Voltage asymmetry influence on resource consumption at power generating plants

The objective of this paper is to provide new research on the linkages between voltage asymmetry, energy efficiency and resource efficiency to inform policymaking in this area about possibilities of electricity saving potential. Asymmetry voltage coefficients value in Ukrainian grid were experimentally identified based on assessments of 23 Ukrainian companies during 2016-2018. It was estimated, that 26 % of transformers have asymmetry voltage coefficient of reverse sequence lower than 2 % and 12 % of transformers have asymmetry voltage coefficient of zero sequence lower than 2 %. The estimated resource saving potential for Ukrainian power generating plants is up to 1’978 GWhel/a, which is up to 1.5 % of total electricity produced. Equivalent reducing electricity generation at coal power plants could prevent emissions up to 292.79 t/a of ash emissions; 733 kt/a of CO2 emissions; 5.9 kt/a of SOx emissions; 2.9 kt/a of NOx emissions; 9.03 m3/a of nuclear waste

Іmplementation of co-processing of waste in cement kilns for Ukraine. Waste management issues

У посібнику розглядаються теоретичні та практичні положення щодо оцінки та здійснення спільної переробки відходів у цементних печах. Надано конкретні розрахунки впливу на довкілля спільної переробки відходів. Звертається увага на законодавство, найкращі доступні технології, питання фінансової та енергоефективної діяльності.The manual discusses the theoretical and practical provisions for the assessment and implementation of co-processing of waste in cement kilns. Specific calculations of the environmental effect of the co-processing of waste are provided. Attention is paid to the legislative, best available technologies, financial and energy efficiency issues. The material is intended for students of higher educational institutions, graduate students and engineers engaged in the development, design and audit of electromechanical systems of energy-intensive industries, specializing in 141 Electricity, electrical engineering and electromechanics, 144 Heat power engineering, 101 Ecology and others.В руководстве обсуждаются теоретические и практические положения по оценке и реализации совместной переработки отходов в цементных печах. Приведены конкретные расчеты воздействия совместной переработки отходов на окружающую среду. Внимание уделяется законодательным вопросам, вопросам наилучших доступных технологий, финансов и энергоэффективности. Материал предназначен для студентов высших учебных заведений, аспирантов и инженеров, занимающихся разработкой, проектированием и аудитом электромеханических систем энергоемких производств по специальностям 141 Электроэнергетика, электротехника и электромеханика, 144 Теплоэнергетика, 101 Экология и другие

Poseidon—Decision Support Tool for Water Reuse

In an era when many water systems worldwide are experiencing water stress regarding water quantity and quality, water reuse has received growing attention as one of the most promising integrated mitigating solutions. Nevertheless, the plethora of technologies and their combinations available, as well as social, economic, and environmental constraints, often make it complex for stakeholders and especially decision makers to elicit relevant information. The scope of the current study is to develop a decision support tool that supports pre-feasibility studies and aims at promoting water reuse and building capacities in the field. The tool developed currently encompasses 37 unit processes combined into 70 benchmark treatment trains. It also contains information on water quality standards and typical wastewater qualities. It estimates the removal performances for 12 parameters and the lifecycle costs including distribution. The tool and all underlying data are open access and under continuous development. The underlying systemic approach of the tool makes it intuitive also for users with limited prior knowledge in the field to identify most adequate solutions based on a multi-criteria assessment. This should help to promote water reuse and spearhead initiates for more detailed feasibility and design commissioning for implementation of water reuse schemes

Pump thrombosis and dynamic outflow graft compression: complications in left ventricular assist device therapy

Over the past decade, left ventricular assist device (VAD) therapy has become more prevalent and increasingly safe. Severe complications, such as VAD pump thrombosis and outflow graft obstruction, are rare, yet still associated with high morbidity and mortality. Clinical presentation, VAD alarm and log files, laboratory analysis, and non-invasive cardiac imaging are crucial for establishing the correct diagnosis and determining clinical management. Early intervention is critical to prevent adverse cardiac remodelling or VAD pump failure

Organic photovoltaics: Potential fate and effects in the environment

In times of dwindling fossil fuels it is particularly crucial to develop novel “green” technologies in order to cover the increasing worldwide demand for energy. Organic photovoltaic solar cells (OPVs) are promising as a renewable energy source due to low energy requirement for production, low resource extraction, and no emission of greenhouse gasses during use. In contrast to silicium-based solar cells, OPVs offer the advantages of light-weight, semi-transparency and mechanical flexibility. As to a possible forthcoming large-scale production, the environmental impact of such OPVs should be assessed and compared to currently best available technologies. For the first time, this review compiles the existing knowledge and identifies gaps regarding the environmental impact of such OPVs in a systematic manner. In this regard, we discuss the components of a typical OPV layer by layer. We discuss the probability of enhanced release of OPV-borne components into the environment during use-phase (e.g. UV- and biodegradation) and end-of-life phase (e.g. incineration and waste disposal). For this purpose, we compiled available data on bioavailability, bioaccumulation, biodegradation, and ecotoxicity. Whereas considerable research has already been carried out concerning the ecotoxicity of certain OPV components (e.g. nanoparticles and fullerenes), others have not been investigated at all so far. In conclusion, there is a general lack of information about fate, behavior as well as potential ecotoxicity of most of the main OPV components and their degradation/transformation products. So far, there is no evidence for a worrying threat coming from OPVs, but since at present, no policy and procedures regarding recycling of OPVs are in action, in particular improper disposal upon end-of-life might result in an adverse effect of OPVs in the environment when applied in large-scale

Microbiological Landscape of Oil-contaminated Soil and its Bioremediation by Microorganisms

The composition of microbial contaminants of soil samples contaminated with oil and oil products from oil depots of ports in southern Ukraine was investigated, and the possibility of their bioremediation by microorganisms present in the soil was determined. The microbiological landscape of the soil contaminated with oil and oil products was established, the quantitative and qualitative characteristics, group and dendrological composition of microorganisms were determined, and their potential ability to biodegrade petroleum hydrocarbons was determined. The degree of sanitary and ecological contamination of the samples was characterized by the number of the main groups of microorganisms - mesophilic aerobic and facultative anaerobic microorganisms (MAFAnM), molds, yeasts, as well as the dominance of MAFAnM by 3-5 orders among the studied groups of microorganisms. According to MAFANM, the number of thermophilic bacteria, titers of nitrifying bacteria, E. coli, Clostridium perfringens, bacteria of the genus Proteus, and the degree of oil contamination, the soil samples studied are characterized as contaminated and heavily contaminated. According to the study of morphological, tintorial, cultural, biochemical properties, 130 species were identified and 9 morphogroups of bacteria in oil-contaminated soil samples were determined. A dendrogram was constructed based on the set of studied properties of the isolated microorganisms. According to the results of the screening, the microorganisms isolated from contaminated soil samples are capable of biodegradation of long-chain alkanes of petroleum hydrocarbons. The identified groups of microorganisms can be arranged in the following sequence in order of increasing this indicator: Bacillus subtilis and Paenibacillus macerans ˂ Paenibacillus polymyxa ˂ Bacillus licheniformis ˂ Bacillus thuringiensis ˂ Bacillus megaterium ˂ Bacillus pumilis ˂ Bacillus cereus ˂ Paenibacillus circulans. Paenibacillus circulans and Bacillus cereus were identified as the most promising strains, biotransforming up to 48 percent of the total amount of hydrocarbons

Potential of biogas production to reduce firewood consumption in remote high-elevation Himalayan communities in Nepal

Remote communities in the Nepalese mountains above 2500 m a.s.l. belong to the most precarious in the world. Inhabitants struggle for the minimum in terms of safe drinking water, food and sanitation. Reliable, affordable and clean energy for cooking, room heating and warm water for personal hygiene is often lacking and dependency on firewood very high. The remoteness and unlikeliness of electric grid connection in the coming decades make a diversified energy supply from renewable local resources crucial. Small-scale anaerobic digestion (AD) of organic substrates has been used for long in rural areas of developing countries to produce biogas as energy source and recover residue as organic fertilizer. AD is challenging at high elevations due to year around lower ambient temperatures and lower annual biomass production per area compared to lowlands. Nevertheless, examples of operational household AD exist even above 3000 m a.s.l. in the Andes. Here we compare firewood consumption with biogas potential from organic substrates in a community with 39 households at 3150 m a.s.l. in Jumla District, Nepal. In five households with varying numbers of members and animals kept, mean firewood use and its energy content per capita (cap) and day (d) were 2.1 kg or ca. 25 MJ in spring and 2.3 kg or ca. 28 MJ in winter. Easily available substrates include cow, sheep and horse dung from overnight shelters and human excrements from pit latrines, amounting on average to 1.7 kg wet weight (kgww) cap−1 d−1 in spring and 2.2 kgww cap−1 d−1 in winter. Adjusted to normal conditions (Nm3 at 0 °C, 1013.15 hPa), these substrates yielded on average 0.08 Nm3 cap−1 d−1 biogas in spring and 0.12 Nm3 cap−1 d−1 in winter (35–60% methane content) in biochemical methane potential (BMPs) tests at 36 °C. This could provide up to 60% of basic cooking needs on average and up to 75% in a “typical” household in terms of members and animals kept. Of the overall thermal energy needs including also room heating ca. 10–20% could be covered, substituting 0.1–0.4 (mean: 0.2) kg firewood cap−1 d−1. If only animal dung and human excrements are considered, no competition for resources arises as residues can still be used as organic fertilizer. This study supports the design and introduction of planned pilot digesters integrated into on-going community development including pit latrines for substrate availability, greenhouses as possible way of thermal insulation, and planned pico-hydropower plants to use excess electricity during the night for digester heating

Potential of biogas production to reduce firewood consumption in remote high-elevation Himalayan communities in Nepal

Remote communities in the Nepalese mountains above 2500 m a.s.l. belong to the most precarious in the world. Inhabitants struggle for the minimum in terms of safe drinking water, food and sanitation. Reliable, affordable and clean energy for cooking, room heating and warm water for personal hygiene is often lacking and dependency on firewood very high. The remoteness and unlikeliness of electric grid connection in the coming decades make a diversified energy supply from renewable local resources crucial. Small-scale anaerobic digestion (AD) of organic substrates has been used for long in rural areas of developing countries to produce biogas as energy source and recover residue as organic fertilizer. AD is challenging at high elevations due to year around lower ambient temperatures and lower annual biomass production per area compared to lowlands. Nevertheless, examples of operational household AD exist even above 3000 m a.s.l. in the Andes. Here we compare firewood consumption with biogas potential from organic substrates in a community with 39 households at 3150 m a.s.l. in Jumla District, Nepal. In five households with varying numbers of members and animals kept, mean firewood use and its energy content per capita (cap) and day (d) were 2.1 kg or ca. 25 MJ in spring and 2.3 kg or ca. 28 MJ in winter. Easily available substrates include cow, sheep and horse dung from overnight shelters and human excrements from pit latrines, amounting on average to 1.7 kg wet weight (kgww) cap−1 d−1 in spring and 2.2 kgww cap−1 d−1 in winter. Adjusted to normal conditions (Nm3 at 0 °C, 1013.15 hPa), these substrates yielded on average 0.08 Nm3 cap−1 d−1 biogas in spring and 0.12 Nm3 cap−1 d−1 in winter (35–60% methane content) in biochemical methane potential (BMPs) tests at 36 °C. This could provide up to 60% of basic cooking needs on average and up to 75% in a “typical” household in terms of members and animals kept. Of the overall thermal energy needs including also room heating ca. 10–20% could be covered, substituting 0.1–0.4 (mean: 0.2) kg firewood cap−1 d−1. If only animal dung and human excrements are considered, no competition for resources arises as residues can still be used as organic fertilizer. This study supports the design and introduction of planned pilot digesters integrated into on-going community development including pit latrines for substrate availability, greenhouses as possible way of thermal insulation, and planned pico-hydropower plants to use excess electricity during the night for digester heating

Environmental Potential Analysis of Co-processing Waste in Cement Kilns

The technology of waste co-processing in cement kilns has proven to be a reliable, efficient and convenient method of waste disposal (domestic and industrial). However, countries around the world face the following key barriers to the implementation of the technology of waste co-processing in cement kilns: fuzzy legislation, lack of financial support, public acceptance, etc. These barriers can be partially eliminated by the measures proposed in this study.In addition, waste sorting and processing are often not carried out systematically. National and International cement companies operate modern cement kilns which could substitute a part of their fossil fuel and raw material with suitable waste streams to be co-processed. Co-processing non-recyclable waste is often a valid option to close loops towards circular economy. This technology is widely used in different European countries, but with different environmental impacts. Therefore, it is important to investigate the environmental potential of this technology, which is variable for different waste morphology conditions.The potential benefits of the technology of solid waste co-processing in cement kilns are investigated. The methodology of estimation of greenhouse gas emissions for biogenic emissions in determining the benefits and environmental potential of the technology is applied. The example of the Ukrainian cement industry identified the possibility of: reducing the anthracite coal consumption in clinker production up to 262 kt/a; preventing up to 284 ktCO2eq/a emissions from coal substitution. For the waste management sector, the potential of co-processing is identified: MSW disposal up to 1,213 ktMSW/a; prevention of greenhouse gas emissions up to 111 ktCO2eq/a in landfills. These findings are important in a number of countries, as the key barriers to co-processing in cement kilns are related. Environmental analysis results and proposed measures to avoid the identified key barriers to technology implementation can be applied to many countrie