rockburst case data were extracted as the training set, and the remaining 15 sets of rockburst case data were used as the test set. After the model training was completed, the model prediction results were analysed and evaluated. The research results show that the proposed rockburst intensity level pre... [more]

To address the severity of the wind and light abandonment problem and the economics of hydrogen energy production and operation, this paper explores the problem of multi-cycle resource allocation optimization of hydrogen storage systems for coal−wind−solar power generation. In view of the seriousness of the problem of abandoning wind and photovoltaic power and the economy of hydrogen production and operation, the node selection and scale setting issues for hydrogen production and storage, as well as decision-making problems such as the capacity of new transmission lines and new pipelines and route planning, are studied. This research takes the satisfaction of energy supply as the basic constraint and constructs a multi-cycle resource allocation optimization model for an integrated energy system, aiming to achieve the maximum benefit of the whole system. Using data from Inner Mongolia, where wind abandonment and power limitation are severe, and Beijing and Shanxi provinces, where hydrog... [more]

This study assessed the effect of different lignocellulosic amendments and bulking agents on compost stability (based on a 4 day respiration activity test, AT4, and self-heating factor, SHF) and maturity (based on the nitrification index Initr and the ratio of C in humic acids, HA, to total organic carbon, TOC, in compost, CHA/TOC). With all feedstock compositions (FCs), the share of sewage sludge was 79% (wet mass). For FC1, wood chips (13.5%) and wheat straw (7.5%) were used as bulking agents and amendments; for FC2, instead of wood chips, energy willow was added; for FC3, pine bark (13.5%) and conifer sawdust (7.5%) were used. All FCs produced stable and mature compost; however, with FC2, the thermophilic phase last 3 days longer than with the other FCs. Moreover, an AT4 value below 10 g O2/kg dry mass (d.m.) was obtained the earliest with FC2 (after 45 days, ca. 15−20 days earlier than with other FCs). With FC2, Initr below 0.5 was obtained in ca. 60 days, 10 days earlier than with... [more]

Methanol is considered to be a viable option for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in shipping, the second-highest emitter after road freight. However, the use of fossil methanol is insufficient to meet climate change targets, while renewable methanol is yet unavailable on a commercial scale. This paper presents a novel biorefinery concept based on biomass solvolysis to produce crude lignin oil (CLO) from forest residues, a drop-in biofuel for methanol-propelled ships, and evaluates its environmental and economic profiles. In the base scenario, CLO can achieve emission saving of 84% GHG compared to fossil alternatives, and a minimum selling price (MSP) of $821 per ton of methanol equivalent (ME), i.e., within the range of the current bio-methanol production costs. The emission of GHGs of co-produced ethanol can be reduced by 67% compared to fossil analogues. The increase of renewable electricity share to 75% is capable of shrinking emissions by 1/5 vs. the base case, while fossil... [more]

The metal shield and metal armor layers of single-core cables on high-speed railroad power penetration lines are usually grounded by common equipment protectors. This grounding method brings a continuous circulating current between the metal shield and metal armor layer compared to the subequipment protection grounding. In order to quantitatively study the circulating current condition of the through line and its influence on the reliability of the railroad power through line, the induced electric potential and circulating current generation mechanism of the single-core cable of the through line and its influencing factors were firstly analyzed in depth. Then, based on the cross-sectional structure of the single-core cable and the location of the traction network and cable in the roadbed section, a traction power supply model was established and simulated for the interlayer-induced potentials and circulating currents due to the two grounding protection methods under no load, single tra... [more]

The paper reports the results of a comparative assessment concerned with the effectiveness of identifying the basic forms of partial discharges (PD) measured by the acoustic emission technique (AE), carried out by application of selected machine learning methods. As part of the re-search, the identification involved AE signals registered in laboratory conditions for eight basic classes of PDs that occur in paper-oil insulation systems of high-voltage power equipment. On the basis of acoustic signals emitted by PDs and by application of the frequency descriptor that took the form of a signal power density spectrum (PSD), the assessment involved the possibility of identifying individual types of PD by the analyzed classification algorithms. As part of the research, the results obtained with the use of five independent classification mechanisms were analyzed, namely: k-Nearest Neighbors method (kNN), Naive Bayes Classification, Support Vector Machine (SVM), Random Forests and Probabilisti... [more]

Exploring the evolution characteristics of gas seepage between boreholes during the drainage process is critical for the borehole’s layout and high-efficiency gas drainage. Based on the dual-porous medium assumption and considering the effect of stress redistribution on coal seam gas seepage characteristics, a coal seam gas seepage model with a three-dimensional roadway and borehole crossing structure has been established and numerically calculated, concluding that the coal seam is between the drainage boreholes. The temporal and spatial evolution characteristics of gas pressure and permeability help elucidate the gas seepage law of the nearly flat coal seam associated with the deep soft rock roadway and borehole intersection model. The results indicate that: (1) The roadway excavation results in localized stress in some areas of the surrounding rock, reducing the strength of the coal body, increasing the expansion stress, and increasing the adsorption of gas by the coal body. (2) Alon... [more]

Condition monitoring of high voltage apparatus is of much importance for the maintenance of electric power systems. Whether it is detecting faults or partial discharges that take place in high voltage equipment, or detecting contamination and degradation of outdoor insulators, deep learning which is a branch of machine learning has been extensively investigated. Instead of using hand-crafted manual features as an input for the traditional machine learning algorithms, deep learning algorithms use raw data as the input where the feature extraction stage is integrated in the learning stage, resulting in a more automated process. This is the main advantage of using deep learning instead of traditional machine learning techniques. This paper presents a review of the recent literature on the application of deep learning techniques in monitoring high voltage apparatus such as GIS, transformers, cables, rotating machines, and outdoor insulators.

At the beginning of 2022, photovoltaic (PV) installation exceeded 1 TWp which was an impressive milestone in the solar energy industry [...]

Indonesia has one of the world’s biggest geothermal energy reserves, accounting for 28.61 Gigawatts of electric energy (GWe). However, as of 2022, the installed geothermal capacity in Indonesia was only around 2.175 GWe, just 7.6% of its estimated potential. Geothermal energy development is required for Indonesia to empower sustainable energy systems and achieve its target of reaching 7.2 GW of geothermal energy by 2025. The geothermal energy sector is viewed as a complex dynamic system, with complicated challenges, including technical, financial, infrastructure, and many other issues. The purpose of this paper is to understand the complex nature of geothermal systems in Indonesia. To that end, this paper examines the geothermal development from a systematic and holistic standpoint, employing the interview technique to enable the conceptualization of the geothermal systems using the system dynamics (SD) approach. The SD model exhibits several underlying and important factors influencin... [more]

A remodeled sperm swarm optimization (RMSSO) algorithm for a home energy management (HEM) system is proposed, and its real-time efficacy was evaluated using a hardware experimental model. This home environment comprised sixteen residential loads, a smart meter and a Raspberry Pi controller to optimize the energy consumption cost (ECC) in response to the Indian day-ahead pricing (DAP) scheme. A wired/wireless communication network was considered to communicate with the smart meter and controller. To address this optimization problem, the sperm swarm optimization (SSO) algorithm’s constriction coefficient was remodeled to improve its global searching capability and proposed as RMSSO. For the first time, salp swarm optimization (SSA), SSO, and RMSSO algorithms were employed to schedule home appliances in the Indian scenario. To validate the proposed technique’s outcome, the results were compared to those of the conventional SSO and SSA algorithms. This problem was solved using the Python/... [more]