Search results for " Combustion"
showing 10 items of 106 documents
Electric Mobility in Portugal: Current Situation and Forecasts for Fuel Cell Vehicles
2021
In recent years, the growing concern for air quality has led to the development of sustainable vehicles to replace conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. Currently, the most widespread technology in Europe and Portugal is that of Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV) or plug‐in HEV (PHEV) electric cars, but hydrogen‐based transport has also shown significant growth in the commercialization of Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEV) and in the development of new infrastructural schemes. In the current panorama of EV, particular attention should be paid to hydrogen technology, i.e., FCEVs, which is potentially a valid alternative to BEVs and can also be hybrid (FCHEV) and plug‐in hybrid…
Active colloidal suspensions: Clustering and phase behavior
2014
We review recent experimental, numerical, and analytical results on active suspensions of self-propelled colloidal beads moving in (quasi) two dimensions. Active colloids form part of the larger theme of active matter, which is noted for the emergence of collective dynamic phenomena away from thermal equilibrium. Both in experiments and computer simulations, a separation into dense aggregates, i.e., clusters, and a dilute gas phase has been reported even when attractive interactions and an alignment mechanism are absent. Here, we describe three experimental setups, discuss the different propelling mechanisms, and summarize the evidence for phase separation. We then compare experimental obse…
Upgrade of citrus waste as a biofuel via slow pyrolysis
2015
Abstract Slow pyrolysis (200–650 °C) experiments on citrus residues (orange peel waste “OP” and lemon peel waste “LP”) were carried out in lab scale fixed bed batch reactor. Bio-oil and bio-char obtained by thermal degradation are more stable, more homogeneous and higher energy content fuels when compared to the parent feedstock. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) showed higher stability of LP waste, which appears related to the higher lignin content . Mass and energy yields of solid and liquid products (i.e., char and oil) were measured to determine the effects of peak temperature on feedstock. A linear correlation between Gross Calorific Value (GCV), peak temperatures and mass loss (ML) all…
Ceria-based electrolytes prepared by solution combustion synthesis: The role of fuel on the materials properties
2016
Ce0.8Sm0.2O2 â xpowders were synthesized by solution combustion synthesis using citric acid, cellulose and sucrose as single, or intimately mixed, fuels. The powders were characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, N2sorption at â196 °C, H2-temperature programmed reduction and thermogravimetric analyses. Textural properties of the powders were shaped by the peculiar employed fuel. The study of reducibility revealed that oxygen vacancies formation is mainly influenced by both parameters, specific surface area and total pore volume. The different tendency toward reduction played a key role in sintering under reducing atmosphe…
Thermogravimetric analysis as express tool for quality assessment of refuse derived fuels used for pyro-gasification
2019
The development of pyro-gasification technologies makes necessary the development of new express analytical methods that are able to deal with the variability of feedstock and problems arising from it. Thermogravimetric proximate analysis of refuse derived fuels is a very fast, cheap and simple method for the determination of proximate and fractional composition. Development of this analytical approach may result in a very cost-effective method to describe wholesome composition and characteristics of feedstock used for pyrolysis and gasification processes in real time. The aim of this study was the development of such analytical method. Refuse derived fuel samples produced in Latvia and Est…
Characterization of the light-absorbing properties, chromophore composition and sources of brown carbon aerosol in Xi'an, northwestern China
2020
The impact of brown carbon aerosol (BrC) on the Earth's radiative forcing balance has been widely recognized but remains uncertain, mainly because the relationships among BrC sources, chromophores and optical properties of aerosol are poorly understood. In this work, the light absorption properties and chromophore composition of BrC were investigated for samples collected in Xi'an, northwestern China, from 2015 to 2016. Both absorption Ångström exponent (AAE) and mass absorption efficiency (MAE) show distinct seasonal differences, which could be attributed to the differences in sources and chromophore composition of BrC. Three groups of light-absorbing organics were found to be important Br…
Measurement report: PM<sub>2.5</sub>-bound nitrated aromatic compounds in Xi'an, Northwest China – seasonal variations an…
2021
Abstract. Nitrated aromatic compounds (NACs) are a group of key chromophores for brown carbon (light-absorbing organic carbon, i.e., BrC) aerosol, which affects radiative forcing. The chemical composition and sources of NACs and their contributions to BrC absorption, however, are still not well understood. In this study, PM 2.5 -bound NACs in Xi'an, Northwest China, were investigated for 112 daily PM 2.5 filter samples from 2015 to 2016. Both the total concentrations and contributions from individual species of NACs show distinct seasonal variations. The seasonally averaged concentrations of NACs are 2.1 (spring), 1.1 (summer), 12.9 (fall), and 56 ng m −3 (winter). Thereinto, 4-nitrophenol …
Power Losses Minimization for Optimal Operating Maps in Power-Split HEVs: A Case Study on the Chevrolet Volt
2021
The power-split architecture is the most promising hybrid electric powertrain. However, a real advantage in energy saving while maintaining high performance can be achieved only by the implementation of a proper energy management strategy. This requires an optimized functional design before and a comprehensive analysis of the powertrain losses after, which could be rather challenging owing to the constructive complexity of the power-split transmission, especially for multi-mode architecture with multiple planetary gearing. This difficulty was overcome by a dimensionless model, already available in the literature, that enables the analysis of any power-split transmission, even in full electr…
Calibration of a knock prediction model for the combustion of a gasoline-natural gas mixture
2009
Gaseous fuels, such as Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) and Natural Gas (NG), thank to their good mixing capabilities, allow complete and cleaner combustion than normal gasoline, resulting in lower pollutant emissions and particulate matter. Moreover natural gas, which is mainly constituted by methane, whose molecule has the highest hydrogen/carbon ratio, leads also to lower ozone depleting emissions. The authors in a previous work (1) experienced the simultaneous combustion of gasoline and natural gas in a bi-fuel S.I. engine, exploiting so the high knock resistance of methane to run the engine with an ‘overall stoichiometric’ mixture (thus lowering fuel consumption and emissions) and better …
From wood pellets to wood chips, risks of degradation and emissions from the storage of woody biomass – A short review
2016
Abstract The compounds in stored woody biomass degrade as a result of chemical and/or biological processes during storage. These processes produce gaseous emissions. Recent studies concerning gaseous emissions from wood pellet storages are reviewed herein. The applicability of the results from pellet research to wood chips is discussed. Thorough scientific understanding on the storage phenomena of wood chips is extremely important as the threat of climate change and the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions have led to an increased need to large scale wood chip storage to ensure supply. Typically the gases produced from stored woody biomasses are carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO 2…