Sustainable Thermal Energy Technologies and Processes

Topic Information

Dear Colleagues,

The development of new, sustainable thermal technologies and processes is of paramount importance for smart cities and the environment. Thermal energy is a heat source and a highly versatile form of energy. It can be employed directly as heat for homes through sustainable energy production, use, and storage, or converted to cold energy through heat-driven technologies. It can also be converted to electricity through turbine technologies.

Another key aspect of thermal technologies and processes involves harnessing renewable energy sources to provide heating and cooling to industries and domestic heating and cooling, hot water, cooking, washing and sterilization applications. Renewable thermal technologies can draw from a range of local renewable sources, including solar, geothermal, and industrial waste heat, etc. The quality and temperature of the harnessed heat are key parameters that define the potental of thermal processes and levels of sustainability.

This collection will focus on recent advances in thermal processes, cooling, heating, and thermal conversion. Potential research topics include (but are not limited to) solar thermal energy and processes, distrct cooling and heating network, geothermal processes, heat pump, heat recovery, thermal storage systems, combined heat and power, trigeneration, quad-generation, and environmental well-being from novel thermal processes.

Dr. Kian Jon Chua
Dr. Xin Cui
Dr. Weidong Chen
Dr. Yunlin Shao
Dr. Yangda Wan
Topic Editors

Keywords

Participating Journals

Journal Name	Impact Factor	CiteScore	Launched Year	First Decision (median)	APC
Buildings buildings	3.8	3.1	2011	14.6 Days	CHF 2600
Energies energies	3.2	5.5	2008	16.1 Days	CHF 2600
Processes processes	3.5	4.7	2013	13.7 Days	CHF 2400
Sustainability sustainability	3.9	5.8	2009	18.8 Days	CHF 2400
Thermo thermo	-	-	2021	23.2 Days	CHF 1000
Inventions inventions	3.4	5.4	2016	17.4 Days	CHF 1800

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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All Buildings Energies Processes Sustainability Thermo Inventions

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30 pages, 13990 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Potential Analysis and Feasibility Study on the Hydrothermal Utilization of Rivers—Using Marburg on the Lahn River as Case Study

by Jessika Gappisch, Steve Borchardt and Boris Lehmann

Energies 2024, 17(1), 36; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17010036 - 20 Dec 2023

Viewed by 491

Abstract

Due to their high specific heat capacity and constant thermal regeneration through flow, rivers are a promising renewable environmental heat source. The suitability of a river for hydrothermal use depends on river section-specific and site-specific factors. This paper presents a methodological proposal for [...] Read more.

Due to their high specific heat capacity and constant thermal regeneration through flow, rivers are a promising renewable environmental heat source. The suitability of a river for hydrothermal use depends on river section-specific and site-specific factors. This paper presents a methodological proposal for a river section-specific potential analysis and site-specific feasibility study. The presentation of measured values in the form of hydrographs and duration curves as well as the use of suitable mean values and confidence intervals are central steps in the evaluation. The application of the potential analysis showed that the discharge in particular influences the size of the heat potential, while the water temperature determines whether and how the hydrothermal use is possible. The focus of this work was on the analysis of water temperature. Its significance for hydro-thermal use is multi-layered, and an assessment should be carried out at different levels. Using two specific sites on the Lahn river as a case study, the feasibility study method is demonstrated in this paper. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Sustainable Thermal Energy Technologies and Processes)

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19 pages, 800 KiB  

Open AccessReview

A Comparative Analysis of Standard and Nano-Structured Glass for Enhancing Heat Transfer and Reducing Energy Consumption Using Metal and Oxide Nanoparticles: A Review

by Zuhair Jastaneyah, Haslinda M. Kamar, Abdulrahman Alansari and Hakim Al Garalleh

Sustainability 2023, 15(12), 9221; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15129221 - 07 Jun 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1849

Abstract

The thrust to find new technology and materials has been greatly increasing due to environmental and technological challenges in the progressive world. Among new standard materials and advanced nano-materials that possess a huge potential and superior thermal, mechanical, optical, and magnetic properties, which [...] Read more.

The thrust to find new technology and materials has been greatly increasing due to environmental and technological challenges in the progressive world. Among new standard materials and advanced nano-materials that possess a huge potential and superior thermal, mechanical, optical, and magnetic properties, which have made them excellent and suitable components for mechanical engineering applications. The current review paper deals with recent enhancements and advances in the properties of nano-structured glasses and composites in terms of thermal and mechanical properties. A fabrication method of nano-structured glass has briefly been discussed and the phase change material (PCM) method outlined. The comprehensive review of thermal and optical properties confirms that nano-fabricated glasses show both direct and indirect running of band gaps depending on selective nano-structuring samples. The electrical and magnetic properties also show enhancement in electrical conductivity on nano-structured glasses compared to their standard counterparts. The realistic changes in thermal and mechanical properties of nano-structured glasses and composites are commonly attributed to many micro- and nano-structural distribution features like grain size, shape, pores, other flaws and defects, surface condition, impurity level, stress, duration of temperature effect on the selective samples. Literature reports that nano-structuring materials lead to enhanced phonon boundary scattering which reduces thermal conductivity and energy consumption. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Sustainable Thermal Energy Technologies and Processes)

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19 pages, 6809 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Experimental Research to Increase the Combustion Efficiency in the Top-Lit Updraft Principle Based Gasifier

by Ioan Pavel, Radu Iulian Rădoi, Gabriela Matache, Ana-Maria Carla Popescu and Kati Pavel

Energies 2023, 16(4), 1912; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16041912 - 15 Feb 2023

Viewed by 1857

Abstract

The recovery of vegetal waste for energy purposes is one of the ways to increase the amount of energy obtained from renewable sources. The Top-Lit Updraft (TLUD) gasification and combustion process is recognized as the least polluting of all other combustion processes, resulting [...] Read more.

The recovery of vegetal waste for energy purposes is one of the ways to increase the amount of energy obtained from renewable sources. The Top-Lit Updraft (TLUD) gasification and combustion process is recognized as the least polluting of all other combustion processes, resulting in a sterile charcoal called biochar, which can be used as an amendment in agricultural soils. The purpose of this research was to determine the influence of excess air in the combustion area compared to the (theoretical) calculated requirement for a TLUD energy module. Most scientific publications on this topic recommend primary/secondary air flow rate ratios of 1/3 or 1/4. In this study, the two recommended ratios were tested, and it was found that better energy results correspond to the ratio of 1/3. For this 1/3 ratio, the investigations continued in order to optimize the combustion process. The results achieved demonstrate that the excess combustion air flow of 30% improves the performance of the energy module due to the increase in oxygen supply and the increase in air speed in the combustion area of the syngas resulting from gasification. Increasing the excess combustion air flow rate by +50% had the effect of lowering the temperature in the flame due to the cooling of the combustion gases caused by a too high rate of excess cold air flow. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Sustainable Thermal Energy Technologies and Processes)

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29 pages, 21272 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Techno-Economic Analysis of a Seasonal Thermal Energy Storage System with 3-Dimensional Horizontally Directed Boreholes

by Robert Beaufait, Willy Villasmil, Sebastian Ammann and Ludger Fischer

Thermo 2022, 2(4), 453-481; https://doi.org/10.3390/thermo2040030 - 16 Dec 2022

Viewed by 3141

Abstract

Geothermal energy storage provides opportunities to store renewable energy underground during summer for utilization in winter. Vertically oriented systems have been the standard when employing boreholes as the means to charge and discharge the underground. Horizontally oriented borehole storage systems provide an application [...] Read more.

Geothermal energy storage provides opportunities to store renewable energy underground during summer for utilization in winter. Vertically oriented systems have been the standard when employing boreholes as the means to charge and discharge the underground. Horizontally oriented borehole storage systems provide an application range with specific advantages over vertically oriented systems. They are not limited to the surface requirements needed for installation with vertical systems and have the potential to limit storage losses. Horizontal systems can be incorporated into the built environment and utilize underground storage sites below existing infrastructure. An experimental study examines configurations using a mix of renewable energy (photovoltaic panels) and grid energy to charge a storage system during summer for use during winter. A comparison of five different borehole configurations at three different loading temperatures was composed using an experimentally validated numerical model. The horizontal systems studied and analyzed in this work showed improved performance with scale and charging temperature. This paper supports further exploration into specific use cases for horizontal borehole thermal energy storage systems and suggests applications which would take advantage of better performance at scale. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Sustainable Thermal Energy Technologies and Processes)

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