Exploring neutrino mixing with low energy superbeams

We explore the features of neutrino oscillation which are relevant for measurements of the leptonic CP violating phase δ and the sign of Delta;m13 2 in experiments with low-energy conventional superbeams. Toward the goal, we introduce a new powerful tool called the CP trajectory diagram in bi-probability space which allows us to represent pictorially the three effects, the effects of (a) genuine CP violation due to the sin δ term, (6) CP conserving cos δ term, and (c) fake CP violation due to earth matter, separately in a single diagram. By using the diagram, we observe that there is a two-fold ambiguity in the determination of S which is related with the sign of Delta;m13 2. Possible ways of resolving the ambiguity are discussed. In particular, we point out that an in situ simultaneous measurement of δ and the sign of Delta;m13 2 can be carried out at distances of about 700 km, or at the Phase II of the JHF experiment provided that sin δ ·Delta;m13 2 < 0, both with a megaton class water Cherenkov detector.

Infrared thermography applied to the evaluation of metabolic heat loss of chicks fed with different energy densities

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Design of alternative energy storage systems for hybrid vehicles based on statistical processing of driving cycles information

Hybrid vehicles represent the future for automakers, since they allow to improve the fuel economy and to reduce the pollutant emissions. A key component of the hybrid powertrain is the Energy Storage System, that determines the ability of the vehicle to store and reuse energy. Though electrified Energy Storage Systems (ESS), based on batteries and ultracapacitors, are a proven technology, Alternative Energy Storage Systems (AESS), based on mechanical, hydraulic and pneumatic devices, are gaining interest because they give the possibility of realizing low-cost mild-hybrid vehicles. Currently, most literature of design methodologies focuses on electric ESS, which are not suitable for AESS design. In this contest, The Ohio State University has developed an Alternative Energy Storage System design methodology. This work focuses on the development of driving cycle analysis methodology that is a key component of Alternative Energy Storage System design procedure. The proposed methodology is based on a statistical approach to analyzing driving schedules that represent the vehicle typical use. Driving data are broken up into power events sequence, namely traction and braking events, and for each of them, energy-related and dynamic metrics are calculated. By means of a clustering process and statistical synthesis methods, statistically-relevant metrics are determined. These metrics define cycle representative braking events. By using these events as inputs for the Alternative Energy Storage System design methodology, different system designs are obtained. Each of them is characterized by attributes, namely system volume and weight. In the last part the work, the designs are evaluated in simulation by introducing and calculating a metric related to the energy conversion efficiency. Finally, the designs are compared accounting for attributes and efficiency values. In order to automate the driving data extraction and synthesis process, a specific script Matlab based has been developed. Results show that the driving cycle analysis methodology, based on the statistical approach, allows to extract and synthesize cycle representative data. The designs based on cycle statistically-relevant metrics are properly sized and have satisfying efficiency values with respect to the expectations. An exception is the design based on the cycle worst-case scenario, corresponding to same approach adopted by the conventional electric ESS design methodologies. In this case, a heavy system with poor efficiency is produced. The proposed new methodology seems to be a valid and consistent support for Alternative Energy Storage System design.

Controllable assembly of graphene hybrid materials and their application in energy storage and conversion

Hybrid Elektrodenmaterialien (HEM) sind der Schlüssel zu grundlegenden Fortschritten in der Energiespeicherung und Systemen zur Energieumwandlung, einschließlich Lithium-Ionen-Batterien (LiBs), Superkondensatoren (SCs) und Brennstoffzellen (FCs). Die faszinierenden Eigenschaften von Graphen machen es zu einem guten Ausgangsmaterial für die Darstellung von HEM. Jedoch scheitern traditionelle Verfahren zur Herstellung von Graphen-HEM (GHEM) scheitern häufig an der fehlenden Kontrolle über die Morphologie und deren Einheitlichkeit, was zu unzureichenden Grenzflächenwechselwirkungen und einer mangelhaften Leistung des Materials führt. Diese Arbeit konzentriert sich auf die Herstellung von GHEM über kontrollierte Darstellungsmethoden und befasst sich mit der Nutzung von definierten GHEM für die Energiespeicherung und -umwandlung. Die große Volumenausdehnung bildet den Hauptnachteil der künftigen Lithium-Speicher-Materialien. Als erstes wird ein dreidimensionaler Graphen Schaumhybrid zur Stärkung der Grundstruktur und zur Verbesserung der elektrochemischen Leistung des Fe3O4 Anodenmaterials dargestellt. Der Einsatz von Graphenschalen und Graphennetzen realisiert dabei einen doppelten Schutz gegen die Volumenschwankung des Fe3O4 bei dem elektrochemischen Prozess. Die Leistung der SCs und der FCs hängt von der Porenstruktur und der zugänglichen Oberfläche, beziehungsweise den katalytischen Stellen der Elektrodenmaterialien ab. Wir zeigen, dass die Steuerung der Porosität über Graphen-basierte Kohlenstoffnanoschichten (HPCN) die zugängliche Oberfläche und den Ionentransport/Ladungsspeicher für SCs-Anwendungen erhöht. Desweiteren wurden Stickstoff dotierte Kohlenstoffnanoschichten (NDCN) für die kathodische Sauerstoffreduktion (ORR) hergestellt. Eine maßgeschnittene Mesoporosität verbunden mit Heteroatom Doping (Stickstoff) fördert die Exposition der aktiven Zentren und die ORR-Leistung der metallfreien Katalysatoren. Hochwertiges elektrochemisch exfoliiertes Graphen (EEG) ist ein vielversprechender Kandidat für die Darstellung von GHEM. Allerdings ist die kontrollierte Darstellung von EEG-Hybriden weiterhin eine große Herausforderung. Zu guter Letzt wird eine Bottom-up-Strategie für die Darstellung von EEG Schichten mit einer Reihe von funktionellen Nanopartikeln (Si, Fe3O4 und Pt NPs) vorgestellt. Diese Arbeit zeigt einen vielversprechenden Weg für die wirtschaftliche Synthese von EEG und EEG-basierten Materialien.

Device-less patent foramen ovale closure by radiofrequency thermal energy

The goal of this study was to assess the feasibility, safety and success of a system which uses radiofrequency energy (RFE) rather than a device for percutaneous closure of patent foramen ovale (PFO). METHODS: Sixteen patients (10 men, 6 women, mean age 50 years) were included in the study. All of them had a proven PFO with documented right-to-left shunt (RLS) after Valsalva manoeuvre (VM) during transoesophageal echocardiography (TEE). The patients had an average PFO diameter of 6 +/- 2 mm at TEE and an average of 23 +/- 4 microembolic signals (MES) in power M-mode transcranial Doppler sonography (pm-TCD), measured over the middle cerebral artery. An atrial septal aneurysm (ASA) was present in 7 patients (44%). Balloon measurement, performed in all patients, revealed a stretched PFO diameter of 8 +/- 3 mm. In 2 patients (stretched diameter 11 and 14 mm respectively, both with ASA >10 mm), radiofrequency was not applied (PFO too large) and the PFO was closed with an Amplatzer PFO occluder instead. A 6-month follow-up TEE was performed in all patients. RESULTS: There were no serious adverse events during the procedure or at follow-up (12 months average). TEE 6 months after the first RFE procedure showed complete closure of the PFO in 50% of the patients (7/14). Closure appeared to be influenced by PFO diameter, complete closure being achieved in 89% (7/8) with a balloon-stretched diameter < or =7 mm but in none of the patients >7 mm. Only one of the complete closure patients had an ASA. Of the remainder, 4 (29%) had an ASA. Although the PFO was not completely closed in this group, some reduction in the diameter of the PFO and in MES was documented by TEE and pm-TCD with VM. Five of the 7 residual shunt patients received an Amplatzer PFO occluder. Except for one patient with a minimal residual shunt, all showed complete closure of PFO at 6-month follow-up TEE and pm-TCD with VM. The other two refused a closure device. CONCLUSIONS: The results confirm that radiofrequency closure of the PFO is safe albeit less efficacious and more complex than device closure. The technique in its current state should not be attempted in patients with a balloon-stretched PFO diameter >7 mm and an ASA.

Heterogeneous Collaborative Sensor Network for Electrical Management of an Automated House with PV Energy

In this paper we present a heterogeneous collaborative sensor network for electrical management in the residential sector. Improving demand-side management is very important in distributed energy generation applications. Sensing and control are the foundations of the “Smart Grid” which is the future of large-scale energy management. The system presented in this paper has been developed on a self-sufficient solar house called “MagicBox” equipped with grid connection, PV generation, lead-acid batteries, controllable appliances and smart metering. Therefore, there is a large number of energy variables to be monitored that allow us to precisely manage the energy performance of the house by means of collaborative sensors. The experimental results, performed on a real house, demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed collaborative system to reduce the consumption of electrical power and to increase energy efficiency.

Neural network controller for active demand side management with PV energy in the residential sector

In this paper, we describe the development of a control system for Demand-Side Management in the residential sector with Distributed Generation. The electrical system under study incorporates local PV energy generation, an electricity storage system, connection to the grid and a home automation system. The distributed control system is composed of two modules: a scheduler and a coordinator, both implemented with neural networks. The control system enhances the local energy performance, scheduling the tasks demanded by the user and maximizing the use of local generation.

Hybridizing concentrated solar power (CSP) with biogas and biomethane as an alternative to natural gas: Analysis of environmental performance using LCA

Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) plants typically incorporate one or various auxiliary boilers operating in parallel to the solar field to facilitate start up operations, provide system stability, avoid freezing of heat transfer fluid (HTF) and increase generation capacity. The environmental performance of these plants is highly influenced by the energy input and the type of auxiliary fuel, which in most cases is natural gas (NG). Replacing the NG with biogas or biomethane (BM) in commercial CSP installations is being considered as a means to produce electricity that is fully renewable and free from fossil inputs. Despite their renewable nature, the use of these biofuels also generates environmental impacts that need to be adequately identified and quantified. This paper investigates the environmental performance of a commercial wet-cooled parabolic trough 50 MWe CSP plant in Spain operating according to two strategies: solar-only, with minimum technically viable energy non-solar contribution; and hybrid operation, where 12 % of the electricity derives from auxiliary fuels (as permitted by Spanish legislation). The analysis was based on standard Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology (ISO 14040-14040). The technical viability and the environmental profile of operating the CSP plant with different auxiliary fuels was evaluated, including: NG; biogas from an adjacent plant; and BM withdrawn from the gas network. The effect of using different substrates (biowaste, sewage sludge, grass and a mix of biowaste with animal manure) for the production of the biofuels was also investigated. The results showed that NG is responsible for most of the environmental damage associated with the operation of the plant in hybrid mode. Replacing NG with biogas resulted in a significant improvement of the environmental performance of the installation, primarily due to reduced impact in the following categories: natural land transformation, depletion of fossil resources, and climate change. However, despite the renewable nature of the biofuels, other environmental categories like human toxicity, eutrophication, acidification and marine ecotoxicity scored higher when using biogas and BM.

Pre-investigation of water electrolysis for flexible energy storage at large scales: the case of the Spanish power system

This report analyzes the basis of hydrogen and power integration strategies, by using water electrolysis processes as a means of flexible energy storage at large scales. It is a prospective study, where the scope is to describe the characteristics of current power systems (like the generation technologies, load curves and grid constraints), and define future scenarios of hydrogen for balancing the electrical grids, considering the efficiency, economy and easiness of operations. We focus in the "Spanish case", which is a good example for planning the transition from a power system holding large reserve capacities, high penetration of renewable energies and limited interconnections, to a more sustainable energy system being capable to optimize the volumes, the regulation modes, the utilization ratios and the impacts of the installations. Thus, we explore a novel aspect of the "hydrogen economy" which is based in the potentials of existing power systems and the properties of hydrogen as energy carrier, by considering the electricity generation and demand globally and determining the optimal size and operation of the hydrogen production processes along the country; e.g. the cost production of hydrogen becomes viable for a base-load scenario with 58 TWh/year of power surplus at 0.025 V/kWh, and large number electrolyzer plants (50 MW) running in variable mode (1-12 kA/m2)

Renewable Energies and Community Associations: Providing Homeowners with Renewable Energy Options

As energy costs increase in Colorado more homeowners will need renewable energies to provide electricity, heating and cooling for their homes. Renewable energy technology and energy efficient measures have been available for decades but Homeowner Associations (HOA) has not permitted this technology into communities primarily because of aesthetics. In April 2008, House Bill 1270 was signed into law that gives homeowners the right to make their homes more energy efficient and install renewable energy generation devices. The purpose of this capstone is to enable HOAs with information on available technology and design guideline options that can be integrated into communities and thus encourage, instead of hinder, the use of renewable energy and energy efficient measures.

Proceedings of the Fifth Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion Conference, February 20-22, 1978, Miami Beach, Florida /

Mode of access: Internet.

Modeling & Analysis of Small Hydroelectric Generation and Battery Energy Storage Connected as a Microgrid

Thesis (Master's)--University of Washington, 2016-06

Control of second-life hybrid battery energy storage system based on modular boost-multilevel buck converter

To fully utilize second-life batteries on the grid system, a hybrid battery scheme needs to be considered for several reasons: the uncertainty over using a single source supply chain for second-life batteries, the differences in evolving battery chemistry and battery configuration by different suppliers to strive for greater power levels, and the uncertainty of degradation within a second-life battery. Therefore, these hybrid battery systems could have widely different module voltage, capacity, and initial state of charge and state of health. In order to suitably integrate and control these widely different batteries, a suitable multimodular converter topology and an associated control structure are required. This paper addresses these issues proposing a modular boost-multilevel buck converter based topology to integrate these hybrid second-life batteries to a grid-tie inverter. Thereafter, a suitable module-based distributed control architecture is introduced to independently utilize each converter module according to its characteristics. The proposed converter and control architecture are found to be flexible enough to integrate widely different batteries to an inverter dc link. Modeling, analysis, and experimental validation are performed on a single-phase modular hybrid battery energy storage system prototype to understand the operation of the control strategy with different hybrid battery configurations.

Second life battery energy storage systems:converter topology and redundancy selection

Battery energy storage systems have traditionally been manufactured using new batteries with a good reliability. The high cost of such a system has led to investigations of using second life transportation batteries to provide an alternative energy storage capability. However, the reliability and performance of these batteries is unclear and multi-modular power electronics with redundancy have been suggested as a means of helping with this issue. This paper reviews work already undertaken on battery failure rate to suggest suitable figures for use in reliability calculations. The paper then uses reliability analysis and a numerical example to investigate six different multi-modular topologies and suggests how the number of series battery strings and power electronic module redundancy should be determined for the lowest hardware cost using a numerical example. The results reveal that the cascaded dc-side modular with single inverter is the lowest cost solution for a range of battery failure rates.

Sizing energy storage on the 11kV distribution network

The cost and limited flexibility of traditional approaches to 11kV network reinforcement threatens to constrain the uptake of low carbon technologies. Ofgem has released £500m of funding for DNOs to trial innovative techniques and share the learning with the rest of the industry. One of the techniques under study is the addition of Energy Storage at key substations to the network to help with peak load lopping. This paper looks in detail at the sizing algorithm for use in the assessment of alternatives to traditional reinforcement and investigates a method of sizing a battery for use on a Network taking into account load growth, capacity fade and battery lifecycle issues. A further complication to the analysis is the method of operation of the battery system and how this affects the Depth of Discharge (DoD). The proposed method is being trialled on an area of 11kV network in Milton Keynes Central area and the simulation results are presented in this paper.