Residents of rural areas buy products in the e-commerce market that are delivered to their homes (home deliveries) or to collection points (out-of-home deliveries). This poses last mile delivery challenges, which are of increasing interest to researchers. While urban research is widespread, a smaller number of rural studies are noticeable. The study aims to assess the factors differentiating the inhabitants of rural areas as to the familiarity and use of various methods of delivery of products purchased via the Internet and the reasons for choosing the preferred delivery methods. The paper uses the simplified SLR method in the literature section and multivariate data analysis in the empirical section. It contributes to the existing research in the form of the analysis of rural e-customers’ preferences for choosing a particular delivery method or parcel collection method when out-of-home delivery is conducted. It indirectly focuses on the environmental attitudes that may lead to the sus... [more]

Due to its high functionality, the solid state transformer (SST) represents an emerging technology with huge potential to replace the conventional low-frequency transformer (LFT) in a wide range of applications, including railway traction, smart grids, and others. On the other hand, model predictive control (MPC) has proven to be a highly promising control approach for several power electronics systems, especially those based on multiple power converters. Considering these facts, over recent years, different MPC techniques have been proposed for different types of SSTs. In addition to that, numerous MPC strategies have also been investigated for various power converters topologies that can be used in SSTs. However, a paper summarizing and discussing MPC strategies in the framework of SSTs has not yet been proposed in the literature, being the main goal of this work. In this paper, all the existing MPC techniques in complete SST topologies will be presented and discussed. In addition, f... [more]

With the increase in renewable energy penetration, the traditional synchronous generator is gradually replaced, resulting in the decrease in system inertia level and the weakening of frequency modulation capability. In addition to synchronous inertia, load inertia of asynchronous motors also widely exists in power systems, but its effect on system frequency stability has not been fully studied. To this end, based on the detailed model of asynchronous motor, the amplitude−phase motion equation based on potential after transient reactance is proposed, and then the phase motion equation of potential after transient reactance is derived to evaluate the equivalent inertia of asynchronous motor under electromechanical time scale. The equivalent inertia of asynchronous motor is studied theoretically by building the system frequency response model. The results show that the equivalent inertia of asynchronous motor can essentially improve the system frequency stability, while showing time-varyi... [more]

A model different from the traditional WEC, known as the flexible wave energy converter (fWEC), is numerically modeled in this paper. The fWEC is believed to be more efficient and has a greater range of operation when compared with the conventionally rigid WEC. A fully coupled fluid−structure interaction (FSI) tool is developed for the research performed in this paper. This tool is able to accommodate the dynamic interaction between the flexible membrane structure of the fWEC and the surrounding fluid. In this research, both linear-elastic and hyper-elastic materials are examined for their use in the fWEC. The fluid flow surrounding the fWEC is solved by a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method. The deformation of the hyper-elastic structure within the fWEC is modeled using a finite element analysis method (FEA). Both the hyper-elastic material of the fWEC and the free surface wave contribute to the overall nonlinearity of the numerical simulation. To tackle this problem, a robust c... [more]

The precision maintenance of delaminated carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer composites calls for the high demand of continuous, in situ monitoring of the damage-repair process along with the in-service status of the repaired region. Moreover, the repaired region faces a high risk of re-damage; therefore, in-service monitoring is highly desired. However, the current repair process lacks the in situ monitoring function, leading to the mechanism and evaluation of the repair approach being unclear. Here, we implanted multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) at the interface between the carbon fiber and resin matrix of the damaged region to achieve in situ monitoring of the repair, compression, and seawater-immersion processes. By depositing both the coupling agent and MWCNTs at the interfaces, a high recovery efficiency of 85% was achieved, which was independent of the delamination pattern shapes. The electric resistance changes of MWCNT-modified panels could effectively identify the resin permea... [more]

As a raw material for clean energy supply for the new generation, the soybean is conducive to the realization of global energy transition and sustainable development in the context of “carbon neutrality”. However, global warming has been affecting soybean yields in recent years. How to clarify the correlation between meteorological factors and soybean yields, so as to ensure the security of soybean growth and development and the stability of renewable energy development, is a key concern of the government and academia. Based on the data of temperature, precipitation, sunshine duration and active accumulated temperature during the soybean growing season in Hulunbuir, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region from 1951 to 2019, and soybean yield data of the city from 1985 to 2019, this paper adopted statistical methods such as the Trend Analysis Method, the Rescaled Range Analysis Method and so on to analyze the trends of yield changes, characteristics of abrupt changes and periodic patterns of c... [more]

The present study is focused on improving the technology for deep oil sludge processing by pyrolysis methods, considered to be the most promising technology for their environmentally friendly utilization, in which a significant yield of fuel products is expected. The technology developed by the authors of this study is a two-stage process. The first stage, pyrolysis of oil sludge, was investigated in previous papers. A significant yield of non-condensable gases was obtained. This paper presents a study of the second stage of complex deep processing technology—pyrolysis of non-condensable gases (purified propane) using a stirrer with the help of the developed experimental setup. The expected benefit of using the stirrer is improved heat transfer due to circumferential and radial-axial circulation of the gas flow. The effect of a stirrer on the yield of final target decomposition products—H2-containing mixtures and H2 generated during non-catalytic (medium-temperature) and catalytic pyro... [more]

The lean blowout is the most critical issue in lean premixed gas turbine combustion. Decades of research into LBO prediction methods have yielded promising results. Predictions can be classified into five categories based on methodology: semi-empirical model, numerical simulation, hybrid, experimental, and data-driven model. First is the semi-empirical model, which is the initial model used for LBO limit prediction at the design stages. An example is Lefebvre’s LBO model that could estimate the LBO limit for eight different gas turbine combustors with a ±30% uncertainty. To further develop the prediction of the LBO limit, a second method based on numerical simulation was proposed, which provided deeper information and improved the accuracy of the LBO limit. The numerical prediction method outperformed the semi-empirical model on a specific gas turbine with ±15% uncertainty, but more testing is required on other combustors. Then, scientists proposed a hybrid method to obtain the best ou... [more]

This paper aims to identify the dynamic capabilities required for electrical energy service providers to transform toward a digital and platform-based business models in the context of the current energy transition. The paper contributes to two fields: Information systems in the domain of platforms ecosystems and digital services innovation through the usage of dynamic capabilities theoretical lens and the field of energy informatics in the domain of digital business models and service innovation. Through the case study approach we investigate the case of Norwegian electrical energy provider TrønderEnergi and how the company is moving toward a fully digital business model and how the company build the dynamic capabilities required for the digitalization era. Through semi-structured interviews, the study managed to identify several activities related to each capability and then classified these activities under three main activities, which are: sensing, seizing, and transforming, and th... [more]

Electrical energy is polymorphic, with voltage levels varying between a few volts to MVs and frequencies from a few Hz to MHz [...]

Polyethylene has widely been used in radiative cooling applications because of high transmittance values in the atmospheric window. However, it presents optical and mechanical degradation when exposed to environmental conditions and must be replaced every few months. This paper aims to find an alternative to polyethylene to be used in a unique device, the Radiative Collector and Emitter (RCE), that combines solar collection and night-time radiative cooling. The aging evolution analysis of five cheap and market available plastic films (two low density polyethylene, one high density polyethylene, one polypropylene, and one fluorinated ethylene propylene) exposed to environmental conditions was performed. FT-IR spectra and mechanical traction tests were performed before and after 90 days of exposure to the environment. Results confirm that polyethylene undergoes a degradation process both when it is covered by a glass and when it is uncovered. However, it maintains high average transmitta... [more]

This paper examines the issue of strategic planning of fuel supplies in combined heat and power systems. This is a major challenge in energy modeling because heating-degree day calculation methods only address short-term horizons and are not suitable for the long-term planning of fuel supplies. In this work, a comprehensive method is proposed for strategic fuel supply planning of independent heat producers. The method considers changes in the market dynamics of residential and commercial properties, the annual rate of customer acquisition by the network operator, customer disconnections, as well as the thermal modernization of buildings for estimating the long-term thermal energy demand of an urban area. Moreover, the method develops a mathematical model to minimize production costs, taking into account the technical constraints of the system. The proposed strategic planning tool, in addition to information on the quantities of fuel consumed for heat and electricity production, also pr... [more]

Due to the uneven distribution of water resources, there are many water diversion projects around the world, such as the South-to-North Water Diversion Project in China, especially in some plain areas. To transfer water from low to high areas, large low-head pumps have been widely used. The transition process of the pumping station is mainly caused by the sudden change in the flow velocity and pressure of the fluid in the pipeline of the pumping station system caused by the start-up and shutdown processes. The previous research has mainly been based on the one-dimensional characteristic line method. However, due to the characteristics of the low-lift pumping station, the flow passage is short and irregular, and the calculation results often cannot guarantee the accuracy of the calculation. In addition to some faults in the actual operation process, in some pumping stations, accidents or operation-scheduling faults are caused by transient processes, such as a high degree of water hammer... [more]

Small island developing states (SIDS) are the lowest emitters of greenhouse gases yet are the most vulnerable to the impacts of global climate warming. Many islands, such as the Caribbean islands, identified solar photovoltaics as a technology for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from their electricity sector. However, prefeasibility economic studies for photovoltaics are challenging as operational photovoltaic system data are nonexistent, and the measured solar radiation datasets are limited. Thus, a prefeasibility PV tool that uses ground-measured global horizontal irradiation and a supplementary photovoltaic derating factor model is proposed for use in tropical SIDS. In addition, the bias of a modelled irradiation dataset was quantified with limited solar radiation data for a tropical Caribbean SIDS, Trinidad and Tobago. For this SIDS, the tool estimates the annual energy output of a 50 MW photovoltaic system to be 57,890 MWh and the levelized cost of electricity to be USD 0.12/kWh... [more]

The ground source heat pump heating system is considered as one of the best solutions for the transition towards green heating under the continental climate conditions like Kazakhstan. In this paper, experimental and theoretical investigations were carried out to develop a ground source heat pump-based heating system under the weather conditions in Kazakhstan and to evaluate its thermodynamic performance. The water-to-water heat pump heating system, integrated with a ground source heat exchanger and used refrigerant R134a, was designed to provide hot water to meet the requirements for space heating. The predicted values of the coefficient of performance and the experimental results were found to be in good agreement within 6.2%. The thermodynamic performance of the system was also assessed using various environment-friendly refrigerants, such as R152a, R450A, R513A, R1234yf and R1234ze, as potential replacements for R134a. Although R152a is found to be a good alternative for R134a in t... [more]

The shielding calculation of neutron streaming problems with ducts is characterized by the strong anisotropy of angular flux, which poses a challenge for the analysis of nuclear installations. The discrete ordinate method is one of the most commonly deterministic techniques to solve the neutron transport equation, in which the accuracy and efficiency neutron are crucial to ensure the reliability of the streaming shielding simulation. We implemented the goal-oriented multi-collision source algorithm in the 3D transport code ARES. This algorithm can determine the importance factor based on the adjoint transport calculation, obtain the response function to enable problem-dependent, goal-oriented spatial decomposition, and provide the error estimation as a driving force behind the dynamic quadrature to optimize the source iteration. This study focuses on verifying the goal-oriented multi-collision source algorithm under the neutron streaming problems, and the capabilities of the algorithm... [more]

The environment and the economy are negatively impacted by conventional energy sources, such as coal, gasoline, and other fossil fuels. Pakistan’s reliance on these resources has resulted in a catastrophic energy crisis. This has driven the government to make critical decisions such as early retail closures, power outages for the industrial sector, and an increase to two days a week vacations. Wind energy, accessible and affordable, will become a viable option for meeting Pakistan’s present and future energy demands. Approximately 3% of Pakistan’s land can produce nearly 132 GW of power with an installed capacity of 5 MW per km2. In this study, four zones (Karachi, Thatta, Badin, and Jamshoro) in Sindh province are assessed for the feasibility of wind energy generation. The installed capacity, generator types, and detailed specifications are provided for each zone. Moreover, the wind mapping of Pakistan is presented considering the four potential zones. The zones are analyzed using ann... [more]

Most solar cookers usually perform a single task of solely cooking food during sunshine hours. Solar cookers coupled with thermal energy storage (TES) material for off-sunshine cooking are usually expensive and require complex engineering designs, and cannot be used for dual purposes, for example, solar water heating and cooking. In this paper, a solar cooker that can perform dual tasks of cooking as well as storing thermal energy to be used during off-sunshine periods is presented. The experimental setup is composed of a parabolic dish, a solar receiver coupled with a flat plate and an oil-circulating copper coil for charging and discharging a storage tank. The objective of the experiment is to evaluate the energy and exergy thermal performance parameters of the dual-purpose system during charging and discharging cycles. The effect of the flow rate and the mass of the load are investigated while using sunflower oil as both the heat transfer fluid and the storage material. Charging and... [more]

Hydraulic fracturing for oil-gas and geothermal reservoir stimulation is closely related to the propagation of Mode I crack. Nonlinear deformation due to rock heterogeneity occurs at such crack tips, which causes the fracture process zone (FPZ) to form before the crack propagates unsteadily. However, the relationship between the FPZ characteristics and rock heterogeneity still remains elusive. We used three rock types common in reservoirs for experimental investigation, and each of them includes two subtypes with different heterogeneity due to grain size or microstructural characteristics. Drawing on the experiment results, we calculated the FPZ size (represented by the radius of an assumed circular FPZ) in each cracked chevron-notched Brazilian disk, and we reproduced the formation process of the FPZ in marble using the discrete element method. We showed that strong heterogeneity is favorable to large FPZ size, can enhance the ability of crack generation and make crack morphology comp... [more]

Fault detection of the electric vehicle battery system is vital for safe driving, energy economy, and lifetime extension. This paper proposes a data-driven method to achieve early and accurate battery system fault detection to realize rapid early warning. The method first adopts the support vector data description model mapping the feature of unlabeled voltage and temperature into a minimum volume hypersphere in high-dimensional space. When the feature is located outside the hypersphere, it is judged to be faulty. Then, to overcome the problem of hyperparameters selection, Bayesian optimization and a small amount of label data are used to iteratively train the model. This step can greatly improve the fault detection ability of the model, which is conducive to mining early and minor faults. Finally, the proposed model is compared with three unsupervised fault detection models, principal component analysis, kernel principal component analysis, and support vector data description to valid... [more]

Recently, the use of prismatic cells in electric vehicles has increased significantly. Unlike the cylindrical or pouch format, the prismatic cell format has not been sufficiently investigated. In this study, quasi-static mechanical tests are performed on prismatic cells. The tests include a cylindrical and a hemispherical impactor that mechanically load the cells in all three spatial directions. In both in-plane directions, a cell stack consisting of three cells is tested to capture the influence and loading of the outer cells of a cell stack. It is found out that, in the in-plane tests, short-circuiting occurs first in the outer cells and subsequently in the middle cell, which is targeted by the impactor. This result can also be supported by computed tomography scans. The results illustrate that, when evaluating the crash safety of battery cells, several cells should always be tested in order to capture the different loading of the cells.

In this study, a new meta-heuristic optimization method inspired by the behavioral choices of animals and hunger-driven activities, called hunger games search (HGS), is suggested to solve and formulate the single- and multi-objective optimal power flow problem in power systems. The main aim of this study is to optimize the objective functions, which are total fuel cost of generator, active power losses in transmission lines, total emission issued by fossil-fueled thermal units, voltage deviation at PQ bus, and voltage stability index. The proposed HGS approach is optimal and easy, avoids stagnation in local optima, and can solve multi-constrained objectives. Various single-and multi-objective (conflicting) functions were proposed simultaneously to solve OPF problems. The proposed algorithm (HGS) was developed to solve the multi-objective function, called the multi-objective hunger game search (MOHGS), by incorporating the proposed optimization (HGS) with Pareto optimization. The fuzzy... [more]

This article presents a new method of excitation for a fast-changing rotating magnetic field (RMF) of higher frequencies (HF) causing the hyperthermic effect in magnetic fluids. The method proposed here uses a magnetic field exciter (inductor) consisting of a ferrite magnetic circuit and a system of coils connected in a two-phase arrangement. The proposed system is powered by two higher-frequency rectangular signals, with a 90-degree phase shift between each other, through HF transformers with ferrite cores. This paper presents the outcomes of the operation of RMFs in the frequency range of 38 kHz to 190 kHz, with a value of amplitude of magnetic field intensity H equal to 20 kA/m and increasing temperature, in a sample of APG513 magnetic liquid. The obtained results show that, in the range of the magnetic field intensities of moderate values, at a constant frequency f, the values of the time derivative of temperature are proportional to the square of the magnetic field intensity dT/dt... [more]

Solar ponds are characterized by high storage capacity and the ability to provide a stable and continuous power source. Careful selection of the extraction rate helps to maintain supply temperature in a range suitable for the operation of an absorption unit. This study proposed a system in which a solar pond is coupled with an absorption chiller to investigate the resulting advantages. The chiller is cooled by using water of the upper convective zone, which ensures that the limit of deterioration of its performance is not reached and eliminates the need for an expensive cooling system. The key parameters in terms of ambient temperature, solar radiation, pond specifications, and cooling and refrigeration temperatures are investigated to optimize the proposed system design. The prediction of the model showed good agreement with the experimental results. By choosing the appropriate place to implement the system, such as the Dead Sea area, which enjoys favorable climatic conditions, it was... [more]

Icing is a severe problem faced by wind turbines operating in cold climates. It is affected by various fluctuating parameters. Due to ice accretion, a significant drop in the aerodynamic performance of the blades’ airfoils leads to productivity loss in wind turbines. When ice accretes on airfoils, it leads to a geometry deformation that seriously increases turbulence, particularly on the airfoil suction side at high angles of attack. Modeling and simulation are indispensable tools to estimate the effect of icing on the operation of wind turbines and gain a better understanding of the phenomenon. This paper presents a numerical study to assess the effect of surface roughness distribution, along with the effect of two turbulence models on estimating wind turbine airfoils’ aerodynamic performance losses in the presence of ice. Aerodynamic parameter estimation was performed using ANSYS FLUENT, while ice accretion was simulated using ANSYS FENSAP-ICE. The results using the adopted modeling... [more]