Journal Description
Energies
Energies
is a peer-reviewed, open access journal of related scientific research, technology development, engineering policy, and management studies related to the general field of energy, from technologies of energy supply, conversion, dispatch, and final use to the physical and chemical processes behind such technologies. Energies is published semimonthly online by MDPI. The European Biomass Industry Association (EUBIA), Association of European Renewable Energy Research Centres (EUREC), Institute of Energy and Fuel Processing Technology (ITPE), International Society for Porous Media (InterPore), CYTED and others are affiliated with Energies and their members receive a discount on the article processing charges.
- Open Access— free for readers, with article processing charges (APC) paid by authors or their institutions.
- High Visibility: indexed within Scopus, SCIE (Web of Science), Ei Compendex, RePEc, Inspec, CAPlus / SciFinder, and other databases.
- Journal Rank: CiteScore - Q1 (Engineering (miscellaneous))
- Rapid Publication: manuscripts are peer-reviewed and a first decision is provided to authors approximately 16.1 days after submission; acceptance to publication is undertaken in 3.3 days (median values for papers published in this journal in the second half of 2023).
- Recognition of Reviewers: reviewers who provide timely, thorough peer-review reports receive vouchers entitling them to a discount on the APC of their next publication in any MDPI journal, in appreciation of the work done.
- Sections: published in 41 topical sections.
- Testimonials: See what our editors and authors say about Energies.
- Companion journals for Energies include: Fuels, Gases, Nanoenergy Advances and Solar.
Impact Factor:
3.2 (2022);
5-Year Impact Factor:
3.3 (2022)
Latest Articles
Atomistic Details of Methyl Linoleate Pyrolysis: Direct Molecular Dynamics Simulation of Converting Biodiesel to Petroleum Products
Energies 2024, 17(10), 2433; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17102433 (registering DOI) - 20 May 2024
Abstract
Dependence on petroleum and petrochemical products is unsustainable; it is both a finite resource and an environmental hazard. Biodiesel has many attractive qualities, including a sustainable feedstock; however, it has its complications. The pyrolysis (a process already in common use in the petroleum
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Dependence on petroleum and petrochemical products is unsustainable; it is both a finite resource and an environmental hazard. Biodiesel has many attractive qualities, including a sustainable feedstock; however, it has its complications. The pyrolysis (a process already in common use in the petroleum industry) of biodiesel has demonstrated the formation of smaller hydrocarbons comprising many petrochemical products but experiments suffer from difficulty quantifying the myriad reaction pathways followed and products formed. A computational simulation of pyrolysis using “ab initio molecular dynamics” offers atomic-level detail of the reaction pathways and products formed. Herein, the most prevalent fatty-acid ester (methyl linoleate) from the most prevalent feedstock for biodiesel in the United States (soybean oil) is studied. Temperature acceleration within the atom-centered density matrix propagation formalism (Car–Parrinello) utilizing the D3-M06-2X/6-31+G(d,p) model chemistry is used to compose an ensemble of trajectories. The results are grounded in comparison to experimental studies through agreement in the following: (1) the extent of reactivity (40% in the experimental and 36.1% in this work), (2) the homology of hydrocarbon products formed (wt % of C6–C10 products), and (3) the CO/CO2 product ratio. Deoxygenation pathways are critically analyzed (as the presence of oxygen in biodiesel represents a disadvantage in its current use). Within this ensemble, deoxygenation was found to proceed through two subclasses: (1) spontaneous deoxygenation, following one of four possible pathways; or (2) induced deoxygenation, following one of three possible pathways.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiesel and Biolubricant: Production, Sources and Environmental Impact)
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Viability of an Open-Loop Heat Pump Drying System in South African Climatic Conditions
by
Solomzi Marco Ngalonkulu and Zhongjie Huan
Energies 2024, 17(10), 2432; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17102432 (registering DOI) - 20 May 2024
Abstract
Drying agricultural produce consumes a considerable amount of energy. As an energy-efficient system, a heat pump can improve the energy efficiency of the drying process and hence reduce the energy consumption, especially in South Africa, where both sub-tropical and temperate weather conditions dominate.
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Drying agricultural produce consumes a considerable amount of energy. As an energy-efficient system, a heat pump can improve the energy efficiency of the drying process and hence reduce the energy consumption, especially in South Africa, where both sub-tropical and temperate weather conditions dominate. The objective of this research is to experimentally investigate the impacts of weather conditions on the operational conditions and thermal performance of an open-loop air-source heat pump drying system. The experimental investigation was conducted in a climate chamber where the climate conditions were simulated from −10 °C to 20 °C with an interval of 10 °C for the typical temperature range of the harvesting season in South Africa. The findings indicate that ambient temperatures have a significant impact on both the operating conditions and thermal performance of an open-loop heat pump system; the change in ambient temperatures from −10 °C to 20 °C leads to a 141.6% improvement in the suction pressure, a 214.2% increase in the discharge pressure, and 30.1% increase in the compression ratio, as well as a consequent increase of 130.6% in the refrigerant mass flow rate (from 0.0067 to 0.0155 kg/s), resulting in a corresponding increase in the coefficient of performance (COP) of the heat pump drying system by about 42.1%. Therefore, this study suggests that, while using an open-loop air-source heat pump drying system utilising R134a refrigerant is feasible in South Africa, it may be practically limited to regions with warm climates or during warmer seasons.
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(This article belongs to the Section J1: Heat and Mass Transfer)
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Effects of CO2 Geosequestration on Opalinus Clay
by
Taimoor Asim and Haval Kukha Hawez
Energies 2024, 17(10), 2431; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17102431 (registering DOI) - 19 May 2024
Abstract
CO2 geosequestration is an important contributor to United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 13, i.e., Climate Action, which states a global Net-Zero CO2 emissions by 2050. A potential impact of CO2 geosequestration in depleted oil and gas reservoirs is the variations
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CO2 geosequestration is an important contributor to United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 13, i.e., Climate Action, which states a global Net-Zero CO2 emissions by 2050. A potential impact of CO2 geosequestration in depleted oil and gas reservoirs is the variations in induced pressure across the caprocks, which can lead to significant local variations in CO2 saturation. A detailed understanding of the relationship between the pressure gradient across the caprock and local CO2 concentration is of utmost importance for assessing the potential of CO2 geosequestration. Achieving this through experimental techniques is extremely difficult, and thus, we employ a coupled Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and Finite Element Method (FEM) based solver to mimic sub-critical CO2 injection in Opalinus Clay under various pressure gradients across the sample. The geomechanical and multiphase flow modelling utilising Darcy Law helps evaluate local variations in CO2 concentration in Opalinus Clay. Well-validated numerical results indicate favourable sub-critical CO2 geosequestration under a positive pressure gradient across Opalinus Clay. In the absence of a positive pressure gradient, a peak CO2 concentration of 5% has been recorded, which increases substantially (above 90%) as the pressure gradient across the sample increases.
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(This article belongs to the Section B3: Carbon Emission and Utilization)
Open AccessArticle
Research on NaCl-KCl High-Temperature Thermal Storage Composite Phase Change Material Based on Modified Blast Furnace Slag
by
Gai Zhang, Hui Cui, Xuecheng Hu, Anchao Qu, Hao Peng and Xiaotian Peng
Energies 2024, 17(10), 2430; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17102430 (registering DOI) - 19 May 2024
Abstract
The high-temperature composite phase change materials (HCPCMs) were prepared from solid waste blast furnace slag (BFS) and NaCl-KCl binary eutectic salt to achieve efficient and cost-effective utilization. To ensure good chemical compatibility with chlorine salt, modifier fly ash (FA) was incorporated and subjected
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The high-temperature composite phase change materials (HCPCMs) were prepared from solid waste blast furnace slag (BFS) and NaCl-KCl binary eutectic salt to achieve efficient and cost-effective utilization. To ensure good chemical compatibility with chlorine salt, modifier fly ash (FA) was incorporated and subjected to high-temperature treatment for the processing of industrial solid waste BFS, which possesses a complex chemical composition. The HCPCMs were synthesized through a three-step process involving static melting, solid waste modification, and mixing–cold pressing–sintering. Then, the influence of the modification method and the amount of SiC thermal conductivity reinforced material on chemical compatibility and thermodynamic performance was explored. The results demonstrate that the predominant phase of the modified solid waste is Ca2Al2SiO7, which exhibits excellent chemical compatibility with chlorine salt. HCPCMs containing less than 50 wt.% chloride content exhibit good morphological stability without any cracks, with a melting temperature of 661.76 °C and an enthalpy value of 108.73 J/g. Even after undergoing 60 thermal cycles, they maintain good chemical compatibility, with leakage rates for melting and solidification enthalpies being only 6.3% and 0.23%, respectively. The equilibrium was achieved when 40 wt.% of chloride salt was encapsulated upon the addition of 10% of SiC, and the incorporation of SiC resulted in an enhancement of thermal conductivity for HCPCMs to 2.959 W/(m·K) at room temperature and 2.400 W/(m·K) at 200 °C, with an average increase of about 2 times. The cost of the prepared HCPCMs experienced a significant reduction of 81.3%, demonstrating favorable economic performance and promising prospects for application. The research findings presented in this article can offer significant insights into the efficient utilization of solid waste.
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(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Applications of Solar and Thermal Storage Energy)
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Numerical Investigation of Innovative Photovoltaic–Thermal (PVT) Collector Designs for Electrical and Thermal Enhancement
by
Ziqiang Wang, Gaoyang Hou, Hessam Taherian and Ying Song
Energies 2024, 17(10), 2429; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17102429 (registering DOI) - 19 May 2024
Abstract
Photovoltaic–thermal (PVT) technology is gaining popularity due to the diminishing availability of traditional fossil fuels and escalating environmental concerns. Enhancing the heat dissipation of PVT to improve its electrical and thermal performance remains a significant task. This study simulates the thermodynamic and heat
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Photovoltaic–thermal (PVT) technology is gaining popularity due to the diminishing availability of traditional fossil fuels and escalating environmental concerns. Enhancing the heat dissipation of PVT to improve its electrical and thermal performance remains a significant task. This study simulates the thermodynamic and heat transfer characteristics in multiple novel PVT structures by examining the impact of various factors such as collector materials, radiation intensity, mass flow rate, and inlet temperature. This work also identifies the optimal mass flow rate for locations with different solar radiation. The numerical results indicate that the electrical efficiency of a designed cylindrical structure has increased by 1.73% while the thermal efficiency has increased by 8.29%. Aluminum is identified as the most cost-effective material for the collector. The optimal mass flow rates in selected locations of Xining, Taiyuan, and Turpan are 0.36 kg/s, 0.35 kg/s, and 0.30 kg/s, respectively. The numerical results provide valuable insight into optimizing the design and operating conditions of PVT systems.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Section A2: Solar Energy and Photovoltaic Systems)
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AC Direct Charging for Electric Vehicles via a Reconfigurable Cascaded Multilevel Converter
by
Giulia Tresca and Pericle Zanchetta
Energies 2024, 17(10), 2428; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17102428 (registering DOI) - 19 May 2024
Abstract
This paper presents a charging architecture for the Reconfigurable Cascaded Multilevel converter, which was specifically designed for electric vehicle (EV) powertrain applications. The RCMC topology is capable of executing power conversion and actively managing battery systems concurrently. The active battery management is achieved
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This paper presents a charging architecture for the Reconfigurable Cascaded Multilevel converter, which was specifically designed for electric vehicle (EV) powertrain applications. The RCMC topology is capable of executing power conversion and actively managing battery systems concurrently. The active battery management is achieved using the Reconfigurable Battery Module, which regulates the serial connection of cells via a switch pattern. In this paper, the RCMC is directly interfaced with an AC three-phase power system, facilitating the dynamic control over battery cells charging. Its inherent design allows for the implementation of various charging algorithms, customizable to specific requirements, without necessitating additional intermediary power stages. Firstly, an overview of the RCMC topology is given, and an analysis to define the optimal filter inductance is carried out. Subsequently, after the AC system characteristics are explained, two charging algorithms are presented and described: one prioritizes State of Charge (SOC) balancing among battery cells, while the other focuses on minimizing power losses. Moreover, a time estimation computation for the RCMC is carried out considering a two-level AC charging station. The result is compared with the time required for a conventional battery pack. The results show a reduction of 10 s in charging time for a mere 20% increase in SOC. Finally, the experimental setup is presented and used to validate the efficacy of the proposed algorithms.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy Management Systems of Electric Vehicles: New Trends and Dynamic Futures)
Open AccessArticle
Performance Improvement of a Limaçon Gas Expander Using an Inlet Control Valve: Two Case Studies
by
Md Shazzad Hossain, Ibrahim Sultan, Truong Phung and Apurv Kumar
Energies 2024, 17(10), 2427; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17102427 (registering DOI) - 18 May 2024
Abstract
Renewable energy-based compact energy-generation systems based on the organic Rankine cycle (ORC) can be employed to meet the ever-growing thirst for affordable and clean energy. The overall performance and effectiveness of ORC systems are constrained by the low efficiency of the gas expander,
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Renewable energy-based compact energy-generation systems based on the organic Rankine cycle (ORC) can be employed to meet the ever-growing thirst for affordable and clean energy. The overall performance and effectiveness of ORC systems are constrained by the low efficiency of the gas expander, specifically the positive displacement expander, which is responsible for energy conversion from the working fluid. This low-efficiency scenario can be significantly improved by employing a control valve to regulate and restrict the flow of the working fluid into the expander. A control valve can effectively curve the loss of costly compressed and energized working fluids by allowing them to expand in the expander chamber before discharging through the outlet port. They can thus be used to regulate the amount of energy yield and output power. In this work, two direct drive rotary valves (DDRVs) operated by a stepper motor (SM-DDRV) and rotary solenoid (RS-DDRV) are suggested, and the behavior of the valves is examined. The effect of friction and temperature on the valve response is also studied. Additionally, the effect of inlet control valves on the overall system performance of the limaçon expander is assessed. Thermodynamic properties such as the isentropic efficiency and filling factor are also computed. The effect of leakage due to valve response delay is analyzed at different inlet pressures. The performance indices are compared to the expander performance without any inlet valve. The SM-DDRV setup results in a 14.86% increase in isentropic efficiency and a 220% increase in the filling factor, whereas the RS-DDRV performs moderately with a 2.58% increase in isentropic efficiency and an 80% increase in the filling factor compared to a ported expander. The SM-DDRV provides better performance indices compared to the RS-DDRV and without valve setups. However, the performance of the limaçon expander with the SM-DDRV is sensitive to the inlet pressure and degrades at higher pressure. Overall, the valves proposed in this work present key insights into improving the performance characteristics of gas expanders of ORC systems.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Section J: Thermal Management)
Open AccessArticle
An Efficient Shunt Modulated AC Green Plug–Switched Filter Compensation Scheme for Nonlinear Loads
by
Albe M. Bloul, Mohamad Abuhamdah, Adel M. Sharaf, Hamed H. Aly and Jason Gu
Energies 2024, 17(10), 2426; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17102426 (registering DOI) - 18 May 2024
Abstract
Nonlinear loads, crucial components of power system grids, pose a challenge due to harmonics injection. This work tackles this issue with a novel modified green plug–switched filter compensation scheme using fuzzy logic controllers. This innovative scheme presented in this paper utilizes dual action
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Nonlinear loads, crucial components of power system grids, pose a challenge due to harmonics injection. This work tackles this issue with a novel modified green plug–switched filter compensation scheme using fuzzy logic controllers. This innovative scheme presented in this paper utilizes dual action pulse width modulation to ensure switching functions from harmonics reduction and capacitive compensation for inrush nonlinear-type AC loads. The scheme’s multi-loop regulations and online switching effectively handle dynamic-type slow-acting inrush, motorized- and other rectifier-type nonlinear loads, enhancing the power factor, power quality at source and load buses, and reducing the total harmonics distortion at the key source and sensitive nonlinear load buses. A simulation model in the MATLAB/SIMULINK-2023b software environment demonstrates the efficiency of the proposed FACTS technique. The modulated dual mode switched filter-capacitive compensation scheme controlled by a fuzzy logic controller ensures less harmonics distortion and improved voltage stabilization. The results show that voltage, current, active power, reactive power, power factor regulation, and effective energy utilization are achievable with the designed Flexible AC Transmission System-Modulated Filter Capacitor Compensation–Switched Filter Compensator (FACTS-MFCC-SFC). The switched modulated AC green plug filter significantly improves power quality and enhances power factor in cases of inrush and nonlinear loads.
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(This article belongs to the Section A: Sustainable Energy)
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A Comprehensive Review of Existing and Pending University Campus Microgrids
by
Edrees Yahya Alhawsawi, Khaled Salhein and Mohamed A. Zohdy
Energies 2024, 17(10), 2425; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17102425 (registering DOI) - 18 May 2024
Abstract
Over the past few decades, many universities have turned to using microgrid systems because of their dependability, security, flexibility, and less reliance on the primary grid. Microgrids on campuses face challenges in the instability of power production due to meteorological conditions, as the
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Over the past few decades, many universities have turned to using microgrid systems because of their dependability, security, flexibility, and less reliance on the primary grid. Microgrids on campuses face challenges in the instability of power production due to meteorological conditions, as the output of renewable sources such as solar and wind power relies entirely on the weather and determining the optimal size of microgrids. Therefore, this paper comprehensively reviews the university campuses’ microgrids. Some renewable energy sources, such as geothermal (GE), wind turbine (WT), and photovoltaic (PV), are compared in terms of installation costs, availability, weather conditions, efficiency, environmental impact, and maintenance. Furthermore, a description of microgrid systems and their components, including distributed generation (DG), energy storage system (ESS), and microgrid load, is presented. As a result, the most common optimization models for analyzing the performance of campus microgrids are discussed. Hybrid microgrid system configurations are introduced and compared to find the optimal configuration in terms of energy production and flexibility. Therefore, configuration A (Hybrid PV- grid-connected) is the most common configuration compared to the others due to its simplicity and free-charge operation.
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(This article belongs to the Section A1: Smart Grids and Microgrids)
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Feature Selection by Binary Differential Evolution for Predicting the Energy Production of a Wind Plant
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Sameer Al-Dahidi, Piero Baraldi, Miriam Fresc, Enrico Zio and Lorenzo Montelatici
Energies 2024, 17(10), 2424; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17102424 (registering DOI) - 18 May 2024
Abstract
We propose a method for selecting the optimal set of weather features for wind energy prediction. This problem is tackled by developing a wrapper approach that employs binary differential evolution to search for the best feature subset, and an ensemble of artificial neural
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We propose a method for selecting the optimal set of weather features for wind energy prediction. This problem is tackled by developing a wrapper approach that employs binary differential evolution to search for the best feature subset, and an ensemble of artificial neural networks to predict the energy production from a wind plant. The main novelties of the approach are the use of features provided by different weather forecast providers and the use of an ensemble composed of a reduced number of models for the wrapper search. Its effectiveness is verified using weather and energy production data collected from a 34 MW real wind plant. The model is built using the selected optimal subset of weather features and allows for (i) a 1% reduction in the mean absolute error compared with a model that considers all available features and a 4.4% reduction compared with the model currently employed by the plant owners, and (ii) a reduction in the number of selected features by 85% and 50%, respectively. Reducing the number of features boosts the prediction accuracy. The implication of this finding is significant as it allows plant owners to create profitable offers in the energy market and efficiently manage their power unit commitment, maintenance scheduling, and energy storage optimization.
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(This article belongs to the Special Issue Machine Learning Approaches to Power System Flexibility, Stability and Control for Renewable Energy Penetration)
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Analysis of Ferroresonance Mitigation Effectiveness in Auxiliary Power Systems of High-Voltage Substations
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Rafał Tarko, Wiesław Nowak, Jakub Gajdzica and Stanislaw Czapp
Energies 2024, 17(10), 2423; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17102423 (registering DOI) - 18 May 2024
Abstract
Ferroresonance in power networks is a dangerous phenomenon, which may result in overcurrents and overvoltages, causing damage to power equipment and the faulty operation of protection systems. For this reason, the possibility of the occurrence of ferroresonance has to be identified, and adequate
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Ferroresonance in power networks is a dangerous phenomenon, which may result in overcurrents and overvoltages, causing damage to power equipment and the faulty operation of protection systems. For this reason, the possibility of the occurrence of ferroresonance has to be identified, and adequate methods need to be incorporated to eliminate or reduce its effects. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the effectiveness of ferroresonance damping in auxiliary power systems of high-voltage substations by selected damping devices. Laboratory experiments, the results of which created bases for the development of models of selected damping devices, are presented. These models were used to simulate the effectiveness of ferroresonance damping in an auxiliary power system of a 220/110 kV substation in the EMTP-ATP program. The analyses showed that control systems with different algorithms of operation are used in damping devices. This knowledge is important when selecting parameters and settings of the applied damping devices for a given network and the disturbances in it. The presented research results have proved the effectiveness of commercially available damping devices, provided their parameters are correctly coordinated with the settings of the power system protection.
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(This article belongs to the Section F1: Electrical Power System)
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The Resilience of Electrical Support in UAV Swarms in Special Missions
by
Igor Kabashkin
Energies 2024, 17(10), 2422; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17102422 (registering DOI) - 18 May 2024
Abstract
Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) swarms serve as a dynamic platform for diverse missions, including communication relays, search and rescue operations, and environmental monitoring. The success of these operations crucially depends on the resilience of their electrical support systems, especially in terms of battery
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Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) swarms serve as a dynamic platform for diverse missions, including communication relays, search and rescue operations, and environmental monitoring. The success of these operations crucially depends on the resilience of their electrical support systems, especially in terms of battery management. This paper examines the reliability of electrical support for UAV swarms engaged in missions that require prioritization into high and low categories. The paper proposes a dynamic resource allocation strategy that permits the flexible reassignment of drones across different-priority tasks, ensuring continuous operation while optimizing resource use. By leveraging the Markov chain theory, an analytical model for the evaluation of the resilience of the battery management system under different operational scenarios was developed. The paper quantitatively assesses the impact of different operational strategies and battery management approaches on the overall system resilience and mission efficacy. This approach aims to ensure uninterrupted service delivery for critical tasks while optimizing the overall utilization of available electrical resources. Through modeling and analytical evaluations, the paper quantifies the impact of various parameters and operating strategies on overall system resilience and mission availability, considering the utilization strategies of batteries and their reliability and maintenance metrics. The developed models and strategies can inform the development of robust battery management protocols, resource allocation algorithms, and mission planning frameworks, ultimately enhancing the operational availability and effectiveness of UAV swarms in critical special missions.
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(This article belongs to the Section F: Electrical Engineering)
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Evaluation of the Activity of a Municipal Waste Landfill Site in the Operational and Non-Operational Sectors Based on Landfill Gas Productivity
by
Grzegorz Przydatek, Agnieszka Generowicz and Włodzimierz Kanownik
Energies 2024, 17(10), 2421; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17102421 (registering DOI) - 18 May 2024
Abstract
This research identifies the productivity of landfill gas actively captured at a municipal waste landfill site with a waste mass exceeding 1 million Mg from sectors in the operational and non-operational phases, considering meteorological conditions. Based on the analysis of landfill gas, including
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This research identifies the productivity of landfill gas actively captured at a municipal waste landfill site with a waste mass exceeding 1 million Mg from sectors in the operational and non-operational phases, considering meteorological conditions. Based on the analysis of landfill gas, including emissions and composition (CH4, CO2, O2, and other gases), the processes occurring demonstrate the impact of the decomposition of deposited waste on the activity of the deposit. With average monthly gas emissions exceeding 960,000 m3, the average content of CH4 (30–63%) and CO2 (18–42%) and the varied content of O2 (0.3–9.8%) in individual sectors of the landfill site were significant. The statistically significant relationship between CH4, CO2, and landfill gas emissions exhibited a noticeable decrease in methane content. Despite the abandonment of waste storage, a high correlation is present between the emission level and methane content (0.59) and carbon dioxide (0.50). In the operational part of the landfill, this relationship is also statistically significant but to a lesser extent; Spearman’s R-value was 0.42 for methane and 0.36 for carbon dioxide. The operational and post-operational phases of the municipal waste landfill demonstrated a noticeable impact from the amount of precipitation, relative humidity, and air temperature, on landfill gas productivity. The generally progressive decline in the activity of the waste deposit, which reflects a decreasing trend in the methane content of approximately 2% annually in the total composition of landfill gas, as well as the share below 50%, indicates the need only to utilise landfill without producing energy.
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(This article belongs to the Section A4: Bio-Energy)
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Open AccessArticle
Passive Shunted Piezoelectric Systems for Vibration Control of Wind Turbine Towers: A Feasibility Study
by
Maria-Styliani Daraki, Konstantinos Marakakis, Panagiotis Alevras, Georgia A. Foutsitzi and Georgios E. Stavroulakis
Energies 2024, 17(10), 2420; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17102420 - 17 May 2024
Abstract
Many countries have a variety of offshore and onshore wind turbines that face extreme aging challenges. Issues with harmful vibrations that must be minimized are addressed in this paper. A new method of wind turbine tower vibration control using piezoelectricity and shunt circuits
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Many countries have a variety of offshore and onshore wind turbines that face extreme aging challenges. Issues with harmful vibrations that must be minimized are addressed in this paper. A new method of wind turbine tower vibration control using piezoelectricity and shunt circuits is proposed in this paper. The passive vibration control method is shown to improve the tower’s structural performance under various environmental loads, like wind and seismic excitations. To examine the effectiveness of the suggested shunted piezoelectric system, a simple surrogate finite element model of a wind turbine tower is considered, and various investigations at the second eigenfrequency are carried out. An alternative way of modeling the studied structure is considered and the results demonstrate better performance. The advantages of setting up structural damping systems for decreasing tower vibrational loads and boosting their structural stability and resilience against extreme events are highlighted throughout this work.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Energy Artificial Islands)
Open AccessArticle
A Stochastic Decision-Making Tool Suite for Distributed Energy Resources Integration in Energy Markets
by
Sergio Cantillo-Luna, Ricardo Moreno-Chuquen, David Celeita and George J. Anders
Energies 2024, 17(10), 2419; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17102419 - 17 May 2024
Abstract
Energy markets are crucial for integrating Distributed Energy Resources (DER) into modern power grids. However, this integration presents challenges due to the inherent variability and decentralized nature of DERs, as well as poorly adapted regulatory environments. This paper proposes a medium-term decision-making approach
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Energy markets are crucial for integrating Distributed Energy Resources (DER) into modern power grids. However, this integration presents challenges due to the inherent variability and decentralized nature of DERs, as well as poorly adapted regulatory environments. This paper proposes a medium-term decision-making approach based on a comprehensive suite of computational tools for integrating DERs into Colombian energy markets. The proposed framework consists of modular tools that are aligned with the operation of a Commercial Virtual Power Plant (CVPP). The tools aim to optimize participation in bilateral contracts and short-term energy markets. They use forecasting, uncertainty management, and decision-making modules to create an optimal portfolio of DER assets. The suite’s effectiveness and applicability are demonstrated and analyzed through its implementation with heterogeneous DER assets across various operational scenarios.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Section C: Energy Economics and Policy)
Open AccessArticle
Lithium-Ion Batteries (LIBs) Immersed in Fire Prevention Material for Fire Safety and Heat Management
by
Junho Bae, Yunseok Choi and Youngsik Kim
Energies 2024, 17(10), 2418; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17102418 - 17 May 2024
Abstract
Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have emerged as the most commercialized rechargeable battery technology. However, their inherent property, called thermal runaway, poses a high risk of fire. This article introduces the “Battery Immersed in Fire Prevention Material (BIF)”, the immersion-type battery in which all of
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Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have emerged as the most commercialized rechargeable battery technology. However, their inherent property, called thermal runaway, poses a high risk of fire. This article introduces the “Battery Immersed in Fire Prevention Material (BIF)”, the immersion-type battery in which all of the LIB cells are surrounded by a liquid agent. This structure and the agent enable active battery fire suppression under abusive conditions while facilitating improved thermal management during normal operation. Abuse tests involving a battery revealed that the LIB module experienced fire, explosions, and burnouts with the target cell reaching temperatures of 1405 °C and the side reaching 796 °C. Conversely, the BIF module exhibited a complete lack of fire propagation, with temperatures lower than those of LIBs, particularly 285 and 17 °C, respectively. Under normal operating conditions, the BIF module exhibited an average temperature rise ~8.6 times lower than that of a normal LIB. Furthermore, it reduced the uneven thermal deviation between the cells by ~5.3 times more than LIB. This study provides a detailed exploration of the BIF and covers everything from components to practical applications. With further improvements, this technology can significantly enhance fire safety and prevent the thermal degradation of batteries in the real world.
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(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Battery Energy Storage Systems)
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An Overview of the Thermochemical Valorization of Sewage Sludge: Principles and Current Challenges
by
Bruna Rijo, Catarina Nobre, Paulo Brito and Paulo Ferreira
Energies 2024, 17(10), 2417; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17102417 - 17 May 2024
Abstract
With the increase in the world population and economic activity, the production of sewage sludge has grown, and its management has become an environmental problem. The most traditional method of managing sewage sludge is to dispose of it in landfills and on farmland.
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With the increase in the world population and economic activity, the production of sewage sludge has grown, and its management has become an environmental problem. The most traditional method of managing sewage sludge is to dispose of it in landfills and on farmland. One way to valorize sewage sludge is to use thermochemical conversion processes to produce added-value products such as biochar, biofuels, and renewable gases. However, due to the high moisture content, thermochemical conversion using processes such as pyrolysis and traditional gasification involves multiple pre-treatment processes such as material drying. Hydrothermal thermochemical processes usually require high pressures, which pose many challenges to their application on a large scale. In this work, the advantages and disadvantages of the different existing thermochemical processes for the recovery of sewage sludge were analyzed, as well as the resulting industrial and environmental challenges. A SWOT analysis was carried out to assess the different thermochemical processes in terms of technical feasibility, economic viability, and broader market considerations.
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(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Technologies for Decarbonising the Energy Sector)
Open AccessArticle
Numerical Investigation of Rotor and Stator Matching Mode on the Complex Flow Field and Pressure Pulsation of a Vaned Centrifugal Pump
by
Leilei Du, Fankun Zheng, Bo Gao, Mona Gad, Delin Li and Ning Zhang
Energies 2024, 17(10), 2416; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17102416 - 17 May 2024
Abstract
The match of rotor and stator blades significantly affects the flow field structure and flow-induced pressure pulsation characteristics inside the pump. In order to study the effects of the rotor and stator matching mode on the complex flow field and pressure pulsation of
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The match of rotor and stator blades significantly affects the flow field structure and flow-induced pressure pulsation characteristics inside the pump. In order to study the effects of the rotor and stator matching mode on the complex flow field and pressure pulsation of a centrifugal pump with a vaned diffuser, this paper designs three different vaned diffusers (DY5, DY8 and DY9) and uses the DDES (Delayed Detached Eddy Simulation) numerical method combined with structured grids to simulate the unsteady flow phenomena of the model pump under rated conditions. The results show that, under different rotor and stator matching modes, the pressure pulsation spectrum is dominated by the blade passing frequency and its harmonics. The matching mode of the rotor and stator significantly affects the time–frequency domain characteristics of the pressure pulsation inside the pump, and it is observed that the pressure pulsation energy of vaned diffusers with more blades is significantly smaller than that of fewer-blade vaned diffusers in comparison to the energy of the pressure pulsation at the blade passing frequency and within the 10–1500 Hz frequency band. Combined with the distribution characteristics of the complex flow field inside the pump, it can be found that increasing the number of vaned diffuser blades can reduce the energy of flow-induced pressure pulsation, improve the distribution of high-energy vortices in the interaction zone and stabilize the flow inside the centrifugal pump effectively.
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(This article belongs to the Section F: Electrical Engineering)
Open AccessArticle
Nanofluidic Study of Multiscale Phase Transitions and Wax Precipitation in Shale Oil Reservoirs
by
Zhiyong Lu, Yunqiang Wan, Lilong Xu, Dongliang Fang, Hua Wu and Junjie Zhong
Energies 2024, 17(10), 2415; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17102415 - 17 May 2024
Abstract
During hydraulic fracturing of waxy shale oil reservoirs, the presence of fracturing fluid can influence the phase behavior of the fluid within the reservoir, and heat exchange between the fluids causes wax precipitation that impacts reservoir development. To investigate multiscale fluid phase transition
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During hydraulic fracturing of waxy shale oil reservoirs, the presence of fracturing fluid can influence the phase behavior of the fluid within the reservoir, and heat exchange between the fluids causes wax precipitation that impacts reservoir development. To investigate multiscale fluid phase transition and microscale flow impacted by fracturing fluid injection, this study conducted no-water phase behavior experiments, water injection wax precipitation experiments, and water-condition phase behavior experiments using a nanofluidic chip model. The results show that in the no-water phase experiment, the gasification occurred first in the large cracks, while the matrix throat was the last, and the bubble point pressure difference between the two was 12.1 MPa. The wax precipitation phenomena during fracturing fluid injection can be divided into granular wax in cracks, flake wax in cracks, and wax precipitation in the matrix throat, and the wax mainly accumulated in the microcracks and remained in the form of particles. Compared with the no-water conditions, the large cracks and matrix throat bubble point in the water conditions decreased by 6.1 MPa and 3.5 MPa, respectively, and the presence of the water phase reduced the material occupancy ratio at each pore scale. For the smallest matrix throat, the final gas occupancy ratio under the water conditions decreased from 32% to 24% in the experiment without water. This study provides valuable insight into reservoir fracture modification and guidance for the efficient development of similar reservoirs.
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(This article belongs to the Section H: Geo-Energy)
Open AccessArticle
Large-Eddy vs. Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes Simulations of Flow and Heat Transfer in a U-Duct with Unsteady Flow Separation
by
Kenny S. Hu and Tom I-P. Shih
Energies 2024, 17(10), 2414; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17102414 - 17 May 2024
Abstract
Large-eddy simulation (LES) and Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) equations were used to study incompressible flow and heat transfer in a U-duct with a high-aspect-ratio trapezoidal cross section. For the LES, the WALE subgrid-scale model was employed, and its inflow boundary condition was provided by
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Large-eddy simulation (LES) and Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) equations were used to study incompressible flow and heat transfer in a U-duct with a high-aspect-ratio trapezoidal cross section. For the LES, the WALE subgrid-scale model was employed, and its inflow boundary condition was provided by a concurrent LES of incompressible fully-developed flow in a straight duct with the same cross section and flow conditions as the U-duct. LES results are presented for turbulent kinetic energy, Reynolds stresses, pressure–strain rate, turbulent diffusion, turbulent transport, and velocity–temperature correlations, with a focus on how they are affected by the U-turn region of the U-duct. The LES results were also used to assess three commonly used RANS models: the realizable k-ε with the two-layer model in the near-wall region, the two-equation shear-stress transport model, and the seven-equation stress-omega Reynolds stress model. Results obtained show steady and unsteady RANS to incorrectly predict the effects of unsteady flow separation. The results obtained also identified the terms in the RANS models that need to be modified and suggested how turbulent diffusion should be modeled when there is unsteady flow separation.
Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue High-Performance Numerical Simulation in Heat Transfer)
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