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The process of combusting Tuva coals before and after their carbonization was studied using the methods of thermogravimetric analysis and electron microscopy. Coal samples were subjected to thermomechanical and elemental analysis, which revealed a higher content of volatile substances in Kaa-Khem coal (47.5 %) compared to Chadan coal (10 %). Following carbonization, a decrease in volatile substances to 11.5 % and 9.3 %, respectively, was observed. The conducted thermogravimetric analysis showed the ignition temperature of the coke residue of the Kaa-Khem and Chadan coal samples to increase by 76 °C and 90 °C, respectively, after carbonization. The burnup temperature of the coke residue after carbonizing (723 °C) Kaa-Khem coal samples remained effectively the same, while the Chadan coal showed an increase from 704 °C to 727 °C. The carbonization of coals was established to decrease the maximum reaction rate from 19 % per min to 10% per min for Kaa-Khem coal and from 26 % per min to 11 % per min for Chadan coal. The process of combusting the coke residue after coal carbonization was found to shift into the region of higher temperatures: from 448–723°C to 524–724°C for Kaa-Khem coal and from 436–704 °C to 526–727 °C for Chadan coal. A morphological analysis of the surface of coal particles after carbonization showed the appearance of larger-size pores and cracks on the surface of carbonates compared to coal before carbonization. The conclusion is made that the content of volatile substances, rather than the developed pore structure, comprises the main factor in improving the combustion characteristics of Tuva coals under the conditions of non-isothermal heating before and after their carbonization.

Abstract The upward energy demand, along with the depletion of conventional energy sources, demands improved utilization of renewable energy resources. Among all renewable energy resources, solar energy is the most appropriate alternative to conventional energy sources owing to its inexhaustibility and green property. Solar collectors are devices that convert solar radiation into heat or energy. However, the efficiency of the solar collector is still not adequate. The competent step to enhance the efficiency of the solar collector is to use nanofluids. This study is carried out different phases viz. characterization and stabilization while both qualitative and quantitative methods used to evaluate the stability of nanofluids thermophysical properties of Al2O3 and CNC nanofluids such as thermal conductivity measured at four different temperature using KD2 Pro, viscosity and specific heat determined at similar temperature range by viscometer and differential scanning calorimetry respectively. The experiment is executed with a fixed flow rate and in steady-state conditions under extensive solar radiation. The experimental study has revealed that up to 2.48% and 8.46% efficiency of solar collector enhanced by using 0.5% Al2O3 and 0.5% CNC nanofluids respectively. Moreover, nanofluids show good to moderate stability performance. Besides, the thermal conductivity of nanofluids increased while viscosity is in a decreasing trend with increasing temperature. Nanofluids could enhance the efficiency of a flat-plate solar collector.

A Y-type air-cooled structure has been proposed to improve the heat dissipation efficiency and temperature uniformity of battery thermal management systems (BTMSs) by reducing the flow path of air. By combining computational fluid dynamics (CFD) methods, the influence of the depths of the distribution and convergence plenums on the airflow velocity through battery cells was analyzed to improve heat dissipation efficiency. Adjusting the width of the first and ninth cooling channels can change the air velocity of these two channels, thereby improving the temperature uniformity of the BTMS. Further discussion was conducted regarding the influences of inlet and outlet depths. When the inlet width and outlet width were 20 mm, the maximum temperature and maximum temperature difference of the Y-type BTMS were 39.84 °C and 0.066 °C at a discharge rate of 2.5 °C, respectively; these temperatures were 1.537 °C (3.68%) and 0.059 °C (47.2%) lower than those of the T-type model. Meanwhile, the energy consumption of the sample also decreased by 13.1%. The results indicate that the heat dissipation performance of the proposed Y-type BTMS was improved, achieving excellent temperature uniformity, and the energy consumption was also reduced.

Abstract Specification by central government of the heating levels which are to be maintained in British school buildings has recently been altered. This paper is concerned with examining the nature of changes that have been made by comparing present requirements with their counterparts during the preceding one hundred years. Attention is focused on the apparently contradictory implications of these changes for those charged with responsibility for maintaining heating levels in school buildings while, at the same time, conserving fuel. It is suggested that the new statutory requirements present those who are responsible with a duty which may, in practical terms, prove difficult or costly to discharge. Although discussion is specifically restricted to British school buildings, issues are raised which are pertinent to attempts to integrate regulation of heating with control of fuel consumption in other types of non-domestic buildings both in Britain and abroad.

AbstractSmart Grids are electrical grids that require a decentralised way of controlling electric power conditioning and thereby control the production and distribution of energy. Yet, the integration of Distributed Renewable Energy Sources (DRESs) in the Smart Grid introduces new challenges with regards to electrical grid balancing and storing of electrical energy, as well as additional monetary costs. Furthermore, the future smart grid also has to take over the provision of Ancillary Services (ASs). In this paper, a distributed ICT infrastructure to solve such challenges, specifically related to ASs in future Smart Grids, is described. The proposed infrastructure is developed on the basis of the Smart Grid Architecture Model (SGAM) framework, which is defined by the European Commission in Smart Grid Mandate M/490. A testbed that provides a flexible, secure, and low-cost version of this architecture, illustrating the separation of systems and responsibilities, and supporting both emulated DRESs and real hardware has been developed. The resulting system supports the integration of a variety of DRESs with a secure two-way communication channel between the monitoring and controlling components. It assists in the analysis of various inter-operabilities and in the verification of eventual system designs. To validate the system design, the mapping of the proposed architecture to the testbed is presented. Further work will help improve the architecture in two directions; first, by investigating specific-purpose use cases, instantiated using this more generic framework; and second, by investigating the effects a realistic number and variety of connected devices within different grid configurations has on the testbed infrastructure.

Abstract The need to increase energy system flexibility, alongside the need to lower fossil fuel use in the food sector, and the importance of refrigeration infrastructure presents an opportunity for Liquid Air Energy Storage (LAES) integrated with refrigerated warehouses. To quantify this opportunity in Europe we analyse energy scenarios and existing refrigeration infrastructure for four countries with diverse energy systems (UK, Spain, Bulgaria and Germany). We find that with growing levels of electricity generation from variable renewable sources and numerous refrigerated warehouses, LAES has the potential to provide value in many areas of the EU through the 2020s. However, LAES is still pre-commercial, and with the proportion of electricity from variable renewable sources still low in many countries it is likely that LAES will not be deployed widely alongside refrigerated warehouses under current market conditions. Countries such as the UK and Spain, which have the greatest need for additional energy system flexibility and the most refrigerated warehouses are likely to gain the most value initially.

SYNOPSIS In Swaziland policies to alleviate fuelwood shortages have been low on the list of development priorities, as much of the land has extensive bush and tree cover. There are, however, major social and geographical imbalances in biomass resource supply—some areas of Swazi Nation Land are barren due to increasing population pressure and the subsequent demand for fuelwood. This paper will show, in detail, the methodology for the survey which was carried out in Swaziland to investigate the importance of accessibility in linking potential supply to demand. Physical location, land tenure and management practices are generally recognised as important factors to take into consideration when converting potential resources into realistic amounts of fuelwood supply. Guesswork, however, is often used to estimate the impacts of these factors on biomass supplies. A nation-wide study was made in order to obtain more information on the accessibility of resources on privately owned land; results of a household surv...