Search results for "ELECTRICITY"
showing 10 items of 1225 documents
Carnosine Inhibits Aβ42Aggregation by Perturbing the H-Bond Network in and around the Central Hydrophobic Cluster
2013
Aggregation of the amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) into fibrillar structures is a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease. Thus, preventing self-assembly of the Aβ peptide is an attractive therapeutic strategy. Here, we used experimental techniques and atomistic simulations to investigate the influence of carnosine, a dipeptide naturally occurring in the brain, on Aβ aggregation. Scanning force microscopy, circular dichroism and thioflavin T fluorescence experiments showed that carnosine does not modify the conformational features of Aβ42 but nonetheless inhibits amyloid growth. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations indicated that carnosine interacts transiently with monomeric Aβ42 by salt bridges with charge…
Bovine Serum Albumin protofibril-like aggregates formation: Solo but not simple mechanism
2011
We report an experimental study on the model protein Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA), with the aim of elucidating the mechanisms by which a fully folded globular protein undergoes different aggregation pathways leading to the formation of amyloid fibrils or amorphous aggregates. We observe thermally induced formation of fibrillar structures at pH far from the protein isoelectric point. The increase of electrostatic repulsion results in protein destabilization and in modifications of inter and intra-molecular interactions leading to the growth of fibril-like aggregates stabilized by inter-molecular-β sheets. The aggregation kinetics is studied by means of fluorescence techniques, light scattering…
The Behaviour of Mistuned Piezoelectric Shunt Systems and Its Estimation
2016
This paper addresses monoharmonic vibration attenuation using piezoelectric transducers shunted with electric impedances consisting of a resistance and an inductance in series. This type of vibration attenuation has several advantages but suffers from problems related to possible mistuning. In fact, when either the mechanical system to be controlled or the shunt electric impedance undergoes a change in their dynamical features, the attenuation performance decreases significantly. This paper describes the influence of biases in the electric impedance parameters on the attenuation provided by the shunt and proposes an approximated model for a rapid prediction of the vibration damping performa…
Generation of heat and power from biogas for stationary applications: boilers, gas engines and turbines, combined heat and power (CHP) plants and fue…
2013
Biogas is produced during the anaerobic degradation of organic material. The produced biogas can be used for heat, electricity or cogeneration of heat and electricity in a combined heat and power plant (CHP). This chapter first discusses the key issues related to combustion of biogas/biomethane in different stationary equipments. It then describes the utilisation of biogas for the generation of electric power and heat in different stationary applications such as boilers, gas engines (CHP), micro turbines and fuel cells.
HTLS Conductors: A Way to Optimize RES Generation and to Improve the Competitiveness of the Electrical Market—A Case Study in Sicily
2018
Stringent environmental constraints make more difficult to identify new energy corridors and build new power lines. The increase in the generation of electricity from renewable energy sources (RESs) makes the operation of electrical systems increasingly difficult in some areas. The transmission system operators (TSOs), in Italy Terna, are forced to exploit the existing overhead transmission lines, increasing the possibility of dispatching energy, in particular RES, optimizing the transmission capacity. Therefore, after a brief presentation of the Sicilian electricity system and a brief description of high-temperature low-sag (HTLS) conductors, a case study is presented. It is shown how it i…
Simulation of photovoltaic installation connected to the grid with storage system
2017
Abstract In the present paper, a new approach for the management of energy resources in a research laboratory is proposed and evaluated. A simulation study for the photovoltaic (PV) installation was conducted under the Tunisian-Italian cooperation project DE.DU.ENER.T, using renewable energy and economic criteria. The aim of the study is to improve the energy efficiency in order to minimize the electricity cost consumed in the laboratory. A Hybrid Renewable Energy System consisting of a photovoltaic field of 12KWc was installed to reduce the exorbitant bills, due to intensive energy equipment such as drying ovens and workstations, using sustainable, green and clean sources. In addition, a s…
A decentralized load control architecture for smart energy consumption in small islands
2020
Abstract In this paper we propose the adoption of Overgrid, a new decentralized load control architecture, for balancing the energy production variations introduced with the adoption of renewable sources, facilitating and improving the smart energy retrofit. The system is presented and applied for managing the aggregated daily load profile of a community of domestic end-users in the island of Lampedusa, Italy, exploiting the load profiles gathered in a real measurement campaign. The Overgrid Demand Response (DR) architecture is used for managing the residential flexible loads, estimating the aggregated power demand without any centralized server and creating a virtual “community” of smart b…
Preliminary design of EU DEMO helium-cooled breeding blanket primary heat transfer system
2018
Abstract The European DEMO conceptual design foresees four Breeding Blanket (BB) concepts that rely on different cooling and breeding technologies. As DEMO has been conceived to deliver net electricity to the grid, the choice of the blanket coolant plays a pivotal role in the reactor design having a strong influence on plant operation, safety and maintenance. Moreover, the machine pulsed operation makes the BB Primary Heat Transfer System (PHTS) the main hub of the DEMO Balance of Plant (BoP). Within this framework, a study has been carried out to design the Ex-Vessel PHTS of the Helium-Cooled Pebble Bed (HCPB) BB concept. The paper describes criteria and rationale followed with the aim to …
Progress in EU Breeding Blanket design and integration
2018
Abstract In Europe (EU), in the frame of the EUROfusion consortium activities, four Breeding Blanket (BB) concepts are being developed with the aim of fulfilling the performances required by a near-term fusion power demonstration plant (DEMO) in terms of tritium self-sufficiency and electricity production. The four blanket options cover a wide range of technological possibilities, as water and helium are considered as possible coolants and solid ceramic breeder in combination with beryllium and PbLi as tritium breeder and neutron multipliers. The strategy for the BB selection and operation has to account for the challenging schedule of the EU DEMO, the ambitious operational requirements of …
A stepwise power tariff model with game theory based on Monte-Carlo simulation and its applications for household, agricultural, commercial and indus…
2019
Abstract The concept of game theory has been adapted in the regulation of retail electricity market within the constraints of stepwise power tariff (SPT) for economic energy consumption. The objective is to increase the penetration level of renewable energy sources (RES) and electric vehicles with implementation of Bayesian game model for categorized (i.e. household, agricultural, commercial & industrial) consumers. Bayesian game model is based on degree of information shared by consumers due to their selfish nature. The main goal is to create an algorithm using constraints RES, storage through electric vehicles, electric wiring, number of consumer, efficient equipment, social status of fam…