Energy Utilization Technology Research Articles

Harvesting multidirectional wind energy based on flow-induced vibration triboelectric nanogenerator with directional tuning mechanism

Wind-induced vibration (WIV), as low-velocity wind energy utilization technology in agricultural environment, has significant advantages. Nevertheless, there is a mismatch between the variability of wind direction and the work mode of triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG), which leads to a sharp decline in the performance of triboelectric power generation. This work proposes a TENG based on multidirectional WIV (TENG-WIV), which mainly contains triboelectric power generation unit, guide-wing and triboelectric direction sensor. By introducing the directional tuning mechanism based on guide-wing, the TENG-WIV aims to break the constraints of single wind direction response and effectively respond to the wind direction within 360° range, thereby realizing multidirectional wind energy harvesting and sensor power supply. The empirical findings indicate that the output voltage and current of triboelectric power generation unit are in the ranges of 62–241 V and 0.25–1.21 μA, respectively, at the wind velocities of 1.23–5.13 m/s. At a wind velocity of 3.18 m/s, the unit achieves an out-power peak of 0.09 mW. Furthermore, the triboelectric direction sensor can respond to changes in 8 directions and has wind direction monitoring potentiality. The directional tuning mechanism endows flow-induced vibration energy harvesters with an all-around multidirectional sensitivity.

A Mussel-Inspired and Recyclable Coating with Integrated Daytime Radiative Cooling and Triboelectric Energy Harvesting for Intelligent and Sustainable Buildings.

Carbon neutrality necessitates new technologies for renewable energy utilization, active regulation of heat exchange, and material recycling to promote green and intelligent building development. Currently, the integration of these functions and characteristics into a single coating material presents a significant challenge. Here, we demonstrate a novel triboelectric and radiative cooling coating with mussel-inspired architectures, fabricated using cellulose nanofibers and Mica-TiO2 as a functional mortar and brick, respectively. The abundant polar groups and specific surface area of cellulose nanofibers enable a high accumulation of induced electrostatic charges, allowing the coating to act as a tribolayer to generate triboelectric outputs. The regularly layered arrangement of Mica-TiO2 endows fire resistance to the coating, which exhibits self-extinguishing properties and maintains 45% of its original electrical output even after direct exposure to flame for 20 s. Additionally, the created multilayered stacking morphology, as well as intense group vibrations of Mica-TiO2, facilitates high reflectivity (Rsolar = 0.9) and long-wave infrared emissivity (ϵLWIR = 0.94), achieving a daytime subambient temperature drop of 5.3 °C. Notably, the coating can be recycled easily while maintaining its triboelectric, radiative cooling, and fire-resistant properties. This work provides an innovative strategy for unifying triboelectric and radiative cooling functions, as well as recyclability, into a single coating material, offering new insights for future sustainable and energy-efficient buildings.

A novel dual-way inference modeling method for coal coking: Predicting H2 and CH4 concentrations in coke oven gas and inferring optimal reaction conditions

Coal coking is an efficient and environmentally friendly technology for energy utilization that yields various industrial materials. However, the intricate nature of the coal coking reaction poses a challenge for chemical theories to fully capture and derive its reaction process. To address this challenge, a novel dual-way inference modeling method was proposed to simulate the coal coking process. This modeling method not only predicts H2 and CH4 concentrations, but also infers optimal operating conditions based on the desired H2 and CH4 concentrations. In this work, three representative machine learning methods (XGBoost, Random Forest, and ANN) are compared with dual-way inference modeling method, and the key factors affecting H2 and CH4 concentrations are thoroughly explored. The experimental results show that the primary factor influencing CH4 concentration is C, H2 concentration is predominantly affected by fixed carbon, while C plays the most important role for CH4 + H2. The dual-way inference modeling method achieved excellent performance in predicting H2 and CH4 concentrations and operating conditions. In the prediction task of H2, CH4, and H2 + CH4 concentrations, the coefficient of R2 achieved 0.9767, 0.9936, and 0.9851, respectively. The result for predicting coking temperature based on the desired H2 and CH4 concentrations indicate a positive correlation between coking temperature and both H2 and CH4 concentrations. In general, as coking temperature increases, the concentrations of both H2 and CH4 will increase.

Eco-friendly urban design: An analysis of sustainable building practices and their community impact

Eco-friendly urban design is essential in tackling the challenges arising from rapid urban growth and the increasing pressure on natural resources. This paper offers a thorough examination of sustainable building practices and their effects on communities within the framework of urban design. The initial section discusses various sustainable building methods that contribute to eco-friendly urban design, including renewable energy utilization, green materials, and energy-efficient technologies. Implementing these practices not only minimizes the environmental impact of urban developments but also strengthens the resilience of the constructed environment. The second part of the paper investigates the impact of sustainable urban design on communities. It highlights how these practices can enhance community spirit, elevate residents' quality of life, and support social equity. Sustainable urban design extends beyond environmental concerns to adopt a comprehensive approach that prioritizes inhabitants' well-being. The paper also includes case studies and examples of effective sustainable urban design projects worldwide, demonstrating the benefits of eco-friendly practices such as improved air and water quality, reduced energy use, and the development of vibrant, walkable neighborhoods. In summary, this paper underscores the significance of sustainable urban design in addressing the environmental and social issues linked to urbanization. By embracing eco-friendly building practices, communities can lessen their environmental footprint and foster healthier, more resilient, and inclusive urban spaces. This review is a valuable resource for urban planners, architects, and policymakers dedicated to advancing sustainable development and improving urban community well-being.

LCA analysis on the management of typical lignocellulosic agricultural wastes: Case studies and comparison in Greece and China

Significant quantities of lignocellulosic agricultural residues are produced worldwide, and their management is quite problematic. In Greece and in general in the Mediterranean, large quantities of prunings are produced, especially from olive trees. The common practice of managing these residues is by burning them in the fields. On the other hand, in China, but also globally, huge amounts of residues are produced from cotton cultivation and efforts are being made to avoid the residues' usual burning in the fields. Beyond the development and refinement of energy and material utilization technologies for this waste, as well as the necessary economic analyses, very important for the scientific community is the study of the environmental impacts concerning the conventional management practices versus alternative ones that involve the wastes’ utilization.In this work and through the analysis of case studies in Greece and China for the management of the aforementioned typical lignocellulosic agricultural residues, comparative life cycle assessments of open-field burning practices versus energy production practices through gasification or pyrolysis are attempted. The results proved to be interesting and both cases agree with each other qualitatively despite the use of different tools and the application in different countries and agricultural residues. The comparative results highlight the need for immediate adoption of sustainable practices against the highly damaging conventional ones.

Environmental Impact of Waste Treatment and Synchronous Hydrogen Production: Based on Life Cycle Assessment Method.

Based on the life cycle assessment methodology, this study systematically analyzes the energy utilization of environmental waste through photocatalytic treatment and simultaneous hydrogen production. Using 10,000 tons of organic wastewater as the functional unit, the study evaluates the material consumption, energy utilization, and environmental impact potential of the photocatalytic waste synchronous hydrogen production system (specifically, the synchronous hydrogen production process of 4-NP wastewater with CDs/CdS/CNU). The findings indicate that potential environmental impacts from the photochemical treatment of environmental waste and synchronous hydrogen production primarily manifest in freshwater ecological toxicity, marine ecological toxicity, terrestrial ecological toxicity, and non-carcinogenic toxicity to humans. These ecological impacts stem from the catalyst's adsorption and metal leaching during the photo-degradation and hydrogen production processes of environmental waste. By implementing reasonable modifications and morphological refinements to the catalyst, these effects can be mitigated while achieving enhanced efficiency in environmental waste processing and simultaneous hydrogen production. The research outcomes provide valuable insights for advancing sustainable development in green technology for environmental waste treatment and energy utilization.

Research on the development of BYD based on SWOT and Financial analysis

With the continuous maturity of new energy utilization technology in the future, BYD, as a leader in the new energy industry, will usher in a greater development opportunity. Through SWOT analysis of BYD's financial indicators in recent years, we can draw the following conclusions: BYD has a stable financial situation, outstanding technological innovation ability, strong cost control ability, and obvious advantages; However, the market competition is fierce, and brand influence needs to be improved. At the same time, it faces threats such as rapid technological updates and uncertainties in the international trade environment. Therefore, BYD should fully utilize opportunities such as policy support and market demand growth, strengthen brand building and technological research and development, improve market competitiveness, and respond to potential risks and challenges. In summary, by using the SWOT analysis method to conduct in-depth analysis of BYD's financial indicators in recent years, we can not only understand the company's operating status and competitive advantages, but also discover the challenges and potential risks it faces. This will help investors and decision-makers make more scientific and reasonable strategic decisions, providing strong support for the future development of the company.

Renewable Energy Technology Selection for Hotel Buildings: A Systematic Approach Based on AHP and VIKOR Methods

This study provides an assessment of renewable energy technology utilization in hotel buildings, which are significant structures in terms of energy consumption. The aim of the study is to determine suitable renewable energy technologies (RETs) for hotel buildings by defining criteria for evaluating RETs, assessing the relative importance of these criteria, and proposing a multi-criteria decision-making framework to solve the problem of selecting the most appropriate RETs during the design stage. The alternatives for RETs and the criteria for their evaluation are gathered through a literature review and expert consultations. Eight fundamental RETs used in hotel buildings (such as heat pumps, solar panels, biomass boilers, etc.) are examined, and nine selection criteria are analyzed. According to the weights determined by the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method, the initial investment cost is the most influential decision criterion, with a weight of 0.314. As a result of applying the AHP and VIKOR (Multi-Criteria Optimization and Compromise Solution) methods for technology selection, photovoltaic panels emerge as the top-ranked choice. This comprehensive evaluation provides stakeholders in the building production process of hotel buildings with detailed analyses and multi-criteria decision-making methods for selecting RETs.

Dynamic role of energy utilization, financial development, and information technology on environmental sustainability? Evidence by the tragedy of the commons theory

Economic growth is contingent upon the financial sector expansion. A solid and well-developed financial industry can improve business opportunities. The financial sector has a decisive role to play in mitigating damage to the environment. Despite extensive research on sustainability, more needs to be accomplished in terms of pinpointing the keys to a world free of environmental degradation. The study aims to illuminate the relationship between CO2 emissions and variables such as non-renewable energy consumption, GDP growth, FDI, and information and communication technologies. Time series data for Pakistan from 1985 to 2021 is employed with the linear autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) method, highlighting the underlying relationship between the variables. Moreover, the econometric model is derived from the STRIPAT function based on carbon as an environmental variable, while energy utilization and communication technology are population affluent. According to the empirical results of the current study, there is a negative connection between financial development and CO2. However, foreign direct investment, information and communication technologies, and non-renewable energy sources are positively associated with CO2. The study findings suggest that policymakers should promote more financial investment in greener technologies and digitization, and the government should also revamp its energy mix and emphasize alternate energy sources.

Progress and prospects of low-grade thermal energy utilization technologies

Despite significant recent progress, which has focussed and relied mainly on improvements to the generation, storage, transmission/distribution and consumption of electricity, the decarbonization of heat remains a challenge. Dominant within this problem description is the vast amount of low-grade thermal energy currently rejected from diverse processes across many sectors – but especially the industrial sector, which leads to a significant energy waste. However, sustainability, energy security, environmental protection and emission control will continue to be significant concerns, so the recovery and utilization of this energy resource is expected to be increasingly recognized as an important element of future energy systems; this, in turn, relies critically on the development and widespread deployment of appropriate technologies. This vision article aims to highlight the significance of low-grade thermal energy utilization and to emphasize the need to explore and to develop innovative approaches to harness the potential of this resource. Specifically, recent progress in five of the most common technological options for low-grade thermal energy utilization, namely heat pumps, power cycle systems, thermoelectric generators, thermal regenerative cycles, and thermal energy storage, are reviewed briefly. Based on a general introduction of the operating principles and research trends in each case, directions for the further development of these technologies are discussed. Finally, future challenges are identified in terms of fundamental technological advancement, system-level application, economic viability, and environmental considerations. Additionally, this article calls for appropriate policies to support the development and further uptake of low-grade thermal energy utilization solutions.

Delivery and utilization of photo‐energy for temperature control using a light‐driven microfluidic control device at −40 °C

AbstractLow‐temperature energy harvest, delivery, and utilization pose significant challenges for thermal management in extreme environments owing to heat loss during transport and difficulty in temperature control. Herein, we propose a light‐driven photo‐energy delivery device with a series of photo‐responsive alkoxy‐grafted azobenzene‐based phase‐change materials (a‐g‐Azo PCMs). These a‐g‐Azo PCMs store and release crystallization and isomerization enthalpies, reaching a high energy density of 380.76 J/g even at a low temperature of −63.92 °C. On this basis, we fabricate a novel three‐branch light‐driven microfluidic control device for distributed energy recycling that achieves light absorption, energy storage, controlled movement, and selective release cyclically over a wide range of temperatures. The a‐g‐Azo PCMs move remote‐controllably in the microfluidic device at an average velocity of 0.11–0.53 cm/s owing to the asymmetric thermal expansion effect controlled by the temperature difference. During movement, the optically triggered heat release of a‐g‐Azo PCMs achieves a temperature difference of 6.6 °C even at a low temperature of −40 °C. These results provide a new technology for energy harvest, delivery, and utilization in low‐temperature environments via a remote manipulator.

Influence of boundary layer and pressure lag on unsteady aerodynamics of airfoil based on a simple semi‐empirical dynamic stall engineering model

AbstractIn view of the fact that dynamic stall models in the wind energy industry such as ONERA model, Beddoes–Leishman model, and Snel model are mostly semi‐empirical models, and the determination of empirical time constants has a great influence on the model accuracy. To optimize the time constant in dynamic stall model and improve the prediction accuracy of unsteady aerodynamics, the influence of boundary layer and pressure lag on the unsteady performance of the S809 airfoil under 2D flow conditions is explored using a simple semi‐empirical dynamic stall engineering model. The proposed model consists of four first‐order differential equations accounting for attached flow and dynamic separation flow of trailing edge based on the Theodorsen theory. A validation is carried out by the wind tunnel experiment in the Key Laboratory of Wind and Solar Energy Utilization Technology of the Ministry of Education at Inner Mongolia University of Technology. The main conclusions are as follows. The time constants for lag in pressure and boundary layer both have a great influence on the unsteady lift coefficient. When the mean angle of attack is relatively small and the airflow is between the attached flow and the separated flow, appropriately reducing the time constant can make the prediction results closer to the experimental values. When the mean angle of attack is relatively large and the airflow is in condition of fully separated flow, the time constant value can be appropriately increased. The influence of pressure lag and boundary layer lag on the unsteady drag coefficient is not significant.

Performance analysis of a novel solar Linear Fresnel concentrator system based on spectral beam splitting

Photothermal and photovoltaic are the most common and commercialized ways of utilizing solar energy. However, they cannot use solar energy efficiently. SBS (spectral beam splitting) technology is an efficient solar energy utilization technology that can realize the full spectrum utilization of solar energy. The current work involved: (1) Proposing a SBS-LFCs (linear Fresnel concentrator system) based on spectral beam splitting. In this system, the SBS photovoltaic panel replaces the conventional linear Fresnel concentrator lens, which can realize photovoltaic and photothermal utilization at the same time; (2) Developing a spectral splitting thin films configuration using the Needle method whose transmittance is higher than 90% against 380 nm-1100 nm band range; (3) Designing the SBS photovoltaic panel structure. The cover glass surface is covered with a SBS thin film. The SBS photovoltaic panel replaces the concentrator lens of LFCs; (4) Taking four typical days as examples, the annual power generation of a SBS linear Fresnel focusing system was predicted. The outcome indicates that the total conversion efficiency of solar thermal power in the system is 23.8%, 23.5%, 23.5%, and 23.6% on the spring equinox, summer solstice, autumn equinox, and winter solstice, respectively. Compared to conventional monocrystalline silicon cells, the photoelectric conversion efficiency has been improved by 14.6%, 12.8%, 12.5%, and 14.1%, respectively.

Overview of Resource Utilization of Livestock and Poultry Manure

In recent years, with the development of animal husbandry, more and more livestock and poultry manure has been generated. Currently, the most common methods for treating livestock and poultry manure are anaerobic fermentation and aerobic composting. Aerobic composting is a technology that uses animal manure for high-temperature composting and fermentation to degrade organic matter and convert it into humic substances. Anaerobic fermentation is an energy utilization technology that converts organic matter into combustible gases such as CH4 through the action of anaerobic microorganisms and produces biogas slurry and sludge. This article reviews two treatment methods for livestock and poultry manure, aerobic composting and anaerobic digestion, in order to provide reference for the research of humic acid organic fertilizers.

Optimization design of heliostat field based on high-dimensional particle swarm and multiple population genetic algorithms

INTRODUCTION: Tower-type heliostat field is a new type of energy conversion, which has the advantages of high energy efficiency, flexibility and sustainability and environmental friendliness.
 OBJECTIVES: Through the research and improvement of the tower heliostat field to promote the development of solar energy utilization technology.
 METHODS: In this paper, we calculate and optimize the tower heliostat field by using single objective optimization, high-dimensional particle swarm algorithm and multiple group genetic algorithm.
 RESULTS: In this case of question setting, average annual optical efficiency is 0.6696; average annual cosine efficiency is 0.7564; annual average shadow occlusion efficiency is 0.9766; average annual truncation efficiency is 0.9975; average annual output thermal power is 35539.1747W; mean annual output thermal power per unit area is 0.5657W.The optimal solution after the initial optimization of the algorithm is that the total number of mirror fields is 6,384 pieces, and the average annual output power per unit area is 530.6W.
 CONCLUSION: The model of this paper can reasonably solve the problem and has strong practicability and high efficiency, but high dimensional particle swarm algorithm due to easily get local optimal solution, so can introduce the chaotic mapping to increase the randomness of the search space, improve the global search ability of the algorithm.

TiO2/MnFe2O4 co-modified alkaline papermaking waste for CaO-CaCO3 thermochemical energy storage

CaO-CaCO3 thermochemical energy storage is a promising technology for solar energy utilization and storage. Alkaline papermaking waste (APW) from paper mills, which is mainly composed of CaCO3. Herein, TiO2/MnFe2O4 co-modified APW was synthesized. The energy storage capacity of TiO2/MnFe2O4 co-modified APW was studied during CaO-CaCO3 thermochemical energy storage cycles in a duel fixed bed reactor. TiO2/MnFe2O4 co-modified APW mainly consists of CaO, MgO, CaTiO3, CaMnO3, and Ca2Fe2O5. The introductions of TiO2 and MnFe2O4 significantly improve the cyclic stability and optical absorption property of APW in 30 cycles. The co-modified APW (the mass ratio for CaO:TiO2:MnFe2O4 = 100:5:5) possesses high sintering resistance, energy storage, and optical absorption capacities in 30 cycles. The energy storage conversion and capacity of the co-modified APW are 0.72 and 2288.57 kJ/kg after 30 cycles, respectively. The optical absorptance of the co-modified APW reaches 49%, which is 9.25 times as high as that of APW. CaTiO3 and CaMnO3 effectively mitigate the sintering of CaO grains. CaMnO3 and Ca2Fe2O5 significantly increase the optical absorptance of APW. The co-modified APW possesses stronger basicity and more oxygen vacancies, which is favourable for the carbonation reaction. Thus, TiO2/MnFe2O4 co-modified APW is a good energy storage material.

Silica-bridged inorganic-organic hybrid membrane for efficient daytime radiative cooling

Passive daytime radiative cooling (PDRC) has been considered as a cost-effective technology for efficient energy consumption and utilization, in which the heat is directly delivered into the outer space (3 K) through reflection and radiation. To achieve the high-performance PDRC, textile-based porous membranes are widely employed as radiators, however, the PDRC efficiency affected by the mechanical robustness. Herein, inspired by natural spider silks, a micro-/nano-sized hierarchical membrane-based radiator, which is rationally constructed with the interconnected polyethylene oxide (PEO) nanofibers bridged by the robust silica (SiO2) microspheres, was fabricated with the assistance of electrospinning. This as-prepared membrane features a hierarchically porous structure and a strong interfacial binding, resulting in the optimal optical and mechanical properties. For example, in the presence of a silane coupling agent, the tensile strength and the toughness of the resultant organic–inorganic hybrid membrane are enhanced by 7.1 and 7.2 times, respectively, compared to the organic PEO-based membrane. Furthermore, the assembled radiator demonstrates a temperature difference between 16.1 and 27.4 °C, accompanied by an average solar reflectance of 95.6 % and an average atmospheric window emittance of 89.9 %. This work provides a promising solution for achieving daytime radiative cooling at a reasonable cost and this technology could be extended into a wide range of application fields, such as smart buildings and aerospace industries.

Removal capacities and varying characteristics of substrates and microbial community structure in simultaneous sulfide and nitrate biological removal process

Under the background of carbon neutrality, resource and energy utilization technologies have become the focus of future research. The paper investigated the removal efficiencies and varying characteristics of substrates and microbial community structure in the simultaneous sulfide and nitrate biological removal (SSNBR) process. The results showed that the sulfide and nitrate removal loads reached 2.998 kg m−3∙d−1 and 1.011 kg m−3∙d−1 respectively when HRT was 2.4 h. The sulfide and nitrate molar ratios (S/N ratios) hardly influenced the removal efficiencies of sulfide and nitrate. However, the reaction products sulfate and nitrite concentrations in the effluent became higher as the S/N ratios decreased. Under the S/N ratio of 5:5, when the influent sulfide and nitrate concentrations were improved from 100 mg L−1 to 600 mg L−1 and from 87.5 mg L−1 to 306.25 mg L−1, respectively, the sulfide removal efficiencies were all above 99%, but the nitrate removal efficiencies reduced from 95.53% to 55.54%. Sulfide removal effect was better than nitrate. HRT had great effect on the nitrate removal efficiencies, but hardly affected the sulfide removal. When HRT was shortened from 12 h to 2.4 h, the sulfide removal efficiencies were all above 99%, while the nitrate removal efficiencies decreased from 93.14% to 77.04%. The main functional genera included Exiguobacterium, Clostridium, Bacillus, Thiobacillus and Sphingomonas, all of which had the nitrogen and sulfur removal functions.

The Impact of Using Renewable Energy Resources on Sustainable Development in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

This study examines the impact of renewable energy on sustainable development in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from 2000 to 2019 and analyzes the kingdom’s most essential practices in this field to achieve sustainable development. The Cobb–Douglas production function is used in this study to investigate the impact of renewable energy on sustainable development using ordinary least squares (OLS) estimation. According to the findings, renewable energy consumption has a negative but insignificant effect on GDP. Additionally, traditional energy consumption has a major negative influence on GDP. The findings also demonstrate that fixed capital formulation and technical progress have a significant positive impact on Saudi Arabia’s sustainable development. Furthermore, while the labor force has a positive impact on GDP, this effect is not statistically significant. This report provides some recommendations for Saudi government policymakers to reform the country’s energy efficiency and consumption technologies in order to reduce energy waste and satisfy the goals of sustainable development. While the labor force is recognized as having a positive influence on GDP, it is notable that this result lacks statistical significance. The suggestions of these findings are mainly applicable to Saudi policymakers, and we present recommendations to improve energy competence and utilization technologies. Specially, our suggestions are intended to reduce energy dissipation and to support the objectives of sustainable development.

Comprehensive Review and Future Trend Outlook on Energy Utilization Technologies in Low-Carbon Energy Systems

Comprehensive Review and Future Trend Outlook on Energy Utilization Technologies in Low-Carbon Energy Systems