Maximum Use Of Energy Research Articles

Indoor environmental quality and energy use intensity: an empirical post-occupancy evaluation test of on-campus university student housing in Ghana

PurposeTo significantly adopt and improve indoor energy efficiency in building infrastructure in developing countries can be a challenging venture. Thus, this study aimed to assess the satisfaction of indoor environmental quality and its effect on energy use intensity and efficient among student housing.Design/methodology/approachThe study is quantitative and hinged on the contrast theory. A survey of 1,078 student residents living in purpose-built student housing was contacted. Using Post-Occupancy Evaluation and Multiple Linear Regression, critical variables such as thermal comfort, visual comfort and indoor air quality and 21 indicators were assessed. Data on annual energy consumption and total square metre of the indoor area were utilised to assess energy use intensity.FindingsThe study found a direct relationship between satisfaction with indoor environmental quality and energy use intensity. The study showed that students were more satisfied with thermal comfort conditions than visual and indoor air quality. Overall, these indicators contributed to 75.9% kWh/m2 minimum and 43.2% kWh/m2 maximum energy use intensity in student housing in Ghana. High occupancy and small useable space in student housing resulted in high energy use intensity.Practical implicationsInclusions of sustainable designs and installation of smart mechanical systems are feedback to student housing designers. Again, adaptation to retrofitting ideas can facilitate energy efficiency in the current state of student housing in Ghana.Originality/valueEarlier studies have argued for and against the satisfaction of indoor environmental quality in student housing. However, these studies have neglected to examine the impact on energy use intensity. This is novel because the assessment of energy use intensity in this study has a positive influence on active design incorporation among student housing.

Multi-aspect investigation and multi-criteria optimization of a novel solar-geothermal-based polygeneration system using flat plate and concentrated photovoltaic thermal solar collectors

This study investigates different aspects of an innovative multi-heat recovery-based solar-geothermal polygeneration system, acclaiming the exergetic, exergoeconomic, and energetic concepts. Principally, using two renewable energy sources, the whole framework of the system encompasses Concentrated PhotoVoltaic Thermal (CPVT) solar collectors, Flat Plate Solar Collectors (FPSCs), geothermal wells, an Ejector Refrigeration Cycle (ERC) Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) integrated with a Solid Oxide Electrolyzer Cell (SOEC), heating production units, an air dryer, and an Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) unit. Afterward, the sensitivity analysis utilized for the parametric study makes a multi-aspects optimization in diverse scenarios in which NSGA-II, as well as, fuzzy TOPSIS and fuzzy VIKOR decision makings, are handled to designate the optimal solution. The suggested system has professionally been devised thanks to the characteristic of maximum use of energy of the streams circulated. Hence, crucial variables evaluated are more influenced by the variation in the geothermal heater pinch point temperature gradient. Also, in the optimization scenario based on unit cost of products / exergy efficiency, the TOPSIS selects the optimal objectives of 4.29%/1.13 $/GJ, while the VIKOR selects 4.06%/1.07 $/GJ, respectively.

Alternatives to rice-wheat cropping system under partially reclaimed sodic soils

A field experiment was conducted during 2013-14 to 2015-16 at Central Soil Salinity Research Institute, Regional Research Station, Lucknow to find out the alternate to rice (Oryza sativa L.)- wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cropping system under partially reclaimed sodic soils. Four cropping systems, viz. rice (Oryza sativa L.)- wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), sorghum (Sorghum bicolor)-berseem (Trifolium alexandrinum), sweet basil (tulsi) (Ocimum basilicum L.)-matricaria (Matricaria chamomilla) and chilli (Capsicum spp.)-garlic (Allium sativum) were evaluated in the light of sustainability, potentiality and profitability. Maximum rice equivalent yield (14.21 t/ha) and production efficiency (61.25 kg/ha/day) were recorded with sweet basil-matricaria cropping system whereas, highest land use efficiency (78.35%) was observed under sorghum-berseem fodder based cropping system. Highest water use efficiency (150.72 kg/ha cm) was recorded with chilli-garlic cropping system followed by sweet basil-matricaria, but the total amount of water used was more (125.65 cm) in rice-wheat system. The water requirements of sorghum-berseem, sweet basilmatricaria and chilli -garlic cropping systems were 8.0, 19.8 and 31.8% less than the rice-wheat cropping system. Among the cropping systems evaluated, maximum energy input (27.50 MJ/ ha) and output (314.46 MJ/ha) were analyzed in rice-wheat system. Whereas, maximum energy use efficiency (11.99) was found with sweet basil- matricaria followed by sorghum-berseem (11.91) cropping systems. Highest soil ameliorative potential was established with sweet basil -matricaria cropping system than rest of the cropping systems. Highest net return (₹ 63222/ha) and benefit: cost ratio of 2.74 was deliberated with medicinal and aromatic crop based sweet basil-matricaria cropping system.

Energetics of Rice under different Land Leveling Practices and Establishment Methods

A field experiment was conducted during the Rabi season (November to April) 2020-2021 at Regional Agricultural Research Station, Jagtial, PJTSAU, Telangana state, India with an objective to study the energetic of rice under different land levelling practices and establishment methods. The treatments include three land levelling practices as main plot treatments viz., laser land levelling (M1), conventional levelling (M2) and unlevelled (M3) and four sub-plot treatments viz., Semi dry rice (S1), Wet direct seeding (S2), Conventional transplanting (S3) and Machine transplanting (S4) in strip plot design and replicated thrice. Experimental results revealed that the laser and leveling was found to be more energy efficient with energy use efficiency of 3.45 compared to conventional leveling (2.86) and unleveled field (2.80). Similarly, the maximum energy productivity of 0.14 kg MJ-1 and profitability of 2.45 were recorded with laser land levelling. Under laser land levelling, the reduced specific energy (0.52MJ kg-1) indicated a lower energy requirement to achieve unit grain production. Among the establishment methods conventional transplanting recorded maximum energy use efficiency (4.09), energy efficiency ratio (2.47), energy productivity (0.17) and energy profitability (3.09) and was significantly superior to machine transplanting, wet direct seeding and semi dry rice. While, the minimum specific energy was recorded with conventional transplanting (0.41 MJ Kg-1) over other establishment methods.

Efficacy, Energy Budgeting, and Carbon Footprints of Weed Management in Blackgram (Vigna mungo L.)

Weed management in blackgram is one of the most efficient ways to improve its yield, as uncontrolled weed growth causes a significant decrease in crop yield. A field experiment was performed at Berthin, Himachal Pradesh, India, to investigate the efficacy, energy use efficiency (EUE), and carbon footprints of weed management tactics. Twelve weed control treatments were tested applied alone or in combination at pre and post emergence stages. The most prominent weeds were Cyperus iria, Dactyloctenium aegyptium, and Echinochloa colona, which caused a 68.1% loss in unweeded conditions. The application of weed control treatments reduced the weed count at 60 DAS from around 50% to 90%. The most efficient weed control treatment was pre-emergence (PRE) use of ready mix imazethapyr 35% + imazamox 35% WG @ 80 g ha−1, which resulted in a minimum weed infestation (i.e., weed count and weed biomass) and consequently highest yield. Its efficacy in weed control treatment was on par with PRE use of ready mix imazethapyr (35%) + imazamox (35% WG @ 70 g ha−1. Maximum energy use efficiency was also obtained upon PRE use of imazethapyr (35%) + imazamox (35% WG) @ 80 g ha−1 (8.27), trailed by PRE use of imazethapyr + imazamox @ 70 g ha−1 (7.84), mainly because of the higher yield obtained in these treatments which shows their efficiency in energy conversion. The carbon footprints were observed to be the lowest in ready mix combination of imazethapyr (35%) + imazamox (35% WG) applied at 80 g ha−1 (0.11 kg CE kg−1 yield), followed by imazethapyr (35%) + imazamox (35% WG) applied at 70 g ha−1 (0.12 kg CE kg−1 yield), as it resulted in the lowest emission per unit output production.

ALTERNATE OPTIONS TO RICE (ORYZA SATIVA) – WHEAT (TRITICUM AESTIVUM) CROPPING SYSTEM FOR PARTIALLY RECLAIMED SODIC SOILS

Objectives: A field experiment was conducted during 2013–2014−2015–2016 at Central Soil Salinity Research Institute, Regional Research Station, experimental farm, Shivri, Lucknow to find out the alternate options to rice (Oryza sativa L.) – wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cropping system in partially reclaimed sodic soils. Methods: Four cropping systems, namely, rice (O. sativa L.) – Wheat (T. aestivum L.) (Cereal-based), sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) – berseem (Trifolium alexandrinum) (Fodder-based), sweet basil (tulsi) (Ocimum basilicum L.) – matricaria (Matricaria chamomilla) (medicinal and aromatic crop-based), and chilli (Capsicum spp.) – garlic (Allium sativum Linn.) (spices-based) were evaluated in the light of sustainability, potentiality, and profitability. Results and Discussion: Maximum rice equivalent yield (14.21 t/ha) and production efficiency (61.25 kg/ha/day) were recorded with sweet basil– matricaria cropping system, whereas highest land use efficiency (78.35%) was observed under sorghum–berseem fodder-based cropping system. Highest water expense efficiency (150.72 kg/ha cm) was recorded with chilli–garlic cropping system followed by sweet basil–matricaria, but the total amount of water used was more (125.65 cm) in rice–wheat system. The water requirements of sorghum–berseem, sweet basil–matricaria, and chilli–garlic cropping systems were 8.0, 19.8, and 31.8% less than the rice–wheat cropping system. Among the cropping systems evaluated, maximum energy input (27.50 MJ/ha) and output (314.46 MJ/ha) were analyzed in rice–wheat system. Whereas, maximum energy use efficiency (11.99) was found with sweet basil–matricaria followed by sorghum–berseem (11.91) cropping systems. Highest soil ameliorative potential was established with sweet basil–matricaria cropping system than rest of the cropping systems. Highest net return (Rs. 63,222/ha) and benefit: cost ratio of 2.74 was deliberated with medicinal and aromatic crop-based sweet basil–matricaria cropping system than rest of the cropping systems. Conclusion: From the study, it is concluded that, diversification of rice–wheat cropping system with other highly remunerative crops such as sweet basil and chilli in kharif and matricaria and garlic in rabi is an alternate highly remunerative medicinal and aromatic and spices-based cropping systems which may be adopted by the farmers to get higher returns per unit area and to save the natural resources.

Maxmaladaptation, occupant behaviour and energy performance gap

Occupant behaviour is a key factor in the energy consumption and performance of a building. However, it is difficult to model and simulate hence there is often a mismatch between the predicted and actual performance of a new or refurbished buildings and surprising variations in the consumptions of similar and identical buildings. Although environmental conditions affect people significantly, there are also non-environmental factors including how well employers manage people and how well dwelling occupants understand their controls. Rarely are these factors considered in building performance, especially commercial buildings. Poor management can lead to varying degrees of occupant maladaptation. Maladaptation taken here to mean behaviour patterns that are detrimental to the optimal functioning of the building. This paper proposes a novel concept for designers that examines the worst possible energy performance gap (“extreme” scenario testing) where the theoretical occupants do their best to make the building consume as much energy as possible. The novel concept is called “maxmaladaptation”. By considering maxmaladaptation, designers can attempt to reduce it, so reducing the energy gap. This paper briefly reviews the energy gap and social psychology and its contribution to understanding energy consumption with some examples, underlying the concept of maxmaladaptation. Practical application: Building energy performance gaps often exist because predicted design consumptions are often less than actual consumptions due to the occupants not behaving as designers expect. Using the concept of maxmaladaptation, an extreme scenario of maximum energy use by occupants, designers can design buildings to avoid unexpected energy consumption. Often the influences of occupant behaviour are not considered in detail. Social psychology gives an insight into non-environmental factors that can cause maladaptation, a constituent of maxmaladaptation.

CPT-Based Multi-Objective Strategy for Power Quality Enhancement in Three-Phase Three-Wire Systems Under Distorted and Unbalanced Voltage Conditions

This paper explores the application of multifunctional inverters connected to the electrical network, to propose an adaptable system to individually control reactive power, load imbalance, and harmonic currents. Based on Conservative Power Theory (CPT), the dynamic compensation of Power Quality (PQ) indices is carried out under different conditions of demand and energy generation. First, a set of global factors for reactive power, imbalances, and current harmonics is introduced, which are effective even for bidirectional power flows in systems with harmonic voltage distortion and/or voltage unbalance. This set of factors gives rise to a multiobjective decision-making algorithm to estimate coefficients of proportionality, which instantly considers the reference signals linked to the disturbances, enabling to individually keep track of the target values of each of the PQ indices, as customarily established through standards or electricity utility criteria. As a result, this proposed approach allows a multiobjective operation of the inverter connected to the network, thereby allowing maximum use of energy generated, as well as limiting energy losses of distribution networks, and enhancement of the PQ of a prosumer. Finally, to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach, different case studies were simulated with this set of case studies, including one representative real case containing a PV system connected to the network and a non-linear unbalanced load with variable demand.

Energetics of Finger Millet (Eleusine coracana L. Gaertn) Cultivation as Influenced by Integrated Nutrient Management

Finger millets ((Eleusine coracana L. Gaertn) is one of the important small millets cultivated in India under subsistence farming in drylands. Though it is low demanding crop energy involvement is there in profitable raising of finger millet. Increase in energy use in agriculture production at a faster rate in India because of mechanization and enhancing chemical usage. To study the energy use in finger millet cultivation, a field trail was conducted at Bagusala Farm of M.S. Swaminathan School of Agriculture, Centurion University of Technology Management, Paralakhemundi, Odisha. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications and ten treatments. The treatment comprises of T1: control, T2: FYM @ 4 t ha−1,T3: FYM @ 8 t ha−1, T4: 100% RDF (40:20:20 kg ha−1 of N: P2O5: K2O), T5: 50% RDF + 4 t FYM, T6, 75% RDF + 2 t FYM, T7: FYM 4 t ha−1 + Azospirillum@ 5 kg ha−1, T8: FYM 8 t ha−1 + Azospirillum@ 5 kg ha−1, T9: 50% RDF + 4 t FYM + Azospirillum@ 5 kg ha−1 and T10: 75% RDF + 2 t FYM + Azospirillum@ 5 kg ha−1. The results revealed that all the energy parameters except energy productivity were significantly influenced by different treatments. The highest maximum energy input, gross energy output, net energy and energy intensity in term of economics were recorded maximum with application of 100% RDF and maximum energy use efficiency and energy productivity was noticed with application of FYM 8 t ha−1 + Azospirillum.

Tillage and crop straw methods affect energy use efficiency, economics and greenhouse gas emissions in rainfed winter wheat field of Loess Plateau in China

ABSTRACTData from a field experiment conducted in China's Loess Plateau (2013–2015) were used to determine the energy balance of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) as affected by tillage and straw treatments. Tillage treatments included chisel plow, no tillage, and mouldboard plow. Crop straw levels included straw returning and straw removed. The energy balance was evaluated by comparing the following parameters: net energy, energy profitability, energy use efficiency, and energy intensity. The yield parameters were significantly influenced by the tillage treatments and revealed that the chisel plow entailed fewer field operations and lower energy requirements with a higher yield than mouldboard plowing tillage. The highest proportion of energy input came from a nitrogen fertiliser, followed by diesel fuel. The total energy input applied per hectare increased with an increase in the tillage intensity, and the lowest energy input was required for the no tillage case with the straw returning treatment, and the highest for the case of mouldboard plow with the straw returning treatment. The lowest average energy intensity was recorded for the no tillage case, followed by the case of chisel plow tillage in both cropping seasons. Moreover, in the case of mouldboard plough tillage, the maximum energy intensity was recorded in both cropping seasons. In the cases of the chisel plow tillage and the no tillage, we observed the maximum energy gain, while in the no tillage case, we observed the maximum energy use efficiency. The net return and the benefit/cost ratio were higher in the case of straw returning than those in the case of no straw treatment. We concluded that no tillage and chisel plow tillage with straw returning could improve the energy use efficiency and the benefit/cost ratio of winter wheat production systems.

TILLAGE AND RESIDUE MANAGEMENT FOR IMPROVING PRODUCTIVITY AND RESOURCE-USE EFFICIENCY IN SOYBEAN (GLYCINE MAX)—WHEAT (TRITICUM AESTIVUM) CROPPING SYSTEM

SUMMARYContinuous rice–wheat (RW) cropping in an area of 13.5 million ha with intensive tillage has resulted in over exploitation of resources, decline of the factor productivity, loss of soil fertility and biodiversity and decline of resource use efficiency in the Indo-Gangetic plains (IGPs) of South Asia. This has led to unsustainability of agriculture in the region. Replacement of a cereal-cereal system with a legume–cereal system may prove beneficial for long-term sustainability of the system. A field experiment was conducted with soybean–wheat (SW) rotation in the IGP of India during 2009–10 and 2010–11 to assess the suitability of conservation tillage versus conventional tillage (CT) and crop-establishment techniques, namely bed (B) planting versus flat (F) planting. The study revealed that the zero tillage (ZT) for soybean during rainy and for wheat during winter season either in flat or in bed system performed equally good with CT. The maximum system productivity (7.06 t ha−1in 2009–10 and 8.48 t ha−1in 2010–11) was obtained with combined application of wheat + soybean residue. The maximum net returns of ₹46.98 and ₹65.08 thousands and B:C ratio of 2.35 and 3.08 were recorded in the SW system with zero tillage-flat (ZT─F) during 2009–10 and 2010–11, respectively. The minimum energy of 64.67 and 63.01 ×103MJ ha−1was utilized as input energy with zero tillage-bed (ZT─B) while the maximum energy use efficiency of 4.10 and 5.14 was obtained with ZT─F and ZT─B for the SW system during 2009–10 and 2010–11 respectively. The gross output energy was maximum with wheat + soybean residue (241.6 and 265.7 ×103MJ ha−1) contrary to this the net energy (194.4 and 213.4 ×103MJ ha−1) and energy use efficiency (9.03 and 10.96) was maximum with control (no residue) in the SW system. In wheat there was 37.85% improvement in irrigation water use efficiency (WUE) in raised bed planting than flat planting and 28.57% of irrigation water was saved. The study suggested that ZT either bed or flat planting to both the crops can successfully adopted along with application wheat + soybean residue together with full recommended dose of NPK fertilizers to the system for improving productivity, profitability, soil health and sustainability of SW system in the IGPs of South Asia.

Comparative Ability of Northern Pintails, Gadwalls, and Northern Shovelers to Metabolize Foods

Feeding trials were used to compare the ability of northern pintails (Anas acuta), gadwalls (A. strepera), and northern shovelers (A. clypeata) to metabolize energy from a turkey starter ration, alfalfa pellets, and common barnyardgrass (Echinochloa crusgalli) seeds. No differences (P > 0.05) were detected among the three species for any of the three foods (kg body weight/day basis), for dry matter intake (DMI), body weight gain (BWG), apparent metabolizable energy (AME), or metabolized energy (MEE) on any given diet consumed in quantities large enough to promote body weight gain. The AME content of alfalfa was 57% less than the value for turkey starter and 50% less than for barnyardgrass seeds. All three species metabolized more energy and gained weight faster when fed turkey starter. Energy modeling may be facilitated if additional research verifies that all species of dabbling ducks have equal ability to obtain energy from foods available to them in the wild. Behavioral and morphological factors may be more important in defining feeding niches than digestive physiology, at least for the three duck species tested, at the time of year of the experiments, and within the limits of the quality of foods used. J. WILDL. MANAGE. 48(2):362-370 Many species of dabbling ducks (Anatini) exhibit interspecific differences in food habits even though sharing the same habitats. Although some overlap among species exists during fall and winter, gadwalls eat a preponderance of vegetative plant parts and algae in marsh habitats, northern pintails consume seed diets in agricultural and marsh habitats, and northern shovelers normally consume planktonic foods by filter feeding in wetlands (Bellrose 1980:216, 274, 300). These species are closely related phylogenetically and are sympatric over much of their range. In addition to morphological (body size, neck length, bill shape) and behavioral (marsh vs. field feeding, tipping-up vs. surface skimming) adaptations for feeding, physiological adaptations have possibly evolved which allow maximum use of energy from foods regularly eaten as opposed to those seldom consumed. Digestive physiology, by influencing food selection, could be a factor in the separation of food habits, habitat selection, and reduction in competition for food re-

Vector Analysis of Time-Dependent Gamma-Ray Spectra

A method is proposed for the analysis of time-dependent gamma-ray spectra obtained in neutron activation analysis. This method uses basis vectors derived from known spectra to resolve the unknown spectrum. The method as proposed may be effectively combined with presently available least-squares methods to make maximum use of energy and half-life resolution. A sodium iodide sample has been activated and its spectrum resolved to illustrate the method.