Utilization of Electric Prosumer Flexibility Incentivized by Spot and Balancing Markets

The use of energy flexibility to balance electricity demand and supply is becoming increasingly important due to the growing share of fluctuating energy sources. Electric flexibility regarding time or magnitude of consumption can be offered in the form of different products on electricity spot and balancing power markets. In the wake of the energy transition and because of new possibilities provided by digitalization, the decision intervals on these markets are becoming shorter and the controllability of electricity consumption and generation more small-scale. This evolution opens up new chances for formerly passive energy consumers. This thesis shows how electric flexibility can be monetized using the application example of commercial sites. These are often multimodal energy systems coupling electricity, heat, and gas, and thus deliver high flexibility potential. To leverage this potential, a comprehensive picture of demand-side flexibilization is provided and used to propose an energy management system and optimization for cost-optimized device schedules. The cost-optimization considers two simultaneous incentives: variable day-ahead spot market prices and revenues for offering possible schedule adjustments to the automatic Frequency Restoration Reserve (aFRR) balancing market. To solve the formulated optimization problem, a genetic algorithm is presented, tailored to the specific needs of consumers. In addition to addressing the trade-off between the two competing markets, the algorithm inherently considers the uncertain activation of aFRR bids and related catch-up effects. An analysis of the activation behavior of aFRR balancing market bids, based on a developed ex-post simulation, forms an important decision basis for the optimization. Finally, a simulation study concentrating on battery energy storage systems and combined heat and power plants on the consumer side enables the quantitative discussion of the optimization potential. The results show that consumers considering both markets simultaneously can achieve cost benefits that are up to multiples of those for pure day-ahead price optimization, despite the stochastic nature of aFRR balancing power activations. In conclusion, this thesis enables formerly passive electricity consumers to assume the role of alternative balancing service providers, hence contributing to the economic and reliable operation of power grids characterized by a high share of renewable energy sources

The Sommersdorf mummies-An interdisciplinary investigation on human remains from a 17th-19th century aristocratic crypt in southern Germany

Sommersdorf Castle (Bavaria, Germany) is a medieval castle complex which has been inhabited by the aristocratic family von Crailsheim. The deceased were entombed in a crypt located in the parapets underneath the castle's church, resulting in mummification of the bodies. Based on the family chronicle and oral history, identities have been ascribed to the mummies. The aim of the study is therefore to test the accuracy of the historical records in comparison to archaeological, anthropological and genetic data. Today, the crypt houses eleven wooden coffins from the 17th to 19th century AD. In ten of these, mummified and scattered human remains were found. Archive records were studied in order to identify names, ancestry, titles, occupation, date of birth and death, and place of interment of the individuals. The coffins were visually inspected and dated by typo-chronology, and the mummified and scattered skeletal remains were subjected to a physical anthropological examination. In total, the crypt contains the remains of a minimum number of nine individuals, among them three adult males, five adult females and one infant. A detailed scientific examination, including prior conservation, ancient DNA analyses, and computed tomography (CT), was performed on five mummies. By means of the CT data age at death, sex, body height, pathologies, and anatomical variants were investigated. CT analysis further showed that the bodies were naturally mummified. Mitochondrial DNA analyses revealed that the tested individuals are not maternally related. In addition, health, living conditions and circumstances of death of the entombed individuals could be highlighted. Being confronted with the strengths, weaknesses and limitations of each methodological approach, probable identification was achieved in two cases

Smart Meter Gateways: Options for a BSI-Compliant Integration of Energy Management Systems

The introduction of Smart Meter Gateways (SMGWs) to buildings and households creates new opportunities and challenges for energy management systems. While SMGWs provide interfaces for accessing recorded information and enable communication to external parties, they also restrict data access to protect the privacy of inhabitants and facility owners. This paper presents an analysis of options for integrating automated (Building) Energy Management Systems (EMSs) into the smart meter architecture based on the technical guidelines for SMGWs by the German Federal Office for Information Security (“Bundesamt für Sicherheit in der Informationstechnik„, BSI). It shows that there are multiple ways for integrating automated EMSs into the German smart metering architecture, although each option comes with its own advantages and restrictions. By providing a detailed discussion of trade-offs, this paper supports EMS designers that will be confronted with differing freedoms and limitations depending on the integration option

Temperature‒dependent luminescence spectroscopic and mass spectrometric investigations of U(VI) complexation with aqueous silicates in the acidic pH‒range

In this study the complexation of U(VI) with orthosilicic acid (H4SiO4) between pH 3.5 and 5 with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI‒MS) and laser‒induced luminescence spectroscopy was comprehensively characterized. The ESI‒MS experiments performed at a total silicon concentration of 5∙10‒5 M (exceeding the solubility of amorphous silica at both pH‒values) revealed the formation of oligomeric sodium‒silicates in addition to the UO2OSi(OH)3+ species. For the luminescence spectroscopic experiments (25 °C), the U(VI) concentration was fixed at 5∙10‒6 M, the silicon concentration was varied between 1.3∙10‒4 ‒ 1.3∙10‒3 M (reducing the formation of silicon oligomers) and the ionic strength was kept constant at 0.2 M NaClO4. The results confirmed the formation of the aqueous UO2OSi(OH)3+ complex. The conditional complexation constant at 25 °C, log *β = ‒0.31± 0.24, was extrapolated to infinite dilution using the Davies equation, which led to log *β0 = ‒0.06 ± 0.24. Further experiments at different temperatures (1 – 25 °C) allowed the calculation of the molal enthalpy of reaction ΔrHm0 = 45.8 ± 22.5 kJ∙mol‒1 and molal entropy of reaction ΔrSm0 = 152.5 ± 78.8 J∙K‒1∙mol‒1 using the van’t Hoff equation, corroborating an endothermic and entropy driven complexation process

Development and validation of a tissue-equivalent test environment for detection of malfunctions in active medical implants caused by ionizing radiation

Many patients in radiotherapy carry active implantable medical devices (AIMDs) such as pacemakers or cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs). The influence of the ionizing radiation can lead to failures in the device function. This study presents a tissue-equivalent test environment to investigate the influence of ionizing radiation on AIMDs. The in-vitro test environment is designed to simulate a human torso. Structures such as the heart, lungs, ribs, spinal column and soft tissue are replicated from tissue-equivalent materials to allow realistic treatment planning and to simulate the effect of ionizing radiation on active implants. CT measurements and Monte-Carlo validations have shown that Polytetrafluorethylen (bone), carrageenan (heart), Styrodur (lung) and Biresin® G27 (soft tissue) fulfill all requirements for suitable tissue surrogates. A plug-in unit integrated in the test environment has been designed specifically to allow the placement AIMDs in the phantom at typical positions for implant placement in humans. The dosimetry validation showed that the test environment is applicable in the full treatment planning process

Multidisciplinary Identification of the Controversial Freedom Fighter Jörg Jenatsch, Assassinated 1639 in Chur, Switzerland.

Jörg Jenatsch, a leading freedom fighter during the Thirty Year's War in Graubünden, Switzerland, was assassinated on carnival 1639. Jenatsch's controversial biography and the unclear circumstances of his death inspired the formation of various legends, novels and films. In 1959, a skeleton discovered in the cathedral of Chur with remains of wealthy baroque clothing was tentatively attributed to Jenatsch. Here, we reassess the skeleton based on a new exhumation. Our multidisciplinary analysis and the head injuries are consistent with reports of the eyewitnesses of the crime, demonstrating that Jenatsch was killed from behind with a semi-sharp implement, supposedly an axe, as well as by a blow with a broad-surfaced object. Moreover, our facial reconstruction closely matches an oil portrait of Jenatsch, and the HIrisPlex system applied to DNA-extracts from the femoral bone reveals brown eye and dark brown hair colour, which coincides well with the portrait, too. Finally, isotope analysis of the femoral bone and a molar support Jenatsch's high social status, luxury diet and a high mobility in the last decade of his life. This multidisciplinary approach thus reinforces personal identification and provides additional insight into the life of this important historic person beyond written resources

3D volume rendering of a CT data set representing individual A.

<p>The mummy is placed on a supporting shell. The dentition shows ante-mortem tooth loss. Note the asymmetry between the torso and the lower extremities due to scoliosis.</p

Infant mummy individual G in its coffin.

<p>The coffin is lined with fabric. The mummy’s head and forearms are missing (photo: W. Rosendahl).</p

Axial multi-planar MIP reconstruction of a CT data set showing the thorax of individual B.

<p>Several calcifications can be seen in the mediastinum, the pulmonary hili and the lungs.</p

Summary of the anthropological results.

<p>Summary of the anthropological results.</p