Increase In Energy Loss Research Articles

Short-Circuit Protection Schemes for LVDC Microgrids Based on the Combination of Hybrid Circuit Breakers and Mechanical Breakers

In recent years, low-voltage direct current (LVDC) microgrids are becoming more attractive because they represent a solution to integrate renewable sources, storage, and electronic loads bringing some advantages in comparison with traditional AC grids. However, the protection of such a network involves many challenges, especially in the case of LVDC microgrids with more than one feeder and multiple energy sources. Indeed, the traditional protection breakers used for an AC grid cannot isolate the faults and protect the components of a DC grid, while the use of solid-state circuit breakers increases energy losses. This paper deals with the analysis and design of the protection schemes for LVDC microgrids through the combination of mechanical circuit breakers and hybrid circuit breakers. This solution has the advantage of energy loss reduction but introduces further issues due to the slow transition times of the mechanical circuit breakers. Thus, a completely decentralized control system capable of overcoming the fast fault-clearing time, cost-effectiveness, and selectivity issues is designed to protect from pole-to-pole faults. The proposed control strategy is compared with a centralized protection scheme available in the literature through numerical simulation. The two algorithms show similar performances, with a mean voltage dip duration of less than 30 ms and a maximum voltage dip duration of about 100 ms in the most severe fault condition, but the proposed solution is more reliable and flexible since it does not depend on the communication system.

Design and Development of Three Phase Detuned Filter Reactor for Reduction of Harmonic Distortion in Power Systems

Harmonics refers to a form of electrical distortion that can adversely impact power systems, electrical equipment, and the overall quality of power supply. The presence of non-linear loads, such as electronic devices, can cause the current waveform to deviate from the ideal sine wave, resulting in higher frequency currents that are multiples of the fundamental frequency. These distortions can lead to several negative effects, such as reduced power factor, increased energy losses, equipment overheating, and electromagnetic interference. These, in turn, can lower system efficiency, increase energy consumption, and escalate equipment maintenance costs. Several approaches have been developed to address the adverse effects of harmonics, such as the use of filters, capacitors, and other reactive components. These techniques aim to minimize harmonic distortion and improve power supply quality. This paper examines the effectiveness of a 1kVAr detuned reactor in mitigating harmonic distortion in power systems and electrical components. The detuned filter reactor reduces the harmonic distortion actively. It does so by monitoring the harmonic content of the power and injecting a counteracting current to cancel out the harmonic frequencies, creating a subtle "detuning" effect that reduces harmonic distortion. Detuned filter reactors find extensive application in radio and audio equipment, among other fields.

A MILP Model for Optimal Conductor Selection and Capacitor Banks Placement in Primary Distribution Systems

Power distribution systems (PDS) are the infrastructure and equipment used to distribute electricity from the transmission system to end-users, such as homes and businesses. PDS are usually designed to operate in a radial mode, where power flows from one substation to the end user through a series of feeders. The extension of distribution lines to attend new customers along with the growing demand for electricity result in increased energy losses and voltage reductions. Various solutions have been proposed to solve these issues, such as selecting the optimal set of conductors, optimizing the placement of voltage regulators, using capacitor banks, reconfiguring the distribution system, and implementing distributed generation. A well-known approach for reducing energy losses and enhancing voltage profile is the optimal conductor selection (OCS). While this can be beneficial, it may not be sufficient to fully reduce technical losses and improve the system voltage profile; therefore, it must be combined with other strategies. This paper presents a new approach that combines the OCS with the optimal placement of capacitor banks (OPCB) to minimize technical losses and improve the voltage profile in PDS. The main contribution of this paper is the integration of these two problems into a single mixed integer linear programming (MILP) model, therefore guaranteeing the achievement of globally optimal solutions. Three test systems of 27, 69, and 85 buses were used to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed modeling approach. The results indicate that the combination of OCS and OPCB effectively minimizes energy losses and enhances the voltage profile. In all cases, the solutions obtained by the proposed MILP approach were better than those previously reported through metaheuristics for the combined OCS and OPCB problem.

Age-related changes in left ventricular vortex and energy loss patterns: from newborns to adults.

Left ventricular vortex formation optimizes the effective transport of blood volume while minimizing energy loss (EL). Vector flow mapping (VFM)-derived EL patterns have not been described in children, especially in those less than 1 yr of age. A prospective cohort of 66 (0 days-22 yr, 14 patients ≤ 2 mo) cardiovascularly normal children was used to determine left ventricular (LV) vortex number, size (mm2), strength (m2/s), and energy loss (mW/m/m2) in systole and diastole and compared across age groups. One early diastolic (ED) vortex at the anterior mitral leaflet and one late diastolic (LD) vortex at the LV outflow tract (LVOT) were seen in all newborns ≤ 2 mo. At >2 mo, two ED vortices and one LD vortex were seen, with 95% of subjects > 2 yr demonstrating this vortex pattern. Peak and average diastolic EL acutely increased in the same 2 mo-2-yr period and then decreased within the adolescent and young adult age groups. Overall, these findings suggest that the growing heart undergoes a transition to adult vortex flow patterns over the first 2 yr of life with a corresponding acute increase in diastolic EL. These findings offer an initial insight into the dynamic changes of LV flow patterns in pediatric patients and can serve to expand our understanding of cardiac efficiency and physiology in children.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This research article demonstrates, for the first time, echocardiographic evidence of a transition in left ventricular vortex patterns from the newborn to the adult period, with an associated change in cardiac efficiency, marked by increased energy loss, during infancy.

Device for reducing asymmetry

This article focuses on the development and analysis of a device designed to reduce voltage asymmetry in electrical systems. Voltage asymmetry can lead to negative consequences, such as equipment overloads, increased energy losses, and unstable power supply. The article discusses the fundamental principles of the device, its components, and control methods to achieve an optimal level of voltage symmetry. The presented research results emphasize the device’s effectiveness in improving the quality of power supply and ensuring the stable operation of electrical grids.

Depressing relaxation and conduction loss of polar polymer materials by inserting bulky charge traps for superior energy storage performance in high-pulse energy storage capacitor applications.

Polymer-based dielectrics are chiefly used in high-pulse energy storage capacitors for their high breakdown strength, prominent processability, and low cost. Nevertheless, state-of-the-art commercial polymer-based dielectrics such as biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP), cannot satisfy the high energy density requirement in many fields because of their low permittivity. Limited success has been achieved in developing polar polymeric dielectrics with high energy density because of the quickly increased energy loss from polarization relaxation and charge conduction under a high electric field and temperature. To achieve high energy density and low loss in polar polymer dielectrics simultaneously, electron-deficient vinyl quinoline (VQQ) units are pre-copolymerized with methyl methacrylate (MMA) followed by blending with a PMMA matrix. The bulky and electron-deficient VQQs have successfully depressed the relaxation of PMMA and significantly decreased charge conduction under an elevated electric field. As a result, a rather high energy discharging efficiency (over 90%) could be finely maintained up to 800 MV m-1, and an energy density of 16.1 J cm-3 could be obtained, which are much better than those of reported polymer dielectrics. The strong space charge trapping effect of the low content of VQQ is well addressed by thermally stimulated depolarization currents (TSDC) and density functional theory analysis (DFT) of increasing breakdown strength, energy density and discharging efficiency. This work offers a promising strategy for achieving high energy density and low loss in polar polymer dielectrics for their commercial application in energy storage capacitors.

Development of simulation model of smart phase selector device

In the quest for efficient and reliable power distribution systems, voltage asymmetry has emerged as a significant challenge. Voltage imbalances across different phases can lead to increased energy losses, compromised power quality, and reduced equipment lifespan. To address these issues, smart phase selector devices have gained attention as advanced electronic solutions for monitoring and managing voltage imbalances in low-voltage networks. This paper presents the development of a simulation model of a smart phase selector device using the Proteus software platform. Proteus offers a versatile environment for simulating electronic circuits and systems, making it an ideal choice for developing and evaluating the performance of the smart phase selector device. The primary objective of this research is to create a comprehensive simulation model that accurately represents the behavior and functionality of the smart phase selector device. Through a thorough literature review, the key principles and concepts underlying smart phase selector devices, voltage asymmetry, and related simulation techniques are explored. The developed simulation model incorporates the necessary circuit components, algorithms, and control mechanisms to faithfully simulate the operation of the smart phase selector device.

Performance Analysis and Optimization for Static Mixer of SCR Denitration System under Different Arrangements

In order to solve the poor flow performance issues of selective catalytic reduction (SCR) denitration systems, the effect of the static mixer on the flow field was studied using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) numerical simulations. Based on the analysis of the original SCR denitration system, two static mixers were selected to explore their influence on system performance. The results show that both static mixers can effectively improve the denitration performance under different conditions. The static mixer with a rotating arrangement showed a better performance in the uniformity of concentration. The pressure loss without a static mixer is 834 Pa, and the pressure loss increases by 94 Pa and 73 Pa for rotating and X-arranged static mixers, respectively. Meanwhile, a static mixer will increase energy loss. Therefore, power plants can choose the layout of their static mixers according to the actual situation to achieve the optimal performance.

Analysis and estimation of cross-flow heat exchanger fouling in phosphoric acid concentration plant using response surface methodology (RSM) and artificial neural network (ANN)

The production of phosphoric acid by dehydrated process leads to the precipitation of unwanted insoluble salts promoting thus the crystallization fouling build-up on heat transfer surfaces of the exchangers. During the acid concentration operation, the presence of fouling in heat exchangers results in reducing the performance of this equipment, in terms of heat transfer, while increasing energy losses and damaging the apparatus. To mitigate these adverse effects of fouling, it is necessary to forecast the thermal resistance of fouling to schedule and perform exchanger cleaning. In this context, artificial neural network and response surface methodology were used to estimate thermal resistance of fouling in a cross-flow heat exchanger by using the operating data of the concentration loop. The absolute average relative deviations, mean squared errors, root mean squared errors and correlation coefficients were used as indicators error between the experimental and estimated values for both methods. The best fitted model derived from response surface methodology method was second order polynomial while the best architecture topology, for the artificial neural network method, consists of three layers: input layer with six input variables, hidden layer with six hidden neurons and an output layer with single output variable. The interactive influences of operating parameters which have significant effects on the fouling resistance were illustrated in detail. The value of correlation coefficient for the output parameter from the response surface methodology is 0.9976, indicating that the response surface methodology as an assessment methodology in estimating fouling resistance is more feasible compared with the artificial neural network approach.

Instrument for in situ study of rolling under normal load and torque.

Instabilities that develop at the contact interface of solid rollers or airless tires while in motion can lead to increased energy losses and reduced service life. This manuscript describes an instrument that can give better insight into the origin of such instabilities by monitoring both local and global roller mechanics. This is done by simultaneously obtaining force and displacement data from sensors as well as optical measurements and local deformation fields across two different planes, extracted from images taken by a high-speed camera. Multiple loading configurations are possible, ranging from static normal loading of the roller to free rolling and rolling with a propulsive or a braking torque. Instrument functions, elements, and design are presented in detail and its capabilities are demonstrated by obtaining measurements such as width of the contact interface under normal loading, strain fields of the roller sidewall and contact interface under normal loading, and the roller's resistance to motion for free and forced rolling.

Numerical appraisal of time-dependent peristaltic duct flow using Casson fluid

Interruption of continuous process and decreasing flow rate over time are very common challenges in peristaltic flow. This research takes an initiative to restrain the thermal and fluid flow rate over time by unsteady finite element analysis of Casson fluid flow through a two-dimensional peristaltic duct. The time-dependent flow equation exists in conjugate forced convection and the energy equation consists of radiative heat flux and entropy reduction. The top and bottom walls of the peristaltic duct are considered as contact with air. A circular bolus is set up in the middle of the duct. Four types of Casson fluids like slurry, silicone oil, apple juice, and blood are used as working fluids. The finite element method of Galerkin's residual technique is applied to solve the leading second ordered non-linear partial differential equations with proper border conditions. The effects of pertinent parameters on entropy reduction and thermal transport are analyzed. Results are displayed qualitatively in terms of streamlines, vortex field, and heatline contours as well as quantitatively in the form of average temperature, mean thermal, viscous, and total entropy. The obtained numerical results show that thermal performance and entropy reduction are significantly influenced by forced convection, atmospheric characteristics, internal thermal radiation, and Casson fluids. Approximately 6.99% and 72.13% increment of temperature and flow irreversibility are found for shear stress variation of Casson fluid from thickening to thinning. Decreasing thermal performance of 18.71% and increasing energy loss of 38.07% are noticed within the variation of Casson fluids (slurry, silicone oil, apple juice, and blood). About 14.05% enhancement of thermal transport and 64.91% reduction of total entropy are observed due to increasing internal thermal radiation from 0.5 to 2. The numerical results from this research represent a better thermal and fluid flow rate over time compared to the experimental/existing methodology/numerical research. The obtained flow and thermal transport phenomena expose many attention-grabbing performances which deserve additional investigation on Casson fluid characteristics particularly the continuation of flow rate. A fine approach to the biological peristaltic system is offered by the results.

Assessment of Diastolic Energy Loss in Hypertensives versus Controls

Increased energy loss (EL) during transmitral filling, if present in hypertensive subjects (HYT), can potentially inhibit normal intraventricular filling patterns that contribute to generating stroke volume.1 However, the presence, timing, and magnitude of EL in hypertension remain uncertain.2 Vector flow mapping (VFM) is a validated technology using color Doppler velocities to visualize intraventricular flow velocity vectors and derive estimates of EL.3 We hypothesized that VFM would reveal that hypertension increased left ventricular (LV) EL, causing impaired intracardiac diastolic blood flow efficiency.

Effect of Cold Rolling Prior to Annealing on the Grain Size-Energy Losses Relationship in a Low Carbon Grain Non-Oriented Semi-Processed Electrical Steel

In this work, the effect of cold deformation prior to annealing treatment on the microstructure and magnetic hysteresis energy losses in a low carbon grain non-oriented semi-processed electrical steel with 0.60 mm thickness was investigated. The samples were subjected to different percentages of deformation, in a range of 5–20% reduction and annealed at temperatures between 650 and 950 °C for 60 min, these were characterized by Optical Microscopy. Meanwhile the energy losses were calculated from the magnetic hysteresis loops using a Vibrating Sample Magnetometer. The experimental results showed that cold deformation increases energy losses by 50% when the steel is deformed 20%, due to microstructural defects that are introduced to the material during deformation. The presence of the microstructural defects was verified through measurements of Full Width at Half Maximum by means of X-ray diffraction. On the other hand, it was observed that annealing at temperatures below Ac1 causes only small changes in the microstructure of the steel, however, it promotes the recovery of magnetic properties by 50% with respect to the deformed material. In contrast, when the material is annealed between Ac1 and Ac3 (α+γ) magnetic properties are recovered ~33% with respect to the initial state and, at values higher than 65% compared to the state of greatest deformation (20%), as a result of both microstructural modification and the evolution of the grain size experienced by the material.

Gas/Liquid Pulsed Discharge Plasma in a Slug Flow Reactor under Pressurized Argon for Dye Decomposition.

Pulsed discharge plasma produced in a gas/liquid environment has attracted much attention because of its low energy requirement and the generation of various radical species with high reactivity. In our previous work, a slug flow system was developed to produce gas/liquid plasma under atmospheric pressure, generating continuous bubbles and stable gas–liquid interfaces. Currently, meaningful results have also been obtained in the field of plasma under high-pressure conditions. Therefore, in this study, a slug flow system using gas/liquid discharge plasma was implemented under pressurized argon. The system pressure was controlled from 0.1 (atmospheric pressure) to 0.4 MPa, and the effect of pressure on the system was investigated. This system was also applied to the decomposition of methylene blue. The chemical reactivity was studied, and the energy of the system was calculated. The results showed that as the system pressure increased, the decomposition rate of methylene blue decreased, while the concentration of the total oxidation species increased. This can be explained by a decrease in the energy available for methylene blue decomposition owing to the steady input energy and increasing energy loss.

Study of the oversized capacity and the increased energy loss of hybrid energy storage systems and design of an improved controller based on the low-pass filter

A hybrid energy storage system (HESS) consisting of batteries and supercapacitors (SCs) is an effective approach to stability problems brought by renewable energy sources (RESs) in microgrids. This paper investigates the energy exchange between the two energy storage devices (ESDs) caused by the low-pass filter (LPF), which leads to the oversized capacity of HESSs. In addition, the energy exchange between the ESDs leads to more energy loss of HESSs. Based on the analysis of the power flows, this paper proposes an improved controller based on the LPF controller. A power direction control strategy eliminates the non-beneficial power flow to reduce the capacity of HESSs and improve the round-trip energy efficiency. In addition, a SOC control strategy regime balances the desired state of charge (SOC) of the ESDs instead of depending on the LPF. In this paper, the case study shows that the improved LPF controller reduces the capacity of the HESS to the minimized capacity and improves the round-trip energy efficiency. Furthermore, it has no adverse effect on battery aging and achieves the battery lifetime extension with a smaller capacity. A scaled-down HESS experimental setup validates the effectiveness of the improved LPF controller and the simulation results. Finally, the proposed improved controller is compared with various existing controllers to verify the performance.

Co-simulation of hypertensive left ventricle based on computational fluid dynamics and a closed-loop network model

ObjectiveHypertension is one of the most common chronic and cardiovascular diseases, with the largest number of deaths. According to clinical experience, long-term hypertension will cause cardiac hypertrophy and other complications, and heart structure remodeling will significantly change the energy characteristics of the heart chambers, and impair heart function. Research shows that, early hypertension can be diagnosed by the blood flow and energy loss in the left ventricle. Therefore, it is important to choose an appropriate method to simulate and predict the flow domain of this ventricle. MethodsThis study took the left ventricular flow field of patients with hypertensive myocardial hypertrophy as the research object, used MATLAB-SIMULINK to establish a closed-loop network cardiovascular model, provided flow boundary conditions for the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) numerical simulation method, and, finally, completed a co-simulation. ResultsThis article compared the degree of agreement between the energy loss in different phases of the heart cavity and clinical experimental data and summarized the characteristics of the flow field in patients with hypertensive myocardial hypertrophy. The analysis of three simulation groups (control group, non-left ventricular hypertrophy group, and left ventricular hypertrophy [LVH] group) showed that the vortices in the LVH group were irregular and not fully developed, accompanied by significant energy loss. ConclusionThe simulation method used in this study is basically consistent with the clinical data. Myocardial hypertrophy has a significant influence on the blood flow of the left ventricle. Changes in the blood flow make the left ventricular vortex distribution abnormal during the rapid systole and rapid ejection periods, leading to a series of dangerous factors, including increased energy loss and a low cardiac ejection fraction.

Proposed Ranked Strategy for Technical and Economical Enhancement of EVs Charging With High Penetration Level

Car exhaust is one of the most common causes of ozone hole aggravation, electrical vehicles (EVs) represent a promising solution to avoid this problem. Despite the benefits of EVs, their random charging behavior causes some difficulties regarding the electric network performance, such as increased energy losses and voltage deviations. This paper aims to achieve the proper scheduling of the EVs charging process, avoid its negative impacts on the network, and satisfy the EVs users’ requirements. The EVs charging process is formulated as an optimization problem and solved using particle swarm optimization. The optimization problem formulation considers the EV arrival and departure times and the state of charge required by the user. Different strategies such as separated, accumulated, and ranked strategies with continuous or interrupted fixed charging have been applied to solve the uncoordinated EVs charging problem. These strategies are extensively tested on the modified IEEE 31 bus system (499-node network), using the combination of both Open DSS and MATLAB m-files. The simulation results confirm the effectiveness of the proposed accumulated ranked strategy with interrupted fixed charging in improving the overall power system performance. The achieved improvements include minimizing: the peak power consumed, the peak power losses, and the voltage drop. Moreover, the cost of the EVs charging in most of the feeders has been decreased to a satisfying value. A comparison between the proposed strategy and some previously reported strategies has been performed to ensure the technical and economic enhancement of the proposed strategy.

A Study of the Energy Exchange within a Hybrid Energy Storage System and a Comparison of the Capacities, Lifetimes, and Costs of Different Systems

By combining the advantages of different energy storage technologies, the hybrid energy storage system (HESS) can satisfy the multiple requirements of prosumer systems. However, the required capacity of the HESS is larger than that of the single-battery energy storage system (ESS). This paper investigates the energy exchange within the HESS caused by the phase shift of the low-pass filter controller and its relevant impact on the HESS. The results show that unnecessary energy exchange results in an oversized capacity and increased energy loss. In addition, the increase in the time constant of the low-pass filter controller leads to a larger phase shift, further contributing to the increases in the total capacity and energy loss. Furthermore, this paper compares the single-battery ESS, the battery-supercapacitor HESS, and the battery-flywheel HESS implemented in a household-prosumer system along with a renewable energy source (RES). The comparison of the ESS combinations demonstrates the differences between their power flows, the required capacities of their individual energy storage devices (ESDs), their energy losses, their battery lifetimes, and their project costs. The results indicate that techno-economic analysis should be performed carefully to select the appropriate ESS solution for specific household-prosumer systems.

Modeling Transient Pipe Flow in Plastic Pipes with Modified Discrete Bubble Cavitation Model

Most of today’s water supply systems are based on plastic pipes. They are characterized by the retarded strain (RS) that takes place in the walls of these pipes. The occurrence of RS increases energy losses and leads to a different form of the basic equations describing the transient pipe flow. In this paper, the RS is calculated with the use of convolution integral of the local derivative of pressure and creep function that describes the viscoelastic behavior of the pipe-wall material. The main equations of a discrete bubble cavity model (DBCM) are based on a momentum equation of two-phase vaporous cavitating flow and continuity equations written initially separately for the gas and liquid phase. In transient flows, another important source of pressure damping is skin friction. Accordingly, the wall shear stress model also required necessary modifications. The final partial derivative set of equations was solved with the use of the method of characteristics (MOC), which transforms the original set of partial differential equations (PDE) into a set of ordinary differential equations (ODE). The developed numerical solutions along with the appropriate boundary conditions formed a basis to write a computer program that was used in comparison analysis. The comparisons between computed and measured results showed that the novel modified DBCM predicts pressure and velocity waveforms including cavitation and retarded strain effects with an acceptable accuracy. It was noticed that the influence of unsteady friction on damping of pressure waves was much smaller than the influence of retarded strain.

Polyrhodanine mediated interface in natural rubber/carbon black composites toward ultralow energy loss

Carbon black (CB) is a principal filler in rubber industry due to its excellent reinforcing effect and low-cost. It is of significant importance but challenging to modify the inert CB for addressing the dilemma of increased energy loss raised by the addition of CB. In this work, we reported the functionalization of CB through redox polymerization of rhodanine on its surface, and utilized the modified CB as a novel reinforcement for natural rubber (NR). Polyrhodanine coated on CB can covalently couple with NR chains by capturing macroradicals and serve as an intelligent interfacial bridge between CB and NR, which greatly improves CB dispersion and strengthens interfacial adhesion in the composites. As a consequence, the energy loss of the resultant composites is remarkably decreased, showing great advantages in reducing the rolling resistance and heat build-up for tire applications.