Framework for the energetic assessment of South and South-East Asia fixed chimney bull’s trench kiln

One of the major sources of fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emission in South and South-East Asia is brick manufacturing. One of the most commonly implemented technologies for brick manufacturing in this region is the fixed chimney Bull’s trench kiln (FCBTK). This type of technology largely depends on manual labour and is very inefficient when compared to more modern technologies. Because the adoption of more advanced technologies is hindered by the socio-economical background, the much needed innovations in the brick sector are necessarily related to improving/modifying the FCBTK already operational. However, few scientific studies have been conducted on FCBTK probably due to the basic level of technological development. Such studies are however important to systematically and methodologically assess the challenges and solutions in FCBTK. In this study we develop a thermo-energetic model to evaluate the importance of the parameters pertained to FCBTK construction and operation. The prospective of this study is to build an initial thermo-energetic framework that will serve as a basis to investigate possible energetic improvements

Thermographic Particle Velocimetry (TPV) for Simultaneous Interfacial Temperature and Velocity Measurements

AbstractWe present an experimental technique, that we refer to as ‘thermographic particle velocimetry’ (TPV), which is capable of the simultaneous measurement of two-dimensional (2-D) surface temperature and velocity at the interface of multiphase flows. The development of the technique has been motivated by the need to study gravity-driven liquid-film flows over inclined heated substrates, however, the same measurement principle can be applied for the recovery of 2-D temperature- and velocity-field information at the interface of any flow with a sufficient density gradient between two fluid phases. The proposed technique relies on a single infrared (IR) imager and is based on the employment of highly reflective (here, silver-coated) particles which, when suspended near or at the interface, can be distinguished from the surrounding fluid domain due to their different emissivity. Image processing steps used to recover the temperature and velocity distributions include the decomposition of each original raw IR image into separate thermal and particle images, the application of perspective distortion corrections and spatial calibration, and finally the implementation of standard particle velocimetry algorithms. This procedure is demonstrated by application of the technique to a heated and stirred flow in an open container. In addition, two validation experiments are presented, one dedicated to the measurement of interfacial temperature and one to the measurement of interfacial velocity. The deviations between the results generated from TPV and those from accompanying conventional techniques do not exceed the errors associated with the latter

A Business Model View of Strategy

We argue that while the business model construct may not be entirely new, it can still provide a novel lens, complementary to Resource Based View and Market Positioning, to develop new theoretical insights in strategy. We propose that the consideration of interdependencies among the activities of a business model provides such a lens. We show that by starting strategy development with interdependencies among activities, we can: (1) develop new insights on how to build superior strategies; and (2) explain company performance variance especially when heterogeneity in resources and capabilities is not strong and barriers to imitation are weak. Overall, we propose that a promising research avenue for the business model literature is to integrate complexity theory with demand‐side and supply side theories of strategy to generate more nuanced insights on what activities to connect and how to develop superior interdependencies among activities that can form the basis of superior strategies

Thermodynamic Losses in a Gas Spring: Comparison of Experimental and Numerical Results

Reciprocating-piston devices can be used as high-efficiency compressors and/or expanders. With an optimal valve design and by carefully adjusting valve timing, pressure losses during intake and exhaust can be largely reduced. The main loss mechanism in reciprocating devices is then the thermal irreversibility due to the unsteady heat transfer between the compressed/expanded gas and the surrounding cylinder walls. In this paper, pressure, volume and temperature measurements in a piston-cylinder crankshaft driven gas spring are compared to numerical results. The experimental apparatus experiences mass leakage while the CFD code predicts heat transfer in an ideal closed gas spring. Comparison of experimental and numerical results allows one to better understand the loss mechanisms in play. Heat and mass losses in the experiment are decoupled and the system losses are calculated over a range of frequencies. As expected, compression and expansion approach adiabatic processes for higher frequencies, resulting in higher efficiency. The objective of this study is to observe and explain the discrepancies obtained between the computational and experimental results and to propose further steps to improve the analysis of the loss mechanisms

Self-similarity of solitary waves on inertia-dominated falling liquid films

We propose consistent scaling of solitary waves on inertia-dominated falling liquid films, which accurately accounts for the driving physical mechanisms and leads to a self-similar characterization of solitary waves. Direct numerical simulations of the entire two-phase system are conducted using a state-of-the-art finite volume framework for interfacial flows in an open domain that was previously validated against experimental film-flow data with excellent agreement. We present a detailed analysis of the wave shape and the dispersion of solitary waves on 34 different water films with Reynolds numbers Re=20–120 and surface tension coefficients σ=0.0512–0.072Nm−1 on substrates with inclination angles β=19◦ − 90◦. Following a detailed analysis of these cases we formulate a consistent characterization of the shape and dispersion of solitary waves, based on a newly proposed scaling derived from the Nusselt flat film solution, that unveils a self-similarity as well as the driving mechanism of solitary waves on gravity-driven liquid films. Our results demonstrate that the shape of solitary waves, i.e., height and asymmetry of the wave, is predominantly influenced by the balance of inertia and surface tension. Furthermore, we find that the dispersion of solitary waves on the inertia-dominated falling liquid films considered in this study is governed by nonlinear effects and only driven by inertia, with surface tension and gravity having a negligible influence

Wave propagation and thermodynamic losses in packed-bed thermal reservoirs for energy storage

This paper presents a numerical and theoretical analysis of thermal wave propagation in packed bed thermal reservoirs for energy storage applications. In such reservoirs, the range of temperatures encountered is usually such that the solid storage medium will exhibit significant changes in specific heat capacity. This in turn results in non-linear wave propagation and may lead to the formation of shock-like thermal fronts. Such effects have an impact on the exergetic losses due to irreversible heat transfer, and should be taken into account during the design and optimisation of the reservoirs. In the present paper, the emphasis is on thermal losses due to irreversible heat transfer. Frictional (pressure) losses and heat leakage between the storage medium and the environment are also important but are not considered here. The implications of the results for storage material, and particle size are discussed briefly in the context of loss minimisation.This is the accepted manuscript for a paper published in Applied Energy Volume 130, 1 October 2014, Pages 648–657, DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2014.02.07

Development of a Thermographic Imaging Technique for Simultaneous Interfacial Temperature and Velocity Measurements

An experimental technique, hereby referred to as ‘thermographic particle velocimetry’ (TPV) and capable of recovering twodimensional (2-D) surface temperature and velocity measurements at the interface of multiphase flows is presented. The proposed technique employs a single infrared (IR) imager and highly reflective, silver-coated particles, which when suspended near or at the interface, can be distinguished from the surrounding fluid due to their different emissivity. The development of TPV builds upon our previous IR imaging studies of heated liquid-film flows; yet, the same measurement principle can be applied for the recovery of 2-D temperature- and velocity-field information at the interface of any flow with a significant density gradient between two fluid phases. The image processing steps used to recover the temperature and velocity distributions from raw IR frames are demonstrated by application of TPV in a heated and stirred flow in an open container, and include the decomposition of each raw frame into separate thermal and particle frames, the application of perspective distortion corrections and spatial calibration, and the implementation of standard particle image velocimetry algorithms. Validation experiments dedicated to the measurement of interfacial temperature and velocity were also conducted, with deviations between the results generated from TPV and those from accompanying conventional techniques not exceeding the errors associated with the latter. Finally, the capabilities of the proposed technique are demonstrated by conducting temperature and velocity measurements at the gas-liquid interface of a wavy film flow downstream of a localised heater

An investigation of heat transfer losses in reciprocating devices

The paper presents a detailed computational-fluid-dynamic study of the thermodynamic losses associated with heat transfer in gas springs. This forms part of an on-going investigation into high-efficiency compression and expansion devices for energy conversion applications. Axisymmetric calculations for simple gas springs with different compression ratios and using different gases are first presented, covering Peclet numbers that range from near-isothermal to near-adiabatic conditions. These show good agreement with experimental data from the literature for pressure variations, wall heat fluxes and the so-called hysteresis loss. The integrity of the results is also supported by comparison with simplified models. In order to mimic the effect of the eddying motions generated by valve flows, non-axisymmetric computations have also been carried out for a gas spring with a grid (or perforated plate) of 30% open area located within the dead space. These show significantly increased hysteresis loss at high Peclet number which may be attributed to the enhanced heat transfer associated with grid-generated motions. Finally, the implications for compressor and expander performance are discussed.This work was supported by the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), Grant EP/J006246/1. It was performed using the Darwin Supercomputer of the University of Cambridge High Performance Computing Service, provided by Dell Inc. using Strategic Research Infrastructure Funding from the Higher Education Funding Council for England and funding from the Science and Technology Facilities Council

Religion and Spiritual Experience: Revisiting Key Assumptions in Sociology

In this paper, we examine the dominant materialist assumption that there is an inherent conflict between sociology, religion, and spirituality. We will suggest that such a conflict is not fundamental and that accepting the possibility that religious experiences might reflect contact with a transcendent reality can enrich the theoretical possibilities of sociology, supplementing rather than replacing existing insights

Performance response of packed-bed thermal storage to cycle duration perturbations

Packed-bed thermal stores are integral components in numerous bulk electricity storage systems and may also be integrated into renewable generation and process heat systems. In such applications, the store may undergo charging and discharging periods of irregular durations. Previous work has typically concentrated on the initial charging cycles, or on steady-state cyclic operation. Understanding the impact of unpredictable charging periods on the storage behavior is necessary to improve design and operation. In this article, the influence of the cycle duration (or ‘partial-charge’ cycles) on the performance of such thermal stores is investigated. The response to perturbations is explained and provides a framework for understanding the response to realistic load cycles. The packed beds considered here have a rock filler material and air as the heat transfer fluid. The thermodynamic model is based on a modified form of the Schumann equations. Major sources of exergy loss are described, and the various irreversibility generating mechanisms are quantified. It is known that repeated charge-discharge cycles lead to steady-state behavior, which exhibits a trade-off between round-trip efficiency and stored exergy, and the underlying reasons for this are described. The steady state is then perturbed by cycles with a different duration. Short duration perturbations lead to a transient decrease in exergy losses, while longer perturbations increase it. The magnitude of the change in losses is related to the perturbation size and initial cycle period, but changes of 1–10 % are typical. The perturbations also affect the time to return to a steady-state, which may take up to 50 cycles. Segmenting the packed bed into layers reduces the effect of the perturbations, particularly short durations. Operational guidelines are developed, and it is found that packed beds are more resilient to changes in available energy if the store is not suddenly over-charged (i.e. longer perturbations), and if the steady-state cycle duration is relatively long. Furthermore, using the gas exit temperature to control cycle duration reduces the impact of perturbations on the performance, and reduces the time to return to steady-state operation