An Investigation of the Fuel Economy of a Drive Cycle Developed Using the Road Load Energy Criterion

Efforts to mitigate climate change include lowering of greenhouse gas emissions by reducing fuel consumption in the transport sector. Various vehicle technologies and interventions for better fuel economy eventually require chassis dynamometer testing using drive cycles for validation. As such, the methodology to generate these drive cycles from on-road data should produce drive cycles that closely represent actual on-road driving from the fuel economy standpoint. This study presents a comparison of the fuel economy measured from a drive cycle developed using road load energy as a major assessment criterion and the actual on-road fuel economy of a 2013 Isuzu Crosswind utility vehicle used in the UV Express transport fleet in Metro Manila, Philippines. In this approach to drive cycle construction from on-road data, the ratio of the total road load energy of the generated drive cycle to that of the on-road trip is made the same ratio as their respective durations. On-road velocity and fuel consumption were recorded as the test vehicle traversed the 42.5 km. Sucat to Lawton route and vice versa in Metro Manila. Gathered data were processed to generate drive cycles using the modified Markov Chain approach. Three drive cycles of decreasing duration, based on the practicality of testing on a chassis dynamometer, were generated using three arbitrary data compression ratios. These drive cycles were tested using the same vehicle on the chassis dynamometer and compared with the on-road data using road load energy, fuel economy, average speed, and maximum acceleration. For the 893-seconds drive cycle generated, the road load energy error was 3.93% and fuel economy difference of 1.14%. For the 774-seconds cycle generated, the road load energy error was 4.34% and fuel economy difference was 0.91%. For the 664-seconds drive cycle, the road load energy error was 3.68% and fuel economy difference was 0.91%. On-road fuel economy for the 42.5-km. route averaged over nine round trips was 8.785 km/L. Based on the results, the road load energy criterion approach of drive cycle construction methodology can generate drive cycles which can very closely estimate on-road fuel economy.

Experimental Investigation of Lab-Scale, Heat Exchanger Prototypes Designed to Provide Refugia for Trout

In recent years Spring Creek in South Dakota, a popular fishing location, has been experiencing higher surface water temperatures, which negatively impact cold-water trout species. One potential solution is to provide localized refugia of colder water produced via active cooling. The present work focuses on the design and testing of a small-scale prototype heat exchanger, for such a cooling system. Various prototypes of the heat exchanger were tested in a 1/10th-scaled model of a section of the creek. A staggered, tube-bundle heat exchanger was used. The prototypes consisted of just the heat exchanger placed directly in the scaled-stream model and of the heat exchanger placed inside an enclosure with an aperture. The results show that, without the enclosure, the average temperature difference is 0.64 °C, with a corresponding heat transfer requirement of 1.63 kW/°C of cooling. However, with an enclosure, the average temperature difference is 1.95 °C, which required 0.59 kW/°C of cooling. Modifications to the enclosure decrease the average temperature difference but also decrease the standard deviation of the temperature difference. Thus, the cooling effect is more evenly spread throughout the water in the enclosure. This indicates that the enclosure design can be used to balance the requirements of obtaining a desired temperature difference with a relatively low spatial variation in that temperature difference. These results will be used to guide the design of the large-scale heat exchanger prototype.

Comparison of the Performance of a Solar Thermal Absorption Chiller and a Novel Sub-Wet Bulb Evaporative Chiller for Cooling Processes in Food Manufacturing

The food processing industry exists at the nexus between food, energy, and water systems. Improving the sustainability of this industry is critical to reduction of carbon emissions and enhanced utilization of vital resources such as water. The overarching aim of the present research is to create a process-based modeling platform for food processing systems that would allow the most appropriate combination of water-sustainable, energy-efficient, and renewable energy (WERE) technologies to be determined for a system. This paper focuses on one specific process in a thermal processing line: the cooling step after sterilization and prior to packaging. A typical process might use groundwater in a once-through loop. To reduce water use, two sustainable alternatives are considered and compared: (a) solar thermal coupled with an absorption chiller and (b) evaporative cooling of chilled water using a sub-wet bulb evaporative chiller (SWEC). The former uses a parabolic trough solar field with thermal storage that is connected to a single-effect water/lithium bromide (LiBr) chiller. The field and thermal storage are modeled using NREL’s System Advisor Model software and coupled to in-house Python code for the chiller and process heat exchanger. For the latter option, a novel SWEC is used as a chiller. The energy and water use, and capital cost of the two alternative technologies are presented.

A Study on Estimation Model of Incidence Factor of the Thermal Bridge Using In-Situ Measurement Infrared Thermography

Practical thermal bridge performance indicators (ITBs) of existing buildings may differ from calculated thermal bridge performance derived theoretically due to actual construction conditions, such as effect of irregular shapes and aging. To fill this gap in a practical manner, more realistic quantitative evaluation of thermal bridge at on-site needs to be considered to identify thermal behaviors throughout exterior walls and thus improve overall insulation performance of buildings. In this paper, the model of a thermal bridge performance indicator is developed based on an in-situ Infrared thermography method, and a case study is then carried out to evaluate thermal performance of an existing exterior wall using the developed model. For the estimation method in this study, the form of the likelihood function is used with the Bayesian method to constantly reflect the measured data. Subsequently, the coefficient of variation is applied to analyze required times for the assumed convergence. Results from the measurement for three days show that thermal bridge under the measurement has more heat losses, including 1.14 times, when compared to the non-thermal bridge. In addition, the results present that it takes about 40 hours to reach 1% of the variation coefficient. Comparison of the ITB estimated at coefficient of variation 1% (40 hours point) with the ITB estimated at end-of-experiment (72 hours point) results in 0.9% of a relative error.

The Impact of COVID-19 on Energy Consumption in the United States: An Overview

Lockdown measures and mobility restrictions implemented to combat the spread of the novel COVID-19 virus have impacted energy consumption patterns, particularly in the United States. A review of available data and literature on the impact of the pandemic on energy consumption is performed to understand the current knowledge on this topic. The overall decline of energy use during lockdown restrictions can best be identified through the analysis of energy consumption by source and end-user breakdown. Using monthly energy consumption data, the total 9-months use between January and September for the years 2015–2020 are calculated for each end-use. The cumulative consumption within these 9 months of the petroleum, natural gas, biomass, and electricity energy by the various end-use sectors are compared to identify a shift in use throughout time with the calculation of the percent change from 2019 to 2020. The analysis shows that the transportation sector experienced the most dramatic decline, having a subsequent impact on the primary energy it uses. A steep decline in the use of petroleum and natural gas by the transportation sector has had an inevitable impact on the emission of carbon dioxide and other air pollutants during the pandemic. Additionally, the most current data for the consumption of electricity by each state and each end-user in the times before and during the pandemic highlights the impact of specific lockdown procedures on energy use. The average total consumption for each state was found for the years 2015–2019. This result is used calculation of yearly growth rate and average annual growth rate in 2020 for each state and end-user. The total average annual growth rate for 2020 was used to find a correlation coefficient between COVID-19 case and death rates as well as population density and lockdown duration. To further examine the relationship a correlation coefficient was calculated between the 2020 average annual growth rate for all sectors and average annual growth rate for each individual end-user.

Simulations of Solar Power Systems to Provide Electricity to a Model Water Desalination Plant in Floreana Island, Ecuador

This work shows the techno-economic comparison of the design of two solar photovoltaic systems: 1) on-grid (G-SPVS) and 2) off-grid (SPVS). Both schemes aim to supply electricity to a model water desalination plant located in Floreana Island, Ecuador. The annual load profiles and other operational details of the case study were previously obtained. For this research, a period of 15-years was analyzed. During this time, the maximum power of water pump system remained constant and represented the highest percentage of the electrical load, which changed each year influenced by the drinking water requirements of the population. Results from the HOMER PRO simulations showed that the SPVS produced higher surpluses of electricity. In contrast, the G-SPVS exhibited lower net present cost (NPC) and cost of energy (COE).

A Semi-Empirical Water and Energy Analysis of Industrial Production of Nickel From Mineral Ores: Comparative Analysis Between Two Different Technologies of Calcination

In the ferronickel production process, mineral calcination is one of the most energy-intensive stages. In a typical rotary kiln calciner, particulate solids and combustions gases move counter currently, while solids undergo drying, pre-reduction, and partial reduction reactions. The combustion of natural gas provides the thermal energy for drying and reduction reactions. About 80 to 85% of the incoming laterite ore leaves the reactor as calcined ore, while the flue gases entrain part of the solids as dust. This work presents a theoretical analysis contrasted with experimental results to evaluate the partial reduction of laterite ores in two rotary kilns of 185 m and 135 m length. The study focused on the water formed in the process, including a comparative analysis of water consumption by two different solids recovery technologies, a gas scrubber and an electrostatic precipitator. Simulations allowed evaluating the water and greenhouse gas formation in the main streams of the process. Among the tested operation conditions, the moisture content in the pellets, consisting of agglomerated dust, strongly influenced the amount of water released in the process and the energy consumption. Furnace RK-2 needs approximately 56% more energy to evaporate the moisture content in the feedstock. Furthermore, furnace RK-2 released 55.4 m3h−1 of water into the atmosphere, which represented two times the amount released by furnace RK-1. Gas scrubber analysis showed that as the liquid water increased, more H2O in the gases was condensed; however, the destroyed exergy also increased. Electrostatic precipitators appear as an adequate technology for reducing water and energy consumption in the ferronickel industry.

Receiver Outlet Temperature Control for Falling Particle Receiver Applications

Falling particle receivers (FPRs) are being studied in concentrating solar power applications to enable high temperatures for supercritical CO2 (sCO2) Brayton power cycles. The falling particles are introduced into the cavity receiver via a linear actuated slide gate and irradiated by concentrated sunlight. The thickness of the particle curtain associated with the slide-gate opening dimension dictates the mass flow rate of the particle curtain. A thicker, higher mass flow rate, particle curtain would typically be associated with a smaller temperature rise through the receiver, and a thinner, lower mass flow rate, particle curtain would result in a larger temperature rise. Using the receiver outlet temperature as the process variable and the linear actuated slide gate as the input parameter a proportional, integral, and derivative (PID) controller was implemented to control the temperature of the particles leaving the receiver. The PID parameters were tuned to respond in a quick and stable manner. The PID controlled slide gate was tested using the 1 MW receiver at the National Solar Thermal Test Facility (NSTTF). The receiver outlet temperature was ramped from ambient to 800°C then maintained at the setpoint temperature. After reaching a steady-state, perturbations of 15%–20% of the initial power were applied by removing heliostats to simulate passing clouds. The PID controller reacted to the change in the input power by adjusting the mass flow rate through the receiver to maintain a constant receiver outlet temperature. A goal of ±2σ ≤ 10°C in the outlet temperature for the 5 minutes following the perturbation was achieved.

Feasibility Analysis of Refuelling Infrastructure for Compressed Renewable Natural Gas Long-Haul Heavy-Duty Trucks in Canada

With environmental concerns and limited natural resources, there is a need for cleaner sources of energy in the transportation sector. Renewable natural gas (RNG) is being considered as a potential fuel for heavy-duty applications due to its comparable usage to diesel and gasoline in vehicles. The idea of compressed RNG vehicles is being proposed especially because it will potentially significantly reduce harmful emissions into the environment. This initiative is taken in order to decrease vehicle emissions and support Canada’s commitments to the climate plans reinforcing active transportation infrastructure, in concert with new transit infrastructure, and zero emission vehicles. This study examines the feasibility of implementing a nationwide network of compressed RNG refuelling infrastructure in order to accommodate a conversion of Canada’s long-haul, heavy-duty truck fleet from diesel fuel to RNG. Two methods, Constant Traffic and Variable Traffic, along with data about compressed RNG infrastructure and vehicles, were developed and used to predict fuelling requirements for Canada’s long-haul, heavy-duty truck fleet. Then, a detailed economic analysis was conducted on various test cases to estimate how different variables impact the final selling price of RNG. This provided insight with the understanding of what factors go into pricing RNG and if it can compete against diesel in the trucking market. Results disclosed that the cost to purchase RNG is the greatest factor in the final selling price of compressed RNG. Due to the variability in RNG production however, there is no precise cost, which makes predictions difficult. However, results revealed that it is possible for compressed RNG to be competitive with diesel, with the mean compressed RNG price being 16.5% cheaper than diesel, before being taxed. Future studies should focus on the feasibility of the production of RNG and the associated costs, with emphasis on the Canadian landscape. An in-depth analysis on operational and maintenance costs for compressed RNG refuelling stations may also provide predictions that are more accurate.

Heat Transfer Modeling in a Counter-Current Moving-Bed Tubular Reactor for High-Temperature Thermochemical Energy Storage

An axisymmetric model coupling counter-current gas-solid flow, heat transfer, and thermochemical redox reactions in a moving-bed tubular reactor was developed. The counter-current flow enhances convective heat transfer and a low oxygen partial pressure environment is maintained for thermal reduction within the reaction zone by using oxygen depleted inlet gas. A similar concept can be used for the oxidation reactor which releases high-temperature heat that can be used for power generation or as process heat. The heat transfer model was validated with published results for packed bed reactors. After validation, the model was applied to simulate the moving-bed reactor performance, through which the effects of the main geometric parameters and operating conditions were studied to provide guidance for lab-scale reactor fabrication and testing.