SRC System Research Articles

Techno‐economic and carbon footprint analyses of steam Rankine cycle

AbstractSteam Rankine cycle (SRC), which is mainly utilised in power generation sector, faces external irreversibility in its daily operation causing inefficiency in the system. To address this issue, reheat Rankine cycle (RHRC) and regenerative Rankine cycle (RRC) have been widely studied and implemented in power plants to improve thermal efficiency and reduce external irreversibility of Rankine cycle. This study investigates the implementation of different RRC configurations in a combined heat and power plant, including RRC with modified thermal deaerator, RRC with open feed water heater (OFWH) and closed feed water heater (CFWH). A base case simulation model was first constructed using commercial simulation software Aspen HYSYS for the basic SRC system based on actual plant data. Various scenarios were then evaluated for their profitability and sustainability through techno‐economic analysis (TEA) and carbon footprint analysis (CFA). From both analyses, the scenario of RRC with CFWH showed the greatest long‐term potential, generating the highest annual profit of $ 771 691 and carbon footprint reduction of 14.63%, while RRC with modified thermal deaerator showed the greatest potential in the short run with the highest return of investment (ROI) of 201.51% and shortest payback period (PBP) of 0.50 year.

Failure analysis and identification of causes of SRC system malfunctions – Case study

The research deals with the issue of emissions generated by combustion engines, the system approach, and the methodology to solve the given problem. In terms of methodology, the solution consisted in the application of process management principles combined with the procedures of material engineering. This method provided tools to solve technically demanding tasks that consist of identifying the causes of the DNOX system failures, where intergranular corrosion attack was revealed at its key components.

4E assessment of power generation systems for a mobile house in emergency condition using solar energy: a case study

In this study, a solar parabolic trough concentrator (PTC) was evaluated as a heat source of a power generation system based on energy (E1), exergy (E2), environmental (E3), and economic (E4) analyses. Various configurations of power generation systems were investigated, including the solar SRC (SRC) and solar ORC (ORC). Water and R113 were used as heat transfer fluids of SRC and ORC system, respectively. It should be mentioned that the proposed solar systems were evaluated for providing the required power of a mobile house in an emergency condition such as an earthquake that was happened in Kermanshah, Iran, in 2016 with many homeless people. The PTC system was optically and thermally investigated based on sensitivity analysis. The optimized PTC system was assumed as a heat source of the RC with two various configurations for power generation. Then, the solar RC systems were investigated based on 4E analyses for providing the power of the mobile house based on various numbers of solar RC units. It was concluded that the solar SRC system could be recommended for achieving the highest 4E performance. The highest value of its energy efficiency was found at 24.60% and of his exergy at 26.37%. On the other hand, the ORC system has energy and exergy efficiencies at 17.64% and 18.91%, respectively, which are significantly lower than the efficiencies of the SRC system. The optimum heat source temperature for the SRC system is found at 650 K, while for the ORC system at 499 K. Moreover, the best economic performance was found with the SRC system with a payback period of 7.47 years. Finally, the CO2 mitigated per annum ( $$\varphi_{{{\mathrm{CO}}_{2} }}$$ ) was estimated at 5.29 (tones year−1), and the carbon credit ( $$Z_{{{\mathrm{CO}}_{2} }}$$ ) was calculated equal to 76.71 ($ year−1).

Thermodynamic Optimization of a Waste Heat Power System under Economic Constraint

A novel thermo-economic performance indicator for a waste heat power system, namely, MPC, is proposed in this study, which denotes the maximum net power output with the constraint of EPC ≤ EPC0, where EPC is the electricity production cost of the system and EPC0 refers to the EPC of conventional fossil fuel power plants. The organic and steam Rankine cycle (ORC, SRC) systems driven by the flue gas are optimized to maximize the net power output with the constraint of EPC ≤ EPC0 by using the Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm-II (NSGA-II). The optimization process entails the design of the heat exchangers, the instantaneous calculation of the turbine efficiency, and the system cost estimation based on the Aspen Process Economic Analyzer. Six organic fluids, n-butane, R245fa, n-pentane, cyclo-pentane, MM (Hexamethyldisiloxane), and toluene, are considered for the ORC system. Results indicate that the MPC of the ORC system using cyclo-pentane is 39.7% higher than that of the SRC system under the waste heat source from a cement plant with an initial temperature of 360 °C and mass flow rate of 42.15 kg/s. The precondition of the application of the waste heat power system is EPC ≤ EPC0, and the minimum heat source temperatures to satisfy this condition for ORC and SRC systems are obtained. Finally, the selection map of ORC versus SRC based on their thermo-economic performance in terms of the heat source conditions is provided.

A novel strategy for medical foods digestion and subsequent elemental determination using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry

A sample preparation method using only H2O2 in the single reaction chamber system (SRC-H2O2) for medical foods (MFs) digestion and further elemental determination by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP OES) was proposed. Digestion of some refractory substances (RS), such as, histidine, linoleic acid, phenylalanine and tryptophan, was also investigated. For the method development important parameters, such as, maximum temperature and pressure of SRC system, volume of H2O2 and sample mass were evaluated. Digestion efficiency was evaluated based on the concentration of residual carbon (RC) of final digests. The optimized method conditions were 1 g of sample, 6 mL of 50% H2O2 and maximum temperature and pressure of 250 °C and 160 bar, respectively. The digests obtained using the optimized conditions presented concentration of RC lower than 720 mg L−1. The accuracy of SRC-H2O2 method was evaluated by analysis of reference material (RM) NIST 8435 (whole milk powder) and by comparison between results obtained using the proposed method and those obtained by digestion with concentrated HNO3 (SRC-HNO3). Significant differences were not observed comparing the results of SRC-H2O2 with reference values of RM and SRC-HNO3. Limits of detection obtained by the proposed method ranged from 0.01 to 88 μg g−1 for all elements determined by ICP OES. SRC-H2O2 method provided digests of individual constituents (sodium caseinate, corn syrup and sunflower oil) of MFs and RS with residual carbon content (RCC) lower than 10% (calculated based on molar and sample masses), except for linoleic acid (RCC of 17%). These same compounds were also digested using SRC-HNO3 method and the RCC values were significantly lower than than those found by SRC-H2O2, except for aromatic amino acids (tryptophan and phenylalanine). The final acidity of digests obtained using SRC-H2O2 was negligible that is convenient for elemental determination using ICP-based techniques and agrees with green analytical chemistry requirements.

Molecular dynamics simulations provide insights into the origin of gleevec’s selectivity toward human tyrosine kinases

Protein kinases are critical drug targets against cancer. Since the discovery of Gleevec, a specific inhibitor of Abl kinase, the capability of this drug to distinguish between Abl and other tyrosine kinases, such as Src, has been intensely investigated but the origin of Gleevec’s selectivity to Abl against Src is less studied. Here, we performed molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, dynamical cross-correlation matrices (DCCM), dynamical network analysis, and binding free energy calculations to explore Gleevec’s selectivity based on the crystal structures of Abl, Src, and their common ancestors (ANC-AS) and the two constructed mutation systems (AS→Abl and AS→Src). MD simulations revealed that the conformation of the phosphate-binding loop (P-loop) was altered significantly in the AS→Abl system. DCCM results unraveled that mutations increased anticorrelated motions in the AS→Abl system. Community network analysis suggested that the P-loop established special contacts in the AS→Abl system that are devoid in the AS→Src system. The binding free energy calculations unveiled that the affinity of Gleevec to AS→Abl increased to near the Abl level, whereas its affinity to AS→Src decreased to near the Src level. Analysis of individual residue contributions showed that the differences were located mainly at the P-loop. This study is valuable for understanding the sensitivity of Gleevec to human tyrosine kinases.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma

Static and seismic behaviours of innovative hybrid steel reinforced concrete bridge

Bridges using rolled steel H-section seem to be economical compared with plate girder bridges due to lower material and fabrication cost in the short-span length. The rolled steel H-section is a compact section and no stiffener is necessary. However, as the maximum available web height of the rolled H-sections is 900mm, the applicable span-length is 20–25m. A new composite girder bridge was proposed using rolled steel H-section to extend the span-length. The superstructure consists of continuous rolled steel H-girders composite with the RC slab, and the substructure is RC piers. The girder and the pier are rigidly connected by concrete and reinforcements to resist large negative bending moment at the joints. Experiments were conducted with the partial SRC bridge model, which showed that the proposed structure with a rolled H-girder had high ultimate strength with good ductile property, and attained the full plastic moment. A FE model was established considering material non-linearity and shear transfer between steel and concrete and compared with the experiments, which showed good agreement and clarified the load transfer mechanism. A trial design with the SRC highway bridge was carried out, confirmed that the applicable span length can be extended to 50m. Seismic performance of the SRC system was verified by dynamic analysis, showed sufficient strength and ductility for strong earthquake with peak acceleration of 810m/s2. Cross beams were eliminated in the new SRC bridge because the girder height was low, which was verified by FEM analysis with the full bridge model.

Relationship between soil chemical composition and potential fuel quality of biomass from poplar short rotation coppices in Portugal and Belgium

Soil-woody biomass interactions are relevant for the productivity of bioenergy plantations and biomass quality. In this context, the main objective of this study was to evaluate and to quantify possible relationships between chemical variables of the soil and the produced biomass through a multivariate approach. This latter approach allows to overcome the complex issue of multi-collinearity among variables. Soil and woody biomass samples were collected from two poplar short rotation coppices in Santarém (Portugal) and in Lochristi (Belgium). The results from the analyses of those samples were integrated into three databases with soil, woody biomass and site plots as cases, and 23 physical and chemical properties as variables. The databases were subjected to a multivariate sequence of calculations, which included correlation, principal components, factorial and hierarchical clustering analyses. The calculations showed that the site plots and the woody biomass of genotypes in Lochristi were more homogeneous as compared to Santarém; they also confirmed the high interconnection between soil and woody biomass variables. The higher heating value of the woody biomass correlated well with the soil concentrations of P2O5, Mg, Ca, Na and organic C. Linear equations related the higher heating value to the most important soil and woody biomass variables. Finally, the results suggest that the annual monitoring of soil and biomass in SRC systems should be performed to optimize both productivity and woody biomass quality as a fuel.

Rendimiento de un sistema de rotación corta de alta densidad con Salix spp. en Buenos Aires, Argentina

In Argentina, energy production depends mostly on fossil fuels; hence it is desirable to diversify the energy sources including renewable fuels such as forest biomass. A drawback for this development is the lack of information about the productivity of short rotation coppice systems (SRC) under local conditions. Willows are used in several countries as a source of biomass for energy, although in Argentina the information about yield at local level is scarce. An SRC system was established in agricultural soil in Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. The aim of this work was to estimate the effects of irrigation, plantation density and genotype on biomass production. The clones used were the hybrid Salix matsudana x Salix alba `Barrett 13-44 INTA´ and the open pollinated Salix alba `Yaguarete INTA - CIEF´. There were no statistically significant effects of clone and plantation density on biomass productivity. The only significant factor was irrigation, which explained 83 to 92 % of yield variability. The dry biomass yields are similar to those reported elsewhere for rainfed SRC willows, ranging between 11.1 and 22.6 Mg ha-1 year-1.

Thermal gasification or direct combustion? Comparison of advanced cogeneration systems in the sugarcane industry

We compare different cogeneration system scenarios for efficient energy production from bagasse fuel in an Indonesian sugar and ethanol factory. These scenarios include the use of condensing-extraction steam turbines, variable speed electric drives for process equipment, measures to reduce low pressure steam demand for process needs, and two advanced cogeneration systems. One advanced system includes an 80 bar high pressure direct combustion steam Rankine cycle (advanced SRC), while the other uses a biomass integrated gasifier combined cycle (BIGCC); both utilize fuel dryers. Using steady-state thermodynamic models, we estimate that the net electricity generation potentials of the BIGCC and advanced SRC systems are approximately seven and five times the potential of the existing factory, respectively. The maximum net electricity generation potentials for the respective systems are 170 kWh/tc (BIGCC) and 140 kWh/tc (advanced SRC). However, the BIGCC system needs a bagasse feed rate that is 50 percent higher than the advanced SRC system to satisfy the factory low pressure steam demand for sugar and ethanol processing, which may affect its ability to provide steam and electricity during the off-season. For the Indonesian sugar factory, the annual revenue potential of the BIGCC system is US$14 million per year, approximately 50 percent higher than that of the advanced SRC system (electricity sale rate: US$45/MsWh; carbon credit price: US$13.60). BIGCC technology is still in an early stage of development and there are no commercial systems in sugar factories, so an advanced SRC system may be a more suitable option in the near future.

GIS-based Tools for Regional Assessments and Planning Processes Regarding Potential Environmental Effects of Poplar SRC

Based on regional stakeholder preferences and planning guidelines as allocation criteria for SRC, this study aims at providing a transparent approach to evaluate multiple environmental effects and the regional significance of SRC systems. Using the example of two poplar SRC-systems (4-year rotation, 9-year rotation) the potential effects on ground water supply, wind erosion, and biodiversity aspects are evaluated in comparison to arable land for two selected municipalities in the district of Uelzen, Germany. Building on fuzzy membership functions and simple fuzzy-logic rules, the qualitative multi-criteria assessment is transparent and easily to adapt. This approach is transferable to other regions and spatial levels, since it derives from commonly available data and scientific evidence. Results show that implementation of SRC could provide multiple beneficial environmental effects, especially in areas with low landscape heterogeneity. The tools provided allow for a multi-criteria evaluation of environmental effects, and reveal the sensitivity to distinct allocation patterns. Physiographical conditions of the study area implicate a preference for mini-SRC systems. This is supported by smaller decline of annual deep percolation water compared to maxi-SRC. On average, decline in groundwater recharge of mini-SRC (92mm a−1) is comparable to irrigated arable land (80mm a−1), which is common practice in the study area. Currently, the utilization of beneficial environmental SRC effects is quite limited, since only 3 % of arable land is suitable for SRC implementation regarding farmers’ preferences for SRC allocation. Allocation preferences could however change substantially with increasing incentives for SRC, e.g., due to regional bioenergy schemes or “Greening” initiatives within the European Common Agricultural Policy, which is to be reformed by 2013.

Automatic Spectral-Rule-Based Preliminary Classification of Radiometrically Calibrated SPOT-4/-5/IRS, AVHRR/MSG, AATSR, IKONOS/QuickBird/OrbView/GeoEye, and DMC/SPOT-1/-2 Imagery—Part I: System Design and Implementation

To date, the automatic or semiautomatic transformation of huge amounts of multisource multiresolution spaceborne imagery into information still remains far below reasonable expectations. The original contribution of this paper to existing knowledge on the development of operational automatic remote sensing image understanding systems (RS-IUSs) is fourfold. First, existing RS-IUS architectures are critically revised. In this review section, the two-stage stratified hierarchical RS-IUS model, originally proposed by Shackelford and Davis, is identified as a subclass of the parent class of multiagent hybrid systems for RS image understanding, which is potentially superior to the two-stage segment-based RS-IUS architecture that is currently considered the state-of-the-art in commercial RS image-processing software toolboxes. Second, this paper highlights the degree of novelty of an operational automatic near-real-time well-posed model-driven application-independent per-pixel Landsat-like spectral-rule-based decision-tree classifier (LSRC) recently presented in RS literature. Third, five original downscaled implementations of the LSRC system are proposed to be input with a multispectral image whose spectral resolution overlaps with, but is inferior to, Landsat's. These five downscaled LSRC implementations are identified as the Satellite Pour l'Observation de la Terre-like SRC, the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer-like SRC, the Advanced Along-Track Scanning Radiometer-like SRC, the IKONOS-like SRC, and the Disaster Monitoring Constellation-like SRC, respectively. LSRC, together with its five downscaled implementations, called the integrated SRC system of systems, is eligible for use as the automatic pixel-based preliminary classification first stage of a two-stage stratified hierarchical RS-IUS instantiation. Fourth, to sustain the feasibility of the new downscaled LSRC implementations, a novel vegetation spectral index is introduced and discussed. In Part II of this paper, experimental results are presented and discussed for the entire SRC family of classifiers.

Automatic Spectral Rule-Based Preliminary Classification of Radiometrically Calibrated SPOT-4/-5/IRS, AVHRR/MSG, AATSR, IKONOS/QuickBird/OrbView/GeoEye, and DMC/SPOT-1/-2 Imagery—Part II: Classification Accuracy Assessment

In Part I of this paper, an operational fully automated Landsat-like image spectral rule-based decision-tree classifier (LSRC), suitable for mapping radiometrically calibrated seven-band Landsat-4/-5 Thematic Mapper (TM) and Landsat-7 Enhanced TM+ (ETM+) spaceborne images [eventually synthesized from the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) and the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) imaging sensor] into a discrete and finite set of spectral categories, has been downscaled to properly deal with spaceborne multispectral imaging sensors whose spectral resolution overlaps with, but is inferior to Landsat's, namely: 1) Satellite Pour l'Observation de la Terre (SPOT)-4/-5, Indian Remote Sensing Satellite (IRS)-1C/-1D/-P6 Linear Imaging Self-Scanner (LISS)-III, and IRS-P6 Advanced Wide Field Sensor (AWiFS); 2) National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) and Meteosat Second Generation (MSG); 3) Environmental Satellite (ENVISAT) Advanced Along-Track Scanning Radiometer (AATSR); 4) GeoEye-1, IKONOS-2, QuickBird-2, OrbView-3, TopSat, KOrean MultiPurpose SATellite (KOMPSAT)-2, FORMOsa SATellite (FORMOSAT)-2, Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS) Advanced Visible and Near Infrared Radiometer type 2 (AVNIR-2), RapidEye, WorldView-2, PLEIADES-1/-2, and SPOT-6/-7; and 5) Disaster Monitoring Constellation (DMC), IRS-P6 LISS-IV, and SPOT-1/-2. LSRC, together with its five downscaled versions, identified, respectively, as the four-band SPOT-like SRC (SSRC), the four-band AVHRR-like SRC (AVSRC), the five-band AATSR-like SRC (AASRC), the four-band IKONOS-like SRC (ISRC), and the three-band DMC-like SRC (DSRC), form the so-called integrated SRC system of systems. In this paper, first, the classification accuracy and robustness to changes in the input data set of SSRC, AVSRC, AASRC, ISRC, and DSRC are assessed, both qualitatively and quantitatively, in comparison with LSRC's. Next, ongoing and future SRC applications are presented and discussed. They encompass: 1) the implementation of operational two-stage stratified hierarchical Remote Sensing (RS) image understanding systems discussed in Part I of this paper; 2) the integration of near real-time satellite mapping services with Internet map servers; and 3) the development of a new approach to semantic querying of large-scale multisensor image databases. These experimental results and application examples prove that the integrated SRC system of systems is operational, namely, it is effective, near real-time, automatic, and robust to changes in the input data set. Therefore, SRC appears eligible for use in operational satellite-based measurement systems such as those envisaged by the ongoing international Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) Programme and the Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) system project.

Deactivation of Src Family Kinases: Hypothesis Testing Using a Monte Carlo Sensitivity Analysis of Systems-Level Properties

Src family tyrosine kinases play a key role in many cellular signalling networks, but due to the high complexity of these networks their precise function remains elusive. Many factors involved in Src regulation, such as specific kinases and phosphatases, are still unknown. Mathematical models have been constructed to improve the understanding of the system and its dynamic behavior. Using a computational random parameter search, we characterized and compared the dynamics of three alternative models in order to assess their likelihoods. For this, we investigated how systems-level properties such as bistability and excitable behavior relate to kinetic and physiological parameters and how robust these properties were. Our results suggest the existence of a putative negative feedback loop in the Src system. A previously suggested role for PTPalpha in the deactivation of Src was not supported by the model.

Qualitative response of safety injection system for a large size break in the reactor coolant system cold leg

Safety injection system, accumulator injection system and residual heat removal system of CHASNUPP-1 were simulated using the computer code APROS. We observed the qualitative response of the simulated system during injection and re-circulation phases after LOCA. During rapid depressurization of SRC system due to leakage, these systems started coolant injection in the SRC system as per plant requirement. Different thermal-hydraulic parameters of the respective systems are presented and discussed. Results obtained are in good agreement with the reported document of the reference power plant.

THREE DIMENSIONAL CUSTOMISATION: EFFECT OF STATISTICAL TECHNIQUE ON HJC PREDICTION EQUATIONS IN CHILDREN

Soil-woody biomass interactions are relevant for the productivity of bioenergy plantations and biomass quality. In this context, the main objective of this study was to evaluate and to quantify possible relationships between chemical variables of the soil and the produced biomass through a multivariate approach. This latter approach allows to overcome the complex issue of multi-collinearity among variables. Soil and woody biomass samples were collected from two poplar short rotation coppices in Santarém (Portugal) and in Lochristi (Belgium). The results from the analyses of those samples were integrated into three databases with soil, woody biomass and site plots as cases, and 23 physical and chemical properties as variables. The databases were subjected to a multivariate sequence of calculations, which included correlation, principal components, factorial and hierarchical clustering analyses. The calculations showed that the site plots and the woody biomass of genotypes in Lochristi were more homogeneous as compared to Santarém; they also confirmed the high interconnection between soil and woody biomass variables. The higher heating value of the woody biomass correlated well with the soil concentrations of P2O5, Mg, Ca, Na and organic C. Linear equations related the higher heating value to the most important soil and woody biomass variables. Finally, the results suggest that the annual monitoring of soil and biomass in SRC systems should be performed to optimize both productivity and woody biomass quality as a fuel.