Power Source System Research Articles

Polypyrrole-Derived Nitrogen-Doped Tubular Carbon Materials as a Promising Cathode for Aqueous Aluminum-Ion Batteries.

The advantages of aluminum-ion batteries in the area of power source systems are: inexpensive manufacture, high capacity, and absolute security. However, due to the limitations of cathode materials, the capacity and durability of aluminum-ion batteries ought to be further advanced. Herein, we synthesized a nitrogen-doped tubular carbon material as a potential cathode to achieve advanced aqueous aluminum-ion batteries. Nitrogen-doped tubular carbon materials own an abundant space (367.6 m2 g-1) for electrochemical behavior, with an aperture primarily concentrated around 2.34 nm. They also exhibit a remarkable service lifespan, retaining a specific capacity of 78.4 mAh g-1 at 50 mA g-1 after 300 cycles. Additionally, from 2 to 300 cycles, the material achieves an appreciable reversibility (coulombic efficiency CE: 99.7%) demonstrating its excellent reversibility. The tubular structural material possesses a distinctive hollow architecture that mitigates volumetric expansion during charging and discharging, thereby preventing structural failure. This material offers several advantages, including a straightforward synthesis method, high yield, and ease of mass production, making it highly significant for the research and development of future aluminum-ion batteries.

Binary Mixture–Based Electrolytes Using Imidazolium-Based Ionic Liquids for Enhanced Safety and Electrochemical Performance of Lithium-Ion Batteries

In recent years, secondary lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have become critical components for portable devices and large power source systems such as electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid EVs (HEVs).[1],[2] However, conventional LIBs typically use flammable nonaqueous liquid electrolytes, posing a serious safety risk. Our previous study[3] demonstrated that one promising approach for safe LIBs involves using electrolytes based on a series of ionic liquids (ILs) with branched alkyl imidazolium cations. The introduction of bulky branched alkyl groups enhances charge delocalization in imidazolium cations, thereby improving the electrochemical reduction stability. Herein, we evaluated the compatibility and electrochemical performance of two types of ILs: branched alkyl functional and electrochemically polymerizable ILs. Moreover, binary mixture–based electrolytes based on their ILs were investigated for use in LIBs.We synthesized two types of ILs: reduction-stable and polymerizable ILs (Fig. 1). An IL-based electrolyte was mixed with various compositions of reduction-stable and polymerizable ILs, with LiFSA (LiFSA molal concentration: ca. 1.5 mol/kg) serving as the Li ion source. The characteristics of the involved battery were examined using a graphite electrode | IL–LiFSA mixture–based electrolyte | Li metal half-cell configuration. The graphite electrode sheets comprised NMC powder (86 wt%) as the active material, acetylene black (7 wt%) as an electrically conductive additive, and poly(vinylidene fluoride) (7 wt%) as a binder. The graphite electrode sheet, separator, IL–LiFSA mixture–based electrolyte, and Li were assembled into a battery cell. Performance tests for charge–discharge rates were conducted at 303 K, with the involved rates varying from 0.1 to 0.5 C.Fig. 2 shows the first charge–discharge profiles of the graphite | Li half-cells with [EPisoIm][FSA]–, [APisoIm][FSA]–, and [EPisoIm]0.8[APisoIm]0.2[FSA]–based electrolytes. During the first charge with the [APisoIm][FSA]– and [EPisoIm]0.8[APisoIm]0.2[FSA]–based electrolytes, a plateau was observed at approximately 0.5 V, attributed to the reduction decomposition and polymerization of [APisoIm] cations on graphite. The presence of [APisoIm] cations enabled the formation of a stable solid electrolyte interface, an electron-insulating, lithium-ion-conducting film.[1] M. Wakihara, “Recent developments in lithium ion batteries”, Mater. Sci. Eng., R, 33, 109 (2001).[2] D. D. Lecce, R. Verrelli, and J. Hassoun, “Lithium-ion batteries for sustainable energy storage: recent advances towards new cell configurations”, Green Chem., 19, 3442 (2017). Figure 1

Dynamics of soluble salts in cooling systems of circulating water supply

A model of the dynamics of soluble salts in the water of cooling systems of circulating water supply was developed based on mass balance principles. The proposed model is expressed in a general form under the assumption of a constant volume of circulating water and non-stationary input and output flows. The model accounts for scenarios where the concentration of soluble salts exceeds their concentration in the circulating water, thereby considering the technological necessity to change the system's power source in the event of an emergency at the feedwater treatment facilities. The developed model enables accurate prediction of the water-chemical regime in both existing and new recirculating cooling systems, sufficient for engineering calculations. It also facilitates the selection of optimal management strategies for such systems, including stabilization methods for recirculating water, feedwater preparation, blowdown volumes, etc. The model was validated under laboratory conditions for cases of concentration and dilution of highly soluble NaCl salt, with an observed error margin not exceeding 2%, attributed to experimental and instrumental factors. The variation in the concentration factor was analyzed for different blowdown rates, assuming initial equality of soluble salt concentrations in feedwater and circulation water. It was shown that establishing dynamic equilibrium between the circulation and feed waters can require dozens or even hundreds of circulation cycles for blowdown rates of 1–4%, and this system inertia must be considered during operation and when forecasting the performance of cooling systems with circulating water supply.

The optimum condition for electric vehicles’ battery powering factors to travel distance: A model-based approach

The development of electric vehicles (EVs) and their power source systems (PSS) is a rapidly growing field of technology. However, the EV's travel distance (range between charging stations) depends on the agility of the PSS, or battery capacity system. EV driving range and battery capacity are the two most significant technical challenges in commercializing EVs. This study aims to propose an integrated model that identifies the optimal energy factor orientation, enabling EVs to cover the maximum travel distance and reach the charging station for their next trip. Additionally, the artificial intelligence (AI) and statistical models were integrated and applied to predict, validate, and explain how energy factors affect the driving range of EVs. The developed models and validations revealed that maintaining precise assimilation of battery power factors can vary the EV's travel distance from 60 to 610 km. In this case, we have identified 77.5 kWh battery capacity and 14.5 kW charging capacity as the optimum power source factors. After 5.5 h of charging, various adjustments to power source factors allow for optimum battery performance. We have also proposed the central composite factorial design (CCFD) to compute the impact of energy factors on travel distance. The study used the response surface methodology (RSM) and an in-house-developed AI-based algorithm to achieve the research results. The alignment percentage between model-predicted data and real-time outputs showed an extremely high precision of over 95 % and confidence in the findings' reliability.

Hybrid Power Source Assisted by Renewable Energies for Hybrid Electric Vehicles

The article studies and analyzes a hybrid power source system, lithium battery, and fuel cell assisted by flexible photovoltaic panels for hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs). The new configuration operates based on optimizing the performance of the dual power source to maximize the available energy and operating time. The operational mode simulates specific driving conditions in urban, peripheral, and intercity routes under variable driving patterns and traffic conditions. The simulation results show that the new configuration increases the hybrid electric vehicle performance, providing higher reliability despite the more complex design. The proposed system reduces the external power supply dependence and avoids unexpected sudden stops due to energy exhaustion. The new configuration also extends the vehicle driving range depending on driving mode and route conditions. The vehicle driving range extension may reach up to 276.3 km. The hybridization of fuel cells with lithium battery and PV panel assistance enhances battery management, reducing battery servicing and increasing lifespan. The proposed topology is cheaper than a single fuel cell power system by 17.2%, reducing the total cost related to the single battery power system if we consider the battery recharge for its entire lifespan. The cost saving is 2.6% for the American market and 14.8% for the European one.

Analysis and design of multi-mode power split hybrid transmission scheme considering mode connection

For heavy-duty truck, multi-mode power split hybrid transmission scheme (MPSHTS) has good adaptability. However, the moment of inertia at both ends of the clutch is large. If there is a large speed difference in the clutch engagement process, it will increase clutch wear, engine stall and other problems. This paper proposed a new design method of multi-mode power split hybrid powertrain, which was different from the proof by exhaustion aiming at mode switching without speed difference. It included: the conditions for achieving mode connection without speed difference was obtained based on the lever method for dynamic characteristic analysis. Evaluation index for power split mechanisms that comprehensively considered power source and transmission system was established. Combining the mode connection conditions and the optimized basic configuration, the characteristic of no speed difference could be ensured by adjusting the power coupling mechanism. A multi-mode scheme based on optimized configuration and work mode requirements could be obtained. Finally, parameter matching and simulation verification on the designed scheme was carried out. It suggested that the designed system improved fuel economy by 4.14% compared with the original scheme.

Demand Management for an Electrified Apartment Building With a Photovoltaic Power Source and Battery Energy Storage System

Demand Management for an Electrified Apartment Building With a Photovoltaic Power Source and Battery Energy Storage System

An intrinsically stretchable power-source system for bioelectronics

An intrinsically stretchable power-source system for bioelectronics

Preliminary study of the dual power source system for 11kV manufacturing substation’s battery charger

In the future, renewable energy sources will be a more sustainable solution. Solar energy can be used by the factory to charge a substation’s battery charger. The plan is to use solar energy to charge a battery charger in a factory. Solar energy is more efficient than coal, petroleum, and natural gas. This paper demonstrates the design or reconstruction of an existing circuit drawing to achieve the goal of this project. The design incorporates a changeover switch to perform the power supply changeover for solar energy in order to compare the efficiency of the battery charger using solar power energy to the existing loads. The solar simulation will be built and performed by the MATLAB Simulink model for the simulation part. The PV array represents solar energy by stimulating the I-V and P-V for various irradiance (W/m2) and temperatures (oC). This project aims to improve the circuit design in the substation’s battery charger, develop a solar energy harvesting system, and create an efficient prototype of an energy storage automatic transfer switching system. As a result, this project helps to reduce the rate of global electricity consumption, which has an impact on the environment. Commercials’ pollution is significantly reduced by solar energy. We can demonstrate the global benefits and relevance of implementing this concept, particularly in our industry, by preparing this study. Solar energy is a dependable and cost-effective energy source. The sun is a renewable energy source. While fossil fuels will eventually run out, sunlight will not.

Energy management strategies of hybrid electric vehicles: A comparative review

AbstractWith increasing environmental problems, including air pollution, rising greenhouse gases and global warming, the need to use clean energy resources seems essential. Therefore, the usage of clean and renewable energy sources is suggested as a suitable solution to overcome the mentioned concerns. The transportation section contributes to a huge percentage of energy consumption. Hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), by combining several energy resources, are considered as a crucial solution to decrease fossil fuel consumption and improve the environmental challenges. The existence of an alternative energy resource and the internal combustion engine together provides optimal power distribution among them to maximise power usage and minimise fuel consumption. Energy management strategy (EMS) is an essential challenge in HEV's design procedure to deal with the power distribution in multiple power source systems to improve the performance of the HEVs. A review of various EMSs for HEVs, followed by an analysis of each type, including its benefits and drawbacks, is presented by the authors. In addition to this, the major challenges in EMSs for HEVs are described and a comprehensive review is presented for strategies addressing these issues.

Fabricating Lithium Metal Foils with Desired Morphology

Rechargeable lithium batteries (RLB) are the hope for the next generation energy storage and power source systems due to the promise to achieve the highest specific energy. Reliable performance of RLB, particularly with long lifespan, requires high quality lithium metal anode that can withstand repetitive stripping and deposition during cycle aging. Fabricating lithium metal of desired thickness is thus critical to enable and achieve high specific energy design. Morphology of lithium metal foil with densely packed large grains is desired. To consistently reach the desired morphology in practice is however difficult. Such a difficulty challenges us from the lack of proper understanding of lithium deposition at the fundamental level. Recent understanding on lithium nucleation and growth gave us a new perspective to formulate and achieve proper morphological control, which might lead to a new pathway for desired lithium metal foil fabrication technique.

Design and Development of an Engine Driven Onion Grading Machine

Onion (Allium cepa, L.) is one of Ethiopia’s highly cultivated vegetable crops. Farmers across the country sell their onions without grading them, which results in post-harvest losses during packing and transporting. As a result, modern technologies like engine-operated grading systems are essential. So, the design and development of an onion grading machine was undertaken at Asella Agricultural Engineering Research Center (AAERC). The physical and mechanical properties of the selected onion bulb variety were considered during the design. The developed grader consists of the mainframe, feeding hopper, grading unit, outlets, power source, and power transmission system. The cost of the grader was estimated to be 20,880.99 ETB and believed that it is simple in design, easy in operation, and found to be suitable for small and medium-scale farmers.

Maiden application of TIDμ1NDμ2 controller for effective load frequency control of non‐linear two‐area power system

AbstractIn the paper, the maiden application of Tilted Integral Fractional Derivative with Filter plus Fractional Derivative controller (), called TIFDNFD controller, is proposed to achieve load frequency control (LFC) of two area‐multi source power system. In the study, both areas include thermal power, hydropower, and gas turbine power systems. In this study, generation rate constraint and governor dead‐band are integrated into the power system to evaluate the performance of the controller in a non‐linear environment. The wild horse optimizer (WHO) is used for controller parameter tuning in the LFC problem for the first time. The performance of the proposed controller is demonstrated by comparing it with the recently published studies including different controllers. In this study, to obtain more realistic results, solar photovoltaic (PV) power, wind power, and load demand with stochastic form have been added to the power system. In addition, the dynamic effect of the hydrogen storage system, consisting of an electrolyser and a fuel cell, is considered a grid supporter. The superiority of the WHO algorithm in optimization has been verified by comparing it with three optimization algorithms recently proposed. Finally, the resilience and robustness of the power system are evaluated in perturbed system parameters.

Online optimization of energy management strategy for FCV control parameters considering dual power source lifespan decay synergy

The decay process of fuel cell (FC) and battery is highly inconsistent. The existing research focuses on the energy management strategy (EMS) aiming at minimizing the lifespan loss of a single power source. However, this EMS cannot guarantee the optimal overall durability of dual power source systems. Based on this, this paper proposes an EMS for lifespan decay coordination of dual power sources for fuel cell vehicle (FCV). Firstly, a continuous characterization model for FC lifespan decay was developed. Secondly, the influence of control parameters such as FC response speed, filtering order, equivalent consumption minimum strategy (ECMS) equivalent factor on dual power source decay rate is analyzed. Then, the proposed energy management strategy (PEMS) is based on the cooperative control of lifespan decay of two power sources based on the condition identification. Finally, the advantages of PEMS are verified by hardware in-loop simulation. The results show that: under the working conditions of CWC1 and CWC2, compared with ECMS, PEMS reduces the difference of lifespan decay rate of dual power source by 25.62 times and 32.25 times, respectively, and the lifespan decay of fuel cell and power battery tends to be consistent. It is proved that PEMS can realize the decay cooperation of dual power source of FCV under different characteristic working conditions, and significantly improve the overall durability of dual power source system.

Integrating Solar Photovoltaic Power Source and Biogas Energy-Based System for Increasing Access to Electricity in Rural Areas of Tanzania

Renewable energy is the best option for the challenge of dwindling natural resources and energy scarcity. The utilization of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems is the best option for eliminating the energy deficit in Tanzania due to the available great potential of solar energy. Animal manure is a significant source of waste in rural locations which can be transformed into biogas fuel by an anaerobic process. Livestock and agriculture greatly support economically the majority of the sub-Saharan African (SSA) region’s rural population including Tanzania, and excreta from cattle are beneficial for biogas fuel production. Unfortunately, the high potential of animal waste for generating electricity is underutilized. Integrating solar energy sources and biogas fuel derived from animal manure is useful for mitigating energy shortage, power instability, and environmental issues. Off-grid solar PV biogas-based hybrid microgrid systems for rural electrification applications in the Tanzanian environment are limited, and also, most of the studies are extensively carried out using soft computing tools especially hybrid optimization of multiple energy resources (HOMER) software with limited applications of artificial intelligence (AI) optimization techniques. This paper presents technoeconomic viability analysis for a hybrid renewable energy supply system (HRESS) for the Simboya village in Mbeya region, Tanzania. Off-grid HRESS is designed and optimized to meet the load of the chosen location executed using HOMER software and the grey wolf optimization (GWO) method. The microgrid is anticipated to supply daily maximum demand of 63.41 kW. The residential load profile equals 30 kW representing 50% of the daily demand. Optimization results by the HOMER platform indicate that the system has a total net present cost (NPC) and levelized cost of energy (LCOE) of $106,383.50 and $0.1109/kWh, respectively. Furthermore, this paper presents the optimization and sensitivity analysis results acquired by the GWO method under varied values of Loss of Electrical Power Probability (LEPP). Total NPC and LCOE based on LEPP values of 0, 0.04, and 0.06 are $85,106.8, $79,545.99, and $71,747.36 and $0.0887/kWh, $0.0316/kWh, and $0.0102/kWh, respectively. HRESS is economically and environmentally beneficial for supplying electricity to the selected area and worldwide in similar situations.

Achieving Ultra‐High Voltage (≈10 kV) Triboelectric Nanogenerators

AbstractWith the intrinsic characters of high voltage and low current, triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) serving as green high voltage (HV) power source exhibit excellent practicability and safety compared to traditional HV power sources. To further simplify the TENG‐based HV power source system, a single electrode mode TENG (SE‐TENG) with simple wiring is first employed to generate ultra‐high voltage power in this work. By optimizing surface charge density and the thickness of packing layer between the primary electrode and reference electrode, a record value of 12.7 kV is achieved for SE‐TENGs. Furthermore, a calculation method based on a capacitance model is proposed to accurately measure the open voltage of TENG with a wide range (over 10 kV). The SE‐TENG‐based HV power source is successfully applied to power electronics and generates negative air ions for air cleaning. This work significantly simplifies TENG‐based HV power sources, and is expected to enrich the diversity of high‐voltage applications based on the reach of existing technologies.

Development of a flexible high-friction pressure sensor with structural colors for soft gripper fingers

For energy-efficient and lightweight sensor applications, structural colors were utilized to sense the pressure applied to the surface. However, conventional structural color sensors have been usually fabricated with nanoscale features focusing on high pressure sensitivity with small load limits. In this study, a flexible surface with high frictional force and wide pressure-sensing capability was fabricated by ultra-precision machining for soft gripper applications. Friction and grip detection are very important for gripping performance and sensors for soft grippers are required to cope with loads of over 1 kg. Here, microscale three-dimensional trapezoidal patterns were fabricated and transferred to a polymer to increase the contact area for higher friction and improve structural color expression. The effects of pattern geometry on structural color changes due to the varying loads were analyzed using the hue, saturation, and brightness (HSB) model. The hues of the patterned surfaces decreased with loads. Clear color changes were apparent as the pattern width and depth varied; patterns with blue colors (hue of ~240) at no-load status sensed pressure most effectively. Based on the experimental results, a sensor was designed to have a clear color change in terms of pressure and then was applied to soft gripper fingers. Significant color changes were evident as the pressure changed during gripping even under large loads of up to 1200 g; the high friction (compared to that of a plain surface) also improved gripping performances. The sensor provides intuitive information detectable by the naked eye, and there is no need for any power source, wire, or data acquisition system. This research can contribute to the development of multi-functional, lightweight energy-efficient systems.

Analysis of flow characteristics and throttling loss of a novel high-frequency two-dimensional rotary valve

High-speed on-off valve uses its high-frequency characteristics to realize the switching effect of fast opening and closing or generate relatively continuous pressure and flow. Compared with the conventional direct acting structure, the frequency of reciprocating sliding of the valve spool is limited due to the need to overcome the large inertial force, while the valve spool of the rotary valve structure can easily achieve continuous and rapid rotary movement, which makes it easier to quickly open or close the hydraulic valve. Therefore, a novel high-frequency two-dimensional rotary valve is proposed. Through the two-dimensional rotary valve, the fluid is discretized in the form of fluid pulse width modulation to realize the flow distribution according to the demand of the system actuator. The spool has two independent degrees of freedom: the rotary motion of the spool is used to control the frequency of the fluid pulse width modulation and the axial displacement of the spool is used to control its width. Inspired by the working principle of the high-speed on-off valve to realize the instantaneous release of energy by quickly opening action, the flow characteristics and throttling loss of two-dimensional rotary valve are analyzed. The shape of the valve port of the high-frequency two-dimensional rotary valve is designed, flow field models with different valve port angle are established and the throttling loss of the valve port is obtained, which is verified by the simulation and the experiment. The working principle of two-dimensional rotary valve is similar to the high-speed on-off valve group, but compared with the high-speed on-off valve using the electric signal control mode, two-dimensional rotary valve can control the flow only by controlling the axial position of the valve spool. The high-frequency two-dimensional rotary valve using fluid pulse width modulation is expected to be used in variable system, load sensing system, distributed power source and other systems with variable and energy-saving requirements.

Smart Solar Agriculture Grass Cutting Robot

The agricultural industry has benefited from increased automation, especially in the field of automation. In the past, people cut their own lawn by hand with grass cutters. Because the use of petroleum and diesel engines causes pollutants and degradation of energy. Therefore, automated cutters should be used in place of the conventional ones, with batteries acting as the system's power source and allowing it to operate as directed. This research suggests a smart solar agriculture grass cutting robot that is IoT based. A Bluetooth module, Arduino Uno microcontroller, Node MCU, battery, solar panel, and other components are used to do this. Rechargeable batteries can be charged using a power source or a solar panel. The DC motor's rotational speed and direction are controlled by the motor driver, and Node MCU monitors the DC motor as the system's brain. The Bluetooth module keeps track of the grass cutter robot's movements. This paper is entirely powered by automation and clean energy sources.

Solar Power Tower Drives: A Comprehensive Survey

Recently, renewable energy is considered a vital source for electricity generation that aims to reduce the carbon dioxide emissions acquired from fossil fuels. Concentrated solar power (CSP) is a growing technology that collects solar energy from the sunbeams. One of the efficient CSP topologies is the solar power tower (SPT), which aims to collect the direct sunbeams on a central collector using thousands of reflecting mirrors, called heliostats. Many literature reviews have presented the development of control techniques to improve tracking accuracy and SPT performance. However, on the component level, little work has been issued. This article introduces a comprehensive review of the different SPT drives. More than 100 papers have been classified and discussed to allocate the development and the research-gaps in SPT drives. The drive mechanisms, considering both the power source and mechanical transmission systems, have been classified and discussed. Additionally, a comprehensive review of the different electrical motors, along with their power electronic converters, used for heliostat units are presented, discussed, and compared. The advantages and the drawbacks of the different electrical drive systems are presented and discussed. Besides, the azimuth-elevation tracking technique is selected, discussed, and investigated with a dual-axis two linear actuators mechanism. Additionally, a case study for a small-sized heliostat prototype is presented, discussed, and analyzed using the azimuth-elevation dual-axis tracking to investigate the SPT’s performance in Dhahran, KSA, as a promising location in the Gulf region. According to this review, the research gaps and future work have been highlighted to help interested researchers in this area finding potential challenges.