Hydrogen production performance of a photovoltaic thermal system coupled with a proton exchange membrane electrolysis cell

As one of the cleanest energies, hydrogen has attracted much attention over the past decade. Hydrogen can be produced using water electrolysis in a Proton Exchange Membrane Electrolysis Cell (PEMEC). In the present study, the performance of the PEMEC, powered by the Photovoltaic-Thermal (PVT) system, is scrutinized. It is considered that the PVT system provides the required electrical power of the PEMEC and preheats the feedwater. A comprehensive numerical model of the coupled PVT-PEMEC system is developed. The model is used to investigate the effect of various operating parameters, including solar radiation intensity, inlet feedwater temperature, and feedwater mass flow rate, on the hydrogen production and operating voltage of the PEMEC at various Exchange Current Densities (ECDs). Furthermore, the effect of integration of Phase Change Material (PCM) and Thermoelectric Generator (TEG) on the hydrogen production of the system is evaluated. According to the obtained results, the PVT-TEG-PEMEC system outperforms other systems in hydrogen production. However, integration of the PVT-PEMEC system with PCM has a negligible effect on its hydrogen production.     

Recent Developments in Integrated Solar Combined Cycle Power Plants

Global concern for depleting fossil fuel reserves have been compelling for evolving power generation options using renewable energy sources. The solar energy happens to be a potential source for running the power plants among renewable energy sources. Integrated Solar Combined Cycle(ISCC) power plants have gained popularity among the thermal power plants. Traditional ISCC power plants use Direct Steam Generation(DSG) approach. However, with the DSG method, the ISCC plant’s overall thermal efficiency does not increase significantly due to variations in the availability of solar energy. Thermal Energy Storage(TES) systems when integrated into the solar cycle can address such issues related to energy efficiency, process flexibility, reducing intermittency during non-solar hours. This review work focuses and discusses the developments in various components of the ISCC system including its major cycles and related parameters. The main focus is on CSP technologies, Heat Transfer Fluid(HTF), and Phase Change Material(PCM) used for thermal energy storage. Further, study includes heat enhancement methods with HTF and latent heat storage system. This study will be beneficial to the power plant professionals intending to modify the solar-based Combined Cycle Power Plant(CCPP) and to retrofit the existing Natural Gas Combined Cycle(NGCC) plant with the advanced solar cycle.     

A review on thermal energy storage systems in solar air heaters

The drying needs of agricultural, industrial process heat requirements and for space heating, solar energy is one of the prime sources which is renewable and pollution free. As the solar energy is inconsistent and nature dependent, more often there is a mismatch between the solar thermal energy availability and requirement. This drawback could be addressed to an extent with the help of thermal energy storage systems combined with solar air heaters. This review article focuses on solar air heaters with integrated and separate thermal energy storage systems as well as greenhouses with thermal storage units. A comprehensive study was carried out in solar thermal storage units consisting of sensible heat storage materials and latent heat storage materials. As the phase change heat storage materials offer many advantages over the sensible heat storage materials, the researchers are more interested in this system. The charging and discharging characteristics of thermal storage materials with various operational parameters have been reported. All the possible solar air heater applications with storage units have also been discussed.     

Thermal buffering effect of a packaging design with microencapsulated phase change material

Temperature fluctuations during storage and transportation are the most important factors affecting quality and shelf life of food products. Phase change materials (PCM) with their isothermal characteristics are used to control temperature in various thermal operations. In this study, octanoic acid as PCM candidate was used in a packaging material design for thermal control of a food product. The PCM candidate was microencapsulated in different shell materials in our laboratory. Among the synthesized microcapsules, microencapsulated PCM (mPCM) (ΔHm = 42.9 J/g) with styrene polymer as the shell material was selected based on its properties of being cost effective and compatibility with human health. Thermal buffering effect of PCM in bulk and microencapsulated forms was tested in a packaging design with special PCM pockets. Results showed that packages with mPCM and bulk PCM provided 8.8 and 6 hours of thermal buffering effect for 160 g of chocolate compared with the package without PCM (reference package).     

Hybrid solar parabolic dish power plant and high‐temperature phase change material energy storage system

In this study, a conventional steam power plant with two regenerative boilers is considered, and one of its boilers is replaced with parabolic solar dish collectors and storing the produced thermal energy by the phase change material (PCM) in a storage tank. The results show the necessity of the existence of an auxiliary fired‐gas boiler to provide constant load during the whole 24 hours. The performance of the proposed hybridized system is evaluated through energy and exergy analyses. It was demonstrated that substituting solar collectors with one of the boilers marginally lowers the energy efficiency but increases the exergy efficiency of the whole power plant up to 41.76%. Moreover, it is found out that this hybridization decreases the total irreversibility of the power plant in comparison with the base case, from 51.1 to 47.2 MW. The parametric analysis states that raising the mass flow rate of the heat transfer fluid in the solar collectors not only enhances the system performance but also increases the volume of the PCM tank.     

输气站场管道的外腐蚀检测技术

为了确保输气站场管道安全稳定运行,防止站场管道发生腐蚀穿孔,需要对站场管道进行外腐蚀检测,知道站场管道状态做出安全评估。采用PCM检测方法检测管道防腐涂层损坏程度就可间接得到管道的腐蚀情况,从而实现埋地管线的不开挖检测。提出一些检测时需改进的意见。检测之前,要了解清楚站场管道的走向和埋深状况,以及各处配件状况,从而确定检测的管段和信号接入点位置;检测过程中,应尽量关闭埋地电源线的电源;检测完毕之后要对管道防腐涂层破损处进行定位,对于电磁信号波动比较大的地方,应多次测量,排除干扰因素,还可以开挖检测。所以,通过PCM检测防腐涂层来判断站场管道的外腐蚀情况是经济可行的方法。     

填充板状定形相变材料蓄热槽蓄/放热特性实验研究

对填充了板状定形相变材料、以水作为热媒的蓄热槽的蓄/放热特性进行了实验研究;重点考察了热媒的流速、流动方向及进口温度的变化对蓄热槽蓄/放热特性的影响,认为在蓄热过程,热媒在蓄热槽内的流动方向宜上进下出,放热过程则相反;热媒进口温度和速度对栽蓄热槽的蓄/放热时间都有影响,前者的影响更为显著.     

填充了球状相变材料的蓄热槽放热特性的数值分析

用数值模拟的方法，将填充了球型相变材料(PCM)的蓄热槽内部划分为蓄热体和热媒体两个计算区域，分别建立数学模型，解决了内部相变导热的蓄热体区和流动的热媒体区求解时互为条件的耦合问题；应用焓法计算蓄热体内部的相变过程。得出了与国外实验结果吻合的结果。     

PCM聚合物水泥砂浆及混凝土治理渗漏的工艺

结合工程实例，介绍了某小区地下室进行防水、堵漏处理的治理原则，从材料要求、配合比及其性能指标等方面对该工程所需材料进行了论述，分别对墙体施工工艺及地面施工工艺进行了阐述，以推广该技术。     

基于USB2.0接口的PCM数据采集器设计与实现

为满足X型飞机飞行试验的需求,设计了基于USB2.0接口的PCM数据采集器,该采集器实现了对机载环境下振动参数的采集、记录和实时监控功能,具备对100%及部分机载环境振动参数的PCM、RS422数据流记录功能,通过USB接口实现了上位机对100%PCM数据、可选RS422数据流的加载及实时监控功能。