Performance Of Integrated System Research Articles

Parametric Based Techno‐Economic Evaluation for a Solar Thermal‐PV Integrated Multi‐Commodity Storage Facility

ABSTRACTPostharvest losses and spoilage of agricultural products are a major problem for tropical countries, and it is even more challenging for countries encountering fluctuating power shortages, such as Pakistan. Therefore, this study focused on the energy and economic analysis of cold storage to store three products (potatoes, pomegranates, and potatoes) according to the season and storage span throughout the year. The cooling load of the cold store was supported by a LiBr‐H2O vapor absorption and vapor compression refrigeration system to maintain the desired temperature for each product during cold storage. A solar thermal PV system is installed to operate cold storage refrigeration systems. Cold storage performance was analyzed by developing thermal models of integrated systems using the ambient conditions of Lahore, Pakistan. A parametric study was also conducted to analyze the impact of various working parameters on integrated system performance, and it was found that the maximum peak cooling load of 91 kW inside cold storage is attributed to pomegranates owing to high ambient conditions during its loading month. The product loading rate significantly affects the cooling load of cold storage and varies directly with it, as observed for an increase in the product loading rate from 0 to 50 000 kg/day cooling load also increases from 34 to 87 kW. To meet the thermal demand of the generator of the vapor absorption system, parabolic troughs were installed to operate cold storage, and it was found that a minimum of four PTC were needed to support the peak cooling load at the maximum product loading rate and minimum DNI value. To meet the electrical demand of cold storage electrical equipment and the compressor of the vapor compression system, solar photovoltaic panels were installed, and it was found that a minimum of 618 panels was required at a minimum tilted radiation value. To validate the viability of proposed design system economic analysis was also conducted which revealed a payback period of 12 years for Kinnow and potatoes and 16 years for pomegranates.

Effect of inorganic compound size on the relative gain of polymer-based optical waveguide amplifiers

Polymer based waveguide amplifiers are the key devices to improve the performance of integrated communication systems. However, due to their comparatively low relative gain, their widespread practical application has been limited. In polymer based optical waveguide amplifiers, the size of inorganic compounds in the composite gain media has a significant impact on the gain performance of the amplifier. Up to now, there has been limited research on the size influence of inorganic compound on the gain variation in organic polymer based optical waveguide amplifiers. In this study, a series of NaLu0.8-xYxF4: Yb, Er-PMMA composite polymer were used as gain media to prepare organic waveguide amplifiers working in the C-band (1530–1565 nm). The size of NaLu0.8-xYxF4: Yb, Er compounds varies between 20 nm and 150 nm. In the polymer based optical waveguide amplifiers, variations in the size of the inorganic NaLu0.8-xYxF4:Yb,Er compound affects not only the C-band emission intensity but also the relative gain. When the size of the inorganic compound is 65 nm, the composite gain media exhibits the maximum emission peak intensity at 1550 nm and the corresponding device achieves a maximum relative gain of 19.3 dB/cm. Our results show that the size of inorganic compounds affects the variation of luminescence intensity and ultimately the gain of waveguide amplifiers. The gain of future polymer optical waveguide amplifiers can be improved by this method.

AdaptiX - A Transitional XR Framework for Development and Evaluation of Shared Control Applications in Assistive Robotics

With the ongoing efforts to empower people with mobility impairments and the increase in technological acceptance by the general public, assistive technologies, such as collaborative robotic arms, are gaining popularity. Yet, their widespread success is limited by usability issues, specifically the disparity between user input and software control along the autonomy continuum. To address this, shared control concepts provide opportunities to combine the targeted increase of user autonomy with a certain level of computer assistance. This paper presents the free and open-source AdaptiX XR framework for developing and evaluating shared control applications in a high-resolution simulation environment. The initial framework consists of a simulated robotic arm with an example scenario in Virtual Reality (VR), multiple standard control interfaces, and a specialized recording/replay system. AdaptiX can easily be extended for specific research needs, allowing Human-Robot Interaction (HRI) researchers to rapidly design and test novel interaction methods, intervention strategies, and multi-modal feedback techniques, without requiring an actual physical robotic arm during the early phases of ideation, prototyping, and evaluation. Also, a Robot Operating System (ROS) integration enables the controlling of a real robotic arm in a PhysicalTwin approach without any simulation-reality gap. Here, we review the capabilities and limitations of AdaptiX in detail and present three bodies of research based on the framework. AdaptiX can be accessed at https://adaptix.robot-research.de.

Power-to-X system utilizing an advanced solar system integrated with a thermally regenerative electrochemical cycle

This article discusses power-to-X technology by proposing an advanced system to generate green electricity and hydrogen. The proposed system is powered by an advanced concentrated parabolic photovoltaic thermal (CPV/T) hybrid system. A proton exchange membrane (PEM) water electrolyzer system is used for the hydrogen production process, with a multistage compression system to increase hydrogen pressure and regulate hydrogen temperature. Additionally, a heat recovery system is employed through the thermally regenerative electrochemical cycle (TREC). A parametric analysis was performed based on thermal resistance to investigate the effect of solar radiation, Reynolds number, lengths of both the receiver side and tube and ambient temperature. A mathematical model was developed and validated to investigate the integrated system performance. CPV/T achieved a maximum system efficiency of 85.4% at 1000 W/m2 and a side length of 0.2 m, with electrical and thermal contributions of 21.1% and 64.3%, respectively. With a tube length of 20 m, the maximum hydrogen flow rate reached 280 kg/h, requiring 2.5 TJ/h for production under a pressure of 750 bar. The TREC system showed a maximum electrical production contribution of about 25.4% at a Reynolds number equal to 3000 compared to the contribution of CPV/T cells.

Performance investigation and operation optimization of an innovative hybrid renewable energy integration system for commercial building complex and hydrogen vehicles

With the increasing in energy demands and carbon emissions of building and transport sectors, improving the penetration of renewable resources in these areas are inevitable trends. To further develop the theoretical method of energy integrated system in building/transportation area, load forecasting of commercial building complex and hydrogen vehicles are determined, a novel hybrid renewable energy integration system is presented and studied. Thermal, economic and environmental performances for poly-generation system are performed and optimized, optimal performance and configuration are obtained by NSGA-II algorithm and TOPSIS-Shannon entropy weight method. In addition, operating performance characteristics of integration system during typical weekday and weekend in different seasons are analyzed, the influences of critical parameters on comprehensive performances of integrated system are also conducted. The results showed that optimal exergetic efficiency, levelized cost of product (LCOP) and levelized CO2 emissions of product (LCEP) are 12.61 %, 0.0711 $/kWh and 0.0185 kg/kWh. Furthermore, thermodynamic performances of proposed system decreases while LCOP and LCEP rise with the increasing in HVs stock. Biomass and purchased electricity prices have different impacts on system comprehensive performances. In general, this study provides a new alternative for multiple renewable energy integrated system optimization in building and transportation sectors.

Simulation Design of Three Phase Grid Integrated EV Charging Station with Renewables

The potential for improving sustainability in the transportation sector is considerable when renewable energy sources are combined with electric vehicle (EV) charging stations. The design methodology for a three-phase grid-integrated EV charging station that integrates renewable energy sources is presented in this paper using simulation-based design. The suggested system seeks to reduce grid dependency, maximize the use of renewable energy sources, and optimize energy management. Utilizing cutting-edge software tools, the simulation model is created to evaluate the integrated system's viability and performance under various operating scenarios. The study offers insightful information for the planning and development of sustainable transportation solutions and emphasizes the possible advantages of incorporating renewable energy sources into EV charging infrastructure.In this paper, a power predictive model was presented to forecast EVs power demand and to enhance the CS performance, in order to avoid an extra burden on the grid during peak hours. PV array with storage battery supported by the grid increased the reliability and flexibility of the system.

Novel Hydrogen and Biomethanol Production From Pinecone Biomass Using an Integrated Steam Gasification System

This study develops a new biomass-based integrated energy system where a steam gasification process is considered for hydrogen and biomethanol production in a viable manner using woody bioresources from pinecones. The modeling and simulation studies are performed using both The Aspen Plus and Matlab software packages in a combined manner to practically investigate the integrated system's operating and management conditions and potential performance for a strategically identified location in British Columbia where bioresources are widely available, and there is a strong need to create a value out of these. The emphasis is on three main stages: gasification, syngas post-treatment, and methanol production. This comprehensive approach ensures an in-depth understanding of the production process, from resource extraction to end-product progress. A key aspect of the study is estimating essential flow rates, notably CO2, H2, and CH4O, in various operational conditions. The analysis goes beyond product yields, providing a thorough evaluation of mass flow rates for all streams in the system. This enables a more sophisticated evaluation of performance under various operating situations and component varieties. The integrated system's performance is evaluated using rigorous thermodynamic studies. This analytical technique provides details on the efficiencies and environmental impacts of the proposed system. The simulation findings show that the existing system can produce 0.17 kg/s methanol and 0.025 kg/s hydrogen. These findings establish a foundation for further improvement and scalability of the integrated system for practical applications. The study not only helps advance the field of renewable energy era but also provides a practical and sustainable solution to the pressing issue of pine beetle infestation, demonstrating the possibility of combining technology and ecology to benefit the environment.

Numerical Study on Effects of Flow Channel Length on Solid Oxide Fuel Cell-Integrated System Performances

The structural dimensions of the SOFC have an important influence on the solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC)-integrated system performance. The paper focuses on analyzing the effect of the flow channel length on the integrated system. The system model includes a 3-D SOFC model, established using COMSOL 6.1, and a 1-D model of the SOFC-integrated system established, using Aspen Plus V11. This analysis was conducted within an operating voltage range from 0.4 V to 0.9 V and flow channel length range from 6 cm to 18 cm for the SOFC-integrated system model. Performance evaluation indicators for integrated systems are conducted, focusing on three aspects: net electrical power, net electrical efficiency, and thermoelectric efficiency. The purpose of the paper is to explore the optimal flow channel length of SOFC in the integrated system. The results indicate that there is inevitably an optimal length in the integrated system at which both the net electrical power and net electrical efficiency reach their maximum values. When considering the heat recycling in the system, the integrated system with a flow channel length of 16 cm achieves the highest thermoelectric efficiency of 65.68% at 0.7 V. Therefore, there is a flow channel length that allows the system to achieve the highest thermoelectric efficiency. This study provides optimization ideas for the production and manufacturing of SOFCs from the perspective of practical engineering applications.

Operating System and Server Integration for Business Effectiveness

Management Information Systems (MIS) have a crucial role in supporting the effectiveness of a company or agency. A strong MIS ensures optimal internal planning and control, involving people, documents, technology and procedures. The importance of MIS demands synergistic integration between the operating system and servers to manage hardware resources and store information efficiently. This research aims to explore the factors that influence SIM in the context of operating system and server integration. The focus is on understanding the impact of this integration on business effectiveness, particularly in terms of planning, control and data storage. Research reveals that the integration of operating systems and servers positively contributes to increasing SIM effectiveness. Harmonious cooperation between the operating system and servers encourages optimization of hardware resource management and information storage, supporting more efficient internal planning and control. These findings provide a new view regarding the importance of operating system and server integration in optimizing SIM. The implementation of this integration is expected to improve business performance through more accurate planning, tight control and efficient data storage. The novelty of this research lies in the integrative approach to operating systems and servers in the context of SIM. A deeper understanding of these relationships can provide practical guidance for companies to improve the effectiveness of their information systems.

The Study on Propulsion Force Character of an Integrated Operation System for HTS Maglev Train

The Study on Propulsion Force Character of an Integrated Operation System for HTS Maglev Train

Enhancing Human-Robot Collaboration in Industry 4.0 with AI-driven HRI

Human-robot interaction (HRI) is an important consideration in mechatronic design to ensure safe and intuitive operation of robotic systems. With advancements in artificial intelligence (AI), new opportunities have emerged to enhance HRI through learned models that can adapt to human behavior and preferences. This paper provides a comprehensive review of techniques to integrate AI into HRI for mechatronic systems. An overview is first provided of challenges and objectives in integrating intelligence into robotics for effective HRI. Modern approaches utilizing neural networks, reinforcement learning, and graph neural networks are then discussed for robotic perception, decision-making, motion control, and interaction adaptation. Additionally, hybrid approaches combining rule-based methods with learned models are highlighted. Guidelines are provided for collecting human interaction data, evaluating integrated system performance, and considering adjustability, explainability, and safety. Multiple tables summarize key studies on AI-enhanced user interfaces, interactive task learning, socially aware navigation, bio-inspired sensorimotor control, and personalized robots. Finally, open issues and future outlook are discussed. This paper aims to support mechatronic designers through an structured analysis of the emerging field of intelligent HRI with insights into current best practices for integration.

신재생 에너지 최적 활용을 위한 축열조 온도 예측 모델 연구

Recently, energy consumption for heating costs, which is 35% of smart farm energy costs, has increased, requiring energy consumption efficiency, and the importance of new and renewable energy is increasing due to concerns about the realization of electricity bills. Renewable energy belongs to hydropower, wind, and solar power, of which solar energy is a power generation technology that converts it into electrical energy, and this technology has less impact on the environment and is simple to maintain. In this study, based on the greenhouse heat storage tank and heat pump data, the factors that affect the heat storage tank are selected and a heat storage tank supply temperature prediction model is developed. It is predicted using Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM), which is effective for time series data analysis and prediction, and XGBoost model, which is superior to other ensemble learning techniques. By predicting the temperature of the heat pump heat storage tank, energy consumption may be optimized and system operation may be optimized. In addition, we intend to link it to the smart farm energy integrated operation system, such as reducing heating and cooling costs and improving the energy independence of farmers due to the use of solar power. By managing the supply of waste heat energy through the platform and deriving the maximum heating load and energy values required for crop growth by season and time, an optimal energy management plan is derived based on this.

Towards Workplace Metaverse: A Human-Centered Approach for Designing and Evaluating XR Virtual Displays

Work is becoming more and more flexible nowadays. It can take place in the office, at home, or even on the go; tasks may encompass activities in the form of documents, multimedia, or 3D models in virtual space. Under such circumstances, personal computers (PC), the most widely used productivity devices for work today, cannot well address the diverse needs such as screen size, privacy, and flexibility to display diverse content formats (e.g., 2D to 3D), due to their fixed hardware specs. We believe the solution lies in Extended Reality (XR). In this article, we explored how XR glasses can be used for PC’s virtual extended displays, and conducted user interviews and usability tests to propose a systematic user experience design and evaluation framework. We discovered that the design space encompasses four dimensions general placement, display specs, operating system integration, and interaction behaviors) and summarized users’ corresponding preferences. We proposed a quality-of-experience (QoE) evaluation framework for XR virtual displays consisting of visual quality, visual fatigue and discomfort, as well as immersiveness, and identified clarity as the most significant factor that affects user satisfaction. Our design and evaluation frameworks could serve as a resource for both practitioners and scholars with an interest in the design and evaluation of virtual displays.

SOFC-VPSA System for Power Generation with CO2 Separation

Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) has attracted huge scientific attentions lately, as it is a promising power production technology that can reduce user’s dependency on electricity-grid. SOFC system can generate electricity by using liquid or gaseous fuels. Small volume and external fuel storage make SOFC technology more compatible, and it can easily be adjusted for different industry power plant scales. Moreover, SOFC operates at high temperature (700 0C), and it cogenerates high-quality heat or steam, which can be used as a heat source within the system. As maximum fuel utilization for SOFC is around 85%, a burner is required for the combustion of unconverted fuels. The burner provides additional heat to the SOFC system, at the same time, it generates more CO2.In order to meet “net zero” emission target for greenhouse gases in the year 2050, it is essential to introduce Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technology that can retrieve most of the produced CO2 from emission intensive activities and store it permanently in nature (e.g, sequestration and mineralization), leading to an almost carbon neutral activity. The stored CO2 can also be used in methanation process, to convert it into green methane. By integrating an existing CCS technology with SOFC, and using biofuels as energy source, SOFC system can be considered as a carbon negative technology. The most common and widely used CCS technology is Chemical Absorption (CA). The CA process presents good retrofitting options. However, corrosion and degradation are major issues.The high efficiency of SOFC system is however penalised by the fact that the flue gases contain typically a mix of CO2 and N2, which makes it difficult and expensive to separate/capture the produced CO2. There is a possibility of directly injecting pure oxygen to the burner. For industrial scale, cryogenic distillation is commonly used air separation technology for producing O2. Cryogenic distillation is an energy intensive technology, and it is not suitable for small scale O2 production. In the recent times, other technologies such as Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) and membrane have evolved for O2 production from air. The non-cryogenic technologies for air separation are preferred to their lower operating cost and easier integration with other processes. PSA is usually suited for medium-range production capacity, and it can produce O2 with 94 % purity. However, it is still necessary to improve performance by reducing energy consumption. The energy consumption is 3.211 MJ/kg-O2 for PSA to produce oxygen. In the oxygen production process, energy consumption accounts for more than 90% of the operating cost.This study considers integration of a SOFC system with PSA, which consists of a SOFC stack, balance of plant components for SOFC system, PSA bed and auxiliary components for PSA. The PSA produces O2 from air, that is injected to the combustion chamber (or burner). In the integrated system, the energy needed for the PSA directly comes from SOFC system. The right amount of oxygen is used to complete the oxidation of the unconverted fuel from the anodic side of SOFC, and CO2 is separated automatically after water condensation. Figure 1 shows layout of integrated system. The performance of PSA is explored for different materials, different pressure ratio and temperature, to achieve minimum energy consumption. Moreover, heat integration has been studied for SOFC system, the integrated system has waste heat available, especially at the downstream of the burner. In order to valorize the waste heat of the system, a steam cycle has been integrated for producing extra amount of electricity, to improve the overall efficiency of the system. Finally, the performance of integrated system has been optimized for maximization of electrical efficiency and minimization of exergy distraction, via multi-objective optimization.In this study, the net electricity output from SOFC-PSA system is around 9 kW. The SOFC produces 9.8 kW electricity, and about 8% electricity is consumed by the PSA for producing O2 that is required for the combustion of unconverted fuel. The integrated system has an overall efficiency of more than 55%. A steam cycle has been integrated for producing extra amount of electricity, and it produces additional 2.5 kW of electricity. Hence, the overall efficiency of the integrated system reaches above 70% with automatic CO2 separation. Figure 1

Exploring the Synergy of Integration: Assessing the Performance of Hydraulic Storage and Solar Power Integration in Kirkuk city

This research investigates the performance of integrated system combining of hydraulic storage and solar power in Iraq. A photovoltaic-water pumping system was designed to store solar energy in the form of water in tank at a height of 6 mm. The study evaluates the influence of solar radiation level and pumping time in determining the amount of energy stored. During clear days in March, 175 minutes was taken to pump a total of 3400 liters of water in the case of the fixed PV panel, while when using the tracker, the time is reduced to 165 minutes for filling the tank with the same quantity of water due to the increase in the pumping capacity in the case of the tracker. During a cloudy day in the same month, the same quantity of water was pumped in 230 minutes. The stored water was then utilized to generate electricity, with varying flow rates based on the desired power output .The highest produced power was obtained by 42.9 W at a 42 lit / sec water flow rate, and the lowest power obtained by 23.2 W at a minimum water flow rate of 25 lit / sec. Moreover, the system's cost-effectiveness is enhanced by employing a direct current pump which can be used without the need for the inverter or batteries. These findings provide good understanding for the integrating of the hydraulic storage and solar power systems, offering potential solutions for sustainable energy generation in Iraq.

Techno-economic investigation of integrated biodiesel internal combustion engines and transcritical organic Rankine cycles for small-scale combined heat and power generation

The work presents an integrated system for combined heat and power generation based on a topping biodiesel internal combustion engine (ICE) and a bottoming transcritical organic Rankine cycle (TORC). A 0D/1D mathematical model is developed to evaluate the performance of the innovative biodiesel system in design and off-design conditions for a wide range of rated power and organic fluids. The analysis highlights that the TORC integration improves the total full load electric power by more than 12%, and the engine size significantly influences the integrated system performance. The total electric efficiency increases from 35.0% to 47.9%, whereas the thermal efficiency decreases from 27.2% to 19.8% when the ICE’s nominal power moves from 10 kWel to 500 kWel.Afterward, a multi-objective investigation is carried out to define the most suitable power of the proposed biodiesel system and its capability to satisfy the energy request of specific users. A thermal self-consumption equal to 100%, an electric self-consumption larger than 94%, and a payback time of 5.2 years are found. Lastly, a sensitivity analysis demonstrates the economic feasibility of the proposed biodiesel integrated system for a wide range of prices of energy vectors and system components.

A study on performances of SOFC integrated system for hydrogen-fueled vessel

A study on performances of SOFC integrated system for hydrogen-fueled vessel

System integration analysis of a zeolite 13x thermal energy storage

Nowadays a major energy transition aimed at cutting CO2 emissions has begun, with the ambitious goal of drastically reducing the dependence on fossil fuels and promoting the use of renewable energy sources. In this context, energy storage systems play a key role in ensuring a stable, secure and time-aligned energy availability. Open sorption thermal energy storages (TESs) can contribute to such transition, since they are simple and cheap devices able to provide a hot airflow with a high energy density and to store energy for long time. In this work, open sorption TES systems operated with Zeolite13X are investigated with a focus on the integration in practical applications. First, the experimental analysis and modelling of the sole TES system is described. Then, the integration of the TES at system level is carried out. The analysis evidences that a significant reduction of storage capacity occurs if air humidification is necessary before the adsorption process or afterwards to keep adequate indoor comfort conditions for the occupants. For the exemplary case study considered, an energy density of 150 kWhm−3 can drop to 40 kWhm−3 in case of complete compensation of the adsorbed water through a humidifier. This paper provides useful guidelines for evaluating the performance of a TES integrated system in terms of specific energy and efficiency. It also identifies applications involving high latent loads (e.g., swimming pools, locker rooms) or for which low relative air humidity is required (e.g. interior of vehicles to prevent condensation on windows) as particularly beneficial for using a TES system.

A novel approach to compensate delay in communication by predicting teleoperator behaviour using deep learning and reinforcement learning to control telepresence robot

AbstractRobots with telepresence capabilities are typically employed for tasks where human presence is not feasible due to geography, safety risks like fire or radiation exposure, or other factors like any epidemic disease. Time delay is a significant consideration in controlling a telepresence robot. This study proposes a deep learning‐based approach to compensate for the delay by predicting the behaviour of the teleoperator. The authors integrate a recurrent neural network (RNN) based on the Long Short‐Term Memory (LSTM) architecture with the reinforcement learning‐based Deep Deterministic Policy Gradient (DDPG) algorithm. The proposed method predicts the teleoperator's angular and linear controlling commands by using data gathered by embedded sensors on the specially designed and built telepresence robot. Simulations and experiments assess the operation of the proposed technique in Gazebo simulation and MATLAB with robot operating system (ROS) integration, which shows 2.3% better response in the presence of static.

Experimental study in a compound parabolic solar concentrator with different configurations of thermal energy storage system

ABSTRACT This study explores the integration of thermal energy storage (TES) systems with solar water heating systems to increase their utilization time. While solar water heating systems are effective for low-temperature applications, they become less efficient at higher heat transfer fluid (HTF) temperatures. To solve this problem, the study suggests combining a compound parabolic concentrator (CPC) solar collector with a TES system to improve heat transfer rates and minimize heat loss. The study examines the effect of different mass flow rates and HTF inlet temperatures on the integrated system's performance, evaluating energy efficiency, exergy efficiency, and overall loss coefficient. The results reveal that the six-phase change materials (PCMs) configuration achieves the highest intercept line efficiency of 72%, with a heat transfer rate 1.7 times higher than that of the single PCM configuration. Moreover, the exergy analysis shows superior performance compared to commonly used flat collectors. Overall, the proposed CPC solar collector integrated with a TES system is suitable for low-temperature applications with an inlet HTF temperature not exceeding 65°C.