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The current need to develop sustainable power sources has led to the development of ocean-based conversion systems. Wells turbine is a widely used converter in such systems which suffers from a lack of operational range and power production capacity under operational conditions. The profile named IFS which is concave in the post-mid-chord region, can produce significantly larger lift forces and show better separation behavior than the NACA profiles. In the present study, we tested this profile for the first time in a Wells turbine. The performance of six different blade designs with IFS and NACA profiles were evaluated and compared using a validated computational fluid dynamic model. Although the substitution of the NACA profile with the IFS profile in all cases increased the torque generated, the most efficient power generation and the largest efficient range were achieved in the design with varying thickness from the hub with a 0.15 thickness ratio reaching to the ratio of 0.2 at the tip. The operational span of this design with the IFS profile was 24.1% greater and the maximum torque generation was 71% higher than the case with the NACA profile. Therefore, the use of the IFS profile is suggested for further study and practical trials.

AbstractIntegrated ethylene oxide/ethylene glycols (EO/EG) plants are prominent energy consumers in the petrochemical sector, particularly concerning high‐pressure steam (HPS) usage which holds the potential for substantial energy savings. This study focuses on an unexplored territory: Examining the impact of EO catalyst type, selectivity, and glycols production capacity on HPS import in a plant in the Pars Special Economic Energy Zone (PSEEZ). Utilizing Python3 for data preprocessing and ordinary least squares linear regression analysis, we evaluate how varying catalyst loads and production scenarios influence HPS import. Regression models are created, encompassing normal and efficient HPS import scenarios, yielding positive outcomes in terms of correlation, mean error percentage, and R2 analysis. Comparing normal and efficient HPS import models highlights potential savings, uncovering opportunities to conserve between 45 and over 200 tonnes per day of HPS. We also explore the plant's HPS behaviour under 1% selectivity and production capacity reductions. Notably, catalyst activity decline markedly escalates HPS import for hybrid catalysts, while selectivity decline decreases HPS import for high‐activity catalysts. The models demonstrate that HPS import is ~150 tonnes per day more sensitive to a 1% change in selectivity compared to production capacity. Moreover, when comparing high activity and hybrid catalyst scenarios in normal and efficient cases, the most substantial HPS import difference arises under conditions of low selectivity, amounting to nearly 200 tonnes per day. Our methodology applies to other EO/EG plants. It is incorporated into our plant's energy management system, enabling continuous monitoring of steam import behaviour relative to catalyst and plant performance.