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Selected Papers from PRES'22: The 25th Conference on Process Integration, Modelling and Optimisation for Energy Saving and Pollution Reduction

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A special issue of Energies (ISSN 1996-1073). This special issue belongs to the section "B: Energy and Environment".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 April 2023) | Viewed by 18631

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Dr. Athanasios I. Papadopoulos

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Center For Research and Technology - Hellas, Thessaloniki, Greece
Interests: design of clean; sustainable and renewable systems
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Prof. Dr. Panos Seferlis

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School of Mechanical Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Machine Dynamics Laboratory, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
Interests: design and control of energy and industrial systems
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Prof. Dr. Antonio Zuorro

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Department of Chemical Engineering, Materials & Environment, Sapienza – University of Rome, Via Eudossiana 18, 00184 Rome, Italy
Interests: advanced oxidation processes; green processes; agroindustrial waste valorization; biochemical engineering; microalgae; pesticide removal; wastewater treatment; value-added compounds
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Dear Colleagues,

Energy use and emissions should be accompanied by measures for their reduction. This is the focus of the PRES (Conference on Process Integration for Energy Saving and Pollution Reduction) series of conferences, a major annual forum dedicated to the exchange of knowledge and networking. The 25^th conference, PRES’22, took place in Bol, Croatia <https://conferencepres.site/pres22/>. The conference included a wide range of topics related to energy supply, conversion and use toward improving the efficiency and sustainability of the concerned activities. Some of the topics covered include:

Process analysis, modeling, and optimization;
Heat transfer and heat exchangers;
Energy-saving and clean technologies;
Sustainable processing and production;
Renewable and high-efficiency utility systems;
Footprint minimization and mitigation;
Numerical fluid flow and heat transfer simulation;
Work and heat exchanger networks;
Gas turbines and turbomachinery applications.
Cleaner transportation.

In collaboration with Energies (MDPI), authors of high-quality papers from the conference are invited to submit follow-up articles extending the presented research in a dedicated Special Issue. This opportunity is also advertised on the conference website: https://conferencepres.site/pres22/journal-special-issues/

Dr. Athanasios I. Papadopoulos
Prof. Dr. Panos Seferlis
Prof. Dr. Antonio Zuorro
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Energies is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

process design and optimisation
energy efficiency
sustainability in energy systems
cleaner and renewable energy

Published Papers (11 papers)

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18 pages, 1277 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Dynamic Simulation of a Gas and Oil Separation Plant with Focus on the Water Output Quality

by Thorsten Jonach, Bahram Haddadi, Christian Jordan and Michael Harasek

Energies 2023, 16(10), 4111; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16104111 - 16 May 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1423

Abstract

Gas and oil separation plants are the first main step in the production of hydrocarbon products. Depending on the properties of the recovered components from the well heads, and the physical properties in the underground rock reservoir, the plant design can vary in different ways. In mature oil and gas fields, secondary recovery methods are often used, which include the injection of large amounts of water into the underground reservoir, to induce the production flow of the wells. The handling of this water is of significant interest, in terms of production efficiency and pollution reduction, because the water comes into contact with the environment during and after recovery operations. In this work, a model of an exemplary gas and oil separation plant was created in Aspen HYSYS V10. A particular focus was placed on the modeling of oil residues in the water-bearing plant components. This model was then extended by the implementation of different process control schemes, to create a predictive model that could represent dynamic operating states in the plant components. Two different dynamic changes were then simulated using this model, to showcase the capabilities and capacities of the model. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from PRES'22: The 25th Conference on Process Integration, Modelling and Optimisation for Energy Saving and Pollution Reduction)

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16 pages, 3166 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Multi-Level Process Integration of Heat Pumps in Meat Processing

by Elsa Klinac, James Kenneth Carson, Duy Hoang, Qun Chen, Donald John Cleland and Timothy Gordon Walmsley

Energies 2023, 16(8), 3424; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16083424 - 13 Apr 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1301

Abstract

Many countries across the globe are facing the challenge of replacing coal and natural gas-derived process heat with low-emission alternatives. In countries such as New Zealand, which have access to renewably generated electricity, industrial heat pumps offer great potential to reduce sitewide industrial carbon emissions. In this paper, a new Pinch-based Total Site Heat Integration (TSHI) method is proposed and used to explore and identify multi-level heat pump integration options at a meat processing site in New Zealand. This novel method improves upon standard methods that are currently used in industry and successfully identifies heat pump opportunities that might otherwise be missed by said standard methods. The results of the novel method application suggest that a Mechanical Vapour Recompression (MVR) system in the Rendering plant and a centralized air-source heat pump around the hot water ring main could reduce site emissions by over 50%. Future research will develop these preliminary results into a dynamic emissions reduction plan for the site, the novel methods for which will be transferrable to similar industrial sites. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from PRES'22: The 25th Conference on Process Integration, Modelling and Optimisation for Energy Saving and Pollution Reduction)

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18 pages, 19900 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Food Waste to Energy through Innovative Coupling of CHP and Heat Pump

by Jan Drofenik, Danijela Urbancl, Darko Goričanec, Zdravko Kravanja and Zorka Novak Pintarič

Energies 2023, 16(8), 3344; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16083344 - 10 Apr 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1529

Abstract

This paper presents the conceptual design of a technological solution for the efficient conversion of food waste into heat and power. The distribution and composition of food loss and waste at different stages of the food supply chain in Slovenia and their potential for biogas production were determined. It was found that more than 50% of food waste comes from households. Therefore, a small plant was designed to convert food waste into biogas, which was innovatively coupled with a combined heat and power (CHP) unit and a heat pump. This doubles the amount of heat generated compared to conventional cogeneration. Based on the capacity of a micro commercial CHP unit, 3330 households (about 8000 residents) would supply food waste. The heat generated could replace 5% of the natural gas used for domestic water heating. The payback period would be 7.2 years at a heat price of about 80 EUR/MWh, however, for municipalities with more than 40,000 inhabitants the payback period would be reduced to less than 3 years. The cost price of the heat generated by this system would be about 25 EUR/MWh, taking into account the government subsidy for the operation of the CHP unit. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from PRES'22: The 25th Conference on Process Integration, Modelling and Optimisation for Energy Saving and Pollution Reduction)

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21 pages, 5664 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Optimal Design of Double Stage Internal Loop Air-Lift Bioreactor

by Fernando Ramonet, Bahram Haddadi and Michael Harasek

Energies 2023, 16(7), 3267; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16073267 - 06 Apr 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1909

Abstract

Biorefinery systems play a critical role in the transition towards a sustainable bioeconomy, and bioreactors are a key component in these systems. While mechanically stirred reactors have been extensively studied, there is a lack of research on pneumatically driven systems like air-lift reactors (ALRs). This study aims to address this gap by examining the hydrodynamic behavior of a double draft tube airlift bioreactor using Computational fluid dynamics simulations. Ten different geometric configurations were investigated, with variations in draft tube placement, liquid height, distance between draft tubes and draft tube diameters. Results showed that the placement of the draft tubes heavily influenced hydrodynamic behavior, with smaller distances between draft tubes and a funnel configuration leading to higher velocities. Stable downcomer velocities were achieved by maintaining a consistent distance between the bottom clearance and the sum of the distance between draft tubes and the bottom clearance on the top clearance. The model was validated against literature experimental data. This study provides insight into the optimal design of ALRs, which can contribute to the development of more efficient and effective bioreactor systems. The findings can be used to forecast the most optimal configurations of airlift bioreactors and have significant value for the development of more efficient biorefining concepts in light of the increasing importance of studying biorefineries and their components in the shift towards a biomass-based economy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from PRES'22: The 25th Conference on Process Integration, Modelling and Optimisation for Energy Saving and Pollution Reduction)

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14 pages, 83017 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Co-Pyrolysis of Woody Biomass and Oil Shale in a Batch Reactor in CO₂, CO₂-H₂O, and Ar Atmospheres

by Alejandro Lyons Cerón and Alar Konist

Energies 2023, 16(7), 3145; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16073145 - 30 Mar 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1200

Abstract

The partial replacement of fossil fuels with biomass provides an alternative to producing cleaner and more sustainable energy and fuels. Conventional shale oil production infrastructure can potentially be used in co-pyrolysis with biomass to reduce the use of oil shale and decrease its environmental impact. The effect of adding 10 and 30 wt% woody biomasses (spruce, alder, pine, and birch) into oil shale was studied through intermediate co-pyrolysis. The experiments were carried out in a batch reactor at 520 °C, with a 20 min residence time, in CO₂, CO₂-H₂O 1:1, and Ar gas atmospheres. The solid products were collected and analyzed for elemental composition and surface area, while the composition of the gases was determined through gas chromatography. The difference in experimental and theoretical mass balances of fuel blends was lower than 2.5 wt% in all gas environments, indicating slight interactions between the fuels. CO₂ atmospheres contributed to increased decomposition, with up to 2.6 wt% lower solid products. Biomass increased the production of combustible gases, especially CO yields, from 0.42 to 1.30 vol%. The addition of biomass and the use of alternative atmospheres can improve pyrolysis through increased fuel decomposition and a lower share of residual mass from 74.4 wt% for oil shale to 58–70 wt% for oil shale and biomass blends. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from PRES'22: The 25th Conference on Process Integration, Modelling and Optimisation for Energy Saving and Pollution Reduction)

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13 pages, 5802 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Soft-Sensor Modeling of Temperature Variation in a Room under Cooling Conditions

by Feng Xu, Kei Sakurai, Yuki Sato, Yuka Sakai, Shunsuke Sabu, Hiroaki Kanayama, Daisuke Satou and Yasuki Kansha

Energies 2023, 16(6), 2870; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16062870 - 20 Mar 2023

Viewed by 1151

Abstract

Non-uniform temperature distributions in air-conditioned areas can reduce the energy efficiency of air conditioners and cause uncomfortable thermal sensations for occupants. Furthermore, it is impractical to use physical sensors to measure the local temperature at every position. This study developed a soft-sensing model that integrates the fundamentals of thermodynamics and transport phenomena to predict the temperature at the target position in space. Water experiments were conducted to simulate indoor conditions in an air-conditioning cooling mode. The transient temperatures of various positions were measured for model training and validation. The velocity vectors of water flow were acquired using the particle image velocimetry method. Correlation analysis of various positions was conducted to select the input variable. The soft-sensing model was developed using the multiple linear regression method. The model for the top layer was modified by the correction of dead time. The experimental results showed the temperature inhomogeneity between different layers. The temperature at each target position under two initial temperatures and two flow rates was accurately predicted with a mean absolute error within 0.69 K. Moreover, the temperature under different flow rates can be predicted with one model. Therefore, this soft-sensing model has the potential to be integrated into air-conditioning systems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from PRES'22: The 25th Conference on Process Integration, Modelling and Optimisation for Energy Saving and Pollution Reduction)

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12 pages, 2464 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Detailed Thermo-Economic Assessment of a Heat Pump for Industrial Applications

by Guillermo Martínez-Rodríguez, Cristobal Díaz-de-León, Amanda L. Fuentes-Silva, Juan-Carlos Baltazar and Rafael García-Gutiérrez

Energies 2023, 16(6), 2784; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16062784 - 17 Mar 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1488

Abstract

Heat pump electricity costs grow with a power relationship as the evaporator temperature in the cycle decreases. The thermo-economic study of a solar thermal-assisted heat pump and storage system determines the minimum cost of the coupled system for an evaporator temperature. Through two case studies, one for the dairy industry and the other for 2G bioethanol production, the coupled system was evaluated for different temperatures in the evaporator, from 30 to 90 °C, and the minimum cost of the coupled system was determined. For the dairy industry, the lowest levelized total cost of a heat pump (LCOE) at 50 °C is 0.0799 USD/kWh. The evaluation carried out allowed us to determine the best operating conditions of the heat pump: 50 °C in the evaporator, COP = 4.2, and the work of the compressor of 211.3 kW. In the case of 2G anhydrous bioethanol production, the lowest levelized energy cost is 0.0409 USD/kWh for an evaporator temperature of 30 °C and a payback of 1.8 years. The study carried out makes it possible to guarantee the supply of the heat load at the operating temperature of the process and determines the impact of environmental conditions on the cost of the heat pump assisted with solar thermal energy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from PRES'22: The 25th Conference on Process Integration, Modelling and Optimisation for Energy Saving and Pollution Reduction)

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20 pages, 3757 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Implementation of Optimized Regenerative Braking in Energy Efficient Driving Strategies

by Zoltán Pusztai, Péter Kőrös, Ferenc Szauter and Ferenc Friedler

Energies 2023, 16(6), 2682; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16062682 - 13 Mar 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1818

Abstract

In this paper, determination of optimized regenerative braking-torque function and application in energy efficient driving strategies is presented. The study investigates a lightweight electric vehicle developed for the Shell Eco-Marathon. The measurement-based simulation model was implemented in the MATLAB/Simulink environment and used to establish the optimization. The optimization of braking-torque function was performed to maximize the recuperated energy. The determined braking-torque function was applied in a driving strategy optimization framework. The extended driving strategy optimization model is suitable for energy consumption minimization in a designated track. The driving strategy optimization was created for the TT Circuit Assen, where the 2022 Shell Eco-Marathon competition was hosted. The extended optimization resulted in a 2.97% improvement in energy consumption when compared to the result previously achieved, which shows the feasibility of the proposed methodology and optimization model. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from PRES'22: The 25th Conference on Process Integration, Modelling and Optimisation for Energy Saving and Pollution Reduction)

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27 pages, 1906 KiB

Open AccessArticle

DECO2—An Open-Source Energy System Decarbonisation Planning Software including Negative Emissions Technologies

by Purusothmn Nair S. Bhasker Nair, Raymond R. Tan, Dominic C. Y. Foo, Disni Gamaralalage and Michael Short

Energies 2023, 16(4), 1708; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16041708 - 08 Feb 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1768

Abstract

The deployment of CO₂ capture and storage (CCS) and negative emissions technologies (NETs) are crucial to meeting the net-zero emissions target by the year 2050, as emphasised by the Glasgow Climate Pact. Over the years, several energy planning models have been developed to address the temporal aspects of carbon management. However, limited works have incorporated CCS and NETs for bottom-up energy planning at the individual plant scale, which is considered in this work. The novel formulation is implemented in an open-source energy system software that has been developed in this work for optimal decarbonisation planning. The DECarbonation Options Optimisation (DECO2) software considers multiperiod energy planning with a superstructural model and was developed in Python with an integrated user interface in Microsoft Excel. The software application is demonstrated with two scenarios that differ in terms of the availabilities of mitigation technologies. For the more conservative Scenario 1, in which CCS is only available in later years, and other NETs are assumed not to be available, all coal plants were replaced with biomass. Meanwhile, only 38% of natural gas plants are CCS retrofitted. The remaining natural gas plants are replaced with biogas. For the more aggressive Scenario 2, which includes all mitigation technologies, once again, all coal plants undergo fuel substitution. However, close to half of the natural gas plants are CCS retrofitted. The results demonstrated the potential of fuel substitutions for low-carbon alternatives in existing coal and natural gas power plants. Additionally, once NETs are mature and are available for commercial deployment, their deployment is crucial in aiding CO₂ removal in minimal investment costs scenarios. However, the results indicate that the deployment of energy-producing NETs (EP-NETs), e.g., biochar and biomass with CCS, are far more beneficial in CO₂ removal versus energy-consuming NETs (EC-NETs), e.g., enhanced weathering. The newly developed open-source software demonstrates the importance of determining the optimal deployment of mitigation technologies in meeting climate change targets for each period, as well as driving the achievement of net-zero emissions by mid-century. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from PRES'22: The 25th Conference on Process Integration, Modelling and Optimisation for Energy Saving and Pollution Reduction)

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15 pages, 1661 KiB

Open AccessPerspective

Biodesulfurization Processes for the Removal of Sulfur from Diesel Oil: A Perspective Report

by Roselle Y. Mamuad and Angelo Earvin Sy Choi

Energies 2023, 16(6), 2738; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16062738 - 15 Mar 2023

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2722

Abstract

The presence of elevated levels of sulfur in diesel oil results in an increased sulfur content in the process stream, which poses significant risks to human health, animals, the environment, vehicles, and infrastructure. Sulfur is a major contributor to particulate matter (PM) and total PM emissions. The level of pollutants emitted is correlated to the sulfur content in diesel fuel. Consequently, regulations regarding the sulfur content in crude oil products, particularly in diesel oil, have become increasingly stringent. Refiners are working to develop sulfur-free fuels with less than 10 ppm of sulfur. To address the impending threats to human health and the environment, and the impact of climate change on property, eco-friendly desulfurization techniques such as biodesulfurization (BDS) are being explored. Several bacterial species have been identified for the BDS of diesel oil, but extensive studies are needed to fully understand the mechanism. Further research on BDS is also required to make it more attractive and competitive in industrial applications. Combining BDS with other technologies for the desulfurization of diesel oil can potentially reduce operating costs and improve resource allocation, making this innovation a viable option for industry. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from PRES'22: The 25th Conference on Process Integration, Modelling and Optimisation for Energy Saving and Pollution Reduction)

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19 pages, 4260 KiB

Open AccessTechnical Note

Evaporation Flow Heat Transfer Characteristics of Stainless Steel and Copper Enhanced Tubes

by Xu Wang, David John Kukulka, Xiang-Zeng Liu, Wei Feng, Xiao-Bo Wang, Wei Li and Ze-Peng Wang

Energies 2023, 16(5), 2331; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16052331 - 28 Feb 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1165

Abstract

An experimental study was undertaken to study the tube-side evaporation heat transfer characteristics of enhanced tubes and compare their performance with that of smooth tubes. These experiments were conducted in order to determine how R410a evaporates inside smooth and enhanced tubes; for a saturation temperature of 279.15 K; with mass flux values that ranged from 50 to 250 kg/(m²·s); for an inlet quality of 0.2 and outlet quality of 0.8. Enhanced tubes evaluated include herringbone (HB) and helix (HX) designs with microgrooves, composite herringbone dimple (HB/D), composite herringbone hydrophobic (HB/HY), and composite EHT (multiple enhancement character) tubes. Experimental results show that the evaporation heat-transfer coefficient in the Cu-EHTb tube was the highest; its performance was closely related to the increased number of nucleation points that are found inside the tube; however, the performance of the SS-EHT-HB/D was not significantly higher than that of a smooth tube. The best overall capacity for evaporative heat transfer is shown in the SS-EHT-HB/HY and SS-EHT-HX tubes; the SS-EHT-HB/D, Cu-EHTa, and Cu-EHTb tubes had the worst overall capacity among all the tested tubes. Additionally, it was determined that previously reported smooth tube models to determine the evaporation heat transfer coefficient can accurately predict the heat transfer inside a smooth tube. However, when trying to utilize smooth tube models for enhanced tubes, the deviation between experimentally determined heat transfer coefficient (HTC) values and those predicted when using smooth tube models to predict enhanced tube results is ±30%; therefore, smooth tube models are not applicable for use with enhanced tubes. Smooth tube models were modified, and after correction, the deviation between experimentally determined heat transfer coefficient (HTC) values and those predicted when using the modified model for use with enhanced tubes is ±10%. Finally, the effect of the thermal resistance of the tube wall on the overall heat transfer coefficient of a stainless steel-enhanced tube is significant and cannot be overlooked. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from PRES'22: The 25th Conference on Process Integration, Modelling and Optimisation for Energy Saving and Pollution Reduction)

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