Start-up Process Research Articles

Effect of key parameter on the energy consumption and start-up time in the cold start-up process of an opposed-piston free-piston linear generator

The opposed-piston free-piston linear generator exhibits considerable energy conversion efficiency; however, its operational dynamics are highly sensitive to key parameters owing to the elimination of mechanical limitations. In the present study, an analysis was conducted on the impact of significant system variables on the operating performance of the cold start-up process in conjunction with energy decomposition. At the same time, the operational boundaries of the cold start-up process were explored. A comprehensive thermodynamic model with a cold start-up process was established to predict the operation characteristics. The established model was verified through experimental data obtained from the stable operation of a prototype. The error between simulated cylinder pressure values and experimental observations was determined to be below 1 bar. The findings indicate that as the motor force and bounce energy ratio increased, there was a corresponding reduction in both the time and total energy input necessary to accomplish the cold start-up process. To achieve lightweighting and simultaneously reduce electrical energy consumption, it is advisable to decrease the piston mass by no more than 30 %. A comprehensive energy decomposition study revealed that friction loss accounted for the majority of total energy consumption. To optimize the cold start-up process of the opposed-piston free-piston linear generator, the motor force should be between 300 and 400 N, the bounce energy ratio between 9 and 11, and the piston assembly mass optimization range between −15 % and 15 %.

СИНТЕЗ ЭЛЕКТРОПРИВОДА КОМПРЕССОРНОЙ УСТАНОВКИ ЭЛЕКТРОВОЗА

The study objective is to improve the reliability and energy efficiency of the electric locomotive compressor drive. To achieve this, the required power of the electric motor was calculated the performance of the compressor unit, the volume of the main tanks and the selected electric motor were checked to start and adjust the capacity at low supply voltage. The task to which the paper is devoted is to design an electric drive for a compressor motor. A vector model of an asynchronous motor was made. The process of direct start-up and starting an asynchronous electric motor with the use of a scalar control system and IR compensation were modeled. Research methods: systematic approach; provisions of the theory of automatic control and electrical engineering; numerical PC simulation using Matlab software package. The novelty of the work is in the use of a frequency-controlled electric drive to start the asynchronous electric motor of the compressor unit instead of the normally installed starting capacitors. This design solution will significantly reduce the amplitude of the starting currents, which in turn will reduce the wear of the winding insulation. The study results are presented, based on the results of the constructed models, as graphs of the dependencies of speed and current during direct start of the electric motor and with the control system. Conclusions: the scalar control system, thanks to the introduction of an intensity setter, as well as IR compensation diagram, allow extending the transition time and controlling the value of the inrush current in acceptable values. Such an approach to make an electric drive compressor motor is able to significantly increase its reliability and service life, as well as to increase the overall energy efficiency of the system.

Dynamic Simulation of an Oil and Gas Plant Using Aspen-HYSYS®: A Real Start-Up Process

Dynamic Simulation of an Oil and Gas Plant Using Aspen-HYSYS®: A Real Start-Up Process

Influence of start-up modes on the noise characteristics of mixed-flow pump during start-up process

The evolutions of noise characteristics of the pump have significant implications for monitoring the stability of the mixed-flow pump (MFP) start-up process. To investigate the variations in noise characteristics under different start-up modes and start-up times, the noise, shaft vibration and pressure pulsation of MFP under linear and nonlinear start-up modes were collected by an acoustic and vibration experimental system. Subsequently, an analysis was conducted based on acoustic signal processing methods. The results show that the high-amplitude sound pressure under different start-up modes appears in the later stage of start-up, and the time for the high-amplitude noise region to appear is the shortest under the concave exponential (CCEF) start-up mode. The shock noise under the CCEF start-up mode is relatively small, indicating that this start-up mode is conducive to avoiding severe mechanical collisions and shocks during the start-up process. The highest A-weighted sound pressure level (SPL) of the noise under different start-up modes appears at the center frequency of 250 Hz, and the CCEF start-up mode brings about the smallest total effective SPL. Adopting the CCEF start-up mode and extending the start-up time is beneficial to avoid severe mechanical collisions, reduce the SPL in each frequency band, and weaken the continuous impact of noise on the environment during the MFP start-up process. In addition, CCEF start-up modes can effectively reduce the tone of the noise during the start-up of the MFP.

Effects of compressibility on Richtmyer–Meshkov instability of heavy/light interface

Experimental and numerical studies on the evolution of shock-accelerated SF6/air interface with small initial amplitude are conducted. The effect of compressibility on the early development of perturbation is highlighted by varying shock intensity and fluid properties. The startup process is analyzed when rarefaction waves are reflected and the characteristic time of the startup process is provided. The relationship between the phase inversion process and the startup process under different incident shock strengths is clarified. According to the startup time, a new start point for normalization is given, which can better normalize the amplitude growth at the early stage. In addition, the effects of incident shock strength and physical properties of fluids on the linear growth rate are highlighted through numerical simulations. The incompressible linear model loses validity when the incident shock is strong, and the existing rotational model is verified to provide excellent predictions under any shock strengths. The decrease in adiabatic exponent of the heavy fluid or the increase in adiabatic exponent of the light fluid can reduce the linear growth rate. As the absolute value of Atwood number increases, the adiabatic exponent of the heavy fluid has a more significant effect on the linear growth than that of the light fluid.

Research on VIENNA rectifier QPR control and soft start

The principle and operation of the VIENNA rectifier is examined and the VIENNA mathematical model is developed. To address the issue that the three-phase VIENNA rectifier’s double PI controller finds it challenging to attain both rapidity and accuracy, a double closed-loop control approach consisting of inner loop quasi-proportional resonant control (QPR) and outer loop PI control is created. Aiming at the problems of inrush current on the grid side and DC bus voltage overshoot caused by the VIENNA rectifier in the startup process, the paper makes a theoretical analysis and designs a soft startup strategy. Then, the simulation model of the three-phase VIENNA rectifier control system was built in Simulink, which verified the correctness of the QPR control strategy and soft start scheme. Finally, an 8-kW prototype is set up, and the experimental results further confirm the effectiveness of the slope setting of the current.

Archaeal community composition as key driver of H2 consumption rates at the start-up of the biomethanation process

The performance of hydrogen consumption by various inocula derived from mesophilic anaerobic digestion plants was evaluated under ex situ biomethanation. A panel of 11 mesophilic inocula was operated at a concentration of 15 gVS.L−1 at a temperature of 35 °C in batch system with two successive injections of H2:CO2 (4:1 mol:mol). Hydrogen consumption and methane production rates were monitored from 44 h to 72 h. Hydrogen consumption kinetics varies significantly based on the inoculum origin, with no accumulation of volatile fatty acids. Microbial community analyses revealed that microbial indicators such as the increase in Methanosarcina sp. abundance and the increase of the Archaea/Bacteria ratio were associated to high initial hydrogen consumption rates. The improvement in the hydrogen consumption rate between the two injections was correlated with the enrichment in hydrogenotrophic methanogens. This work provides new insights into the early response of microbial communities to hydrogen injection and on the microbial structures that may favor their adaptation to the biomethanation process.

Full-scale numerical simulations of standing-wave thermoacoustic engines with circular-pore and pin-array stacks

Thermoacoustic engines (TAEs) can convert thermal energy into acoustic energy with no moving parts. Previous numerical studies normally focused on the TAEs with a parallel-plate stack due to their simple structures and used two-dimensional (2-D) computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models to save computational costs. In this study, we conduct full-scale three-dimensional (3-D) CFD simulations on the standing-wave TAEs with more complicated circular-pore and pin-array stacks. Firstly, the dynamic behavior of the standing-wave TAEs in the start-up process is investigated. It is found that the optimal ratios of hydraulic radius rh to thermal penetration depth δk for the TAEs with circular-pore and pin-array stacks are 2 and 3.2, respectively. Secondly, the acoustic, hydrodynamic, and thermodynamic characteristics of the standing-wave TAEs in the steady-state process are explored. We find that when operating at optimal rh/δk, the TAE with a pin-array stack generates much larger acoustic power than that with a circular-pore stack. Examination of the vortex shedding at the stack ends indicates that the pin arrays exhibit less flow resistance than circular pores. At optimal rh/δk, the time-averaged transversal heat flux at the pin array ends is calculated to be around 1.2 × 105 W/m2, which is larger than 7.5 × 104 W/m2 of circular pores, corresponding to a better thermodynamic performance. The 3-D numerical investigations in this work give deeper insights into the performances of TAEs with circular-pore and pin-array stacks which were investigated in experiments, providing useful guidance for the future design and development of more sophisticated thermoacoustic devices for low-grade heat recovery.

Laboratory Tests of Electrical Parameters of the Start-Up Process of Single-Cylinder Diesel Engines

Despite continuous work on new power systems for vehicles, machines, and devices, the combustion engine is still the dominant system. The operation of the combustion engine is initiated during the starting process using starting devices. The most common starting system used is the electric starter. The starting process of an internal combustion engine depends on the following factors: the technical condition of the starting system, technical condition of the engine, battery charge level, lubricating properties, engine standstill time, engine and ambient temperature, type of fuel, etc. This article presents the results of laboratory tests of the electrical parameters of the starting process of a single-cylinder compression–ignition engine with variable fuel injection parameters and ambient temperature conditions. It was confirmed that for the increased fuel dose FD2, higher values of the measured electrical parameters (Imax, Pmax, and Pmed) were obtained compared to the series of tests with the nominal fuel dose. Knowledge of the values of the electrical parameters of the starting process is important not only for the user (vehicle driver, agricultural machinery operator, etc.), but above all for designers of modern starting systems for combustion engines and service personnel. The obtained results of testing the electrical parameters of the combustion engine during start-up may be helpful in designing new drive systems supported by a compression–ignition combustion engine.

Investigation on the flow and induced-noise mechanism during the transient start-up process of a mixed-flow pump

PurposeThis study aims to investigate the noise-inducing characteristics during the start-up process of a mixed-flow pump and the impact of different start-up schemes on pump noise.Design/methodology/approachThis study conducted numerical simulations on the mixed-flow pump under different start-up schemes and investigated the flow characteristics and noise distribution under these schemes.FindingsThe results reveal that the dipole noise is mainly caused by pressure fluctuations, while the quadrupole noise is mainly generated by the generation, development and breakdown of vortices. Additionally, the noise evolution characteristics during the start-up process of the mixed-flow pump can be divided into the initial stage, stable growth stage, impulse stage and stable operation stage.Originality/valueThe findings of this study can provide a theoretical basis for the selection of start-up schemes for mixed-flow pumps, reducing flow noise and improving the operational stability of mixed-flow pumps.

Dynamic Behavior of an SOEC System With a Schedule-Based Start-Up and Operating Process

Abstract The solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC) is recognized as a promising method for hydrogen production, attributed to its high efficiency. Steam is split into hydrogen and oxygen by electrolysis at high temperatures. Electrolysis is inherently an endothermic process; however, it can be transformed into an exothermic process depending on the operating voltage. During the start-up process, the heat reaction is observed to change from endothermic to exothermic around a thermoneutral voltage. In this study, a dynamic model of the solid oxide electrolyzer system was developed, and the behavior of the system during the start-up process was analyzed. A dynamic model of the stack was developed to investigate the behavior of cell temperature and current density. Furthermore, 1D models of heat exchangers and 0D models of blowers were developed and verified against experimental results. These components were systematically organized and simulated. The temperatures of the stack and components during a schedule-based start-up process were investigated. Additionally, the behavior during the load change process, shifting from an endothermic reaction to an exothermic reaction, was examined. It was found that to reach an operating condition above the thermoneutral voltage, additional heat is required for the stack due to its endothermic reaction. The effect of air on the stack was also found to be dependent on the operating voltage of the stack.

Palm Oil Mill Effluent Treatment Technology using Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR) with Oxidation Reduction Potential (ORP) Monitoring

Palm oil industries have products like Crude Palm Oil (CPO), and 70% of others contain waste. One of the wastes is the liquid waste known as Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME). The potential of POME to be reprocessed into clean water will be profitable. One of POME's reprocessing methods is the Sequencing Batch Reactor with Aerobic Granulated Sludge (SBR-AGS), which has five main phases: filling, idling, aeration, settling, and discharge, with a cycle time of 360 minutes. The first step in using this reactor is the start-up process, a granule-forming process from some sludge that has already acclimatized. In one complete cycle, the Oxidation-Reduction Potential (ORP) parameter is used to observe the electron transfer process that shows the oxygen supply into the reactor, which enables the condition of each phase in the process to be analyzed. The trend of ORP value is constantly changing in every phase. For the idling phase, the ORP tends to decrease in a value of (-300)-(-400) mV, and for the aeration phase, it will increase in a value of (-100)-100 mV.

Electro-Hydraulic Servo-Pumped Active Disturbance Rejection Control in Wind Turbines for Enhanced Safety and Accuracy

Aiming at the high accuracy and high robustness position control of servo pump control in the pitch system of a wind turbine generator, this paper proposes an active disturbance rejection controller (ADRC). The ADRC considers pitch angular velocity and acceleration limits. According to the kinematics principle of the pump-controlled pitch system, the relationship between the pitch angular velocity and acceleration limit and the displacement of the hydraulic cylinder is established. Through the method of theoretical analysis, the nonlinear relationship expression between pitch angle and hydraulic cylinder displacement is obtained, and the linearization of pitch angular velocity control is realized; the formula for b0 (the estimated value of the input gain of the system) of the pump-controlled pitch system is obtained by the method of modeling and analysis, b0 is the key parameter for the design of the ADRC; the stability of the controller parameters is proved through the stability analysis and simulation analysis, and the design of the self-immobilizing controller with pitch angular velocity and acceleration limitation is the completed ADRC design. Finally, a joint simulation platform of AMESim and MATLAB as well as a physical experiment platform of electro-hydraulic servo pump-controlled pitch control is constructed, and the effectiveness of the proposed control method is verified through simulation and experiment. The results show that compared with the unrestricted ADRC and PID, the velocity-acceleration-limited ADRC can effectively improve the control effect of the angular velocity and acceleration of the paddle, smooth the startup process, improve the safety of the system, and have better position control accuracy and anti-jamming ability.

Particle-Filter-Based Fault Diagnosis for the Startup Process of an Open-Cycle Liquid-Propellant Rocket Engine.

This study introduces a fault diagnosis algorithm based on particle filtering for open-cycle liquid-propellant rocket engines (LPREs). The algorithm serves as a model-based method for the startup process, accounting for more than 30% of engine failures. Similar to the previous fault detection and diagnosis (FDD) algorithm for the startup process, the algorithm in this study is composed of a nonlinear filter to generate residuals, a residual analysis, and a multiple-model (MM) approach to detect and diagnose faults from the residuals. In contrast to the previous study, this study makes use of the modified cumulative sum (CUSUM) algorithm, widely used in change-detection monitoring, and a particle filter (PF), which is theoretically the most accurate nonlinear filter. The algorithm is confirmed numerically using the CUSUM and MM methods. Subsequently, the FDD algorithm is compared with an algorithm from a previous study using a Monte Carlo simulation. Through a comparative analysis of algorithmic performance, this study demonstrates that the current PF-based FDD algorithm outperforms the algorithm based on other nonlinear filters.

The start-up of a multiple dividing wall column – A theoretical and experimental study

Multiple dividing wall columns are a promising extension of the concept of dividing wall columns offering energy savings of up to 55 % compared to conventional distillation sequences for four products. This paper presents the first systematic study on the start-up of a multiple dividing wall column. The study aims to develop a start-up strategy for the first pilot multiple dividing wall column worldwide commissioned at Ulm University. The start-up process is investigated using a dynamic simulation model that facilitates the investigation of different start-up strategies and the influence of different factors on the start-up process. Based on these dynamic simulations a viable start-up procedure for the column is found. Through improvements to the procedure a significantly shortened start-up process is achieved. The dynamic response of the column shows that the cold and dry plant is able to reach the desired operating point within few hours. Simulation results are confirmed with experimental data from the pilot column.

Detailed visualization experiments on the start-up process and stable operation of pulsating heat pipes: Effects of dividing boards

To broaden the applicable orientation for the existing closed loop pulsating heat pipe (CLPHP) with a relatively large tube (internal diameter of 6 mm), this work fabricated a novel quartz CLPHP inserted with a dividing board in the straight section of each tube. The dividing board forms two semi-circles with an effective hydraulic diameter (Dh) of 3.09 mm. This method amplifies the surface tension effect with almost no change in the mass inventory of working fluid. Through a series of visualization experiments, the effect of filling ratio (FR) on the pulsation in the boarded model are first revealed by comparing with the original non-boarded CLPHP under the vertical and the horizontal orientations. The four longitudinal corners generated by dividing board are found not only accelerated the drain down of the liquid slugs but beneficial to the onset of nucleate boiling, prompting the threshold of pulsation motion for 10 - 20 W. Also, the visualization results for the vertical orientation show that the sealing between the dividing boards and the inner tube had a great impact on the performance and heat transfer behavior. The thermal resistance can be improved by 22 - 43 % without leakage between the semi-circles. Under the horizontal orientation, the boarded CLPHP with only three number of turns can be incited with pulsation motion successfully. The boarded design provides additional vapor channels and avoids the liquid slug trains being pushed away from the evaporator during the initial heating period. Also, the un-balanced capillary force due to the hydraulic diameter difference can sustain subsequent pulsation motion. However, the success under only FR = 50 % indicates that an appropriate FR was also necessary.

Hydrodynamic cultivation of aeration-free oxygenic photogranules is favored by sufficient amounts of organic carbon

Oxygenic photogranules (OPGs) have great potential for the aeration-free treatment of various wastewater, however, the effects of wastewater carbon composition on OPGs remain unknown. This study investigated the hydrodynamic photogranulation in three types of wastewater with the same total carbon concentration but different inorganic/organic carbon compositions, each operated at two replicated reactors. Results showed that photogranulation failed in reactors fed with only inorganic carbon. In reactors with equal inorganic and organic carbon, loose-structured OPGs formed but then disintegrated. Comparatively, reactors treating organic carbon-based wastewater obtained regular and dense OPGs with better settleability, lower effluent turbidity, excellent structural stability, and higher carbon assimilation rate. Sufficient amounts of organic carbon were crucial for the formation and stability of OPGs as they promoted the secretion of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and the growth of filamentous cyanobacteria. This study provides a basis for the startup of OPGs process and facilitates its large-scale application.

Performance Analysis of Meta-UI on Membatik Mixed Reality Application Using Nielsen’s Heuristic Method

Moving beyond immersive learning, the rapid advancement of Mixed Reality (MR) technology is diversifying its applications across various sectors, including education, healthcare, and corporate training. However, standalone MR devices pose challenges related to performance and visualization realism. In this study, we focused on enhancing immersive learning by optimizing the User Interface (UI) of an MR batik-making application using the Meta-UI principle. This research aimed to assess the impact of these UI approaches on user satisfaction, measured through Nielsen's usability methods. User feedback was collected and analyzed to refine the UI design. Nielsen's usability heuristics guided the evaluation of UI attributes such as clarity, efficiency, and user satisfaction. The utilization of Meta-UI demonstrated a notable increase in user satisfaction. Nielsen's usability guidelines indicated ratings ranging from 3.93 (good) to 4.30 (very good), signifying users' positive perceptions of learnability, efficiency, memorability, error handling, and overall satisfaction within the MR batik-making application. This research also addressed these issues by meticulously optimizing 3D assets within MR applications. The results indicated that the application's CPU utilization is around 22%, attributed to its startup processes, resource allocation, and any initial computations it performed. However, the application continued to run within 4 GB of installed memory with the network bandwidth usage at 0.27 Mbps. User comfortability was enhanced, which is evident in improved ratings for importance and satisfaction levels (4.26 and 4.16, respectively) in the MR application.

Pulsation Stability Analysis of a Prototype Pump-Turbine during Pump Mode Startup: Field Test Observations and Insights

Pump-turbines experience complex flow phenomena and fluid–structure interactions during transient operations, which can significantly impact their stability and performance. This paper presents a comprehensive field test study of the pump mode startup process for a 150 MW prototype pump-turbine. By analyzing pressure fluctuations, structural vibrations, and their short-time Fourier transform (STFT) results, multiple stages were identified, each exhibiting distinct characteristics. These characteristics were influenced by factors such as runner rotation, free surface sloshing in the draft tube, and rotor–stator interactions. The natural frequencies of the metallic components varied during the speed-up and water-filling stages, potentially due to gyroscopic effects or stress-stiffening phenomena. The opening of the guide vanes and dewatering valve inside the guide vanes significantly altered the amplitude of the rotor–stator interaction frequency, transitioning the vibration behavior from forced to self-excited regimes. Interestingly, the draft tube pressure fluctuations exhibited sloshing frequencies that deviated from existing prediction methods. The substantial phenomena observed in this study can help researchers in the field to deepen the understanding of the complex behavior of pump-turbines during transient operations and identify more meaningful research directions.

Belt conveyor starting mode optimization

The work is aimed at increasing the efficiency of belt conveyors by choosing the drive mechanism movement mode. During the operation of belt conveyors, significant energy and dynamic loads occur in the elements of the drive mechanism and traction body. The available loads significantly affect the energy losses and the reliability of the drive mechanism and the traction body. Energy and dynamic loads during transient processes (starting, braking, changing speed or performance and emergency stop) are especially dangerous. At this moment, high-frequency oscillations of both the traction body and the drive elements arise. With such fluctuations in the traction body (belt) of the conveyor, significant breaking forces arise, which create additional unwanted stresses in it and, as a result, contribute to premature destruction. In addition, the stator and rotor windings of the electric motor are heated, which accelerates their wear and failure. In order to reduce dynamic loads, it is proposed to optimize the movement mode of the drive mechanism. For this purpose, the conveyor is presented in the form of a three-mass dynamic model, based on which a mathematical model was created. From the conducted dynamic analysis of the belt conveyor, it was established that during the start-up process, significant power and energy overloads occur in the elements of the drive and the traction body, which depend on the driving force of the drive. In addition, high-frequency oscillations of the tape are observed. Since the undesirable properties of the belt conveyor largely depend on the magnitude of the driving force of the drive, it should form the basis of the optimization criterion. In addition, the driving force of the drive must be reflected in the optimization criterion during the entire movement process, that is, the optimization criterion must be presented in an integral form. To eliminate the possible compensation of negative and positive values of the driving force on the conveyor, the latter should be represented in the integral criterion in quadratic form. Therefore, the rms value of the driving force of the drive during the start-up time was chosen as the criterion for optimizing the motion mode of the belt conveyor. Optimization of the conveyor movement mode was carried out by minimizing the integral dynamic criterion. As a result of the optimization, the start-up mode of the belt conveyor was determined, which minimizes the effect of dynamic loads. This start-up mode makes it possible to increase the reliability of the conveyor and reduce the energy consumption of the drive.