Structure of the condensed phase and char of fire-retarded PBT nanocomposites by TGA/ATR in N2

Recently phosphorous-based fire retardants and nanoparticles are promoted as alternatives to halogenated fire retardants to reduce toxicological damage to the environment. To assess the condensed phase during pyrolysis, this study presents thermal (by TGA in nitrogen) and condensed phase analyses of the residue (by FTIR–ATR) of PBT modified by a phosphinate FR and/or nanoparticles (sepiolite). The thermal analysis shows that the nanoparticles do not change the pyrolysis kinetics of PBT whereas the phosphinate FR does. The condensed phase analysis shows that both the phosphinate FR and the nanoparticles change the structure of the char compared to the structure of the char from pure PBT. In contrast to the pure polymer, which leaves a char consisting of oligomeric components of PBT, the fire-retarded polymer (by phosphinate and /or nanoparticles) leaves a char consisting of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). The PAH structure of the char is expected to make the char stronger and capable to withstand erosion in full-scale fire tests. This observation is verified from the strength analysis of the char residue in intermediate-scale flammability experiments, such as those in the cone calorimeter, where char is formed behind the flames in the absence of oxygen.     

A genetic algorithm solution to the unit commitment problem

This paper presents a genetic algorithm (GA) solution to the unit commitment problem. GAs are general purpose optimization techniques based on principles inspired from the biological evolution using metaphors of mechanisms such as natural selection, genetic recombination and survival of the fittest. A simple GA algorithm implementation using the standard crossover and mutation operators could locate near optimal solutions but in most cases failed to converge to the optimal solution. However, using the varying quality function technique and adding problem specific operators, satisfactory solutions to the unit commitment problem were obtained. Test results for power systems of up to 100 units and comparisons with results obtained using Lagrangian relaxation and dynamic programming are also reported     

A probabilistic method for the evaluation of the performance ofwind-diesel energy systems

The method takes into account the constraint that the wind generation must not exceed a certain percentage of the system load, which is imposed for reliability reasons. The method efficiently computes the statistics of the wind generation and the diesel plant loading based on the statistics of the wind speed and the system load demand. The performance of the method is demonstrated with computational results. An example of obtaining the optimum wind penetration for an existing diesel system is presented     

A probabilistic method for the evaluation of the reliability ofstand alone wind energy systems

The author describes a probabilistic method for the computation of the loss of load probability and the expected unserved energy of a stand-alone wind energy system. The system consists of a wind generator and a storage battery supplying the consumer load. The statistics of the surplus generation (excess wind generation over load demand) time series are computed and used for the calculation of the desired reliability indices. It is shown, that in the probability computations, the serial correlation of the surplus generation cannot be ignored. The performance of the developed method is demonstrated with computational results. Some results useful for the design of stand-alone wind energy systems are also presented     

A genetic algorithm solution approach to the hydrothermal coordination problem

In this paper, a genetic algorithm solution to the hydrothermal coordination problem is presented. The generation scheduling of the hydro production system is formulated as a mixed-integer, nonlinear optimization problem and solved with an enhanced genetic algorithm featuring a set of problem-specific genetic operators. The thermal subproblem is solved by means of a priority list method, incorporating the majority of thermal unit constraints. The results of the application of the proposed solution approach to the operation scheduling of the Greek Power System, comprising 13 hydroplants and 28 thermal units, demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.     

A decentralized solution to the DC-OPF of interconnected power systems

This paper presents a new method for the decentralized solution of the DC optimal power flow (OPF) problem in large interconnected power systems. The method decomposes the overall OPF problem of a multiarea system into independent OPF subproblems, one for each area. The solutions of the OPF subproblems of the different areas are coordinated through a pricing mechanism until they converge to the global OPF solution. The prices used for the coordination of the subproblem solutions are the prices of electricity exchanges between adjacent areas. Test results from the application of the method to the three-area RTS-96 and the Balkan power system are reported.     

Flammability assessment of fire-retarded Nordic Spruce wood using thermogravimetric analyses and cone calorimetry

Experimental techniques such as the cone calorimeter, representing realistic fire conditions, and the thermogravimetric analyser (TGA) combined with evolved gas analysis (EGA) can be used to determine flammability and degradation properties of materials. The desire is to correlate the flammability properties measured in the cone calorimeter for samples of size 100 mm×100 mm with those measured or deduced from TGA combined with EGA for milligram samples. Such an achievement will allow the design of fire-safe materials by quickly assessing (a) the fire safety of materials in their earliest milligram formulation and (b) the dependence of their flammability properties on the molecular structure of the material. In the present study, a cone calorimeter and TGA investigation is conducted for commercial Nordic Spruce wood impregnated by mono-ammonium phosphate (fire retardant, FR) through a vacuum pressure method. Experiments in the cone calorimeter with increasing FR concentrations indicated that (a) the char yields increased, (b) the apparent ignition temperature increased, (c) time to piloted ignition increased, (d) the total amount of heat released was reduced, (e) the peak heat release rate was reduced and (f) the carbon monoxide and smoke yields increased especially before ignition occurred. By comparison, char yields also increased with FR content in the TGA degradation experiments in nitrogen. The increase in the char yield with FR content explains quantitatively the decrease in the heat release in the cone calorimeter. By contrast, the onset temperatures measured in TGA decreased, whereas the ignition temperature deduced in the cone calorimeter increased with FR content. This difference is attributed to reduced yield of levoglucosan (reported in recent literature using TGA/EGA) with increased char yield as well as to the presence of phosphorous containing moieties in the volatiles, which both can quench piloted ignition. Finally, the TGA measurements showed that the FR concentrations decreased for milligram samples at different distances from the surface of the wood used in the cone calorimeter measurements. The variation of FR retardant with depth needs to be considered when using TGA data to interpret cone calorimeter measurements and the fire performance of the FR wood in approval tests such as the single burning item (SBI).     

An ontological metamodel for cyber-physical system safety,security, and resilience coengineering

Software and Systems Modeling - Cyber-physical systems are complex systems that require the integration of diverse software, firmware, and hardware to be practical and useful. This increased...     

Load-frequency control service in a deregulated environment

In a deregulated environment, independent generators and utility generators may or may not participate in the load-frequency control of the system. For the purpose of evaluating the performance of such a system, a flexible method has been developed and implemented. The method assumes that load frequency control is performed by an ISO based on parameters defined by the participating generating units. The participating units comprise utility generators and independent power producers. The utilities define the units, which will be under load-frequency control, while the independent power producers may or may not participate in the load frequency control. For all the units, which participate in the load-frequency control, the generator owner defines (a) generation limits, (b) rate of change and (c) economic participation factor. This information is transmitted to the ISO. This scheme allows the utilities to economically dispatch their own system, while at the same time permit the ISO to control the interconnected system operation.     

Effects of nanoclay and fire retardants on fire retardancy of a polymer blend of EVA and LDPE

The effects of nanoclay (organoclay) and fire retardants (aluminium tri-hydroxide and magnesium hydroxide) on the fire retardancy of a polymer blend of ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) were assessed using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and the cone calorimeter. TGA measurements were conducted in nitrogen and air atmospheres at different heating rates (1–20 °C/min), whilst in the cone calorimeter square samples were tested under various external heat fluxes (15–60 kW/m²). The TGA results indicate that the nanoclay (NC) alone has little effect on the degradation of the polymer blend, whereas aluminium tri-hydroxide (ATH) and magnesium hydroxide (MH), used as fire retardants (FRs), generally decrease the onset degradation temperature and also reduce the peak mass loss rate. However, it was found in the cone calorimeter that, though having negligible effect on ignition, the nanoclay reduces the heat release rate (HRR), and increases smoke and CO yields. In comparison, FRs (ATH or MH) were found to delay ignition owing to loss of water at lower temperatures, reduce the HRR, and have similar smoke and CO yields compared to the polymer blend. The reduced HRRs for both the nanoclay and FRs can be attributed to the formation of a surface layer (a nano layer for nanoclay and a ceramic-like layer of Al₂O₃/MgO for FRs), which acts as mass and heat barriers to the unpyrolysed material underneath. The global effect of the surface layer for the polymer blend nanocomposite was examined using a previously developed numerical model, and a methodology for predicting the mass loss rate was subsequently developed and validated.