Search results for "renewable"
showing 10 items of 2395 documents
Reconfiguration strategies to reduce mismatch effects on PV array: An Arduino-based prototype
2014
Today, solar energy represents a widespread source of electricity among all the renewable energies. One of the major problems concerning the photovoltaic (PV) arrays is the partial shading, that is the non-uniform irradiance on its parts. The partial shading leads to several undesired effects, such as mismatch between modules and a reduction of the production of electric energy. In order to alleviate the partial shading effects, different methods can be employed. Among them, the reconfiguration of the electrical connections between modules represents an alternative solution. In this paper, an algorithm of reconfiguration for a small-scale PV plant is proposed and experimental results showin…
Anaerobic membrane bioreactors for resource recovery from municipal wastewater: a comprehensive review of recent advances
2021
[EN] In a paradigm shift towards a sustainable society based on the Circular Economy, wastewater treatments are rapidly evolving towards simultaneous recovery and reuse of clean water, renewable energy, and nutrients. This review examines recent advances (from 2016 to 2020) in the potential of anaerobic membrane bioreactors (AnMBRs) to serve as the core technology for municipal wastewater (MWW) resource recovery, focusing on the latest technological advances and economic and environmental innovation perspectives. The potentials and limitations of AnMBR for further full-scale application and new platforms to address these challenges are discussed, covering systems based on co-digestion, pre-…
A novel renewable polygeneration system for a small Mediterranean volcanic island for the combined production of energy and water: Dynamic simulation…
2014
Abstract This paper investigates the integration of solar and geothermal energy in a novel polygeneration system producing simultaneously: electricity, thermal energy, cooling energy and fresh water. The polygeneration system under analysis includes concentrating photovoltaic/thermal solar collectors (CPVT), a Geothermal Well (GW) a multi-effect distillation (MED) system for seawater desalination, a single-stage LiBr–H2O absorption chiller and additional components, such as: storage tanks, heat exchangers and balance of plant devices. The CPVT produces simultaneously electrical energy and thermal energy, at a maximum temperature of about 100 °C. The electrical energy is delivered to the gri…
A novel pressure regulation system based on Banki hydro turbine for energy recovery under in-range and out-range discharge conditions
2021
Abstract Efficiency improvement of water distribution networks needs to be in place to guarantee a long life period under suitable operating conditions. Excessive pressure is among the well-known issues encountered in water distribution networks which can cause strength damages to the piping system. In order to overcome this drawback and to reach a suitable water pressure delivery, the present work suggests a novel pressure regulation system. This regulation system is consisting of a Banki turbine equipped with a mobile flap as a control device. The suggested pressure regulation system was experimentally and numerically investigated under in-range i.e. like actual water distribution network…
Experimental and numerical analysis of a backpressure Banki inline turbine for pressure regulation and energy production
2020
Abstract Water distribution networks have become, in recent years, a major opportunity for the harvesting of renewable energy, which is otherwise dissipated though hydrovalves installed for discharge and pressure regulation. Mini and micro hydroturbines have the capability of providing the same functionality of hydrovalves, producing at the same time a relevant amount of electric power. In this paper a 10 kW prototype of a new compact in-line turbine, named Power Recovery System (PRS), has been designed, constructed and tested in the hydraulic laboratory of the University of Palermo. The proposed device is a Banki-type micro-turbine, with positive outflow pressure and a mobile regulating fl…
A study on forecasting electricity production and consumption in smart cities and factories
2019
Abstract The electrical power sector must undergo a thorough metamorphosis to achieve the ambitious targets in greenhouse gas reduction set forth in the Paris Agreement of 2015. Reducing uncertainty about demand and, in case of renewable electricity generation, supply is important for the determination of spot electricity prices. In this work we propose and evaluate a context-based technique to anticipate the electricity production and consumption in buildings. We focus on a household with photovoltaics and energy storage system. We analyze the efficiency of Markov chains, stride predictors and also their combination into a hybrid predictor in modelling the evolution of electricity producti…
Evaluation of the Economic and Environmental Performance of Low-Temperature Heat to Power Conversion using a Reverse Electrodialysis – Multi-Effect D…
2019
In the examined heat engine, reverse electrodialysis (RED) is used to generate electricity from the salinity difference between two artificial solutions. The salinity gradient is restored through a multi-effect distillation system (MED) powered by low-temperature waste heat at 100 °C. The current work presents the first comprehensive economic and environmental analysis of this advanced concept, when varying the number of MED effects, the system sizing, the salt of the solutions, and other key parameters. The levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) has been calculated, showing that competitive solutions can be reached only when the system is at least medium to large scale. The lowest LCOE, at a…
Design, assembly and characterization of silicide-based thermoelectric modules
2016
ID: 1143 In: Energy conversion and management, 13-21. Summary: Highlights•Novel silicide-based thermoelectric modules were experimentally investigated.•The modules produced high power of 1.04 W at 405 °C and 3.24 W at 735 °C.•An estimated module efficiency of 5.3% represent the highest reported for silicide systems.AbstractSilicides have attracted considerable attention for use in thermoelectric generators due mainly to low cost, low toxicity and light weight, in contrast to conventional materials such as bismuth and lead telluride. Most reported work has focused on optimizing the materials properties while little has been done on module testing. In this work we have designed and tested mod…
Subtractive versus mass conserving metal shaping technologies: an environmental impact comparison
2015
The scientific studies in the domain of environmental sustainability of metal processing technologies predominantly focus on conventional material removal processes, as milling and turning. Despite some exceptions, many other non-machining technologies, such as metal forming processes, are still not well documented in terms of their energy and resource efficiency. Moreover, to properly evaluate the environmental impact of a given process, a standing-alone approach is no longer sufficient. In order to offer a valuable contribution in the domain of metal shaping sustainability, the present paper proposes a thorough methodology entailing to compare, from the environmental point of view, two tr…
Analyses of innovative glass blocks for BIPV: assessment of thermal and optical performance
2015
This paper illustrates the results of the performance analyses conducted on an innovative glass block integrated with thirdgeneration dye-sensitised solar cells (DSCs), designed to enable the construction of translucent and sustainable building envelopes. The analyses include the simulation of both thermal and optical performance with regard to different configurations of the photovoltaic (PV)-integrated glass block, and the results obtained are presented using two different programs: Comsol Multiphysics and WINDOW. The configurations may differ – for example, because of the position of the module inside the glass block, the type of DSC module used (composition, transparency, design) and th…