Search results for "fuel"
showing 10 items of 986 documents
The proitability of microalgae biomass farming in Mediterranean environments
2015
The aims of the present study was to assess the economic sustainability of microalgae cultivation in PBRs, ascertain in what conditions of productivity and price it is possible to achieve similar results to those of the irst case, and assess the impact that the results of plant management could have on the balance sheets of farms which may have an interest in expanding their production. Our results show shows that, while prospects are encouraging, there is a need to develop structured supply chains able to confer greater stability to the market and to ensure a higher degree of certainty to stakeholders.
Study of energetic properties of different tree organs in six Olea europaea L. cultivars
2021
AbstractPruning is an important horticultural practice for the management of olive orchards (Olea europaea L.) that generates a considerable amount of residues every year. Olive orchards are increasingly expanding beyond the Mediterranean Basin to new growing Countries (Australia, California, Argentina, Chile and Uruguay) and this will certainly lead to larger availability of pruning material. Currently, the interest in use of olive tree pruning residues for energy purposes is increasing but unfortunately, the information on the differences among organs of the tree, in terms of calorific value and ash content, is scarce. Another unknown aspect is the effect of cultivar vigour on dry matter …
Influence of ferric iron dosing on aerobic granular sludge: granule formation, nutrient removal and microbial community
2021
BACKGROUND: Three lab-scale sequencing batch reactors were used to investigate the effects of Fe3+ on aerobic granular sludge (AGS) formation, nutrient removal, and microbial community. RESULTS: The addition of 6 and 12 mg Fe3+ L−1 could not shorten the granulation time. However, compared to the reactor without Fe3+ addition (average sludge volume index at 30 min (SVI30) 70.8 mL g−1; stable average particle size 548 μm), the addition of 12 mg Fe3+ L−1 helped improve the physical properties of AGS (average SVI30 57.0 mL g−1; stable average particle size 1067 μm). Furthermore, with 12 mg Fe3+ L−1 addition (Fe3+ to PO43−-P molar ratio = 1.33), effective removal of NH4+-N (≤0.5 mg L−1) and PO43…
Infrastructure, Tariff and Legal Action: How to Achieve a Climate-Friendly Transport System
2011
Transportation absorbs about 70% of oil consumption in EU countries. The fuels that burn in the field of transport are composed of 96% of oil. Energy efficiency of road and air traffic must also be improved. But transport environmental impacts reductions should be made necessarily through a transfer of traffic from the car, lorries and aircraft to train, ship, and non motorized two-wheelers into the EU cities. In fact the former are large producers of greenhouse gases, while the latter are more environmentally friendly means of transport in climate. Reaching an annual increase of 1% of the modal split in favour of more sustainable means of transport on the environment must be set as a goal …
Environmental sustainability and alternative energy: biofuels and public transport
2009
The energy saving and the use of renewable sources want to give a response to the increasing of energy demand and the rising of prices of traditional fuels. The use of renewable sources and efficient use of energy impose a strategic and irreversible choice. The possibility of replacing traditional fossil fuels with those of biological origin has been strongly emphasized. The European Union aim is that by 2010 the biofuels must account 5.75% of total fuel used (the Italian government has recently approved the Directive). In 2020 this rate will climb to 18%. The policies have played a key role in the development of the biofuel industry, and particularly in the energy, environmental, fiscal,tr…
Performances improvement of a S.I. CNG bi-fuel engine by means of double-fuel injection
2009
Natural gas represents today a promising alternative to conventional fuels for road vehicles propulsion, since it is characterized by a relatively low cost, better geopolitical distribution than oil, and lower environmental impact. This explains the current spreading of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) fuelled S. I. engine, above all in the bi-fuel version, i.e. capable to run either with gasoline or with natural gas. This characteristic, on the one hand, permits the vehicle to go even when natural gas is not available, on the other hand requires the engine to be designed to run safely with gasoline, i.e. with compression ratio lower than what natural gas would allow. Moreover the electronic co…
An Experimental Study of In-Cylinder Heat Transfer from a Pressurized Motored Engine with Varying Peak Bulk Gas Temperatures
2022
The variation of in-cylinder heat transfer with parameters such as engine speed, air-to-fuel ratio, coolant temperature and compression ratio were frequently studied in classical research. These experimentally-obtained relationships are important for improving in-cylinder heat transfer models, essential in developing CO2 reducing strategies. In this publication, a 2.0 liter compression ignition engine was tested in the pressurized motored configuration. This developed experimental setup allowed testing of the engine at speeds ranging between 1400 rpm and 3000 rpm, with peak in-cylinder gas pressures from 40 bar to 100 bar. The engine was motored using different gas compositions chosen speci…
The emission saving related to the use of renewable energy sources: The case study of solar thermal collectors
2003
The employment of renewable energy sources can represent a useful way to reduce air emissions released by conventional ones. In this paper we describe the results of a Life Cycle Analysis performed upon one of the most world-wide diffused renewable technologies: the solar thermal collectors for warm sanitary water. Two domestic solar plants have been investigated: mono-familiar plant with a passive flat collector and a large solar plant with forced fluid circulation. The first step has been the evaluation of direct and indirect emissions related to the production and use of plants. The main emissions have been categorised in three of the most important indicators (Global Warming Potential, …
Life cycle assessment of solid oxide fuel cells and polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells: A review
2017
Fuel cells (FCs) are among the key technologies that Europe will have to rely on in order to comply with the most recent environmental targets inspired by decarbonization and circular economy. The assessment of the real advantages of using FCs for producing energy must include a reliable analysis of the energy and environmental impacts during the life cycle of these systems, including the raw materials supply, production, use, and disposal. In this context, the life cycle assessment (LCA) is a well-established methodology for assessing the eco-profile of products and services and for identifying the components and the life cycle steps having the largest contribution to energy and environmen…
LCA of a solar heating and cooling system equipped with a small water–ammonia absorption chiller
2012
The development of renewable energy technologies is a critical tool for reducing climate change and the reliance on fossil fuels. However, renewable energy technologies cannot be considered totally clean because they require energy consumption and have environmental impacts that cannot be neglected during their life cycle. In this paper, the life cycle assessment methodology was applied to assess resource use and other environmental burdens related to the entire life-cycle steps of a solar cooling plant. The investigated system works with an absorption chiller assisted by a solar plant. Two back-up configurations (hot back-up and cold back-up) were examined in two localities: Palermo (south…