Energy Conservation Possibilities Research Articles

Modeling a Hybrid Power System with Intermediate Energy Storage

The purpose of this work is to develop a model for balancing the processes of the generation and consumption of electricity, taking into account the random nature of these processes. The subject of the study is hybrid power systems that use traditional and renewable energy sources and have the properties of a local network. Such systems are sensitive to variable generation modes, and the presence of rapid changes in power requires short time intervals. The presence of wind and solar power plants makes it difficult to ensure a balance of power, which increases the need for intermediate energy storage. The research method is a mathematical modeling of random processes of energy consumption and generation, which allows for the analysis of the current power balancing and the obtaining of the integrated characteristics of the state of energy storage and reuse. The unique goal of the study is to take into account the power gradients and the state of charge of the batteries. The results of the study allow for the comparison of the different configurations of the power system in terms of balance, storage needs, and energy loss. It has been shown that the increase in battery capacity and speed limitations are nonlinearly related to the possibilities of energy conservation and the probability of the incomplete use of the capabilities of the energy storage system.

Energy-aware fuzzy job-shop scheduling for engine remanufacturing at the multi-machine level

The rise of the engine remanufacturing industry has resulted in increased possibilities of energy conservation during the remanufacturing process, and scheduling could exert significant effects on the energy performance of manufacturing systems. However, only a few studies have specifically addressed energy-efficient scheduling for remanufacturing. Considering the uncertain processing time and routes and the operation characteristics of remanufacturing, we used the crankshaft as an illustrative case and built a fuzzy job-shop scheduling model to minimize the energy consumption during remanufacturing. An improved adaptive genetic algorithm was developed by using the hormone modulation mechanism to deal with the scheduling problem that simultaneously involves parallel machines, batch machines, and uncertain processing routes and time. The algorithm demonstrated superior performance in terms of optimal value, run time, and convergent generation in comparison with other algorithms. Computational results indicated that the optimal scheduling scheme is expected to generate 1.7 kW · h of energy saving for the investigated problem size. In addition, the scheme could improve the energy efficiency of the crankshaft remanufacturing process by approximately 5%. This study provides a basis for production managers to improve the sustainability of remanufacturing through energy-aware scheduling.

Energy Saving Motion Control of Independent Metering Valves and Pump Combined Hydraulic System

The independent meter-in and meter-out valves control approach makes the two chamber pressures of the hydraulic actuator completely controllable, and offers possibilities for energy conservation. However, the entire flow rate is throttling controlled by the metering valves, which leads to the essential difficulty to realize the high level of energy efficiency further. On the other hand, although the direct pump controlled system might be an option with high energy efficiency, the poor dynamic response, and complicated controller design restrict its applications in precise motion occasions. To further improve the energy efficiency as well as guarantee the high precision position tracking performance, a novel hardware configuration that combines the independent metering valves and the direct pump control method is proposed in this paper, which is essentially different from our previous works and other independent metering research works. The motion control of the single-DOF cylinder actuator is studied to verify the effectiveness and advantages of the proposed system. During the tracking process, the pump is controlled by the reference velocity feedforward method and provides the majority amount of the flow rate without throttling losses, while the rest amount is accurately controlled by the independent metering valves in the closed loop for high precision tracking. Since the hydraulic system is highly nonlinear with uncertainties and disturbances, the high-performance adaptive robust control approach is applied in the closed-loop controller. Besides, the mode selection method and the flow distribution law are involved to deal with the enhanced flexibilities brought by the proposed configuration.Comparative experiments are carried out and the results show the proposed combined hydraulic system achieves the same level of position tracking precision as the independent metering system with less than a half of total energy consumption.

Verification of energy conservation for discretely heat integrated distillation column through commercial operation

The heat exchange among the stages in the rectifying and stripping sections increases the possibility of energy conservation for a distillation column. From that point of view, an internal heat integrated distillation column called HIDiC was proposed. In the conventional HIDiC structure, as the stripping section and the pressurized rectifying section are provided in parallel, it is difficult to supply and remove the heat to and from the stages so that those are similar to the case of the reversible distillation. We showed in the previous paper that by executing the heat exchanges among the appropriately selected stages in the rectifying and stripping sections in discrete manner, the amount of enthalpy change to the composition change that is similar to the ideal form can be obtained. We also proposed a design methodology to achieve it, and demonstrated that the process designed by using the proposed methodology showed high energy conservation performance by process simulation studies. Here, such HIDiC is called “discretely heat integrated distillation column” (D-HIDiC).The D-HIDiC designed by the proposed methodology was applied to a commercial purpose distillation column as the world first commercial application of HIDiC technology. It was successfully operated at excellent energy conservation with zero reboiler duty in the stable operation. In this research, the details of design results and the operating conditions of that commercial plant are explained. Then, the energy conservation performance of the proposed D-HIDiC is verified through the comparison of the energy consumption among the proposed D-HIDiC, the conventional distillation column and the conventional HIDiC.

Renewable Energy Assisted Traffic Aware Cellular Base Station Energy Cooperation

With global concern for climate change, and for cutting down the energy cost, especially in off grid areas, use of renewable energy has been gaining widespread attention in many areas including cellular communication. The base station (BS) has emerged as a strong candidate for the integration of renewable energy sources (RES), particularly solar and wind. The incorporation of renewable energy opens many possibilities for energy conservation through strategies such as energy cooperation between BSs during the off-peak hours, when the energy harvested from renewable energy sources may become surplus. In this paper, we present the case for cellular BSs enabled with renewable energy sources (RES) to have an arrangement in which the BS provide surplus energy to a neighboring BS, thus minimizing the use of conventional energy. A realistic objective is developed for northern region of Pakistan, which entails modeling of solar panels and wind-turbine according to the average solar irradiation and wind speed of the region. We also model the dynamic load of the BS, which depicts temporal fluctuations with traffic variations. Based on these models we initiate an energy cooperation scheme between the BS in which an energy cost minimization framework is mathematically modeled and solved through the interior point method algorithm. Results are obtained for different times of the year for different number of base stations showing respective energy cost savings.

The potential of WHR/batch and cullet preheating for energy efficiency in the EU ETS glass industry and the related energy incentives

The European Emissions Trading Scheme (EU ETS) covers approximately 45% of European greenhouse gases (GHGs), 11,000 stationary installations as well as aircraft operators. The EU ETS particularly affects the energy-intensive industries while it imposes a significant risk of “carbon leakage,” i.e., the risk of EU industry departing to countries with weaker restraints on GHG emissions. The EU glass industry, being capital intensive and also requiring long investment cycles, is the world’s largest glass producer with a market share close to one third of global production. Therefore, it is of significant importance to view the position of the EU ETS glass industry in terms of energy conservation possibilities. The present paper utilizes a vertical approach to provide information on both ETS market evolution and specific technical information to support technological innovation to the glass industry. EU ETS glass industry is analyzed regarding the balance between allocated European Union emission allowances (EUAs), verified CO2 emissions, and potential shortfall in allowances so as to determine the situation of glass industries and the extent of urge for energy-saving activities towards the strengthening of their position within the requirements of the EU ETS phase III. The replication potential of waste heat recovery (WHR) through batch preheating is specifically addressed since it is considered a promising technology according to the latest Best Available Techniques (BAT) reference document for the glass industry under Directive IED 2010/75/EU. A case study for a container glass furnace based on simulation results is presented investigating the impact of different operating and design configurations on specific energy consumption and CO2 emissions.

Energy efficient HVAC control in historical buildings: a case study for the Amsterdam Museum

Museums are often located in historical buildings. To provide suitable housing in a historical building for a museum, these buildings are usually adapted to suit the need for object preservation through HVAC control. Maintaining a strict indoor climate and limiting short fluctuations in indoor temperature and indoor relative humidity reduces risk on objects. However, this also results in a rather high energy demand and therefore rather high costs. Previous research showed the energy conservation possibilities for a museum with state-of-the-art building envelope by adapting setpoint strategies. A gap in literature is present in applying these strategies in historical museum buildings. The aim of this study is to make use of different setpoint strategies to provide an indication of possible energy conservation for a historical museum building with respect to object preservation and thermal comfort.The method used consists of a measurement campaign to establish the current indoor climate and a simulation study with different climate control strategies. The simulation study provides possibilities to assess energy efficient control strategies with preservation of valuable museum objects in mind. The Amsterdam Museum serves as a case study during this research. With the data obtained during the measurement campaign, a hygrothermal zone-simulation model was calibrated. The results of the different climate control strategies present the energy saving potential for historical museum buildings. It is concluded that using the adaptive thermal comfort guideline for temperature during opening hours, and letting the collection criteria developed by ASHRAE’s climate classes determine the relative humidity during the day, can save up to approximately 15% for a historical museum building without increasing the risk to the collection.

Optimization of Bed Material Consumption in a CFBC Boiler

The proposed Case-Study is to identify the scope of energy conservation and cost saving through optimization of bed material in a CFBC Boiler during plant start up. The study was undertaken at Abhijeet MADC Nagpur Energy Pvt. Ltd (AMNEPL), a 4X61.5 MW power plant at MIHAN, Khairy Khurd, Hingna, Nagpur. The scope of the study covers the savings achieved during light up of 4X250 TPH boiler and the effect of the application of the proposed method on the energy conservation possibilities and efficiency of boiler operation. The proposed method is an alternative to the conventional boiler light up of a CFBC boiler.

The Application Study of Accumulator Used in Hydraulic System of 20MN Fast Forging Machine

Based on the description of 20MN fast forging press hydraulic system, the paper analyzed the possibility of energy conservation which the accumulator made in the fast forging machine system. When accumulator was used in fast forging machine, then analyzed the calculation results, and the energy conservation program of fast forging machine energy accumulator was evaluated briefly. The test system was set up on 20MN fast forging machine, and the paper researched the application of accumulator in fast forging press hydraulic system on absorbing hydraulic shock and eliminating pressure pulsation.

Enhancement of heat transfer and the potential for energy conservation in industrial oil coolers

Problems relating to enhancement of heat transfer and energy conservation in oil-water and oil-air oil coolers used at thermal and nuclear power stations are considered. Results from a calculation study on analyzing the efficiency of a few most advanced intensifiers of heat transfer are presented. The most efficient intensifiers are determined, and their considerable possibilities for energy conservation and saving of structural materials are estimated. industrial recommendations for improving the design of coolers and using preferable intensifiers are proposed and substantiated.

Natural ventilation performance of a double-skin façade with a solar chimney

Double-skin façade is getting more and more attention as it provides many possibilities for energy conservation and at the same time creates good indoor environment. In this paper, natural ventilation performance of a double-skin façade is highlighted. A prototype building is proposed, which is thought to be an eight-storey office building with an atrium space in the north side. The south façade of the building is a double-skin façade and a thermal storage space called solar chimney is considered above the double-skin space. Actually, the double-skin space is connected with the chimney channel. Reduced scale model experiments and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis are carried out in this research to evaluate the natural ventilation performance of the prototype building.

Energy requirements and conservation potential in industrial sector in Karnataka

SYNOPSIS Energy is essential for industrial production yet this sector constitutes a major consumer of commercially produced energy. An improvement in energy efficiency in this sector would result in a slower rate of energy growth. Secure energy supply is the major concern of most industrialists, hence it is necessary to examine industrial energy use and its impact on the economy. Analyses of consumption patterns show that the potential for energy conservation in the industrial sector, as in all other sectors, is substantial. The barriers preventing achieving this potential include: • A lack of information on specific measures and options for achieving energy conservation; • The inadequacy of institutional arrangements for promoting energy conservation in different sectors of the economy. Conservation through end use efficiency and good house keeping practices are the most effective ways to provide immediate relief for energy scarcity. This will help to maintain economic growth and social progress of a region. Environmental problems, resource depletion and growing demand of energy in the state/region make it increasingly imperative that energy is used as efficiently as possible. This paper discusses an attempt to illustrate the industrial energy scene in Karnataka, India and the possibilities for energy conservation. Analysis of energy consumption data of Karnataka and India shows that the per capita consumption of energy is low (compared with 32 countries in the world). However, for the industrial sector, energy per state domestic product is at least 10–20 times higher compared to that of industrialised countries. This implies inefficiency in energy utilisation. Detailed investigation of the Industrial sector, through analysis of Specific Energy Consumption (SEC)—industry wise and year wise for a seven year period reveals that about 28% energy could be saved in the industrial sector. This, when quantified, accounts for a saving of 2.25 mtoe of energy or 1541 million kWh electrical energy per year in Karnataka. Such a saving is equivalent to the energy output of 300 MW (Mega Watts) electric power generating units (hydro/thermal).

98/02700 Upgrading of a low-rank semicoked lignite by high intensity dry magnetic separator: Yildirim, I. et al. Changing Scopes Miner. Process., Proc. Int. MIner. Process. Symp., 6th, 1996, 137–142. Edited by Kemal, M., Balkema, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

Energy is essential for industrial production. Because of the past abundance of low-cost energy, historically, the rate of social progress among industrial societies has not been limited by energy availability. Energy cost has not been significant when compared with no energy use. Mechanisation of agriculture, increased use of electrical appliances in the domestic sector and rapid industrialisation to meet the demand of exponentially growing population have resulted in an energy crisis. The raised fossil fuel prices and the environmental factors playing the dominant role in implementation of large scale projects, such as hydro, thermal and nuclear, have aggravated the problem further. In this context, an integrated energy plan for a country seems essential for ecologically sound development of a region. An integrated plan includes strategies to: •• improve the efficiencies of end use devices and/or conversion equipment in all sectors;•• optimise energy sources (end use matching);•• maximise the use of renewable resources;•• balance the exploitation of biomass energy resources; and•• discourage the use of depletable resources.Conservation through improvement of the efficiencies of end use devices is one of the most effective ways to provide immediate relief for the energy problem. This helps to maintain economic growth and social progress of a region. Environmental problems, resource depletion and growing demand of energy in the state/region make it increasingly imperative that we use energy as efficiently as possible, and planners should take note of this untapped resource. The potential for improved energy efficiency is great, and a substantial part of that potential could be realised in the course of events.The industrial sector constitutes a major consumer of commercial energy. Improvement of energy efficiency in the industrial sector would result in a slower rate of energy growth. A secure energy supply is the major concern of most industrialists. It is, thus, necessary to examine industrial energy use and the economy. The analyses of consumption patterns and the assessment of feasible energy conservation possibilities show that the potential for energy conservation in the industrial sector and in all sectors is substantial. The barriers identified to tap this potential are a lack of information on specific measures and options for achieving energy conservation, lack of capital for schemes involving technology upgrading and efficiency improvements, pricing policies which deviate from rational tariffs and the inadequacy of institutional arrangements for promoting energy conservation in different sectors of the economy. In this regard, research should be sponsored to develop system designs, cost and pricing policies, problems related to system interconnection with public utilities and an assessment of potential energy savings, and research into methods of matching energy resources to work requirements, rather than vice versa, for improved efficiency. It is essential for the planning machinery to foster the integrated approach in energy planning of a region.This paper discusses an attempt made by us to illustrate the industrial energy scene in Karnataka and reveals the possibilities of energy conservation. Analysis of the energy consumption data of Karnataka and India shows that the per capita consumption of energy is low (compared with 56 countries in the world), while for the industrial sector, energy per state domestic product (SDP comparable to GDP) is at least 10–20 times higher than that of industrialised countries. This implies inefficiency in energy utilisation.Detailed investigation of the industrial sector through analysis of the Specific Energy Consumption (SEC)—industry wise and yearly for a seven-year period—reveals that about 27.72% of energy could be saved in the industrial sector. This, when quantified, accounts for savings of 1541 million kWh per year in Karnataka, which is equivalent to the power output of 300 MW (Mega Watts) electric power generating station (hydro/thermal).

Industrial energy utilisation in Karnataka and potential savings

Energy is essential for industrial production. Because of the past abundance of low-cost energy, historically, the rate of social progress among industrial societies has not been limited by energy availability. Energy cost has not been significant when compared with no energy use. Mechanisation of agriculture, increased use of electrical appliances in the domestic sector and rapid industrialisation to meet the demand of exponentially growing population have resulted in an energy crisis. The raised fossil fuel prices and the environmental factors playing the dominant role in implementation of large scale projects, such as hydro, thermal and nuclear, have aggravated the problem further. In this context, an integrated energy plan for a country seems essential for ecologically sound development of a region. An integrated plan includes strategies to: • • improve the efficiencies of end use devices and/or conversion equipment in all sectors; • • optimise energy sources (end use matching); • • maximise the use of renewable resources; • • balance the exploitation of biomass energy resources; and • • discourage the use of depletable resources. Conservation through improvement of the efficiencies of end use devices is one of the most effective ways to provide immediate relief for the energy problem. This helps to maintain economic growth and social progress of a region. Environmental problems, resource depletion and growing demand of energy in the state/region make it increasingly imperative that we use energy as efficiently as possible, and planners should take note of this untapped resource. The potential for improved energy efficiency is great, and a substantial part of that potential could be realised in the course of events. The industrial sector constitutes a major consumer of commercial energy. Improvement of energy efficiency in the industrial sector would result in a slower rate of energy growth. A secure energy supply is the major concern of most industrialists. It is, thus, necessary to examine industrial energy use and the economy. The analyses of consumption patterns and the assessment of feasible energy conservation possibilities show that the potential for energy conservation in the industrial sector and in all sectors is substantial. The barriers identified to tap this potential are a lack of information on specific measures and options for achieving energy conservation, lack of capital for schemes involving technology upgrading and efficiency improvements, pricing policies which deviate from rational tariffs and the inadequacy of institutional arrangements for promoting energy conservation in different sectors of the economy. In this regard, research should be sponsored to develop system designs, cost and pricing policies, problems related to system interconnection with public utilities and an assessment of potential energy savings, and research into methods of matching energy resources to work requirements, rather than vice versa, for improved efficiency. It is essential for the planning machinery to foster the integrated approach in energy planning of a region. This paper discusses an attempt made by us to illustrate the industrial energy scene in Karnataka and reveals the possibilities of energy conservation. Analysis of the energy consumption data of Karnataka and India shows that the per capita consumption of energy is low (compared with 56 countries in the world), while for the industrial sector, energy per state domestic product (SDP comparable to GDP) is at least 10–20 times higher than that of industrialised countries. This implies inefficiency in energy utilisation. Detailed investigation of the industrial sector through analysis of the Specific Energy Consumption (SEC)—industry wise and yearly for a seven-year period—reveals that about 27.72% of energy could be saved in the industrial sector. This, when quantified, accounts for savings of 1541 million kWh per year in Karnataka, which is equivalent to the power output of 300 MW (Mega Watts) electric power generating station (hydro/thermal).

Energy conservation in electricity generation: A case study of the electricity and water industry in Kuwait

This paper has examined possibilities of energy conservation in the generation of electricity and water in Kuwait. This has been done through analysing the underlying production structure by employing a translog flexible cost function and using series data. The results show that, in the absence of changes in factor prices, fuel intensity of electricity and water is expected to increase with increase in output. Furthermore, capital and fuel are found to be substitutes. Overall, the evidence suggests that energy conservation can be achieved by using fuel prices as instruments. This is likely to induce demand for new capital and hence promote productivity gains.

Optimized Production and Energy Conservation

The possibilities of energy conservation in a cement factory are great. At least two important energy waste sources can be identified: flue gas heat and electrical energy of fan drives. A study of the Cementa AB factory at Slite, Sweden (production 2.1 million ton/y) shows that even though considerable efforts already have been made in energy saving, the potential is still great. Thus it is estimated that about 40 MW of gas heat can be turned into 3.5 MW of electrical energy. By applying high-efficiency motor drives about 2 MW can be recovered from fan drives. These two sources correspond to a total annual saving of $2.5 million. An investment to recover this energy will be paid back in less than a year.

Energy considerations

AbstractA general survey is given on possibilities for energy conservation in an oil refinery with special consideration given to palm oils and coconut oil. Some selected areas are discussed more in detail: heat conservation by means of regenerative heat exchangers, optimization of vacuum equipment for deodorization etc. and use of heat pumps. Some examples are given to illustrate possible savings and payback time for installation of energy saving equipment.

An investigation of task lighting for offices

The paper describes an investigation of task lighting for multi-occupancy offices. The possibility of energy conservation and speculations about other advantages to be gained from using task lighting in offices has stimulated a renewed interest in this method of lighting. The present study was concerned with evaluating task lighting in a realistic office setting. A total of 10 installations exhibiting a wide range of characteristics were evaluated by different types of office workers, performing typical tasks in a simulated four person office. The participants' evaluations were recorded by questionnaire and the results are discussed. The general conclusion is that task/background lighting schemes which substantially reduce overall lighting levels from normal uniform lighting can be favourably regarded by office occupants.

Energy conservation: An elasticity of substitution approach

Long-term forecasts of demand, used in energy planning, are based on assumptions alleged to be reasonable at the time of projections. The political debate can then focus on whether these assumptions are indeed reasonable. Common considers two sets of projections, and estimates the implicit price and income elasticities, thereby translating assumptions entailed in two different reports into concepts which are directly comparable. It is argued here that this approach need be taken a step further and elasticities of substitution between energy and other inputs should be calculated. Possibilities of energy conservation could then be taken into account.

UK road transport energy—analysis at primary or secondary fuel basis?

This communication questions whether Banister and Banister, in a previous study, have adequately derived the UK primary energy consumption and energy efficiencies of road transport in comparison with rail. High quality transport fuels are costly to make in energy terms, so considerations of refinery efficiency must be incorporated into any transport modal comparisons. Overall it is argued that Banister and Banister have understated the primary energy consumption of road transport by not adequately treating refinery losses, and in so doing have been unduly pessimistic about the possibility of energy conservation in modal transfer to rail.