Article
Engineering, Chemical
Woo-Jin Jeon, Min-Gyu Ham, Jung-Gil Lee, Ho Ji, Young-Deuk Kim
Summary: This study developed a regeneration module using a membrane distillation mechanism, and its performance was evaluated theoretically and experimentally. The results demonstrated that the regeneration module with spacers had higher permeate flux compared to the empty channel, achieving a high permeate flux at a solution temperature of 50 degrees C.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2024)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Jingjing Liu, Wenye Lin, Haoshan Ren, Ahmed K. Albdoor, Faisal Hai, Zhenjun Ma
Summary: This paper presents a multi-objective optimization approach for the DCMD regenerator used in liquid desiccant regeneration. The aim is to simultaneously maximize the regeneration capacity and thermal efficiency. The optimization results show that the feed and distillate inlet temperatures have conflicting effects on the two objectives, while the initial feed concentration and volumetric flow rate are near their lower limits. The multi-objective optimization approach significantly improves the overall performance of the DCMD regenerator.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Hung Cong Duong, Long Duc Nghiem, Ashley Joy Ansari, Thao Dinh Vu, Khai Manh Nguyen
Summary: This study assessed the regeneration of liquid desiccant LiCl solution by pilot direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD) using computer simulation. The results showed that the pilot DCMD process under counter-current flow is superior to that under cocurrent flow in terms of thermal efficiency and LiCl concentration enrichment. The feed inlet temperature, LiCl concentration, and membrane leaf length were found to have significant impacts on the process performance in the pilot DCMD regeneration of LiCl solution under counter-current flow.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Jingjing Liu, Ahmed K. Albdoor, Wenye Lin, Faisal Hai, Zhenjun Ma
Summary: Increasing feed temperature and cross flow velocity can exacerbate membrane fouling, higher feed temperature can enhance DCMD regeneration capacity but reduce membrane hydrophobicity, cleaning the membrane can effectively alleviate membrane fouling but also increase the risk of membrane wetting.
JOURNAL OF MEMBRANE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Seonguk Ha, Jieun Lee, Seongeom Jeong, Sanghyun Jeong
Summary: This study aimed to investigate membrane fouling characteristics and determine control strategies for concentrating liquid desiccants using membrane distillation. Two different desiccants, lithium chloride and potassium formate, were tested. Results showed that water flushing was the most effective method for controlling membrane fouling. Air backwashing and membrane spacer had limited cleaning effects. Therefore, combining water flushing with membrane spacer can maintain high flux and low fouling tendency.
Review
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
P. Pasqualin, R. Lefers, S. Mahmoud, P. A. Davies
Summary: Liquid desiccant air conditioning (LDAC) is a promising technology for self-sustained greenhouses powered by solar energy, but faces challenges in liquid desiccant regeneration. Among the six desalination technologies investigated for LD regeneration, membrane distillation, reverse osmosis and electrodialysis have been tested for LDAC applications, but are not efficient. Multistage nanofiltration and thermoresponsive solutions show great potential for LDAC, particularly in achieving high efficiency, and future experimental studies are needed to explore their effectiveness.
RENEWABLE & SUSTAINABLE ENERGY REVIEWS
(2022)
Article
Polymer Science
Jingli Zhao, Jiaona Wang, Xun Sun, Jie Gao, Donglin Cao, Jie Wang, Yiyang Wang, Xidai Shi
Summary: The liquid desiccant air-conditioning system has gained attention in the medical environment due to its ability to control humidity and provide antibacterial properties. A nanofiber membrane made of polyacrylonitrile/lithium chloride was fabricated using electrospinning with an island nozzle. The membrane showed good dehumidification performance and antibacterial rate, and the efficiency of membrane preparation was significantly improved by using the island nozzle.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Gustav Simoni, Bastian Stiem Kirkebaek, Cejna Anna Quist-Jensen, Morten Lykkegaard Christensen, Aamer Ali
Summary: The study compared the performance of direct contact MD and vacuum MD for simultaneous recovery of NH3 and P from wastewater. While both configurations are equally effective for concentrating P, the control over NH3 removal efficiency becomes the bottleneck for struvite recovery under different pH conditions.
JOURNAL OF WATER PROCESS ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Marie-Charlotte Sparenberg, Bastien Hanot, Cristhian Molina-Fernandez, Patricia Luis
Summary: This study compared the performance of vacuum membrane distillation (VMD) and direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD) by concentrating carbonate solutions. The results showed higher and more stable mass transfer coefficients in VMD, while DCMD was more affected by concentration. Therefore, despite its simplicity, DCMD's performance is inferior to VMD.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Dongxu Wu, Yuanzhi Gao, Hongshuo Qu, Changling Wang, Zhaofeng Dai, Xiaosong Zhang
Summary: Liquid desiccant air-conditioning (LDAC) systems are a promising alternative to conventional air conditioning systems due to their high energy efficiency. This study investigates the regeneration performance of a novel method inspired by solar heat localization for seawater desalination. By fabricating wood-based regenerators and utilizing the solar interfacial regeneration method, efficient regeneration of liquid desiccant is achieved. The results show that the solar interfacial method significantly improves the regeneration rate compared to traditional methods at the same temperature.
ENERGY AND BUILDINGS
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Yuchuan Meng, Qiao Zhong, Yujie Liu, Zhongsen Yan, Ying Liang, Haiqing Chang, Heng Liang, Radisav D. Vidic
Summary: This study aimed to find an effective cleaning method for organic fouling in membrane distillation (MD). The fouling characteristics of humic acid (HA), sodium alginate (SA), and bovine serum albumin (BSA) were investigated, along with the cleaning efficiency of different flushing methods. The results showed that the presence of calcium ions had a varying effect on fouling for different organics. NaOH flushing resulted in irreversible fouling, while DI water flushing showed good recovery for SA-induced fouling.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Jianghao Chang, Haiqing Chang, Yuchuan Meng, Huaxin Zhao, Mengzhe Lu, Ying Liang, Zhongsen Yan, Heng Liang
Summary: This study evaluated the membrane wetting caused by different surfactants in direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD) process and assessed the hydrophobicity recovery of the wetted membranes through washing and drying. The results showed that the membranes wetted by SDS and CTAB exhibited good hydrophobicity recovery, while the membranes wetted by Tween 20 showed poor recovery. In addition, soaking the membranes wetted by Tween 20 in CTAB before washing and drying improved the hydrophobicity recovery.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Jianghao Chang, Haiqing Chang, Yuchuan Meng, Huaxin Zhao, Mengzhe Lu, Ying Liang, Zhongsen Yan, Heng Liang
Summary: This study evaluated membrane wetting caused by different surfactants in DCMD process and systematically assessed the recovery of membrane hydrophobicity through water washing and drying. The results showed variations in wetting rates and degrees induced by different surfactants, with good recovery of hydrophobicity for membranes wetted by SDS and CTAB after cleaning, while the recovery effect was not effective for membranes wetted by Tween 20.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Abolfazl Ansari, Fariba Malekpour Galogahi, David Thiel, Fernanda Helfer, Graeme Millar, Sofiane Soukane, Noreddine Ghaffour
Summary: This study introduces a new model for AGMD that considers both heat and mass transfer, and uses a precise logarithmic function of vapour pressure to model the water permeate flux. Evaluating the system under different operating conditions, it was found that increasing the Reynolds number improves the overall performance.
Article
Materials Science, Ceramics
Mohamed Farag Twibi, Mohd Hafiz Dzarfan Othman, Siti Khadijah Hubadillah, Saber Abdulhamid Alftessi, Mohd Ridhwan Bin Adam, Ahmad Fauzi Ismail, Mukhlis A. Rahman, Juhana Jaafar, Yusuf Olabode Raji, Mohd Haiqal Abd Aziz, Mohd Nazri Bin Mohd Sokri, Huda Abdullah, Rosmawati Naim
Summary: A low-cost hydrophobic mullite hollow fibre membrane was successfully fabricated and characterized in this study, showing excellent desalination performance and long-term stability under high salt concentration conditions.
JOURNAL OF THE EUROPEAN CERAMIC SOCIETY
(2021)
Article
Thermodynamics
Haoshan Ren, Zhenjun Ma, Antoni B. Chan, Yongjun Sun
Summary: This study proposes an optimal planning strategy for distributed rooftop PV systems in high-density cities. By using high-accuracy solar energy potentials and integer learning programming, the strategy effectively identifies suitable rooftops for PV installations, maximizing performance and cost-efficiency.
Article
Thermodynamics
Linfeng Liang, Haiguo Yin, Da Zhang, Yuekun Han, Yanyan Li, Jingying Zhang, Yongshou Zhang, Zhenjun Ma, Angui Li
Summary: This study investigates the intrusion of outdoor pollutants into sentry buildings and compares the isolation effects of internal circulation with double-attached ventilation (IC-DAV) and external circulation with double-attached ventilation (EC-DAV) modes with natural ventilation. Computational fluid dynamics simulations were used to analyze the transportation and distribution of pollutants under different wind directions, velocities, and ventilation modes. The results show that both IC-DAV and EC-DAV modes can effectively isolate outdoor pollutants, with EC-DAV mode demonstrating better performance.
BUILDING SIMULATION
(2023)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Muhammad Bilal Awan, Zhenjun Ma, Wenye Lin, A. K. Pandey, V. V. Tyagi
Summary: This paper presents a methodological approach using the weighted product method (WPM) and analytical hierarchy process (AHP) to rank and select phase change materials (PCMs) for thermal energy storage in building applications. Two case studies were conducted to test and evaluate the effectiveness of this approach, and the results demonstrated its validity.
JOURNAL OF ENERGY STORAGE
(2023)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Kirthi Chetty, Ulf Garbe, Zhiyang Wang, Shuxin Zhang, Timothy McCarthy, Faisal Hai, Guangming Jiang
Summary: This study developed an innovative bioconcrete by using waste-activated sludge as a source for non-axenic sulfate-reducing bacterial (SRB) granules. The bioconcrete showed satisfactory mechanical properties and self-healing performance, and could effectively precipitate calcium carbonate in different water media.
JOURNAL OF SUSTAINABLE CEMENT-BASED MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Thermodynamics
Zhihua Wang, Guichen Li, Yujia Zhang, Fenghao Wang, Xin Jiang, Zhenjun Ma
Summary: In this study, a novel biomimetic honeycomb fractal heat exchanger is proposed for high heat transfer efficiency and increased structural stability in gas coolers. The conjugate heat transfer between supercritical CO2 and water is investigated numerically. The results show that the heat transfer coefficients of CO2 vary significantly in different flow channels and locations, especially near the supercritical region. A new correlation for supercritical CO2 is developed based on thermophysical parameters, buoyancy, and hydraulic diameter.
THERMAL SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING PROGRESS
(2023)
Review
Engineering, Environmental
Michael J. Stapleton, Ashley J. Ansari, Faisal I. Hai
Summary: The adsorption of contaminants onto microplastics, including heavy metals, PFAS, PCBs, PAHs, PPCPs, and PBDs, has received significant attention. Understanding the factors influencing antibiotic sorption onto microplastics is crucial due to the potential role in antibiotic resistance. This review highlights the physico-chemical properties of polymers, antibiotic properties, and solution properties as key factors affecting antibiotic sorption onto microplastics.
Review
Energy & Fuels
Sudhir Kumar Pathak, V. V. Tyagi, K. Chopra, B. Kalidasan, A. K. Pandey, Varun Goel, Abhishek Saxena, Zhenjun Ma
Summary: Solar air heating is widely used for crop drying, building and space heating due to its maturity and economic viability. The fluctuating nature of solar energy and the lack of energy storage units have limited the performance of solar air heaters (SAHs). Phase change materials (PCMs) have been employed to store solar energy and enhance the effectiveness of SAHs during non-sunshine hours. This review article presents recent studies on the analysis of various SAH systems integrated with and without PCMs, focusing on energy, exergy, exergoeconomic, and envir-oeconomic aspects.
JOURNAL OF ENERGY STORAGE
(2023)
Article
Thermodynamics
Haoshan Ren, Yongjun Sun, Chung Fai Norman Tse, Cheng Fan
Summary: This study proposes an optimal packing and planning method for large-scale distributed rooftop photovoltaic systems in high-density cities. It decouples optimal packing and planning into two-step optimization, utilizing a genetic algorithm for packing and integer linear programming for planning. The method was verified using a Hong Kong case study and achieved a significant reduction in the levelized cost of electricity. The proposed method outperformed a rule-based planning method and can enhance cost-effectiveness and decarbonization in cities.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Michael J. Stapleton, Ashley J. Ansari, Aziz Ahmed, Faisal I. Hai
Summary: This study examines the changes in properties of different types of plastics after simulated environmental degradation and determines their suitability for upcycling or downcycling. It finds that PET and PP are unsuitable for upcycling due to color changes, while PLA has reduced tensile strength and significant chemical and surface changes. PC shows good upcycling potential due to its resistance to degradation.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Chuan Sun, Yuancheng Geng, Adam Glowacz, Maciej Sulowicz, Zhenjun Ma, Patrick Siarry, Munish Kumar Gupta, Z. Li
Summary: This study investigated the impact of a magnetic field on the heat transfer of Fe3O4 ferrofluid swirl flow. The results showed that applying the magnetic field at different locations improved the convective heat transfer coefficient and reduced the absorber tube temperature, but increased the pressure drop over the tube.
JOURNAL OF MAGNETISM AND MAGNETIC MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Michael J. Stapleton, Faisal I. Hai
Summary: Microplastics have become one of the most concerning contaminants, with significant attention being given to their potential toxicity risks. They affect physiological and biological processes in marine and terrestrial organisms and can act as vectors for other contaminants. Additionally, microplastics host antibiotic resistant bacteria and resistance genes, posing a risk to the health system. This paper aims to provide an overview of microplastic sources, their effects, and act as a reference for future research.
Article
Engineering, Multidisciplinary
Xinhua Liu, Peng Qi, Patrick Siarry, Dezheng Hua, Zhenjun Ma, Xiaoqiang Guo, Orest Kochan, Z. Li
Summary: This paper proposes an improved multiscale neural network method for face recognition in underground coal mining to address the issues of overstaffing and incomplete information. Experimental results show that the proposed method can accurately recognize miners in harsh environments.
ALEXANDRIA ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Xinlei Zhou, Han Du, Yongjun Sun, Haoshan Ren, Ping Cui, Zhenjun Ma
Summary: This study proposes a new framework that combines machine learning and a domain knowledge-based expert system to enhance building energy flexibility. The framework utilizes a rule-based expert system to optimize self-consumption of solar PV power, while employing a reinforcement learning agent to optimize grid power import for battery charging and decision-making for battery discharging. Additionally, a Classification and Regression Tree model is developed to analyze the relationships between building energy flexibility and external variables. This framework integrates the benefits of safety and simplicity from the expert system and the exploration and optimization capabilities of RL for building energy management. Overall, this study obtains a score of 9 out of 10 for its significance.
JOURNAL OF BUILDING ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Yujia Zhang, Zhihua Wang, Pengfei Zhang, Xin Jiang, Fenghao Wang, Chao Huan, Zhenjun Ma
Summary: This paper investigates the exergy analysis of a transcritical CO2 air-source heat pump system with a novel honeycomb gas cooler. By establishing the exergy model of each component in the heat pump system and analyzing the irreversible losses, the energy utilization of the system is evaluated. The results show that there is significant room for improvement in the system's energy efficiency, with the compressor, throttle valve, and evaporator being the main contributors to irreversible losses.
Article
Thermodynamics
Hai Zhao, Puzhen Gao, Xiaochang Li, Ruifeng Tian, Hongyang Wei, Sichao Tan
Summary: This study numerically investigates the interaction between flow-induced vibration and forced convection heat transfer in a tube bundle. The results show that the impact of flow-induced vibration on heat transfer varies in different flow velocity regions.
APPLIED THERMAL ENGINEERING
(2024)
Article
Thermodynamics
Rohit Chintala, Jon Winkler, Sugirdhalakshmi Ramaraj, Xin Jin
Summary: The current state of fault detection and diagnosis for residential air-conditioning systems is expensive and not suitable for widespread implementation. This paper proposes a cost-effective solution by introducing an automated fault detection algorithm as a screening step before more expensive tests can be conducted. The algorithm uses home thermostats and local weather information to identify thermodynamic parameters and detect high-impact air-conditioning faults.
APPLIED THERMAL ENGINEERING
(2024)
Article
Thermodynamics
A. Azimi, N. Basiri, M. Eslami
Summary: This paper presents a novel optimization algorithm for improving the water-film cooling system of photovoltaic panels, resulting in a significant increase in net energy generation.
APPLIED THERMAL ENGINEERING
(2024)
Article
Thermodynamics
Duc-Thuan Phung, Chin-Hsiang Cheng
Summary: In this study, a novel CFDMD model is used to analyze and investigate the behavior of thermal-lag engines (TLE). The study shows that the CFDMD model effectively captures the thermodynamic behavior of the working gas and the dynamic behavior of the engine mechanism. Additionally, the study explores the temporal evolution of engine speed and the influence of various parameters on shaft power and brake thermal efficiency. The research also reveals the existence of a thermal-lag phenomenon in TLE.
APPLIED THERMAL ENGINEERING
(2024)
Article
Thermodynamics
Haiying Yang, Yinjie Shen, Lin Li, Yichen Pan, Ping Yang
Summary: The purpose of this article is to find a measure to improve the interfacial thermal transfer of graphene/silicon heterojunction. Through molecular dynamics simulation, it is found that surface modification can significantly reduce the thermal resistance, thereby improving the thermal conductivity of the graphene/silicon interface.
APPLIED THERMAL ENGINEERING
(2024)
Article
Thermodynamics
Qiong Wu, Yancheng Wang, Haonan Zhou, Xingye Qiu, Deqing Mei
Summary: This article introduces a visible methanol steam reforming microreactor, which uses an optical crystal as an observation window and measures the reaction temperature in real-time using infrared thermography. The results show that under lower oxygen to carbon ratio conditions, the microreactor has a higher heating rate and a stable gradient in temperature distribution.
APPLIED THERMAL ENGINEERING
(2024)
Review
Thermodynamics
Giulia Manco, Umberto Tesio, Elisa Guelpa, Vittorio Verda
Summary: In the past decade, there has been a growing interest in studying energy systems for the combined management of power vectors. Most of the published works focus on finding the optimal design and operations of Multi Energy Systems (MES). However, for newcomers to this field, understanding how to achieve the desired optimization details while controlling computational expenses can be challenging and time-consuming. This paper presents a novel approach to analyzing the existing literature on MES, with the aim of guiding practical development of MES optimization. Through the discussion of six case studies, the authors provide a mathematical formulation as a reference for building the model and emphasize the impact of different aspects on the problem nature and solver selection. In addition, the paper also discusses the different approaches used in the literature for incorporating thermal networks and storage in the optimization of multi-energy systems.
APPLIED THERMAL ENGINEERING
(2024)
Article
Thermodynamics
Xuepeng Yuan, Caiman Yan, Yunxian Huang, Yong Tang, Shiwei Zhang, Gong Chen
Summary: In this study, a multi-scale microgroove wick (MSMGW) was developed by laser irradiation, which demonstrated superior capillary performance. The surface morphology and performance of the wick were affected by laser scan pitch, laser power, repetition frequency, and scanning speed. The MSMGW showed optimal capillary performance in alumina material and DI water as the working fluid.
APPLIED THERMAL ENGINEERING
(2024)
Article
Thermodynamics
Maofei Mei, Feng Hu, Chong Han
Summary: This paper proposes an effective local search method based on detection of droplet boundaries for understanding the dynamic process of droplet growth during dropwise condensation. The method is validated by comparing with experimental data. The present simulation provides an effective approach to more accurately predict the nucleation site density in future studies.
APPLIED THERMAL ENGINEERING
(2024)
Article
Thermodynamics
Rahul Kumar Sharma, Ashish Kumar, Dibakar Rakshit
Summary: The study explores the use of phase change materials (PCM) as a retrofit with Heating Ventilation and Air-conditioning systems (HVAC) to reduce energy consumption and improve air quality. By incorporating PCM with specific thickness and fin configurations, significant energy savings can be achieved in comparison to standard HVAC systems utilizing R134a. This research provides policymakers with energy-efficient and sustainable solutions for HVAC systems to combat climate change.
APPLIED THERMAL ENGINEERING
(2024)
Article
Thermodynamics
Zhenhua Ren, Xiangjin Meng, Xingang Qi, Hui Jin, Yunan Chen, Bin Chen, Liejin Guo
Summary: This paper investigates the heat transfer mechanism and factors influencing thermal radiation in the process of supercritical water gasification (SCWG) of coal, and proposes a comprehensive numerical model to simulate the process. Experimental validation results show that thermal radiation accounts for a significant proportion of the total heat exchange in the reactor and a large amount of radiant energy exists in the important spectral range of supercritical water. Enhancing radiative heat transfer can effectively increase the temperature of the reaction medium and the gasification rate.
APPLIED THERMAL ENGINEERING
(2024)
Article
Thermodynamics
Mauro Abela, Mauro Mameli, Sauro Filippeschi, Brent S. Taft
Summary: Pulsating Heat Pipes (PHP) are passive two-phase heat transfer devices with a simple structure and high heat transfer capabilities. The actual unpredictability of their dynamic behavior during startup and thermal crisis hinders their large-scale application. An experimental apparatus is designed to investigate these phenomena systematically. The results show that increasing the number of evaporator sections and condenser temperature improves the performance of PHP. The condenser temperature also affects the initial liquid phase distribution and startup time.
APPLIED THERMAL ENGINEERING
(2024)
Article
Thermodynamics
Ke Gan, Ruilian Li, Yi Zheng, Hui Xu, Ying Gao, Jiajie Qian, Ziming Wei, Bin Kong, Hong Zhang
Summary: A 3-dimensional enhanced heat pipe radiator has been developed to improve heat dissipation and temperature uniformity in cooling high-power electronic components. Experimental results show that the radiator has superior heat transfer performance compared to a conventional aluminum fin radiator under different heating powers and wind speed conditions.
APPLIED THERMAL ENGINEERING
(2024)
Article
Thermodynamics
Xinyi Zhang, Shuzhong Wang, Daihui Jiang, Zhiqiang Wu
Summary: This study focuses on recovering waste heat from blast furnace slag using dry centrifugal pelletizing technology. A comprehensive two-dimensional model was developed to analyze heat transfer dynamics and investigate factors influencing heat exchange efficiency. The findings have important implications for optimizing waste heat recovery and ensuring safe operations.
APPLIED THERMAL ENGINEERING
(2024)
Article
Thermodynamics
Xincheng Wu, An Zou, Qiang Zhang, Zhaoguang Wang
Summary: The boosting heat generation rate of high-performance processors is challenging traditional cooling techniques. This study proposes a combined design of active jet intermittency and passive surface modification to enhance heat transfer.
APPLIED THERMAL ENGINEERING
(2024)
