Testing of a Radiant Wall Cooling System with Pipes Coupled to Aerated Blocks

Thermal output, surface temperatures, and supply and return water temperature were measured for a wall cooling system involving pipe attached to a wall section made of thermally insulating blocks. The experiment was performed for warm climatic conditions typical of, e.g., summer in Central and Northern Europe. The outdoor environment was simulated by a climatic chamber while the indoor climate was simulated by attaching a hotbox to the wall surface. The sensitivity of thermal output to several design parameters was investigated by 2D numerical simulations. The measurements showed a fast thermal response of the wall system. The cooling output was 38.3 W per m2 of the cooling area which equalled about 4.8 W/m2 per 1 K temperature difference between water and hotbox. The lowest surface temperature of 19.6 °C was measured at the pipe. Thus, the cooling output could be enhanced by reducing the surface temperature closer to the dew point temperature. The temperature of water in the pipe was very close to the surface temperature. It was illustrated how this characteristic of the wall cooling system tested positively affects the efficiency and cooling capacity of an air-to-water heat pump.

Modeling of Photovoltaic-Thermal District Heating with Dual Thermal Modes

Solar photovoltaic thermal (PVT) collectors could be a competitive addition to district heating systems, particularly in areas with high energy density since they simultaneously produce electricity and heat whilst increasing the PV efficiency through cooling. This study presents a new Modelica PVT model, which is used together with EnergyPlus in a co-simulation setup to assess the technical feasibility of solar PVT district heating in new builds. The model has been applied to a block of 12 2-bedroom terraced houses with a 184m2 PVT array on the south facing side of the roof. It was identified that well-designed seasonal PVT heating configurations and control schemes are required to maximise PVT outputs. PVT dual thermal modes occur when the PV is either connected to a load or producing at close to the maximum power point. Integrating the dual modes into a control system could be more economical if heat tariffs were higher than electrical ones when heat demand is greater than the PVT thermal output.

Simulation of ozonolysis of volatile organic compounds: Effect on flue gas composition

This study shows that the reaction of ozone with various volatile organic compounds (VOC) yields different flue gas composition in terms of the carbon dioxide, oxygen and moisture contents. Steam production and thermal output requirements from a combustion system (i.e., a boiler) may dictate the range of operating conditions, such as the air to fuel mass flow rates. To improve the combustion efficiency in these operating conditions, low temperature plasmas have been used to ionize air and generate ozone as an oxidant for ozonolysis with the VOC. Therefore, this study simulates the reaction mechanism of the ozonolysis of VOC and the effect on the flue gas composition, which affects the combustion efficiency. Simulation results show that residual oxygen in the flue gas reduces, reducing the excess air. Thus, the corresponding efficiency loss through dry flue gas would be reduced. Literature data shows that emissions of alkanes, alkynes and alkenes per unit mass of solid fuel is evident for both coal and biomass, and thus ozonolysis of these VOC would reduce the excess air, improving the combustion efficiency.

Characteristics of a gas-cooled fast reactor with minor actinide loading

This paper presents the neutronics characteristics of a prototype gas-cooled (supercritical CO2-cooled) fast reactor (GCFR) with minor actinide (MA) loading in the fuel. The GCFR core is designed with a thermal output of 600 MWt as a part of a direct supercritical CO2 (S-CO2) gas turbine cycle. Transmutation of MAs in the GCFR has been investigated for attaining low burnup reactivity swing and reducing long-life radioactive waste. Minor actinides are loaded uniformly in the fuel regions of the core. The burnup reactivity swing is minimized to 0.11% ∆k/kk’ over the cycle length of 10 years when the MA content is 6.0 wt%. The low burnup reactivity swing enables minimization of control rod operation during burnup. The MA transmutation rate is 42.2 kg/yr, which is equivalent to the production rates in 7 LWRs of the same electrical output.

Numerical analysis of cooling potential and indoor thermal comfort with a novel hybrid radiant cooling system in hot and humid climates

The study investigates a hybrid radiant cooling system's potential to achieve thermal comfort. The hybrid radiant cooling (HRC) system combines the best features of a typical all-air and conventional chilled radiant cooling system. An HRC system presents the advantages to (a) reduce vapour condensation and to (b) adjust the cooling output by using an Airbox convector. The three systems perceive thermal comfort in the predicted mean vote (PMV) between –0.5 and +0.5 at 25 and 27°C. In the room condition at 31°C, the all-air system has a lower thermal comfort level because the elevated airspeed is less effective when the mean radiant temperature (MRT) is low. This study suggests a cooling strategy to maximize the thermal comfort level by effectively utilizing the HRC in extreme conditions without extra cooling sources. When the designed set point indoor temperature is 25°C, the Airbox convector of the HRC fan can be off. However, if the indoor air temperature increases above 25°C, an occupant can activate the Airbox convector; the actual thermal output of HRC is increased, and the elevated airspeed can reduce the predicted percentage dissatisfied (PPD) level. Even in an extreme indoor thermal condition at 31°C, the HRC minimizes the PPD level.

Numerical Analysis of Enhanced Conductive Deep Borehole Heat Exchangers

Geothermal energy is a reliable and mature energy source, but it represents less than 1% of the total renewable energy mix. While the enhanced geothermal system (EGS) concept faces technical validation challenges and suffers from public acceptance issues, the development of unconventional deep-well designs can help to improve their efficiency and reliability. Modelling single-EGS-well designs is key to assessing their long-term thermal performances, particularly in unconventional geological settings. Numerical results obtained with the T2WELL/EOS1 code have been validated with available experimental data from a deep borehole heat exchanger (DBHE), where a temperature of 358 ∘C has been measured at a depth of 1962 m. Based on a calibrated model, the thermal performances of two enhanced thermal conductive DBHEs with graphite were compared for high geothermal gradients. The analysis highlights the potential recovery of a variable fraction of vapour. Graphite used along the well appears to be the most suitable solution to enhance the thermal output by 5 to 8% when compared to conventional wells. The theoretical implementation of such well in the Newberry volcano field was investigated with a single and doublet DBHE. The findings provide a robust methodology to assess alternative engineering solutions to current geothermal practices.

MONITORING OF ELECTRICAL AND THERMAL OUTPUT ENERGY OF SOLAR PHOTOELECTRICAL THERMAL INSTALLATION

This work describes the experimental model of integrated photoelectrical thermal (PVT) air collector with informative system for controlling and ruling based on microcomputer. A method of determining efficiency both electrical and thermal part of installation by the data of continuous monitoring parameters: output voltage, the charge current, the temperature of air on input and output of collector is proposed. The efficiency of electrical part (8%) and thermal part (50%) of PVT installation were determined for mart 2019.

Boiler Combustion Optimization of Vegetal Crop Residues from Greenhouses

This work presents an alternative for adding value to greenhouse crop residues, used for (1) heating and (2) as a CO2 source. Both options are focused on greenhouse agricultural production, but could be applied to other applications. The influence of factors, such as the air/fuel rate and turbulence inside the combustion chamber, is studied. Our results show that for pine pellets, olive pits, tomato-crop residues, and a blend of the latter mixed with almond prunings (75–25%), the thermal losses ranged from 19.5–53.1, 20.5–58.9, 39.9–95%, and 29.4–75.5%, respectively, while the NOX emissions were 30–247, 411–1792, and 361–2333 mg/Nm3, respectively. The above-mentioned blend was identified as the best set-up. The thermal losses were 39.2%, and the CO, NOX, and SO2 concentrations were 11,690, 906, and 1134 mg/Nm3, respectively (the gas concentration values were recalculated for 0% O2). Currently, no other work exists in the literature include a similar analysis performed using a boiler with a comparable thermal output (160.46 kW). The optimal configurations comply with the relevant local legislation. This optimization is important for future emission control strategies relating to using crop residues as a CO2 source. The work also highlights the importance of ensuring a proper boiler set-up for each case considered.

Changes in the thermal energy and the diffuse 3He and 4He degassing prior to the 2014-2015 eruption of Pico do Fogo volcano, Cape Verde

<p>Cape Verde archipelago is a cluster of several volcanic islands arranged in a westward opening horseshoe shape located in the Atlantic Ocean, between 550 and 800 km-west of the coast of Senegal (Africa). Fogo Island is located in the southwest of the archipelago, and as main feature is a 9-km-north to south wide collapse caldera opened toward the east, within Pico do Fogo volcano rises 2,829 m.a.s.l. Pico do Fogo crater has an area of 0.142 km<sup>2</sup> and its characterized by a fumarolic field composed by low and moderate temperature fumaroles, with temperatures around 95ºC and reaching 400ºC respectively. The last eruption of Fogo volcanic system took place between November 2014 and February 2015, when four new eruptive vents were formed, and destroyed partially the villages of Portela and Bangaeira (Silva et. al., 2015) forcing the evacuation of 1,300 inhabitants. In this work we present the temporal evolution of <sup>3</sup>He/<sup>4</sup>He isotopic ratio, <sup>3</sup>He and <sup>4</sup>He emission and thermal energy released data measured from March 2007 to November 2018 in the crater of Pico do Fogo. In all the studied temporal evolutions, we can observe two main increases in the above parameters, the first in early 2010, suggesting a magmatic intrusion, and the second several months before the eruption onset. We have also observed that changes in the <sup>3</sup>He emission might be accompanied by a significant increase in thermal output if the system is in an eruptive cycle. Our results confirm <sup>3</sup>He emission studies are highly reliable indicator of imminent volcanic eruption and constitute a powerful tool to monitor the activity of volcanic areas around the world.</p><p>Silva et al., (2015), Geophysical Research Abstracts Vol. 17, EGU2015-13378, EGU General Assembly.</p>