Optimised Residential Loads Scheduling Based on Dynamic Pricing of Electricity : A Simulation Study

This paper presents a simulation study which addresses Demand Side Management (DSM) via scheduling and optimization of a set of residential smart appliances under day-ahead variable pricing with the aim of minimizing the customer’s energy bill. The appliances’ operation and the overall model are subject to the manufacturer and user specific constraints formulated as a constrained linear programming problem. The overall model is simulated using MATLAB and SIMULINK / SimPowerSystems basic blocks. The results comparing Real Time Pricing (RTP) and the Fixed Time Tariff (FTT) demonstrate that optimal scheduling of the residential smart appliances can potentially result in energy cost savings. The extension of the model to incorporate renewable energy resources and storage system is also discussedNon peer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio

Technical appraisal of some maize shellers in Oyo and Kwara States of Nigeria

This study assessed the performance of some maize shellers in use in grain markets in Oyo and Kwara States, Nigeria. A preliminary survey conducted identified shellers in use as basic maize sheller (BMS) without blower, maize sheller with blower attachment (MSB) and the multi-purpose sheller (MPS). The shelling/cleaning performance of the shellers were assessed using yellow maize (SWAN 1 variety) and some key equipment parameters, which impact performance were measured. The air velocity for MSB and MPS ranged between 0.4 and 2.4 m/s which was not sufficient for efficient cleaning of chaff from shelled grains. Shaft speed for BMS, MSB and MPS were 845, 920 and 820 rpm, respectively. Average throughput for BMS, MSB and MPS was 1,714, 600 and 840 kg/hr, respectively with mean shelling efficiencies of 92.9, 82.7 and 97.9%, respectively. Mean cleaning efficiencies were 54.0 and 57.7% for MSB and MPS, respectively. The percentage grain loss for BMS, MSB and MPS were 17, 7.1 and 1.9%, respectively. It was observed that many fabricators do not consult agricultural engineers when producing machines, relying more on previous experience. Additionally, there was a lack of consideration for operator safety with the exposure of moving parts of the equipment in all the designs evaluated. A key recommendation from this study is that sheller designs should be standardized to ensure the provision of quality and highly efficient machinery for processors

Transitioning or tinkering at a net-zero economy? Introducing an assessment framework for industrial cluster decarbonisation in the United Kingdom

Decarbonising industrial clusters globally is crucial in combating climate change and is integral to the United Kingdom's ambition of achieving a net-zero economy by 2050. The absence of holistic frameworks that provide a nuanced understanding of the broad spectrum of mitigation options for decarbonising industrial clusters, coupled with a deficiency in real-world empirical evaluations, present a substantial barrier in realising set targets for reducing CO2 emissions. The increasing fragmentations in industrial decarbonisation frameworks further exacerbates the challenge of identifying the necessary and sufficient actions for achieving optimal industrial decarbonisation and net-zero transitioning. This paper proposes an assessment framework for industrial cluster decarbonisation and aims to address the existing gaps, particularly in the assessment of social, economic, and environmental impact of any deployed technology. Focusing on a wide range of technologies, sectoral strategies, and regional dynamics, the proposed framework is driven by specific key performance indicators and a comprehensive human and data-driven analytical approach that reflects descriptive, diagnostic, and prescriptive insights on the Teesside industrial cluster in the United Kingdom. Following the validation of the proposed assessment framework, empirical findings from 30 in-depth semi-structured interviews, two workshops, focus group meetings and the literature on industrial decarbonisation reveal that the framework recognises the complex interplay of technology and decision-making in the transition to net-zero of industrial clusters. The article concludes that the proposed assessment framework can assist stakeholders, policymakers, and researchers in assessing the impacts of energy transition, which is critical to policy design and decision-making while also contributing to achieving sustainable decarbonisation goals

Technical Appraisal of some Maize Shellers in Oyo and Kwara States of Nigeria

This study assessed the performance of some maize shellers in use in grain markets in Oyo and Kwara States, Nigeria. A preliminary survey conducted identified shellers in use as basic maize sheller (BMS) without blower, maize sheller with blower attachment (MSB) and the multi-purpose sheller (MPS). The shelling/cleaning performance of the shellers were assessed using yellow maize (SWAN 1 variety) and some key equipment parameters, which impact performance were measured. The air velocity for MSB and MPS ranged between 0.4 and 2.4 m/s which was not sufficient for efficient cleaning of chaff from shelled grains. Shaft speed for BMS, MSB and MPS were 845, 920 and 820 rpm, respectively. Average throughput for BMS, MSB and MPS was 1,714, 600 and 840 kg/hr, respectively with mean shelling efficiencies of 92.9, 82.7 and 97.9%, respectively. Mean cleaning efficiencies were 54.0 and 57.7% for MSB and MPS, respectively. The percentage grain loss for BMS, MSB and MPS were 17, 7.1 and 1.9%, respectively. It was observed that many fabricators do not consult agricultural engineers when producing machines, relying more on previous experience. Additionally, there was a lack of consideration for operator safety with the exposure of moving parts of the equipment in all the designs evaluated.  A key recommendation from this study is that sheller designs should be standardized to ensure the provision of quality and highly efficient machinery for processors