Energy Conversion Coefficient Research Articles

Energy efficiency of hydrogen production during dark fermentation

It is widely known that most of the world's energy is produced from non-renewable energy sources such as crude oil and coal. Hydrogen is an ideal fuel candidate with a high energy content and clean combustion product. Biohydrogen is an environmentally friendly, renewable biofuel with high energy density, making it a viable alternative to fossil fuels in the future. At the same time, despite the large number of articles on the intensification of both dark fermentation and anaerobic bioconversion in general, the operating costs of the proposed intensification methods are not well covered in the literature. The goal of the work was to estimate the conversion coefficient of thermal and electrical energy spent on the functioning of the process of dark fermentation of various organic wastes into the energy of produced hydrogen. A block diagram of the energy flows of the dark fermentation system and the structure of the energy consumption of the system were developed. The obtained literature and experimental data suggest that the conversion coefficient of energy into biohydrogen in the process of dark fermentation is less than 1, so to obtain 1 kWh of hydrogen it is necessary to expend more than 1 kWh of energy. At the same time, the use of a vortex layer apparatus for dark fermentation of the food waste model made it possible to increase the energy output of the process by more than 7 times, thereby bringing the values of the conversion coefficients of thermal and electrical energy closer to 1. Despite the fact that the energy efficiency of most known methods for producing hydrogen is higher than the energy efficiency of dark fermentation, it is worth noting that the raw material for producing hydrogen in the dark fermentation process is organic waste, and not high-energy fuel (natural gas, methane, coal) or water in the case of electrolysis. In addition, the use of a vortex layer apparatus for pre-treatment of the dark fermentation substrate made it possible to achieve electricity conversion coefficient values 40% higher than with water electrolysis.

Microstructuring of fused silica by laser-induced microplasma using a pyrographite target for phase optical elements fabrication

In this paper, we purpose to use laser-induced microplasma occurred from a pyrographite target by laser ablation for microstruturing of fused silica plate to fabricate phase optical elements. Laser parameters for erosive plasma torch formation and subsequent etching of fused silica were determined based on preliminary experimental studies and estimated energy calculations. The influence of the overlap coefficients in the focal spot on the reproducibility of etching depths results and the deviation accuracy of etching depths with the found laser parameters was experimentally studied. The best results in terms of accuracy (no more than 0.1 μm) in deviations of etching depths are achieved with the overlap coefficient of 0.5. Moreover, the paper presents estimated calculations of the speed and efficiency of ablation, as well as the coefficient of energy conversion from laser radiation to the ablation energy of fused silica, which was ∼ 0.25. Based on achieved results an attempt was made to fabricate the 6-sector SPP for the wavelength of 355 nm.

Coupled magneto-mechanical response of laminate composites comprising a layer of Ni-Mn-Ga microparticles

Ni-Mn-Ga ferromagnetic shape memory alloys (FSMAs), exhibiting a giant magnetic field induced strain (MFIS), high work output and fast response, are highly promising materials for emerging technologies to be used in automotive, aerospace, and robotics industries, among others. Their magnetic-to-mechanical energy conversion ability is characterized by the coupled magneto-mechanical response they show when magnetic field and mechanical stress are simultaneously applied. In the present work we elaborated a series of laminated composites comprising a layered ensemble of single crystalline Ni-Mn-Ga microparticles built-in between Cu foils via small layers of silicone rubber. Such a simple and robust design enabled an in-depth study of the simultaneous influence of the magnetic field and compressive opposing stress on MFIS and the generated force of the particle layer driving out-of-plane magnetomechanical response of the laminate. Self-consistent parameters characterizing a magnetic field- and stress-induced martensitic variant reorientation in the particles were disclosed by the measurements and comprehensive analysis of both the magnetization curves under opposing constant stresses (complemented by tracking residual strains with X-ray µ-CT imaging) and compressive stress-strain dependences under transversal magnetic field. In particular, an accurate value of the magnetic-to-mechanical energy conversion coefficient, equal to Cme = (2.3 ± 0.13) MPa/T2, and the value of maximum magnetostress of about 2.3 MPa generated by microparticles were determined, in a good agreement with bulk Ni-Mn-Ga single crystals (SC). In contrast to bulk SC, particles are technologically and costly more efficient. They have much higher degree of freedom in terms of composites design allowing the development of advanced miniature actuators and sensors.

Investigation of γ-photon sources using near-critical density targets towards the optimization of the linear Breit–Wheeler process

In this paper we analyze the production of high energy synchrotron gamma photons in laser-plasma interaction for a laser intensity in 1022– 5⋅1023Wcm−2 and a near-critical density target using two dimensional particle-in-cell simulations. In the optimum configuration to maximize the conversion efficiency of the laser energy to γ-photons, we studied the production of electron–positron pairs by the linear Breit–Wheeler process in the collision of two identical γ-photon beams using a dedicated photon-photon collision simulation code. A maximum laser energy conversion coefficient of 33% in high energy photons was obtained and a photon beam intensity, with energies above 1MeV , of 2⋅1020Wcm−2 at 150μm distance from the initial position of the target (for the highest laser intensity considered). We show that the optimum case to detect the linear Breit–Wheeler pairs corresponds to a laser intensity of 1023Wcm−2 . Our results can be used for the preparation of experimental campaigns for the detection of linear Breit–Wheeler pairs at the Apollon and ELI laser facilities.

Enhanced piezoelectric properties in low-temperature sintered Pb(Zr,Ti)O3-based ceramics via Yb2O3 doping

Pb(Mg[Formula: see text]W[Formula: see text])O3–Pb(Ni[Formula: see text]Nb[Formula: see text])O3–Pb(Zr[Formula: see text]Ti[Formula: see text])O3 (PNN–PMW–PZT) piezoceramics were sintered at a low temperature of 900∘C by the mixed metal oxide powder solid-state reaction route. CaCO3 and Li2CO3 as sintering aids and Yb2O3 as a dopant were added into the PNN–PMW–PZT ceramic system for low-temperature sintering and enhancement of electrical properties, respectively. The effects of different Yb2O3 doping amounts on the microstructure, dielectric, piezoelectric and ferroelectric properties of the samples were systematically investigated. The piezoceramics doped with 0.1[Formula: see text]mol% Yb2O3 have optimal electrical properties ([Formula: see text][Formula: see text]pC/N, [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] (1[Formula: see text]kHz), [Formula: see text] (1[Formula: see text]kHz), and [Formula: see text]C). While the piezoceramics doped with 0.3[Formula: see text]mol% Yb2O3 have optimal energy conversion properties: the piezoelectric voltage coefficient [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]Vm/N and the effective piezoelectric energy conversion coefficient [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]m2/N.

Efficient Acceleration of Electrons by Moderate-Power Femtosecond Laser Pulses

The relativistic self-trapping of a laser pulse is an efficient mechanism for the acceleration of electrons, which allows one to achieve an extreme charge of a high-energy particle beam and the corresponding conversion coefficient of laser energy. It has been shown that the compression of the femtosecond laser pulse in this regime using the innovative compression after compressor approach (CafCA) [E.A. Khazanov, S.Yu. Mironov, and G. Mourou, Phys. Usp. 62, 1096 (2019)] to extremely short durations keeping the energy of the laser beam significantly increases the efficiency of particle acceleration. This effect has been illustrated on the example of the Multitera laser facility for the project implemented at the Russian National Center for Physics and Mathematics.

Optimizing sustainable biomass–coal co-firing power plant location problem under ambiguous supply

Promoting biomass–coal co-firing power generation technology in existing coal-fired power plants is a practical and relatively low-cost short-run choice for the coal-fired power industry to reduce carbon emissions and develop sustainably. However, the uncertainty of biomass supply complicates the location of co-firing power plants among existing coal-fired plants. To address the challenge that only limited historical data of uncertain supply are available, this paper proposes a new ambiguity distribution set to characterize the uncertain supply capacity, supply price, and supply quality (i.e., energy conversion coefficient). Accordingly, a novel bi-objective distributionally robust fuzzy optimization model is developed for the sustainable co-firing power plant location (SCPPL) problem to balance conflicting objectives of minimizing total cost and maximizing carbon emission reduction. Subsequently, the computationally tractable counterpart of the proposed model is derived against the worst-case distribution by reformulating the distributionally robust credibility objective and constraints as their solvable equivalent forms. Furthermore, the Pareto optimal solutions of the proposed bi-objective model are generated using the augmented ϵ-constraint method. Finally, a realistic case study of Heilongjiang Province in China is conducted to verify the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed optimization method. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed model can hedge against the distributional ambiguity of uncertain parameters and provides a robust co-firing power plant location strategy. By comparison with the nominal distribution model and analysis of the sensitivity of selected parameters, management insights are summarized for decision-makers.

On-Chip Optical Waveguide Visible-Light Power Detector Based on Photothermal Effect of PPy/SU-8 Photopolymer

In this work, an all-optical on-chip polymer waveguide visible-light power detector is proposed based on photothermal effect of polypyrrole (PPy) nanoparticles. PPy/SU-8 waveguide material is prepared and the strong optical absorption of the photopolymer in the visible-light region is beneficial for efficient photothermal energy conversion. The photothermal characteristics of PPy/SU-8 are analyzed, and through selective absorption specificity of the PPy/SU-8 photopolymer in Vis-NIR region, the performances of the multimode interference (MMI) waveguide device by thermo-optic (TO) tuning are simulated. The photothermal energy conversion coefficient of the PPy/SU-8 waveguide is obtained as 2.5 K/mW. The actual sensitivity of the on-chip light power detector is measured as 2.3 nm/mW. This technique could be used to achieve ultra-compact on-chip all-optical detectors in future.

Сравнительная оценка энергетической и экономической эффективности парокомпрессионных тепловых насосов при модернизации крупного химического и нефтеперерабатывающего производства. Часть 1

The question of the feasibility of increasing the energy efficiency of large chemical and oil refining industries by replacing furnace heaters of process heat carriers and raw materials with vapor compression heat pumps is considered. An analysis of the relationship between the technical configuration of vaporcompression heat pumps, the operating parameters of their operation (determining the value of the energy conversion coefficient) and the ratio of the cost of various energy carriers is carried out. The presented results of a comparative analysis of the energy efficiency of various options for replacing a furnace with a vapor compression heat pump reflect the decisive influence of the technical level and design configuration of a vapor compression heat pump on the choice of the preferred upgrade option. However, a significant difference in commercial energy prices significantly changes the preferred ranking of these options.

Four-point bending piezoelectric energy harvester with uniform surface strain toward better energy conversion performance and material usage

Improving the energy conversion efficiency of piezoelectric energy harvesters is of great importance, and one approach is to make more uniform use of the working material by ensuring a uniform strain state. To achieve better performance, this paper presents a four-point bending piezoelectric energy harvester with extensive investigation and modeling to identify the influential parameters. An electromechanical analytical model is presented and verified by experimental data. The frequency-domain method extracts the solutions for a general time-variable force and impact. Four-point bending is compared with the standard cantilever harvesters regarding voltage generation, mechanical strain, and figure of merit. Strain contours are analyzed and interpreted for this innovative approach, and the power generation by the optimal resistance load is studied. Dimensionless parameters are introduced and investigated to find the optimal operating conditions for the four-point bending harvester. Finally, the four-point bending performance and the best figure of merit are discussed with a view to the long-term fatigue life of the harvester. The results show that in the best four-point bending energy conversion conditions; the energy conversion coefficient is more than three times higher than that of typical cantilever energy harvesters. The results also illustrate that the axial strain experienced in a standard cantilever harvester is more than three times higher than that of the four-point bending harvester, suggesting the latter device may have favorable fatigue performance. Overall, the presented piezoelectric harvester has improved energy conversion efficiency and experiences a reduced and uniform surface strain, making it appropriate for high-efficiency energy harvesting systems.

A new method for wear estimation of TBM disc cutter based on energy analysis

The accurate estimation of disc cutter wear has always been a long-term topic affecting the excavation efficiency and construction cost of tunnel boring machines (TBMs), especially in the project of high-strength and high-abrasiveness stratum. In fact, disc cutter wear is one of the comprehensive results of rock-machine interaction during TBM excavation. Therefore, the change of internal energy of rock-machine system describes the wear information of disc cutter. In this study, a new method for estimation disc cutter wear based on energy conversion mechanism is proposed. Firstly, the basic relationship of energy conversion during TBM excavation is analyzed in detail, and an energy equation considering the influence of geological conditions, TBM technical specifications and rock-machine interactions at three levels is established. Based on this context, according to the working characteristics and abrasion mechanism of disc cutter, the conversion mechanism between the disc cutter wear energy and wear capacity is investigated, and the definite relationship between the energy conversion coefficient and the properties of intact rock is obtained. Furthermore, to illustrate the applicability of this method, a case study of the Shenzhen Metro Project in China is introduced and analyzed in detail. The results show that the proposed method can predict 85 % of the average wear of each disc cutter on the cutterhead. Finally, the prediction method provided in this study is compared with Gehring, NTNU and CSM models to validate the rationality and reliability of this method. Evidently, this method can provide an accurate and reliable estimate of the general wear capacity and life of disc cutters on the cutterhead, and it is also a very practical tool for TBM engineers to make decision and optimize the cutter replacement scheme.

Real-time energy management strategy for a plug-in hybrid electric bus considering the battery degradation

The energy conservation remains the key issue for the hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) today. However, most existing energy management strategies (EMS) only focus on the fuel consumption or battery preservation, and little considers the battery health. Besides, the global energy optimality and real-time execution are two trade-off counterparts for the EMS application. To this end, this paper proposed a real time EMS of the HEVs considering the battery health. Explicitly, the battery health status and SOC values are predicted with the space vector machine algorithm and adaptive Kalman filter algorithm, respectively. Then, the offline energy optimization is realized with the Pontryagin's minimum principle; thereby, the offline energy conversion coefficient can be further extracted into the simple rules. On this basis, the online equivalent consumption minimization strategy (ECMS) is adopted to output the optimal control variables including the motor torque, engine torque, clutch states and gear information. Besides, to apply the proposed EMS in the practical vehicles, the energy conversion coefficients are further modified according to the estimated battery state of the charge (SOC). The simulation and experimental tests have validated the superiority of the proposed EMS in terms of energy economy and maneuverability. Explicitly, the proposed EMS considering the battery degradation has effectively prevented the SOC trajectory into charge-sustaining stage earlier and meanwhile the fuel utilization is improved by 4.1 % than that without considering the battery degradation. Besides, compared with the existing ECMS method, the proposed EMS can reduce the fuel consumption by about 8–14 % and meanwhile enhance the handling adaptiveness by about 15–20 %. In general, the proposed EMS is of significance to the vehicular energy conservation and the real-time executability for the HEVs.

Optimizing energy harvesting performance by tailoring ferroelectric/relaxor behavior in KNN-based piezoceramics

Piezoelectric energy harvesters (PEHs) fabricated using piezoceramics could convert directly the mechanical vibration energy in the environment into electrical energy. The high piezoelectric charge coefficient (d33) and large piezoelectric voltage coefficient (g33) are key factors for the high-performance PEHs. However, high d33 and large g33 are difficult to simultaneously achieve with respect to g33 = d33/(ε0εr) and d33 = 2Qε0εrPr. Herein, the energy harvesting performance is optimized by tailoring the CaZrO3 content in (0.964−x)(K0.52Na0.48)(Nb0.96Sb0.04)O3 −0.036(Bi0.5Na0.5)ZrO3−xCaZrO3 ceramics. First, the doping CaZrO3 could enhance the dielectric relaxation due to the compositional fluctuation and structural disordering, and thus reduce the domain size to ∼30 nm for x = 0.006 sample. The nanodomains switch easily to external electric field, resulting in large polarization. Second, the rhombohedral–orthorhombic–tetragonal phases coexist in x = 0.006 sample, which reduces the polarization anisotropy and thus improves the piezoelectric properties. The multiphase coexistence structures and miniaturized domains contribute to the excellent piezoelectric properties of d33 (354 pC/N). Furthermore, the dielectric relative permittivity (εr) reduces monotonously as the CaZrO3 content increases due to the relatively low ion polarizability of Ca2+ and Zr4+. As a result, the optimized energy conversion coefficient (d33 × g33, 5508 × 10−15 m2/N) is achieved for x = 0.006 sample. Most importantly, the assembled PEH with the optimal specimen shows the excellent output power (∼48 µW) and lights up 45 red commercial light-emitting diodes (LEDs). This work demonstrates that tailoring ferroelectric/relaxor behavior in (K,Na)NbO3-based piezoelectric ceramics could effectively enhance the electrical output of PEHs.

Effect of mooring mode and internal mass block layout on eccentric rotating wave energy converter model

Reliability and energy conversion ability are the most concerned performance indexes of Wave Energy Converter Eccentric Rotating Wave Energy Converter (ERWEC) with closed shell can protect energy conversion unit away from seawater, which has shown excellent reliability. However, energy conversion ability of Eccentric Rotating Wave Energy Converter is poor and the method to improve performance of ERWEC is still not clear. The objective of this work is to improve mooring security, motion attitude stability and energy conversion ability of ERWEC. In this paper, experimental model of ERWEC was developed, and energy conversion mechanism was clarified. Experiments on various mooring modes and various internal mass block layouts were carried out. Besides, breaking coefficient, instability coefficient and energy conversion coefficient were calculated to evaluate performance of ERWEC. The result showed that the effect of mooring mode on mooring security, motion attitude stability and energy conversion ability was coupled to the effect of internal mass block layout on those three indexes. Furthermore, under determined mooring mode condition, internal mass block layout was optimized by multi-objective genetic algorithm. This paper provides basis for conceptual design of mooring mode and real-time control of mass block layout to achieve better mooring security, motion attitude stability and energy conversion ability of ERWEC.

Prediction and analysis of slurry shield TBM disc cutter wear and its application in cutter change time

Disc cutter is mainly used in cutting through hard rock. Disc cutter wear is inevitable during tunnel boring machine (TBM) tunneling, and excessive wear can lead to a decrease in tunneling efficiency and increase construction risks. Therefore, the importance of predicting the disc cutter wear accurately and arranging the cutter change plan can never be overemphasized. In this study, disc cutter wear data and replacement records for three shield chamber openings were analyzed, which were collected from a water conveyance tunnel project in Guangdong, China. It was found that the normal wear failure accounted for approximately 76.19%, while the abnormal wear failure accounted for 23.81%, and the range of tools to be replaced due to normal wear continues expanded as the tunneling distance increased. Based on the observed wear data, it is found that the wear rate of edge tools is much lower than that of center tools, which does not conform to the normal wear rules. Subsequently, a new disc cutter wear prediction model was developed considering energy conversion and uneven thrust distribution for explaining this problem. The determination method of the energy conversion coefficient k and thrust distribution coefficient b was proposed, and they had been obtained from the wear data in the first replacement. On the other hand, the proposed model has higher accuracy in both cutter wear and cutter change range prediction compared with the existing models. However, the prediction accuracy of the proposed model will decrease with the increase of the tunneling distance, so the undetermined coefficients k and b need to be updated in a timely manner.

Study of Crater in the Gobi Desert Induced by Ground Explosion of Large Amounts of TNT Explosive up to 10 Tons

Explosion craters on the ground surface induced by contact or near-field explosions have important implications, which can be used to assess blast consequences, guide the design of the explosion, or develop a protective strategy. In this study, to understand the crater characteristics induced by the contact explosion of large weight explosives, four field contact explosion tests were conducted on the surface of the Gobi Desert with large TNT charge weights of 1 ton, 3 tons, and 10 tons (test conducted twice). Cratering on the ground surface generated by large amounts of explosives was measured and evaluated, including the shape, depth, and diameter. A fine-mesh numerical model was developed and validated on the AUTODYN software platform, and a detailed parametric study was performed on the resulting craters. The effects of sand and gravel density, initiation method, shear modulus, and failure criteria were analyzed and discussed. An energy conversion coefficient was determined, and the corresponding theoretical equations were derived to predict the dimensions of the craters resulting from the large weight contact explosion. The calculated cratering characteristics were consistent with previous data and hence can be used in future engineering applications.

Energy Characteristics of Seismic Waves on Cardox Blasting Tube

In order to study the energy characteristics of seismic waves on the liquid CO2 blasting system, the blasting seismic wave signal of liquid CO2 blasting was obtained by on-site microseismic monitoring tests. The adaptive optimal kernel time-frequency analysis method was used to study the basic time-frequency properties of the seismic wave signal. Combining wavelet packet transform decomposition and reconstruction and adaptive optimal kernel time-frequency analysis method, the liquid CO2 energy distribution of the seismic wave signal was further analyzed. And the energy regression model of seismic wave source of liquid CO2 blasting system was discussed. The results show that the vibration velocity is at a low level, and the main frequency range is between 30 and 70 Hz, and the duration is about 20-30 ms. The energy is mainly distributed in 0-125 Hz, which is composed of two main regions. The power function model can be used to describe the attenuation law of the seismic wave energy. The energy conversion coefficient and characteristic coefficient of the source of liquid CO2 blasting system were defined and analyzed. Combined with the empirical formula of the Sadovsky vibration velocity, the energy regression model of the seismic wave source of liquid CO2 blasting system was obtained.

Attenuation characteristics of low frequency longitudinal guided waves generated by magnetostrictive transducers in bridge cables

Guided wave inspection has broad application potential in detecting defects in bridge cables. The attenuation characteristics of guided waves must be understood to quantify damage. However, owing to the mutual coupling between adjacent wires in cables, the attenuation characteristics of guided wave propagation in bridge cables are highly complex. In this work, the attenuation characteristics of low frequency longitudinal guided waves generated by magnetostrictive transducers in bridge cables were studied theoretically and experimentally. The results revealed that the energy-based model proposed herein—which considers the material damping, the energy transferred between adjacent wires and the heat energy generated by the energy transferred—performs well in predicting the energy attenuation. The frequency of the guided waves and the cable force significantly affect the model parameters. As the heat energy conversion coefficient decreases with increasing cable force, the energy of guided waves propagating at close range concordantly increases. The energy-based model for guided wave propagation in strands can be simplified as an exponential function, because energy losses and energy exchange between wires are negligible. In addition, high frequency guided waves decay faster in cables and strands. The decay rate increases more quickly with increasing frequency in the cables, as the cables have more wire contact that make high frequency guided waves decay faster. Although guided waves for 5–30 kHz decay faster in strands, the attenuation rate for guided wave propagation in cables will exceed the strands if the frequency keeps increasing.

An energy method for computing the use of fossil fuel energy

An energy method for computing the use of fossil fuel energy has been considered in the article. On the world market, the fuel price depends on supply and demand and involves no energy costs for fuel production. An energy analysis of economic activity was suggested by Charles Hall, an American scientist, who introduced a notion of Energy Returned on Energy Invested, as a ratio between returned and invested energy, into scientific discourse. No account has been taken of invested energy depreciation in this method. All losses are fully incorporated, when the ratio between beneficially used energy in all process flow chains from fuel deposit exploration to energy utilisation, and the considered amount of natural fuel primary energy is taken as the coefficient of beneficial primary energy use (CBPEU). When CBPEU is determined, allowance is made for all potential energy losses; the depreciation degree of energy, contained in the fuel, from its deposit to a consumer, is defined. When energy of renewable sources is utilised, a coefficient of renewable sources energy conversion, defined as the ratio between energy delivered by a power unit throughout the entire operation period, and invested energy taking into account CBPEU over the same period, will represent an objective criterion of power unit efficiency.

Dynamic Analysis of the Optimized Savonius Vertical Axis Wind Turbine Composite Blades

Abstract This article presents a comprehensive study of the dynamic behavior of small vertical-axis wind turbines (VAWTs) based on local fabricated Savonius VAWTs, which is suitable for countries that have a moderate wind speed. The merits of this design are cleanliness, silent, start-up under low wind speed, independent wind directions, adaptability, and ease of manufacturing. Also, this article presents an experimental validation study for the optimized Savonius VAWT. Four verification test configurations of the optimized VAWT composite blades are designed, simulated, and fabricated of Glass—Polyester with different stacking sequence layout for each. Modified mechanical parameters are introduced to improve the scalability, reliability, and accuracy of the developed models. Based on wind energy conversion system basics, aerodynamic characteristics (tip speed ratio (λ) and coefficient of power (Cp)) and dynamic characteristics (natural frequencies and mode shapes) of Savonius rotor models are presented and simulated within solidworks simulation 2020 software. The dynamic characteristics such as frequency, mode shape, and damping factor are extensively investigated using fast Fourier transform (FFT) analyzer. The results show that the role of composite material blades in improving the dynamic performance of a wind turbine is significant.