Search Results (19)

This study investigates the dynamics of mass transfer between gas and liquid during the fuel scrubbing inerting process, utilizing a mixed inert gas (MIG) composed of CO₂, N₂, and trace amounts of O₂. The goal is to lower oxygen concentrations in aircraft fuel tanks, thereby reducing the risk of explosions. The experiments were conducted on a fuel scrubbing inerting platform, where an MIG was utilized to deoxygenate aviation fuel. Changes in the oxygen concentration in the ullage (OCU) and the dissolved oxygen concentration in the fuel (DOCF) were measured during the scrubbing process. Validated by these experimental data, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations demonstrated the reliability of the model. The discrepancies between CFD predictions and experimental measurements were 4.11% for OCU and 5.23% for DOCF. The influence of the MIG bubble diameter, MIG flow rate, and fuel loading rate on DOCF, gas holdup (GH), and the oxygen volumetric mass transfer coefficient (OVMTC) was comprehensively examined. The results reveal that larger MIG bubble diameters lead to an increased DOCF but reduced GH and OVMTC. In contrast, a higher MIG flow rate decreases DOCF while boosting GH and OVMTC. Additionally, a greater fuel loading rate increases DOCF but decreases GH and OVMTC. These findings offer important insights for optimizing fuel scrubbing inerting systems, underscoring the necessity of selecting suitable operating parameters to enhance oxygen displacement and ensure aircraft safety. Full article

Energy policies around the world are increasingly highlighting the importance of hydrogen in the evolving energy landscape. In this regard, the use of hydrogen to produce biomethanol not only plays an essential role in the chemical industry but also holds great promise as an alternative fuel for global shipping. This study evaluates a system for generating biomethanol and biomethane based on anaerobic digestion, biogas upgrading, methanol synthesis unit, and high-temperature electrolysis. Thermal integration is implemented to enhance efficiency by linking the oxy-fuel gas turbine unit. The integrated system performance is evaluated through thermodynamic modeling, and Aspen Plus V12.1 is employed for the analysis. Our findings show that the primary power consumers are the Solid Oxide Electrolysis Cell (SOEC) and Methanol Synthesis Unit (MSU), with the SOEC system consuming 824 kW of power and the MSU consuming 129.5 kW of power, corresponding to a production scale of 23.2 kg/h of hydrogen and 269.54 kg/h of biomethanol, respectively. The overall energy efficiency is calculated at 58.09%, considering a production output of 188 kg/h of biomethane and 269 kg/h of biomethanol. The amount of carbon dioxide emitted per biofuel production is equal to 0.017, and the proposed system can be considered a low-carbon emission system. Key findings include significant enhancements in biomethanol capacity and energy efficiency with higher temperatures in the methanol reactor. Full article

Wildfires play a dual role in ecosystems by providing ecological benefits while posing catastrophic events; they also inflict non-catastrophic damage and yield long-term effects on biodiversity, soil quality, and air quality, among other factors, including public health. This study analysed the key determinants of wildland fires in Spain using openly available spatial data from 2008 to 2021, including fire perimeters, bioclimatic variables, topography, and socioeconomic datasets, at a resolution of 1 km². Our methodology combined principal component analysis (PCA), linear regression analysis, and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Our findings show that scrub/herbaceous vegetation (average 63 ± 1.45% SE) and forests (average 19 ± 0.76% SE) have been highly susceptible to wildfires. The population density exhibited a robust positive correlation with wildfire frequency (R² = 0.88, p < 0.0001). Although the study provides insights into some fire-related climatic drivers over Spain, it includes only temperature- and precipitation-based variables and does not explicitly consider fuel dynamics. Therefore, a more advanced methodology should be applied in the future to understand the local specifics of regional wildfire dynamics. Our study identified that scrub/herbaceous areas and forests near densely populated regions should be prioritised for wildfire management in Spain, particularly under changing climate conditions. Full article

The maritime sector is among the most polluting industrial sectors in the world. To oppose this and following the global trend towards carbon neutrality, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) introduced the objective to reduce the CO₂ emission of vessels by the year 2030 of 40% and at the same time the European Union will introduce the maritime sector into the ETS system. Therefore, there is a need to reduce the emissions of the working vessels, and this can be accomplished through the Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS). There are many possible CCS technologies that can be applied to vessels: the one that has already been studied the most is the ammine scrubbing of the exhaust gasses. In parallel, other technologies have been proposed to reduce volume and energy needs, which are the Molten Carbonate Fuel Cells (MCFCs), membrane technologies, fixed bed absorption processes and limestone. The review shows how, depending on the used vessel type, the technology to be used may vary, and proposes some preferential options for different applications. The obtained results can be of relevant importance in the present context of energy transition promoting immediate retrofitting to respond to the urgent request for intervention. Full article

Sclerophyllous scrub formations, the main vegetation type in many islands of the Aegean area, provide many goods and services to humans, such as biodiversity, soil protection, and forage for livestock and wildlife. Dominant shrub species of sclerophyllous formations are well adapted to dry season conditions due to various anatomical and physiological mechanisms. As a result, their biomass acts as very flammable, fine fuel, and consequently, wildfires are very common in these ecosystems. Wildfire effects on vegetation and biodiversity in the Mediterranean basin have been studied, and the results are diverse, depending mainly on the vegetation type and frequency of fires. Additionally, post-fire vegetation establishment and structure are critical factors for the implementation of grazing management. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of wildfire on species composition, floristic diversity, forage quality, and rangeland health indices related to ecosystem stability and function in three thermo-Mediterranean vegetation types: (1) Sarcopoterium spinosum low formations, (2) low formations of Cistus creticus, and (3) low formations of Cistus creticus in abandoned terraces. The research was conducted on the Oinousses islet, which is located northeast of Chios Island, in May 2013 (one year after the fire). Vegetation sampling was performed along five transects placed in recently burned and adjacent unburned sites of each vegetation type. The plant cover was measured, while the floristic composition, diversity, evenness, and dominance indices were determined for the vegetation data. Additionally, the forage quality was determined in terms of crude protein (CP) and fiber content. The vegetation cover was significantly lower, and the floristic diversity was significantly higher in burned areas in comparison to those in the unburned areas. Woody species, followed by grasses and forbs, dominated in both the burned and unburned areas. However, the percentage of woody species was significantly decreased in the burned areas of Sarcopoterium spinosum and Cistus creticus low formations. On the other hand, the percentage of grasses, forbs, and legumes increased in all cases except in Cistus creticus terraces. The lowest value of the Jaccard Index of similarity between the burned and unburned sites (beta diversity) was observed for Cistus creticus, indicating the effect of fire on the species composition of this vegetation type. The forage quality was found to be improved in all the burned areas, especially in those dominated by Cistus creticus. Finally, fire has a positive impact on the ecosystem’s functions, mainly for Sarcopoterium spinosum low formations. Full article

In this study, a ground-based washing inerting (GBWI) method was proposed, and the application of GBWI in the field of fire prevention and explosion suppression of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) fuel tanks was studied using a volume of fluid (VOF) two-phase flow model at a given typical flight envelope. The variation in oxygen concentration in tank ullage during flight was calculated considering the entrance of ambient air and the escape of dissolved oxygen from the fuel. The results indicate that the oxygen concentration in the ullage increases with increasing initial oxygen concentration in the ullage and the initial fuel load after GBWI. In the climb and cruise stages, the oxygen concentration in the ullage increases slowly, while in the tactical descent stage, the oxygen concentration in the ullage increases rapidly, easily exceeding the limiting oxygen concentration (LOC) of aviation fuel combustion. To expand the application range of GBWI, an optimization scheme of nitrogen filling protection was proposed so that the GBWI could meet the requirements of an inert tank at different fuel loads and initial oxygen concentrations in the ullage. Compared with a traditional on-board inert gas generation system (OBIGGS), the optimized GBWI method could greatly reduce the fuel compensation loss and improve the maneuverability of UAVs at the same time. Full article

Energy driven technologies and enhanced per-capita waste production have led to the establishment of novel technologies to simultaneously produce fuels as well as treat the wastes. Anaerobic digestion is cost-effective and sustainable process to produce biogas. Biogas is a mixture of CO₂, CH₄, H₂S, is an eco-friendly and inexpensive renewable biofuel. This mixture of gases restricts biogas utilization in vehicular fuel, CHPs, therefore, biogas upgradation becomes a necessary step. Conventional upgradation technologies for example water scrubbing, physical adsorption, chemical adsorption, amine scrubbing, etc. are cost intensive and require high maintenance. Novel technologies like biological methods of biogas upgradation are being investigated and new improvements are made in the conventional methods. This review aims to give a close insight about various technologies of upgradation including, pressure swing, amine scrubbing, membrane separation, cryogenic separation, biological methods, etc., along with the major challenges and limitations. The study also intends to provide an overview about the future perspective and scope of these technologies. Full article

Sulfur and nitrogen oxides (SO_X/NO_X) are the primary air toxic gas pollutants emitted during fuel combustion, causing health and environmental concerns. Therefore, their emission in flue gases is strictly regulated. The existing technologies used to decrease SO_X/NO_X content are flue gas desulfurization, which necessitates high capital and operating costs, and selective catalytic reduction, which, in addition to these costs, requires expensive catalysts and high operating temperatures (350–400 °C). New wet scrubbing processes use O₃ or H₂O₂ oxidants to produce (NH₄)₂SO₄ and NH₄NO₃ fertilizers upon ammonia injection. However, these oxidants are expensive, corrosive, and hazardous. SiO₂/Co(OH)₂ nanocomposites are presented here as potential catalysts for SO_X/NO_X oxidation in wet scrubber reactors to scrub these toxic gases using atmospheric oxygen as the oxidant at relatively low temperatures of 60–90 °C. Several silica-cobalt-oxide-based nanocomposites were synthesized as potential catalysts at different concentrations and temperatures. The nanocomposite catalysts were characterized and exhibited excellent catalytic properties for SO_X/NO_X oxidation using atmospheric oxygen as the oxidant, replacing the problematic H₂O₂/O₃. We thus propose SiO₂-supported Co(OH)₂ nanoparticles (NPs) as excellent catalysts for the simultaneous scrubbing of polluting SO_X/NO_X gases in flue gases using atmospheric O₂ as the oxidation reagent at a relatively low-temperature range. Full article

The classification and quantification of fuel is traditionally a labour-intensive, costly and often subjective operation, especially in hazardous vegetation types, such as gorse (Ulex europaeus L.) scrub. In this study, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technologies were assessed as an alternative to traditional field methodologies for fuel characterisation. UAV laser scanning (ULS) point clouds were captured, and a variety of spatial and intensity metrics were extracted from these data. These data were used as predictor variables in models describing destructively and non-destructively sampled field measurements of total above ground biomass (TAGB) and above ground available fuel (AGAF). Multiple regression of the structural predictor variables yielded correlations of R² = 0.89 and 0.87 for destructively sampled measurements of TAGB and AGAF, respectively, with relative root mean square error (RMSE) values of 18.6% and 11.3%, respectively. The best metrics for non-destructive field-measurements yielded correlations of R² = 0.50 and 0.49, with RMSE values of 40% and 30.8%, for predicting TAGB and AGAF, respectively, indicating that ULS-derived structural metrics offer higher levels of precision. UAV-derived versions of the field metrics (overstory height and cover) predicted TAGB and AGAF with R² = 0.44 and 0.41, respectively, and RMSE values of 34.5% and 21.7%, demonstrating that even simple metrics from a UAV can still generate moderate correlations. In further analyses, UAV photogrammetric data were captured and automatically processed using deep learning in order to classify vegetation into different fuel categories. The results yielded overall high levels of precision, recall and F1 score (0.83 for each), with minimum and maximum levels per class of F1 = 0.70 and 0.91. In conclusion, these ULS-derived metrics can be used to precisely estimate fuel type components and fuel load at fine spatial resolutions over moderate-sized areas, which will be useful for research, wildfire risk assessment and fuel management operations. Full article

Rapidly declining costs of renewable energy technologies have made solar and wind the cheapest sources of energy in many parts of the world. This has been seen primarily as enabling the rapid decarbonization of the electricity sector, but low-cost, low-carbon energy can have a great secondary impact by reducing the costs of energy-intensive decarbonization efforts in other areas. In this study, we consider, by way of an exemplary carbon capture and utilization cycle based on mature technologies, the energy requirements of the “industrial carbon cycle”, an emerging paradigm in which industrial CO₂ emissions are captured and reprocessed into chemicals and fuels, and we assess the impact of declining renewable energy costs on overall economics of these processes. In our exemplary process, CO₂ is captured from a cement production facility via an amine scrubbing process and combined with hydrogen produced by a solar-powered polymer electrolyte membrane, using electrolysis to produce methanol. We show that solar heat and electricity generation costs currently realized in the Middle East lead to a large reduction in the cost of this process relative to baseline assumptions found in published literature, and extrapolation of current energy price trends into the near future would bring costs down to the level of current fossil-fuel-based processes. Full article

Biogas is one of the most attractive renewable resources due to its ability to convert waste into energy. Biogas is produced during an anaerobic digestion process from different organic waste resources with a combination of mainly CH₄ (~50 mol/mol), CO₂ (~15 mol/mol), and some trace gasses. The percentage of these trace gases is related to operating conditions and feedstocks. Due to the impurities of the trace gases, raw biogas has to be cleaned before use for many applications. Therefore, the cleaning, upgrading, and utilization of biogas has become an important topic that has been widely studied in recent years. In this review, raw biogas components are investigated in relation to feedstock resources. Then, using recent developments, it describes the cleaning methods that have been used to eliminate unwanted components in biogas. Additionally, the upgrading processes are systematically reviewed according to their technology, recovery range, and state of the art methods in this area, regarding obtaining biomethane from biogas. Furthermore, these upgrading methods have been comprehensively reviewed and compared with each other in terms of electricity consumption and methane losses. This comparison revealed that amine scrubbing is one the most promising methods in terms of methane losses and the energy demand of the system. In the section on biogas utilization, raw biogas and biomethane have been assessed with recently available data from the literature according to their usage areas and methods. It seems that biogas can be used as a biofuel to produce energy via CHP and fuel cells with high efficiency. Moreover, it is able to be utilized in an internal combustion engine which reduces exhaust emissions by using biofuels. Lastly, chemical production such as biomethanol, bioethanol, and higher alcohols are in the development stage for utilization of biogas and are discussed in depth. This review reveals that most biogas utilization approaches are in their early stages. The gaps that require further investigations in the field have been identified and highlighted for future research. Full article

This paper provides a comprehensive review and critical analysis of the latest research results in addition to an overview of the future challenges and opportunities regarding the use of hydrogen to power internal combustion engines (ICEs). The experiences and opinions of various international research centers on the technical possibilities of using hydrogen as a fuel in ICE are summarized. The advantages and disadvantages of the use of hydrogen as a solution are described. Attention is drawn to the specific physical, chemical, and operational properties of hydrogen for ICEs. A critical review of hydrogen combustion concepts is provided, drawing on previous research results and experiences described in a number of research papers. Much space is devoted to discussing the challenges and opportunities associated with port and direct hydrogen injection technology. A comparison of different fuel injection and ignition strategies and the benefits of using the synergies of selected solutions are presented. Pointing to the previous experiences of various research centers, the hazards related to incorrect hydrogen combustion, such as early pre-ignition, late pre-ignition, knocking combustion, and backfire, are described. Attention is focused on the fundamental importance of air ratio optimization from the point of view of combustion quality, NOx emissions, engine efficiency, and performance. Exhaust gas scrubbing to meet future emission regulations for hydrogen powered internal combustion engines is another issue that is considered. The article also discusses the modifications required to adapt existing engines to run on hydrogen. Referring to still-unsolved problems, the reliability challenges faced by fuel injection systems, in particular, are presented. An analysis of more than 150 articles shows that hydrogen is a suitable alternative fuel for spark-ignition engines. It will significantly improve their performance and greatly reduce emissions to a fraction of their current level. However, its use also has some drawbacks, the most significant of which are its high NOx emissions and low power output, and problems in terms of the durability and reliability of hydrogen-fueled engines. Full article

Environmental problems are frequently related to energy use, estimated to grow at 1.6% per year until 2035. The transport sector accounts for 30% of energy demand and aviation is growing around 2.6% per year. Thus, low-emissions policies promote the use of sustainable aviation fuels. This work simulates a gasification and Fischer-Tropsch process to obtain biojet fuel from biomass and plastic waste. Syngas obtained through cogasification is purified by amine scrubbing and subjected to a Fischer-Tropsch process to produce hydrocarbons, which are upgraded for optimal fuel properties. Pinch analysis is applied to minimize energy usage, while Rankine cycles and a cooling tower are designed to cover the demand of electricity and cooling water. Results show that mass yields of the process towards biofuels are 13.06%, with an output of 1697.45 kg/h of biojet fuel. Density, kinematic viscosity, pour and flammability points and the lower calorific value of the biojet fuel comply with the ASTM D7566 standard. Pinch analysis allows to reduce 41.58% and 100% of cooling and heating demands, respectively, using biomass as renewable energy for heating. Moreover, steam generation covers 38.73% of the required electricity. The produced biojet fuel emits 20.14 g_CO2eq/MJ and has a minimum selling price of 1.37 EUR/L. Full article

The accumulation of biomass fuels resulting from the growth of heliophilous shrubs and small tree species at the edge of forests and on scrub and pasture lands contributes to the increased risk of rural fires in Mediterranean climate regions. This situation has been managed with a set of legislative measures launched with the objective of promoting cleaning and the control of these species. Areas of scrub and pasture already constitute the largest part of the annually burnt area in Portugal, resulting in high-intensity fires. In the present study, shrubs and small tree species were characterized in the laboratory. Thermogravimetric, chemical and calorimetric analyses for the evaluation of the potential for the energy recovery of the selected species were carried out. It was observed that energetic valorization (i.e., to enhance the value by planned actions) of these species is difficult because they present high levels of ash and metals, becoming prone to the occurrence of fouling and slagging phenomena. Thus, the creation of value chains that justify the incorporation of these materials becomes very difficult, except if used in non-certified, small-scale and locally based processes. The possibility of recovery through thermochemical conversion processes, such as torrefaction, pyrolysis or gasification, must be studied so that more efficient and feasible recovery alternatives can be found, allowing for the creation of value chains for these residual materials to promote their sustainable management and, thus, mitigate the risk of rural fires occurring. Full article

To reduce the anthropogenic CO₂ emissions produced from fossil fuel burning plants, the application of carbon capture and storage (CCS) is necessary and development of a more efficient and economically feasible CO₂ capture process is essential as an alternative to the conventional amine scrubbing process which uses aqueous amine solutions. CO₂ capture can be enhanced by improving both the gas–solid contact efficiency and by tuning a specific high-performance sorbent. The aim of this research is to investigate the adsorption of CO₂ using impregnated mesoporous silica in a “confined-fluidized bed”. This non-conventional fluidized bed (sometimes also termed the “packed-fluidized bed”) seems suitable for improving the efficiency of gas–solid processes for which the bypass effect of the gas–solid contact caused by bubbling represents a major drawback. Results, expressed as grams of CO₂ adsorbed per kilogram of material, are discussed in terms of amine load in the sorbent, breakthrough time and fraction of bed utilized. The stability of the materials after regeneration cycles is also discussed. The results obtained confirm that the confinement of the bed allows exploiting fluidization technology in adsorption operations. The operating velocity can be fixed at a value at which the thermal effects also connected to the operation are kept under control. Full article