• Energy Research
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Tremendous growth in the number of automobiles in developed and developing global economies has exorbitantly boosted competition for petroleum products. Petroleum products derived from fossil fuels are predominantly responsible for environmental pollution as unburnt hydrocarbon (HC), carbon monoxide (CO), oxides of nitrogen (NOx) & carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are released from the fossil fuel combustion. In the view of increasing environmental pollution and stringent emission norms, the present study is concentrated on using Jatropha biodiesel as an alternate fuel source to run variable compression ratio (VCR) diesel engine. The characteristics of VCR diesel engine emission have been evaluated under different compression ratio (CR), operating conditions of load & pressure of fuel injection. In this research work, Jatropha biodiesel diesel blend B30 (30% biodiesel and 70% diesel) and B0 (100% diesel) have been taken as fuel to run the engine. For conducting experiments, load has been varied from 0 to 12 Kg, CR from 14 to 18 and FIP from 180 to 270 bar as per the model of Response Surface Methodology experiments. The experimental investigation showed that the use of the B30 blend reduces HC & CO emissions by about 16.7% and 24% correspondingly in comparison to diesel. However noteworthy rise in NOx & CO2 emissions rate recorded by using the B30 blend as that of diesel. It has been shown that with enhancing in load & CR, HC&CO emissions decreased significantly however increase in CO2 and NOx observed. Advancing FIP, significantly decreases HC & CO emissions as well as tends to increase NOx and CO2 emissions.

Abstract Renewable energy has gained popularity as an alternative to fossil fuels, which regularly emit large amounts of Greenhouse Gases and consume/withdraw large amounts of water, but renewable energy market penetration is still limited while fossil fuels are still the U.S.‘s dominant power source. This is due to resistance in the market, or in this case, the failure of renewable energy policies to achieve long-term environmental sustainability due to neglected external factors (economic, societal, etc.). No available literature analyzes potential sources and/or effects of this policy resistance, so this research investigates the underlying mechanisms in the renewable energy generation market by utilizing a system dynamics model. A two-alternative Generalized Bass Model was developed to simulate the renewable energy market (specifically with respect to solar PV and wind energy), including the environmental, societal, and economic concerns associated with each of the alternatives evaluated in this study, so as to identify and address possible causes of policy resistance and its subsequent effects on environmental impacts (esp. GHG emissions and water withdrawal rates). Based on this model, three separate policy areas (solar PV investments, wind power investments, and the elimination of fossil fuel subsidies) and various combinations thereof were proposed and tested within the context of the model. Based on the results of this study, it is highly recommended to invest as generously as possible into multiple renewable energy industries, reduce fossil fuel subsidies (in turn freeing up funding for renewable energy investments), and seek further advancement in renewable energy technologies (e.g. enhancing the useable lifetimes of wind turbines). A balanced policy have potential to increase the share of renewable's up to roughly 40% in the U.S. by 2050, as well as 17% and 32% GHG and water withdrawal reduction potential by 2050.

Abstract By applying the principles of the second law of thermodynamics and utilizing the HSC Chemistry software, the thermodynamic equilibrium and efficiency analysis of the CaSO4 CaO water splitting cycle was performed in this investigation. The temperatures desirable and the equilibrium compositions allied with the thermal reduction of CaSO4 and the re-oxidation of CaO via water splitting reaction were estimated. The obtained results indicate that the thermal reduction temperature (TH) required to completely decompose the CaSO4 was decerased from 2220 to 1890 K due to the rise in the molar flow rate of ( n ˙ A r ) from 1 to 50 mol/s. In addition, the consequence of the TH, n ˙ A r , and the water splitting temperature ( T L ) on the process parameters such as total amount of solar energy needed, re-radiation losses, energy dissipated by the water splitting reactor and others associated with the CaSO4 CaO water splitting cycle was scrutinized. By utilizing higher n ˙ A r from 1 to 50 mol/s, the TH was decreased from 2200 to 1890 K. However, as the n ˙ A r was increased from 1 to 50 mol/s, the amount of heat energy needed to heat the Ar was also upsurged from 12.5 to 625.6 kW. This rise in the Q ˙ A r − h e a t i n g , directly reflected into an increase in the Q ˙ s o l a r − c y c l e from 1063.4 up to 2653.9 kW. The findings of this study further confirms that the maximum solar-to-fuel energy conversion efficiency ( η s o l a r − t o − f u e l ) equal to 27.4% was realized by conducting the CaSO4 CaO water splitting cycle at TH = 2220 K, n ˙ A r = 1 mol/s, and TL = 1100 K. By using 50% of the recuperable heat, the η s o l a r − t o − f u e l of the CaSO4 CaO water splitting cycle can be enhanced up to 36.2%.

Abstract The Cold Lake development, located in Alberta, Canada, is the world’s largest heavy oil in situ thermal development. At Cold Lake, operated by Imperial Oil Resources, an ExxonMobil affiliate, the Cyclic Steam Stimulation (CSS) process is used to produce 23,500 m3/d (150 kB/d) of heavy oil. In 2009, Cold Lake produced its one billionth barrel (160 million m3) of heavy oil. The Nabiye project will be the fifth central steam generation and fluid processing hub added at Cold Lake. Nabiye (Dené for Otter) continues the historical Cold Lake development concept of maximizing value through the utilization of a phased development strategy. Relative to current operations, the key reservoir difference at Nabiye is reduced pay thickness. Averaging 12 meters (40 feet), Nabiye pay is about half as thick as the initial pads of the previous expansion (Mahkeses). While reservoir of similar thickness as Nabiye is currently being developed as Productivity Maintenance pads to sustain production in the existing operation, the risk profile for Nabiye is higher because new plant investment is required. As Cold Lake develops more challenging subsurface environments, more advanced reservoir engineering techniques must be employed to mitigate risk. This paper describes the extensive use of both thermal simulation and wellbore integrity modeling to complement analog performance prediction techniques. This paper will demonstrate how the Nabiye project is effectively commercializing an unconventional resource by integrating analog performance data and advanced reservoir and geomechanical modeling. The application of (1) thermal simulation for performance prediction and (2) geomechanical modeling for steam strategy optimization will be presented.

Water and electricity have a unique relationship in the modern world as one requires the other in a complex system of networks to supply the utility to the customers. This energy–water interaction is especially peculiar in the Gulf Cooperation Council, where there are limited water resources, but extremely high use rates. Qatar provides a unique case in terms of extreme water scarcity and excessive water use. To understand the intricate network, this paper establishes an updated and comprehensive qualitative model of the water system in the country with the help of a water balance and system dynamics (causal loop diagram) methodology. Regression estimates are then used to estimate future water and energy consumption in addition to carbon dioxide emissions until the year 2050. Finally, system dynamics (stock and flow diagram) is used to determine the supply impacts of efficiency policies including limiting of groundwater abstraction to only 50 million m3, reduction of water consumption in the household, commercial and industrial sector by 10%, and gradual increase in the share of reverse osmosis (RO)-produced desalinated water to 50% in order to assess the supply volume, electricity consumption and CO2 emissions. The efficient use of water in different sectors of the economy results in a combined saving of 1222 GWh (8.1%) or 594,000 tons CO2. Furthermore, by moving to membrane-based desalination technology energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions can be reduced by 3672 GWh (24.3%) and 1.8 million tons CO2, respectively. Further results suggest that while replacing groundwater with desalinated water can increase the energy consumption significantly, reuse of treated wastewater has almost the same footprint as groundwater, but can increase the resilience of the system considerably as groundwater abstraction levels are lowered to their renewal rates.

Abstract Drinking water is a necessity not only for humanity but also for the all living organisms available in the earth today. But the availability of the potable water is not in abundant amount; hence clean water is scarce in the world today. Solar desalination system is used to turn the saline water into the freshwater by use of sunrays. Solar still is a device which can be employed for desalination. As the daily productivity of solar distiller is low so, multiple techniques have been used by various researchers to improve its productivity. But work done on the fins to enhance the distillate output is not much. Fin is a low-cost heat transfer enhancement which is used by many researchers in the solar thermal applications. Present review paper shows the use of fins in solar still and how it can be used to enhance the distillate output of solar still. At last, a table is also presented to show the use of fins to increase the distillate output alone and with the use of certain materials.

AbstractCurrent building regulations enforce building designers towards efficient system design and provision of alternative means of supplying energy. Different green building certification schemes are deployed worldwide to encourage creating a sustainable built environment and the adoption of green building best practices.Micro-generation technologies, low and zero carbon, are either recommended by designers or mandated. A range of constraints including design and technical issues, are currently affecting the wide-scale deployment of micro-generation. For instance, it is important that the micro-generation plant operates for as many hours as possible as an idle plant accrues no benefits. Such issues make the design of a micro-cogeneration technology not quite as straightforward. Combined Heat and Power (CHP) or micro-cogeneration provides means of electricity and heat supply.This paper investigates, through a detailed study, the maximum CO2 reduction that could be achieved by CHP and biomass technologies in a mixed-use development. The implementation of micro-cogeneration, its combination with district heating and the integration of CHP into a trigeneration scheme are investigated. The coupling of CHP unit with absorption cooling, as well as the interactions with biomass boilers, to allow for setting up multi-generation systems for combined local production of different energy vectors are assessed and optimised for maximum CO2 reduction.