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)
Review
Energy & Fuels
Sara Pascual, Pilar Lisbona, Luis M. Romeo
Summary: Thermal energy storage (TES) is an effective solution to enhance the dispatchability of concentrating solar power (CSP) plants. The use of novel TES materials can reduce costs and improve the thermal performance of associated power blocks. This review provides an overview of CSP technologies, TES technologies, and TES-CSP configurations in currently operational facilities, as well as the research and development projects conducted in Europe and North America over the past decade. The review presents data on project details, including TES-CSP configurations, technologies applied, storage capacity, power block information, and levelized cost of electricity (LCOE), as well as project location, research period, project leader, and budget information.
Review
Energy & Fuels
Khadija El Alami, Mohamed Asbik, Reda Boualou, Fatima-zahra Ouchani, Hassan Agalit, El Ghali Bennouna, Samir Rachidi
Summary: This study provides a global overview of natural Moroccan rocks as thermal storage materials, and compares and evaluates three types of rocks to select the most potential ones. Empirical correlations of thermal properties such as heat capacity, volumetric thermal capacity, and thermal conductivity were established based on existing experimental results. Additionally, new natural Moroccan rocks were identified.
JOURNAL OF ENERGY STORAGE
(2022)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Cristina Prieto, Luisa F. Cabeza
Summary: The new PCM concept can lower the levelized costs of storage, but further cost reductions are possible through enhancements in thermal conductivity, encapsulation of PCM, or material modification for better thermal properties. While the baseline shell and tube PCM system offers cost savings, a 1.8% reduction in LCOE may not justify the risk of further development. Instead, the shell and tube system should serve as a starting point for more appropriate technologies. The variants studied could potentially result in cost reductions in CPQ as high as 80% and in LCOE as high as 10%, representing a unique and valuable avenue for reducing CSP plant costs.
JOURNAL OF ENERGY STORAGE
(2021)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Marc Majo, Alejandro Calderon, Rebeca Salgado-Pizarro, Adela Svodobova-Sedlackova, Camila Barreneche, Josep Maria Chimenos, Ana Ines Fernandez
Summary: This study evaluates the potential of utilizing solid waste in concentrated solar power technology. The results show that electric arc furnace black slag is the most suitable candidate as a thermal energy storage medium and heat transfer fluid.
Article
Thermodynamics
F. G. Battisti, L. A. de Araujo Passos, A. K. da Silva
Summary: This study investigates the performance of a packed-bed thermal energy storage (TES) system using supercritical carbon dioxide (s-CO2) through a 1-D computational porous medium-based model and thermal-hydraulic analysis. The results suggest design trends and optimization possibilities for s-CO2-based systems, showing that system efficiency can be improved by adjusting operational and dimensional parameters.
APPLIED THERMAL ENGINEERING
(2021)
Review
Energy & Fuels
Tawfiq Chekifi, Moustafa Boukraa
Summary: This research aims to provide additional knowledge for the development of thermal storage technology. In concentrating solar power plants, maintaining the sustainability of electrical energy production during the absence of solar power is crucial for economic competitiveness. Thermocline is considered a favorable solution for achieving cost reduction in thermal power storage system. Understanding the behavior of such a system is essential for improving its performance.
JOURNAL OF ENERGY STORAGE
(2022)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Cristina Prieto, Anton Lopez-Roman, Luisa F. Cabeza
Summary: Commercial CSP plants use solar salt as thermal storage media, but its decomposition at high temperatures can be problematic. This paper investigates the use of different cover gases (dry air and oxygen) on the decomposition of solar salt. Results show that oxygen slows down the thermal decomposition of solar salt, reducing the formation of NOx and nitrites compared to dry air.
JOURNAL OF ENERGY STORAGE
(2023)
Article
Thermodynamics
Inigo Ortega-Fernandez, Ana Belen Hernandez, Yang Wang, Daniel Bielsa
Summary: This study investigates the use of a packed bed thermal energy storage system for small-scale concentrated solar power plants, aiming to improve dispatchability and cost-effectiveness. The system utilizes Magnetite ore as heat storage media and Delcoterm Solar E15 thermal oil as heat transfer fluid, demonstrating potential in thermal performance and affordability.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Imane Khamlich, Kuo Zeng, Gilles Flamant, Jan Baeyens, Chongzhe Zou, Jun Li, Xinyi Yang, Xiao He, Qingchuan Liu, Haiping Yang, Qing Yang, Hanping Chen
Summary: A techno-economic assessment of a 100 MWe concentrated solar power (CSP) plant with 8 h thermal energy storage (TES) capacity showed that single-tank thermocline heat storage was the most profitable option, while indirect SHS and thermochemical heat storage were unprofitable investments.
RENEWABLE & SUSTAINABLE ENERGY REVIEWS
(2021)
Article
Energy & Fuels
L. G. Redelinghuys, C. McGregor
Summary: This study examines the application of a Carnot battery in a conventional parabolic trough concentrating solar power plant. The results show that under certain conditions, imported renewable energy is stored at the expense of solar thermal energy, leading to unnecessary overcharging of the storage. The study also finds that smaller-sized parabolic trough solar fields can reduce and delay solar thermal curtailment caused by heater integration.
JOURNAL OF ENERGY STORAGE
(2023)
Review
Engineering, Multidisciplinary
Wenjin Ding, Thomas Bauer
Summary: Concentrated solar power plants with thermal energy storage systems are emerging as a promising option for future renewable energy systems. The next generation CSP technology aims to reduce electricity costs and improve performance by utilizing higher process temperatures and greater energy efficiency.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Qing Gong, Hao Shi, Yan Chai, Rui Yu, Alfons Weisenburger, Dihua Wang, Alexander Bonk, Thomas Bauer, Wenjin Ding
Summary: This study investigates the high-temperature corrosion in molten MgCl2-KCl-NaCl salt and finds that using affordable Fe-based alloys as structural materials can effectively control the corrosion rate below the target value. This research has significant implications for cost reduction in chloride-TES and increasing energy conversion efficiency in CSP systems.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Gemma Gasa, Cristina Prieto, Anton Lopez-Roman, Luisa F. Cabeza
Summary: This study compares the environmental impacts of tower solar thermal plants with different storage capacities and finds that increasing the storage capacity reduces the environmental impacts, but the reduction becomes smaller when the storage capacity reaches a certain level. The plant with a 9-hour storage capacity is the most environmentally efficient among the four plants analyzed.
JOURNAL OF ENERGY STORAGE
(2022)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Mattia Cagnoli, Walter Gaggioli, Raffaele Liberatore, Valeria Russo, Roberto Zanino
Summary: Thermocline thermal energy storage is a potential alternative to the two-tank solution, and a single-medium indirect thermocline technology was recently developed by ENEA. A detailed Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model was developed to simulate the charge and discharge transients of the prototype, and was validated against experimental data. The model was then used to assess the effect of the diameter of the internal vertical channel on the thermal performance of the storage system.
Article
Polymer Science
Luigi Calabrese, Leonor Hernandez, Rosa Mondragon, Luisa F. Cabeza
Summary: A macroporous silicone foam containing magnesium sulfate was used for a reversible hydration/dehydration process of the salt hydrate. The study focused on the relationship between microstructure, permeability, and mass diffusion of the composite foam, which is crucial for its industrial development. The results showed that the filler content influenced the foam morphology, with 50 wt% of salt hydrates leading to a highly interconnected microstructure and increased permeability suitable for thermochemical energy storage applications.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED POLYMER SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Josep Anton Farre, Noelia Llantoy, Marta Chafer, German Gomez, Luisa F. Cabeza
Summary: As the demand for a more sustainable environment increases, the study of waste management strategies worldwide is also on the rise. This study compares different waste collection systems in an airport and finds that a pneumatic collection system with the innovative AutoWaste compact central unit can reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Luisa F. Cabeza, David Verez, Gabriel Zsembinszki, Emiliano Borri, Cristina Prieto
Summary: Thermal energy storage (TES) plays a significant role in addressing the energy supply-demand mismatch, especially when combined with concentrating solar power (CSP) plants to increase the utilization of renewable energy. This paper critically analyzes the current and most promising concrete energy storage technologies, identifies five challenges to be overcome, and proposes a new modular design of concrete-based TES. A preliminary feasibility study of the proposed system using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) techniques shows promising results.
Review
Energy & Fuels
Emiliano Borri, Nan Hua, Adriano Sciacovelli, Dawei Wu, Yulong Ding, Yongliang Li, Vincenza Brancato, Yannan Zhang, Andrea Frazzica, Wenguang Li, Zhibin Yu, Yanio E. Milian, Svetlana Ushak, Mario Grageda, Luisa F. Cabeza
Summary: Phase change slurries (PCSs) have great potential as both a heat transfer fluid and an energy storage medium for cooling applications. This paper presents a bibliometric analysis and systematic review to showcase the state-of-the-art development of PCSs, and identifies research gaps and hotspots in this field.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Cristina Prieto, Javier Ruiz-Cabanas, Virginia Madina, A. Ines Fernandez, Luisa F. Cabeza
Summary: This manuscript discusses the challenge of cost-reduction in thermal energy storage system in concentrating solar power (CSP), and evaluates the performance of tank materials in contact with molten salts in a demo plant. The study reveals the corrosion phenomena in the tank materials caused by the introduction of CO2 in the tanks during the preheating process.
SOLAR ENERGY MATERIALS AND SOLAR CELLS
(2022)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Josep Anton Farre, Carles Mateu, Merce Teixido, Luisa F. Cabeza
Summary: This study evaluates the scientific literature on automated vacuum waste collection systems through a bibliometric analysis. It finds a scarcity of scientific literature but several patents on the topic. The literature mainly focuses on energy use, gas emissions, and cost-benefit analysis. The study also presents the market status and environmental studies summary, identifies active companies, and provides a complete list of automated vacuum waste collection systems. Most of the environmental-related literature uses life cycle assessment methodology to evaluate different case studies.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(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
Engineering, Biomedical
Mohammad Ahmad, Xavier Pelorson, Oriol Guasch, Ana Ines Fernandez, Annemie Van Hirtum
Summary: This study characterizes the stress-strain behavior of multi-layer silicone composites and shows that cubic polynomial and exponential two-parameter relationships can accurately fit the measured stress-strain data. These parameters can be modeled as a constant or a linear function of the effective low-strain Young's modulus. The accurate stress-strain predictions obtained from this characterization are useful for the design of composites with different composition and stacking.
JOURNAL OF THE MECHANICAL BEHAVIOR OF BIOMEDICAL MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Omais Abdur Rehman, Valeria Palomba, Andrea Frazzica, Antonios Charalampidis, Sotirios Karellas, Luisa F. Cabeza
Summary: To reduce dependence on fossil fuels in residential areas, low-carbon-footprint technologies like heat pumps should be used. This study utilizes a low-global-warming-potential refrigerant in a reversible heat pump system, which is supported by a thermal storage tank, photovoltaic installation, and battery storage system with a dedicated control strategy. The performance of the reversible heat pump in three European climates is analyzed through simulations, demonstrating its ability to meet summer cooling demand and heating demand with backup sources. Economic analysis shows that the inclusion of a battery storage system increases overall flexibility and self-sufficiency, although it results in longer payback times compared to reference energy systems.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Josep M. Morera, Emiliano Borri, Gabriel Zsembinszki, David Verez, Gemma Gasa, Esther Bartoli, Luisa F. Cabeza
Summary: This study examines the sustainability of a tannery in Catalonia, Spain. Various measures to increase energy efficiency and reduce energy consumption were proposed and analyzed. A cost analysis was conducted, showing that the tannery could achieve significant energy savings with investments ranging from EUR 1 to 2.5 M, with payback periods ranging from 2 to 7 years.
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Rabeb Ayed, Salwa Bouadila, Safa Skouri, Laura Boquera, Luisa F. Cabeza, Mariem Lazaar
Summary: By enhancing the thermal properties of cement-based building materials with textile fibers, energy consumption and CO2 emissions related to space conditioning in buildings can be reduced. This study produced lightweight coating mortars by partially replacing sand with textile waste and characterized the mechanical and thermal properties of the reinforced cementitious composites. The results showed that the thermal conductivity decreased with increasing proportion of reinforcing material. The application of these thermally improved mortars as coating mortars appears to be a relevant solution to enhance the thermal performance of buildings.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Cristina Prieto, Anton Lopez-Roman, Guillermo Garcia-Rivero, Esther Bartoli, Luisa F. Cabeza
Summary: Solar concentration technology is dispatchable with the use of thermal energy storage systems, such as the indirect storage systems based on molten salts used in commercial parabolic trough power plants. This study examines the compatibility between thermal oil and salts, considering cross-contamination in the equipment. The results show that while the thermal oil undergoes complete thermal-oxidative degradation, it does not significantly affect the composition of the salts.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Ricard Garrido, Luisa F. Cabeza, Victor Falguera
Summary: Due to environmental and political concerns, the industrial focus has shifted towards renewable raw materials. This study assessed the economic feasibility of producing lactic acid from cow manure. The results showed that the manufacturing of lactic acid from lignocellulosic biomass is economically viable. The sensitivity analysis revealed that yield has the greatest impact on net present value.
FERMENTATION-BASEL
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Cameron Bracken, Nathalie Voisin, Casey D. Burleyson, Allison M. Campbell, Z. Jason Hou, Daniel Broman
Summary: This study presents a methodology and dataset for examining compound wind and solar energy droughts, as well as the first standardized benchmark of energy droughts across the Continental United States (CONUS) for a 2020 infrastructure. The results show that compound wind and solar droughts have distinct spatial and temporal patterns across the CONUS, and the characteristics of energy droughts are regional. The study also finds that compound high load events occur more often during compound wind and solar droughts than expected.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Ning Zhang, Yanghao Yu, Jiawei Wu, Ershun Du, Shuming Zhang, Jinyu Xiao
Summary: This paper provides insights into the optimal configuration of CSP plants with different penetrations of wind power by proposing an unconstrained optimization model. The results suggest that large solar multiples and TES are preferred in order to maximize profit, especially when combined with high penetrations of wind and photovoltaic plants. Additionally, the study demonstrates the economy and feasibility of installing electric heaters (EH) in CSP plants, which show a linear correlation with the penetration of variable energy resources.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
M. Szubel, K. Papis-Fraczek, S. Podlasek
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
J. Silva, J. C. Goncalves, C. Rocha, J. Vilaca, L. M. Madeira
Summary: This study investigated the methanation of CO2 in biogas and compared two different methanation reactors. The results showed that the cooled reactor without CO2 separation achieved a CO2 conversion rate of 91.8%, while the adiabatic reactors achieved conversion rates of 59.6% and 67.2%, resulting in an overall conversion rate of 93.0%. Economic analysis revealed negative net present worth values, indicating the need for government monetary incentives.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Yang Liu, Yonglan Xi, Xiaomei Ye, Yingpeng Zhang, Chengcheng Wang, Zhaoyan Jia, Chunhui Cao, Ting Han, Jing Du, Xiangping Kong, Zhongbing Chen
Summary: This study investigated the effect of using nanofiber membrane composites containing Prussian blue-like compound nanoparticles (PNPs) to relieve ammonia nitrogen inhibition of rural organic household waste during high-solid anaerobic digestion and increase methane production. The results showed that adding NMCs with 15% PNPs can lower the concentrations of volatile fatty acids and ammonia nitrogen, and increase methane yield.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Zhong Ge, Xiaodong Wang, Jian Li, Jian Xu, Jianbin Xie, Zhiyong Xie, Ruiqu Ma
Summary: This study evaluates the thermodynamic, exergy, and economic performance of a double-stage organic flash cycle (DOFC) using ten eco-friendly hydrofluoroolefins. The influences of key parameters on performance are analyzed, and the advantages of DOFC over single-stage type are quantified.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Nicolas Kirchner-Bossi, Fernando Porte-Agel
Summary: This study investigates the optimization of power density in wind farms and its sensitivity to the available area size. A novel genetic algorithm (PDGA) is introduced to optimize power density and turbine layout. The results show that the PDGA-driven solutions significantly reduce the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) compared to the default layout, and exhibit a convex relationship between area and LCOE or power density.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Chunxiao Zhang, Dongdong Li, Lin Wang, Qingpo Yang, Yutao Guo, Wei Zhang, Chao Shen, Jihong Pu
Summary: In this study, a novel reversible liquid-filled energy-saving window that effectively regulates indoor solar radiation heat gain is proposed. Experimental results show that this window can effectively reduce indoor temperature during both summer and winter seasons, while having minimal impact on indoor illuminance.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Alessandro L. Aguiar, Martinho Marta-Almeida, Mauro Cirano, Janini Pereira, Leticia Cotrim da Cunha
Summary: This study analyzed the Brazilian Equatorial Shelf using a high-resolution ocean model and found significant tidal variations in the area. Several hypothetical barrages were proposed with higher annual power generation than existing barrages. The study also evaluated the installation effort of these barrages.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Francesco Superchi, Nathan Giovannini, Antonis Moustakis, George Pechlivanoglou, Alessandro Bianchini
Summary: This study focuses on the optimization of a hybrid power station on the Tilos island in Greece, aiming to increase energy export and revenue by optimizing energy fluxes. Different scenarios are proposed to examine the impact of different agreements with the grid operator on the optimal solution.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Peimaneh Shirazi, Amirmohammad Behzadi, Pouria Ahmadi, Sasan Sadrizadeh
Summary: This research presents two novel energy production/storage/usage systems to reduce energy consumption and environmental effects in buildings. A biomass-fired model and a solar-driven system integrated with photovoltaic thermal (PVT) panels and a heat pump were designed and assessed. The results indicate that the solar-based system has an acceptable energy cost and the PVT-based system with a heat pump is environmentally superior. The biomass-fired system shows excellent efficiency.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Zihao Qi, Yingling Cai, Yunxiang Cui
Summary: This study aims to investigate the operational characteristics of the solar-ground source heat pump system (SGSHPS) in Shanghai under different operation modes. It concludes that tandem operation mode 1 is the optimal mode for winter operation in terms of energy efficiency.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
L. Bartolucci, S. Cordiner, A. Di Carlo, A. Gallifuoco, P. Mele, V. Mulone
Summary: Spent coffee grounds are a valuable biogenic waste that can be used as a source of biofuels and valuable chemicals through pyrolysis and solvent extraction processes. The study found that heavy organic bio-oil derived from coffee grounds can be used as a carbon-rich biofuel, while solvent extraction can extract xantines and p-benzoquinone, which are important chemicals for various industries. The results highlight the promising potential of solvent extraction in improving the economic viability of coffee grounds pyrolysis-based biorefineries.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Luiza de Queiroz Correa, Diego Bagnis, Pedro Rabelo Melo Franco, Esly Ferreira da Costa Junior, Andrea Oliveira Souza da Costa
Summary: Building-integrated photovoltaics, especially organic solar technology, are important for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the building sector. This study analyzed the performance of organic panels laminated in glass in a vertical installation in Latin America. Results showed that glass lamination and vertical orientation preserved the panels' performance and led to higher energy generation in winter.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Zhipei Hu, Shuo Jiang, Zhigao Sun, Jun Li
Summary: This study proposes innovative fin arrangements to enhance the thermal performance of latent heat storage units. Through optimization of fin distribution and prediction of transient melting behaviors, it is found that fin structures significantly influence heat transfer characteristics and melting behaviors.
