Lift Energy Storage Technology: A solution for decentralized urban energy storage

The world is undergoing a rapid energy transformation dominated by growing capacities of renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar power. The intrinsic variable nature of such renewable energy sources calls for affordable energy storage solutions. This paper proposes using lifts and empty apartments in tall buildings to store energy. Lift Energy Storage Technology (LEST) is a gravitational-based storage solution. Energy is stored by lifting wet sand containers or other high-density materials, transported remotely in and out of the lift with autonomous trailer devices. The system requires empty spaces on the top and bottom of the building. An existing lift can be used to transport the containers from the lower apartments to the upper apartments to store energy and from the upper apartments to the lower apartments to generate electricity. The installed storage capacity cost is estimated at 21 to 128 USD/kWh, depending on the height of the building. LEST is particularly interesting for providing decentralized ancillary and energy storage services with daily to weekly energy storage cycles. The global potential for the technology is focused on large cities with high-rise buildings and is estimated to be around 30 to 300 GWh

Hydrogen storage with gravel and pipes in lakes and reservoirs

Climate change is projected to have substantial economic, social, and environmental impacts worldwide. Currently, the leading solutions for hydrogen storage are in salt caverns, and depleted natural gas reservoirs. However, the required geological formations are limited to certain regions. To increase alternatives for hydrogen storage, this paper proposes storing hydrogen in pipes filled with gravel in lakes, hydropower, and pumped hydro storage reservoirs. Hydrogen is insoluble in water, non-toxic, and does not threaten aquatic life. Results show the levelized cost of hydrogen storage to be 0.17 USD kg−1 at 200 m depth, which is competitive with other large scale hydrogen storage options. Storing hydrogen in lakes, hydropower, and pumped hydro storage reservoirs increases the alternatives for storing hydrogen and might support the development of a hydrogen economy in the future. The global potential for hydrogen storage in reservoirs and lakes is 3 and 12 PWh, respectively. Hydrogen storage in lakes and reservoirs can support the development of a hydrogen economy in the future by providing abundant and cheap hydrogen storage

Analiza elementarna osadów pochodzących z miejskiej kanalizacji deszczowej w zależności od frakcji granulometrycznych

This is an investigation of the physical and chemical properties of sediments from the urban storm water drainage to determine the relationship between its quality and particle size. The catchment area of 85 ha is located in the center of the city with the main thoroughfares. The study included: granulometric analysis, content of mineral and organic substances, elemental composition and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) analysis. The results showed presence of eleven particular fractions, content of mineral substances on the level 80.46%. and organic substances on the level 19.54%. Article presents also the results of studies of elemental composition and SEM analysis in the sediments depending on the factions to confirm significant part of minerals

Identification of rotational properties of a non-pneumatic tyre of a mobile robot

W artykule przedstawiono wyniki identyfikacji parametrów skrętnych ogumienia stosowanego w lekkich robotach kołowych: sztywności skrętnej oraz tłumienia skrętnego, gdy skręcanie zachodzi względem osi obrotu koła. Badaniu poddano dwa rodzaje małych opon niepneumatycznych. Otrzymane wartości parametrów porównano z poddanymi skalowaniu wartościami dla typowej opony samochodowej i wyciągnięto wniosek, że proste skalowanie nie będzie dawało zadowalających rezultatów. Praca jest kolejnym krokiem na drodze do opracowania modelu ogumienia robota mobilnego.The paper presents results of identification of rotational stiffness and damping of small-size tyres of a wheeled mobile robot. The investigation was conducted for two types of non-pneumatic tyres. The values of parameters obtained for the robot tyres were compared to the scaled values for a typical passenger car tyre, which led to the conclusion that simple scaling does not yield accurate results in this case. The work is a step forward on the way to devise the tyre model tailored for the needs of a wheeled mobile robot

Stabilność procesów w przemyśle wydobywczym

The purpose of this paper is to present the essence of building and monitoring the stability of processes in the mining industry. The foundation for building stable processes is to present the multi-layer character of their structure, build a model, and perform appropriate parameterisation. The analysis of activities was carried out for a single selected mining process - loading and haulage of copper ore output. A model was built for this process with the use of BPMN (Business Process Modeling Notation), which was then subjected to initial parameterisation. An algorithm of the control, which will ensure maintaining the stability, has been proposed for the analysed process.Celem niniejszego artykułu jest przedstawienie istoty budowania stabilności procesów w przemyśle górniczym oraz jej monitorowania. Podstawą budowy procesów stabilnych jest przedstawienie wielowarstwowości ich struktury, zbudowanie modelu oraz odpowiednia parametryzacja. Analiza działań została przeprowadzona dla jednego, wybranego procesu wydobywczego - ładowania i odstawy urobku rudy miedzi. Dla tego procesu został zbudowany model z wykorzystaniem notacji BPMN (Business Process Modeling Notation), który następnie poddano wstępnej parametryzacji. Dla analizowanego procesu zaproponowano algorytm sterowania, którego wykonanie zapewni utrzymanie stabilności

Evolutionary stability of the Polish energy market - PKE vs. BOT

Artykuł jest próbą odpowiedzi na pytanie o stabilność polskiego sektora energetycznego. Do badania stabilności sektora autorzy wykorzystali model Johna Maynarda Smitha i Georga R. Pricea z 1973 r. Pierwotnie model ten, oparty na teorii gier, wykorzystywany był w biologii ewolucyjnej - służył do badania ewolucji (stabilności) populacji gatunków biologicznych. Adaptacja modelu do nauk zarządzania pozwala w nowatorski sposób spojrzeć na problem równowagi rynkowej. Dostosowując model do realiów ekonomicznych autorzy dokonali próby oceny kierunku ewolucji bieżących oraz przyszłych - po planowanej na koniec 2006 roku konsolidacji - struktur organizacyjnych czołowych graczy polskiego sektora producentów energii elektrycznej: Południowego Koncernu energetycznego S.A. oraz BOT Górnictwo i Energetyka S.A. Przy pomocy narzędzia, jakie daje teoria gier, model odpowiada na pytanie, w jaki sposób uczestnicy rynku podejmując decyzje, mogą wpływać na poziom stabilności i konkurencyjność rynku energii elektrycznej w Polsce. Autorzy uważają, że podobna analiza może posłużyć do badania dowolnych, konkurencyjnych podmiotów gospodarczych.An attempt has been made in this article at answering the question of stability of the Polish power industry sector. To analyze the stability of the sector, the authors apply the model developed by John Maynard Smith and George R. Price in 1973. Originally, the model, based on the Theory of Games, was applied in the evolutionary biology to study evolution (stability) of the populations of biological species. Adopting this model to the management science enables an innovative approach to the problem of market equilibrium. Having adjusted the model to the economic realities, the authors attempted at evaluating the orientation of the current and future (after the consolidation due at the end of 2006) organizational structures of the lead companies in the Polish sector of electric energy providers: Polski Koncern Energetyczny S.A. (the Southern-Poland power concern, a joint-stock company), abbreviated into PKE, and BOT Górnictwo i Energetyka S.A. (BOT mining and power industry, a joint stock company). Using the instrument provided for by the Theory of Games, the model answers the question of how the participants in the market can through their decisions influence the stability and competitiveness of the market of electrical power in Poland. The authors believe that a similar analysis can be applied to study any other competitive economic entities

Adsorption of 2,4,6-Trichlorophenol onto Activated Carbon from Water-methanol Solutions

W pracy zbadano adsorpcję 2,4,6-trichlorofenolu na węglu aktywnym Norit R3-ex z wody, metanolu oraz roztworów woda/metanol o różnym składzie procentowym. Rozpatrywano zarówno kinetykę procesu, jak i adsorpcję w stanie równowagi. Badania kinetyczne pokazały, że 2,4,6-trichlorofenol adsorbował się szybciej z metanolu niż z wody, równowaga ustalała się odpowiednio po 3 i 5 godzinach. Kinetyka przebiegała zgodnie z modelem pseudo II rzędu, o czym świadczą wyższe wartości współczynników korelacji (> 0,99). Zbadano również adsorpcję w stanie równowagi z wody, metanolu oraz roztworów wodno- -metanolowych, zawierających 25, 50 i 75% rozpuszczalnika organicznego. Izotermy adsorpcji były dobrze opisane równaniem Freundlicha. Wartości stałych Freundlicha KF zmniejszały się wraz ze wzrostem zawartości metanolu w roztworze (od 1,533 dla wody do 0,288 dla czystego metanolu). Pokazuje to, że metanol wpływa negatywnie na adsorpcję 2,4,6-trichlorofenolu na węglu aktywnym. Zwiększenie zawartości rozpuszczalnika organicznego w roztworze powoduje pogorszenie adsorpcji.Adsorption of chlorophenols on activated carbon is one of the most popular methods for their removal from water. The adsorption process is affected by the adsorbate and adsorbent properties, temperature, and solution properties (e.g. ionic strength, pH). The influence of these parameters on the adsorption of chlorophenols on activated carbon is well documented, but to our knowledge there is no information on the effect of organic solvents. The purpose of this study was to examine the adsorption of the 2,4,6-trichlorophenol on activated carbon Norit R3-ex from water, methanol, and from water/methanol mixtures of different composition (25/75, 50/50 and 75/25%). Both, the kinetics and adsorption equilibria were investigated. The adsorbate concentrations in the solutions were measured by high- -performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection. The kinetic studies were conducted for initial concentration of chlorophenol 0.25 mmol/dm3 from water and methanol. It was observed that 2,4,6-trichlorophenol was adsorbed more rapidly from the methanol than from the water, but nevertheless effective adsorption was much worse (41 vs. 93%). Adsorption equilibrium was achieved after 5 hours for water and after about 3 hours for methanol, respectively. In order to investigate the kinetics of adsorption the constant of adsorption were determined in terms of the pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order equations. The results showed that the pseudo-first-order model gives poor fitting with low R2 values, whereas the pseudo-second order model fits the experimental data quite well with correlation coefficients better than 0.99. Adsorption equilibrium data were also analyzed and were fitted well using Freundlich isotherm in the studied concentration range (from 0.05 to 0.5 mmol/dm3). The values of KF determined from the Freundlich plots decreased with increasing amount of methanol in a solution (from 1.533 for water to 0.288 for pure methanol). This suggests that methanol has a negative effect on the adsorption on activated carbon. Increasing of the methanol concentration in the solution results in deterioration of the 2,4,6-trichlorophenol adsorption