by Edmund Zolnik

Received: 14 January 2022;  Published: 02 August 2022;  doi: 10.21926/jept.2203026

Monetary incentives to accelerate the transition of private vehicle fleets to zero emissions promote sustainability in the transportation sector. Clean Cars for America to incentivize transactions for new battery power vehicles is a program in furtherance of sustainable transportation goals in the United States. Unfortunately, data on transactions for new alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs) are scarce so empirical research to explore the costs and/or the benefits of such programs is also scarce. Analysis of transactio [...]

by Fabien Leurent

Received: 10 March 2022;  Published: 18 July 2022;  doi: 10.21926/jept.2203025

The carbon footprint of motorized transport modes per unit length traveled encompasses the unit share of the vehicle lifetime emissions, that of the transport infrastructure, and those of the motor energy, considered both from “well to tank” and from “tank to wheel”. In the active modes of transport, i.e., walking and cycling, the counterpart of motor energy is human energy, which is associated with two kinds of carbon flows: the carbon footprint of food intake, – which we call the Food to Body component – and the [...]

by Jeggathishwaran Panisilvam  , Peng Cheng Wang  and Hui An

Received: 26 March 2022;  Published: 13 July 2022;  doi: 10.21926/jept.2203024

Reducing and conserving fuel usage is pivotal for any engineering system for the development of a sustainable energy solution. Proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) are one of the promising renewable energy systems that consume hydrogen as their source of fuel to generate electricity. This paper investigate the necessity of the constant supply of fuel (hydrogen) in the PEMFC system to ensure stable operation. We propose that a dynamic supply of fuel could help achieve similar performance and reduce the amoun [...]

by Clara L.e Silva  , Bárbara H.S. Miranda  , Maria L. Vilela  , Jair F. Rodrigues  , Thainá G. Cunha  , Jhonatan A. Dias  , Gabriela A. Soares  , Vinicius Freitas  , Rodrigo de Q. Vilaça  , Luana Wouk  and Diego Bagnis

Received: 07 March 2022;  Published: 04 July 2022;  doi: 10.21926/jept.2203023

The lifetime and stability of organic photovoltaics (OPVs) are the key factors that influence the technology used to scale up and commercialize OPVs. High-performing and reliable devices are used to fabricate the devices of choice. Materials and methods that can be used to prevent the degradation of organic materials, enabling better OPV applications, are being increasingly researched in recent years. Herein, we present the surface modification process of a commercial, flexible barrier film based on polyethylene te [...]

by Cherechi Ndukwe  , M. Tariq Iqbal  , Jahangir Khan  and Mohsin Jamil

Received: 18 April 2022;  Published: 26 June 2022;  doi: 10.21926/jept.2202022

One important aspect toward proper and stable functioning of a communication-based controlled microgrid is data transmission. Consequently, an analysis of the effect of data transmission delay is of significance for any chosen communication protocol. This paper focuses on the effect of employing LoRa for data transfer at the secondary control level of a standalone DC microgrid. It analyses the effect of LoRa transmission delay on the dynamic performance of DC microgrids. This paper simulates a community DC microgri [...]

by John Konstantaras  , Christos Pagkalos  , Maria K. Koukou  , Kostas Lymperis  , Yannis Caouris  and Michail Gr. Vrachopoulos

Received: 17 April 2022;  Published: 09 June 2022;  doi: 10.21926/jept.2202021

In this study, the performance of a self-sufficient controller used for a solar-latent heat domestic hot water (DHW) production unit under real-world operating conditions was analyzed. The unit consists of a flat-plate solar collector and a latent heat storage tank. The controller is powered by a small solar panel and governs the charging and discharging of the system, ensuring maximum solar energy absorption, desired hot water temperature, and constant monitoring of the heat-storage tank’s capacity. The system is [...]

by Koorosh Goudarzi  and Mohammad Reza Zare

Received: 19 April 2022;  Published: 08 June 2022;  doi: 10.21926/jept.2202020

Passenger and commercial internal combustion engines have relatively large dissipated thermal energy sources that can be used for initiating thermodynamic refrigeration cycles at low temperatures while improving engine efficiency. Researchers have focused on combined power-refrigeration cycles in past studies. This paper presents the operation and performance of a new combined refrigeration system driven by waste heat recovery within the internal combustion engines. For this purpose, the effects of several paramete [...]

by Mariana P. Koss  and Luiz E. M. Lima

Received: 14 February 2022;  Published: 24 May 2022;  doi: 10.21926/jept.2202019

In gas-liquid flows, droplets that detach from the liquid film lining the internal walls of a pipe and merge with the gas flowing through the pipe follow an annular flow pattern. This work analyzes correlations for estimating the entrainment fraction of such droplets contained in the literature by comparing their predictions with experimental data also from the literature. The results of this comparative study demonstrate that the analyzed correlations do not accurately reproduce experimental conditions. This is du [...]

by Jamie A. Chin  and Wilson C. Chin

Received: 12 February 2022;  Published: 23 May 2022;  doi: 10.21926/jept.2202018

Flows in multi-branch piping systems are modeled for linear Newtonian and nonlinear Power Law, Bingham Plastic and Herschel-Bulkley fluids. The nonlinear models are often used to describe multiphase fluids consisting of liquid and solid phases, including cement slurries and drilling muds in petroleum engineering. Rheological and heterogeneous multiphase effects are important to blood flows in single and bifurcated arteries, capillaries and veins – biological applications are also emphasized to highlight their incre [...]

by Diego Alves de Moro Martins  , João Rodrigo Andrade  , Carlos Antonio Ribeiro Duarte  , Ricardo de Vasconcelos Salvo  and Francisco José de Souza

Received: 31 January 2022;  Published: 06 May 2022;  doi: 10.21926/jept.2202017

Cyclone separators are widely used in fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) units due to their lack of moving parts and relatively low-pressure drop. However, cyclone separators are prone to erosion-related issues, which is a major drawback. In this paper, a large eddy simulation (LES) of the particle-gas flow in a cyclone separator is investigated using a four-way Euler-Lagrange approach to model inter-particle collisions and the exchange of momentum between particles and fluid. The effects of inter-particle and particle [...]

by Udaya Kahangamage  , Yi Chen  , Chun Wah Leung  and Tung Yan Ngai

Received: 02 January 2022;  Published: 18 April 2022;  doi: 10.21926/jept.2202016

The lean-burning limits of hydrogen-enriched Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) have been studied using a Bunsen burner. The lean-burning limits under different conditions are important design considerations in developing gas-fired domestic appliances. In this study, the lean-burning limits of hydrogen-enriched LPG have been obtained across a wide range of Reynolds numbers (600 to 1800) and H2 volumetric fractions (0% to 25%). The results show that the lean-burning limit is increased, on average, by 4.0% to 7.2% for eve [...]

by Simon Calles  , Paul Heitjans  and Alexander Börger

Received: 09 November 2021;  Published: 18 April 2022;  doi: 10.21926/jept.2202015

Prismatic PHEV2 form-factor lithium-ion cells with a nominal capacity of 25 Ah (as used for automotive applications) have been studied with electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The data was evaluated using electrical equivalent circuits. Mathematical modeling, system identification, and the determination of model parameters of the lithium-ion cell were also carried out. While a study of the influence of temperature and state-of-charge (SOC) performed using pristine lithium-ion cells showed a nonlinear rela [...]

by Meenal Jain  , Meenakshi Mital  and Matt Syal

Received: 21 November 2021;  Published: 14 April 2022;  doi: 10.21926/jept.2202014

India is a rapidly developing nation and is heavily dependent on fossil fuels. Renewable energy presents an attractive solution to the growing challenges concerning energy needs. Solar energy is abundant in India, and thus, its application and use are rapidly advancing. This study assesses various government initiatives for off-grid Solar Photovoltaic/Solar Water Heating systems for commercial establishments in India and elucidates the need for improvements in their implementation, highlighting the problems in avai [...]

by Hossein Akbari  , Seyed Mojtaba Hosseinnia  , Mikhail Sorin  , Christopher Reddick  and Dominic Laperle

Received: 13 January 2022;  Published: 12 April 2022;  doi: 10.21926/jept.2202013

Heat integration techniques such as pinch analysis can play a significant role in saving energy in the design of buildings. The application of pinch analysis in this sector encounters difficulties due to the highly time-dependent behavior of energy streams such as waste heat and solar thermal collectors, as well as the possible need for heat storage units (HSUs). The existing pinch models in the literature either bear little relation to reality because they ignore the time dependency of the streams, or they do not [...]

by Lotta Lounasmeri

Received: 26 November 2021;  Published: 06 April 2022;  doi: 10.21926/jept.2202012

This paper examines the building of a new nuclear plant as a greenfield operation in Pyhäjoki, Finland. A newly-founded energy company, Fennovoima, was granted a license by the Finnish parliament to build a new power plant in 2010. In the years following this Decision in Principle the project faced several obstacles. Through interviews with key actors, this paper identifies the interests and core beliefs associated with building the plant. It posits that, in Finland, the underlying ideas and values surrounding nucl [...]

by Arnold Hendharto Widdhiarta  , Yousuke Shimaura  , Ichiro Nagai  , Takayuki Shibata  and Yutaka Moritomo

Received: 15 February 2022;  Published: 30 March 2022;  doi: 10.21926/jept.2201011

We fabricated three thermo-rechargeable batteries using low-cost transition metal hexacyanoferrate and determined the thermal voltage (Vcell) and discharge capacity (Qcell) per unit weight of the total active material in the cathode and anode. The obtained values were compared with the calculated values, which were determined by analyzing the temperature and capacity coefficients of the redox potential.

by Zhen Liu  , Li Yang  , Abhishek Lahiri  , James F Rohan  and Frank Endres

Received: 26 December 2021;  Published: 27 March 2022;  doi: 10.21926/jept.2201010

Herein, we report the coating of nanostructured germanium using a polypyrrole (PPy) polymer coat as a composite anode material for the fabrication of lithium-ion batteries. The Ge/PPy composites were synthesized following the direct electrochemical deposition method in an ionic liquid (IL). The results revealed that the coating of PPy on Ge helped realize stable battery cycling and reversible capacities, which were not observed in uncoated Ge. The PPy layers could effectively inhibit side reactions between the elec [...]

by Syuma Ichida  , Daisuke Mori  , Sou Taminato  , Tao Zhang  , Yasuo Takeda  , Osamu Yamamoto  and Nobuyuki Imanishi

Received: 17 February 2022;  Published: 15 March 2022;  doi: 10.21926/jept.2201009

Acidic aqueous lithium-air batteries are attractive candidates for use as energy sources in electric vehicles because of their high energy and power densities and ability to operate under ambient conditions. An aqueous lithium-air battery with an acetic acid catholyte has a high theoretical energy density of 1,478 Wh kg-1, and the reaction product is soluble in the catholyte. In this study, we have studied the cell performance of a Li/interlayer electrolyte/NASICON-type solid lithium-ion conductor/acetic acid catho [...]

by Daming Zhang

Received: 21 January 2022;  Published: 07 March 2022;  doi: 10.21926/jept.2201008

In this paper, a method for operating AC microgrids in both off-grid or standalone and grid-connected modes is proposed to minimize the use of energy storage by increasing the number of PV panels and curtailing their output power. When the intensity of daylight decreases, power is imported from the main grid through an AC/DC/AC converter or solid-state transformers in parallel to compensate for the shortage. By using a three-phase transformer in Δ-Y connection with Y’s neutral connected to its local grounding syste [...]

by Cherechi Ndukwe  , M. Tariq Iqbal  and Jahangir Khan

Received: 16 November 2021;  Published: 17 February 2022;  doi: 10.21926/jept.2201007

SCADA provides real-time system monitoring by constant communication and data exchange between various system devices to achieve data visualization and logging. Presently, in industrial systems, commercial SCADA systems are being used for data monitoring and control. These systems can be expensive, and as such can only be afforded by select industries. Even at these costs, the commercial SCADA systems face some challenges, which include interoperability and scalability issues. Research has shown that these problems [...]

by Zeel Maheshwari  and Rama Ramakumar

Received: 29 August 2021;  Published: 21 January 2022;  doi: 10.21926/jept.2201006

Rural and remote communities are more vulnerable to damage caused by extreme events as compared to urban areas. Natural disasters can disrupt basic supplies such as domestic water supply and cooking needs in addition to electricity outages. The recognition of the interlinked nature of food, water and energy has gained momentum over the past few years. Smart Integrated Renewable Energy System (SIRES) has been proposed to handle basic needs such as cooking, domestic and irrigation water supply, and electricity to rem [...]

by Marzouk lajili

Received: 05 November 2021;  Published: 19 January 2022;  doi: 10.21926/jept.2201005

The emission of greenhouse gases, specifically CO2, has reached non-acceptable levels causing global warming with adverse effects. Owing to rigorous ongoing research, these harmful substances might be converted to beneficial sources. The main objective of this study was to review the most effective processes that might utilize carbon dioxide to produce various substances, chemicals, and energy. For this, different existing and projected short-term and long-term strategies have been presented and discussed. Specific [...]

by Saikat Banerjee  , Naveen Prasad  and Sivamani Selvaraju

Received: 27 September 2021;  Published: 13 January 2022;  doi: 10.21926/jept.2201004

Biogas is an alternative to gaseous biofuels and is produced by the decomposition of biomass from substances such as animal waste, sewage sludge, and industrial effluents. Biogas is composed of methane, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, hydrogen, hydrogen sulfide, and oxygen. The anaerobic production of biogas can be made cheaper by designing a high throughput reactor and operating procedures. The parameters such as substrate type, particle size, temperature, pH, carbon/nitrogen (C/N) ratio, and inoculum concentration play [...]

by Raisa Barbosa  , Mohamad Issa  , Sidelmo Silva  and Adrian Ilinca

Received: 30 July 2021;  Published: 13 January 2022;  doi: 10.21926/jept.2201003

A substantial share of the electric energy is generated with synchronous generators that provide sustained alternating current (AC) voltage and frequency energy to regional and national power systems, which subsequently transport and distribute it to diverse users. In an attempt to reduce environmental effects, electric energy markets have recently become more open, resulting in more flexible distributed electric power systems. In such distributed systems, stability, quick and efficient delivery, and control of ele [...]

by Shuvajit Ghosh  , Udita Bhattacharjee  , Subhajit Bhowmik  and Dr. Surendra K. Martha

Received: 30 June 2021;  Published: 10 January 2022;  doi: 10.21926/jept.2201002

lithium-ion battery (LIB) is at the forefront of energy research. Over four decades of research and development have led electric mobility to a reality. Numerous materials capable of storing lithium reversibly, either as an anode or as a cathode, are reported on a daily basis. But very few among them, such as LiCoO2, lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide (Li-NMC) variants (LiNi0.33Mn0.33Co0.33O2, LiNi0.5Mn0.3Co0.2O2, LiNi0.6Mn0.2Co0.2O2, and LiNi0.8Mn0.1Co0.1O2), LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2, LiFePO4, graphite, and Li4Ti5 [...]