1,721,396 research outputs found
Hydrogen Production by Solar Steam Reforming as a Fuel Decarbonization Route
No full textThis chapter describes the hydrogen production by solar-powered steam reforming. This process allows some upgrading of the reformed fuel (in terms of heat value and environmental impact) and significant reduction (40-50 %) in CO2 emission to the atmosphere, with respect to the conventional steam reforming process. Additionally, solar steam reforming is presented as an emission-free process: the only carbon-containing by-product stream is well suited for the application of CCS technologies, and the overall process can also be considered as a "fuel pre-combustion decarbonization route". Application of pressurized membrane reactors for low-temperature steam reforming improves the overall process efficiency and enhances the recovery of CO2 thanks to its relatively high partial pressure in the by-product stream. The application of SERP technology for in situ CO2 separation is discussed too. © Springer-Verlag London 2013
Effect of solar collector type on the absorption system performance
No full textSolar energy has a great ability in cooling and air conditioning as the demand coincides with the availability of solar energy. In this study, different solar collector technologies such as Parabolic Trough Concentrator PTC and Linear Fresnel Collector LFC were used to power solar absorption system. The effect of using these different technologies on the thermal performance of the absorption cooling system was investigated. The PTC proved better performance compared to the Linear Fresnel Collector in terms of outlet fluid temperature, temperature rise and rate of energy gained. The result shows an enhancement in the outlet temperature, temperature rise and the rate of energy gained due to use the parabolic trough collector by about 47 °C, 6 °C and 161 kW, respectively. Also, the operating period due to using the parabolic tough collector is longer relative to the linear Fresnel collector. The result shows that an operating period of about 71.5 and 63. 75 h/week was satisfied for the PTC and LFC, respectively. This study was performed using TRNSYS program. © 2017 IEEE
Sulphur based thermochemical cycles: Development and assessment of key components of the process
No full textHycycleS was a cooperation of nine European partners and further non-European partners and aimed at the qualification and enhancement of materials and components for key steps of solar and nuclear powered thermochemical cycles for hydrogen generation from water. The focus of HycycleS was the decomposition of sulphuric acid (H2SO4) which is the central step of the sulphur-based family of those processes. Emphasis was put on materials and components for H2SO4 evaporation, decomposition, and sulphur dioxide separation. The suitability of materials and components was demonstrated by decomposing H2SO4 and separating its decomposition products in scalable prototypes. Silicon Carbide (SiC) turned out as the material of choice for the components facing the most corrosive environment of the process: the sulphuric acid evaporator and decomposer. Candidate catalysts for the high temperature reduction of sulphur trioxide have been screened and analysed. Cr-Fe mixed oxide (Fe 0.7Cr1.3O3) was the most promising material among the ones examined. Based on the use of the highlighted construction and catalyst materials prototype decomposers have been developed and tested. The successful fabrication and testing of a large size heat exchanger/reactor prototype composed of SiC plates shows promise with respect to its use for H2SO4 decomposition in the SI and HyS cycle. A solar specific decomposer prototype was developed, realised and successfully tested on sun in a solar furnace. A novel approach of using dense oxygen transport membranes, made from complex ceramics, for oxygen removal from the H 2SO4 decomposition product in order to shift the equilibrium in favour of increased decomposition was investigated. The membranes stability and suitability for carrying out this separation was investigated experimentally. Parallel to this, a conventional oxygen separator, a low-temperature wet scrubbing system, was investigated as well. Scale-up scenarios of components and of the process were addressed. Copyright © 2013, Hydrogen Energy Publications, LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved
Annual simulation of the thermal performance of solar power plant for electricity production using TRNSYS
No full textThe process of generating electricity using solar energy took a great interest in the recent period for its contribution to the reduction of the fossil fuel consumption and the harmful emissions to the environment. The main task of this article is to simulate the thermal performance of a solar power plant for electricity production using a parabolic trough concentrator for accumulating the solar heat. The plant includes a stratified storage tank, steam generator, steam turbine and an electric generator. The simulation studies the effect of the design parameters of the solar field and the storage tank on the annual performance of a 1 MWe solar electric power plant. The simulation platform TRNSYS was used to model the solar power plant including the solar concentrator field, the storage tank, and the steam generator. The simulation predicts the instantaneous and annual heat energy collected by the solar concentrator and the heat energy rate supplied, extracted, and stored in the storage tank. It predicts also the rate and the quality of the steam produced. This analysis was applied to four sites in Egypt to study the effect of the solar radiation on the energy produced in those sites. © Copyright 2016 by ASME
La qualità dell'aria negli edifici storici. Un caso studio: la sede del rettorato dell'Università di Palermo
No full textThermal characterisation of Bio Based Building Materials
Full text linkThe characterisation of indigenous renewable biomass sources applicable for making bio-based building (BBB) materials is crucial as it can significantly affect the cost of production and the quality of material. Nowadays in any specific area, wide ranges of biomass sources are usually available but only a few sources may be suitable for making BBB material. Therefore the suited sources should be determined. In this paper, the use of BBB materials is focused on Insulation Materials which are widely used in the buildings. Compared with currently used materials, these materials are bio-degradable. Insulation material with a good energy-adsorbing property and binder material have been developed as a mixture of renewable biomass and concrete under certain of reaction conditions. In detail, the BBB material can contribute to energy saving in terms of consumption of low energy during its production process, as well as of degradability. The experimental assessment of non steady-state thermal characteristics of a BBB material is presented here. The results will be useful to develop a database of the physical properties available for the building industry
STUDIO SPERIMENTALE DI SONDE GLOBOTERMOMETRICHE DI DIMENSIONI RIDOTTE PER MISURE IN AMBIENTI INTERNI
No full textThe preservation of the artistic heritage within the seat of the Chancellorship of the University of Palermo. A proposal on a methodology regarding an environmental investigation according to the Italian Standards
No full textThe correct maintenance of artworks of historical and artistic value requires a wide and detailed analysis of all the information
relevant for preserving them, such as identification of the main deterioration factors, knowledge of the climatic history of the object,
set-up of measuring methods and statistics of the guide parameters, and definition of a set of recommended environmental aspects to
be controlled within a stable climate condition linked to the particular kind of object or its surface. In Italy, the basic laws UNI
10829 and UNI 10969 impose a reference methodology for the in-field measurement and data analysis. This paper reports the first
results of a measuring campaign, carried out according to the indications of the aforesaid standards, aimed at the investigation of
the environmental conditions of the wooden ceilings in two rooms of ‘‘Palazzo Steri’’, an ancient building in the city of Palermo.
r 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved
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