Small Scale Low Height Wave Energy Seawater Pump for Achieving Environmental and Economic Sustainability

Economic sustainability plays an important role in shaping conditions for economic growth and social development. The importance of answering the question about the level of sustainability of family farms results from the fact that the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, apart from exceptions (e.g. the Czech Republic and Slovakia), are characterized by a fragmented agrarian structure. Hence, the main goal of this article was to answer two questions: 1) whether the countries of Central and Eastern Europe differ in the level of economic sustainability of small family farms; and 2) whether the same socioeconomic factors impact similarly on the level of economic sustainability of small family farms from countries of Central and Eastern Europe. The study was based on surveys conducted in small family farms: in 2018 from Poland (672 farms) and in 2019 in four other countries (Lithuania; 999 farms, Romania; 834 farms, Serbia; 523 farms, Moldova; 530 farms). The publication includes a critical analysis of the literature, structure analysis and correlation analysis. The results show the occurrence of large differences between the economic sustainability of small family farms from the countries of Central and Eastern Europe. The research indicates that the larger the area of a small-scale family farm, the greater its economic sustainability. The productivity of these farms increases with their economic sustainability. The results also prove a negative relationship between the age of the farmer and the economic sustainability of their farm in all analysed countries. These trends were found in all analysed countries of Central and Eastern Europe. The results of the analyses support the conclusion that agricultural policy instruments aimed at increasing the economic sustainability of small family farms should lead to: land consolidation, a decrease in the age of farm owners through generational changes, and a decrease in employment in agriculture, which would lead to a reduction in labour input in the agricultural sector.

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Transport Cost Estimation Model of the Agroforestry Biomass in a Small-Scale Energy Chain

Environmental Sciences Proceedings ◽

10.3390/iecf2020-07891 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 3 (1) ◽

pp. 22

Author(s):

Giulio Sperandio ◽

Andrea Acampora ◽

Vincenzo Civitarese ◽

Sofia Bajocco ◽

Marco Bascietto

Keyword(s):

Supply Chain ◽

Power Plant ◽

Central Italy ◽

Biomass Energy ◽

Transport Cost ◽

Small Scale ◽

Economic Sustainability ◽

Transport Costs ◽

Energy Chain ◽

Biomass Power Plant

The delivery of biomass products from the production place to the point of final use is of fundamental importance within the constitution of energy chains based on biomass use as renewable energy source. In fact, transport can be one of the most economically expensive operations of the entire biomass energy production process. In this work, a geographic identification, through remote sensing and photo-interpretation, of the different biomass sources was used to estimate the potential available biomass for energy in a small-scale supply chain. The economic sustainability of transport costs was calculated for different types of biomass sources available close to a biomass power plant of a small-scale energy supply chain, in central Italy. The proposed analysis allows us to highlight and visualize on the map the areas of the territory characterized by greater economic sustainability in terms of lower transport costs of residual agroforestry biomass from the collection point to the final point identified with the biomass power plant. The higher transport cost was around € 40 Mg−1, compared to the lowest of € 12 Mg−1.

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A broadbanded pressure differential wave energy converter based on dielectric elastomer generators

Nonlinear Dynamics ◽

10.1007/s11071-021-06721-8 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Michele Righi ◽

Giacomo Moretti ◽

David Forehand ◽

Lorenzo Agostini ◽

Rocco Vertechy ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Wave Energy ◽

Large Deformations ◽

Dielectric Elastomer ◽

Wave Energy Converter ◽

Pressure Differential ◽

Design Stage ◽

Small Scale ◽

Energy Converter ◽

Wide Range ◽

The Waves

AbstractDielectric elastomer generators (DEGs) are a promising option for the implementation of affordable and reliable sea wave energy converters (WECs), as they show considerable promise in replacing expensive and inefficient power take-off systems with cheap direct-drive generators. This paper introduces a concept of a pressure differential wave energy converter, equipped with a DEG power take-off operating in direct contact with sea water. The device consists of a closed submerged air chamber, with a fluid-directing duct and a deformable DEG power take-off mounted on its top surface. The DEG is cyclically deformed by wave-induced pressure, thus acting both as the power take-off and as a deformable interface with the waves. This layout allows the partial balancing of the stiffness due to the DEG’s elasticity with the negative hydrostatic stiffness contribution associated with the displacement of the water column on top of the DEG. This feature makes it possible to design devices in which the DEG exhibits large deformations over a wide range of excitation frequencies, potentially achieving large power capture in a wide range of sea states. We propose a modelling approach for the system that relies on potential-flow theory and electroelasticity theory. This model makes it possible to predict the system dynamic response in different operational conditions and it is computationally efficient to perform iterative and repeated simulations, which are required at the design stage of a new WEC. We performed tests on a small-scale prototype in a wave tank with the aim of investigating the fluid–structure interaction between the DEG membrane and the waves in dynamical conditions and validating the numerical model. The experimental results proved that the device exhibits large deformations of the DEG power take-off over a broad range of monochromatic and panchromatic sea states. The proposed model demonstrates good agreement with the experimental data, hence proving its suitability and effectiveness as a design and prediction tool.

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Wave Energy Hyperbaric Device for Electricity Production

Volume 5: Ocean Space Utilization; Polar and Arctic Sciences and Technology; The Robert Dean Symposium on Coastal and Ocean Engineering; Special Symposium on Offshore Renewable Energy ◽

10.1115/omae2007-29743 ◽

2007 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Segen F. Estefen ◽

Paulo Roberto da Costa ◽

Eliab Ricarte ◽

Marcelo M. Pinheiro

Keyword(s):

Power Generation ◽

Wave Energy ◽

Experimental Results ◽

Electricity Production ◽

Scale Model ◽

Small Scale ◽

Regular Waves ◽

Hyperbaric Chamber ◽

Small Scale Model

Wave energy is a renewable and non-polluting source and its use is being studied in different countries. The paper presents an overview on the harnessing of energy from waves and the activities associated with setting up a plant for extracting energy from waves in Port of Pecem, on the coast of Ceara State, Brazil. The technology employed is based on storing water under pressure in a hyperbaric chamber, from which a controlled jet of water drives a standard turbine. The wave resource at the proposed location is presented in terms of statistics data obtained from previous monitoring. The device components are described and small scale model tested under regular waves representatives of the installation region. Based on the experimental results values of prescribed pressures are identified in order to optimize the power generation.

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A Low-Cost Motion Capture System for Small-Scale Wave Energy Device Tank Testing

Journal of Dynamic Systems Measurement and Control ◽

10.1115/1.4041608 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 141 (3) ◽

Author(s):

Francesco Paparella ◽

Satja Sivcev ◽

Daniel Toal ◽

John V. Ringwood

Keyword(s):

Wave Energy ◽

Motion Tracking ◽

Tracking System ◽

Low Cost ◽

Measurement Unit ◽

Small Scale ◽

Energy Device ◽

Optical Motion ◽

Optical Motion Tracking ◽

Motion Tracking System

The measurement of the motion of a small-scale wave energy device during wave tank tests is important for the evaluation of its response to waves and the assessment of power production. Usually, the motion of a small-scale wave energy converter (WEC) is measured using an optical motion tracking system with high precision and sampling rate. However, the cost for an optical motion tracking system can be considerably high and, therefore, the overall cost for tank testing is increased. This paper proposes a low-cost capture system composed of an inertial measurement unit and ultrasound sensors. The measurements from the ultrasound sensors are combined optimally with the measurements from the inertial measurement unit through an extended Kalman filter (EKF) in order to obtain an accurate estimation of the motion of a WEC.

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DEVELOPMENT OF MILK PRODUCTION IN UKRAINE AND ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY OF THE DAIRY COMPLEX

Ukrainian Journal of Applied Economics ◽

10.36887/2415-8453-2019-4-1 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 8-15

Author(s):

Vitalii NITSENKO ◽

Yuriy I. DANKO

Keyword(s):

Dairy Cattle ◽

Milk Production ◽

Dairy Industry ◽

The State ◽

Small Scale ◽

Economic Sustainability ◽

Scale Production ◽

Economic Stability ◽

Cattle Breeding ◽

Starting Point

The aim of the study was to develop theoretical, methodological and practical foundations for achieving the economic sustainability of dairy products by enterprises. The structure of the dairy subcomplex in terms of supply chain management is disclosed. This methodological approach made it possible to outline the external environment of the milk production and the dairy industry as a whole. We consider the category «economic sustainability» as the system ability to maintain its working condition in order to achieve the planned results in the presence of various perturbation effects (destabilizing internal and external factors). The starting point was the hypothesis that the economic sustainability of the dairy subcomplex as a whole depends on the economic sustainability of milk production entities (agricultural enterprises and households). Comparing the profitability level that has the potential to provide dynamic economic stability with the average in the dairy industry proves - without active state support the dairy industry in Ukraine is in danger of phasing out. The analysis of economic practices in Ukraine (in particular, data of the State Statistics Service) allowed to formulate the author's vision of the directions of achieving the dairy sub-sector of the state of dynamic economic stability. They include: the development of industrial dairy cattle as opposed to the dominance of small-scale production; changes in pricing policy, as well as the calculation of government subsidies by reformatting approaches to determining the cost of milk production, which will allow to adjust the reproduction system of own livestock and will increase the profitability of the dairy industry; achievement of higher quality of dairy raw materials by means of logistical re-equipment of farms, improvement of personnel qualification, provision of high sanitary standards, improvement of veterinary services; diversification of milk distribution channels in order to reduce the market power of the processing industry enterprises. Key words: milk production, economic sustainability, dairy subcomplex, industrial cattle breeding, dairy cattle breeding.

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Experimental Analysis of a Novel Adaptively Counter-Rotating Wave Energy Converter for Powering Drifters

Journal of Marine Science and Engineering ◽

10.3390/jmse7060171 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 7 (6) ◽

pp. 171 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Guoheng Wu ◽

Zhongyue Lu ◽

Zirong Luo ◽

Jianzhong Shang ◽

Chongfei Sun ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Wave Energy ◽

Wave Energy Converter ◽

Irregular Waves ◽

Surface Velocity ◽

Small Scale ◽

Power Constraint ◽

Energy Converter ◽

Wave Tank ◽

Wide Range ◽

Rotating Wave

Nowadays, drifters are used for a wide range of applications for researching and exploring the sea. However, the power constraint makes it difficult for their sampling intervals to be smaller, meaning that drifters cannot transmit more accurate measurement data to satellites. Furthermore, due to the power constraint, a modern Surface Velocity Program (SVP) drifter lives an average of 400 days before ceasing transmission. To overcome the power constraint of SVP drifters, this article proposes an adaptively counter-rotating wave energy converter (ACWEC) to supply power for drifters. The ACWEC has the advantages of convenient modular integration, simple conversion process, and minimal affection by the crucial sea environment. This article details the design concept and working principle, and the interaction between the wave energy converter (WEC) and wave is presented based on plane wave theory. To verify the feasibility of the WEC, the research team carried out a series of experiments in a wave tank with regular and irregular waves. Through experiments, it was found that the power and efficiency of the ACWEC are greatly influenced by parameters such as wave height and wave frequency. The maximum output power of the small scale WEC in a wave tank is 6.36 W, which allows drifters to detect ocean data more frequently and continuously.

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A Joint Numerical and Experimental Study of a Surging Point Absorbing Wave Energy Converter (WRASPA)

Volume 4: Ocean Engineering; Ocean Renewable Energy; Ocean Space Utilization, Parts A and B ◽

10.1115/omae2009-79392 ◽

2009 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Majid A. Bhinder ◽

Clive G. Mingham ◽

Derek M. Causon ◽

Mohammad T. Rahmati ◽

George A. Aggidis ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Wave Energy ◽

Informed Choice ◽

Wave Energy Converter ◽

Body Motion ◽

Numerical Dissipation ◽

Small Scale ◽

Linear Wave ◽

Energy Converter ◽

Non Linear ◽

Experimental Project

This paper presents the findings from using several commercial computational fluid dynamics codes in a joint numerical and experimental project to simulate WRASPA, a new wave energy converter (WEC) device. A series of fully 3D non-linear simulations of WRASPA are presented. Three commercial codes STAR-CCM, CFX and FLOW-3D are considered for simulating the WRASPA device and final results are presented based on the use of Flow-3D. Results are validated by comparison to experimental data obtained from small scale tank tests undertaken at Lancaster University (LU). The primary aim of the project is to use numerical simulation to optimize the collector geometry for power production over a range of likely wave climates. A secondary aim is to evaluate the ability of commercial codes to simulate rigid body motion in linear and non-linear wave climates in order to choose the optimal code with respect to compute speed and ease of problem setup. Issues relating to the ability of a code in terms of numerical dissipation of waves, wave absorption, wave breaking, grid generation and moving bodies will all be discussed. The findings of this paper serve as a basis for an informed choice of commercial package for such simulations. However the capability of these commercial codes is increasing with every new release.

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Design and Potential Application of Small Scale Wave Energy Converter

Volume 6: Energy ◽

10.1115/imece2017-70117 ◽

2017 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Tunde O. Aderinto ◽

Francisco Haces-Fernandez ◽

Hua Li

Keyword(s):

Wave Energy ◽

Energy Production ◽

Energy Resource ◽

Appropriate Technology ◽

Wave Energy Converter ◽

Small Scale ◽

Ocean Energy ◽

Energy Converter ◽

Wave Energy Converters ◽

Wave Properties

Although theoretical available wave energy is higher than most of ocean energy sources, the commercial utilization of wave energy is much slower than other ocean energy sources. The difficulty of integration with the electrical grid system and the challenges of the installation, operation and maintenance of large energy generation and transmission systems are the major reasons. Even though there are successfully tested models of wave energy converters, the fact that wave energy is directly affected by wave height and wave period makes the actual wave energy output with high variation and difficult to be predicted. And most of the previous studies on wave energy and its utilization have focused on the large scale energy production that can be integrated into a power grid system. In this paper, the authors identify and discuss stand-alone wave energy converter systems and facilities that are not connected to the electricity grid with focus on small scale wave energy systems as potential source of energy. For the proper identification, qualification and quantification of wave energy resource potential, wave properties such as wave height and period need to be characterized. This is used to properly determine and predict the probability of the occurrence of these wave properties at particular locations, which enables the choice of product design, installation, operation and maintenance to effectively capture wave energy. Meanwhile, the present technologies available for wave energy converters can be limited by location (offshore, nearshore or shoreline). Therefore, the potential applications of small scale stand-alone wave energy converter are influenced by the demand, location of the need and the appropriate technology to meet the identified needs. The paper discusses the identification of wave energy resource potentials, the location and appropriate technology suitable for small scale wave energy converter. Two simplified wave energy converter designs are created and simulated under real wave condition in order to estimate the energy production of each design.

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Using Flexible Blades to Improve the Performance of Novel Small-Scale Counter-Rotating Self-Adaptable Wave Energy Converter for Unmanned Marine Equipment

Journal of Marine Science and Engineering ◽

10.3390/jmse7070223 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 7 (7) ◽

pp. 223 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Sun ◽

Shang ◽

Luo ◽

Lu ◽

Wu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Output Power ◽

Wave Energy ◽

Power Supply ◽

Simulation Analysis ◽

Average Power ◽

Wave Energy Converter ◽

Small Scale ◽

Energy Converter ◽

Experimental Conditions ◽

Blade Thickness

Unmanned marine equipment has been increasingly developed for open seas. The lack of efficient and reliable power supply is currently one of the bottlenecks restricting the practical application of these devices. In order to provide a viable power supply method for unmanned marine equipment, such as sonic buoys and sea robots, we originally propose a novel small-scale flexible blade wave energy converter (WEC) based on self-adaptable counter-rotating operation mechanism. The flexible blade WEC is designed on the basis of the rigid blade WEC with the caging device. This paper identifies the key factors affecting WEC performance through theoretical analysis. According to the numerical simulation analysis, the output mechanical power of the double-layer absorber is 12.8 W, and the hydraulic efficiency is 36.3%. The results of the verification experiment show that the peak power of WEC is 5.8 W and the average power is 3.2 W. The WEC with 65Mn flexible blade under most experimental conditions has the best performance when the blade thickness is 0.10 mm. The study shows that the new generation WEC can effectively overcome the excessive fluctuation of the output power of the previous generation WEC. The output power curve of the novel WEC is relatively smooth, which is conducive to its smooth operation and subsequent utilization and storage of electrical energy.

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