Article
Thermodynamics
Sara Sallam, Mohamed Taqi
Summary: Direct steam generation in parabolic trough solar collectors is a promising technology, but it requires adequate control to avoid deterioration risk. This study presents a detailed numerical model to analyze the operating conditions of the system. The results show that choosing appropriate mass flow rate and pressure can prevent stratification and regulating the flow rate according to solar radiation ensures high quality and duration of steam production.
APPLIED THERMAL ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Dario Garcia, Dawei Liang, Joana Almeida, Miguel Catela, Hugo Costa, Bruno D. Tiburcio, Emmanuel Guillot, Claudia R. Vistas
Summary: In this research, low threshold solar laser emission under cloudy sky condition was achieved by end-side-pumping a Ce:Nd:YAG rod at the focus of a parabolic mirror concentrator. The performance of the solar laser was evaluated under clear sky condition for comparison. The cloud-filtered infrared sunlight reduced thermal lensing effects and significantly improved the solar laser performance.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Somchart Chantasiriwan
Summary: This paper investigates an alternative method of solar-aided power generation using direct steam generating parabolic trough collectors for feed water heating in a small biomass power plant. The method aims to increase power output and electrical energy generation efficiency by raising the temperature of the heat transfer fluid through the use of parabolic trough collectors.
Article
Thermodynamics
Rohit Goyal, K. S. Reddy
Summary: Parabolic trough collector is a widely used and efficient technology for generating solar thermal power. The use of supercritical CO2 as a heat transfer fluid shows great potential for improving its efficiency. A numerical thermal model and optical analysis were used to analyze the entropy generated by s-CO2 in a parabolic trough collector and determine the optimal operating conditions.
APPLIED THERMAL ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Ram Kumar Pal, K. Ravi Kumar
Summary: This study investigates the effects of transient solar flux profiles on the thermal-hydraulics of flow boiling in the DSG process. The results show the vapor volume fractions at the absorber outlet, absorber surface temperature, and circumferential temperature distributions under different operating conditions.
Article
Thermodynamics
Yaolu Shi, Jie Sun, Jinjia Wei
Summary: This study proposed a new-type receiver with axially-hollow spiral deflector and optimized the geometric structure to solve the thermal stress-induced deformation issue. The simulation results showed that the new-type receiver demonstrated outstanding comprehensive performance by minimizing the circumferential temperature difference and lowering the flow resistance cost. Different optimal designs were achieved based on the importance of temperature uniformity improvement and performance evaluation criteria.
JOURNAL OF THERMAL SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Cristina Prieto, Francisco Javier Pino, Luisa F. Cabeza
Summary: This study evaluates the technoeconomic potential of a CSP plant with high temperature concrete as TES system compared to the standard commercial molten salts system, and finds that the molten salt system performs better than the high temperature concrete configuration in general conditions.
JOURNAL OF ENERGY STORAGE
(2023)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Georgios E. Arnaoutakis, Dimitris Al. Katsaprakakis, Dimitris G. Christakis
Summary: This paper investigates the potential of two concentrating solar power technologies, central power towers and parabolic trough collectors, in the same plant configuration through dynamic modeling. The results show that the configuration of a power tower and parabolic trough collectors has a more stable power profile and higher capacity factor compared to standalone plants based on a single technology.
Article
Thermodynamics
Ram Kumar Pal, Ravi K. Kumar
Summary: This study investigated the thermo-hydrodynamics of direct steam generation in the receiver of a parabolic trough solar collector using a two-fluid modeling approach. The effects of operating pressure, mass flow rate, and the presence of a glass envelope on system performance were analyzed.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Paloma Martinez-Merino, Patrice Estelle, Rodrigo Alcantara, Ivan Carrillo-Berdugo, Javier Navas
Summary: Nanofluids, with improved thermophysical properties compared to conventional heat transfer fluids, are attractive for research areas like solar energy. In this study, nanofluids based on WS2 nanosheets were prepared from thermal oil, and the use of surfactants improved the dispersion stability. Promising results were observed in terms of thermal conductivity and heat transfer coefficient for these nanofluids.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2022)
Article
Thermodynamics
Zhenghua Rao, Cunyue Peng, Yaqiong Wang, Yitao Wang, Gang Liu, Shengming Liao
Summary: A dynamic thermodynamics model was developed to simulate the response behaviors of CO2-TRC in trough CSP systems, showing that cloud thickness and cover duration have different impacts on system performance, with the recovery time for the regenerative system potentially being three times longer than that for the simple system.
APPLIED THERMAL ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Krzysztof Sornek, Maciej Zoladek, Karolina Papis-Fraczek, Maciej Szram, Mariusz Filipowicz
Summary: The electricity generation from photovoltaic systems has experienced significant growth over the past two decades. The use of concentrating solar power collectors is an interesting trend in solar radiation conversion. This paper presents experimental works on a micro-scale parabolic-through solar concentrator equipped with monocrystalline silicon solar cells. Results show that concentrated sunlight can enhance the efficiency of photovoltaic solar cells by approximately 29% compared to direct sunlight. This study demonstrates the justification for using solar radiation concentrators in solar installations, even with low concentration ratio factors.
Article
Thermodynamics
Li Wang, Jie Sun, Zhi Zhang, Jin Jia Wei
Summary: A trans-dimensional multi-physics coupled analysis method is proposed to predict the global performance and accurately quantify the local deformation of the heat collection element in concentrated solar power plants. Different worst scenarios are identified in different sections of the loop, highlighting the importance of considering practical installation errors and the interaction between HCE and concentrator.
APPLIED THERMAL ENGINEERING
(2021)
Review
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Ram Kumar Pal, K. Ravi Kumar
Summary: The direct steam generation (DSG) technology in parabolic trough collector (PTC) solar power plants is an advancement that offers higher thermal efficiency, lower overall cost, and good potential for scale-up. Although developed over the past two decades, challenges in commercialization include high-temperature component design and thermal instability due to two-phase flow. Improvements in cost-effective thermal energy storage (TES) systems are expected to enhance grid integration and dispatchability of DSG solar power plants in the future.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2021)
Review
Environmental Sciences
Susant Kumar Sahu, Arjun Singh Kopalakrishnaswami, Sendhil Kumar Natarajan
Summary: Solar energy is a promising form of energy that can meet the world's energy needs. The solar parabolic dish collector system has gained attention for its higher thermal energy conversion efficiency and unique advantages. This article reviews the progress of solar concentrating techniques using solar parabolic dish collectors and discusses their applications in heat and electrical power production.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Shitong Fang, Houfan Du, Tao Yan, Keyu Chen, Zhiyuan Li, Xiaoqing Ma, Zhihui Lai, Shengxi Zhou
Summary: This paper proposes a new type of nonlinear VIV energy harvester (ANVEH) that compensates for the decrease in peak energy output at low wind speeds by introducing an auxiliary structure. Theoretical and experimental results show that ANVEH performs better than traditional nonlinear VIV energy harvesters under various system parameter variations.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Wei Jiang, Shuo Zhang, Teng Wang, Yufei Zhang, Aimin Sha, Jingjing Xiao, Dongdong Yuan
Summary: A standardized method was developed to evaluate the availability of solar energy resources in road areas, which combined the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and the Geographic Information System (GIS). By analyzing critical factors and using a multi-indicator evaluation method, the method accurately evaluated the utilization of solar energy resources and guided the optimal location selection for road photovoltaic (PV) projects. The results provided guidance for the application of road PV projects and site selection for route corridors worldwide, promoting the integration of transportation and energy.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Chang Liu, Jacob A. Wrubel, Elliot Padgett, Guido Bender
Summary: The study investigates the effects of coating defects on the performance of the anode porous transport layer (PTL) in water electrolyzers. The results show that an increasing fraction of uncoated regions on the PTL leads to decreased cell performance, with continuous uncoated regions having a more severe impact compared to multiple thin uncoated strips.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Marcos Tostado-Veliz, Xiaolong Jin, Rohit Bhakar, Francisco Jurado
Summary: In this paper, a coordinated charging price mechanism for clusters of parking lots is proposed. The research shows that enabling vehicle-to-grid characteristics can bring significant economic benefits for users and the cluster coordinator, and vehicle-to-grid impacts noticeably on the risk-averse character of the uncertainty-aware strategies. The developed pricing mechanism can reduce the cost for users, avoiding to directly translate the energy cost to charging points.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Duan Kang
Summary: Building an energy superpower is a key strategy for China and a long-term goal for other countries. This study proposes an evaluation system and index for measuring energy superpower, and finds that China has significantly improved its ranking over the past 21 years, surpassing other countries.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Fucheng Deng, Yifei Wang, Xiaosen Li, Gang Li, Yi Wang, Bin Huang
Summary: This study investigated the synergistic blockage mechanism of sand and hydrate in gravel filling layer and the evolution of permeability in the layer. Experimental models and modified permeability models were established to analyze the effects of sand particles and hydrate formation on permeability. The study provided valuable insights for the safe and efficient exploitation of hydrate reservoirs.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Hao Wang, Xiwen Chen, Natan Vital, Edward Duffy, Abolfazl Razi
Summary: This study proposes a HVAC energy optimization model based on deep reinforcement learning algorithm. It achieves 37% energy savings and ensures thermal comfort for open office buildings. The model has a low complexity, uses a few controllable factors, and has a short training time with good generalizability.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Moyue Cong, Yongzhuo Gao, Weidong Wang, Long He, Xiwang Mao, Yi Long, Wei Dong
Summary: This study introduces a multi-strategy ultra-wideband energy harvesting device that achieves high power output without the need for external power input. By utilizing asymmetry, stagger array, magnetic coupling, and nonlinearity strategies, the device maintains a stable output voltage and high power density output at non-resonant frequencies. Temperature and humidity monitoring are performed using Bluetooth sensors to adaptively assess the device.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Tianshu Dong, Xiudong Duan, Yuanyuan Huang, Danji Huang, Yingdong Luo, Ziyu Liu, Xiaomeng Ai, Jiakun Fang, Chaolong Song
Summary: Electrochemical water splitting is crucial for hydrogen production, and improving the hydrogen separation rate from the electrode is essential for enhancing water electrolyzer performance. However, issues such as air bubble adhesion to the electrode plate hinder the process. Therefore, a methodology to investigate the two-phase flow within the electrolyzer is in high demand. This study proposes using a microfluidic system as a simulator for the electrolyzer and optimizing the two-phase flow by manipulating the micro-structure of the flow.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Shuo Han, Yifan Yuan, Mengjiao He, Ziwen Zhao, Beibei Xu, Diyi Chen, Jakub Jurasz
Summary: Giving full play to the flexibility of hydropower and integrating more variable renewable energy is of great significance for accelerating the transformation of China's power energy system. This study proposes a novel day-ahead scheduling model that considers the flexibility limited by irregular vibration zones (VZs) and the probability of flexibility shortage in a hydropower-variable renewable energy hybrid generation system. The model is applied to a real hydropower station and effectively improves the flexibility supply capacity of hydropower, especially during heavy load demand in flood season.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Zhen Wang, Kangqi Fan, Shizhong Zhao, Shuxin Wu, Xuan Zhang, Kangjia Zhai, Zhiqi Li, Hua He
Summary: This study developed a high-performance rotary energy harvester (AI-REH) inspired by archery, which efficiently accumulates and releases ultralow-frequency vibration energy. By utilizing a magnetic coupling strategy and an accumulator spring, the AI-REH achieves significantly accelerated rotor speeds and enhanced electric outputs.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Yi Yang, Qianyi Xing, Kang Wang, Caihong Li, Jianzhou Wang, Xiaojia Huang
Summary: In this study, a novel hybrid Quantile Regression (QR) model is proposed for Probabilistic Load Forecasting (PLF). The model integrates causal dilated convolution, residual connection, and Bidirectional Long Short-Term Memory (BiLSTM) for multi-scale feature extraction. In addition, a Combined Probabilistic Load Forecasting System (CPLFS) is proposed to overcome the inherent flaws of relying on a single model. Simulation results show that the hybrid QR outperforms traditional models and CPLFS exceeds the best benchmarks in terms of prediction accuracy and stability.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Wen-Jiang Zou, Young-Bae Kim, Seunghun Jung
Summary: This paper proposes a dynamic prediction model for capacity fade in vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFBs). The model accurately predicts changes in electrolyte volume and capacity fade, enhancing the competitiveness of VRFBs in energy storage applications.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Yuechao Ma, Shengtie Wang, Guangchen Liu, Guizhen Tian, Jianwei Zhang, Ruiming Liu
Summary: This paper focuses on the balance of state of charge (SOC) among multiple battery energy storage units (MBESUs) and bus voltage balance in an islanded bipolar DC microgrid. A SOC automatic balancing strategy is proposed considering the energy flow relationship and utilizing the adaptive virtual resistance algorithm. The simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed strategy in achieving SOC balancing and decreasing bus voltage unbalance.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Raad Z. Homod, Basil Sh. Munahi, Hayder Ibrahim Mohammed, Musatafa Abbas Abbood Albadr, Aissa Abderrahmane, Jasim M. Mahdi, Mohamed Bechir Ben Hamida, Bilal Naji Alhasnawi, A. S. Albahri, Hussein Togun, Umar F. Alqsair, Zaher Mundher Yaseen
Summary: In this study, the control problem of the multiple-boiler system (MBS) is formulated as a dynamic Markov decision process and a deep clustering reinforcement learning approach is applied to obtain the optimal control policy. The proposed strategy, based on bang-bang action, shows superior response and achieves more than 32% energy saving compared to conventional fixed parameter controllers under dynamic indoor/outdoor actual conditions.