Rechargeable System Research Articles

Evaluating the Economics of Managed Aquifer Recharge Systems.

Managed aquifer recharge (MAR) is gaining popularity as a strategy to conjunctively manage groundwater, surface water, and reclaimed water resources. However, when evaluating the feasibility of MAR systems, there is a tendency to focus on technical aspects such as water compatibility, recharge rates, mounding and migration, treatment, and facility siting and design. Although these are critically important, it is equally important to evaluate the economics of MAR systems prior to investing in their development. A robust economic evaluation at the feasibility stage can help to identify the preferred alternative and reveal valuable insights to optimize system sizing, phasing, and operations. This article provides a practical guide for evaluating the economics of MAR systems and summarizes key takeaways gathered from conducting economic evaluations for a wide variety of proposed MAR system projects.

The multiple uses of water derived from managed aquifer recharge systems in Kenya and India

Abstract‘Multiple-use services’ (MUS) takes into account the fact that households use water for both domestic and for productive uses. This paper is the first to determine how managed aquifer recharge (MAR) systems are a form of MUS. Two cases were studied in India and in Kenya. In the Kenyan case, sand dams are the form of MAR, and in India check dams and infiltration ponds of various scales are used. Through observations, interviews, and water quality data, it is possible to describe how the communities access the water from these infrastructures in multiple ways for different uses, according to their water needs and the characteristics of the different access points. MAR involves harvesting rainwater and retaining run-off water into the dry season thus increasing the amount of available water and enabling diversification of water uses. It should therefore be considered as an option by water managers aiming to develop water resources meeting both the domestic and productive needs of communities.

Solar bipolar cell facilitating carbon dioxide for efficient coproduction of electricity and syngas

Herein, a novel solar system is first reported for the efficient generation of syngas and electricity by feeding solar energy plus carbon dioxide into a solar bipolar cell. The solar bipolar cell, fully driven by solar energy, is a rechargeable cycle system to realize the highly efficient co-production of electricity and syngas. The solar bipolar cell consists of hydroxide molten Cell (Ⅰ) for hydrogen production and carbonate molten Cell (Ⅱ) for carbon monoxide production, simultaneously plus the a generation of rechargeable electricity. Due to the combined utilization of solar thermal and electric effect, the solar system can charged/recharged by the potential difference of the cyclic redox reaction. The system could store electric energy (Charge) and generate syngas under solar and then release electric energy (Discharge) and syngas during not input of solar energy. The charge-discharged processes could be operated circularly for a release of fuel. The results demonstrated that the solar bipolar cell presented an overall maximum Coulomb efficiency of 85% at 450/800 °C. This work provides a new route to design a system which combines the renewable energy with the undesirable carbon dioxide for the clean and pollution-free discharged products.

Covalent organic frameworks: Design and applications in electrochemical energy storage devices

AbstractAs an emerging class of crystalline organic material, covalent organic frameworks (COFs) possess uniform porosity, versatile functionality, and precise control over designated structures. Aside from the favorable charge and mass transport pathways offered by the porous framework, COFs can also exhibit designed reversible redox activity. In the past few years, their potential has attracted a great deal of attention for charge storage and transport applications in various electrochemical energy storage devices, and numerous design strategies have been proposed to enhance the corresponding electrochemical properties. This review summarizes the working principle and synthesis methods of COFs and discusses significant findings for supercapacitors and various rechargeable battery systems, emphasizing the representative design strategies and their underlying relationship with electrochemical performances. In addition, key advances achieved by computations are highlighted along with the challenges and prospects in this field.image

Hybrid Fuzzy Multi-Criteria Analysis for Selecting Discrete Preferable Groundwater Recharge Sites

This study proposes a hybrid fuzzy multi-criteria methodology for the selection of the most preferable site for applying managed aquifer recharge (MAR) systems by utilizing floodwaters. The use of MAR can increase water resources for later water utilization in case of drought. In this multi-criteria problem, seven recharge sites are under consideration, based on nine criteria, aiming to make a final list of their relative ranking. A fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (FAHP) based on the logarithmic fuzzy preference programming (LFFP) method is used to determine the weights of criteria. LFFP is an optimization-based method that produces a priority vector from a fuzzy pairwise comparison matrix. Furthermore, fuzzy inference systems (FIS) based on the Mamdani approach are used to estimate the rating of each alternative with respect to the criterion examined, and then the final evaluation of the alternatives is obtained. A FIS is a fuzzy if–then rule-based system where the experts’ qualitative knowledge is translated into numerical reasoning for each individual criterion. The proposed methodology is applied in the aquifer system of the agricultural plain located to the southeast of the city of Xanthi in the Prefecture of Xanthi, NE Greece.

Advances in the regulation of kinetics of cathodic H+/Zn2+ interfacial transport in aqueous Zn/MnO2 electrochemistry.

Rechargeable aqueous Zn-MnO2 energy storage systems have attracted extensive attention owing to their high theoretical capacity and non-flammable mild aqueous electrolytes. Nevertheless, the complicated reaction mechanism of a MnO2-based cathode severely restricts its further development. Therefore, it is crucial to clarify the kinetics of H+/Zn2+ interfacial transport in the MnO2 cathode for realizing controllable regulation of interfacial ion transport and then realizing high capacity and long lifespan. Recently, based on different reaction mechanisms, various strategies have been employed to improve the performance of aqueous Zn/MnO2 cells, such as surface modifications and structural engineering. Herein, we systematically summarize the recent advances in the modulation of interfacial H+/Zn2+ transport and related redox kinetics to effectively improve the electrochemical responses. Furthermore, the challenges of designing novel MnO2 cathodes have also been prospected in detail to provide possible guidelines for the development of Zn/MnO2 batteries.

Design and implementation of a solar powered navigation technology for the visually impaired

The Blind Navigation System using Arduino and 1sheeld is a system that intends to enhance blind peoples' access to the environment, particularly in Ghana, Africa. This research aimed at designing a safe navigation system to allow seamless transitions for visually impaired people from one location to another, as well as a tool to assist them in communicating with their surroundings and guardians when in a difficult situation. The design uses PVC pipe as the cane, 1Sheeld, Arduino Uno, ultrasonic and water sensors for processing and monitoring, a buzzer and vibration motor to offer an alarm system via vibration and sound, housed within a circuit box and the handle, and finally powered by a portable mini solar panel with a rechargeable battery. The phone of the blind is connected to the 1sheeld board via Bluetooth link and the 1sheeld App is installed on the mobile phone. The guardian receives a call or an SMS with the GPS coordinates, which can be tracked when the blind person is lost through Google Map. The simulations related to the design's overall purpose were precise, and the trial findings from volunteers obtained from the final test were encouraging and ensured the safety and speed of mobility. As a result, the goal of designing a safe navigation system to detect impediments and provide the exact location of the visually impaired through GPS/SMS processing and powered by a mini solar panel with rechargeable battery system were achieved.

SAFETY OF UKRAINE’S NUCLEAR POWER INDUSTRY IN EXTREME OPERATING CONDITIONS

An urgent issue of the state (level) of safety of Ukraine’s nuclear power industry in extreme conditions is the situation of the Zaporizhzhia NPP, the largest in Europe, due to the station’s location in the war zone and difficulties in its management and operation, as well as the safety regulation of the station in the occupied territory. In the proposed article, the possibility of Zaporizhia NPP industrial site flooding is analyzed from the elaborated hydrodynamic model and justifying calculation; the conditions of ZNPP industrial site possible flooding are determined depending on the warhead power producing a corresponding destructive effect. Probabilistic approaches to assessing the Zaporizhia NPP safety objective state (level) in extreme conditions are insufficiently justified taking into account the lessons of the largest nuclear and radiation accidents. On the basis of a deterministic approach, the conditions of Zaporizhia NPP industrial site critical flooding due to extreme military action are identified. Flooding of the plant’s industrial site may cause two initial emergency events: a complete long-term de-energization of power units and violation of heat exchange conditions in spent nuclear fuel dry storage facilities. Prevention of flooding of the Zaporizhia NPP industrial site can be based on the construction of protective flood barriers on the cooling pond coast. Prospective directions to increase the accident management efficiency related to the nuclear power units’ passive safety systems modernization and improvement of operational symptom-oriented emergency instructions/manuals for managing severe (nuclear) accidents have been identified. An effective accident management strategy with complete long-term de-energization of WWER power units can be based on a comprehensive modernization of emergency recharge systems of steam generators with steam driven pumps and natural circulation circuits of passive heat removal systems from the pressurized reactor unit.

Axonics Sacral Neuromodulation System for Treating Refractory Overactive Bladder: A NICE Medical Technologies Guidance.

The Axonics sacral neuromodulation (SNM) system can be used by people with refractory overactive bladder (OAB) to reduce symptoms of urge urinary incontinence and urinary frequency, where conservative treatments have failed or are not suitable. It is the first system for this indication that makes use of a rechargeable battery to prolong the lifespan of the implanted device, with the potential advantage of reducing the frequency of surgical replacement procedures and associated complications. We describe the evidence considered by the UK National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in their evaluation of this evidence, supported by Cedar Healthcare Technology Research Centre. Two observational studies provided descriptive data that suggested improvement in control of symptoms after implantation of the Axonics SNM system; however, there was no peer-reviewed evidence that directly compared rechargeable and non-rechargeable SNM systems. In the absence of long-term data, economic modelling relies on the accuracy of battery life estimates. The evidence supports the case for adopting the Axonics SNM system for treating refractory OAB, when conservative treatment or treatment with medicines has not worked. This conclusion is consistent with other relevant NICE guidelines. Use of Axonics SNM technology in the UK National Health Service (NHS) is associated with a potential cost saving of £6025 per person over a 15-year period when compared with an equivalent non-rechargeable SNM system, assuming the claimed battery life estimate (a minimum of 15 years) is accurate. The cost savings are estimated to start around 6 years after implantation.

Inductive Power Transmission System for Electric Car Charging Phase: Modeling plus Frequency Analysis

The effectiveness of inductive power transfer (IPT) presents a serious challenge for improving the global recharge system performance. An electric vehicle (EVs) needs to be charged rapidly and have maximum power when it is charged with wireless technology. Based on various research, the performance of this recharge system is attached to several points and the frequency resonance is one of those parameters that can influence. In this paper, we try to explore the relationship between the obtained power and the signal input frequency for charging a lithium battery, solve the class imbalance problem and understand the maximum allowed frequency. To obtain the results, a mathematical model was first created to demonstrate the relationship, then the dynamic model was validated and tested using the Matlab Simulink platform. The performance of the worldwide wireless recharging system in terms of frequency variation is depicted in a summary graph.

Structural Lattice Topology and Material Optimization for Battery Protection in Electric Vehicles Subjected to Ground Impact Using Artificial Neural Networks and Genetic Algorithms.

A critical external interference that often appears to pose a safety issue in rechargeable energy storage systems (RESS) for electric vehicles (EV) is ground impact due to stone impingement. This study aims to propose the new concept of the sandwich for structural battery protection using a lattice structure configuration for electric vehicle applications. The protective geometry consists of two layers of a twisted-octet lattice structure. The appropriate lattice structure was selected through topology and material optimization using an artificial neural network (ANN), genetic algorithms (GA), and multi-objective optimization with technique for order of preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) methods. The optimization variables are the lattice structure relative density, , angle, θ, and strength of the materials, . Numerical simulations were used to model the dynamic impact loading on the structures due to a conical stone mass of 0.77 kg traveling at 162 km/h. The two-layer lattice structure configuration appears to be suitable for the purposes of RESS protection. The optimum configuration for battery protection is a lattice structure with an angle of 66°, relative density of 0.8, and yield strength of 41 MPa. This optimum configuration can satisfy the safety threshold of battery-shortening deformation. Therefore, the proposed lattice structure configuration can potentially be implemented for electric vehicle applications to protect the battery from ground impact.

Hydrophobic Molecule Monolayer Brush-Tethered Zinc Anodes for Aqueous Zinc Batteries.

Aqueous zinc batteries are of great interest as a rechargeable energy storage system, particularly owing to the low cost and high safety of aqueous electrolytes, as well as the high capacity of zinc anodes. Unfortunately, the wide commercialization of aqueous zinc batteries is impeded by the irreversible water reduction and irregular zinc evolution issues on the anode side. Hereby, a hydrophobic and ultrathin polystyrene molecule brush layer is tethered onto the surface of zinc metal anodes to tackle the above limitations. Experimental investigations reveal that the waterproof artificial layer can sustain fast interfacial ionic transportation, minimize hydrogen evolution, and smoothen Zn deposition, thus conferring enhanced electrochemical performance to the as-protected Zn anode in both symmetric Zn//Zn cells and Zn//LiV3O8 full cells.

Rechargeable Batteries: Regulating Electronic and Ionic Transports for High Electrochemical Performance

AbstractRechargeable batteries are serving society and are continuing to develop according to application requirements. Recently, rechargeable batteries with high energy density, power density, stability, and rate performance, as well as low cost have attracted the attention of researchers globally. However, achieving all these merits in a single rechargeable battery system is difficult. Accordingly, many approaches are reported to improve the performance of different energy storage devices. Nevertheless, reports on a general research method to improve the performance of battery systems are still limited. Herein, the current progress of rechargeable batteries and the corresponding opportunities and challenges are summarized. The principles of electrochemical reactions for lead–acid batteries, metal–ion batteries, metal–sulfur batteries, and metal–air batteries are introduced and compared. The technological challenges in the development of rechargeable batteries on the basis of transports of electrons and ions are comprehensively analyzed. In particular, approaches for regulating electronic and ionic transports are comprehensively discussed for the enhancement of electrochemical performance. Some advanced energy storage materials with good electronic and ionic conductivities are also highlighted. Furthermore, several perspectives on potential research directions for the choice and design of high‐performance rechargeable batteries for practical application are proposed.

A Perspective on Li/S Battery Design: Modeling and Development Approaches

Lithium/sulfur (Li/S) cells that offer an ultrahigh theoretical specific energy of 2600 Wh/kg are considered one of the most promising next-generation rechargeable battery systems for the electrification of transportation. However, the commercialization of Li/S cells remains challenging, despite the recent advancements in materials development for sulfur electrodes and electrolytes, due to several critical issues such as the insufficient obtainable specific energy and relatively poor cyclability. This review aims to introduce electrode manufacturing and modeling methodologies and the current issues to be overcome. The obtainable specific energy values of Li/S pouch cells are calculated with respect to various parameters (e.g., sulfur mass loading, sulfur content, sulfur utilization, electrolyte-volume-to-sulfur-weight ratio, and electrode porosity) to demonstrate the design requirements for achieving a high specific energy of >300 Wh/kg. Finally, the prospects for rational modeling and manufacturing strategies are discussed, to establish a new design standard for Li/S batteries.

Potato Peel Based Carbon-Sulfur Composite as Cathode Materials for Lithium Sulfur Battery.

Lithium sulfur battery has become one of the promising rechargeable battery systems to replace the conventional lithium ion battery. Commonly, it uses carbon-sulfur composites as cathode materials. Biomass based carbons has an important role in enhancing its electrochemical characteristics due to the high conductivity and porous structures. Here, potato peel wastes have been utilized to prepare porous carbon lithium sulfur battery through hydrothermal carbonization followed by the chemical activation method using KOH. After sulfur loading, as prepared carbon-sulfur composite shows stable coulombic efficiencies of above 98% and a reversible specific capacity of 804 mAh g-1 after 100 cycles at current density of 100 mA g-1. These excellent electrochemical properties can be attributed to the unique structure of PPWC showing mesoporous structure with large specific surface areas. These results show the potential application of potato peel waste based porous carbon as electrode's materials for lithium sulfur battery.

An electrochemical advanced oxidation process for the treatment of urban stormwater

Recharge of urban stormwater has often been limited by the high cost of land and concerns about contamination of groundwater. To provide a possible solution, we developed an electrochemical advanced oxidation system (UV/H2O2) that is compatible with high-capacity stormwater recharge systems (e.g., drywells). The system employed an air-diffusion cathode to generate a H2O2 stock solution (i.e., typically around 600 mM) prior to the storm event. The H2O2 stock solution was then metered into stormwater and converted into hydroxyl radical (•OH) by an ultraviolet lamp. The energy consumption for H2O2 generation was optimized by adjusting the applied current density and adding an inert salt (e.g., Na2SO4) to stormwater. H2O2 in the stock solution was unstable. By mixing the basic H2O2 containing catholyte and the acidic anolyte, the stability increased, enabling generation of the H2O2 stock solution up to three days prior the storm event with loss of less than 20% of the H2O2. Lab-scale experiments and a kinetic model were used to assess the feasibility of the full-scale advanced oxidation system. System performance decreased at elevated concentrations of dissolved organic carbon in stormwater, due to enhanced light reflection and backscattering at the water-air interface in the UV reactor, competition for UV light absorption with H2O2 and the tendency of organic matter to act as a •OH scavenger. The proposed system can be incorporated into drywells to remove greater than 90% of trace organic contaminants under typical operating conditions. The electrical energy per order of the system is estimated to range from 0.5 to 2 kWh/m3, depending on the dissolved organic carbon concentration.

Application of data-driven machine learning to predict propranolol and trimethoprim removal using a managed aquifer recharge system

Owing to their persistent nature, pharmaceutical products (PPs) are emerging as potent water pollutants. Here, experimental and data-driven modeling, specifically multilayer perceptron (MLP) neural networking and gene expression programming (GEP), was employed to predict the removal of the most common antihypertensive and antibiotic drugs, namely propranolol and trimethoprim, from reclaimed water (RW) through a managed aquifer recharge system (MARS). The characteristics of RW and soil used as the column medium, including operating time (days); pH; dissolved organic carbon; electrical conductivity; and concentration of nitrogen dioxide, nitrate, sulfate, ferrous, chloride, and manganese, were included as the input parameters and removal of the selected PPs as the model output. A dataset was created through an experimental study conducted over a year of continuous operation of MARS to predict the removal of the selected PPs. MLP and GEP models were developed for one of the selected PPs and tested for the other to determine model reliability. The developed models were assessed using statistical performance matrices. The experimental results showed over 80% propranolol and trimethoprim removal from RW through MARS. The proposed GEP predictive models for propranolol and trimethoprim removal showed higher accuracy (R2 = 0.91 and 0.87, respectively) than the MLP models (R2 = 0.827 and 0.756, respectively). Therefore, the proposed GEP models provide better predictions and mathematical relationships for future studies. Thus, data-driven machine learning models can predict the removal of specific PPs from RW through MARS and minimize the experimental workload.

Four-Dimensional Investigation of Gravel Beach Ridge Accretion and 50 Years of Beach Recharge at Dungeness, UK, Using Historic Images, GPR and Lidar (HIGL)

Dungeness is a cuspate foreland on the south coast of England that is the largest shingle feature in Europe and includes hundreds of beach ridges. It is also the location of two nuclear power stations that were constructed in the 1960s. The dominant southwest waves cause longshore drift from west to east, eroding the southwest side of Dungeness, accompanied by accretion on the east side. A record of this eastward movement and sediment accretion is preserved by the shingle beach ridges. The power stations are located on the eroding southwestern side of the ness, and a system of beach recharge has been used to move shingle from the downdrift, east-facing shore to the updrift, southwest-facing shore to protect the power stations from coastal erosion. We use a novel combination of historic images, ground-penetrating radar (GPR), and Lidar (HIGL) to investigate accretion and beach ridges at Dungeness during the past 80 years. We report changes in accretion along the coast and use GPR to determine the thickness of beach gravels. The amount of accretion, represented by the width of the backshore, decreases downdrift from south to north. The number of beach ridges preserved also decreases from south to north. By combining the shingle thickness from GPR with elevation data from Lidar surveys and records of beach accretion measured from aerial images, we estimate the volume and mass of gravel that has accumulated at Dungeness. Historic rates of beach accretion are similar to recent rates, suggesting that the 55 years of beach recharge have had little impact on the longer-term accretion downdrift.

Electrochemically grown highly crystalline single-phase Ni3P superstructure accelerating ionic diffusion in rechargeable Ni–Zn battery

Zn-based aqueous batteries become a highlighted field in worldwide research on rechargeable energy storage systems due to their significant merits as safe and cost-effective technology. However, the lack of proper cathode materials having sufficient accessible channels for ionic diffusion in order to achieve excellent power delivery, higher energy storage capacity and good cycle stability challenge their use in practical application. Herein, we demonstrate electrodeposited porous Ni3P superstructures on activated carbon cloth (CC*) as a robust cathode material towards enhanced Ni–Zn aqueous battery technology. The as-deposited Ni3P exhibiting internal porous network with fully exposed active sites accelerates the electrode kinetics by providing affluent channels for electron transfer. This unique structure of Ni3P electrode offers remarkable specific capacity of 258 mA h g−1 along with tremendous high-rate capability (maintains 81% at 11 A g−1). Moreover, the Ni3[email protected]*//[email protected]* battery is capable of showing a record-high specific capacity of 322 mA h g−1, power density 17.5 kW kg−1 and imposing energy density of 661.98 Wh kg−1. These results open a new avenue for developing an easy synthesis strategy for cathode materials of Ni–Zn batteries with boosted electrochemical activity toward affordable and practical energy storage.© 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Lithium‐Silicon Microbattery with Anode and Housing Directly Made from Semiconductor Grade Monocrystalline Si

AbstractMiniaturized and rechargeable energy storage systems, which easily power smart and (in vivo) sensors or the wirelessly networked transmitting devices of the so‐called internet of things, are expected to open unprecedented ways for how information can be shared autonomously. On the macroscale, such battery‐powered devices have already revolutionized our daily life by the use of mobile phones and portable computers. The eagerly‐awaited advent of sufficiently powerful and long‐living microbatteries will definitely make our lives more comfortable, especially in sectors such as medicine, security, autonomous driving or artificial intelligence in conjunction with fields where information need to be quickly shared, also including pandemic‐like situations. Here, a fully matured lithium‐ion microbattery with millimeter‐sized dimensions that can be manufactured by mass production methods well‐established in semiconductor industry is presented. The battery can directly be machined from wafer‐grade monocrystalline silicon which acts as both the electrochemically active anodic part and, at the same time, as the electrically insulating housing material of the accumulator. The high current output power (200 mW cm−2; 30 mA peak current) and the solid charge‐discharge stability of at least 100 cycles (10 mAh cm−2), combined with a high Coulombic efficiency near 100%, make the device ideally suited to be implemented in a large range of intelligent, self‐powered electric devices.