Autonomous power supply using solar energy in Russian Far East regions

The most useful application of PV solar power in Russia are autonomous power systems in regions with high costs of organic fuels (due to transportation problems). Effective application of PV power needs comprehensive data analysis for solar energy resources, electric and heat load graphs and fuel costs. This paper is devoted to climate and power load data analysis for Russian Far East regions (in connection with PV application) and PV-based power plant mathematical modeling for several locations

Autonomous power supply using solar energy in Russian Far East regions

The most useful application of PV solar power in Russia are autonomous power systems in regions with high costs of organic fuels (due to transportation problems). Effective application of PV power needs comprehensive data analysis for solar energy resources, electric and heat load graphs and fuel costs. This paper is devoted to climate and power load data analysis for Russian Far East regions (in connection with PV application) and PV-based power plant mathematical modeling for several locations

Cold engine cranking by means of modern energy storage devices - physical simulation

Diesel or gasoline engine cold cranking is a serious problem for different vehicle operation in northern countries. The engine starting torque is usually provided by an on-board electrochemical battery represented by a lead-acid unit. Modern energy storage devices, such as supercapacitors (SCs), lithium-ion, nickel-cadmium (NiCd) and nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) batteries react differently on low temperatures. Moreover, capacity losses also occur. Considering wide applications of such storage devices in electrical vehicles, their behaviour at low temperatures is of interest. Physical simulation of storage battery cold cranking was carried out using a climate chamber. Lithium-ion, NiCd, NiMH and lead-acid batteries were tested individually and paired with a SC unit to generate a power impulse for engine cranking. A number of experiments (up to five) for each type of storage devices were taken. The best performance results both for direct and hybrid cranking simulation were showed by LiFePO4-based and Ni-Cd batteries. The SC module itself showed the best performance, but its specific energy capacity cost is too high to have a large battery system based on SCs only. In this case a combined storage could give enough power to fulfill cranking demands

Cold engine cranking by means of modern energy storage devices - physical simulation

Diesel or gasoline engine cold cranking is a serious problem for different vehicle operation in northern countries. The engine starting torque is usually provided by an on-board electrochemical battery represented by a lead-acid unit. Modern energy storage devices, such as supercapacitors (SCs), lithium-ion, nickel-cadmium (NiCd) and nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) batteries react differently on low temperatures. Moreover, capacity losses also occur. Considering wide applications of such storage devices in electrical vehicles, their behaviour at low temperatures is of interest. Physical simulation of storage battery cold cranking was carried out using a climate chamber. Lithium-ion, NiCd, NiMH and lead-acid batteries were tested individually and paired with a SC unit to generate a power impulse for engine cranking. A number of experiments (up to five) for each type of storage devices were taken. The best performance results both for direct and hybrid cranking simulation were showed by LiFePO4-based and Ni-Cd batteries. The SC module itself showed the best performance, but its specific energy capacity cost is too high to have a large battery system based on SCs only. In this case a combined storage could give enough power to fulfill cranking demands

Enhanced Hydrogen Generation from Magnesium–Aluminum Scrap Ball Milled with Low Melting Point Solder Alloy

In this investigation, composite materials were manufactured of mixed scrap of Mg-based alloys and low melting point Sn–Pb eutectic by high energy ball milling, and their hydrogen generation performance was tested in NaCl solution. The effects of the ball milling duration and additive content on their microstructure and reactivity were investigated. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis indicated notable structural transformations of the particles during ball milling, and X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) proved the formation of new intermetallic phases Mg2Sn and Mg2Pb, which were aimed to augment galvanic corrosion of the base metal. The dependency of the material’s reactivity on the activation time and additive content occurred to be non-monotonic. For all tested samples ball milling during the 1 h provided, the highest hydrogen generation rates and yields as compared to 0.5 and 2 h and compositions with 5 wt.% of the Sn–Pb alloy, demonstrated higher reactivity than those with 0, 2.5, and 10 wt.%