4E assessment of power generation systems for a mobile house in emergency condition using solar energy: a case study

In this study, a solar parabolic trough concentrator (PTC) was evaluated as a heat source of a power generation system based on energy (E1), exergy (E2), environmental (E3), and economic (E4) analyses. Various configurations of power generation systems were investigated, including the solar SRC (SRC) and solar ORC (ORC). Water and R113 were used as heat transfer fluids of SRC and ORC system, respectively. It should be mentioned that the proposed solar systems were evaluated for providing the required power of a mobile house in an emergency condition such as an earthquake that was happened in Kermanshah, Iran, in 2016 with many homeless people. The PTC system was optically and thermally investigated based on sensitivity analysis. The optimized PTC system was assumed as a heat source of the RC with two various configurations for power generation. Then, the solar RC systems were investigated based on 4E analyses for providing the power of the mobile house based on various numbers of solar RC units. It was concluded that the solar SRC system could be recommended for achieving the highest 4E performance. The highest value of its energy efficiency was found at 24.60% and of his exergy at 26.37%. On the other hand, the ORC system has energy and exergy efficiencies at 17.64% and 18.91%, respectively, which are significantly lower than the efficiencies of the SRC system. The optimum heat source temperature for the SRC system is found at 650 K, while for the ORC system at 499 K. Moreover, the best economic performance was found with the SRC system with a payback period of 7.47 years. Finally, the CO2 mitigated per annum (φCO2) was estimated at 5.29 (tones year−1), and the carbon credit (ZCO2) was calculated equal to 76.71 ($ year−1)

Evaluation of the Specific Fuel Costs for Combination of Diesel Fuel- Biodiesel -Bioethanol in a Diesel Engine

Introduction The researchers have been currently focused on replacing fossil fuels by biofuels to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.  Biofuels provide low greenhouse emissions with the reduction of oil import. The biofuels can play an important role economically becomes more clear when their relatively developed agricultural sector is taken into account. Bioethanol, biodiesel and to a lesser extent pure vegetable oils are recently considered as most promising biofuels. Since 19 century, ethanol has been used as a fuel for the diesel engines. The cost of bio-diesel for IC engine is slightly greater than that of diesel oil. The specific fuel consumption, a function of the engine speed, is higher in bio-diesel than in diesel oil. The results previously of Bench-test indicated that the average value of SFC for bio-diesel was 17% greater than that of diesel oil. As for the properties of biodiesel, the lower heating value, higher density and higher viscosity play a primary role in engine fuel consumption for biodiesel. Most of the authors, who agreed that fuel consumption increased for biodiesel compared to diesel, contributed to the loss in the heating value of biodiesel. Of course, some authors only explained the increased fuel consumption as the result of the higher density of biodiesel, which causes a higher mass injection for the same volume at the same injection pressure. Materials and Methods The equipment and instruments used in the present research were a diesel engine (OM 314), a dynamometer, a dynamometer control panel and a fuel tank. A four-cylinder direct injection diesel engine, model OM 314, made by Idem Company, Tabriz, Iran, was used to conduct the experiments. The fuel used in the present research was from waste oil. Ethanol was also used to feed the engine. The blends of diesel–ethanol–biodiesel were prepared on a volumetric basis. The experiments were conducted based on the response surface methodology and using Central Composite Rotatable Designs (CCRD). The response surface methodology, as one of the best methods to optimize processes and determine the effect of different variables on the responses, has special popularity among researchers. Applied research design in this study was CCRD that has the most application among other designs of the method. Independent variables were different ratios of ethanol, biodiesel, and diesel, engine load, and engine rotational speed and responses were included engine brake specific fuel consumption. Results and Discussion The P-values for both total and prediction models of specific fuel costs were less than 0.01. This result showed that the models statistically have high abilities to predict the impacts of independent variables on specific fuel costs at 1% probability level. The linear, quadratic and interaction of the overall model had a P-value less than 0.05 that indicated their statistical validity. The specific fuel costs decreased for all blends by increasing the engine load. The reduction of specific fuel costs was more aggressively observed in low loads. With increasing engine rotational speed, the specific fuel costs were increased at low loads and at middle and high loads it was decreased and then increased. The increasing of volume ratio of biodiesel in the blended fuels, specific fuel costs were increased. By increasing the volumetric ratio of ethanol and biodiesel, specific fuel costs were increased due to lower calorific value and the direct relationship of this variable with brake power compared to that of diesel fuel in all test conditions and all fuel blends. By increasing of biodiesel ratio in the blended fuels, the specific fuel costs were increased at the low percentage of ethanol ratio. But by the increase of ethanol ratio the specific fuel consumption firstly was increased and then slightly decreased at high levels of biodiesel. Conclusions The minimum of the specific fuel costs (580 R kW-1h-1) occurred at full load and engine rotational speed of 2139 rpm for pure diesel (B0E0D100). Also, the maximum of specific fuel consumption was obtained by 9951 R kW-1h-1 at 20% engine load and rotational speed of 2800 rpm and for a fuel blend containing 0.8 l biodiesel, 0.4 l ethanol and 1l diesel (B45.2E36.6D18.2)

Analysis of the Exergy of Combustion the Diesel and Biodiesel Fuel in a DI Diesel Engine

Introduction In recent years, the exergy analysis method has been widely used in the design, simulation and performance assessment of various thermal systems. In this regard, this method may be applied to various types of engines for identifying losses and efficiencies. This analysis is based on the second law of thermodynamic. Exergy is a potential or quality of energy. It is possible to make sustainable quality assessment of energy.  In this study, the second law of thermodynamics is employed to analyze the quantity and quality of exergy in a fourstroke, four-cylinder, diesel engine using diesel fuel and biodiesel fuel. Materials and Methods Four experiment variables in the present study including the operating parameters, load and speed, and the added volume of biodiesel of diesel fuel were considered as effective factors on the Break  exergy efficiency. Designs that can fit model must have at least three different levels in each variable. This is satisfied by Central Composite Rotatable Designs (CCRD). Similar to the case of the energy analysis, the same assumptions were valid for exergy analysis; the whole engine was considered to be a steady-state open system. For exergy analyses, the entire engine was considered to be a control volume and a steady-state open system. Fuel and air enter, and mechanical work, heat loss and exhaust gases leave the control volume at a constant rate. The exergy balance for the control volume can be stated as.                                                                where  is the exergy transfer rate associated with the heat loss from the control volume to the environment, assumed to be through cooling water;  is the exergy work rate, which is equal to the energetic work rate;  is the mass flow rate;  is specific flow exergy; and  is the exergy destruction (irreversibility) rate.   Results and Discussion exergy efficiency increased with increasing engine load. This relationship could be attributed to the reason that brake power increased with increasing engine load, and the other side, there was a positive direct relationship between brake power and exergy efficiency, resulting in an increase of exergy efficiency. Although fuel consumption increased along with increasing engine load, increase in the brake power was much greater than increase in the fuel consumption. On the other hand, an increase in the engine load enhanced combustor temperature which was provided an appropriate condition for combustion and caused an increase in cylinder pressure. At all engine operating conditions, with increasing engine speed, the thermal efficiency at first increased, at moderate speed reached to a maximum amount and finally with more increase in engine speed, the thermal efficiency decreased. The initial increase in thermal efficiency could be attributed to the increase in air to fuel ratio and engine torque which caused an increase in the brake power. Decreasing thermal efficiency in high levels of engine speed could be caused by a decrease in volumetric efficiency of the combustion chamber, because of the time limit on filling cylinder. With increasing biodiesel concentration in the fuel blend, exergy efficiency decreased. The reason could be due to the lower calorific value and the higher viscosity of biodiesel compared to diesel fuel. Conclusions At all engine operating conditions, the exergy efficiency of the engine increased with increasing engine load also with increasing percentages of biodiesel into synthetic fuel, exergy efficiency increased. 43.09% of the fuel exergy was completely destructed and was not convertible to work. The results of optimization indicated that the most exergy efficiency (37.72%) was occurred for the pure diesel at 2036 rpm and 95% load

Optimization Performance Indices of Diesterol Fuel in Diesel Engine by Response Surface Methodology

Introduction Diesterol is a new specific term which denotes a mixture of fossil diesel fuel (D), vegetable oil methyl ester called biodiesel (B) and plant derived ethanol (E). Recently, much attention has been paid to the development of alternative fuels in order to meet the emission standards and to reduce the dependency on fossil fuel. Biodiesel and ethanol have been considered as major alternative fuels, as they are derived from renewable sources. These fuels are well oxygenated and therefore have a great potential to reduce emissions. Biodiesel is an oxygenated diesel fuel made from vegetable and animal fats by conversion of the triglyceride fats into esters via transesterification. Materials and Methods The engine test bed consisted of a diesel engine, a dynamometer, a gas analyzer and a fuel tank. The control bench also consisted of control units, data logger and a PC. Engine was loaded by a ferromagnetism dynamometer of 400 kW capacity and load was measured with spring balance. The experiments were designed using a statistical tool known as Design of Experiments (DoE) based on central composite rotatable design (CCRD) of response surface methodology (RSM) and the optimum points were found using RSM. Four experimental variables in the present study including the operating parameters, load and speed and the added volume of biodiesel and ethanol in one liter of diesel fuel were considered to be effective factors on the brake power and torque. Designs that can fit as a model must have at least three different levels in each variable. This is satisfied by central composite rotatable designs (CCRD), which have five levels per variable. The most successful and best among the designs is the central composite design which is accomplished by adding two experimental points along each coordinate axis at opposite sides of the origin and at a distance equal to the semi diagonal of the hyper cube of the factorial design and new extreme values (low and high) for each factor added in this design. In the present work, the response surface methodology based on desirability approach is used for the optimization of experiment parameters (load, speed, biodiesel and ethanol volume) for the measured properties of response (brake power and torque). The optimization analysis was carried out using SAS 9.2 software, where each response is transformed into a dimensionless desirability value (d) and it ranges between d = 0, which suggests that the response is completely unacceptable, and d = 1, which suggests that the response is more desirable. Results and Discussion The resultant quadratic models of the response surface methodology were helpful to predict the response parameters including the performance characteristics of engine and further to identify the significant interactions between the input factors on the responses. By increasing the amount of biodiesel, the brake power is reduced compared to diesel fuel. This is due to two factors: the first is concerned with the percentage of biodiesel in the fuel mix because of the low calorific value of biodiesel compared to diesel fuel, calorific value fuel mixture is reduced. On the other hand, due to the high viscosity of biodiesel than diesel fuel combined with an increase in these enhanced features and fuel atomization when spraying will be difficult. It is generally desirable outcome of these two factors have prevented the ignition and brake power somewhat reduced. Increasing the volume percent biodiesel fuel mixture to the engine braking torque is reduced diesel fuel engines in all working conditions. The reason for this decline is the low calorific value of biodiesel compared to diesel fuel. Also, by increasing the concentration of ethanol in the fuel mix engine braking torque is reduced. The reason for this decline in addition to the low calorific value of ethanol compared to diesel fuel may be related to cetane number and low latent heat of vaporization of ethanol. Conclusions The results depicted that low percentages of biodiesel and bioethanol into synthetic fuel also somewhat have same power and torque but increasing biodiesel and ethanol contents into synthetic fuel reduced power and torque. The maximum brake power (79 kW) occurred for the pure diesel fuel (equivalent to D100B0E0) at 2800 rpm and full load (100%) and the most brake power (325 N.m) occurred for the pure diesel fuel (equivalent to D100B0E0) at 1630 rpm and full load (100%)