• Energy Research
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Photocatalytic oxidation is promising technology for removal of recalcitrant pollutants from water. Solar energy can be an interesting radiation source since the operating costs can be lower. However, the use of powder photocatalyst is a major drawback of the technology since suitable separation technologies are required and catalysts recovery is difficult. This work aims to test the suitability of using polymeric supports to immobilize TiO 2 in the reactor and apply it for parabens removal from water by solar photocatalytic oxidation. Polyurethanes (PU) and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) membranes were prepared and modified with TiO 2. While PU materials are only able to adsorb (35% in 1 h) parabens whichever the modification applied, modified PDMS was able to promote parabens photocatalytic oxidation removing 20% in 1 h under solar energy. Plasma/UV modification was able to active PDMS membranes (16% of methyl paraben (MP) removal) and further entrapment of TiO 2 in the polymeric matrix did not improve the process (18% of MP removal). Thus, only the superficial TiO 2 was active. Results show that PDMS is suitable material to support TiO 2 aiming photocatalytic wastewater treatment process using the Sun as a clean and renewable energy source.

This article presents an assessment of the most suitable compressed air energy storage (CAES) reservoirs and facilities to better integrate renewable energy into the electricity grid. The novelty of this study resides in selecting the best CAES reservoir sites through the application of a multi-criteria decision aid (MCDA) tool, specifically the simple additive weighting (SAW) method. Besides using geographic information systems (GIS) spatial representation of potential reservoir areas, for the MCDA method, several spatial criteria, environmental and social constraints, and positive incentives (e.g., the proximity to existing power generation facilities of renewable energy sources) were contemplated. As a result, sixty-two alternatives or potential reservoir sites were identified, and thirteen criteria (seven constraints and six incentives) were considered. The final stage of this study consisted of conducting a sensitivity analysis to determine the robustness of the solutions obtained and giving insights regarding each criterion’s influence on the reservoir sites selected. The three best suitable reservoir sites obtained were the Monte Real salt dome, Sines Massif, and the Campina de Cima—Loulé salt mine. The results show that this GIS-MCDA methodological framework, integrating spatial and non-spatial information, proved to provide a multidimensional view of the potential reservoir CAES systems incorporating both constraints and incentives.

Achieving nearly zero-energy buildings (nZEB) is one of the main objectives defined by the European Union for achieving carbon neutrality in buildings. nZEBs are heavily reliant on distributed renewable generation energy sources, which create new challenges associated with their inherent intermittency. To achieve nZEB levels, demand management plays an essential role to balance supply and demand. Since up to two-thirds of the total consumed energy in buildings is dispended for Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) operations, intelligent control of HVAC loads is of utmost importance. The present work aims to offer a solution to improve a building microgrids’ flexibility by shifting thermal loads and taking advantage of room thermal inertia. Innovation is present in using the internet of things to link several decentralized local microcontrollers with the microgrid and in the applicability of different control algorithms, such as the pre-emptive heating/cooling of a room. The developed solution relies on smart thermostats, which can be integrated into a building management system, or in a microgrid, and are capable of fulfilling the occupants’ need for comfort while complementing the building with needed power flexibility. The equipment is capable of controlling several HVAC systems to guarantee thermal and air quality comfort, as well as coordinate with a building/microgrid operator to reduce energy costs by shifting thermal loads and enacting demand control strategies. The smart thermostat uses an algorithm to calculate room inertia and to pre-emptively heat/cool a room to the desired temperature, avoiding peak hours, taking advantage of variable tariffs for electricity, or periods of solar generation surplus. The smart thermostat was integrated into a university campus microgrid and tested in live classrooms. Since the work was developed during the COVID-19 pandemic, special attention was given to the air quality features. Results show that smart HVAC control is a viable way to provide occupant comfort, as well as contribute to the integration of renewable generation and increase energy efficiency in buildings and microgrids.

This paper proposes a computational process development capable of filling the electric power sector shortage regarding voltage non-conformities identification in electric distribution power grid accounting for loads dynamic behavior at medium and low voltages. Actual distribution power grid data are used, with georeferencing to signal voltage transgressions locations, generate a report with voltage transgression indices and financial reimbursement values provided by legislation. The methodology compares regulatory requirements and makes available in software some possible actions in an attempt to adjust voltage levels, avoiding inconvenience and penalties for energy utilities providers. The method involves a data extractor construction for electricity provider company’s databases, computer simulations and comparison of obtained results with values established in electricity quality control standards. Thus, finding non-conformity locations and determining network adjustments to correct tension indexes in permanent regulation. The proposal features a reduction in electricity utilities operating costs, increasing efficiency in operation and energy quality available to consumers.

The aircraft is a means of transportation that operates mainly in the air; however, it starts and ends its journey on the ground. Due to the aircraft’s structural complexity, simulation tools are used to understand and to predict its behavior in its movements on the ground. Simulation tools allow adjusting the observation parameters to gather a greater amount of data than real tests and explore interactions of the aircraft and their individual components with external objects such as pavement imperfections. This review aims to collect information on how to simulate the aircraft interaction with traffic-dependent energy harvesting systems. The specifications and framework to be met by a conceptual design are explored. The different configurations for simulating the aircraft configuration result in the selection of the two-mass-spring-damper model. For the components, especially the landing gear, a deployable element for on-ground movements, several existing models capable of translating the tire are also presented, resulting in a selection of point-contact, Fiala and Unified semi-empirical models. It is verified which software can address the proposed simulation, such as GearSim from SDI-Engineering and Matlab/Simulink/Simscape Multibody from MathWorks.

Dissertação de Mestrado Integrado em Engenharia Mecânica apresentada à Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia O conforto térmico é algo cada vez mais valorizado pelo ser humano, sendo fundamental para a sua produtividade e o seu bem-estar. Porém, assegurar condições de conforto térmico tem consequências energéticas, económicas e ambientais. Os órgãos de governo da União Europeia consideram que o aumento da eficiência energética dos edifícios é algo de extrema importância, devido a estes serem grandes consumidores de energia. Logo, um método eficaz de reduzir custos energéticos e económicos e impactos ambientais passa por tornar os edifícios muito eficientes energeticamente. A eficiência energética de um edifício está diretamente relacionada com a qualidade das suas soluções construtivas. Uma forma de melhorar as características das soluções construtivas é o uso de isolamento térmico, de modo a diminuir as trocas de calor entre o exterior e o interior de um edifício. O presente estudo tinha como objetivo a realização de uma análise económica, energética e ambiental da aplicação do isolamento térmico aos edifícios do continente europeu. Esta análise permitiu compreender a influência da aplicação de isolamento térmico na eficiência energética dos edifícios e assim perceber a influência desta medida nos custos energéticos, económicos e ambientais do ciclo de vida completo dos edifícios localizados no continente europeu. Adicionalmente, fez-se uma verificação de qual o material isolante térmico mais adequado. A análise foi efetuada segundo as perspetivas económica, energética e ambiental. Os custos do conforto térmico dependem da tipologia de uso do edifício e do tipo de clima. Assim, de forma a representar as tipologias do edificado europeu foram selecionados seis edifícios diferentes, sendo estes: um apartamento e uma moradia (edifícios residenciais), uma clínica (edifício de serviços com funcionamento permanente), uma escola e uma agência bancária (edifícios de serviços com funcionamento intermitente) e um supermercado (edifício de comércio com funcionamento intermitente. Para representar o clima do continente europeu foram selecionadas 5 localizações, em função do número de graus-dia de aquecimento e de arrefecimento, envolvendo assim 5 tipos de clima: Málaga (quente), Lisboa (moderado), Valladolid (frio), Varsóvia (muito frio), Reykjavik (extremamente frio). Recorreu-se à folha de cálculo CalProTerm para a obtenção das propriedades termofísicas das soluções construtivas opacas e ao software SEnergEd para a realização da simulação do comportamento energético, económico e ambiental do ciclo de vida dos edifícios. A versão do software SEnergEd disponibilizada não realizava a análise ambiental do ciclo de vida do edifício, pelo que foi necessário proceder à implementação desta vertente, munindo este software com os algoritmos necessários à realização do cálculo de impactos ambientais.Os resultados obtidos mostram, em termos muito genéricos, que a aplicação de isolamento térmico à envolvente opaca dos edifícios do continente europeu é mais benéfica em termos energéticos e em termos ambientais do que sob a perspetiva económica. Adicionalmente, a espessura ótima de isolamento térmico depende da tipologia de edifício, do tipo de clima e da perspetiva com que foi efetuada a análise (energética, ambiental ou económica). Thermal comfort is something increasingly valued by the human being, being fundamental for their productivity and well-being. However, ensuring thermal comfort conditions has energy, economic and environmental consequences. The Governing Bodies of the European Union consider that increasing the energy efficiency of buildings is extremely important, especially due to being one of the major energy consumers. Therefore, an effective method of reducing energy and economic costs and environmental impacts is to make buildings very energy efficient. The energy efficiency of a building is directly related to the quality of its constructive solutions. One way to improve the characteristics of constructive solutions is the use of thermal insulation, so as to decrease heat exchanges between the outside and the interior of a building.The present study aimed to carry out an economic, energy and environmental analysis of the application of thermal insulation to buildings on the European continent. This analysis made it possible to understand the influence of the application of thermal insulation on the energy efficiency of buildings and thus to understand the influence of this measure on the energy, economic and environmental costs of the complete life cycle of buildings located on the European continent. Additionally, a verification was made of which is the most suitable thermal insulating material. The analysis was carried out according to the economic, energy and environmental perspectives. Thermal comfort costs depend on the type of use of the building and the type of climate. Thus, to represent the typologies of European buildings, six different buildings were selected, namely: an apartment and a house (residential buildings), a clinic (service building with permanent operation), a school and a bank branch (buildings of services with intermittent operation) and a supermarket (commercial building with intermittent operation. To represent the climate of the European continent, 5 locations were selected, depending on the number of degree-days of heating and cooling, thus involving 5 types of climate: Malaga (hot), Lisbon (moderate), Valladolid (cold), Warsaw (very cold), Reykjavik (extremely cold).The CalProTerm spreadsheet was used to obtain the thermophysical properties of the opaque constructive solutions, the SEnergEd software was used to simulate the energy, economic and environmental behavior of the buildings' life cycle. The version of the SEnergEd software initially available did not carry out the environmental analysis of the building's life cycle, therefore it was necessary to implement this aspect, providing this software with the algorithms necessary to carry out the calculation of environmental impacts.The results obtained showed, in very general terms, that the application of thermal insulation to the opaque envelope of buildings on the European continent is more beneficial in energy and environmental terms than from an economic perspective. Additionally, the optimal thickness of thermal insulation depends on the type of building, the type of climate and the perspective from which the analysis was carried out (energy, environmental or economic).

Relatório de Estágio do Mestrado em Ensino de Geografia no 3º ciclo do Ensino Básico e no Ensino Secundário apresentado à Faculdade de Letras O presente relatório de estágio visa apresentar uma análise e reflexão das atividades letivas e extralectivas ao longo do Estágio Pedagógico Supervisionado, desenvolvido na Escola Secundária Dr.ª Maria Cândida, em Mira, durante o ano letivo 2020/2021. Além disso, pretendo efetuar uma reflexão da aplicação da estratégia didático-pedagógica, neste caso concreto a Aplicação dos Media na Educação Geográfica e Ambiental, caso específico do Jornal aplicado ao tema das Alterações Climáticas. O relatório está dividido em três partes. A primeira parte, onde é feita a descrição geral da escola, acompanhado do enquadramento geográfico, turma, núcleo de estágio e das atividades realizadas ao longo do estágio. A segunda parte, está direcionada para a reflexão teórica e científica associada ao tema da aplicação didática.O tema da componente científica é as Alterações Climáticas e os seus impactos na saúde humana, assim como o surgimento ou ressurgimento de doenças parasitárias na Europa. Na terceira parte é apresentada a estratégia didática, o jornal realizado pelos alunos, acompanhado dos resultados obtidos ao inquérito realizado aos professores do agrupamento e aos alunos sobre o mesmo. Neste capítulo também se encontra uma reflexão sobre o ensino à distância e os impactos na aprendizagem tanto nos professores como alunos. Os objetivos propostos para esta estratégia foram positivos, uma vez que obtive o feedback desejado por parte dos alunos, assim como toda a dedicação na construção do jornal. This internship report aims to present an analysis and reflection of teaching and extralegal activities throughout the Supervised Pedagogical Internship, developed in Escola Secundária Dr. ª Maria Cândida, in Mira, during the school year 2020/2021. In addition, I intend to reflect on the application of didactic-pedagogical strategy, in this specific case the Application of Media in Geographic and Environmental Education, the specific case of the newspaper applied to the theme of Climate Change.The report is divided in three parts. The first part, where the general description of the school is made, accompanied by the geographic framing, class, internship nucleus and the activities carried out throughout the internship. The second part is directed towards the theoretical and scientific reflection associated with the theme of didactic application. The theme of the scientific component is Climate Change and its impacts on human health, as well as the emergence or resurgence of parasitic diseases in Europe.In the third part, the didactic strategy is presented, the newspaper made by the students, accompanied by the results obtained from the survey carried out to the teachers of the grouping and to the students about it. In this chapter there is also a reflection on distance learning and the impacts on learning for both teachers and students. The objectives proposed for this strategy were positive, since I obtained the desired feedback from the students, as well as all the dedication in the construction of the newspaper.

The agro-industry of tomato generates three types of residues: ripe rotten tomato (unfit for consumption) (RT), green (unripe) tomato (GT), and tomato branches including leaves and stems (TB). These materials are commonly wasted or used as feed for livestock. Energy production through anaerobic digestion is an alternative way to manage and simultaneously valorise these materials. Initially, the operating conditions of mono anaerobic digestion were investigated using RT. Thus, a design of experiments based on a two-level fractional factorial design with resolution V was performed to determine the factors that affect biochemical methane potential (BMP). The substrate to inoculum ratio (SIR), total volatile solids concentration (VSt), working volume (WV), presence of nutrients (Nu), and the pre-incubation of the inoculum (Inc) were investigated. The results showed that SIR is the most important factor. The maximum BMP for RT was 297 NmLCH4/gVS with SIR = 0.5; tVS = 20 g/L; WV = 20%; no pre-incubation and the presence of nutrients. Using these optimum operating conditions, co-digestion was investigated through a mixture design approach. The substrates RT and GT presented similar BMP values, whereas TB led to a significantly lower BMP. Indeed, when high concentrations of TB were used, a significant decrease in methane production was observed. Nonetheless, the highest BMP was achieved with a mixture of 63% RT + 20% GT + 17% TB, with a production of 324 NmLCH4/gVS, corresponding to a synergetic co-digestion performance index of about 1.20. In general, although the substrate RT generates the highest BMP, the mixture with GT did not impair the methane yield. Overall, the co-digestion of tomato residues must be conducted with SIR close to 0.5 and the content of tomato branches in the reaction mixture should be kept low (up to 20%).

Relatório de Estágio do Mestrado em Gestão apresentado à Faculdade de Economia No âmbito do Mestrado em Gestão da Faculdade de Economia da Universidade de Coimbra, foi elaborado o presente documento que reflete o estágio curricular de 4 meses realizado na EDP-Gestão da Produção. A temática da RSE, escolhida como foco do presente relatório, surge por ter emergido como uma preocupação central a vários dos assuntos abordados durante o estágio e por se considerar um tema central para a empresa EDP, desde logo por fazer parte do Índice de Sustentabilidade Dow Jones. O objetivo do trabalho é o desenvolvimento das principais temáticas da RSE, apresentando-se a evolução conceptual, os principais modelos teóricos e a sistematização das teorias, assim como a abordagem Europeia e Nacional à RSE, a distinção dos conceitos de RSE, Sustentabilidade e Desenvolvimento Sustentável, as vantagens da implementação da RSE e os instrumentos e ferramentas que são utilizados pelas empresas – normas internacionais, relatórios de sustentabilidade, GRI Standards e índices de RSE. Por fim, analisa-se o impacto da RSE nas comunidades locais, recorrendo ao estudo do Relatório de Sustentabilidade da EDP. Pode-se inferir que as práticas de RSE têm um impacto bastante positivo nas comunidades locais, quer ao nível do seu bem-estar quer ao nível do desenvolvimento económico e que o desenvolvimento e investimento em práticas de Responsabilidade Social tem também um retorno positivo para a empresa. A EDP tem um elevado comprometimento com as comunidades locais ao desenvolver um conjunto de programas de investimento social, assumindo a sustentabilidade no seu ADN e contribuindo ativamente e de forma voluntária para os Objetivos de Desenvolvimento Sustentável (ODS). As part of the Master’s degree in Management at the Faculty of Economics of the University of Coimbra, this document was prepared to reflect the curricular internship of 4 months held at EDP-Production Management. The theme of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), chosen as the focus of this report, emerged as a central concern to several of the issues addressed during the internship and because it is considered a central theme for the EDP company, since it is part of the Dow Jones Sustainability Index. The aim of the work is the development of the main themes of CSR, presenting the conceptual evolution, the main theoretical models and the systematization of theories, as well as the European and National approach to CSR, the distinction of the concepts of CSR, Sustainability and Sustainable Development, the advantages of the implementation of CSR and the tools that are used by companies – international standards, sustainability reports, GRI Standards and CSR indexes. Finally, the impact of CSR on local communities is analyzed, using the study of EDP’s Sustainability Report. It can be inferred that CSR practices have a very positive impact on local communities, both in terms of their well-being and in terms of economic development and that the development and investment in Social Responsibility practices also have a positive return on the company. EDP has a high commitment to local communities by developing a set of social investment programs, assuming sustainability in its DNA and contributing actively and voluntarily to the Sustainable Development Goals.

Biomass fly ash has been studied has a partial cement material, since this material has a positive effect on concrete properties. Even though, some mixes with BFA presents a positive benefit, they need to be economically competitive and present a good environmental performance. So, the analyse and comparison of concrete that uses BFA as raw material substitution in terms of environmental impacts related to the production of conventional concrete. One of the best approaches to develop this type of study is to use the life cycle assessment (LCA) method. This method quantifies both the input flows, such as energy, water and materials, as well as the output flows, such as CO2 emission, solid wastes and liquid wastes. Based both on the abovementioned context and methodological approach, a quantification and comparison of potential environmental impacts resulting from the production of 1 m3 of concrete was made, using different types of binder and quantities of cement substitution.