01 SOLID FUELS

Sources, winning, properties

10/01494 Evaluating the gas content of coals and isolated
maceral concentrates from the Paleocene Guasare Coalfield,
Venezuela
Berbesi, L. A. et al. Applied Geochemistry, 2009, 24, (10), 18171824.
This work presents the results from evaluating the gases sorbed by coal
samples extracted from the Paleocene Guasare Coalfield (Marcelina
Formation, northwestern Venezuela), as well as by their distinct
maceral concentrates. The aim of this work was to obtain an initial
experimental main value of the gas content per unit weight of high
volatile bituminous A coal samples from the open-pit Paso Diablo
mine. An additional goal was to study differences in the CH
4
storage
ability of the distinct maceral groups forming part of the coal matrix.
Both the coal samples and the maceral concentrates were studied by
thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) in order to determine the tempera-
ture to be used in subsequent experiments. On-line analyses of
hydrocarbons (C
1
, C
2
, C
3
) and CO
2
yielded gas concentrations, plus

13
C values. Thermogenic gas is prevalent in the Guasare coals with
vitrinite reflectance (%R
o
) values from 0.65% to 0.88%. The amount
of gas retained in the coals and maceral concentrates was measured
with a special device that allows determination of the volume of gas
sorbed by a solid sample subjected to controlled thermal treatment.
The average coalbed gas concentration obtained was 0.51 cm
3
/g. The
following list of maceral concentrates shows the relative capacity for
the volume of sorbed gas per unit weight: inertinite >low-density
vitrinite >liptinite ~high-density vitrinite. It is concluded that the gas
volumes retained in the distinct maceral concentrates are not controlled
by porosity but rather by their microscopic morphology.
10/01495 Molecular representations of Permian-aged
vitrinite-rich and inertinite-rich South African coals
Van Niekerk, D. and Mathews, J. P. Fuel, 2010, 89, (1), 7382.
Molecular representations for two Permian-aged South African coals,
inertinite-rich Highveld (dominated by semifusinite) and vitrinite-rich
Waterberg were constructed based on analytical data. High-resolution
transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) was used to determine the
size and distribution of aromatic fringes, thereby affording the base
aromatic skeleton for each coal model. Sulfur, nitrogen, oxygen and
aliphatic side chains and crosslinks were added to the aromatic
skeletons according to
13
C NMR and literature data. The individual
molecules were assembled into three-dimensional structures and were
in agreement with experimental data (NMR, mass spectrometry and
elemental analyses data). These models were structurally diverse with a
molecular weight ranging from 78 to 1900 amu. The vitrinite-rich coal
model consists of 18,572 atoms and 191 individual molecules and the
inertinite-rich coal model consists of 14,242 atoms and 158 individual
molecules. These were the first molecular representations for South
African vitrinite-rich and inertinite-rich coals. The inertinite-rich
Highveld coal model was more aromatic with a larger portion of the
aromatic carbons polycondensed. The vitrinite-rich Waterberg coal
model was more aliphatic and contained more aliphatic side chains and
longer aliphatic crosslinks. Although these coals have very similar
average molecular structures according to the various analytical data,
subtle differences in the experimental data lead to significant structural
differences in the models.
10/01496 Numerical investigation on the combustion
behaviour of pre-dried Greek lignite
Agraniotis, M. et al. Fuel, 2009, 88, (12), 23852391.
Dry coal firing is expected to play an increasingly important role in
future lignite power plants. The planned evolution from the conven-
tional lignite drying concept with hot recirculated flue gas to the
fluidized bed drying with internal heat utilization, WTA, technology
in the next generation of lignite power plants is estimated to bring an
additional efficiency increase of 24% points compared to the todays
state of the art. In this framework NTUA/LSB and CERTH/ISFTA has
performed experimental investigations at a semi industrial scale
1 MWth facility on the characterization of Greek pre-dried lignites
combustion behaviour in terms of temperature fields, heat transfer,
emissions, slagging and fouling tendency and residues quality. The
present work focuses on the numerical investigation of Greek dry
lignite combustion firstly by post-processing and evaluation of available
experimental data and secondly by combustion simulations. QT plots
describing the heat transfer in the experimental facility are derived and
specific cases of the performed tests are simulated with a commercial
CFD tool, in order to estimate flow, temperature fields, NO
x
emissions
and compare with the available experimental data. A good agreement
between simulated and experimental results will support the further
work on large scale boiler simulations in raw and dry coal co-firing
mode, where the possibility of validation with experimental data is
limited. The obtained QT diagrams are used to evaluate the influence
of co-firing on the heat transfer in the facility and to further
extrapolate the conclusions of the performed semi industrial tests on
the large scale. The overall results of the CFD simulations, including
predictions of temperature and NO
x
profiles, are in good agreement
with the available experimental data at the reference case, while at the
dry coal co-firing cases succeed on reproducing the basic trends of the
performed experiments.
10/01497 Solvent swelling behavior of Permian-aged South
African vitrinite-rich and inertinite-rich coals
Van Niekerk, D. et al. Fuel, 2010, 89, (1), 1925.
Two South African coals similar in rank and age, but different in
maceral composition, were studied using solvent swelling. Inertinite-
rich Highveld coal (dominated by semifusinite) and vitrinite-rich
Waterberg coal were evaluated for swelling extent and swelling rate
using N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP) and CS
2
/NMP. A stop-motion
videography method was developed to study individual particle
swelling behaviour. This method allowed observation of overshoot
and climbing-type swelling, as well as swelling kinetics. Single-particle
swelling experiments showed that both coals exhibited overshoot-type
and climbing-type swelling. The inertinite-rich coal swelled much faster
(in both solvents) than the vitrinite-rich coal. The swelling in CS
2
/NMP
was faster for both coals. Kinetic parameters showed that solvent
swelling was governed by relaxation (super-Case II relaxation) of the
coal structure. X-ray computed tomography was conducted over a 50 h
swelling period in NMP for single particles of each coal. Anisotropic
swelling was observed in all the particles (swelling greater perpendicu-
lar to the bedding plane than parallel to it). The subtle changes in
molecular structure, fine structural and physical differences resulted in
significant differences in solvent swelling behaviour.
Preparation
10/01498 A predictive multi-step kinetic model of coal
devolatilization
Sommariva, S. et al. Fuel, 2010, 89, (2), 318328.
Devolatilization is the first step in coal combustion and gasification,
thus an accurate kinetic modelling is relevant for the optimal design of
these processes. In this work a relatively simple but flexible kinetic
model is used to predict the thermal degradation of different coals in a
wide range of operating conditions. The main feature of the model lies
in its predictive capability: the elemental composition of the starting
coal and the operating conditions are the only information required.
Three reference coals are used to characterize the devolatilization
process. The pyrolysis of each reference coal is described with a multi-
step kinetic mechanism effective both at high and low heating rates.
The devolatilization of the actual coal is simply obtained as a linear
combination of the thermal degradation of the reference coals. The
complete kinetic model refers to 30 reactions and lumped species,
which makes this scheme suitable for being adopted in fluidynamic
computations. A wide collection of comparisons between model
prediction and experimental data validates this model both in terms
of residual char and in terms of detailed gas and tar composition. The
importance of secondary gas-phase reactions, mainly at high pressure,
is also discussed and verified on the basis of an existing detailed kinetic
scheme of pyrolysis and oxidation of hydrocarbon fuels.
10/01499 Hydrogen-fueled internal combustion engines
Verhelst, S. and Wallner, T. Progress in Energy and Combustion
Science, 2009, 35, (6), 490527.
The threat posed by climate change and the striving for security of
energy supply are issues high on the political agenda these days.
Governments are putting strategic plans in motion to decrease primary
energy use, take carbon out of fuels and facilitate modal shifts. Taking
a prominent place in these strategic plans is hydrogen as a future
energy carrier. A number of manufacturers are now leasing demon-
stration vehicles to consumers using hydrogen-fuelled internal combus-
tion engines (H
2
ICEs) as well as fuel cell vehicles. Developing
countries in particular are pushing for H
2
ICEs (powering two- and
three-wheelers as well as passenger cars and buses) to decrease local
pollution at an affordable cost. This article offers a comprehensive
overview of H
2
ICEs. Topics that are discussed include fundamentals of
the combustion of hydrogen, details on the different mixture formation
strategies and their emissions characteristics, measures to convert
existing vehicles, dedicated hydrogen engine features, a state of the art
on increasing power output and efficiency while controlling emissions
and modelling.
240 Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2010
01 Solid fuels (preparation)
Transport, storage
10/01500 Characterization of pneumatic transportation of
pulverised coal in a horizontal pipeline through
measurement and computational modelling
Chinnayya, A. et al. Fuel, 2009, 88, (12), 23482356.
Pneumatic conveyors which feed the burners at coal-fired power plants
are not designed for the injection of an increasingly wide variety of
modern fuels. The objective of this study was to understand and predict
the stable delivery of fuel to the burners. The pneumatic transportation
of pulverized coal in a horizontal pipeline was investigated using a
classic dual approach: measuring a set of characteristic parameters of
the dispersed flow as well as its computational modelling. The large
eddy simulation approach is used for the modelling of the air/fuel
two-phase flow. A particular treatment for the solid phase has been
designed in order to cope with gravity effects. A good qualitative
agreement between the modelling results and the experimental data
was found. The importance of gravity effects compared to inter-particle
collisions is addressed.
Economics, business, marketing, policy
10/01501 Coal consumption and economic growth revisited
Wolde-Rufael, Y. Applied Energy, 2010, 87, (1), 160167.
This paper revisits the causal relationship between coal consumption
and real GDP for six major coal-consuming countries for the period
19652005 within a vector autoregressive (VAR) framework by
including capital and labour as additional variables. Applying a
modified version of the Granger causality test due to Toda and
Yamamoto, a unidirectional causality running from coal consumption
to economic growth in India and Japan was found while the opposite
causality running from economic growth to coal consumption was
found in China and South Korea. In contrast there was a bi-directional
causality running between economic growth and coal consumption in
South Africa and the United States. Variance decomposition analysis
seems to confirm the Granger causality results. The policy implication
is that measures adopted to mitigate the adverse effects of coal
consumption may be taken without harming economic growth in China
and South Korea. In contrast, for the remaining four countries
conservation measures can harm economic growth.
10/01502 Coal restructuring in Spain: continuity and
uncertainty?
Rabanal, N. G. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (11), 43734378.
The policies of coal energy are currently undergoing a significant
change. At the European Community level, energy concerns are
dominated by environmental commitments that seem to demand coals
disappearance. The countries that for years have supplied the
European energy market with this resource have confronted their
future challenges in differing ways. The history of the energy sector in
Spain has been marked by important changes, and coal has been a key
factor in this process. Membership in the European Union has
constituted a clear transition for a historically subsidized and protected
sector that now faces an uncertain role in the national energy market.
The aim of this paper is to offer an overview and analysis of the
mechanisms that have been implemented in the energy sector. The first
part analyses the rationalization policies that preceded Spanish entry
into the EU, giving a detailed description of the complex programs
designed by the government to help mining companies. The second
part analyses later systems aimed at helping the coal industry that were
implemented after the EU imposed new criteria and objectives. These
systems led to the so-called mixed model of rationalization. This
model, which is completely different from that implemented in other
member states, is based on maintaining a system of subsidies that
discriminate between public and private companies. The third part
examines the objectives of the current system and the plans projected
for the future in the context of the EUs adoption of an energy strategy
that seeks to reconcile a self-sufficient energy supply with adherence to
environmental commitments.
10/01503 Development of an inexact optimization model for
coupled coal and power management in North China
Liu, Y. et al. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (11), 43454363.
In this study, an inexact coupled coal and power management
(ICCPM) model was developed for planning coupled coal and power
management systems through integrating chance-constrained program-
ming (CCP), interval linear programming (ILP) and mixed integer
linear programming (MILP) techniques. The ICCPM model can
effectively handle uncertainties presented in terms of probability
density functions and intervals. It can also facilitate dynamic analysis
of capacity expansions, facility installation and coal inventory planning
within a multi-period and multi-option context. Complexities in
coupled coal and power management systems can be systematically
reflected in this model, thus applicability of the modelling process
would be highly enhanced. The developed ICCPM model was applied
to a case of long-term coupled coal and power management systems
planning in north China. Interval solutions associated with different
risk levels of constraint violations have been obtained, which can be
used for generating decision alternatives and helping identify desired
policies. The generated results can also provide desired solutions for
coal and power generation, capacity initiation and expansion, and coal
blending with a minimized system cost, a maximized system reliability
and a maximized coal transportation security. Tradeoffs between
system costs and constraint-violation risks can also be tackled.
Derived solid fuels
10/01504 Characterization and application of chars
produced from pinewood pyrolysis and hydrothermal
treatment
Liu, Z. et al. Fuel, 2010, 89, (2), 510514.
Two types of pinewood chars, hydrothermal char (H300) and pyrolytic
char (P700) from biomass-to-energy conversion were characterized and
used as adsorbent for the copper removal from aqueous solution. The
result showed that the pinewood underwent a deeper carbonization
during pyrolysis process and more activated sites available and stable
carbonoxygen complex existed after hydrothermal treatment. Com-
paring with raw pinewood, hydrothermal treatment increased 95%
total oxygen-containing groups (carboxylic, lactone and phenolic
group) while 56% oxygen-containing groups decreased after pyrolysis
process. SEM analysis indicated that both hydrothermal and pyrolytic
processes developed rough surface with new cavities on the chars, and
the BET surface area were 21 and 29 m
2
/g for H300 and P700,
respectively. Although H300 had lower surface area, its adsorption
capacity for copper was much higher than P700 since ion-exchange
reaction was the predominant removal mechanism by H300, while
physical adsorption dominated by P700. The adsorption data could be
well described by Langmuir isotherm model for copper onto both H300
and P700.
10/01505 Effect of extractives and storage on the
pelletizing process of sawdust
Nielsen, N. P. K. et al. Fuel, 2010, 89, (1), 9498.
The importance of extractives and storage for sawdust as raw material
for wood pellet production was analysed. Sawdust prepared from
eastern white pine (Pinus strobus L.), white oak (Quercus alba L.) and
yellow-poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera L.) together with two commer-
cial raw materials were extracted with acetone or stored at 60

C for
21 days. The effects of the treatments were measured on the pellet
strength, and with respect to the energy use requirements of a
commercial pellet mill using laboratory dies and methods to measure
the different stages of the pelletizing process individually. The results
showed that removal of the extractives significantly increased the pellet
strength and the energy requirements in all stages of the pelletizing
processes corresponding to the samples extractives content, whereas the
effect of the storage treatment was indefinite. The study indicates that
extractives act as plasticizers and lubricants and thereby decrease the
energy requirements for the pelletizing process. On the other hand,
extractives seem to prevent close contact between the bonding sites of
the lignocellulose particles and thereby decrease the pellet strength.
Differences in extractives content can therefore explain differences in
pellet mill energy consumption and capacity when raw materials from
different wood species are used. The effect of storage with respect to
particle surface accumulation of extractives may have little importance
compared to the total amount of extractives in the raw material.
10/01506 Enhanced catalysis of K
2
CO
3
for steam
gasification of coal char by using Ca(OH)
2
in char
preparation
Wang, J. et al. Fuel, 2010, 89, (2), 310317.
A novel approach has been proposed for mitigating the potassium
deactivation in the K
2
CO
3
-catalysed steam gasification of coal char by
addition of Ca(OH)
2
in the char preparation. It was experimentally
found that the Ca(OH)
2
-added char had higher reactivity for the
catalytic gasification than the raw char. Ca(OH)
2
played a role in
suppressing the interactions of K
2
CO
3
with acidic minerals in coal
during the gasification and also probably in forming more active
oxygenated intermediate on the char surface. The distribution of
Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2010 241
01 Solid fuels (derived solid fuels)
gaseous products was examined during the catalytic gasification. An
oxygen transfer and intermediate hybrid mechanism is applied for
understanding of the rate and selectivity of the catalytic gasification.
10/01507 Growth of single-crystal a-MnO
2
nanotubes
prepared by a hydrothermal route and their electrochemical
properties
Xiao, W. et al. Journal of Power Sources, 2009, 193, (2), 935938.
Single-crystal -MnO
2
nanotubes are synthesized by a facile hydro-
thermal method without the assistance of a template, a surfactant and
heat-treatment. The single-crystal -MnO
2
nanotube electrode pos-
sesses a high specific capacitance with a good power capability. The
excellent pseudo-capacitive properties are attributed to a nanotubular
microstructure and a large tunnel cavity in the -MnO
2
crystal
structure. Single-crystal -MnO
2
nanotubes with good electrochemical
performance can be a promising candidate as supercapacitor materials.
10/01508 Improved and more environmentally friendly
charcoal production system using a low-cost retortkiln
(Eco-charcoal)
Adam, J. C. Renewable Energy, 2009, 34, (8), 19231925.
Research into a low-cost retortkiln, used to produce charcoal from
sustainably managed forests in a more environmentally friendly way
(Eco-Charcoal), has been completed and pilot units have been built in
India and East Africa. The unit is called ICPS (improved charcoal
production system). Importantly, it has a much higher efficiency rating
than traditional earth-mound kilns, which have until now been the
main means of domestic charcoal production in developing nations.
The efficiency of traditional charcoal production methods is about
10%22% (calculated on using oven-dry wood with 0% water content)
while the efficiency of the ICPS is approximately 30%42%. As
compared with traditional carbonization processes, the ICPS reduces
emissions to the atmosphere by up to 75%. The ICPS works in two
different phases. During the first phase the ICPS works like a
traditional kiln; however, waste wood is burned in a separate fire box
to dry the wood. During the second phase of operation the harmful
volatiles are burned in a hot fire chamber meaning all resulting
emissions are cleaner, minus these already reduced volatiles. The heat
gained by flaring the wood gazes, is used and recycled to accelerate the
carbonization process. Unlike traditional methods the ICPS can
complete a carbonization cycle within 12 h.
10/01509 Modeling climate change mitigation from
alternative methods of charcoal production in Kenya
Bailis, R. et al. Biomass and Bioenergy, 2009, 33, (11), 14911502.
Current carbon accounting methodologies do not accommodate
activities that involve emissions reductions from both land-use change
and energy production. This paper analyses the climate change
mitigation potential of charcoal production in East Africa by examining
the impact of changing both land management and technology. Current
production in a major charcoal-producing region of Kenya where
charcoal is made as a by-product of land clearance for commercial
grain production is modelled as the business-as-usual scenario.
Alternative production systems are proposed based on coppice
management of native or exotic trees. Improved kilns are also
considered. Changes in aboveground, belowground, and soil carbon
are modelled and two distinct baseline assessments are analysed: one is
based on a fixed area of land and one is based on the quantity of non-
renewable fuel that is displaced by project activities. The magnitude of
carbon emissions reductions varies depending on land management as
well as the choice of carbonization technology. However, these
variations are smaller than the variations arising from the choice of
baseline methodology. The fixed-land baseline yields annualized
carbon emission reductions equivalent to 0.52.8 tons per year (t y
1
)
with no change in production technology and 0.73.5 t y
1
with
improved kilns. In contrast, the baseline defined by the quantity of
displaced non-renewable fuel is 26 times larger, yielding carbon
emissions reductions of 1.412.9 t y
1
with no change in production
technology and 3.220.4 t y
1
with improved kilns. The results
demonstrate the choice of baseline, often a political rather than
scientific decision, is critical in assessing carbon emissions reductions.
02 LIQUID FUELS
Sources, properties, recovery
10/01510 Autoregressive modeling of near-IR spectra and
MLR to predict RON values of gasolines
Kardamakis, A. A. and Pasadakis, N. Fuel, 2010, 89, (1), 158161.
A new calibration method that accurately predicts the research octane
number (RON) values of gasoline fractions, based on their infrared
spectra, is presented. This model combines linear predictive coding
(LPC) and multiple linear regression (MLR) as an integrated
estimation technique. Spectral information from the 48003520 cm
1
range was initially encoded into linear predictive (LP) coefficients,
which were used as predictor variables in the MLR model against RON
values. The model was trained and tested on an extensive data set (384
gasoline samples) and found to ensure prediction accuracy of 0.3 RON
root mean squared error (RMSE). The LPC technique was found to be
efficient in capturing spectral features of the entire range, related to
the RON characteristics of the gasoline samples, without the need of
any pretreatment on the experimental raw data. The small number of
input variables in the regression model ensures a robust, easy-to-use
and high accuracy prediction model.
10/01511 Co-current combustion of oil shale Part 1:
characterization of the solid and gaseous products
Martins, M. F. et al. Fuel, 2010, 89, (1), 144151.
Co-current combustion front propagation in a bed of crushed oil shale
(OS) leads to the production of liquid oil, of a flue gas and of a solid
residue. The objective of this paper was to provide a detailed chemical
characterization of Timahdit oil shale and of its smoldering combustion
products. The amount of fixed carbon (FC) formed during devolati-
lization is measured at 4.7% of the initial mass of oil shale whatever the
heating rate in the range 50900 Kmin
1
. The combustion of oil shale
was operated using a mix of 75/25 wt. of OS/sand with an air supply of
1460 l min
1
m
2
. In these conditions, not all the FC is oxidized at the
passage of the front, but 88% only, with a partitioning of 56.5% into
CO and the rest into CO
2
. A calorific gas with a lower calorific value of
54 kJ mol
1
is produced. Approximately 52% of the organic matter
from OS is recovered as liquid oil. The front decarbonates 83% of
carbonates.
10/01512 Co-current combustion of oil shale Part 2:
structure of the combustion front
Martins, M. F. et al. Fuel, 2010, 89, (1), 133143.
Timahdit oil shale was used as a porous medium to characterize the
structure of a combustion front propagating with co-current downward
air supply. A new 1D experimental device was first calibrated using a
model porous medium. With the model porous medium, the front
propagates as a plane and horizontal surface while using oil shale the
front propagates as an inclined curved surface. The peak temperature
was 1100

C; despite the relatively large diameter of the cell (91 mm)

and the good thermal insulation, the heat losses were estimated at 42%
of the heat released by the combustion. The thickness of the front was
characterized using a new gas micro-sampling system: the char
oxidation and the carbonate decarbonation zones are approximately
10 and 15 mm thick, respectively. The oil formed during the pyrolysis is
adsorbed in the porous medium in the course of the experiment, and
expulsed from the cell by the end.
10/01513 Determination of Algerian Hassi-Messaoud
asphaltene aromaticity with different solid-state NMR
sequences
Bouhadda, Y. et al. Fuel, 2010, 89, (2), 522526.
An asphaltene fraction derived from an Algerian oil-well was
characterized by different MAS/NMR sequences to investigate
asphaltene aromaticity and the best cross-polarization contact time.
The aromaticity was estimated by single pulse sequence (SP), Hahn-
echo (HE), cross-polarization (CP) and variable cross-polarization
(VACP) sequences. The values found ranging from 0.58 to 0.48 are of
the same order of magnitude as ones published in the literature. The
discrepancies between the values are thought to be relevant to both the
specificity of each sequence and the asphaltene structure. Spectra band
de-convolution enables us the determination of the average number of
carbon atoms per side chain according to each sequence. The obtained
values spanning from 3 to 7 are also sequence nature dependent.
242 Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2010
02 Liquid fuels (sources, properties, recovery)
10/01514 Development of methods to collect and analyze
gasoline range (C
5
C
12
) hydrocarbons from seabed
sediments as indicators of subsurface hydrocarbon
generation and entrapment
Abrams, M. A. et al. Applied Geochemistry, 2009, 24, (10), 19511970.
Gasoline range hydrocarbons (C
5
C
12
) are usually associated with
petroleum generation, yet few surface geochemical surveys have
attempted to evaluate the gasoline range hydrocarbons in near-surface
marine sediments. This is due to the difficulty in capturing and
analysing this volatile range of hydrocarbons with minimum loss and
evaporative fractionation. In this study, a headspace solid phase
microextraction (HSPME) method was developed and evaluated for
the purpose of capturing the gasoline range of hydrocarbons within
unconsolidated sediment using a solventless protocol. The sediment
SPME extraction method is based on the condition that phase/
composition equilibrium is reached between sediment/water mix,
container headspace, and SPME fibre coated with sorbent. In the
experiments, the effectiveness of SPME to detect and measure low
concentrations of migrated crude oil in marine sediments was
evaluated. The following optimum laboratory procedure for SPME
gasoline monitoring was established: collect the sample in sealed
disrupter chamber (sealed sediment storage container which breaks
apart sediment and releases interstitial volatile hydrocarbons), use a
water bath to keep a stable laboratory temperature, use an NaCl
saturated solution to help aromatic compounds move out of the
solution to vapour phase, and wait a sufficient time to reach equi-
librium. The results show that HSPME is very sensitive with sub ppm
detection limits. SPME proved to be suitable to reveal the natural
background and micro-seepage level of gasoline hydrocarbons in
marine sediments.
10/01515 Insights relating to the autoignition
characteristics of alcohol fuels
Yates, A. et al. Fuel, 2010, 89, (1), 8393.
A detailed chemical kinetic modelling study was undertaken to
characterize the auto-ignition behaviour of a full range of blends of
both methanol and ethanol with a PRF 80 base fuel. The overall results
were encapsulated in a computationally efficient semi-empirical
formulation. The auto-ignition model was combined with an ASTM
(CFR) engine simulation to explore the underlying causes for the
octane number value exhibited by alcohol fuels. The model predictions
were validated against experimental pressure traces obtained with a
range of alcohol-PRF blends. These results confirmed the models
general validity and provide valuable insights relating to the controlling
role of the cool flame in the octane number determination and the use
of alcohol fuels as octane blending components for use in modern and
future gasoline engine technologies.
10/01516 Palynology and petroleum potential of the
Kazhdumi Formation (Cretaceous: AlbianCenomanian) in
the South Pars field, northern Persian Gulf
Ghasemi-Nejad, E. et al. Marine and Petroleum Geology, 2009, 26, (6),
805816.
The Kazhdumi Formation of the Bangestan Group is a well-known
source rock that has produced abundant oil in most petroleum fields in
the Zagros Basin, which stretches from northwest to southwest Iran
over hundreds of kilometres. The formation reaches a thickness of
230 m at the type section in northwest Zagros but thins out to 4050 m
in wells studied from the South Pars giant petroleum field, where it
comprises mainly grey shales with occasional intercalations of marls
and sandstones. South Pars, best known as the Iranian part of the
worlds largest non-associated gas field, contains small quantities of oil
above and below the Kazhdumi Formation. Palynology has been used
to assess the age and palaeoenvironment of the Kazhdumi Formation
and to evaluate its petroleum potential. A total of 68 ditch cutting
samples recovered from five wells, of which four are oil-prone, have
been analysed. An age between late Albian and Cenomanian is
established for the formation based on dinoflagellate cyst biostrati-
graphy, and four palynofacies types have been recognized using the
relative proportions of terrestrial elements, marine palynomorphs and
amorphous organic matter (AOM). The ratio of terrestrial to marine
elements is high in most samples, indicating a nearshore sedimentary
environment. Twenty-two samples from the four oil-prone wells were
also selected for geochemical analysis using Rock-Eval pyrolysis.
Results show that the Kazhdumi Formation at South Pars, in contrast
to the Zagros Basin, is gas-prone (predominantly type III kerogen),
thermally immature, and poor in terms of hydrocarbon generation. It
could not have produced the oil in those oil-prone wells studied.
Transport, refining, quality, storage
10/01517 Analysis of coke precursor on catalyst and study
on regeneration of catalyst in upgrading of bio-oil
Guo, X. et al. Biomass and Bioenergy, 2009, 33, (10), 14691473.
Catalyst HZSM-5 was used in bio-oil catalytic cracking upgrading. The
precursor of coke on the catalyst was analysed by means of TGA, FTIR
and C13 NMR. Precursors of coke deposited in the pore of the
molecular sieve were mainly aromatic hydrocarbon with the boiling
point range from 350

C to 650

C. Those on the outer surface of the

pellet precursor were identified as saturated aliphatic hydrocarbons
with the boiling point below 200

C. The activity of HZSM-5 was

studied after regeneration. In terms of yield of organic distillate and
formation rate of coke, results showed that catalytic activity change
moderately during the first three times of regeneration.
10/01518 Comparison of bulk kinetic parameters for
asphaltenes from long-time stored and related fresher-
produced crude oils
Lehne, E. et al. Applied Geochemistry, 2010, 25, (3), 382388.
Two investigated long-time stored oils, which were produced in the
1960s, show strong compositional changes compared to fresher oil
samples from the same well and production zones. Asphaltenes
isolated from stored and fresher-produced oil pairs show highly similar
results from open-system pyrolysis. However, asphaltenes from long-
time stored oils show higher reactivity compared to those from fresher
oils. The study shows that differences exist in kinetic models based on
asphaltenes from fresh-produced oil and those based on oil that has
undergone long-term storage, and that these differences may impact
geological predictions using such models. Factors controlling the
chemical differences between stored and fresher asphaltenes are
unclear and hard to determine, because of a broad range of factors
controlling compositional differences between these oil pairs. The
difference in chemical kinetics might be related to chemical storage
effects, but different well-site sampling techniques between decades, or
even incomplete homogenization of the long-time stored oils in barrels
before sampling may also have an impact.
10/01519 Effects of salinity and temperature on drag
reduction characteristics of polymers in straight circular
pipes
Kamel, A. and Shah, S. N. Journal of Petroleum Science and
Engineering, 2009, 67, (12), 2333.
It has been nearly 60 years since the tremendous reduction in wall
shear stress caused by the addition of small amount of linear
macromolecules to a flowing fluid was first discovered. This drag
reduction phenomenon corresponds to an increase in pumpability of a
fluid by the additive. Therefore the application of this phenomenon can
be found in many areas of the oil and gas industry; including well
completion, workover, drilling operations, and hydraulic fracturing.
The turbulent flow prevails in such operations. The eddy currents and
velocity fluctuations in turbulent motion produce increased pressure
drops and thus, limit the maximum obtainable fluid flow rate. This
results in a problem particularly in hydraulic fracturing where higher
flow rates are desired. Employing the commercially available drag
reducing fluids can overcome this limitation. Salinity and temperature
are among the factors that affect the extent of drag reduction. Other
factors include polymer type and concentration, molecular weight and
distribution, solvent chemistry, pH, ionic strength, molecular confor-
mation, flow geometry, and degree of mechanical shearing. Despite the
widespread use of brine solutions as base fluids in fracturing the deep
hot formations, the effects of temperature and salinity on the drag
reduction characteristics of polymers have received the least attention.
Most studies on drag reduction have considered either water or salt-
free base fluids at ambient temperatures. Therefore, the aim of the
present study is to experimentally investigate the effects of salinity and
temperature on the extent of drag reduction of polymers flowing in
straight circular pipes. Two commonly used anionic polyacrylamides;
Nalco ASP-700 and ASP-820 are used in this study: ASP-700 is an
analog of partially hydrolysed polyacrylamide (PHPA), while ASP-820
is a sulfonate-containing polyacrylamide. A 1/2-in. OD flow loop with a
15-ft straight tubing is used. Flow tests are conducted to determine the
optimum concentrations of ASP-700 and ASP-820 polymers. It is found
that the optimum concentration for both polymers is 0.07% (vol.). To
investigate the effect of temperature, tests are conducted with fresh
water at 72, 100 and 130

F. Additional tests are conducted at ambient

temperature and with 2% KCl brine and synthetic sea water to
investigate the effect of salinity on drag reduction of ASP-700 and
ASP-820. It is found that both polymers are quite effective drag
reducers in circular straight pipes. Drag reduction in the range of 30
80% is noticed. Both temperature and salinity have significant effect on
their drag reduction characteristics. Due to differences in their
composition and potentially molecular weight variances, both polymers
Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2010 243
02 Liquid fuels (transport, refining, quality, storage)
show different characteristics in the presence of salt and at elevated
temperatures. Within the conditions studied, ASP-700 is found to be
better than ASP-820 at providing drag reduction. Correlations to
predict drag reduction at either temperature or salinity are developed.
These results are presented and discussed in detail.
10/01520 Quality control of gasoline by
1
H NMR: aromatics,
olefinics, paraffinics, and oxygenated and benzene contents
Kaiser, C. R. et al. Fuel, 2010, 89, (1), 99104.
A simple and fast
1
H NMR method, without any pretreatment, was
developed for quality control of gasoline. It is based on the average
group molecular weight approach and relative-content concept invol-
ving aromatics, olefinics and paraffinics, including also ethanol and
benzene contents. The ethanol content was evaluated for Brazilian
samples, but the method can be easily adapted to any oxygenated
compound (e.g. MTBE), and to gasoline from other countries. A total
of 22 laboratory prepared gasoline samples (gasoline from Brazilian
refineries plus hydrocarbon solvents) and 34 real (i.e. Brazilian gas
stations) gasoline samples were tested. The routine quality control
carried out through the usual physicochemical analyses reached a level
of confidence of 75% and 73% in detecting non-conformity in
laboratory and real gasoline samples, respectively. The NMR method
was very superior reaching 100% and 97% of confidence, respectively.
It was better suited for laboratories with high sample throughput since
measurement time is short and only one NMR experiment is needed
per sample.
Economics, business, marketing, policy
10/01521 A panel data analysis of the determinants of oil
consumption: the case of Australia
Narayan, P. K. and Wong, P. Applied Energy, 2009, 86, (12), 27712775.
This study examined the determinants of oil consumption for a panel
consisting of six Australian States and one territory, namely Queens-
land, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia, Western
Australia, and the Northern territory, for the period 19852006. It was
found that oil consumption, oil prices and income were panel
cointegrated. The authors estimated long-run elasticities and found
that oil prices have had a statistically insignificant impact on oil
consumption, while income has had a statistically significant positive
effect on oil consumption.
10/01522 A variant of the Hubbert curve for world oil
production forecasts
Maggio, G. and Cacciola, G. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (11), 47614770.
In recent years, the economic and political aspects of energy problems
have prompted many researchers and analysts to focus their attention
on the Hubbert peak theory with the aim of forecasting future trends in
world oil production. In this paper, a model that attempts to contribute
in this regard is presented; it is based on a variant of the well-known
Hubbert curve. In addition, the sum of multiple-Hubbert curves (two
cycles) is used to provide a better fit for the historical data on oil
production [crude and natural gas liquid (NGL)]. Taking into
consideration three possible scenarios for oil reserves, this approach
allowed us to forecast when peak oil production, referring to crude oil
and NGL, should occur. In particular, by assuming a range of 2250
3000 gigabarrels (Gb) for ultimately recoverable conventional oil, these
predictions foresee a peak between 2009 and 2021 at 29.332.1 Gb/year.
10/01523 An economic assessment of potential ethanol
production pathways in Ireland
Deverell, R. et al. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (10), 39934002.
An economic assessment was conducted on five biomass-to-ethanol
production pathways utilizing the feedstock: wheat, triticale, sugarbeet,
miscanthus and straw. The analysis includes the costs and margins for
all the stakeholders along the economic chain. This analysis reveals
that under current market situations in Ireland, the production of
ethanol under the same tax regime as petrol makes it difficult to
compete against that fuel, with tax breaks, however, it can compete
against petrol. On the other hand, even under favourable tax breaks it
will be difficult for indigenously produced ethanol to compete against
cheaper sources of imported ethanol. Therefore, the current transport
fuel market has no economic reason to consume indigenously produced
ethanol made from the indigenously grown feedstock analysed at a
price that reflects all the stakeholders costs. To deliver a significant
penetration of indigenous ethanol into the market would require some
form of compulsory inclusion or else considerable financial supports to
feedstock and ethanol producers.
10/01524 An empirical analysis of petroleum demand for
Indonesia: an application of the cointegration approach
Saad, S. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (11), 43914396.
This paper uses selection criteria from various models in a bounds
testing approach to cointegration to estimate the price and income
elasticities of demand for total petroleum products (gasoline and
diesel) and gasoline share in total products in Indonesia. The results
suggest that both total products and gasoline share estimates are more
responsive to changes in income than changes in the real price of
petroleum products. These results have important policy implications
as they suggest that policy makers may need to use market-based
pricing policies and other policies such as public enlightenment in
addition to regulations like minimum energy efficiency standards to
promote efficiency and conservation and curb the rising consumption
of petroleum products in Indonesia.
10/01525 Aviation fuel and future oil production scenarios
Nygren, E. et al. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (10), 40034010.
Most aviation fuels are jet fuels originating from crude oil. Crude oil
must be refined to be useful and jet fuel is only one of many products
that can be derived from crude oil. Jet fuel is extracted from the middle
distillates fraction and competes, for example, with the production of
diesel. Crude oil is a limited natural resource subject to depletion and
several reports indicate that the worlds crude oil production is close to
the maximum level and that it will start to decrease after reaching this
maximum. A post-Kyoto political agenda to reduce oil consumption
will have the same effect on aviation fuel production as a natural
decline in the crude oil production. On the other hand, it is predicted
by the aviation industry that aviation traffic will keep on increasing.
The industry has put ambitious goals on increases in fuel efficiency for
the aviation fleet. Traffic is predicted to grow by 5% per year to 2026,
fuel demand by about 3% per year. At the same time, aviation fuel
production is predicted to decrease by several percent each year after
the crude oil production peak is reached resulting in a substantial
shortage of jet fuel by 2026. The aviation industry will have a hard time
replacing this with fuel from other sources, even if air traffic remains at
current levels.
10/01526 Comparison of Chinas oil import risk: results
based on portfolio theory and a diversification index
approach
Wu, G. et al. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (9), 35573565.
In recent years, the international oil price has fluctuated violently,
bringing about huge risk for the international oil trade. In fact, the risk
of crude oil and petroleum product imports is different because of the
different import origins and prices. Which import risk is lower for
China? From the perspective of oil supply security, how should China
portfolio crude oil and petroleum product imports to minimize its oil
import risk? Using portfolio theory and a diversification index
approach, this paper compares and analyses the supply, price and
transport risks of crude oil and petroleum product imports. The results
show that the following: (1) specific risk (diversification risk) and
marine transport risk of Chinas petroleum product imports are lower
than that of crude oil imports; (2) the average rate of return of Chinas
petroleum product imports is higher than that of crude oil imports.
Moreover, the average import price variance of petroleum product
imports is lower than that of crude oil imports. Thus, the systematic
risk (price risk) of petroleum products is lower too. Therefore, from
the perspective of oil supply security, China should increase petroleum
product imports to decrease its oil import risk.
10/01527 Do Americans want ethanol? A comparative
contingent-valuation study of willingness to pay for E-10
and E-85
Petrolia, D. R. et al. Energy Economics, 2010, 32, (1), 121128.
A nationwide contingent-valuation survey of consumer preferences for
consumer fuel blends E-10 (a blend of 10% ethanol and 90% gasoline
for use in standard vehicles) and E-85 (a blend of 85% ethanol and
15% gasoline for use in flex-fuel vehicles) was conducted to estimate
willingness to pay (WTP) and identify key characteristics driving
demand. Results indicate that overall perceptions of ethanol are
positive, but ethanol is not the globally-preferred transportation-energy
alternative, even among consumers with a positive WTP. Results
indicate also that demand for E-85 is more price inelastic than E-10,
with this result driven by consumers with no preference for E-10 but
strong preferences for E-85. Finally, results also indicate that those
consumers who are unsure about the micro-level benefits of E-85 are
nonetheless more inclined to pay a premium.
10/01528 Estimating petroleum products demand
elasticities in Nigeria: a multivariate cointegration approach
Iwayemi, A. et al. Energy Economics, 2010, 32, (1), 7385.
This paper formulates and estimates petroleum products demand
functions in Nigeria at both aggregative and product level for the
period 1977 to 2006 using multivariate cointegration approach. The
244 Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2010
02 Liquid fuels (economics, business, marketing, policy)
estimated short and long-run price and income elasticities confirm
conventional wisdom that energy consumption responds positively to
changes in GDP and negatively to changes in energy price. However,
the price and income elasticities of demand varied according to product
type. Kerosene and gasoline have relatively high short-run income and
price elasticities compared to diesel. Overall, the results show
petroleum products to be price and income inelastic.
10/01529 Gasoline demand in Europe: new insights
Pock, M. Energy Economics, 2010, 32, (1), 5462.
This study utilizes a panel data set from 14 European countries over
the period 19902004 to estimate a dynamic model specification for
gasoline demand. Previous studies estimating gasoline consumption
per total passenger cars ignore the recent increase in the number of
diesel cars in most European countries leading to biased elasticity
estimates. Several common dynamic panel estimators were supplied to
the small sample. Results showed that specifications neglecting the
share of diesel cars overestimate short-run income, price and car
ownership elasticities. It appears that the results of standard pooled
estimators are more reliable than common IV/GMM estimators
applied to this small data set.
10/01530 How reasonable are oil production scenarios
from public agencies?
Jakobsson, K. et al. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (11), 48094818.
According to the long-term scenarios of the International Energy
Agency (IEA) and the US Energy Information Administration (EIA),
conventional oil production is expected to grow until at least 2030. EIA
has published results from a resource-constrained production model
which ostensibly supports such a scenario. The model is here described
and analysed in detail. However, it is shown that the model, although
sound in principle, has been misapplied due to a confusion of resource
categories. A correction of this methodological error reveals that EIAs
scenario requires rather extreme and implausible assumptions regard-
ing future global decline rates. This result puts into question the basis
for the conclusion that global peak oil would not occur before 2030.
10/01531 International experiences of ethanol as transport
fuel: policy implications for India
Pohit, S. et al. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (11), 45404548.
The need for biofuels, particularly liquid ones like ethanol and
biodiesel, for transport has been felt by most of the countries and
their governments have been trying to promote these fuels. Compared
to petroleum, the use of biofuels for transport is still quite low in nearly
every country. By far the largest production and use is of ethanol in the
United States and Brazil, where similar volumes are used many times
higher than in any other country. Even then, ethanol represents less
than 3% of transport fuel in USA and a little more than 50% of
gasoline demand (by volume) in Brazil. However many countries,
including the USA, Canada, several European countries (and the
European Union), Australia and Japan including India are considering
or have adopted a variety of policies that could result in much higher
biofuels use over the next decade. This paper makes an attempt to draw
upon the cross-country international experiences of ethanol as
transport fuel to suggest policy implications for India.
10/01532 Iraq pushes ahead with new production plans
Anon., Oil and Energy Trends, 2009, 34, (12), 36.
Iraq is planning to increase its oil output capacity to almost 5 million
barrels per day, nearly doubling its existing production capability.
However, before these production programmes can go ahead there are
issues around the proposed hydrocarbons law as well as border and
territorial issues that need to be resolved.
10/01533 Looking ahead: Iraq makes large upstream
awards
Anon., Oil and Energy Trends, 2010, 35, (1), 1314.
Iraq has awarded service contracts to a number of international oil
companies, which the Oil Ministry say will increase the countrys oil
production to 12 million barrels per day. However, some Iraqis have
claimed that this production target may well be overambitious, stating
that some oil companies may have exaggerated their capabilities in
order to secure their bids. In addition, issues such as suitable
infrastructure and the security situation may also prove to be threats
to meeting production targets.
10/01534 Modelling the impact of oil prices on Vietnams
stock prices
Narayan, P. K. and Narayan, S. Applied Energy, 2010, 87, (1), 356361.
The goal of this paper is to model the impact of oil prices on Vietnams
stock prices. The authors used daily data for the period 20002008 and
included the nominal exchange rate as an additional determinant of
stock prices. They found that stock prices, oil prices and nominal
exchange rates are cointegrated, and oil prices have a positive and
statistically significant impact on stock prices. This result is inconsistent
with theoretical expectations. The growth of the Vietnamese stock
market was accompanied by rising oil prices. However, the boom of the
stock market was marked by increasing foreign portfolio investment
inflows which are estimated to have doubled from US$0.9 billion in
2005 to US$1.9 billion in 2006. There was also a change in preferences
from holding foreign currencies and domestic bank deposits to stocks
local market participants, and there was a rise in leveraged investment
in stock as well as investments on behalf of relatives living abroad. It
seems that the impact of these internal and domestic factors were more
dominant than the oil price rise on the Vietnamese stock market.
10/01535 Oil and the political economy of energy
Matutinovic , I. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (11), 42514258.
The key issues concerning oil exploitation are still open for discussion:
there is no agreement about where we presently stand in the world oil
extraction curve, what is its exact shape, and how far can oil price grow
before it changes irreversibly the world economy and consumer
behaviour. The paper proposes an alternative scenario to the Hubberts
bell-shaped model of oil exploitation, based on more realistic
assumptions regarding political agendas in oil-exporting countries
and consumer behaviour dynamics in oil-importing countries. Under
this scenario, the joint impact of markets and public policy in oil
importing countries together with resource pragmatism policy in oil-
exporting countries allows for a less steep oil supply curve with a much
fatter tail compared to the Hubberts model.
10/01536 Rebound and disinvestment effects in refined oil
consumption and supply resulting from an increase in
energy efficiency in the Scottish commercial transport
sector
Anson, S. and Turner, K. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (9), 36083620.
This study uses an energyeconomyenvironment computable general
equilibrium (CGE) model of the Scottish economy to examine the
impacts of an exogenous increase in energy augmenting technological
progress in the domestic commercial transport sector on the supply and
use of energy. The authors focus their analysis on Scottish refined oil,
as the main type of energy input used in commercial transport activity.
It was found that a 5% increase in energy efficiency in the commercial
transport sector leads to rebound effects in the use of oil-based energy
commodities in all time periods, in the target sector and at the
economy-wide level. However, the results also suggest that such an
efficiency improvement may cause a contraction in capacity in the
Scottish refined oil supply sector. This disinvestment effect acts as a
constraint on the size of rebound effects. However, the magnitude of
rebound effects and presence of the disinvestment effect in the
simulations conducted here are sensitive to the specification of key
elasticities of substitution in the nested production function for the
target sector, particularly the substitutability of energy for non-energy
intermediate inputs to production.
10/01537 The impact of Hurricanes Gustav and Ike on
offshore oil and gas production in the Gulf of Mexico
Kaiser, M. J. and Yu, Y. Applied Energy, 2010, 87, (1), 284297.
During August and September 2008, Hurricanes Gustav and Ike passed
through the Gulf of Mexico and damaged and destroyed a number of
offshore oil and gas structures. In the final official government
assessment, a total of 60 platforms were destroyed and 31 structures
were identified as having extensive damage. The destroyed platforms
were responsible for about 1.6% of the oil and 2.5% of the gas
produced daily in the Gulf of Mexico and represented approximately
234 million BOE of reserves valued between $4.6 billion and $10.9 bil-
lion. Although the number of structures destroyed by Hurricanes
Gustav and Ike was half the total destruction from the 20042005
hurricane seasons, the authors estimate that the reserves at risk are
approximately three times more valuable. Each destroyed structure is
unique in its production capacity and damages incurred and are a
candidate for redevelopment. The authors review pre-hurricane pro-
duction and revenue characteristics for the collection of destroyed
structures and estimate production at risk. Gas structures are expected
to present better economics and redevelopment potential than oil
structures, and the authors predict that 198 million BOE, or nearly 95%
of reserves-in-place, are likely to be redeveloped. Shut-in production
statistics are compared against recent hurricane events and general
comments on the factors involved in decision making are presented.
10/01538 The oil stock fluctuations in the United States
Hayat, A. and Narayan, P. K. Applied Energy, 2010, 87, (1), 178184.
The goal of this paper is to examine whether the volatility of the growth
in the US oil stocks has changed overtime, and if it has then whether or
not this change is real. It was discovered that the growth in volatility of
oil stocks has declined overtime. The authors conducted a Monte Carlo
simulation exercise to investigate whether this decline is real or an
artefact of the growth definition. The findings support the fact that the
decline in growth volatility of oil stocks is an artefact of the growth
Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2010 245
02 Liquid fuels (economics, business, marketing, policy)
definition. This is because a data generating process having a unit root
with drift has a tendency to grow and thereby pulls the variance of
growth down with time.
10/01539 The pass through of oil prices into euro area
consumer liquid fuel prices in an environment of high and
volatile oil prices
Meyler, A. Energy Economics, 2009, 31, (6), 867881.
Crude and refined oil prices have been relatively high and volatile on a
sustained basis since 1999. This paper considers the pass through of oil
prices into consumer liquid (i.e. petrol, diesel and heating) fuel prices
in such an environment. The pass through of oil prices into consumer
liquid fuel prices has already been addressed extensively in the
literature. Nonetheless much of this literature has either focused on
the USA or on a time period when oil prices were relatively stable, or
has used monthly data. The main contribution of this paper is a
comprehensive combination of many features that have been con-
sidered before but rarely jointly. The main findings are listed below.
First, as distribution and retailing costs and margins have been broadly
stable on average, the modelling of the relationship between consumer
prices excluding taxes and upstream prices in raw levels rather than in
logarithms has important implications for the stability of estimates of
pass through when oil price levels rise significantly. Second, consider-
ing spot prices for refined prices improves significantly the fit of the
estimated models relative to using crude oil prices. It also results in
more economically meaningful results concerning the extent of pass
through. Third, oil price pass through occurs quickly, with 90%
occurring within three to five weeks. Fourth, using a relatively broad
specification allowing for asymmetry in the pass through from
upstream to downstream prices, there is little evidence of statistically
significant asymmetries. Furthermore, even where asymmetry is found
to be statistically significant, it is generally not economically significant.
Lastly, these results generally hold across most euro area countries
with few exceptions.
Derived liquid fuels
10/01540 Ethanol plant investment using net present value
and real options analyses
Schmit, T. M. et al. Biomass and Bioenergy, 2009, 33, (10), 14421451.
A real options analysis of entryexit decisions for dry-grind corn
ethanol plants is conducted to incorporate the impact of rising volatility
in market prices. For a large plant, the estimated gross margins
(ethanol price less corn price), in current dollars, that induce entry and
exit were 0.35 US$ dm
3
and 0.03 US$ dm
3
, respectively; nearly 207%
(63%) above (below) their respective net present value estimates.
Under baseline conditions, a large operating plant would become
mothballed at 0.05 US$ dm
3
and reactivate if margins rebounded to
0.17 US$ dm
3
. Growth in the variability of ethanol margins will lead to
delays in new plant investments, as well as exits of currently operating
facilities. To the extent that alternative renewable fuel technologies
become viable, the model can be easily adapted to estimate and
compare the results across alternative bioenergy investments.
10/01541 Kinetics of Shenhua coal liquefaction catalyzed
by SO
4
2=
/ZrO
2
solid acid
Shui, H. et al. Fuel, 2010, 89, (1), 6772.
Based on the structural inhomogeneities of coal and intermediate
products of coal liquefaction, a new kinetic model was advanced to
simulate the Shenhua coal liquefaction catalysed by SO
4
2=
/ZrO
2
solid
acid catalyst using kinetic lump method. It was found that coal was
hydrocracked to preasphaltene, asphaltene, oil and gas directly, and
preasphaltene and asphaltene were further hydrocracked into oil and
gas products in coal liquefaction. Certain regressive reactions existed in
the process. The liquefaction conversions calculated from the model
agreed well with the experimental data for Shenhua coal liquefaction
catalysed by SO
4
2=
/ZrO
2
solid acid at the range of experimental
conditions, and the activation energies were 69136 kJ mol
1
. There
existed obvious regressive reactions at higher liquefaction tempera-
tures. However, besides the regressive transformation of oil and gas to
asphaltene at 450

C liquefaction, there also existed condensation

processes of preasphaltene and asphaltene to coke.
10/01542 Production of synthetic gasoline and diesel fuel
by alternative processes using natural gas and coal: process
simulation and optimization
Sudiro, M. and Bertucco, A. Energy, 2009, 34, (12), 22062214.
The problem of producing synthetic liquid fuels by alternative routes is
addressed. Industrial processes known as gas to liquid (GTL) and coal
to liquid (CTL) are considered and compared to a hybrid process
presently developed, which combines features of both GTL and CTL.
Detailed process models are developed in this study. Based on
simulations, it is shown that the fuel produced per unit of feedstock
(weight basis, with a productivity of 100 t/h of synthetic fuels) are
66.7% and 32.5% for GTL and CTL, respectively, and that the CO
2
emitted per unit mass of liquid fuel is 0.63 kg CO
2
/kg for GTL and
4.66 kg CO
2
/kg for CTL. The hybrid process allows the production of
44.4% of fuel and to reduce CO
2
emissions to 2.45 kg CO
2
/kg liquid
fuel. By using pinch technology analysis (PTA) a heat integration of the
hybrid process is carried out. From the results of PTA, no pinch point
is found, a considerable amount of cooling water is needed, and the
resulting thermal efficiency is around 55%.
03 GASEOUS FUELS
Sources, properties, recovery, treatment
10/01543 Chemical and isotopic tracers of the contribution
of microbial gas in Devonian organic-rich shales and
reservoir sandstones, northern Appalachian Basin
Osborn, S. G. and McIntosh, J. C. Applied Geochemistry, 2010, 25, (3),
456471.
In this study, the geochemistry and origin of natural gas and formation
waters in Devonian age organic-rich shales and reservoir sandstones
across the northern Appalachian Basin margin (western New York,
eastern Ohio, northwestern Pennsylvania, and eastern Kentucky) were
investigated. Additional samples were collected from Mississippian
Berea Sandstone, Silurian Medina Sandstone and Ordovician Trenton/
Black River Group oil and gas wells for comparison. Dissolved gases in
shallow groundwaters in Devonian organic-rich shales along Lake Erie
contain detectable CH
4
(0.0150.55 mol%) with low
13
CCH
4
values
(74.68 to 57.86%) and no higher chain hydrocarbons, characteristics
typical of microbial gas. Nevertheless, these groundwaters have only
moderate alkalinity (1.148.72 meq/kg) and relatively low
13
C values
of dissolved inorganic C (DIC) (24.8 to 0.6%), suggesting that
microbial methanogenesis is limited. The majority of natural gases in
Devonian organic-rich shales and sandstones at depth (>168 m) in the
northern Appalachian Basin have a low CH
4
to ethane and propane
ratios (335 mol%; C
1
/C
2
+C
3
) and high
13
C and D values of CH
4
(53.35 to 40.24%, and 315.0 to 174.6%, respectively), which
increase in depth, reservoir age and thermal maturity; the molecular
and isotopic signature of these gases show that CH
4
was generated via
thermogenic processes. Despite this, the geochemistry of co-produced
brines shows evidence for microbial activity. High
13
C values of DIC
(>+10%), slightly elevated alkalinity (up to 12.01 meq/kg) and low
SO
4
values (<1 mmole/L) in select Devonian organic-rich shale and
sandstone formation water samples suggest the presence of methano-
genesis, while low
13
CDIC values (<22%) and relatively high SO
4
concentrations (up to 12.31 mmole/L) in many brine samples point to
SO
4
reduction, which likely limits microbial CH
4
generation in the
Appalachian Basin. Together the formation water and gas results
suggest that the vast majority of CH
4
in the Devonian organic-rich
shales and sandstones across the northern Appalachian Basin margin is
thermogenic in origin. Small accumulations of microbial CH
4
are
present at shallow depths along Lake Erie and in western New York
state.
10/01544 Effects of temperature and composition on the
laminar burning velocity of CH
4
+ H
2
+ O
2
+ N
2
flames
Hermanns, R. T. E. et al. Fuel, 2010, 89, (1), 114121.
This work summarizes available measurements of laminar burning
velocities in CH
4
+H
2
+O
2
+N
2
flames at atmospheric pressure
performed using a heat flux method. Hydrogen content in the fuel
was varied from 0% to 40%, amount of oxygen in the oxidizer was
varied from 20.9% down to 16%, and initial temperature of the
mixtures was varied from 298 to 418 K. These mixtures could be formed
when enrichment by hydrogen is combined with flue gas recirculation.
An empirical correlation for the laminar burning velocity covering a
complete range of these measurements is derived and compared with
experiments and other correlations from the literature.
10/01545 Experimental study of bluff-body stabilized
LPGH
2
jet diffusion flame with preheated reactant
Mishra, D. P. and Kumar, P. Fuel, 2010, 89, (1), 212218.
The effects of hydrogen, H
2
addition and preheated reactants on bluff-
body stabilized LPGH
2
diffusion flame for two cases: case I preheated
air and case II preheated air and fuel are reported in the present paper.
Results confirm that the H
2
addition leads to a reduction in flame
246 Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2010
03 Gaseous fuels (sources, properties, recovery, treatment)
length. Besides this, the flame length is also observed to be reduced
with increasing reactant temperature and lip thickness of the bluff-
body. The soot free length fraction (SFLF) for both cases is observed to
be increased with H
2
addition to fuel stream, which might have caused
due to decrease in the C/H ratio in the flame. Interestingly, the SFLF is
observed to be reduced with increasing lip thickness and reactants
temperature, which can be attributed to the attenuation in induction
period of soot formation and enhanced soot volume fraction,
respectively. The NO
x
emission level is found to be decreased in a
coaxial burner with hydrogen addition for both case I and II. In
contrast, the NO
x
emission level is observed to be enhanced in a bluff-
body stabilized flame. The former can be ascribed to the reduction in
residence time of gas mixture, whereas the latter can be explained on
the basis of enhanced flame temperature. Besides this, the emission
index of NO
x
(EINO
x
) is also found to be enhanced with increase in lip
thickness and reactant temperature which may be caused due to both
enhanced residence time and thermal effect, respectively.
10/01546 Gases in Taiwan mud volcanoes: chemical
composition, methane carbon isotopes, and gas fluxes
Chao, H.-C. et al. Applied Geochemistry, 2010, 25, (3), 428436.
Mud volcanoes are important pathways for CH
4
emission from deep
buried sediments; however, the importance of gas fluxes have hitherto
been neglected in atmospheric source budget considerations. In this
study, gas fluxes have been monitored to examine the stability of their
chemical compositions and fluxes spatially, and stable C isotopic ratios
of CH
4
were determined, for several mud volcanoes on land in Taiwan.
The major gas components are CH
4
(>90%), air (i.e. N
2
+O
2
+Ar,
15%) and CO
2
(15%) and these associated gas fluxes varied slightly
at different mud volcanoes in southwestern Taiwan. The Hsiao-kun-
shui (HKS) mud volcano emits the highest CH
4
concentration
(CH
4
>97%). On the other hand, the Chung-lun mud volcano (CL)
shows CO
2
up to 85%, and much lower CH
4
content (<37%). High
CH
4
content (>90%) with low CO
2
(<0.2%) are detected in the mud
volcano gases collected in eastern Taiwan. It is suggestive that these
gases are mostly of thermogenic origin based on C
1
(methane)/C
2
(ethane) +C
3
(propane) and
13
C
CH4
results, with the exception of
mud volcanoes situated along the Gu-ting-keng (GTK) anticline axis
showing unique biogenic characteristics. Only small CH
4
concentration
variations, <2%, were detected in four on-site short term field-
monitoring experiments, at Yue-shi-jie A, B, Kun-shui-ping and Lo-
shan A. Preliminary estimation of CH
4
emission fluxes for mud
volcanoes on land in Taiwan fall in a range between 980 and 2010 tons
annually. If soil diffusion were taken into account, the total amount of
mud volcano CH
4
could contribute up to 10% of total natural CH
4
emissions in Taiwan.
Transport, storage
10/01547 Carbon capture and storage: fundamental
thermodynamics and current technology
Page, S. C. et al. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (9), 33143324.
Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is considered a leading technology
for reducing CO
2
emissions from fossil-fuelled electricity generation
plants and could permit the continued use of coal and gas whilst
meeting greenhouse gas targets. However considerable energy is
required for the capture, compression, transport and storage steps
involved. In this paper, energy penalty information in the literature is
reviewed, and thermodynamically ideal and real world energy penalty
values are calculated. For a sub-critical pulverized coal (PC) plant, the
energy penalty values for 100% capture are 48.6% and 43.5% for
liquefied CO
2
, and for CO
2
compressed to 11 MPa, respectively. When
assumptions for supercritical plants were incorporated, results were in
broad agreement with published values arising from process modelling.
However, the authors show that energy use in existing capture
operations is considerably greater than indicated by most projections.
Full CCS demonstration plants are now required to verify modelled
energy penalty values. However, it appears unlikely that CCS will
deliver significant CO
2
reductions in a timely fashion. In addition,
many uncertainties remain over the permanence of CO
2
storage, either
in geological formations, or beneath the ocean. It is concluded that
further investment in CCS should be seriously questioned by policy
makers.
10/01548 Hydrology, hydrochemistry and geothermal
potential of El Chicho n volcano-hydrothermal system,
Mexico
Taran, Y. A. and Peiffer, L. Geothermics, 2009, 38, (4), 370378.
Fluid and heat discharge rates of thermal springs of El Chichon
volcano were measured using the chloride inventory method. Four of
the five known groups of hot springs discharge near-neutral NaCa
ClSO
4
waters with a similar composition (Cl -15002000 mg kg
1
and
Cl/SO
4
-3) and temperatures in the 5074

C range. The other group

discharges acidic (pH 2.22.7) NaCl water of high salinity (<15 g/L).
All five groups are located on the volcano slopes, 23 km in a straight
line from the bottom of the volcano crater. They are in the upper parts
of canyons where thermal waters mix with surface meteoric waters and
form thermal streams. All these streams flow into the R o Magdalena,
which is the only drainage of all thermal waters coming from the
volcano. The total Cl and SO
4
discharges measured in the R o
Magdalena downstream from its junction with all the thermal streams
are very close to the sum of the transported Cl and SO
4
by each of
these streams, indicating that the infiltration through the river bed is
low. The net discharge rate of hydrothermal Cl measured for all
thermal springs is about 468 g s
1
, which corresponds to 234 kg s
1
of
hot water with Cl =2000 mg kg
1
. Together with earlier calculations of
the hydrothermal steam output from the volcano crater, the total
natural heat output from El Chichon is estimated to be about 160 MWt.
Such a high and concentrated discharge of thermal waters from a
hydrothermal system is not common and may indicate the high
geothermal potential of the system. For the deep water temperatures
in the 200250

C range (based on geothermometry), and a mass flow

rate of 234 kg s
1
, the total heat being discharged by the upflowing hot
waters may be 175210 MWt.
10/01549 Impacts of equations of state (EOS) and
impurities on the volume calculation of CO
2
mixtures in the
applications of CO
2
capture and storage (CCS) processes
Li, H. and Yan, J. Applied Energy, 2009, 86, (12), 27602770.
Volume property is the necessary thermodynamic property in the
design and operation of the CO
2
capture and storage system (CCS).
Because of their simple structures, cubic equations of state (EOS) are
preferable to be applied in predicting volumes for engineering
applications. This paper evaluates the reliabilities of seven cubic
EOS, including PR, PT, RK, SRK, MPR, MSRK and ISRK for
predicting volumes of binary CO
2
mixtures containing CH
4
, H
2
S, SO
2
,
Ar and N
2
, based on the comparisons with the collected experimental
data. Results show that for calculations on the volume properties of
binary CO
2
mixtures, PR and PT are generally superior to others for all
of the studied mixtures. In addition, it was found that the binary
interaction parameter has clear effects on the calculating accuracy of
an EOS in the volume calculations of CO
2
mixtures. In order to
improve the accuracy, k
ij
was calibrated for all of the EOS regarding
the gas and liquid phases of all the studied binary CO
2
mixtures,
respectively.
10/01550 Optimizing geologic CO
2
sequestration by
injection in deep saline formations below oil reservoirs
Han, W. S. and McPherson, B. J. Energy Conversion and Management,
2009, 50, (10), 25702582.
The purpose of this research is to present a best-case paradigm for
geologic CO
2
storage: CO
2
injection and sequestration in saline
formations below oil reservoirs. This includes the saline-only section
below the oilwater contact (OWC) in oil reservoirs, a storage target
neglected in many current storage capacity assessments. This also
includes saline aquifers (high porosity and permeability formations)
immediately below oil-bearing formations. While this is a very specific
injection target, the authors contend that most, if not all, oil-bearing
basins in the US contain a great volume of such strata, and represent a
rather large CO
2
storage capacity option. The purpose of this research
is to evaluate this hypothesis. CO
2
behaviour in oil reservoirs and brine
formations was quantitatively compared by examining the thermo-
physical properties of CO
2
, CO
2
brine, and CO
2
oil in various
pressure, temperature, and salinity conditions. In addition, the
distribution of gravity number (N), which characterizes a tendency
towards buoyancy-driven CO
2
migration, and mobility ratio (M),
which characterizes the impeded CO
2
migration, was compared in oil
reservoirs and brine formations. The research suggests competing
advantages and disadvantages of CO
2
injection in oil reservoirs vs brine
formations: (1) CO
2
solubility in oil is significantly greater than in
brine (over 30 times); (2) the tendency of buoyancy-driven CO
2
migration is smaller in oil reservoirs because density contrast between
oil and CO
2
is smaller than it between brine and oil (the approximate
density contrast between CO
2
and crude oil is -100 kg/m
3
and between
CO
2
and brine is -350 kg/m
3
); (3) the increased density of oil and brine
due to the CO
2
dissolution is not significant (about 715 kg/m
3
); (4) the
viscosity reduction of oil due to CO
2
dissolution is significant (from
5790 to 98 mPa s). These competing properties and processes were
compared by performing numerical simulations. Results suggest that
deep saline CO
2
injection immediately below oil formations reduces
buoyancy-driven CO
2
migration and, at the same time, minimizes the
amount of mobile CO
2
compared to conventional deep saline CO
2
injection (i.e. CO
2
injection into brine formations not below oil-bearing
strata). Finally, to investigate practical aspects and field applications of
this injection paradigm, the authors characterized oil-bearing for-
mations and their thickness (capacity) as a component of the Southwest
Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2010 247
03 Gaseous fuels (transport, storage)
Regional Partnership on Carbon Sequestration (SWP) field deploy-
ments. The field-testing program includes specific sites in Utah, New
Mexico, Wyoming, and western Texas of the USA.
10/01551 Screening and selection of sites for CO
2
sequestration based on pressure buildup
Mathias, S. A. et al. International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control,
2009, 3, (5), 577585.
This paper presents a simple methodology for estimating pressure
build-up due to the injection of supercritical CO
2
into a saline
formation, and the limiting pressure at which the formation starts to
fracture. Pressure build-up is calculated using the approximate solution
of Mathias and colleagues, which accounts for two-phase Forchheimer
flow (of supercritical CO
2
and brine) in a compressible porous
medium. Compressibility of the rock formation and both fluid phases
are also accounted for. Injection pressure is assumed to be limited by
the pressure required to fracture the rock formation. Fracture
development is assumed to occur when pore pressures exceed the
minimum principal stress, which in turn is related to the Poissons ratio
of the rock formation. Detailed guidance is also offered concerning the
estimation of viscosity, density and compressibility for the brine and
CO
2
. Example calculations are presented in the context of data from
the Plains CO
2
Reduction (PCOR) Partnership. Such a methodology
will be useful for screening analysis of potential CO
2
injection sites to
identify which are worthy of further investigation.
Economics, business, marketing, policy
10/01552 Assessment of demand for natural gas from the
electricity sector in India
Shukla, P. R. et al. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (9), 35203534.
Electricity sector is among the key users of natural gas. The sustained
electricity deficit and environment policies have added to an already
rising demand for gas. This paper tries to understand gas demand in
future from electricity sector. This paper models the future demand for
gas in India from the electricity sector under alternative scenarios for
the period 20052025, using bottom-up ANSWER MARKAL model.
The scenarios are differentiated by alternate economic growth
projections and policies related to coal reforms, infrastructure choices
and local environment. The results across scenarios show that gas
competes with coal as a base-load option if price difference is below
US$4 per MBtu. At higher price difference gas penetrates only the
peak power market. Gas demand is lower in the high economic growth
scenario, since electricity sector is more flexible in substitution of
primary energy. Gas demand reduces also in cases when coal supply
curve shifts rightwards such as under coal reforms and coal-by-wire
scenarios. Local environmental (SO
2
emissions) control promotes end
of pipe solutions flue gas desulfurization initially, though in the longer
term mitigation happens by fuel substitution (coal by gas) and
introduction of clean coal technologies integrated gasification com-
bined cycle.
10/01553 Combined effects of initial pressure and
turbulence on explosions of hydrogen-enriched methane/air
mixtures
Cammarota, F. et al. Journal of Loss Prevention in the Process
Industries, 2009, 22, (5), 607613.
Hydrogen-enrichment has been proposed as a useful method to
overcome drawbacks (local flame extinction, combustion instabilities,
lower power output, etc.) associated to turbulent premixed combustion
of natural gas in both stationary and mobile systems. For the safe use of
hydrogen-enriched hydrocarbon fuels, explosion data are needed. In
this work, a comparative experimental study of the explosion behaviour
of stoichiometric hydrogen-enriched methane/air (with 10% of hydro-
gen molar content in the fuel) and pure methane/air mixtures is
presented. Tests were carried out in a 5 l closed cylindrical vessel at
different initial pressures (1, 3 and 6 bar), and starting from both
quiescent and turbulent conditions. Results allow quantifying the
combined effects of hydrogen substitution to methane, pressure and
turbulence on maximum pressure, maximum rate of pressure rise,
burning velocity and Markstein lengths.
10/01554 Gas and power: Singapore seeks to reduce role
of gas
Anon., Oil and Energy Trends, 2010, 35, (3), 78.
Singapore is seeking ways of reducing its reliance on natural gas for
power production. Currently, gas is currently supplied to Singapore by
pipelines from Malaysia and Indonesia, but future options for energy
supplies include coal-fired generation and nuclear power. However, the
city-state has recently awarded contracts for the construction of a
liquefied natural gas (LNG)-receiving terminal and plans to use this as
an export terminal, so becoming a gas trading centre.
10/01555 Geopolitics of European natural gas demand:
supplies from Russia, Caspian and the Middle East
Bilgin, M. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (11), 44824492.
This paper addresses issues of natural gas which raise questions about
European energy security. It first focuses on the rising gas demand of
the EU27 and elaborates alleged risks of dependence on Russia such as
Gazproms disagreement with Ukraine, which became an international
gas crisis in January 2006 and also more recently in January 2009.
Incentives and barriers of Europes further cooperation with selected
Caspian (Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan) and Middle
Eastern (Iran, Iraq and Egypt) countries are discussed. Supplies from
Caspian are analysed with a particular focus on Russias role and the
vested interests in the region. Supplies from the Middle East are
elaborated with regard to Irans huge and Iraqs emerging potentials in
terms of natural gas reserves and foreign direct investments in the
energy sector. The geopolitical analysis leads to a conclusion that the
best strategy, and what seems more likely, for the EU is to include at
least two countries from Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Iran and Iraq
within its natural gas supply system.
10/01556 Modeling and estimation of the natural gas
consumption for residential and commercial sectors in Iran
Forouzanfar, M. et al. Applied Energy, 2010, 87, (1), 268274.
In this paper, a logistic based approach is used to forecast the natural
gas consumption for residential as well as commercial sectors in Iran.
This approach is relatively simple compared with other forecasting
approaches. To make this approach even simpler, two different
methods are proposed to estimate the logistic parameters. The first
method is based on the concept of the non-linear programming (NLP)
and the second one is based on genetic algorithm (GA). The forecast
implemented in this paper is based on yearly and seasonal consump-
tions. In some unusual situations, such as abnormal temperature
changes, the forecasting error is as high as 8.76%. Although this error
might seem high, one does not need to be deeply concerned about the
overall results since these unusual situations could be filtered out to
yield more reliable predictions. In general, the overall results obtained
using NLP and GA approaches are as well as or even in some cases
better than the results obtained using some older approaches such as
Cavallinis. These two approaches along with the gas consumption data
in Iran for the previous 10 years are used to predict the consumption
for the eleventh, twelfth, and thirteenth years. It is shown that the
logistic approach with the use of NLP and GA yields very promising
results.
10/01557 Natural gas demand in Turkey
Erdogdu, E. Applied Energy, 2010, 87, (1), 211219.
On average, energy demand of Turkey is mounting by 8% annually, one
of the highest rates in the world. Among primary energy sources,
natural gas is the fastest growing one in Turkey. Gas consumption
started at 0.5 bcm (billion cubic metres) in 1987 and reached
approximately 35 bcm in 2007. Turkish natural gas usage is projected
to further increase remarkably in coming years. The present paper
focuses the characteristics of this demand and estimates short and
long-run price and income elasticities of sectoral natural gas demand in
Turkey. The future growth in this demand is also forecasted using an
ARIMA modelling and the results are compared with official
projections. The paper reveals that natural gas demand elasticities
are quite low, meaning that consumers do not respond possible abusive
price increases by decreasing their demand or substituting natural gas
with other energy sources. Since consumers are prone to monopoly
abuse by incumbent, there is a need for market regulation in Turkish
natural gas market. Based on forecasts obtained, it is clear that the
current official projections do not over/under-estimate natural gas
demand although past official projections highly overestimated it.
10/01558 Ordinal benefits vs economic benefits as a
reference guide for policy decision making. The case of
hydrogen technologies
Giannantoni, C. Energy, 2009, 34, (12), 22302239.
The paper presents an investment evaluation method in energetic
economicenvironmental field which is particularly indicated for
hydrogen technologies because it enables us to account not only for
the traditional economic return and the possible negative externalities
(damages), but also for: (1) the induced economic benefits at a social
level; (2) those positive (and negative) externalities usually considered
as being estimable in economic terms as proxies; (3) and, finally,
ordinal benefits, that is those benefits which are not reducible to a
simple monetary value, nonetheless they can always be object of a
possible estimation, still in economic terms, by means of values
understood as a cipher. The advantages of a decision making process
based on ordinal benefits (vs traditional economic benefits) will be
248 Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2010
03 Gaseous fuels (economics, business, marketing, policy)
shown with reference to the evaluation of well-calibrated incentives
concerning hydrogen fuel cells, both under static and dynamic
conditions. Such an evaluation criterion, which is preferentially based
on the estimated external benefits to be remunerated rather than on
possible damages to be internalized, represents a valid reference guide
for a policy maker. This is precisely because it is always orientated
toward the genesis of the maximum ordinality excess.
10/01559 Prospects of gas supply until 2020 in Europe and
its relevance for the power sector in the context of emission
trading
Most, D. and Perlwitz, H. Energy, 2009, 34, (10), 15101522.
With the liberalization of energy markets and the introduction of an
emission trading system, electricity production by gas combined cycle
power plants has significantly increased in the European Union in
recent years. Reasons for the significant increase include the short
construction time for gas power plants and the favourable investment
costs. One further advantage is the relatively low CO
2
emissions of gas
power plants. Thus, a key option for reducing emissions is seen in the
increased use of gas for power production. Model calculations from
various models show that an increase of gas power production is
expected. In general, however, the interdependencies of the different
markets (gas, electricity and CO
2
) as well as the country-specific gas
supply options, determined by pipelines and liquefied natural gas
(LNG), are neglected. As the competitiveness of gas power plants
mainly depends on the availability of gas and the gas price, a novel
model that integrates electricity, gas, and CO
2
-emission markets
assuming perfect competition will be presented. The objective of this
paper is to analyse the long-term relevance of the gas market for the
electricity sector in the European Union in the context of CO
2
-
emission reduction targets.
10/01560 Russian gas exports have potential to grow
through 2020
Fernandez, R. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (10), 40294037.
This paper analyses the potential for Russian gas export growth
through the next decade and concludes that supply for exports will
continue to grow, albeit moderately. The greater or lesser intensity of
that growth will depend on the evolution of both production and
internal consumption. From the production side, the pace of growth
depends on the status of gas reserves and, more importantly, on the
investment program pursued by the state-owned gas giant Gazprom.
From the demand side, evolution depends on the way Russias wide
potential for gas savings is managed. Through this analysis, three likely
scenarios are found for Russian gas exports. In the most positive,
diversification of exports will be possible. In the most negative, Russia
will have scant opportunity to develop an export diversification
strategy.
10/01561 Scenarios for remote gas production
Tangen, G. and Mlnvik, M. J. Applied Energy, 2009, 86, (12), 2681
2689.
The amount of natural gas resources accessible via proven production
technology and existing infrastructure is declining. Therefore, smaller
and less accessible gas fields are considered for commercial exploita-
tion. The research project Enabling production of remote gas builds
knowledge and technology aiming at developing competitive remote
gas production based on floating LNG and chemical gas conversion. In
this project, scenarios are used as basis for directing research related to
topics that affect the overall design and operation of such plants.
Selected research areas are safety, environment, power supply,
operability and control. The paper summarizes the scenario building
process as a common effort among research institutes and industry.
Further, it documents four scenarios for production of remote gas and
outlines how the scenarios are applied to establish research strategies
and adequate plans in a multidisciplinary project. To ensure relevance
of the scenarios, it is important to adapt the building process to the
current problem and the scenarios should be developed with extensive
participation of key personnel.
10/01562 System-level energy efficiency is the greatest
barrier to development of the hydrogen economy
Page, S. and Krumdieck, S. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (9), 33253335.
Current energy research investment policy in New Zealand is based on
assumed benefits of transitioning to hydrogen as a transport fuel and as
storage for electricity from renewable resources. The hydrogen
economy concept, as set out in recent commissioned research
investment policy advice documents, includes a range of hydrogen
energy supply and consumption chains for transport and residential
energy services. The benefits of research and development investments
in these advice documents were not fully analysed by cost or
improvements in energy efficiency or green house gas emissions
reduction. This paper sets out a straightforward method to quantify
the system-level efficiency of these energy chains. The method was
applied to transportation and stationary heat and power, with hydrogen
generated from wind energy, natural gas and coal. The system-level
efficiencies for the hydrogen chains were compared to direct use of
conventionally generated electricity, and with internal combustion
engines operating on gas- or coal-derived fuel. The hydrogen energy
chains were shown to provide little or no system-level efficiency
improvement over conventional technology. The current research
investment policy is aimed at enabling a hydrogen economy without
considering the dramatic loss of efficiency that would result from using
this energy carrier.
Derived gaseous fuels
10/01563 A new approach to catalytic coal gasification:
the recovery and reuse of calcium using biomass derived
crude vinegars
Zhang, Y. et al. Fuel, 2010, 89, (2), 417422.
A new concept in catalytic coal gasification has been developed. The
use of crude vinegars (CVs) derived from different lignocellulosic
biomass resources is described for the recovery and reuse of calcium in
coal gasification. Calcium introduced by impregnation with a CV
solution produced a higher catalytic activity than calcium loaded by
impregnation with an aqueous acetic acid solution. Furthermore, CVs
were found to be capable of reclaiming calcium from gasification
residue and of improving the catalytic activity of the indigenous
crystalline calcite in bituminous coal as in situ catalyst.
10/01564 High-pressure gasification reactivity of biomass
chars produced at different temperatures
Fermoso, F. et al. Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis, 2009, 85,
(12), 287293.
The knowledge of biomass char gasification kinetics is of considerable
importance in the design of advanced biomass gasifiers, some of which
operate at high pressures. In the present work the effects of pyrolysis
temperature, total pressure and CO
2
concentration on the gasification
of biomass chars have been studied using the thermogravimetric
approach. The chars were obtained by pyrolysis in a drop tube furnace
reactor at temperatures of 1000 and 1400

C. The gasification tests

were carried out in a pressurized thermogravimetric analyser (PTGA)
at different temperatures, pressures and CO
2
concentrations. The
reactivity measurements were conducted under the kinetically con-
trolled regime, and three nth-order kinetic models as well as the
LangmuirHinshelwood model were applied to determine the kinetic
parameters.
10/01565 Interactions of nickel/zirconia solid oxide fuel cell
anodes with coal gas containing arsenic
Coyle, C. A. et al. Journal of Power Sources, 2009, 193, (2), 730738.
The performance of anode-supported and electrolyte-supported solid
oxide fuel cells was investigated in synthetic coal gas containing 0
10 ppm arsenic at 700800

C. Arsenic was found to interact strongly

with nickel, resulting in the formation of nickelarsenic solid solution,
Ni
5
As
2
and Ni
11
As
8
, depending on temperature, arsenic concentration,
and reaction time. For anode-supported cells, loss of electrical
connectivity in the anode support was the principal mode of
degradation, as nickel was converted to nickel arsenide phases that
migrated to the surface to form large grains. Cell failure occurred well
before the entire anode was converted to nickel arsenide, and followed
a reciprocal square root of arsenic partial pressure dependence that is
consistent with a diffusion-based rate-limiting step. Failure occurred
more quickly with electrolyte-supported cells, which have a substan-
tially smaller nickel inventory. For these cells, time to failure varied
linearly with the reciprocal arsenic concentration. Failure occurred
when arsenic reached the anode/electrolyte interface, though agglom-
eration of nickel reaction products may have also contributed. Test
performed with nickel/zirconia coupons showed that arsenic was
essentially completely captured in a narrow band near the fuel gas
inlet. Arsenic concentrations of 10 ppb or less are estimated to result in
acceptable rates of fuel cell degradation.
10/01566 Modeling of catalytic gasification kinetics of coal
char and carbon
Zhang, Y. et al. Fuel, 2010, 89, (1), 152157.
Calcium- and potassium-catalysed gasification reactions of coal char
and carbon by CO
2
are conducted, and the common theoretical kinetic
models for gascarbon (or char) reaction are reviewed. The obtained
experimental reactivities as a function of conversion are compared with
those calculated based on the random pore model (RPM), and great
deviations are found at low or high conversion levels as predicted by
theory. Namely, calcium-catalysed gasification shows enhanced reac-
tivity at low conversion levels of <0.4, whereas potassium-catalysed
gasification indicated a peculiarity that the reactivity increases with
Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2010 249
03 Gaseous fuels (derived gaseous fuels)
conversion. CO
2
chemisorption analysis received satisfactory successes
in both interpreting catalytic effects and correlating the gasification
reactivity with irreversible CO
2
chemical uptakes (CCU
ir
) of char and
carbon at 300

C. In details, calcium and potassium additions led to

significant increases in CCU
ir
and correspondent high reactivities of
the char and carbon. Furthermore, CCU
ir
of char and carbon
decreased with conversion for calcium-catalysed reaction but increased
for potassium-catalysed one, corresponded to the tendency of their
reactivity. The RPM is extended and applied to these catalytic
gasification systems. It is found that the extended RPM predicts the
experimental reactivity satisfactorily. The most important finding of
this paper is that the empirical constants in the extended RPM
correlate well with catalyst loadings on coal.
10/01567 Oxidation of the sulphurised dolomite produced
in the desulphurisation of the gasification gases
A

lvarez-Rodr guez, R. and Clemente-Jul, C. Fuel, 2009, 88, (12), 2507

2519.
Dolomite reacts with H
2
S to produce calcium sulfide and has been
broadly investigated as a desulfurization agent due to its low-cost and
favourable properties. Because CaS reacts with water or water vapour
in the environment to regenerate hydrogen sulfide and, therefore,
disposal is problematic and the chemical cannot be uses as a landfill
material. One of the methods used to make this material inert is
oxidation to convert calcium sulfide into calcium sulfate or calcium
oxide. In this study, tests were carried out using dolomite from
Granada, Spain, that was previously calcined and sulfurized at high
temperature with a gas similar to that produced in gasification
facilities. To approximate real-scale results, a relatively large amount
of substance was used for each sample (100150 g) and the samples
were used in a fixed-bed position. The influence of different conditions,
such as grain size, composition of the oxidation gas, gas velocity, bed
length and temperature, was them investigated. The final solid
products were characterized by X-ray diffraction and chemical analysis
and the CO
2
, SO
2
, H
2
S and COS concentrations in the gases produced
during oxidation were analysed by gas chromatography. The results
showed that the most influential factor was grain size and that the best
oxidant was O
2
mixed with nitrogen. The presence of water vapour
increases the residual concentration of CaS in the end product, but
increased the CaO content. The higher the oxygen concentration and
the higher the gas velocity, the lower the residual content of CaS. CO
2
used alone oxidizes CaS to produce SO
2
and COS, but at very low
rates. It also produces some CS
2
. Water vapour used alone can also
oxidize the CaS to produce H
2
S and SO
2
but also at very low velocity.
At higher oxidation temperature, between 700

C and 850

C, lesser
residual CaS is obtained in the oxidized product.
10/01568 Steam activation of pyrolytic tyre char at different
temperatures
Lopez, G. et al. Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis, 2009, 85,
(12), 539543.
Activation of tyre char has been carried out using steam as activation
agent, and the effect of temperature and activation time has been
studied. The char samples used in the activation have been obtained by
continuous flash pyrolysis carried out in a conical spouted bed reactor
at 500

C. The activation has been carried out at 850 and 900

C in a
fixed bed reactor. During the process, a mesoporous structure is
developed, with a predominant pore diameter of around 500 A

and
BET surface areas above 500 m
2
/g for both the temperatures studied.
Moreover, sulfur content significantly decreases during activation and
activated carbons with low sulfur content are obtained. This reduction
in content may be the key for the industrial application of tyre-derived-
carbons, either as active carbons or as carbon blacks for tyre
manufacturing.
10/01569 Thermodynamic comparison of the FICFB and
Viking gasification concepts
Gassner, M. and Marechal, F. Energy, 2009, 34, (10), 17441753.
Two biomass gasification concepts, i.e. indirectly heated, fast internally
circulating fluidized bed (FICFB) gasification with steam as gasifying
agent and two-stage, directly heated, fixed bed Viking gasification are
compared with respect to their performance as gas generators. Based
on adjusted equilibrium equations, the gas composition and the energy
requirements for gasification are accurately modelled. Overall energy
balances are assessed by an energy integration with the heat cascade
concept and considering energy recovery in a steam Rankine cycle. A
detailed inventory of energy and exergy losses of the different process
sections is presented and potential process improvements due to a
better utility choice or feed pretreatment like drying or pyrolysis are
discussed. While Viking gasification performs better as an isolated gas
generator than state-of-the-art FICFB gasification, there is large
potential for improvement of the FICFB system. Furthermore, a
concluding analysis of the gasification systems in an integrated plant
for synthetic natural gas production shows that FICFB gasification is
more suitable overall due to a more advantageous energy conversion
related to the producer gas composition.
10/01570 Toxic releases: an environmental performance
index for coal-fired power plants
Fare, R. et al. Energy Economics, 2010, 32, (1), 158165.
In order to assess the performance of electric power plants that
produce both good and bad outputs, this study uses data from the toxic
release inventory to construct an environmental performance index
(EPI). It was demonstrated in an earlier study that for the one good
output and one air pollutant case, the EPI simplifies to the ratio of
good to bad output. This study extends the EPI to include an index of
multiple bad outputs. After deriving the index as a Malmquist quantity
index, the authors assemble data from 1998 to 2005 on releases of
selected toxic chemicals and electricity generation for a sample of coal-
fired power plants in the USA to demonstrate how the EPI can provide
initial perspectives on trends in releases of toxic chemicals by coal-fired
power plants.
10/01571 Valuation of investments in natural resources
using contingent-claim framework with application to
bituminous coal developments in Korea
Won, C. Energy, 2009, 34, (9), 12151224.
As Brennan and Schwartz pointed out in their pioneering work, the
valuation of natural resources projects is particularly difficult due to
the high degree of uncertainty in output prices of resources. In general,
there are two competing procedures to evaluate risky projects in
natural resources developments. One is decision analytic, based on
traditional discounted cash flow and stochastic dynamic programming,
and the other is contingent claims analysis, based on the no-arbitrage
theory of financial markets. This study used the second approach to
develop a new model, and the main contributions are providing a
tractable and realistic means of incorporating the option value and
optimal timing into the investment decision in natural resources and
presenting an example that shows option and timing considerations to
be important. The authors demonstrated the validity of the model using
both numerical analysis and real data.
LNG
10/01572 A critique of offshore liquefied natural gas (LNG)
terminal policy
Whitmore, W. D. et al. Ocean & Coastal Management, 2009, 52, (1), 10
16.
The US Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002 amended the
Deepwater Port Act of 1974 to permit the construction of offshore
liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals. Terminals with environmentally
destructive open-loop regasification systems were quickly approved in
the Gulf of Mexico. This study analysed the political methods of
President George W. Bushs administration to determine how it
developed offshore LNG. Findings showed that the Bush adminis-
tration worked closely with the energy industry to promote national
energy security and limited the role of certain federal and state
agencies through a centralized policy process.
10/01573 Gas and power: Yemen faces uncertain gas future
Anon., Oil and Energy Trends, 2010, 35, (2), 78.
Yemen has been exporting liquefied natural gas (LNG) since October
2009 and plans to develop sales further. However, the unstable political
situation within the country poses a threat to these plans and Yemen is
facing further scrutiny on this front from the USA.
10/01574 Market prospects: Technip wins FEED contract
for proposed floating LNG unit in Brazil
Anon., Pump Industry Analyst, 2010, 2010, (1), 3.
Petrobras has awarded Technip, working with JGC Corp and Modec
Inc., a lump sum contract for the front-end engineering design (FEED)
of a proposed floating liquefied natural gas unit (FLNG). The FLNG
project is being undertaken by the joint venture formed by Petrobras,
BG, Repsol and Galp Energia for the pre-salt reservoirs of the Santos
basin offshore Brazil. This project would be the first FLNG unit in
Brazil and will be designed for a capacity of approximately 2.7 million
tons per annum of LNG. A final investment decision on the project will
be made by Petrobras once the FEED study and the analysis of other
options are completed. Scheduled to be completed by the end of 2010,
the FEED study will be executed in Technips operating centres in
Paris, France and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
250 Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2010
03 Gaseous fuels (LNG)
10/01575 Preliminary risk analysis for LNG tankers
approaching a maritime terminal
Bubbico, R. et al. Journal of Loss Prevention in the Process Industries,
2009, 22, (5), 634638.
LNG ships may represent a remarkable risk source, especially when
approaching a land terminal, not only due to the possible occurrence of
maritime accident, but also since they may represent a suitable target
for terrorist attacks. A preliminary risk analysis for LNG ships
approaching the Panigaglia terminal is carried out: based on literature
data and on the characteristics of the location, a spill originated from a
sea accident can be excluded; on the contrary, intentional damages may
cause the release of a large amount of LNG, giving rise to a pool fire.
Consequence analysis shows that dangerous thermal effects are
expected within a radius of 7001500 m; in the location under exam,
the impact on resident population will be negligible, for the most
probable attack site, and marginal for an occasionally used anchorage,
which should be no longer allowed.
Hydrogen generation and storage
10/01576 Batch slurry photocatalytic reactors for the
generation of hydrogen from sulfide and sulfite waste
streams under solar irradiation
Priya, R. and Kanmani, K. Solar Energy, 2009, 83, (10), 18021805.
In this study, two solar slurry photocatalytic reactors, i.e. batch reactor
(BR) and batch recycle reactor with continuous supply of inert gas
(BRRwCG) were developed for comparing their performance. The
performance of the photocatalytic reactors were evaluated based on the
generation of hydrogen (H
2
) from water containing sodium sulfide
(Na
2
S) and sodium sulfite (Na
2
SO
3
) ions. The photoreactor of capacity
300 mL was developed with UVvis transparent walls. The catalytic
powders ((CdS/ZnS)/Ag
2
S +(RuO
2
/TiO
2
)) were kept suspended by
means of magnetic stirrer in the BR and gas bubbling and recycling of
the suspension in the BRRwCG. The rate constant was found to be
120.86 (einstein
1
) for the BRRwCG whereas, for the BR it was found
to be only 10.92 (einstein
1
). The higher rate constant was due to the
fast desorption of products and suppression of e

/h
+
recombination.
10/01577 Bio-hydrogen production from acetic acid steam-
exploded corn straws by simultaneous saccharification and
fermentation with Ethanoligenens harbinense B49
Xu, J.-F. et al. International Journal of Energy Research, 2010, 34, (5),
381386.
This study shows that it is feasible to produce hydrogen from acetic
acid steam-exploded corn straw (ASCS) by simultaneous saccharifica-
tion and fermentation (SSF) with Ethanoligenes harbinense B49. The
results indicate that acetic acid can be used in the pretreatment of the
corn straw and it could also affect the hydrogen yield. The hydrogen
yield of ASCS was 1.3 times higher than the steam-exploded corn
straw. The lag-phase time decreased with the increase in the acetic acid
concentration. Both factors were effective to the hydrogen yield.
Compared with acetic acid concentration, enzyme loading was more
effective in SSF. But excessive enzyme loading could inhibit the
hydrogen yield of strain B49 from ASCS.
10/01578 CuCr
2
O
4
/TiO
2
heterojunction for photocatalytic
H
2
evolution under simulated sunlight irradiation
Yan, J. et al. Solar Energy, 2009, 83, (9), 15341539.
CuCr
2
O
4
/TiO
2
heterojunction has been successfully synthesized via a
facile citric acid (CA)-assisted solgel method. Techniques of X-ray
diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and UV
vis diffuse reflectance spectrum (UVvis DRS) have been employed to
characterize the as-synthesized nanocomposites. Furthermore, photo-
catalytic activities of the as-obtained nanocomposites have been
evaluated based on the H
2
evolution from oxalic acid solution under
simulated sunlight irradiation. Factors such as CuCr
2
O
4
to TiO
2
molar
ratio in the composites, calcination temperature, photocatalyst mass
concentration, and initial oxalic acid concentration affecting the
photocatalytic hydrogen producing have been studied in detail. The
results showed that the nanocomposite of CuCr
2
O
4
/TiO
2
is more
efficient than their single part of CuCr
2
O
4
or TiO
2
in producing
hydrogen. The optimized composition of the nanocomposites has been
found to be CuCr
2
O
4
0.7TiO
2
. And the optimized calcination tem-
perature and photocatalyst mass concentration are 500

C and 0.8 g l
1
,
respectively. The influence of initial oxalic acid concentration is
consistent with the Langmuir model.
10/01579 Development of an evaluation method for the
HTTR-IS nuclear hydrogen production system
Sato, H. et al. Annals of Nuclear Energy, 2009, 36, (7), 956965.
A thermochemical water splitting hydrogen production system based
on the iodine sulfur (IS) process is presently under development in
Japan Atomic Energy Authority (JAEA). The hydrogen production
system is to be connected to the HTTR operating test reactor in JAEA.
An important development goal for the high-temperature engineering
test reactor (HTTR)-IS system is design and construction of the IS
process to the standards of a conventional chemical industrial plant in
order to simplify the cost and operation of the overall nuclear hydrogen
production. The present study considers a method to evaluate the
effects of anticipated abnormal load changes in the IS process on the
reactor operation. The numerical models are developed with capability
to compute abnormal transient behaviour of process heat exchangers in
the IS process. Furthermore, interface schemes between the RELAP5
code and the models are developed to quantify the impact of IS process
load change events on the reactor operation. A preliminary analysis in
case of inadvertent opening of pressure control valve in the H
2
SO
4
decomposition procedure of the HTTR-IS system has been conducted.
The results of the analysis show that the abnormal load increase of the
IS process due to the decrease in boiling and dew point in the H
2
SO
4
decomposer and to the chemical equilibrium shift of the H
2
SO
4
decomposition is successfully simulated by the chemical reaction and
H
2
SO
4
H
2
O aqueous system models developed. Furthermore, the
mitigation effect of a steam generator installed alongside the IS process
against abnormal load transient in the reactor is clarified by the
developed algorithm interfacing the chemistry model calculation with
the system analysis that considers the heat conduction in heat transfer
tubes. It is shown that the thermochemical models and model interface
schemes developed in the present study make possible the system
analysis of the HTTR-IS nuclear hydrogen production during the IS
process abnormal events.
10/01580 Development of copper-doped TiO
2
photocatalyst
for hydrogen production under visible light
Yoong, L. S. et al. Energy, 2009, 34, (10), 16521661.
The advantage of copper doping onto TiO
2
semiconductor photo-
catalysts for enhanced hydrogen generation under irradiation at the
visible range of the electromagnetic spectrum has been investigated.
Two methods of preparation for the copper-doped catalyst were
selected complex precipitation and wet impregnation methods using
copper nitrate trihydrate as the starting material. The dopant loading
varied from 2 to 15%. Characterization of the photocatalysts was done
by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), temperature programmed
reduction (TPR), diffuse reflectance UV-Vis (DR-UV-Vis), scanning
electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR)
spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Photocatalytic activity
towards hydrogen generation from water was investigated using a
multiport photocatalytic reactor under visible light illumination with
methanol added as a hole scavenger. Three calcination temperatures
were selected 300, 400 and 500

C. It was found that 10 wt.% Cu/TiO

2
calcined at 300

C for 30 min yielded the maximum quantity of

hydrogen. The reduction of band gap as a result of doping was
estimated and the influence of the process parameters on catalytic
activity is explained.
10/01581 Efficient hydrogen gas production from cassava
and food waste by a two-step process of dark fermentation
and photo-fermentation
Zong, W. et al. Biomass and Bioenergy, 2009, 33, (10), 14581463.
A two-step process of sequential anaerobic (dark) and photo-
heterotrophic fermentation was employed to produce hydrogen from
cassava and food waste. In dark fermentation, the average yield of
hydrogen was approximately 199 ml H
2
g
1
cassava and 220 ml H
2
g
1
food waste. In subsequent photo-fermentation, the average yield of
hydrogen from the effluent of dark fermentation was approximately
611 ml H
2
g
1
cassava and 451 ml H
2
g
1
food waste. The total hydrogen
yield in the two-step process was estimated as 810 ml H
2
g
1
cassava
and 671 ml H
2
g
1
food waste. Meanwhile, the COD decreased greatly
with a removal efficiency of 84.3% in cassava batch and 80.2% in food
waste batch. These results demonstrate that cassava and food waste
could be ideal substrates for bio-hydrogen production. And a two-step
process combining dark fermentation and photo-fermentation was
highly improving both bio-hydrogen production and removal of
substrates and fatty acids.
10/01582 Hydrogen production and storage investigation
of Hf-based intermetallics
Stojic , D. L. et al. Journal of Power Sources, 2009, 193, (1), 165169.
Hafnium-based intermetallics Hf
2
Fe, Hf
2
Co and Hf
2
Ni are investigated
as hydrogen absorbers at atmospheric pressure and their electrocata-
lytic activities are compared. The absorption process is carried out in
typical volumetric apparatus. Their crystal structures and morphologi-
cal characteristics are investigated by X-ray difractometry (XRD) and
scanning electron microscopy (SEM). According to the absorption
abilities, the investigated intermetallics can be ordered as follows:
Hf
2
Fe >Hf
2
Co >Hf
2
Ni. Ab initio calculations, within the framework
Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2010 251
03 Gaseous fuels (hydrogen generation and storage)
of the density functional theory (DFT), as implemented in the full-
potential (linearized) augmented plane-wave (FP/LAPW) method,
confirms the experimental investigations. The calculations are import-
ant as a way of predicting the best cathode and storage materials.
10/01583 Hydrogen production from glycerol: an update
Adhikari, S. et al. Energy Conversion and Management, 2009, 50, (10),
26002604.
The production of alternative fuels such as biodiesel and ethanol has
increased over the last few years. Such fuels are vital for the reduction
of energy dependence on foreign countries and to protect the
environmental damage associated with the use of fossil fuels. Due to
the increased production of biodiesel, a glut of crude glycerol has
resulted in the market and the price has plummeted over the past few
years. Therefore, it is imperative to find alternative uses for glycerol. A
variety of chemicals and fuels including hydrogen can be produced
from glycerol. Hydrogen is produced by using several processes, such as
steam reforming, autothermal reforming, aqueous-phase reforming
and supercritical water reforming. This paper reviews different
generation methods, catalysts and operating conditions used to
produce hydrogen using glycerol as a substrate. Most of the studies
were focused on hydrogen production via steam reforming process and
still less work has been done on producing hydrogen from crude
glycerol.
10/01584 Hydrogen production from solar thermal
dissociation of natural gas: development of a 10 kW solar
chemical reactor prototype
Rodat, S. et al. Solar Energy, 2009, 83, (9), 15991610.
This study addresses the solar thermal decomposition of natural gas for
the co-production of hydrogen, as well as carbon black as a high-value
nano-material, with the bonus of zero CO
2
emissions. The work
focused on the development of a medium-scale solar reactor (10 kW)
based on the concept of indirect heating. The solar reactor is composed
of a cubic cavity receiver (20 cm side), which absorbs concentrated solar
irradiation through a quartz window via a 9 cm-diameter aperture. The
reacting gas flows inside four graphite tubular reaction zones that are
settled vertically inside the cavity. Experimental results were as follows:
methane conversion and hydrogen yield of up to 98% and 90%,
respectively, were achieved at 1770 K, and acetylene was the most
important by-product, with a mole fraction up to about 5%. The effect
of the methane mole fraction in the feed gas, the residence time and
the temperature on the reaction extent was analysed. In addition to the
experimental section, thermal simulations were carried out. They
showed a homogeneous temperature distribution inside the cavity
receiver of the reactor and permit to draw up a thermal balance.
10/01585 Hydrogen transportation systems: elements of
risk analysis
Gerboni, R. and Salvador, E. Energy, 2009, 34, (12), 22232229.
This paper describes the methodology and the results obtained in the
framework of the NEEDS (New Energy Externalities Developments
for Sustainability) European project, while evaluating externalities due
to accidental situations. In particular it focuses on the results obtained
from a risk assessment of hydrogen transportation technologies. The
quantification of risk as an additional source of externality to the cost
of transporting hydrogen was obtained with the support of a
commercial numerical simulation software that was specifically
designed to deal with hazards in process industry environment. A
number of scenarios and site dependencies have been taken into
account in order to assess the risk associated with different
transportation means, under several accidental conditions (e.g. kind
of rupture and weather conditions). Results were compared with social
acceptability limits of risk set by some countries.
10/01586 Kinetic study on the thermal degradation of a
biomass and its compost: composting effect on hydrogen
production
Barneto, A. G. et al. Fuel, 2010, 89, (2), 462473.
Composting of Leucaena biomass increases hydrogen production from
15.2 to 22.6 vol% in raw gas obtained in air gasification. This fact,
which is accompanied with a diminution in carbon monoxide
concentration, is a consequence of physicochemical changes associated
with composting, mainly in thermophilic stage. After 35 days of
maturation, composted biomass do not significantly improves its
properties as raw material in biomass gasification. Although compost-
ing modifies the chemical composition of the initial biomass (diminish-
ing the holocellulose fraction and increasing lignin and humic
fractions), kinetic parameters of the thermal degradation of theses
fractions does not significantly change in both materials. Compost can
be accepted as a new biomass type with a different component
proportions (lignin enriched biomass). In both materials, biomass
(Leucaena) and compost, mass loss curves during pyrolysis (one step)
can be fitted assuming three independent fractions (hemicellulose,
cellulose and lignin) which undergo thermal degradation. Cellulosic
fraction degrades (first-order reaction) in a narrow temperature range,
reaching a maximum mass loss rate near 340

C. Thermal degradation
of the hemicellulosic fraction begins at low temperatures (150

C) and
finishes close to 350

C. The lignin fraction volatilizes (third-order

reaction) in a broad peak, beginning close to 150

C and finishing close

to 700

C. Mass losses during biomass (Leucaena) combustion can be

fitted supposing two fractions (holocellulose and lignin), which
undergo two consecutives processes: volatization and char combustion.
In order to fit the mass losses during compost combustion, it is
necessary to introduce a new component: humic fraction, which
undergoes the same processes as biomass. In this case, the peak
associated to char combustion is a sum of three sub-peaks partially
overlapped. In a similar way to pyrolysis, combustion kinetic
parameters are close in both biomass and compost. Simulating
thermogravimetric analysis it is possible to monitor chemical changes
that occur in biomass during composting. Comparing results with
obtained from chemical analysis, it was proved that optimization of a
suitable combustion model allows the calculation of an approximate
composition of samples. In this sense, in order to obtain more reliable
data, it is necessary to improve fitting using more complex kinetic
equations.
10/01587 Superactivated carbide-derived carbons with
high hydrogen storage capacity
Sevilla, M. et al. Energy & Environmental Science, 2010, 3, (2), 223227.
Activation of carbide-derived carbon (CDC) with KOH generates
superactivated carbons with high surface area (up to 2800 m
2
g
1
). The
KOH activation, at a CDC/KOH weight ratio of 1:4, was performed at
between 600 and 900

C. Despite a 50% increase in porosity, the

activated carbons retain a microporous nature with typically 90% of
their surface area and 80% of their pore volume arising from
micropores. The small micropores (812 A

) of the CDC are retained

in the activated carbons, along with the generation of a greater
proportion of new 20 A

pores. The size of the larger pores increases

slightly at a higher activation temperature. The activated carbons
exhibit an enhancement of up to 63% in hydrogen uptake from 3.8 wt%
for the CDC to 6.2 wt% at 196

C and 20 bar. At 1 bar the

superactivated CDC carbons store 2.7 wt% hydrogen, which is among
the highest values ever reported for activated carbon. An increase in
surface oxygen concentration also contributes to the enhanced
hydrogen uptake. For example, activation at 600

C does not alter the

textural properties, but enhances hydrogen uptake by ca. 30%
compared to the CDC due to an apparent higher surface oxygen
concentration.
10/01588 The problem of solid state hydrogen storage
Principi, G. et al. Energy, 2009, 34, (12), 20872091.
The paper contains a short review of the materials under investigation
suitable for solid state hydrogen storage, with particular reference to
the experimental activity carried out at the laboratory of the Hydrogen
Group of Padova University. The research on new materials for solid
state hydrogen storage indicates that up to now none of the studied
systems has all the required characteristics for practical applications on
a large scale. Nevertheless, niche applications are already possible.
Moreover, many innovative systems are promising enough to justify
active research in the next years, in order to offer to the market
efficient, safe and possibly cheap hydrogen reservoirs.
04 BY-PRODUCTS RELATED
TO FUELS
10/01589 Aluminium extraction and leaching
characteristics of Talcher Thermal Power Station fly ash with
sulphuric acid
Nayak, N. and Panda, C. R. Fuel, 2010, 89, (1), 5358.
Although fly ash disposal is of environmental concern, the quality of
residues can be improved with respect to high-value applications. Fly
ash is considered as a potential source of aluminium and other strategic
metals. Leaching and metal extraction behaviour of fly ash collected
from Talcher thermal power station have been thoroughly studied
using sulfuric acid as extractant. The chemical and mineralogical
composition of post-leached samples have been determined. Alu-
minium extraction by direct leaching at low acid concentration and
ambient temperature is not suitable for high recovery. The extraction
efficiency of aluminium increases significantly at a higher solid-to-
liquid ratio. It is evident that the leachability of metals from fly ash
depends on the nature of leaching medium, solid-to-liquid ratio,
temperature and leaching time.
252 Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2010
04 By-products related to fuels
10/01590 Characterization of manganese oxide precipitates
from Appalachian coal mine drainage treatment systems
Tan, H. et al. Applied Geochemistry, 2010, 25, (3), 389399.
The removal of Mn(II) from coal mine drainage (CMD) by chemical
addition/active treatment can significantly increase treatment costs.
Passive treatment for Mn removal involves promotion of biological
oxidative precipitation of manganese oxides (MnO
x
). Manganese(II)
removal was studied in three passive treatment systems in western
Pennsylvania that differed based on their influent Mn(II) concen-
trations (20150 mg/L), system construction ( inoculation with
patented Mn(II)-oxidizing bacteria), and bed materials (limestone vs.
sandstone). Manganese(II) removal occurred at pH values as low as 5.0
and temperatures as low as 2

C, but was enhanced at circumneutral pH

and warmer temperatures. Trace metals such as Zn, Ni and Co were
removed effectively, in most cases preferentially, into the MnO
x
precipitates. Based on synchrotron radiation X-ray diffraction and
Mn K-edge extended X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy, the
predominant Mn oxides at all sites were poorly crystalline hexagonal
birnessite, triclinic birnessite and todorokite. The surface morphology
of the MnO
x
precipitates from all sites was coarse and sponge-like
composed of nm-sized lathes and thin sheets. Based on scanning
electron microscopy (SEM), MnO
x
precipitates were found in close
proximity to both prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms. The greatest
removal efficiency of Mn(II) occurred at the one site with a higher pH
in the bed and a higher influent total organic C (TOC) concentration
(provided by an upstream wetland). Biological oxidation of Mn(II)
driven by heterotrophic activity was most likely the predominant Mn
removal mechanism in these systems. Influent water chemistry and
Mn(II) oxidation kinetics affected the relative distribution of MnO
x
mineral assemblages in CMD treatment systems.
10/01591 Germanium recovery from gasification fly ash:
evaluation of end-products obtained by precipitation
methods
Arroyo, F. et al. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 2009, 167, (13), 582
588.
In this study the purity of the germanium end-products obtained by two
different precipitation methods carried out on germanium-bearing
solutions was evaluated as a last step of a hydrometallurgy process for
the recovery of this valuable element from the Puertollano integrated
gasification combined cycle (IGCC) fly ash. Since H
2
S is produced as a
by-product in the gas cleaning system of the Puertollano IGCC plant,
precipitation of germanium as GeS
2
was tested by sulfiding the Ge-
bearing solutions. The technological and hazardous issues that
surround H
2
S handling conducted to investigate a novel precipitation
procedure: precipitation as an organic complex by adding 1,2-dihydroxy
benzene pyrocatechol (CAT) and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide
(CTAB) to the Ge-bearing solutions. Relatively high purity Ge end-
products (90 and 93% hexagonal-GeO
2
purity, respectively) were
obtained by precipitating Ge from enriched solutions, as GeS
2
sulfiding
the solutions with H
2
S, or as organic complex with CAT/CTAB
mixtures and subsequent roasting of the precipitates. Both methods
showed high efficiency (>99%) to precipitate selectively Ge using a
single precipitation stage from germanium-bearing solutions.
10/01592 Investigating the effect of metal oxide additives
on the properties of Cu/ZnO/Al
2
O
3
catalysts in methanol
synthesis from syngas using factorial experimental design
Meshkini, F. et al. Fuel, 2010, 89, (1), 170175.
The Cu/ZnO/Al
2
O
3
catalysts, prepared by co-precipitation method,
have been modified by adding small amount of Mn, Mg, Zr, Cr, Ba, W
and Ce oxides using design of experiments (1/16 full factorial design).
The structure and morphology of catalysts were studied by X-ray
diffraction (XRD) and BET. Performance of the prepared catalysts for
CO/CO
2
hydrogenation to methanol was evaluated by using a stainless
steel fixed-bed reactor at 5 MPa and 513 K. The oxide additives were
found to influence the catalytic activity, dispersion of Cu, Cu crystallite
size, surface composition of catalyst and stability of catalysts during
their operations. The results showed that the Mn and Zr promoted
catalysts have high performance for methanol synthesis from syngas.
10/01593 New concept for soot removal from a syngas
mixture
Raimondi, A. et al. Journal of Power Sources, 2009, 193, (1), 338341.
A new concept for soot removal from inside a syngas environment has
been studied. Particulate emissions are retained in a soot trap
downstream from a thermal partial oxidation (TPOX) reformer, while
the syngas atmosphere itself is utilized as a gasification agent to achieve
continuous and passive trap regeneration. This work analyses the
performances of the loading and the regenerating phases of a wall flow
soot trap in a syngas environment in an ad hoc developed test rig. A
balance point between filtered and removed soot was actually reached
at trap temperatures in the 8001000

C range with soot abatement

efficiencies above 95 wt%. The particulate is obtained from a TPOX
reactor operating in very rich fuel conditions, using methane as fuel.
The final application of the reactor and trap assembly is a micro CHP
system, based on an SOFC fed by a TPOX reformer. However,
application to larger contexts (e.g. biomass gasification plants) can be
envisaged.
10/01594 Pyrolysis and gasification of food waste: syngas
characteristics and char gasification kinetics
Ahmed, I. I. and Gupta, A. K. Applied Energy, 2010, 87, (1), 101108.
Characteristics of syngas from the pyrolysis and gasification of food
waste has been investigated. Characteristic differences in syngas
properties and overall yields from pyrolysis and gasification were
determined at two distinct high temperatures of 800 and 900

C.
Pyrolysis and gasification behaviour were evaluated in terms of syngas
flow rate, hydrogen flow rate, output power, total syngas yield, total
hydrogen yield, total energy yield, and apparent thermal efficiency.
Gasification was more beneficial than pyrolysis based on investigated
criteria, but longer time was needed to finish the gasification process.
Longer time of gasification is attributed to slow reactions between the
residual char and gasifying agent. Consequently, the char gasification
kinetics was investigated. Inorganic constituents of food char were
found to have a catalytic effect. Char reactivity increased with
increased degree of conversion. In the conversion range from 0.1 to
0.9 the increase in reactivity was accompanied by an increase in pre-
exponential factor, which suggested an increase in gasifying agent
adsorption rate to char surface. However, in the conversion range from
0.93 to 0.98 the increase in reactivity was accompanied by a decrease in
activation energy. A compensation effect was observed in this range of
conversion of 0.930.98.
10/01595 Self-sustained reformation of diesel fuel using a
SiC block with penetrating walls
Ko, M. K. et al. International Journal of Energy Research, 2010, 34, (5),
375380.
This study developed a new reformation device based on a silicon
carbide (SiC) ceramic wall flow monolith. The atomized fuel was spray
injected to the electrically heated block. The fuelair mixture was then
reformed by partial oxidation and changed to synthesis gas including
CO, CO
2
, H
2
O, O
2
and H
2
. The composition of the reformed gas was
measured with varying fuelair ratios. The degree of reformation or
conversion changes with the temperature and a maximum conversion
efficiency of 90% is attained at around 850

C.
10/01596 The effect of phosphine in syngas on NiYSZ
anode-supported solid oxide fuel cells
Xu, C. et al. Journal of Power Sources, 2009, 193, (2), 739746.
NiYSZ cermet is commonly used as the anode of a solid oxide fuel cell
(SOFC) because it has excellent electrochemical performance, not only
in hydrogen fuel, but also in a clean blended synthetic coal syngas
mixture (30% H
2
, 26% H
2
O, 23% CO, and 21% CO
2
). However, trace
impurities, such as phosphine (PH
3
), in coal-derived syngas can cause
degradation in cell performance. A commercial solid oxide fuel cell was
exposed to a syngas with 10 ppm PH
3
under a constant current load at
800

C and its performance was evaluated periodically using electro-

chemical methods. The central part of the anode was exposed directly
to the syngas without an intervening current collector. Post-mortem
analyses of the SOFC anode were performed using Raman spec-
troscopy, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy
dispersive spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The
results show that the impurity PH
3
caused a significant loss of the Ni
YSZ anode electrochemical performance and an irreversible NiYSZ
structural modification. Ni
5
P
2
was confirmed to be produced on the cell
surface as the dominant nickel phosphorus phase.
10/01597 Thermo-economic process model for
thermochemical production of synthetic natural gas (SNG)
from lignocellulosic biomass
Gassner, M. and Marechal, F. Biomass and Bioenergy, 2009, 33, (11),
15871604.
A detailed thermo-economic model considering different technological
alternatives for thermochemical production of synthetic natural gas
(SNG) from lignocellulosic biomass is presented. First, the candidate
technology for processes based on biomass gasification and subsequent
methanation is discussed and assembled in a general superstructure.
Both energetic and economic models for biomass drying with air or
steam, thermal pretreatment by torrefaction or pyrolysis, indirectly and
directly heated gasification, methane synthesis and carbon dioxide
removal by physical absorption, pressure swing adsorption and poly-
meric membranes are then developed. Performance computations for
the different process steps and some exemplary technology scenarios of
integrated plants are carried out, and overall energy and exergy
efficiencies in the range of 6976% and 6369%, respectively, are
assessed. For these scenarios, the production cost of SNG including the
investment depreciation is estimated to 76107 e MWh
1
SNG
for a plant
capacity of 20 MW
th,biomass
, whereas 5997 e MWh
1
SNG
might be
Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2010 253
04 By-products related to fuels
reached at scales of 150 MW
th,biomass
and above. Based on this work, a
future thermo-economic optimization will allow for determining the
most promising options for the polygeneration of fuel, power and heat.
10/01598 Tracing the interaction of acid mine drainage with
coal utilization byproducts in a grouted mine: strontium
isotope study of the inactive Omega Coal Mine, West
Virginia (USA)
Hamel, B. L. et al. Applied Geochemistry, 2010, 25, (2), 212223.
In order to ameliorate acidic discharge, the inactive Omega coal mine,
west Virginia was partially filled by injection of a grout consisting of
98% coal utilization byproducts (CUB), including fluidized bed
combustion ash and fly ash, and 2% Portland cement. In this study,
discharge chemistry and Sr isotope ratios were determined to identify
and quantify the extent of interaction between mine waters and the
CUBcement grout. Eight sampling sites were monitored around the
downdip perimeter of the mine. The major and trace element chemistry
of the discharges was generally not sufficient to distinguish between
discharges that interacted with grout and those that did not. Elements
that showed the most separation include K and As, which were elevated
in some waters that interacted with CUBcement grout. In contrast,
the Sr isotope ratios clearly distinguished discharges from grouted and
non-grouted areas. Discharges that bypassed the grouted portions had
87
Sr/
86
Sr ratios ranging from 0.71510 to 0.71594, while two discharges
that interacted with grout had ratios in the range of 0.714010.71456.
The Treatment Inlet, which includes both grouted and ungrouted
discharges, yielded intermediate isotopic ratios. Leaching experiments
on CUBcement grout, coal and surrounding rocks are consistent with
the isotopic trends observed in the discharges. Based on these results,
waters that interacted with grout received 3040% of their Sr from the
CUBcement grout material. These results suggest that the grout
material is chemically eroding at a rate of approximately 0.04% per
year. This novel application of the Sr isotope system illustrates its
ability to sensitively track and quantify fluid interaction with coal and
CUB-based grout.
05 NUCLEAR FUELS
Scientific, technical
10/01599 A model for predicting static instability in
two-phase flow systems
Farhadi, K. Progress in Nuclear Energy, 2009, 51, (8), 805812.
An analytical model for predicting the onset of Ledinegg instability in
vertical channel under both downflow and upflow conditions has been
developed and evaluated. The model divides the flow field into two
regions based upon the fluid temperature. The pressure drop is then
found by solving an appropriate set of equations for each region. The
theoretical results are compared to an existing set of experimental data
covering a range of channel diameters and operating conditions. A very
good agreement is obtained with the available experimental data from
the literature for water systems. A parameter, the ratio between the
surface heat flux and the heat flux required to achieve saturation at the
channel exit for a given flow rate, is found to be a very accurate
indicator of the minimum point velocity in the demand curve.
10/01600 A new physical protection measure for evaluating
risks at nuclear facilities
Yoo, H. Annals of Nuclear Energy, 2009, 36, (9), 14631468.
The physical protection (PP) measures for evaluating risks at nuclear
facilities have been developed. The developed measures can be used to
not only evaluate the physical protection status of operational nuclear
facilities, but also for the next generation of nuclear systems such as the
SFR (sodium fast reactor) and the VHTR (very high temperature
reactor). These measures can substitute those existing methodologies
developed by the Gen-IV PR&PP group and the INPRO. These
measures have been adapted to hypothetical nuclear facilities, and
scenarios have been created to analyse PP risk quantitatively. The PP
measures developed in this study contain probability of interruption
(PI), probability of neutralization (PN), consequences (C), fissile
material type (MT) and effectiveness of physical protection resources
(EPR). In this paper, tools and tables for calculating each PP measure
are suggested and illustrated in detail. The PI and PN measures can be
calculated quantitatively using these tools. A new computer code for
calculating PI has also been developed. The EPR, MT and C measures
were obtained from tables developed by collecting and analysing
related information. Computational results of the PP measures in five
different scenarios, and at three different facilities demonstrate the
effectiveness of the methodology developed. The results obtained are
represented in a spider diagram (after normalizing the measure
calculated). The value of PI and C changed because of the scenario;
but the other three measures, EPR, MT and PN (determined by the
characteristics of the facility) did not vary. It is expected that by using a
larger number of refined scenarios more reliable information will be
provided. It is also anticipated that the PP measures developed in this
study can be applied to operational nuclear facilities, as well as a future
nuclear systems under development.
10/01601 A pebble bed reactor cross section methodology
Hudson, N. H. et al. Annals of Nuclear Energy, 2009, 36, (8), 1138
1150.
A method is presented for the evaluation of microscopic cross-sections
for the pebble bed reactor (PBR) neutron diffusion computational
models during convergence to an equilibrium (asymptotic) fuel cycle.
This method considers the isotopics within a core spectral zone and the
leakages from such a zone as they arise during reactor operation. The
randomness of the spatial distribution of fuel grains within the fuel
pebbles and that of the fuel and moderator pebbles within the core, the
double heterogeneity of the fuel, and the indeterminate burn-up of
the spectral zones all pose a unique challenge for the computation of
the local microscopic cross sections. As prior knowledge of the
equilibrium composition and leakage is not available, it is necessary
to repeatedly re-compute the group constants with updated zone
information. A method is presented to account for local spectral zone
composition and leakage effects without resorting to frequent spectrum
code calls. Fine group data are pre-computed for a range of isotopic
states. Microscopic cross-sections and zone nuclide number densities
are used to construct fine group macroscopic cross-sections, which,
together with fission spectra, flux modulation factors, and zone
buckling, are used in the solution of the slowing down balance to
generate a new or updated spectrum. The microscopic cross-sections
are then re-collapsed with the new spectrum for the local spectral zone.
This technique is named the spectral history correction (SHC) method.
It is found that this method accurately recalculates local broad group
microscopic cross sections. Significant improvement in the core
eigenvalue, flux, and power peaking factor is observed when the local
cross sections are corrected for the effects of the spectral zone
composition and leakage in two-dimensional PBR test problems.
10/01602 Ageing of EUROBITUM bituminised radioactive
waste: an ATR-FTIR spectroscopy study
Valcke, E. et al. Journal of Nuclear Materials, 2009, 393, (1), 175185.
The extent of the physico-chemical processes of concern in the study of
the acceptability of Eurobitum bituminized radioactive waste for
underground disposal (water uptake by hygroscopic NaNO
3
swelling
pressure build-up NaNO
3
leaching) will depend on the degree of
ageing of the bituminous matrix. In the work reported here, the ageing
behaviour was studied by comparing the characteristics of 25-year-old
radioactive Eurobitum with those of 25-year-old non-radioactive
Eurobitum samples that were heated or gamma-irradiated in the
presence or absence of oxygen. Chemical changes in the bitumen
structure were followed in the mid-infrared region with attenuated
total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR)
by measuring the evolution of the band heights at 1700 cm
1
(C=O
functional groups) and 1600 cm
1
(C=C double bonds). Needle
penetration depths and ring and ball softening points were determined
for some samples. Oxidation of bitumen in the presence of oxygen
results in a distinct increase of both the number of C=O and C=C
functionalities, with a positive linear relationship existing between the
two groups. The production of C=O functional groups seems to
promote the generation of C=C double bonds. Heating at 130

C is
much more efficient than gamma irradiation at low to moderate dose
rates (20140 Gy/h) to oxidize the bitumen. As the oxygen concen-
tration decreases, for instance by diffusion limitation deeper inside the
bitumen, the number of C=O and CC functionalities formed per unit
of time decreases. A similar behaviour was observed for 25-year-old
radioactive Eurobitum. In absence of oxygen, gamma irradiation still
results in a small increase of the number of C=O functional groups,
probably by oxygen still adsorbed on the bitumen, and in a relatively
higher amount of C=C double bonds. The surface layer (<5 cm) of 25-
year-old radioactive Eurobitum was heavily oxidized. The material had
become very hard and brittle, and was full of small fissures. Due to
these fissures, radio-oxidation processes took also place deeper inside
the waste. The consequences of these observations for the long-term
behaviour of Eurobitum in underground disposal conditions are
discussed.
10/01603 Analytical solution of point kinetics equations for
linear reactivity variation during the start-up of a nuclear
reactor
Palma, D. A. P. et al. Annals of Nuclear Energy, 2009, 36, (9), 1469
1471.
254 Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2010
05 Nuclear fuels (scientific, technical)
The analytical solution of point kinetics equations with a group of
delayed neutrons is useful in predicting the variation of neutron density
during the start-up of a nuclear reactor. In the practical case of an
increase of nuclear reactor power resulting from the linear insertion of
reactivity, the exact analytical solution cannot be obtained. Approxi-
mate solutions have been obtained in previous articles, based on
considerations that need to be verifiable in practice. In this article, an
alternative analytic solution is presented for point kinetics equations in
which the only approximation consists of disregarding the term of the
second derivative for neutron density in relation to time. The results
proved satisfactory when applied to practical situations in the start-up
of a nuclear reactor through the control rods withdraw.
10/01604 Corrosion of the AlFeNi alloy used for the fuel
cladding in the Jules Horowitz research reactor
Wintergerst, M. et al. Journal of Nuclear Materials, 2009, 393, (3), 369
380.
The AlFeNi aluminium alloy (1 wt% Fe, 1 wt% Ni, 1 wt% Mg) is
expected to be used as nuclear fuel cladding for the Jules Horowitz
experimental reactor. To guarantee a safe behaviour of the fuel, a good
understanding of the fuel clad corrosion mechanisms is required. In
this field, the experimental characterization of the selected alloy was
performed. Then experimental studies of the aluminium alloy
corrosion product obtained in autoclaves have shown an oxide film
composed of two layers. This duplex structure results from a mixed
growth mechanism: an anionic growth to develop the inner oxide and a
cationic diffusion parallel to a dissolutionprecipitation process to
form the outer zone. Dynamic experiments at 70

C have demonstrated
that a solid diffusion step controls the release kinetic. Then post-
irradiation exams performed on irradiated fuel plates were used to
investigate the effects of the irradiation on the corrosion behaviour in
the reactor core.
10/01605 Development and characterisation of a new ODS
ferritic steel for fusion reactor application
Oksiuta, Z. et al. Journal of Nuclear Materials, 2009, 393, (1), 114119.
This paper describes the microstructure, tensile properties and Charpy
impact resistance of a reduced activation oxide dispersion strengthened
ferritic steel Fe14Cr2W0.3Ti0.3Y
2
O
3
produced by mechanical
alloying of a pre-alloyed, gas atomized steel powder with Y
2
O
3
particles, compaction by hot extrusion at 1100

C, hot rolling at
700

C and heat treatment at 1050

C for 1 h. At room temperature the

material exhibits a high ultimate tensile strength of about 1420 MPa
and high yield strength of about 1340 MPa in the transverse direction.
In the longitudinal direction the values are about 10% lower, due to the
anisotropy of the microstructure (elongated grains in the rolling
direction). At 750

C the material still exhibits relatively high yield

strengths of about 325 MPa and 305 MPa in the longitudinal and
transverse directions, respectively. The material exhibits reasonable
uniform and total elongation values over the temperature range 23
750

C, in both transverse and longitudinal directions. The material

exhibits weak Charpy impact properties in the transverse direction.
Charpy impact properties are slightly better in the longitudinal
direction, with upper shelf energy of about 4.2 J and a ductile-to-
brittle transition temperature of about 8.8

C.
10/01606 Development of key ITER relevant technologies
on the Tore Supra tokamak
Saoutic, B. Fusion Engineering and Design, 2009, 84, (26), 161169.
As the largest superconducting tokamak presently in operation, with all
plasma-facing components (PFC) actively cooled, Tore Supra is able to
routinely address critical issues of high power long duration discharges.
Twenty years of operation of Tore Supra have been valorized through
lessons learnt studies on systems critical for long pulse operation.
Real time feedback systems have been developed to safely operate at a
high level (>10 MW) of injected power. The versatility of the
integrated plasma controller has allowed extending feedbacks to
plasma performance optimization. A dedicated long discharges
campaign, cumulating 5 h of plasma in 10 operation days without any
conditioning procedure meanwhile, has allowed to gain new insights in
deuterium retention studies and to reveal a new operational limit
characterized by a progressive decreases of the power handling
capability. A strong development effort has been undertaken to follow
up the PFC ageing during and between experimental campaigns. This
includes the development of an articulated inspection arm, of lock-in
thermography and confocal microscopy techniques. An important part
of the Tore Supra programme, is the development of reliable heating
and current drive systems. Progress in the development of lower hybrid
couplers, klystrons and test of a load resilient ion cyclotron range of
frequency are also reported in the paper.
10/01607 Differential evolution algorithms applied to
nuclear reactor core design
Sacco, W. F. et al. Annals of Nuclear Energy, 2009, 36, (8), 10931099.
The differential evolution algorithm (DE) and a recently introduced
variant, differential evolution with random localizations (DERL), are
applied for the first time to a nuclear engineering optimization
problem. This problem was previously solved with genetic algorithms,
particle swarm optimization and Metropolis algorithms, and consists in
adjusting several reactor cell parameters, such as dimensions, enrich-
ment and materials, in order to minimize the average peak-factor in a
three-enrichment-zone reactor, considering restrictions on the average
thermal flux, criticality and sub-moderation. The results obtained by
DE and DERL are compared against the published ones and both
algorithms perform well, thus demonstrating their potential for other
applications.
10/01608 Experimental investigations on mechanical and
radiation shielding properties of hybrid leadsteel fiber
reinforced concrete
Sharma, A. et al. Nuclear Engineering and Design, 2009, 239, (7), 1180
1185.
This paper summarizes the results from the investigations carried out
on fibre-reinforced concrete with steel fibres, lead fibres and a
combination of the two (hybrid fibres). The intent of this research
was to investigate the effect of the two types of fibres on mechanical
and radiation shielding properties of concrete. Compressive strength,
split tensile strength and flexural toughness were among the
mechanical properties investigated and radiation shielding to gamma
rays was investigated by comparing the attenuation provided by
different types of concrete against each other and against blank
readings without attenuation. The results clearly showed that the
hybrid fibres showed a significant enhancement in both mechanical and
radiation shielding properties.
10/01609 Gel structure of the corrosion layer on cladding
pipes of nuclear fuel
Medek, J. and Weishauptova, Z. Journal of Nuclear Materials, 2009,
393, (2), 306310.
The fuel material in a nuclear reactor is protected by cladding pipes
made of alloyed zirconium. In contact with water near its critical
temperature, a corrosion layer of hydrated zirconium dioxide ZrOS
2

nH
2
O, probably with an amorphous gel structure under given
conditions, is formed on the cladding. To verify the presence of the
gel structure, an analysis was made by water vapour desorption of the
original corrosion oxide layers stored in a given autoclave liquid, their
dehydrated modifications, and modifications rehydrated in an aqueous
medium. This analysis enabled the varying water content to be
determined as a characteristic quantity reflecting the nature of its
binding. Microhardness values as a measure of plastic deformation of
the crystalline and amorphous forms of zirconium dioxide were also
determined. Unambiguous agreement of the results obtained by
sorption analysis and by microhardness measurement allows us to
conclude that the corrosion layer in situ has properties corresponding
to a reversible xerogel.
10/01610 Geometry and physics of the Geant4 toolkit for
high and medium energy applications
Apostolakis, J. et al. Radiation Physics and Chemistry, 2009, 78, (10),
859873.
The current status of the Geant4 toolkit and the recent developments
for the geometry, electromagnetic and hadronic physics for medium
and high energy are presented. The focus of many recent improve-
ments in the toolkit are key applications including the simulation of
large Hadron collider experiments at CERN. These developments and
physics model extensions provide new capabilities and improvements
for other applications of the toolkit for radiation studies in high energy
physics, space and medical research.
10/01611 In-core fuel management optimization of
pebble-bed reactors
Boer, B. et al. Annals of Nuclear Energy, 2009, 36, (8), 10491058.
A reduction of the power peak in the core of high temperature pebble-
bed reactors is attractive to decrease the maximum fuel temperature
and to increase fuel performance. A calculation procedure was
developed, which combines fuel depletion, neutronics and thermal
hydraulics to investigate the impact of a certain (re)loading scheme for
the pebble-bed type HTR. The procedure has been applied to a model
of the Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (400 MW) design. This paper
shows that an important reduction in axial power peaking can be
achieved by adopting a multi-pass recycling scheme for the pebbles. By
dividing the core into several radial fuel zones in combination with
multi-pass recycling the power profile can be flattened in the radial
direction. For a core with two fuel zones the impact on the k
eff
and
maximum power density as a function of the zone size has been
investigated. A heuristic method has been used to find the optimal
pebble loading pattern for several (re)loading schemes. Using this
method a reduction of the maximum power density from 10.0 to
8.2 MW/m
3
has been achieved for a core with three radial fuel zones.
Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2010 255
05 Nuclear fuels (scientific, technical)
The effects of the improved power profiles on the fuel temperature
during normal operation and a depressurized loss of coolant (DLOFC)
accident have been analysed. It was found that the optimized power
profile results in a reduction of the maximum fuel temperature of 80

C
and 300

C for normal operation and DLOFC conditions, respectively.

10/01612 Integrated decay heat load method to analyze
repository capacity impact of a fuel cycle
Li, J. et al. Annals of Nuclear Energy, 2009, 36, (9), 13661373.
Assessing the needs for repository capacity from nuclear waste disposal
is essential for fuel cycle development or repository development
planning. As the repository capacity is mainly constrained by thermal
design limits on the repository rocks, a detailed mountain-scale heat
transfer calculation is needed for repository capacity impact analysis.
In this paper, a simplified repository capacity impact analysis method is
proposed as an alternative to performing repository scale heat transfer
analysis. The method is based on the use of integrated decay heat load
(IDHL) limits. The derived integrated decay heat loads were found to
appropriately represent the drift wall temperature limit (200

C) and
the midway between adjacent drifts temperature limit (96

C) under the
high temperature operating mode as long as the wastes are uniformly
loaded into the repository. Results indicated that the long-term
integrated decay heat load (IDHL
L
) and the short-term integrated
decay heat load (IDHL
S
) can be effectively used to represent the
repository capacity impact for spent nuclear fuels and high-level
wastes, respectively. Comparisons indicated good agreement between
the proposed IDHL method and the repository heat transfer analysis-
based approach.
10/01613 Monte Carlo simulations of radioactive waste
embedded into polymer
O

zdemir, T. and Usanmaz, A. Radiation Physics and Chemistry, 2009,

78, (9), 800805.
Radioactive waste is generated from the nuclear applications and it
should properly be managed according to the regulations set by the
regulatory authority. Poly(carbonate urethane) and poly(bisphenol a-
co-epichlorohydrin) are radiation-resistant polymers and they are
possible candidate materials that can be used in the radioactive waste
management. In this study, maximum allowable waste activity that can
be embedded into these polymers and dose rate distribution of the
waste drum (containing waste and the polymer matrix) were found via
Monte Carlo simulations. The change of mechanical properties of
above-mentioned polymers was simulated and their variations within
the waste drum were determined for 15, 30 and 300 years after
embedding.
10/01614 Processing dynamic scenarios from a reliability
analysis of a nuclear power plant digital instrumentation and
control system
Zio, E. and Di Maio, F. Annals of Nuclear Energy, 2009, 36, (9), 1386
1399.
This paper illustrates a method for processing accident scenarios
generated in a dynamic reliability analysis of a nuclear power plant
(NPP) equipped with digital instrumentation and control (I&C). The
method is based on a fuzzy C-means clustering algorithm for
classification, which takes into account not only the system states
reached at the end of the scenarios but also the timing and magnitude
of the occurred failure events, and the characteristics of the process
evolution. An illustrative case study is considered, regarding the fault
scenarios of the digital I&C of the leadbismuth eutectic experimental
accelerator driven system (LBE-XADS). A SIMULINK model of the
system has been embedded within a Monte Carlo sampling procedure
for injecting faults at random times and of random magnitudes. The
accident scenarios thereby generated are classified on the basis of three
different system end states, which relate to the value reached by the
diathermic oil secondary coolant temperature with respect to maximum
and minimum safety threshold values set to avoid primary coolant
thermal shocks and degradation of the oil physical and chemical
properties.
10/01615 Reactor core power measurement using
Cherenkov radiation and its application in Tehran Research
Reactor
Arkani, M. and Gharib, M. Annals of Nuclear Energy, 2009, 36, (7),
896900.
Cherenkov radiation is a process that could be used as an extra channel
for power measurement to enhance redundancy and diversity of a
reactor. This is especially easy to establish in a pool type research
reactor. A simple photo diode array is used in Tehran Research
Reactor to measure and display power in parallel with the existing
conventional detectors. Experimental measurements on this channel
showed that a good linearity exists above 100 kW range. The system has
been in use for more than a year and has shown reliability and
precision. Nevertheless, the system is subject to further modifications,
in particular for application to lower power ranges.
10/01616 Subchannel analysis of CANDU-SCWR fuel
Li, C. et al. Progress in Nuclear Energy, 2009, 51, (8), 799804.
A cooperative study has been initiated at Xian Jiaotong University
(XJTU) with Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) to develop a
subchannel code ATHAS for preliminary analyses of flow and enthalpy
distributions and cladding temperatures in CANDU fuel at super-
critical water conditions. The code is applicable for transient and
steady-state calculations. Then the paper uses the ATHAS code to
analyse CANDU-SCWR which is operating at 25.0 MPa pressure. The
results show that the maximum cladding-surface temperature of
CANFLEX bundle is 804.1

C, which is below the limit of design,

and it is appropriate for use in the CANDU super-critical water-cooled
reactor (SCWR) based on heat-transfer analysis.
10/01617 Use of poly(methyl methacrylate) in radioactive
waste management: II. Monte Carlo simulations
O

zdemir, T. and Usanmaz, A. Progress in Nuclear Energy, 2009, 51,

(8), 845848.
Radioactive waste is generated from nuclear applications and should
properly be managed in a radioactive waste management system.
Different methods are available for treatment and conditioning of
radioactive waste. Polymers can be used in the radioactive waste
management as an embedding matrix. Poly(methyl methacrylate)
(PMMA) is a possible candidate material that can be used in low level
radioactive waste management. In this study, based on total resistible
dose for PMMA, maximum waste activity that can be embedded into a
waste drum was found via Monte Carlo simulations. In addition, Monte
Carlo simulations for radioactive waste embedded into above men-
tioned polymer was performed and the dose rate distribution in the
polymer matrix was determined for the initial and different periods of
15.1, 30.2 and 302 years after embedding of waste. Changes of
mechanical properties in the polymer embedded waste drum was
simulated for PMMA embedded waste matrices based on experimental
data.
Economics, policy, supplies, forecasts
10/01618 A heuristic model for risk and cost impacts of
plant outage maintenance schedule
Mohammad Hadi Hadavi, S. Annals of Nuclear Energy, 2009, 36, (7),
974987.
Cost and risk are two major competing criteria in maintenance
optimization problems. If a plant is forced to shutdown because of
accident or fear of accident happening, beside loss of revenue, it causes
damage to the credibility and reputation of the business operation. In
this paper a heuristic model for incorporating three compelling
optimization criteria (i.e. risk, cost, and loss) into a single evaluation
function is proposed. Such a model could be used in any evaluation
engine of outage maintenance schedule optimizer. It is attempted to
make the model realistic and to address the ongoing challenges facing a
schedule planner in a simple and commonly understandable fashion.
Two simple competing schedules for the NPP feedwater system are
examined against the model. The results show that while the model
successfully addresses the current challenges for outage maintenance
optimization, it properly demonstrates the dynamics of schedule in
regards to risk, cost, and losses endured by maintenance schedule,
particularly when prolonged outage and lack of maintenance for
equipments in need of urgent care are of concern.
10/01619 A US perspective on fast reactor fuel fabrication
technology and experience. Part II: ceramic fuels
Burkes, D. E. et al. Journal of Nuclear Materials, 2009, 393, (1), 111.
This paper is the second part of a review focusing on the US experience
with oxide, carbide, and nitride fast reactor fuel fabrication. Over
60 years of research in fuel fabrication by government, national
laboratories, industry, and academia has culminated in a foundation
of research and resulted in significant improvements to the technol-
ogies employed to fabricate these fuel types. This part of the review
documents the current state of fuel fabrication technologies in the USA
for each of these fuel types, some of the challenges faced by previous
researchers, and how these were overcome. Knowledge gained from
reviewing previous investigations will aid both researchers and policy
makers in forming future decisions relating to nuclear fuel fabrication
technologies.
10/01620 An evaluation of the severe accident management
strategies for CANDU-6 type plants
Park, S.-Y. and Kim, S.-B. Annals of Nuclear Energy, 2009, 36, (9),
13401348.
256 Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2010
05 Nuclear fuels (economics, policy, supplies, forecasts)
This paper provides an evaluation of the mitigation effects for the
severe accident management strategies of the Wolsong plants which are
typical CANDU-6 type reactors. The evaluation includes the effect of
the following six mitigation strategies: (1) injection into the primary
heat transport system (PHTS), (2) injection into the calandria vessel,
(3) injection into the calandria vault, (4) reduction of the fission
product release, (5) control of the reactor building condition, (6)
reduction of the reactor building hydrogen. The tested scenario is a loss
of coolant accident with a small out-of-core break, and the thermal
hydraulic and severe accident phenomenological analyses were
implemented by using the ISAAC computer program. The calculation
results show that the most effective means for a primary decay heat
removal is a low pressure safety injection, that for a calandria vessel
integrity is an end-shield cooling injection, and that for a reactor
building integrity is a pressure control via local air coolers. Besides the
above, the usefulness of each safety component was evaluated in this
analysis.
10/01621 Economic analysis of hydride fueled BWR
Ganda, F. et al. Nuclear Engineering and Design, 2009, 239, (8), 1560
1570.
This study analyses the economic implications of designing BWR cores
with hydride fuels instead of conventional oxide fuels. The economic
analysis methodology adopted is based on the lifetime levelized cost of
electricity. Bracketing values (1970 and 3010 $/kWe) are used for the
overnight construction costs and for the power scaling factors (0.4 and
0.8) that correlate between a change in the capital cost to a change in
the power level. It is concluded that a newly constructed BWR reactor
could substantially benefit from the use of 10 10 hydride fuel bundles
instead of 10 10 oxide fuel bundles design presently in use. The cost
saving would depend on the core pressure drop constraint that can be
implemented in newly constructed BWRs it is between 2% and 3%
for a core pressure drop constraint as of the reference BWR, between
9% and 15% for a 50% higher core pressure drop, and between 12%
and 21% higher for close to 100% core pressure. The attainable cost
reduction was found insensitive to the specific construction cost but
strongly dependent on the power scaling factor. The cost advantage of
hydride-fuelled cores as compared to that of the oxide reference core
depends only weakly on the uranium and SWU prices, on the per
volume base fabrication cost of hydride fuels, and on the discount rate
used. To be economically competitive, the uranium enrichment
required for the hydride fuelled core needs to be around 10%.
10/01622 Evaluation method of nuclear nonproliferation
credibility
Kwon, E.-H. and Ko, W. I. Annals of Nuclear Energy, 2009, 36, (7),
901909.
This paper presents an integrated multicriteria analysis method for the
quantitative evaluation of a states nuclear nonproliferation credibility
level. Underscoring the implications of policy on the sources of
political demand for nuclear weapons rather than focusing on efforts to
restrict the supply of specific weapons technology from the haves to
the have-nots, the proposed methodology considers the political,
social, and cultural dimensions of nuclear proliferation. This method-
ology comprises three steps: (1) identifying the factors that influence
credibility formation and employing them to construct a criteria tree
that will illustrate the relationships among these factors; (2) defining
the weight coefficients of each criterion through pairwise comparisons
of the analytical hierarchy process; and (3) assigning numerical scores
to a state under each criterion and combining them with the weight
coefficients in order to provide an overall assessment of the state. The
functionality of this methodology is examined by assessing the current
level of nuclear non-proliferation credibility of four countries: Japan,
North Korea, South Korea, and Switzerland.
10/01623 Implementing first principles calculations of
defect migration in a fuel performance code for UN
simulations
Kotomin, E. A. et al. Journal of Nuclear Materials, 2009, 393, (2), 292
299.
Results are reported of first principles VASP supercell calculations of
basic defect migration in UN nuclear fuels. The collinear interstitialcy
mechanism of N migration is predicted to be energetically more
favourable than direct [0 0 1] hops. It is also found that U and N
vacancies have close migration energies, and O impurities accelerate
migration of N vacancies nearby. These values are both in qualitative
agreement with the effect of oxygen on the reduction of the activation
energy for thermal creep reported in the literature, as well as in
quantitative agreement with the experimental data when taking into
account the uncertainties. The migration energies have been im-
plemented in the thermal creep model of the TRANSURANUS fuel
performance code. Therefore a concrete example is provided of how
first principles computations can contribute directly to improve the
design tools of advanced nuclear fuels, e.g. the predictions reveal a
limited effect of oxygen on the thermo-mechanical performance of
nitride fuels under fast breeder reactor normal operating conditions.
10/01624 Implications of the new national energy basic
plan for nuclear waste management in Korea
Ko, W. I. and Kwon, E. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (9), 34843488.
The Korean National Energy Committee has recently adopted a new
national energy basic plan according to which the electricity generated
by nuclear power plants is to increase from the current 35.5% of total
electricity production to 59% by 2030. This large increase in nuclear
power will inevitably accelerate the accumulation of spent fuel; if the
direct disposal option is pursued, spent fuel arisings in Korea are
expected to exceed 100,000 tHM in 2100. It is estimated that the
country will require between 1022 disposal sites, each with an area
equal to the Gyeongju low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste
(LILW) disposal site, to accommodate this amount of spent fuel.
However, considering Koreas geographic profile, securing this number
of sites will be almost impossible, and will ultimately create a serious
problem for the sustainability of nuclear energy in the country. In view
of this dilemma, this paper recommends that the volume of Korean
nuclear waste for disposal be significantly reduced, and offers sodium
fast reactor (SFR)-based recycling as a potentially viable solution.
10/01625 Licensing of nuclear power plants: the case of
Sweden in an international comparison
Michanek, G. and Soderholm, P. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (10), 4086
4097.
Efficient power plant licensing procedures are essential for the
functioning of deregulated electricity markets. The purpose of this
paper is to review and analyse the licensing process for nuclear power
plants in Sweden, and in part contrast the Swedish case with the
corresponding approaches in a selection of other countries. This
approach permits a discussion of how licensing processes can be
altered and what the benefits and drawbacks of such changes are. The
paper highlights and discusses a number of important legal issues and
implications, including, for instance: (1) the role of political versus
impartial decision-making bodies; (2) the tension between national
policy goals and implementation at the local level; (3) public
participation and access to justice; (4) consistency and clarity of the
legal system; and (5) the introduction of license time limits.
10/01626 Present status of nuclear containments and ISI in
Korea
Park, J. and Hong, J. Progress in Nuclear Energy, 2009, 51, (8), 761
768.
Since the first nuclear power plant started in commercial service in
1978 in Korea, 20 units have been operated and maintained, and most
recently several units were under construction and planned to be
constructed in order to meet electricity demand. The importance of
nuclear containments always has been one of the hottest issues for the
safety and protection of nuclear power plants. From 1970s to present
year, various types of nuclear containments have been constructed until
now. With the changes of times, nuclear containment systems have
undergone a remarkable change, and finally a Korean standard nuclear
power plant was defined. For those reasons, various regulatory issues,
inspection technologies, technical requirements for periodic inspection
have been applied differently depending on the specific nuclear
containment types. In this study, the overall status of nuclear power
plants, development stages of nuclear containment systems, and
inservice inspections in Korea were researched.
06 ELECTRICAL POWER
SUPPLY AND
UTILIZATION
Scientific, technical
10/01627 A new fuzzy adaptive hybrid particle swarm
optimization algorithm for non-linear, non-smooth and
non-convex economic dispatch problem
Niknam, T. Applied Energy, 2010, 87, (1), 327339.
Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2010 257
06 Electrical power supply and utilization (scientific, technical)
Economic dispatch (ED) plays an important role in power system
operation. ED problem is a non-smooth and non-convex problem when
valve-point effects of generation units are taken into account. This
paper presents an efficient hybrid evolutionary approach for solving
the ED problem considering the valve-point effect. The proposed
algorithm combines a fuzzy adaptive particle swarm optimization
(FAPSO) algorithm with NelderMead (NM) simplex search called
FAPSO-NM. In the resulting hybrid algorithm, the NM algorithm is
used as a local search algorithm around the global solution found by
FAPSO at each iteration. Therefore, the proposed approach improves
the performance of the FAPSO algorithm significantly. The algorithm
is tested on two typical systems consisting of 13 and 40 thermal units
whose incremental fuel cost functions take into account the valve-point
loading effects.
10/01628 A PSO based unified power flow controller for
damping of power system oscillations
Shayeghi, H. et al. Energy Conversion and Management, 2009, 50, (10),
25832592.
On the basis of the linearized PhillipsHerffron model of a single-
machine power system, the authors approached the problem of
selecting the best input control signal of the unified power flow
controller (UPFC) and design optimal UPFC based damping controller
in order to enhance the damping of the power system low frequency
oscillations. The potential of the UPFC supplementary controllers to
enhance the dynamic stability was evaluated. This controller is tuned to
simultaneously shift the undamped electromechanical modes to a
prescribed zone in the s-plane. The problem of robustly UPFC based
damping controller is formulated as an optimization problem according
to the eigenvalue-based multiobjective function comprising the damp-
ing factor, and the damping ratio of the undamped electromechanical
modes to be solved using particle swarm optimization technique (PSO)
that has a strong ability to find the most optimistic results. To ensure
the robustness of the proposed damping controller, the design process
takes into account a wide range of operating conditions and system
configurations. The effectiveness of the proposed controller was
demonstrated through eigenvalue analysis, non-linear time-domain
simulation and some performance indices studies. The results analysis
revealed that the tuned PSO-based UPFC controller using the
proposed multiobjective function has an excellent capability in
damping power system low frequency oscillations and enhances the
dynamic stability of the power systems. Moreover, the system
performance analysis under different operating conditions show that
the
E
-based controller is superior to the m
B
-based controller.
10/01629 An exploratory game-theoretic analysis of
biomass electricity generation supply chain
Nasiri, F. and Zaccour, G. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (11), 45144522.
This study proposes a game-theoretic approach to model and analyse
the process of utilizing biomass for power generation considering three
players: distributor, facility developer, and participating farmer. The
Nash equilibrium of the sequential game is characterized and its
features discussed. Special attention is devoted to the analysis of the
impact of incentives and initial target on the equilibrium, in which the
biomass is part of electricity production.
10/01630 An improved harmony search algorithm for power
economic load dispatch
dos Santos Coelho, L. and Mariani, V.C. Energy Conversion and
Management, 2009, 50, (10), 25222526.
A meta-heuristic algorithm called harmony search (HS), mimicking the
improvisation process of music players, has been recently developed.
The HS algorithm has been successful in several optimization
problems. The HS algorithm does not require derivative information
and uses stochastic random search instead of a gradient search. In
addition, the HS algorithm is simple in concept, few in parameters, and
easy in implementation. This paper presents an improved harmony
search (IHS) algorithm based on exponential distribution for solving
economic dispatch problems. A 13-unit test system with incremental
fuel cost function taking into account the valve-point loading effects is
used to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed IHS method.
Numerical results show that the IHS method has good convergence
property. Furthermore, the generation costs of the IHS method are
lower than those of the classical HS and other optimization algorithms
reported in recent literature.
10/01631 Applying wavelet entropy principle in fault
classification
El Safty, S. and El-Zonkoly, A. International Journal of Electrical
Power & Energy Systems, 2009, 31, (10), 604607.
The ability to detect and classify the type of fault plays a great role in
the protection of power system. This procedure is required to be
precise with no time consumption. In this paper detection of fault type
has been implemented using wavelet analysis together with wavelet
entropy principle. The simulation of power system is carried out using
PSCAD/EMTDC. Different types of faults were studied obtaining
various current waveforms. These current waveforms were decomposed
using wavelet analysis into different approximation and details. The
wavelet entropies of such decompositions are analysed reaching a
successful methodology for fault classification. The suggested approach
is tested using different fault types and proven successful identification
for the type of fault.
10/01632 Conceptual model and evaluation of generated
power and emissions in an IGCC plant
Perez-Fortes, M. et al. Energy, 2009, 34, (10), 17211732.
This work develops a design and operation support tool for an
integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) power plant, which
allows the efficiency and environmental issues of alternative process
designs and feedstock to be assessed. The study is based on a
conceptual model of an IGCC plant, validated with data from the
ELCOGAS power plant in Spain. The layout of the model includes an
air separation unit (ASU), a pressurized entrained flow (PRENFLO)
gasifier, a series of purification gas units (venturi scrubber, sour water
steam stripper, COS hydrolysis reactor, MDEA absorber columns and
a sulfur recovery Claus plant), a heat recovery steam generator
(HRSG) and a combined cycle (CC) system. It comprises steady state
models. One of the purposes of this work is to analyse the feasibility of
coal co-gasification using waste materials; specifically petcoke and olive
pomace (orujillo) are considered here. The model has been developed
in Aspen Hysys. It uses electrolyte models that have been implemented
in Aspen Plus which are connected to Aspen Hysys by means of
artificial neural networks models. Results of the models, gas com-
position and generated power, are in agreement with the industrial
data.
10/01633 Effects of technological learning on future cost
and performance of power plants with CO
2
capture
van den Broek, M. et al. Progress in Energy and Combustion Science,
2009, 35, (6), 457480.
This paper demonstrates the concept of applying learning curves in a
consistent manner to performance as well as cost variables in order to
assess the future development of power plants with CO
2
capture. An
existing model developed at Carnegie Mellon University, which had
provided insight into the potential learning of cost variables in power
plants with CO
2
capture, is extended with learning curves for several
key performance variables, including the overall energy loss in power
plants, the energy required for CO
2
capture, the CO
2
capture ratio
(removal efficiency), and the power plant availability. Next, learning
rates for both performance and cost parameters were combined with
global capacity projections for fossil-fired power plants to estimate
future cost and performance of these power plants with and without
CO
2
capture. The results of global learning are explicitly reported, so
that they can be used for other purposes such as in regional bottom-up
models. Results of this study show that IGCC with CO
2
capture has the
largest learning potential, with significant improvements in efficiency
and reductions in cost between 2001 and 2050 under the condition that
around 3100 GW of combined cycle capacity is installed worldwide.
Furthermore, in a scenario with a strict climate policy, mitigation costs
in 2030 are 26, 11, 19 e/t (excluding CO
2
transport and storage costs)
for NGCC, IGCC, and PC power plants with CO
2
capture, respectively,
compared to 42, 13, and 32 e/t in a scenario with a limited climate
policy. Additional results are presented for IGCC, PC, and NGCC
plants with and without CO
2
capture, and a sensitivity analysis is
employed to show the impacts of alternative assumptions on projected
learning rates of different systems.
10/01634 Electrical analysis of a hybrid photovoltaic-
hydrogen/fuel cell energy system in Denizli, Turkey
Cetin, E. et al. Energy and Buildings, 2009, 41, (9), 975981.
In recent years, hybrid photovoltaic-hydrogen/fuel cell energy systems
have been popular as energy production systems that are clean,
environmental-friendly, modular, and independent from fossil fuels. In
February 2007, a clean energy research facility consisting of a 5 kWp
photovoltaic system and a 2.4 kWp hydrogen-fuel cell system was built
to investigate these energy production technologies at Pamukkale
University in Denizli, Turkey. In this hybrid energy system, electricity is
generated by photovoltaic panels. Generated electrical energy is stored
chemically in batteries and metal hydride hydrogen canisters. Hydro-
gen electrolysed from water is transformed to DC electrical energy by
two fuel cells in the case of its necessity. DC electricity produced by
photovoltaic panels and fuel cells is converted to AC by two inverters
for the requirements of the building. In this study, an electrical energy
analysis of the building, in terms of energy efficiency, harmonics,
voltage changes, voltage and current sags, voltage and current swells,
transients, power outage, frequency changes, etc., is performed to
evaluate the power quality of the hybrid energy system. In addition,
some measurements such as insulation resistance, loop impedance, line
impedance, grounding resistance, and specific resistance of the ground
are measured to obtain the electrical characteristics of the system.
258 Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2010
06 Electrical power supply and utilization (scientific, technical)
10/01635 Electrolysers as a load management mechanism
for power systems with wind power and zero-carbon thermal
power plant
Troncoso, E. and Newborough, M. Applied Energy, 2010, 87, (1), 115.
For an isolated power system the deployment of a large stock of
electrolysers was investigated as a means for increasing the pen-
etrations of wind power plants and zero-carbon thermal power plants.
Consideration was given to the sizing and utilization of an electrolyser
stock for three electrolyser implementation cases and three operational
strategies, installed capacity ranges of 20100% for wind power and
1035% for zero-carbon thermal power plant (as proportions of the
power systems maximum electrical demand) were investigated.
Relative to wind-hydrogen alone, hydrogen yields are substantially
increased especially on low-wind days. The average load placed on
fossil-fuelled power plant was substantially decreased (while achieving
a virtually flat load profile) and the carbon intensity of electricity could
be reduced to values of <0.1 kg CO
2
/kWh
e
. The trade-offs between the
carbon intensity of the electricity delivered, the carbon intensity of the
hydrogen produced and the daily hydrogen yield were explored. For
example (on the variable wind day for Strategy C with respective wind
power and zero-carbon thermal power penetrations of 100% and 35%),
if the carbon intensity of hydrogen was relaxed from 0 to 3 kg CO
2
/kg
H
2
, the hydrogen yield could be increased from 435 tonnes to
1115 tonnes (which is the energy equivalent of 120% of consumer
demand for electricity on that day). The findings suggest that the
deployment of electrolysers on both the supply and demand-side of the
power system can contribute nationally significant amounts of zero or
low-carbon hydrogen without exceeding the power systems current
maximum system demand.
10/01636 Fixed switching frequency applied in
single-phase boost AC to DC converter
Chen, T.-C. et al. Energy Conversion and Management, 2009, 50, (10),
26592664.
The fixed switching frequency control for a single-phase boost AC to
DC converter to achieve a sinusoidal line current and unity power
factor is proposed in this paper. The relation between the line current
error and the fixed switching frequency was developed. For a limit line
current error, the minimum switching frequency for a boost AC to DC
converter can be achieved. The proposed scheme was implemented
using a 32-bit digital signal processor TMS320C32. Simulations and
experimental results demonstrate the feasibility and fast dynamic
response of the proposed control strategy.
10/01637 On feasibility boundaries of electrical power grids
in steady state
Krause, O. et al. International Journal of Electrical Power & Energy
Systems, 2009, 31, (9), 437444.
Both the coordination of international energy transfer and the
integration of a rapidly growing number of decentralized energy
resources (DER) throughout most countries cause novel problems for
avoiding voltage band violations and line overloads. Traditional
approaches are typically based on global off-line scheduling under
globally available information and rely on iterative procedures that can
guarantee neither convergence nor execution time. This study focuses
on operational limitation problems in power grids based on widely
dispersed (renewable) energy sources. The authors introduce an
extension to the DEZENT algorithm, a multi-agent based coordination
system for DER that allows for the feasibility verification in constant
and predetermined time. A numerical example is provided showing the
legitimacy of the approach and ongoing and future work regarding its
implementation and utilization is discussed.
10/01638 Optimal design of binary cycle power plants for
water-dominated, medium-temperature geothermal fields
Franco, A. and Villani, M. Geothermics, 2009, 38, (4), 379391.
Exploitation of lower temperature, water-dominated geothermal fields
is analysed, and a methodology for optimizing geothermal binary plants
is discussed. The geothermal fluid inlet temperatures considered are in
the 110160

C range, while the return temperature of the brine is

assumed to be between 70 and 100

C. The analysis shows that the

brine specific consumption, ranging from 20 to 120 kg s
1
for each net
MW produced, and the efficiency of the plants, ranging from 20% to
45% in terms of Second Law efficiency, are dictated mainly by the
combination of the brine inlet temperature, the brine rejection
temperature and the energy conversion cycle being used. For given
operating conditions and with correct matching between working fluid
and energy conversion cycle, it is possible to obtain very similar
performances in a number of different cases. It is shown that
optimization of the plant can yield improvements of up to 3040% in
terms of reduction of brine specific consumption compared to
conventional design.
10/01639 Optimization strategy for element sizing in hybrid
power systems
del Real, A. J. et al. Journal of Power Sources, 2009, 193, (1), 315321.
This paper presents a procedure to evaluate the optimal element sizing
of hybrid power systems. In order to generalize the problem, this work
exploits the energy hub formulation previously presented in the
literature, defining an energy hub as an interface among energy
producers, consumers and the transportation infrastructure. The
resulting optimization minimizes an objective function which is based
on costs and efficiencies of the system elements, while taking into
account the hub model, energy and power constraints and estimated
operational conditions, such as energy prices, input power flow
availability and output energy demand. The resulting optimal archi-
tecture also constitutes a framework for further real-time control
designs. Moreover, an example of a hybrid storage system is
considered. In particular, the architecture of a hybrid plant incorpor-
ating a wind generator, batteries and intermediate hydrogen storage is
optimized, based on real wind data and averaged residential demands,
also taking into account possible estimation errors. The hydrogen
system integrates an electrolyser, a fuel cell stack and hydrogen tanks.
The resulting optimal cost of such hybrid power plant is compared with
the equivalent hydrogen-only and battery-only systems, showing
improvements in investment costs of almost 30% in the worst case.
10/01640 Partial O
2
-fired coal power plant with
post-combustion CO
2
capture: a retrofitting option
for CO
2
capture ready plants
Doukelis, A. et al. Fuel, 2009, 88, (12), 24282436.
In the work presented in this paper, an alternative process concept that
can be applied as retrofitting option in coal-fired power plants for CO
2
capture is examined. The proposed concept is based on the
combination of two fundamental CO
2
capture technologies, the partial
oxyfuel mode in the furnace and the post-combustion solvent
scrubbing. A 330 MW
el
Greek lignite-fired power plant and a typical
600 MW
el
hard coal plant have been examined for the process
simulations. In a retrofit application of the ECO-Scrub technology,
the existing power plant modifications are dominated by techno-
economic restrictions regarding the boiler and the steam turbine
islands. Heat integration from processes (air separation, CO
2
com-
pression and purification and the flue gas treatment) can result in
reduced energy and efficiency penalties. In the context of this work,
heat integration options are illustrated and main results from
thermodynamic simulations dealing with the most important features
of the power plant with CO
2
capture are presented for both reference
and retrofit case, providing a comparative view on the power plant net
efficiency and energy consumptions for CO
2
capture. The operational
characteristics as well as the main figures and diagrams of the plants
heat balances are included.
10/01641 Performance of an oxy-fuel combustion CO
2
power cycle including blade cooling
Fiaschi, D. et al. Energy, 2009, 34, (12), 22402247.
The guiding idea behind oxy-fuel combustion power cycles is
guaranteeing a high level of performance as can be obtained by todays
advanced power plants, together with CO
2
separation in conditions
ready for transport and final disposal. In order to achieve all these
goals, oxy-combustion allowing CO
2
separation by simple cooling of
the combustion products is combined with large heat recovery and
staged expansions/compressions, making use of new components,
technology and materials upgraded from modern gas turbine engines.
In order to provide realistic results, the power plant performance
should include the effects of blade cooling. In this work an advanced
cooled expansion model has been included in the model of the
MATIANT cycle in order to assess the effects of blade cooling on the
cycle efficiency. The results show that the penalty in efficiency due to
blade cooling using steam from the heat recovery boiler is about 1.4
percentage points, mainly due to the reheat of the steam, which, on the
other hand, leads to an improvement in specific work of about 6%.
10/01642 Preparation and characterization of polypyrrole
films for three-dimensional micro supercapacitor
Sun, W. and Chen, X. Journal of Power Sources, 2009, 193, (2), 924
929.
As electro-active electrodes for supercapacitors, micro polypyrrole
(PPy) films doping with ClO
4

(PPy
ClO4
) and Cl

(PPy
Cl
) are prepared
on Ni layers modified three-dimensional (3D) structures in Si
substrates. The key process to fabricate the 3D structures is high-
aspect-ratio deep reactive ion etching, which result in significant
increase of available surface area. Homogeneous conformal Ni layers
and PPy films are deposited on the 3D structures by electroless plating
and electropolymerization, respectively. The supercapacitor properties
of PPy films are investigated by using cyclic voltammetry (CV),
electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and galvanostatic
charge/discharge with three-electrode system in NaCl solution. It is
shown that doping with ClO
4

results in ideal supercapacitor

Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2010 259
06 Electrical power supply and utilization (scientific, technical)
behaviours with rectangle-like CV shapes at scan rates from 5 to
200 mVs
1
, linear galvanostatic charge/discharge curves at current
loads from 0.5 to 2 mA and stable cyclic property. However, doping
with Cl

gives rise to non-ideal properties of supercapacitor. SEM of

the PPy
ClO4
shows that the surface of the PPy
ClO4
electrode is smooth
and the thickness of the PPy
ClO4
film is about 2.5 mm. The geometric
capacitance of PPy
ClO4
is calculated as 0.030 Fcm
2
from CV at scan
rate of 100 mVs
1
, 0.023 Fcm
2
from EIS and 0.027 Fcm
3
from
galvanostatic discharge at 1 mAcm
2
current density.
10/01643 Pricing power outages in the Netherlands
Baarsma, B. E. and Hop, J. P. Energy, 2009, 34, (9), 13721377.
In most Western countries, the power grid provides electricity more
than 99% of the time. To maintain reliability at such high levels, energy
companies have to continually invest in electric transmission and
distribution systems. Since customers of electricity cannot switch from
one distribution network to another, no economic incentive exists that
matches the supplied reliability to customer preferences. Either under-
or over-investment in reliability may thus result. In order to introduce
market-like incentives, the Dutch Energy Regulator introduced a
regulatory system based on the (perceived) costs of power outages. An
essential ingredient of the regulation is the cost of a power outage of a
particular duration (i.e. 1 minute). This paper measures these outage
cost by using conjoint analysis. The social cost of the present Dutch
level of reliability that is, one outage of two hours every four years is
e2.80 on average for every household, and e33.10 on average for every
SME firm. The total costs to Dutch society are almost e50 million.
10/01644 Proposed hybrid superconducting fault current
limiter for distribution systems
Elmitwally, A. International Journal of Electrical Power & Energy
Systems, 2009, 31, (10), 619625.
In this paper, a new hybrid fault current limiter is proposed for primary
distribution systems. It incorporates a high temperature superconduct-
ing element in parallel with other two branches. The first is an
inductive impedance to share the fault current with. The second branch
is a gate-turn-off thyristor switch controlled to work in either of two
modes. For the main mode, it controls the temperature of the
superconducting element and protect it against damaging excessive
heating. Instead, it keeps the device applicable without that super-
conducting element in the auxiliary operation mode. The design,
control and operation of the device is addressed. Its performance in
11 kV distribution systems with DG is investigated. The factors
affecting the device behaviour for different scenarios are explored.
10/01645 Residential application of internal combustion
engine based cogeneration in cold climate Canada
Aussant, C. D. et al. Energy and Buildings, 2009, 41, (12), 12881298.
The objectives of this work are to model a group of test case houses
using a high-resolution building simulation program, to evaluate the
efficiency of internal combustion engine (ICE)-based cogeneration and
to determine the economical (in terms of fuel cost) impact of using
ICE-based cogeneration systems for residential use. The performance
in terms of electrical and CHP efficiencies of the ICE-based
cogeneration systems in Canada were investigated and it was
determined that the performance of the ICE-based cogeneration
system is dependent on the thermal and electrical loads of the house,
on climate, especially the severity and duration of the heating season,
and on the constructional characteristics of the house. Although the
annual fuel cost of the household would increase, the ICE-based
cogeneration systems can provide savings in various aspects regarding
electricity production and distribution.
10/01646 Structural vulnerability of energy distribution
systems: incorporating infrastructural dependencies
Helseth, A. and Holen, A. T. International Journal of Electrical Power
& Energy Systems, 2009, 31, (9), 531537.
In this paper a novel method for assessing the structural vulnerability
of two coupled energy distribution systems is presented. The co-
existing of an electric power distribution system and a district heating
system is described and modelled, under the assumption that the
operation of the district heating system is directly dependent on
electric power. The structural vulnerability of the two systems subject
to single failures or a set of simultaneous failures in the power system is
found. Thus, the consequences of power system failures for the energy
supply as a whole are quantified.
Economics, policy, supplies, forecasts
10/01647 A combined Markov-chain and bottom-up
approach to modelling of domestic lighting demand
Widen, J. et al. Energy and Buildings, 2009, 41, (10), 10011012.
Detailed simulations of distributed generation in residential areas have
prompted the need for improved models of domestic electricity
demand that are able to reproduce important features of real
household loads. The high share and temporal variability of the
lighting demand make it of special interest, in particular when the
models are to be used in simulations of distributed photovoltaics (PV),
which to a high degree is negatively correlated with the lighting
demand. In this paper, a stochastic bottom-up model based on
domestic occupancy patterns and data on daylight availability is
presented. A three-state non-homogeneous Markov chain is used for
generation of occupancy patterns and a conversion model transforms
occupancy patterns to lighting demand, with respect to the daylight
level. Markov-chain transition probabilities are determined from a
detailed set of time-use (TU) data in Swedish households and the
parameters in the occupancy-to-lighting conversion model are adjusted
to make the resulting load curves fit recent measurements on aggregate
population level. The performance of the model is analysed by
comparison of simulated demand to measured lighting demand. It is
concluded that for both individual households and aggregate demand,
all relevant features of measured demand are realistically reproduced.
10/01648 A grid operation model: resource demand for
an adequate incident management in high-, medium-, and
low-voltage grids
Guarisco, M. et al. International Journal of Electrical Power & Energy
Systems, 2009, 31, (9), 504511.
Based on the regulation of grid fees and the regulatory requirements
on the quality of supply, grid operators attempt to find an optimal
balance between costs and quality of supply. One main aspect of the
quality of supply is the non-availability of supply, which strongly
depends on the duration of the restoration process after incidents and
therefore on the availability of resources. Focusing on the operational
processes after incidents in low-, medium-, and high-voltage grids, this
paper presents a detailed grid operation model which allows to
quantify the relation between the configuration of resources and the
corresponding costs and quality of supply. To assess the risk of
incidents with no interruption of supply, the power-at-risk is
introduced. Depending on legal, regulatory, or strategic requirements,
the model allows to evaluate and compare different configurations of
resources and the resulting quality of supply.
10/01649 A paper on the unsettled question of Turkish
electricity market: balancing and settlement system (Part I)
Erdogdu, E. Applied Energy, 2010, 87, (1), 251258.
Turkish electricity market law (EML) came into force in 2001 aiming at
establishing a financially strong, stable, transparent and competitive
electricity market based on bilateral contracts. Also, a balancing and
settlement system (BSS) was put into practice in November 2004 to
create a market where uncontracted generation can be traded, and
actual implementation of the BSS started on 1 August 2006 following a
21-month virtual implementation period. However, BSS has always
been criticized from its beginning as transferring excessive profits to
private generation companies. The present paper analyses the
implementation of BSS and argues that current BSS not only
undermines the healthy development of the electricity market in
Turkey but also prevents power investments due to uncertainties it
created. It concludes that since the inconsistency between the
objectives of EML and results of BSS in practice is obvious, Turkish
policy makers need to modify current electricity market policy in line
with suggestions presented in the paper.
10/01650 Aggregate electricity demand in South Africa:
conditional forecasts to 2030
Inglesi, R. Applied Energy, 2010, 87, (1), 197204.
In 2008, South Africa experienced a severe electricity crisis. Domestic
and industrial electricity users had to suffer from blackouts all over the
country. It is argued that partially the reason was the lack of research
on energy, locally. However, it has been argued by Eskom, the national
electricity supplier, that the lack of capacity can only be solved by
building new power plants. The objective of this study is to specify the
variables that explain the electricity demand in South Africa and to
forecast electricity demand by creating a model using the Engle
Granger methodology for co-integration and error correction models.
By producing reliable results, this study will make a significant
contribution that will improve the status quo of energy research in
South Africa. The findings indicate that there is a long-run relationship
between electricity consumption and price as well as economic growth/
income. The last few years in South Africa, price elasticity was rarely
260 Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2010
06 Electrical power supply and utilization (economics, policy, supplies, forecasts)
taken into account because of the low and decreasing prices in the past.
The short-run dynamics of the system are affected by population
growth, too. After the energy crisis Eskom has been searching for
substantial funding in order to build new power plants which will help
with the envisaged lack of capacity that the company experienced. By
using two scenarios for the future of growth, this study shows that the
electricity demand will drop substantially due to the price policies
agreed until now by Eskom and the National Energy Regulator
South Africa that will affect the demand for some years.
10/01651 Are electricity prices affected by the US dollar to
Euro exchange rate? The Spanish case
Munoz, M. P. and Dickey, D. A. Energy Economics, 2009, 31, (6), 857
866.
The objective of this paper is to investigate the relationships between
Spanish electricity spot prices and the US dollar/euro (US$/e)
exchange rate during the period 20052007, taking into account the
study of the association between dollar and oil prices, in order to better
understand the evolution of the former over time. The first finding in
this study is that Spanish electricity spots prices, the US$/e exchange
rate and oil prices are cointegrated; therefore there is a long-run
equilibrium relationship between the three variables. Short-run
relationships have been detected between oil prices and Spanish
electricity prices and US$/e exchange rate in the sense that Spanish
electricity prices and US$/e exchange rate are affected by oil prices in
the short run. There is a transmission of volatility between US$/e
exchange rate and oil prices to Spanish electricity prices; so although
Spanish electricity prices are not affected in level by the movements of
US$/e exchange rate, they are in volatility. In this kind of scenario the
conclusions confirm that for countries so dependent on external causes
as Spain, one possible solution for guarantying the energy security
would be the promotion of the renewable energies. Therefore the
impact in the internal expenses of the cost of installation and
generation of green energies cannot be ignored so there must be a
balance between the increase in renewables and the reasonable market
price of the electricity.
10/01652 Congestion management considering voltage
security of power systems
Esmaili, M. et al. Energy Conversion and Management, 2009, 50, (10),
25622569.
Congestion in a power network is turned up due to system operating
limits. To relieve congestion in a deregulated power market, the system
operator pays to market participants, GENCOs and DISCOs, to alter
their active powers considering their bids. After performing congestion
management, the network may be operated with a low security level
because of hitting some flows their upper limit and some voltages their
lower limit. In this paper, a novel congestion management method
based on the voltage stability margin sensitivities is introduced. Using
the proposed method, the system operator so alleviates the congestion
that the network can more retain its security. The proposed method not
only makes the system more secure after congestion management than
other methods already presented for this purpose but also its cost of
providing security is lower than the earlier methods. Test results of the
proposed method along with the earlier ones on the New-England test
system elaborate the efficiency of the proposed method from the
viewpoint of providing a better voltage stability margin and voltage
profile as well as a lower security cost.
10/01653 Coordinated preventive maintenance scheduling
of GENCO and TRANSCO in restructured power systems
Geetha, T. and Shanti Swarup, K. International Journal of Electrical
Power & Energy Systems, 2009, 31, (10), 626638.
Preventive maintenance of generating units and lines, in a competitive
electric energy environment is proposed. Inclusion of transmission
constraints and forced outage rates, over a specified operational period
is considered. For generator maintenance the objective of the ISO is to
maintain adequate level of reliability throughout the operational
period, for which Benders decomposition technique is used. The
objective of the GENCO is to maximize profit or to minimize loss in
profit, for which transmission constrained price based unit commitment
(TCPBUC), based on Lagrangian relaxation method is used. Benders
decomposition technique is used for line maintenance, with adequate
level of reliability. A coordinating technique using penalty factors is
incorporated to obtain convergence of the conflicting objectives. The
transmission constraints are modelled using dc sensitivity factors.
Detailed case studies of six-bus systems and IEEE RTS system are
presented and discussed.
10/01654 Core business concentration vs. corporate
diversification in the US electric utility industry: synergy and
deregulation effects
Sueyoshi, T. et al. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (11), 45834594.
Many economists have considered that there are similarities between
electricity and gas services in the US electric utility industry. Hence,
they expect a synergy effect between them. However, the two
businesses do not have technology similarities at the level that the
gas service produces a synergy effect with electricity. To examine
whether there is a synergy effect of corporate diversification in the
industry, the authors compare electricity-specialized firms with
diversified utility firms in terms of their financial performance and
corporate value. The comparison indicates that core business concen-
tration is more effective for electric utility firms than corporate
diversification under the current US deregulation policy.
10/01655 Cost efficiency and optimal scale of electricity
distribution firms in Taiwan: an application of metafrontier
analysis
Huang, Y.-J. et al. Energy Economics, 2010, 32, (1), 1523.
This paper analyses the cost efficiency and optimal scale of Taiwans
electricity distribution industry. Due to the substantial difference in
network density, firms may differ widely in production technology. The
stochastic metafrontier approach was used to estimate the cost
efficiency of 24 distribution units during the period 19972002.
Empirical results found that the average cost efficiency is over-
estimated using the traditional stochastic frontier model, especially for
low-density regions. The average cost efficiency of the high-density
group was significantly higher than that of the low density group as it
benefits from network economies. This study also calculated both
short-term and long-term optimal scales of electricity distribution
firms, lending policy implications for the deregulation of the electricity
distribution industry.
10/01656 Efficient investment signals for distributed
generation
Vogel, P. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (9), 36653672.
Distributed generation units are desirable from an environmental point
of view but also have an impact on the costs of electricity grids at the
distribution and transmission level. Therefore, investment planning has
to consider all benefits and costs of DG to build DG sources at sites
where they are economically efficient. Unfortunately, this is not an easy
task in an unbundled industry where distribution and generation of
electricity are not planned by one single institution. For this reason,
this article analyses possible policy options for giving incentives to
distributed generation and focuses on the long-term investment signals
related to DG.
10/01657 Employment benefits of electricity generation:
a comparative assessment of lignite and natural gas power
plants in Greece
Tourkolias, C. et al. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (10), 41554166.
This paper aims at developing an integrated approach for estimating
the employment benefits associated with power-generation technol-
ogies. The proposed approach exploits the inputoutput methodology
for estimating the direct, indirect and induced employment effects
associated with the energy project in question, as well as two different
valuation techniques, namely the opportunity cost of labour approach
and the public expenditures approach, for expressing these effects in
monetary terms. This framework has been implemented to estimate the
employment benefits resulting from the development of a lignite-fired
and a natural gas-fired power plant in Greece, taking into account all
the stages of the corresponding fuel cycles that are undertaken
domestically. The results of the analysis clearly show that lignite-fired
electricity generation results in significant employment benefits
amounting to 2.93.5 e/MWh in the basic scenario. On the other hand,
the employment benefits associated with the examined natural gas unit
were estimated at 0.40.6 e/MWh in the basic scenario. It is also worth
mentioning that the significant environmental externalities of the
lignite-fired electricity in Greece that have been presented in a number
of studies can only be partially compensated by the estimated
employment benefits.
10/01658 Expanding opportunities: strategic buying of
utilities in new EU member states
LaBelle, M. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (11), 46724678.
During the 1990s, limited investment opportunities in Western Europe,
the opening of the energy markets in Eastern Europe, and the future
expansion of the European Union (EU) prompted an expansionist
strategy by energy companies from the original EU member states. In
this paper, the acquisition and divestiture activities and strategies of
utilities from France and Germany are analysed in the context of the
2004 and 2007 EU enlargements. Through quantitative and qualitative
data analysis, including the development of two case studies, the
strategy for expansion and evolution in new member states is examined.
The results demonstrate a concerted effort to establish economies of
scale through ownership of distribution companies. A change in
strategy occurs as these privatization opportunities disappear. Gener-
ation and trading activity become the growth area for these companies
Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2010 261
06 Electrical power supply and utilization (economics, policy, supplies, forecasts)
as electricity supply becomes another factor that can contribute to the
economies of scale. Recent EU-supported efforts towards regionaliza-
tion of electricity markets, positions these companies well due to their
strong regional presence. This paper will explore these issues in the
context of ownership and geographic distribution.
10/01659 Feasibility and flexibility for a trigeneration
system
Lai, S. M. and Hui, C. W. Energy, 2009, 34, (10), 16931704.
A trigeneration system, which produces heat, cold and electricity
simultaneously, is generally designed based on the nominal condition.
However, the utility demands are seldom fixed and they are usually
changing in periodical manner with the climate and the human
activities. These demand changes make the system design difficult.
To ensure operability, the system should be feasible and flexible to
tackle such demand variations. Over-sizing, thermal storage and
flexibility re-allocation can be used to improve a trigeneration systems
feasibility and flexibility. These techniques may enlarge the feasible
operating region, change and shift the expected utility production
demands and interchange between different generation capabilities
according to the demand requirements. As a result, the process
feasibility and flexibility can be improved. With feasible operation
ensured, process flexibility can be considered under economic trade-
offs. A flexible design with reasonable investment and operating costs
provides additional benefits to cater demand changes in the future. In
this study, process flexibility and feasibility characteristics are proposed
and evaluated from a new perspective. These are demonstrated in the
trigeneration system design with a pre-defined structure to handle
periodical utility demand deviations in a commercial building complex.
10/01660 Government procurement of peak capacity in the
New Zealand electricity market
Poletti, S. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (9), 34093417.
This paper analyses the impact of government procurement of reserve
electricity generation capacity on the long-run equilibrium in the
electricity market. The approach here is to model the electricity market
in a context where the supply companies have market power. The
model is then used to analyse the impact of government direct supply
of peak capacity on the market. The authors found that the firms build
less peak-generation capacity when the government procures peak
generating capacity. The long-run equilibrium with N firms and
government capacity of K
G
results in an increase of total peak
generation capacity of K
G
/(N+1) compared to the long-run equili-
brium with no government capacity. Supply disruptions of baseline
capacity during the peak time period are also considered. It is found
that peak prices do not go up any further with (anticipated) supply
disruptions. Instead the entire cost of the extra peakers is borne by
customers on traditional meters and off-peak customers who face real-
time pricing.
10/01661 Improvements in current European network
regulation to facilitate the integration of distributed
generation
Fr as, P. et al. International Journal of Electrical Power & Energy
Systems, 2009, 31, (9), 445451.
This paper analyses how traditional regulation of distribution system
operators (DSO) has to be improved to accommodate higher levels of
distributed generation (DG). In addition, new economic signals to be
given to DG operators for system efficient integration are proposed.
Regulatory improvements at the European level are recommended.
Recommendations are centred on schemes for DSO revenue compen-
sation to consider incremental network costs due to DG, distribution
network planning integrating DG, and DSO incentives for improving
network performance with active integration of DG. Regarding DG
economic signals, recommendations are focused on the design of DG
connection and use-of-system charges, the revision of current DG
support mechanisms based on flat feed-in tariffs, and the provision of
ancillary services by DG for network voltage management, power flow
controls and islanding.
10/01662 Job creation due to nuclear power resurgence in
the United States
Kenley, C. R. et al. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (11), 48944900.
The recent revival of global interest in the next generation of nuclear
power reactors is causing a re-examination of the role of nuclear power
in the United States. This renewed interest has led to questions
regarding the capability and capacity of current US industries to
support a renewal of nuclear power plant deployment. Key among the
many questions currently being asked is what potential exists for the
creation of new jobs as a result of developing and operating these new
plants? Idaho National Laboratory and Bechtel Power Corporation
collaborated to perform a Department of Energy-sponsored study that
evaluated the potential for job creation in the United States should
these new next generation nuclear power plants be built. The study
focused primarily on providing an initial estimate of the numbers of
new manufacturing jobs that could be created, including those that
could be repatriated from overseas, resulting from the construction of
these new reactors. In addition to the growth in the manufacturing
sector, the study attempted to estimate the potential increase in
construction trades necessary to accomplish the new construction.
10/01663 Long term electric load forecasting based on
particle swarm optimization
AlRashidi, M. R. and EL-Naggar, K. M. Applied Energy, 2010, 87, (1),
320326.
This paper presents a new method for annual peak load forecasting in
electrical power systems. The problem is formulated as an estimation
problem and presented in state space form. A particle swarm
optimization is employed to minimize the error associated with the
estimated model parameters. Actual recorded data from Kuwaiti and
Egyptian networks are used to perform this study. Results are reported
and compared to those obtained using the well known least error
squares estimation technique. The performance of the proposed
method is examined and evaluated. Finally, estimated model par-
ameters are used in forecasting the annual peak demands of Kuwait
network.
10/01664 Market clearing of joint energy and reserves
auctions using augmented payment minimization
Amjady, N. et al. Energy, 2009, 34, (10), 15521559.
This paper presents the market clearing of joint energy and reserves
auctions and its mathematical formulation, focusing on a possible
implementation of the payment cost minimization (PCM). It also
discusses another key point in debate: whether a market clearing
algorithm should minimize offer costs or payment costs? An
aggregated simultaneous market clearing approach is proposed for
provision of ancillary services as well as energy, which is in the form of
mixed integer non-linear programming (MINLP) formulation. In the
MINLP formulation of the market clearing process, the objective
function (payment cost or offer cost) are optimized while meeting AC
power flow constraints, system reserve requirements and lost oppor-
tunity cost (LOC) considerations. The model is applied to the IEEE
24-bus reliability test system (IEEE 24-bus RTS), and simulation
studies are carried out to examine the effectiveness of each objective
function.
10/01665 Market power in the Nordic electricity wholesale
market: a survey of the empirical evidence
Fridolfsson, S.-O. and Tangeras, T. P. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (9),
36813692.
This study reviews the recent empirical research assessing market
power on the Nordic wholesale market for electricity, Nord Pool. The
studies find no evidence of systematic exploitation of system level
market power on Nord Pool. Local market power arising from
transmission constraints seems to be more problematic in some price
areas across the Nordic countries. Market power can manifest itself in a
number of ways that have so far escaped empirical scrutiny. The
authors discuss investment incentives, vertical integration and buyer
power, as well as withholding of base-load (nuclear) capacity.
10/01666 Online short-term solar power forecasting
Bacher, P. et al. Solar Energy, 2009, 83, (10), 17721783.
This paper describes a new approach to online forecasting of power
production from PV systems. The method is suited to online
forecasting in many applications and in this paper it is used to predict
hourly values of solar power for horizons of up to 36 h. The data used
are 15-min observations of solar power from 21 PV systems located on
rooftops in a small village in Denmark. The suggested method is a two-
stage method where first a statistical normalization of the solar power
is obtained using a clear sky model. The clear sky model is found using
statistical smoothing techniques. Then forecasts of the normalized
solar power are calculated using adaptive linear time series models.
Both autoregressive (AR) and AR with exogenous input (ARX)
models are evaluated, where the latter takes numerical weather
predictions (NWPs) as input. The results indicate that for forecasts
up to 2 h ahead the most important input is the available observations
of solar power, while for longer horizons NWPs are the most important
input. A root mean square error improvement of around 35% is
achieved by the ARX model compared to a proposed reference model.
10/01667 Renewable energy issues and electricity
production in Middle East compared with Iran
Mostafaeipour, A. and Mostafaeipour, N. Renewable and Sustainable
Energy Reviews, 2009, 13, (67), 16411645.
This paper analyses the renewable energy issues and electricity
production in Middle East compared with Iran. Nevertheless, the use
of renewable energy has started to be an interesting issue for people
and also governments in Middle East, especially in Iran where all
different types of renewable energy sources are available and also
possible to implement for gaining required energy. There are many
262 Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2010
06 Electrical power supply and utilization (economics, policy, supplies, forecasts)
different kinds of renewable energy sources like geothermal, biofuel,
tidal and so on, but wind and solar energies are more available and
accessible than other types in Middle Eastern countries. Nowadays, the
rapidly increasing demand for electrical energy and the high restriction
on pollution levels have led to an increasing interest in large-scale
utilization of renewable energies across many countries in Middle East.
This paper analyses the electricity production in Middle East and also
reviews different aspects of renewable energy issues in Iran.
10/01668 The environmental and efficiency effects of
restructuring on the electric power sector in the United
States: an empirical analysis
Sharabaroff, A. et al. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (11), 48844893.
Recent measures to restructure the electric power sector in different
US states have raised the interest of policy makers, commentators, and
the general public as to the actual impact of restructuring on both the
economy and the environment. This paper focuses on two aspects of
restructuring, namely its potential impact on the efficiency of electricity
generation and air pollution. The empirical results suggest that
restructuring contributes to improved efficiency of electricity gener-
ation and better air quality through reduced electricity-induced sulfur
dioxide (SO
2
) and carbon dioxide (CO
2
) emissions, although no effect
was found for emissions of nitrous oxides (NO
x
). These results, in turn
could have important implications for policy in this area.
10/01669 Towards a higher share of distributed generation
in Turkey
Lise, W. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (11), 43204328.
In 2006, there is 8.5% distributed generation (DG) in Turkey which are
generation units connected to the low and medium voltage distribution
network. Out of this, 56% is industrial combined heat and power
production (CHP) and 20% are renewables (RES-E), mainly runoff
small-scale hydro. Various technical and economical barriers have kept
the DG share relatively low. This paper assesses how Turkey could
increase the DG share. The methodology employed in this paper
consist of a survey of the literature and legislation, combined with
interviews with regulators, transmission and distribution system
operators. Scenarios for DG are developed, barriers to increase the
DG share are identified, DG and central generation (CG) are
compared economically and regulatory measures are identified. The
addition of long-run marginal transmission costs to the investment cost
of new power generation units could close the long-run marginal cost
difference between DG and CG. However, the share of DG is likely to
stay low unless regulatory measures are taken. Moreover, a specific
policy and regulation on DG is needed, the distribution grid needs
strengthening, local dispatch centres need to become active and RES-E
limits are needed for Turkey.
07 STEAM RAISING
Boiler operation/design
10/01670 A conceptual design of solar boiler
Munoz, J. et al. Solar Energy, 2009, 83, (9), 17131722.
State-of-the-art concepts for solar thermal power systems are based on
parabolic trough, tower or parabolic disks either heating molten salts,
mineral oil, air or generating steam. In this paper, a conceptual design
of a solar boiler is proposed. This concept comes from the conventional
thermal power plants boiler, with the difference that the heat comes
from mirrors that concentrate the solar radiation on wall-type array of
solar collectors, instead of coming from fuel flames and hot gases. In
the preliminary performance, analysis of this innovative solar boiler
applied to electricity production, the authors have found that overall
efficiency of the conversion from direct solar irradiation energy to
electricity is above 20%, which is comparable to the value of parabolic
trough and central tower technologies. Besides that, the concept seems
very robust and could overcome some drawbacks derived from pressure
losses, control complexity and material thermo-mechanical stress.
10/01671 Direct methane solid oxide fuel cell working by
gradual internal steam reforming: analysis of operation
Klein, J.-M. et al. Journal of Power Sources, 2009, 193, (1), 331337.
A solid oxide fuel cell was designed to be operated with pure
hydrocarbons, without additive or carrier gas, in order to bring
technological simplifications, cost reductions and to extend the fuel
flexibility limits. The cell was built-up from a conventional cell (LSM/
YSZ/Ni-YSZ), to which was added a IrCeO
2
catalyst layer at the
anode side and an original current collecting system. The cell was first
operated with steam in gradual internal reforming (GIR) conditions
(R=[H
2
O]/[CH
4
] <1) with carrier gas at the anode. The optimal
operating parameters were determined in terms of flow rates, cell
potential, and fuel utilization. The cell was finally operated with pure
dry methane at 900

C at 0.6 V yielding current density of about

0.1 Acm
2
at max power for 120 h. Small but abrupt deterioration of
the performances was observed, but no carbon deposition. Electrical
and chemical analysis of this degradation are provided. At total, the
fuel cell was operated for more than 200 h in pure dry methane,
demonstrating that gradual internal reforming actually occurred
efficiently in the anode compartment, which make possible operation
without reforming agent such as H
2
O or CO
2
for other hydrocarbon
fuels.
10/01672 Semi 2D modeling of the horizontal steam
generator PGV-1000 using the RELAP5 code
Zarifi, E. et al. Progress in Nuclear Energy, 2009, 51, (8), 788798.
Developing a reliable thermal-hydraulic model of the steam generator
is an essential process in the steady state and transient analysis for the
pressurized water reactor type of nuclear power plant. This paper
provides a semi two-dimensional thermal-hydraulic model of the PGV-
1000 horizontal steam generator using the RELAP5 code. Applying the
qualified nodalization and the cross-flow effects are some of the
advantages in the present model. The obtained results from the
RELAP5 steady state analysis showed a reasonable agreement with the
Bushehr NPP final safety analysis reports.
10/01673 Thermodynamic analysis of a FBCC steam power
plant
Eskin, N. et al. Energy Conversion and Management, 2009, 50, (9),
24282438.
This article presents the analysis of first and second laws of
thermodynamics in a 7.7 MW steam power plant located in Torbali
(Izmir, Turkey). It involves a fluidized bed, a waste heat boiler (WHB)
and an economizer as subsystems. Fans, pumps, cyclone and chimney
are also considered through the analysis as auxiliary systems in the
thermal plant. The analysis is performed for the whole system and
subsystems by considering the available energy balance. In this analysis
which consists of a detailed fluidized bed coal combustor (FBCC)
model, the amount of irreversibilities occurring in the system is
calculated at each location. Analysis results are compared with the test
results obtained from the measurements at several locations in the
system and good agreement is observed. These measured values are the
temperatures at three levels in the FBCC and boiler, economizer exit
temperatures as well as flue gas composition at the boiler exit and
steam flow rate. The maximum error observed in temperature values
and steam flow rate is about 3.03% and 4.03%, respectively. Through
the developed and validated model, effects of excess air and ambient
temperature on first and second law efficiency of the subsystems and
overall system are investigated. The second-law analysis reveals that
the FBCC has the largest irreversibility, with about 80.4% of the total
system exergy loss. The FBCC temperature, first and second law
efficiencies decrease 19.8%, 5.1% and 5.2%, respectively, as the excess
air increases from 10% to 70%. Also steam flow rate decreases 5.1%.
As the ambient temperature increases from 25 to 45

C, the FBCC
temperature, system first and second law efficiencies increase 0.8%,
1.3%, and 1.3%, respectively.
08 COMBUSTION
Burners, combustion systems
10/01674 A study of photon interaction in some building
materials: high-volume admixture of blast furnace slag into
Portland cement
Kurudirek, M. et al. Radiation Physics and Chemistry, 2009, 78, (9),
751759.
Total mass attenuation coefficients, mean free paths (MFP), half-value
(HVT) and tenth-value (TVT) thicknesses of Portland cement and
three mixtures have been calculated in function of the energy from
1 keV to 100 GeV. Both in the low- and high-energy region there were
significant variations in those parameters where photoelectric process
and pair production partially dominates, respectively. In general, the
attenuation parameters were found to vary with chemical composition,
density of given material and photon energy.
Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2010 263
08 Combustion (burners, combustion systems)
10/01675 An evaluation on rice husks and pulverized coal
blends using a drop tube furnace and a thermogravimetric
analyzer for application to a blast furnace
Chen, W.-H. and Wu, J.-S. Energy, 2009, 34, (10), 14581466.
To evaluate the potential of pulverized coals partially replaced by rice
husks used in blast furnaces, thermal behaviour of blends of rice husks
and an anthracite coal before and after passing through a drop tube
furnace (DTF) was investigated by using a thermogravimetry (TG). For
the blends of the raw materials in the TG, fuel reaction with increasing
temperature could be partitioned into three stages. When the rice
husks were contained in the fuel, a double-peak distribution in the first
stage was observed, as a consequence of thermal decompositions of
hemicellulose, cellulose and lignin. A linear relationship between the
char yield and the biomass blending ratio (BBR) developed, reflecting
that synergistic effects in the pyrolytic processes were absent. This
further reveals that the coal and the rice husks can be blended and
consumed in blast furnaces in accordance with the requirement of
volatile matter contained in the fuel. After the fuels underwent rapid
heating (i.e. the DTF), a linear relationship from the thermogravi-
metric analyses of the unburned chars was not found. Therefore, the
synergistic effects were observed and they could be described by second
order polynomials. When the BBR was less than 50%, varying the ratio
had a slight effect on the thermal behaviour of the unburned chars. In
addition, the thermal reactions of the feeding fuels and of the formed
unburned chars behaved like a fingerprint.
10/01676 Confined pyrolysis of Tertiary lacustrine source
rocks in the Western Qaidam Basin, Northwest China:
implications for generative potential and oil maturity
evaluation
Pan, C. et al. Applied Geochemistry, 2010, 25, (2), 276287.
The parameter S
1
+S
2
(genetic potential) of Rock-Eval analysis is
widely used as an evaluation of the genetic potential for the source
rocks. OligoceneMiocene saline lacustrine source rocks in the western
Qaidam basin have low total organic C contents (TOC), most around
0.5% with a few exceptions 1.0%. Mineral matrix effects are
substantial for source rocks with low TOC, resulting in relatively
low S
1
and S
2
peaks. Based on the results of confined pyrolyses (sealed
Au capsules) on six OligoceneMiocene source rocks from the
western Qaidam basin, with TOC ranging between 0.48% and 2.22%,
the relationship between the S
1
+S
2
parameter and the maximum
amount of extracted bitumen or saturated and aromatic hydrocarbons
(SA) after the confined pyrolysis has been established as follows:
bitumen (mg/g rock) =1.4924 (S
1
+S
2
) +0.3201 (r =0.987), or SA
(saturates +aromatics) (mg/g rock) =0.7083 (S
1
+S
2
) +0.4045
(r = 0.992). Based on these formulas, the amounts of hydrocarbons
generated from source rocks can be reasonably estimated. The typical
crude oils with low biomarker maturities in this region appear
substantially different to the pyrolysates of these six rocks at 180
300

C but comparable to the pyrolysates at 320

C and higher
temperatures based on molecular parameters. This result, in combi-
nation with the physical and gross compositions of the crude oils,
suggests that the majority of these crude oils were generated from the
source rocks during the main oil-generative stage, possibly at a
maturity higher than R
o
0.74%.
10/01677 Effect of biomass on burnouts of Turkish lignites
during co-firing
Haykiri-Acma, H. and Yaman, S. Energy Conversion and Management,
2009, 50, (9), 24222427.
Co-firing of some low-quality Turkish lignites with woody shells of
sunflower seed was investigated via non-isothermal thermogravimetric
analysis method. For this purpose, Yozgat-Sorgun, Erzurum-Askale,
Tuncbilek, Gediz, and Afsin-Elbistan lignites were selected, and
burnouts of these lignites were compared with those of their blends.
Biomass was blended as much as 10 and 20 wt.% of the lignites, and
heating was performed up to 900

C at a heating rate of 40

C/min
under dry air flow of 40 mL/min. This study revealed that the same
biomass species may have different influences on the burnout yields of
the lignites. Burnouts of Erzurum-Askale lignite increased at any
temperature with the increasing ratio of biomass in the blend, whereas
burnout yields of other lignites decreased to some extent. Nevertheless,
the blends of Turkish lignites with sunflower seed shell did not behave
in very different way, and it can be concluded that they are compatible
in terms of burnouts for co-combustion in a combustion system.
Although the presence of biomass in the lignite blends caused to some
decreases in the final burnouts, the carbon dioxide neutral nature of
biomass should be taken into account, and co-combustion is preferable
for waste-to-energy-management.
10/01678 Effects of premixed flames on turbulence and
turbulent scalar transport
Lipatnikov, A. N. and Chomiak, J. Progress in Energy and Combustion
Science, 2010, 36, (1), 1102.
Experimental data and results of direct numerical simulations are
reviewed in order to show that premixed combustion can change the
basic characteristics of a fluctuating velocity field (the so-called flame-
generated turbulence) and the direction of scalar fluxes (the so-called
countergradient or pressure-driven transport) in a turbulent flow.
Various approaches to modelling these phenomena are discussed and
the lack of a well-elaborated and widely validated predictive approach
is emphasized. Relevant basic issues (the transition from gradient to
countergradient scalar transport, the role played by flame-generated
turbulence in the combustion rate, the characterization of turbulence
in premixed flames, etc.) are critically considered and certain widely
accepted concepts are disputed. Despite the substantial progress made
in understanding the discussed effects over the past decades, these
basic issues strongly need further research.
10/01679 Estimation for inner surface geometry of furnace
wall using inverse process combined with grey prediction
model
Su, C.-R. et al. International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, 2009,
52, (1516), 35953605.
In this work the inner surface geometry of a cylindrical furnace wall is
estimated using inverse process method combined with grey prediction
model. In estimating process a virtual area extended from the inner
surface of furnace wall is used for analysis. The heat conduction
equation and the boundary condition are first discretized by finite
difference method to form a linear matrix equation; the inverse model
is then optimized by linear least-squares error method and the
temperatures of virtual boundary are obtained from a few of measured
temperatures in furnace wall using the linear inverse model; and finally
the temperature distribution of system is got by direct process and the
inner surface geometry of furnace wall can be estimated accordingly.
The result shows that using inverse process combined with grey
prediction model the geometry can be exactly estimated from relatively
small number of measured temperatures. Moreover, the effects of
measurement error, location, and number of measured points on the
estimation for inner surface geometry of furnace wall are discussed in
detail.
10/01680 Experimental analysis of the ignition front
propagation of several biomass fuels in a fixed-bed
combustor
Porteiro, J. et al. Fuel, 2010, 89, (1), 2635.
Fixed-bed combustion in a tube reactor is a useful procedure to exploit
a large variety of biomasses obtaining accurate in-bed data. In this
paper, the ignition front propagation velocity is experimentally studied
in a counter-current process for eight different biomass fuels with a
wide range of origins, compositions and packing properties. Air mass
flow rate is the main operative parameter and clearly distinguishes
three stages of combustion (oxygen-limited, fuel limited and cooling by
convection). The impact of the excess air ratio is also analysed. This
parameter confirmed that the maximum front velocity is achieved
under sub-stoichiometric conditions, where the cooling effects of
excessive air are minimized. Other variables with a major influence on
the ignition front velocity are moisture and ash content. Finally, an
uncertainty analysis is included to determine the accuracy of the entire
measurement process.
10/01681 Extinction of laminar partially premixed flames
Aggarwal, S. K. Progress in Energy and Combustion Science, 2009, 35,
(6), 528570.
Flame extinction represents one of the classical phenomena in
combustion science. It is important to a variety of combustion systems
in transportation and power generation applications. Flame extinguish-
ment studies are also motivated from the consideration of fire safety
and suppression. Such studies have generally considered non-premixed
and premixed flames, although fires can often originate in a partially
premixed mode, i.e. fuel and oxidizer are partially premixed as they are
transported to the reaction zone. Several recent investigations have
considered this scenario and focused on the extinction of partially
premixed flames (PPFs). Such flames have been described as hybrid
flames possessing characteristics of both premixed and non-premixed
flames. This paper provides a review of studies dealing with the
extinction of PPFs, which represent a broad family of flames, including
double, triple (tribrachial), and edge flames. Theoretical, numerical
and experimental studies dealing with the extinction of such flames in
coflow and counterflow configurations are discussed. Since these
flames contain both premixed and non-premixed burning zones, a brief
review of the dilution-induced extinction of premixed and non-
premixed flames is also provided. For the coflow configuration,
processes associated with flame liftoff and blowout are described.
Since lifted non-premixed jet flames often contain a partially premixed
or an edge-flame structure prior to blowout, the review also considers
such flames. While the perspective of this review is broad focusing
on the fundamental aspects of flame extinction and blowout, results
mostly consider flame extinction caused by the addition of a flame
264 Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2010
08 Combustion (burners, combustion systems)
suppressant, with relevance to fire suppression on earth and in space
environment. With respect to the latter, the effect of gravity on the
extinction of PPFs is discussed. Future research needs are identified.
10/01682 Lean flammability limits for stable performance
with a porous burner
Akbari, M. H. et al. Applied Energy, 2009, 86, (12), 26352643.
Applications of porous burners are of high interest due to many
advantages such as extended lean flammability limit in comparison with
free flame structures. This study investigates numerically laminar
premixed flame propagation of methane/air mixture in a porous
medium. An unsteady one-dimensional physical model of a porous
burner is considered, in which the flame location is not predetermined.
The computational domain is extended beyond either side of the
porous medium to accurately model reactions close to the edges of the
solid matrix. After validation of the model and performing a baseline
simulation, a parametric study is carried out to investigate the lean
flammability limits of the burner and the unstable flash-back/blow-out
phenomena. Stable performance diagrams are given for two controlling
parameters of turndown ratio and porous medium porosity. The
simulation results indicate that the stable performance range of the
burner is extended when the equivalence ratio increases; however, the
blow-out region expands with an increase in the firing rate. For
constant values of porosity and firing rate, increasing the equivalence
ratio can change the operating regime of the burner from blow-out to a
stable condition. It is observed that by the variation of porosity in the
range of 0.60.9, and for the equivalence ratios of more than 0.6, the
flame flash-back cannot occur. An equivalence ratio of 0.43 is found to
be the lower limit at which the flame stabilizes in the matrix.
10/01683 Modelling methods for co-fired pulverised fuel
furnaces
Ma, L. et al. Fuel, 2009, 88, (12), 24482454.
Co-firing of biomass and coal can be beneficial in reducing the carbon
footprint of energy production. Accurate modelling of co-fired
furnaces is essential to discover potential problems that may occur
during biomass firing and to mitigate potential negative effects of
biomass fuels, including lower efficiency due to lower burnout and NO
x
formation issues. Existing coal combustion models should be modified
to increase reliability of predictions for biomass, including factors such
as increased drag due to non-spherical particle sizes and accounting for
organic compounds and the effects they have on NO
x
emission.
Detailed biomass co-firing models have been developed and tested for a
range of biomass fuels and show promising results.
10/01684 Modelling of instabilities in turbulent swirling
flames
Ranga Dinesh, K. K. J. et al. Fuel, 2010, 89, (1), 1018.
A large eddy simulation-based data analysis procedure is used to
explore the instabilities in turbulent non-premixed swirling flames. The
selected flames known as SM flames are based on the Sydney swirl
burner experimental database. The governing equations for continuity,
momentum and mixture fraction are solved on a structured Cartesian
grid and the Smagorinsky eddy viscosity model with dynamic procedure
is used as the sub-grid scale turbulence model. The thermo-chemical
variables are described using the steady laminar flamelet model. The
results show that the LES successfully predicts the upstream first
recirculation zone generated by the bluff body and the downstream
second recirculation zone induced by swirl. Overall, LES comparisons
with measurements are in good agreement. Generated power spectra
and snapshots demonstrate oscillations of the centre jet and the
recirculation zone. Snapshots of flame SM1 showed irregular preces-
sion of the centre jet and the power spectrum at a downstream axial
location situated between the two recirculation zones showed distinct
precession frequency. Mode II instability defined as cyclic expansion
and collapse of the recirculation zone is also identified for the flame
SM2. The coupling of swirl, chemical reactions and heat release
exhibits Mode II instability. The presented simulations demonstrate
the efficiency and applicability of the LES technique to swirl flames.
10/01685 OXYCOAL-AC: towards an integrated coal-fired
power plant process with ion transport membrane-based
oxygen supply
Kneer, R. et al. Energy & Environmental Science, 2010, 3, (2), 198207.
The cooperative project OXYCOAL-AC aims to develop a zero-CO
2
-
emission coal combustion process for power generation. This article
focuses on membrane-based air separation modules and their design
for oxycoal conditions, the specifics of coal combustion in a CO
2
/O
2
atmosphere including related burner design as well as the cleaning of
hot flue gas from oxycoal combustion. OXYCOAL-AC is the first test
plant where coal can be burnt in a stable flame in a CO
2
atmosphere
with an oxygen content as low as 18% up to above 30%. The
development of ion-transport membranes is an on-going issue and
design concepts of scaled-up membrane modules and their integration
in pilot- and power-plant-scale facilities are under development.
10/01686 Simultaneous measurements of two-dimensional
temperature and particle concentration distribution from the
image of the pulverized-coal flame
Wang, F. et al. Fuel, 2010, 89, (1), 202211.
This paper presented a model for simultaneously measuring the two-
dimensional temperature and particle concentration distribution from
the images of the flame. In order to determine the relationship between
a point in the three-dimensional space and its image in the camera, the
optical image-formation process was analysed. The inverse problem of
the radiation transfer in the participating medium was studied. The
mathematics method to simultaneously solve the temperature and the
particle concentration was discussed. To validate the model presented
in this paper, a test furnace with the fuels mixed by pulverized-coal and
oil was set up. The temperature and particle concentration of a cross-
section were measured under different coal feed rates. The comparison
between the measured temperature by the pyrometer and the
calculated temperature according to the flame image proved that the
two-dimensional distribution of temperature can be obtained accu-
rately. The particle concentration distribution was reasonable under
different cases.
10/01687 Study of the slow batch pyrolysis of mixtures of
plastics, tyres and forestry biomass wastes
Paradela, F. et al. Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis, 2009, 85,
(12), 392398.
This work aimed to study the recovery of three types of waste by the
process of pyrolysis: biomass, plastics and used tyres. The effects of
experimental conditions in products yield and composition were
studied. The increase of reaction time increased alkane content both
in gas phase from 53% to 70% v/v and in liquid fraction from 48% to
60% w/w. The rise of reaction temperature led to a decrease of liquid
yield (from 82% to 73% w/w), which was followed by the increase of
solids and gases. The increase of reaction temperature also allowed the
increase of the alkane content in gas phase from 39% to 70% v/v. The
parameter that most affected products yield and composition was
plastics content on the wastes initial mixture. The enhancement of this
parameter increased liquid yield from 33% to 92% w/w, at the expense
of solids and gases contents and also decreased aromatic contents from
52% to 28% w/w.
10/01688 Testing the performance and compatibility of
degummed soybean heating oil blends for use in residential
furnaces
Jiru, T. E. et al. Fuel, 2010, 89, (1), 105113.
Degummed soybean heating oil (SHO) is a renewable energy resource,
which can reduce dependence on foreign oil and create a new market
for the soybean industry. This study demonstrated that SHO 20 (20%
degummed soybean oil and 80% No. 2 fuel oil) is suitable for
application in residential furnaces without modification. The tests
conducted were: fuel properties, seal compatibility, long-term storage,
and laboratory and field combustion. The physical property tests
showed that the kinematic viscosity (0.0346 cm
2
/s) and the pour point
of SHO 20 (30

C) were within the ASTM requirement for No. 2 fuel

oil; and the net heating value of SHO 20 (43.9 MJ/kg) was only 13%
lower than the No. 2 fuel oil value (45.6 MJ/kg). Compatibility tests
performed on the rubber seals and gasket materials (Nitrile and Viton)
found in typical heating fuel pump systems indicated that the tensile
strength and hardness values were not significantly affected by SHO
blends when compared with No. 2 fuel oil. A long-term storage test
revealed that there was no significant change in heat content and no
visible stratification of SHO 20 blend during three months of storage.
The pump pressure and the type of nozzle used affected the
concentration of NO
x
, SO
2
, and CO in the flue gas. As was expected,
increasing the SHO fraction in the blend also reduced the SO
2
emission.
The combustion of SHO 20 resulted in a higher flue gas temperature
which increased the NO
x
emission than with No. 2 fuel oil.
Fire safety
10/01689 A combustion chemistry analysis of carbonate
solvents used in Li-ion batteries
Harris, S. J. et al. Journal of Power Sources, 2009, 193, (2), 855858.
Under abusive conditions Li-ion cells can rupture, ejecting electrolyte
and other flammable gases. This study considers some of the
thermochemical and combustion properties of these gases that
determine whether they ignite and how energetically they burn. A
significant variation was found among the carbonate solvents in the
factors that are important to determining flammability, such as
combustion enthalpy and vaporization enthalpy. The authors also
show that flames of carbonate solvents are fundamentally less energetic
than those of conventional hydrocarbons. An example of this contrast
Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2010 265
08 Combustion (fire safety)
is given using a recently developed mechanism for dimethyl carbonate
(DMC) combustion, where it was shown that a diffusion flame burning
DMC has only half the peak heat release rate of an analogous propane
flame. Interestingly, peak temperatures differ by only 25%. The
authors argue that heat release rate is a more useful parameter than
temperature when evaluating the likelihood that a flame in one cell will
ignite a neighbouring cell. The results suggest that thermochemical and
combustion property factors might well be considered when choosing
solvent mixtures when flammability is a concern.
10/01690 Calculation of fault current-division factors and
assessment of earth-grid safety at an independent power
producer station
Lee, C.-H. et al. International Journal of Electrical Power & Energy
Systems, 2009, 31, (10), 639650.
This paper calculates fault current-division factors and assesses earth-
grid safety at 17.1/161-kV Chiahui independent power producer (IPP).
A method based on the grid current is proposed to calculate fault
current-division factors and the results are compared with the Endrenyi
method as well as the current-distribution electromagnetic-grounding
and soil-structure analysis (CDEGS) program. Since the coupling
effect of overhead earth wires to phase conductors was not taken into
account by the Endrenyi method, the computed fault current-division
factor will be greater than those obtained by the proposed method and
CDEGS program. Moreover, mesh and step voltages are computed to
compare with minimum touch and step voltages for assessing earth-grid
safety, respectively. As a result, the design of earthing systems at 17.1/
161-kV IPP station is safe for humans with 50 kg and 70 kg body weight.
10/01691 Coal dust/air explosions in a large-scale tube
Liu, Q. et al. Fuel, 2010, 89, (2), 329335.
Coal dust/air mixture explosions under weak ignition conditions have
been studied in a horizontal experimental tube of diameter 199 mm and
length 29.6 m. The experimental tube is closed at one end and open at
the downstream end. An array of 40 equally spaced dust dispersion
units was used to disperse coal dust particles into the experimental
tube. The coal dust/air mixture was ignited by an electric spark. A
constant-temperature hot-wire anemometer was used to measure the
gas velocity during the dispersion process. Kistler piezoelectric
pressure sensors were used to measure the propagation of the pressure
wave during the explosion process. The maximum overpressure of the
coal dust explosion under the weak ignition conditions in the tube was
70 kPa and the propagation velocity of the pressure wave along the tube
was approximately 370 m/s. The minimum concentration for obtaining
a coal dust explosion that propagated along the tube was 120 g/m
3
. The
suppressing effects on the coal dust explosion of two different kinds of
suppressing agents have been studied.
10/01692 Risk-informed process and tools for permitting
hydrogen fueling stations
LaChance, J. et al. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 2009, 34,
(14), 58555861.
The permitting process for hydrogen-fuelling stations requires demon-
stration that the proposed facility meets certain safety requirements.
Currently, many permitting authorities rely on compliance with well-
known codes and standards as evidence of a safe design. To ensure that
a hydrogen facility is indeed safe, the code and standard requirements
should be identified using a risk-informed process that utilizes an
acceptable level of risk. This paper describes an approach for risk-
informing the permitting process for hydrogen-fuelling stations that
relies primarily on the establishment of risk-informed codes and
standards. Using accepted quantitative risk assessment (QRA) tech-
niques and the established risk criteria, the minimum code and
standard requirements necessary to ensure the safe operation of
hydrogen facilities can be identified. To facilitate consistent risk-
informed approaches, the participants in the International Energy
Agency (IEA) Task 19 on hydrogen safety are working to identify
acceptable risk criteria, QRA models, and supporting data.
09 PROCESS HEATING,
POWER AND
INCINERATION
Energy applications in industry
10/01693 A fuzzy decision tree method for fault
classification in the steam generator of a pressurized water
reactor
Zio, E. et al. Annals of Nuclear Energy, 2009, 36, (8), 11591169.
This paper extends a method previously introduced by the authors for
building a transparent fault classification algorithm by combining the
fuzzy clustering, fuzzy logic and decision trees techniques. The baseline
method transforms an opaque, fuzzy clustering-based classification
model into a fuzzy logic inference model based on linguistic rules which
can be represented by a decision tree formalism. The classification
model thereby obtained is transparent in that it allows direct
interpretation and inspection of the model. An extension in the
procedure for the development of the fuzzy logic inference model is
introduced to allow the treatment of more complicated cases, e.g.
splitted and overlapping clusters. The corresponding computational
tool developed relies on a number of parameters, which can be tuned
by the user to optimally compromise the level of transparency of the
classification process and its efficiency. A numerical application is
presented with regards to the fault classification in the steam generator
of a pressurized water reactor.
10/01694 An integrated approach to energy and chemicals
production
Metcalfe, I. S. et al. Energy & Environmental Science, 2010, 3, (2), 212
215.
This paper describes an integrated process that generates energy by the
combustion of methane in a pure oxygen atmosphere. It then produces
commercially important cyclic carbonates from the waste carbon
dioxide generated during the combustion process.
10/01695 Applying heat integration total site based pinch
technology to a large industrial area in Japan to further
improve performance of highly efficient process plants
Matsuda, K. et al. Energy, 2009, 34, (10), 16871692.
Area-wide pinch technology which consists of R-curve analysis and
site source sink profile analysis, was applied to the Kashima industrial
area, one of the biggest heavy chemical complexes in Japan. This case
study demonstrates that despite the very high efficiency of the
individual sites in the complex, there is a huge amount of energy-
saving potential through energy sharing among the various sites. In
addition it was found that appropriate use of the available pinch
technology tools and techniques allows an industrial area of enormous
scale and complexity to be analysed conveniently. This has resulted in a
number of practical area-wide energy-saving projects being proposed
and implemented.
10/01696 Design and simulation of a small polygeneration
plant cofiring biomass and natural gas in a dual combustion
micro gas turbine (BIO_MGT)
Riccio, G. and Chiaramonti, D. Biomass and Bioenergy, 2009, 33, (11),
15201531.
The operation and performances of an innovative small-scale poly-
generation system (BIO_MGT), which combines biomass and natural
gas in a micro gas turbine, has been simulated in the present work by
means of a thermodynamic matching analysis. The BIO_MGT unit
matches an externally fired cycle with a commercial micro gas turbine
(MGT, 100 kWe). A significant share of the total energy input (70%) is
supplied by solid biomass: the remaining is provided by natural gas.
The system is therefore characterized by a dual combustion system.
The configuration of the plant has been conceived so to require only
minor modifications to conventional MGTs and biomass furnaces
available on the market. This paper describes the design of the
proposed bioenergy plant as well as the structure and the application of
the in-house developed simulation model AMOS which has been used
as computer-aid design tool. The design activity compared various
plant schemes available from literature or past research works. The
thermodynamic matching analysis of the selected configuration was
then carried out, with the aim to verify compressor and turbine working
points and to compare these with those typical of the MGT working
under standard natural gas conditions. The steady-state matching
analysis was based on the performance maps (i.e. characteristic lines)
of each component. The design specifications and operating range
266 Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2010
09 Process heating, power and incineration (energy applications in industry)
for main and sub-components were defined, and the BIO_MGT
performance maps were computed. The results showed that both the
turbine as well as the compressor will work within the acceptable limits,
and plant performances have also been calculated at part load
conditions.
10/01697 Energetic and exergetic assessment of a trass
mill process in a cement plant
Sogut, M. Z. et al. Energy Conversion and Management, 2009, 50, (9),
23162323.
Cement production has become one of the most intensive energy
industries in the world. The main objective of this study is to assess the
performance of a trass mill in a cement plant based on the actual
operational data using energy and exergy analysis method. In the
process, the overall exergy efficiencies are found to be less than the
corresponding energy efficiencies; e.g. 74% and 10.68% for energy and
exergy efficiency, respectively. Using energy recovery systems, waste
heat energy may be captured, while energy and exergy efficiency values
can be improved to 84% and 48%, respectively. It may also be
concluded that the analyses reported here will provide the investigators
with knowledge about how effectively and efficiently a sector uses its
energy resources.
10/01698 Energy efficiency and the influence of gas
burners to the energy related carbon dioxide emissions of
electric arc furnaces in steel industry
Kirschen, M. et al. Energy, 2009, 34, (9), 10651072.
Determining the complete energy balance of an electric arc furnace
(EAF) provides an appropriate method to examine energy efficiency
and identify energy saving potentials. However, the EAF energy
balance is complex due to the combined input of electrical energy and
chemical energy resulting from natural gas (NG) combustion and
oxidation reactions in the steel melt. In addition, furnace off-gas
measurements and slag analysis are necessary to reliably determine
energy sinks. In this paper 70 energy balances and energy efficiencies
from multiple EAFs are presented, including data calculated from
plant measurements and compiled from the literature. Potential errors
that can be incorporated in these calculations are also highlighted. The
total energy requirement of these modern EAFs analysed ranged from
510 to 880 kWh/t, with energy efficiency values ( =H
Steel
/E
Total
) of
between 40% and 75%. Furthermore, the focus was placed on the total
energy related CO
2
emissions of EAF processes comprising NG
combustion and electrical energy input. By assessing multiple EAF
energy balances, a significant correlation between the total energy
requirement and energy related specific CO
2
emissions was not evident.
Whilst the specific consumption of NG in the EAF only had a minor
impact on the EAF energy efficiency, it decreased the specific electrical
energy requirement and increased EAF productivity where transformer
power was restricted. The analysis also demonstrated that complement-
ing and substituting electrical energy with NG was beneficial in
reducing the total energy related CO
2
emissions when a certain level of
substitution efficiency was achieved. Therefore, the appropriate use of
NG burners in modern EAFs can result in an increased EAF energy
intensity, whilst the total energy related CO
2
emissions remain constant
or are even decreased.
10/01699 Experimental studies on a novel swirling
fluidized-bed combustor using an annular spiral air
distributor
Kaewklum, R. and Kuprianov, V. I. Fuel, 2010, 89, (1), 4352.
This work reports studies on hydrodynamics as well as combustion and
emission characteristics of a conical swirling fluidized-bed combustor
(SFBC) using an annular spiral air distributor as the swirl generator. In
the experimental study on a cold SFBC model, hydrodynamic regimes
and characteristics of an airsand bed were investigated for variable
bed particle size and static bed height. Depending on the superficial air
velocity, the bed exhibited four operational regimes. Based on the
results from the cold hydrodynamic study, optimum bed character-
istics (sand particle size and bed height) and the range of primary air
were determined prior to the combustion tests. In the second part of
this work, a conical SFBC was tested for firing 80 kg/h rice husk.
During the combustion tests, swirl motion of a fluidized bed was
induced by primary air injected into the bed through the air distributor
and, also, sustained by tangential injection of secondary air into the bed
splash zone. Radial and axial temperature and gas (O
2
, CO, NO)
concentration profiles in the reactor were obtained for 2080% excess
air. Effects of operating conditions on formation and decomposition of
major gaseous pollutants (CO and NO) in the reactor are discussed.
Both CO and NO were found to be reduced significantly in the bed
splash zone, resulting in quite low CO and moderate NO emissions
from the reactor. High combustion efficiency, 99.499.5%, is achiev-
able when burning rice husk in the proposed conical SFBC at 80 kg/h
feed rate and excess air of 4080%.
10/01700 Feasibility study into the potential for gasification
plant in the New Zealand wood processing industry
Penniall, C. L. and Williamson, C. J. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (9), 3377
3386.
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the feasibility of installing
gasification-based energy plants in the New Zealand wood processing
industry. The study compared energy plants supplying the thermal and
electrical energy in sawmills, laminated veneer lumber (LVL) plants
and medium density fibreboard (MDF) mills. The breakeven electricity
price for the MDF and LVL scenarios ranged from 48.9 c/kWh while
the sawmill scenario was 11.6 c/kWh. The conclusion of the study is that
while the economics are comparable with other renewable energy
generation methods such as hydro and wind the location of the plant is
critical to overall feasibility due mainly to biomass availability and
power price both now and in light of expected future trends. The
technology is complementary to the governments forward strategy
which encourages both distributed generation and renewable energy.
10/01701 Micro-crack growth behavior and life in high
temperature low cycle fatigue of blade root and disc joint for
turbines
Isobe, N. and Nogami, S. International Journal of Pressure Vessels and
Piping, 2009, 86, (9), 622627.
Low cycle fatigue tests were carried out at a temperature of 600

C
using a component specimen of 12%-Cr steel, which simulates a blade
root and disc joint for turbines. The growth behaviour of micro-cracks
in the joint region of the specimens was investigated to clarify the
damage mechanism of blade-root joints used in high temperature
environments and to improve life assessment methods using finite
element analysis. Micro-crack growth behaviour similar to that in
smooth bar specimens was observed in the specimens tested under
conditions of relatively high total strain. Micro-cracks initiation was
observed at the notch region of the specimens at an early stage. The
crack growth rate increased with surface crack length. The fatigue life
of the component specimens under this condition was similar to that of
smooth bar specimens. Meanwhile, the component specimens tested
under conditions of relatively low total strain showed a different
growth behaviour. No cracks were observed at the notch region and
some micro-cracks were initiated at the edge of the contact region of
the specimens in the early stages. Almost no increase in the crack
growth rate was observed. Life of the component specimens under this
condition was shorter than that of the smooth bar specimens. This
might be attributed to fretting fatigue at the contact edge and to mean
stresses.
10/01702 Regional electric power demand elasticities of
Japans industrial and commercial sectors
Hosoe, N. and Akiyama, S.-I. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (11), 43134319.
In the assessment and review of regulatory reforms in the electric
power market, price elasticity is one of the most important parameters
that characterize the market. However, price elasticity has seldom been
estimated in Japan; instead, it has been assumed to be as small as 0.1 or
0 without proper examination of the empirical validity of such a priori
assumptions. The authors estimated the regional power demand
functions for nine regions, in order to quantify the elasticity, and
found the short-run price elasticity to be 0.090.30 and the long-run
price elasticity to be 0.120.56. Inter-regional comparison of the
estimation results suggests that price elasticity in rural regions is larger
than that in urban regions. Popular assumptions of small elasticity of
0.1, for example, could be suitable for examining Japans aggregate
power demand but not power demand functions that focus on
respective regions. Furthermore, assumptions about smaller elasticity
values such as 0.01 and 0 could not be supported statistically by this
study.
10 SPACE HEATING AND
COOLING/HEAT PUMPS
10/01703 A comparison of heat transfer enhancement in a
medium temperature thermal energy storage heat exchanger
using fins
Agyenim, F. et al. Solar Energy, 2009, 83, (9), 15091520.
An experimental energy storage system has been designed using a
horizontal concentric tube heat exchanger incorporating a medium
temperature phase change material (PCM) Erythritol, with a melting
point of 117.7

C. Three experimental configurations, a control system

with no heat transfer enhancement and systems augmented with
circular and longitudinal fins have been studied. The results presented
compare the system heat transfer characteristics using isotherm plots
and temperaturetime curves. The system with longitudinal fins gave
Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2010 267
10 Space heating and cooling/heat pumps
the best performance with increased thermal response during charging
and reduced subcooling in the melt during discharging. The exper-
imentally measured data for the control, circular finned and longitudi-
nal finned systems have been shown to vindicate the assumption of
axissymmetry (direction parallel to the heat transfer fluid flow) using
temperature gradients in the axial, radial and angular directions in the
double pipe PCM system.
10/01704 A robust model predictive control strategy for
improving the control performance of air-conditioning
systems
Huang, G. et al. Energy Conversion and Management, 2009, 50, (10),
26502658.
This paper presents a robust model predictive control strategy for
improving the supply air temperature control of air-handling units by
dealing with the associated uncertainties and constraints directly. This
strategy uses a first-order plus time-delay model with uncertain time-
delay and system gain to describe air-conditioning process of an air-
handling unit usually operating at various weather conditions. The
uncertainties of the time-delay and system gain, which imply the non-
linearities and the variable dynamic characteristics, are formulated
using an uncertainty polytope. Based on this uncertainty formulation,
an offline LMI-based robust model predictive control algorithm is
employed to design a robust controller for air-handling units which can
guarantee a good robustness subject to uncertainties and constraints.
The proposed robust strategy is evaluated in a dynamic simulation
environment of a variable air volume air-conditioning system in various
operation conditions by comparing with a conventional PI control
strategy. The robustness analysis of both strategies under different
weather conditions is also presented.
10/01705 A study on the effects of double skin fac ades on
the energy management in buildings
Chou, S. K. et al. Energy Conversion and Management, 2009, 50, (9),
22752281.
Double skin fac ades (DSF) are gaining popularity for their ability to
reduce solar heat gain in buildings. However, research works on the
impact of DSF on the energy management, aerophysics and air
conditioning of buildings are still in their infancy. The concept of
envelope thermal transfer value (ETTV) has been specifically applied
to evaluate the solar radiation gain component through a DSF
fenestration system. The aim of this paper is to study the effects of
DSF on the solar heat gain, the ETTV and hence the energy manage-
ment within buildings. A systematic methodology to investigate the
effectiveness of DSF in reducing solar heat gain has been presented.
Experimental works have been performed to obtain the solar heat gain
coefficient (SHGC) values of a DSF fenestration system. These values
are then applied to compare the ETTVs generated from a model
building with different DSF configurations, namely, different wall-to-
window ratios and varying shading coefficients.
10/01706 Advanced exergetic evaluation of refrigeration
machines using different working fluids
Morosuk, T. and Tsatsaronis, G. Energy, 2009, 34, (12), 22482258.
Splitting the exergy destruction into endogenous/exogenous and
unavoidable/avoidable parts has many advantages for the detailed
analysis of energy conversion systems. Endogenous is the exergy
destruction obtained when all other system components are ideal and
the component being considered operates with its real efficiency. The
difference between total and endogenous exergy destruction is the
exogenous exergy destruction caused within the component being
considered by the irreversibilities in the remaining components and the
structure of the overall system. Unavoidable is the part of exergy
destruction within one system component that cannot be eliminated
even if the best available technology in the near future would be
applied. The avoidable exergy destruction is the difference between
total and unavoidable exergy destruction. These concepts enhance an
exergy analysis and assist in improving the quality of the conclusions
obtained from this analysis. This study presents the combined
application of both concepts to vapour-compression refrigeration
machines using different one-component working fluids (R125,
R134a, R22 and R717) as well as azeotropic (R500) and zeotropic
(R407C) mixtures. The purpose of the paper is not to evaluate these
working fluids, some of which cannot be used in future, but to
demonstrate the effect of different material properties on the results of
advanced exergy analysis.
10/01707 An exergy application for analysis of buildings
and HVAC systems
Sakulpipatsin, P. et al. Energy and Buildings, 2010, 42, (1), 9099.
The paper presents an extended method for exergy analysis of buildings
and heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems,
according to an energy demand build-up model from the building side
to the energy supply side. The HVAC systems comprise a thermal
energy emission and control system, a thermal distribution system, an
electricity distribution system and an energy conversion system. Energy
and exergy that are required by a building and a HVAC system are
posed into the external part and classified by different forms of energy
carriers. The external part is out of the boundary of the study. The
method is illustrated with an office building equipped with low-
temperature heating and high-temperature cooling systems situated in
the Netherlands. Thermal exergy and thermal energy demands of the
building and thermal energy and thermal exergy losses occurring in the
HVAC systems are discussed. The building and the HVAC systems to
be considered meet standard Dutch energy performance regulations.
Nevertheless their overall exergy efficiencies are low in both cases
(17.15% and 6.81% subsequently). The exergy analysis also pinpoints
that the thermal energy emission and control system and the energy
conversion system are the main causes of the exergy inefficiencies in
the heating and cooling cases, respectively.
10/01708 An hourly modelling framework for the
assessment of energy sources exploitation and energy
converters selection and sizing in buildings
Fabrizio, E. et al. Energy and Buildings, 2009, 41, (10), 10371050.
Multi-energy systems in buildings use more than one energy source in
various energy converters to overcome the limitations that may be
characteristic of each source. However, the design of the optimization
of such systems is a complex task because the number of design
variables is high and the boundary conditions (climate, operation
strategies, etc.) are highly variable, so the system simulation has to be
performed in the time domain. In this work an original hourly model,
developed to optimize multi-energy systems, is presented and applied
on a case study. It is an evaluation method to assess, in an integrated
fashion, the performance of a building system as a whole and the
viability of the exploitation of various energy sources. This tool is
intended to take into account the variation of the conversion efficiency
as a function of the design power, part load, boundary and climatic
conditions. The relations that can model the energy converters of the
case study (standard boiler, condensing boiler, various types of chillers
and others) from the energy performance and from the financial points
of view are also presented. This model represents a valuable alternative
to currently available tools for hybrid systems simulation because of the
optimization approach and of the detail in the thermal energy
converters performance. Ultimately, the theoretical and applied
knowledge of this contribution aims also at promoting a more
conscious use of renewable and non-renewable energy in the built
environment.
10/01709 An improved thermal response test for U-tube
ground heat exchanger based on optical fiber thermometers
Fujii, H. et al. Geothermics, 2009, 38, (4), 399406.
As part of a new thermal response test (TRT) and to determine ground
thermal conductivities, vertical temperature profiles were obtained
using retrievable optical fiber sensors inserted into the U-tubes of two
ground heat exchangers (GHEs) installed at Maebaru City (Fukuoka,
Kyushu) and Kushiro City (Hokkaido), Japan. Measured profiles and
outlet temperatures from TRTs were history-matched with the
cylindrical source function. Nonlinear regression was used to estimate
the vertical distribution of ground thermal conductivities. The
computed distribution is consistent with measured data indicating
both the reliability of the optical fiber thermometer and TRT
interpretation. It is expected that TRTs and optical fiber thermometers
will prove to be increasingly useful for optimizing the depth of the
GHEs installed in heterogeneous formations, and consequently will
minimize installation costs of geothermal heat pump systems.
10/01710 Application of nanofluids in heating buildings
and reducing pollution
Kulkarni, D. P. et al. Applied Energy, 2009, 86, (12), 25662573.
This paper presents nanofluid convective heat transfer and viscosity
measurements, and evaluates how they perform heating buildings in
cold regions. Nanofluids contain suspended metallic nanoparticles,
which increases the thermal conductivity of the base fluid by a
substantial amount. The heat transfer coefficient of nanofluids
increases with volume concentration. To determine how nanofluid
heat transfer characteristics enhance as volume concentration is
increased; experiments were performed on copper oxide, aluminium
oxide and silicon dioxide nanofluids, each in an ethylene glycol and
water mixture. Calculations were performed for conventional finned-
tube heat exchangers used in buildings in cold regions. The analysis
shows that using nanofluids in heat exchangers could reduce volumetric
and mass flow rates, and result in an overall pumping power savings.
Nanofluids necessitate smaller heating systems, which are capable of
delivering the same amount of thermal energy as larger heating systems
using base fluids, but are less expensive; this lowers the initial
equipment cost excluding nanofluid cost. This will also reduce
environmental pollutants because smaller heating units use less power,
and the heat transfer unit has less liquid and material waste to discard
at the end of its life cycle.
268 Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2010
10 Space heating and cooling/heat pumps
10/01711 Chaotic behavior of pulsating heat pipes
Song, Y. and Xu, J. International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer,
2009, 52, (1314), 29322941.
Chaotic behaviour of closed loop pulsating heat pipes (PHPs) was
studied. The PHPs were fabricated by capillary tubes with outer and
inner diameters of 2.0 and 1.20 mm. FC-72 and deionized water were
used as the working fluids. Experiments cover the following data
ranges: number of turns of 4, 6, and 9, inclination angles from 5

(near
horizontal) to 90

(vertical), charge ratios from 50% to 80%, heating

powers from 7.5 to 60.0 W. The non-linear analysis is based on the
recorded time series of temperatures on the evaporation, adiabatic,
and condensation sections. The present study confirms that PHPs are
deterministic chaotic systems. Autocorrelation functions (ACF) are
decreased versus time, indicating prediction ability of the system is
finite. Three typical attractor patterns are identified. Hurst exponents
are very high, i.e. from 0.85 to 0.95, indicating very strong persistent
properties of PHPs. Curves of correlation integral versus radius of
hypersphere indicate two linear sections for water PHPs, correspond-
ing to both high frequency, low amplitude, and low frequency, large
amplitude oscillations. At small inclination angles near horizontal,
correlation dimensions are not uniform at different turns of PHPs. The
non-uniformity of correlation dimensions is significantly improved with
increases in inclination angles. Effect of inclination angles on the
chaotic parameters is complex for FC-72 PHPs, but it is certain that
correlation dimensions and Kolmogorov entropies are increased with
increases in inclination angles. The optimal charge ratios are about 60
70%, at which correlation dimensions and Kolmogorov entropies are
high. The higher the heating power, the larger the correlation
dimensions and Kolmogorov entropies are. For most runs, large
correlation dimensions and Kolmogorov entropies correspond to small
thermal resistances, i.e. better thermal performance, except for FC-72
PHPs at small inclination angles of <15

.
10/01712 Economic feasibility for acquisition of efficient
refrigerators in Brazil
Cardoso, R. B. et al. Applied Energy, 2010, 87, (1), 2837.
Since 1993, the Brazilian National Program of Electricity Conservation
has been developing the PROCEL Label Program, oriented towards
helping consumers to buy more efficient home appliances. In this
context, an energy savings of 1379 GWh and a reduction of 197 MW in
the Brazilian demand in 2007 are estimated as a result of efficiency
labelling in refrigerators and freezers. This paper aims to evaluate the
economic feasibility of purchasing labelled refrigerators instead of
inefficient ones, from the consumers point of view, considering actual
market conditions and buying in cash or financing. The evaluation of
energy saving was done for 22 different models of refrigerators and the
economy was calculated considering the retail price in the Brazilian
market and two actual electricity tariffs, taking into account,
respectively, high and low household electricity consumption. The
effect of ambient temperature on refrigerator performance was
evaluated in two conditions: according to the Brazilian standard for
performance tests (32

C) and using the average temperature of

southern Brazil (18

C), the mildest region. The benefit in buying

labelled refrigerators was evaluated using the internal rate of return
and the payback time for a cash flow during the appliance life,
estimated as 16 years. The results indicate that for cash purchase, for
any electricity tariff and for both ambient temperatures studied, the
consumers are economically benefited buying labelled refrigerators
instead of less efficient models. For credit purchases, in the evaluated
conditions, high-tariff consumer typically gains selecting labelled
refrigerator, on the other hand, for low-tariff consumer and in colder
areas, it is economically advisable to buy less efficient appliances.
Sensitivity analysis of energy tariff and financing conditions are
presented.
10/01713 Electric energy saving potential by substitution of
domestic refrigerators in Mexico
Arroyo-Cabanas, F. G. et al. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (11), 47374742.
This study evaluates the potential for electric power saving in Mexico
that would follow the substitution of old, low efficiency domestic
refrigerators with modern, high efficiency ones. The results indicate
that a total substitution of domestic refrigerators would save 4.7 TWh/
year, which represents 33% of the annual total consumption of
14.1 TWh. Assuming an average daily use of 14 h for domestic
refrigeration, 900 MW of electricity would be saved. An annual
substitution of 20% over 5 years would save approximately 1 TWh a
year and almost 180 MW would be released. It is recommended that
this programme of replacement should be supported by the federal and
state governments, beginning with the states (which have more direct
influence), and with the oldest, least efficient refrigerators along the
lines followed in programs that introduced fluorescent compact lamps.
10/01714 Energy consumption for heating and rebound
effects
Hens, H. et al. Energy and Buildings, 2010, 42, (1), 105110.
When comparing calculated heating consumption in residential
buildings assuming standard usage with standardized measured data,
then the two typically does not fit. In fact, measured consumption may
be a fraction only of what was calculated. The reason is direct rebound
behaviour by the inhabitants. The paper shows the importance of direct
rebound through measured results. First temperatures, recorded in
daytime and sleeping rooms in a sample of dwellings, are discussed.
Then follows a discussion of the indoor temperatures found when
calculated energy consumptions for heating were forced to give the
same numbers as measured. Next, two small-scale analyses of energy
data gained in low-income estates are reviewed, followed by test results
on direct rebound in two dwellings, one non-insulated, the other well
insulated. These data prove that the benefits of direct rebound are
much larger in non-insulated than in well-insulated homes. This fact is
used to construct a rebound curve, starting from the normalized
consumption data gained in 964 houses. The effect of energy price on
direct rebound is also shown.
10/01715 Experimental evaluation of a climate fac ade:
energy efficiency and thermal comfort performance
Serra, V. et al. Energy and Buildings, 2010, 42, (1), 5062.
The results of an extensive experimental campaign on a climate fac ade
with a mechanically ventilated air gap, carried out at the Department of
Energetics at the Politecnico di Torino, are presented. Measurements
were performed utilizing the TWINS (testing window innovative sys-
tems) test facility, which consists of two outdoor cells, one used for
reference purposes, and the other which adopts different active fac ade
configurations. The energy efficiency of the fac ade and the thermal
comfort implications have been evaluated considering the ability to
pre-heat the ventilation air in the winter season, and the ability to
remove part of the solar load during the summer season; the
normalized daily energy passing through the fac ade and the normalized
surface temperature of the inner glass were analysed. The improve-
ment in performance obtained by varying the configuration and
operative conditions (changing the air flow rate, the shading device
and the internal glazing) has been investigated.
10/01716 Experimental investigation on heat transportation
over long distance by ammoniawater absorption cycle
Lin, P. et al. Energy Conversion and Management, 2009, 50, (9), 2331
2339.
An ammoniawater absorption cycle is suggested to transport heat over
long distances, in which thermal energy is transferred into chemical
energy in the heat source site by the change of solution concentration.
There is then no heat insulation requirement for the transportation
pipelines. In the user site the chemical energy could be released with
heating or cooling. An experimental prototype has been built to
investigate the system performance. The experiments include two
parts: heating is obtained from the absorber (user site) in transition
season by the ammoniawater absorption heat pump cycle, in which a
hot water outlet temperature at about 64

C can be reached and the

system COP is 0.47 (absorption temperature at 66

C). Cooling is
obtained from the evaporator (user site) in summer by the ammonia
water absorption refrigeration cycle, in which a chilled medium outlet
temperature at about 8

C can be reached and the system COP is 0.43

(evaporation temperature at 4.6

C). The investigation of the trans-

portation parameters also shows that the pump electric consumption
can be reduced greatly in comparison with the conventional heat
transportation method. The ammoniawater absorption cycle is a
potential and efficient way of heat transportation over long distances.
10/01717 Heat transfer characteristics of
microencapsulated phase change material slurry in laminar
flow under constant heat flux
Zeng, R. et al. Applied Energy, 2009, 86, (12), 26612670.
Due to its large apparent specific heat during the phase change period,
microencapsulated phase change material slurry (MPCMS) has been
suggested as a medium for heat transfer. This study investigates
experimentally and numerically the convective heat transfer character-
istics of MPCMS flowing in a circular tube. The enhanced convective
heat transfer mechanism of MPCMS, especially in the thermal fully
developed range, was analysed by using the enthalpy model. Three
kinds of fluidpure water, micro-particle slurry and MPCMS were
numerically investigated. The results show that in the phase change
heat transfer region the Ste number and the Mr number are the most
important parameters influencing the Nusselt number fluctuation
profile and the dimensionless wall temperature. Re
b
, d
p
and c also
influence the Nusselt number profile and the dimensionless wall
temperature, but they are independent of phase change process.
10/01718 Measurement and model on thermal
conductivities of carbon nanotube nanorefrigerants
Jiang, W. et al. International Journal of Thermal Sciences, 2009, 48, (6),
11081115.
Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2010 269
10 Space heating and cooling/heat pumps
The objective of this study is to test thermal conductivity characteristics
of CNT nanorefrigerants and to build a model for predicting the
thermal conductivities of CNT nanorefrigerants. The influences of
CNT diameters and CNT aspect ratios on nanorefrigerants thermal
conductivity were reflected in the experiments, and R113 was used as
the host refrigerant for the convenience of the experiments. The
experimental results show that the thermal conductivities of CNT
nanorefrigerants are much higher than those of CNTwater nanofluids
or spherical-nanoparticle-R113 nanorefrigerants. Experiments also
show that the smaller the diameter of CNT is or the larger the aspect
ratio of CNT is, the larger the thermal conductivity enhancement of
CNT nanorefrigerant is. The existent models for predicting thermal
conductivity of CNT nanofluid, including HamiltonCrosser model,
YuChoi model and Xue model, were verified by the experimental data
of CNT nanorefrigerants thermal conductivities. The verification
shows that YuChoi model has the mean deviation of 15.1% and it is
more accurate than the other two models. A modified YuChoi model
was presented by improving the empirical constant of YuChoi model,
and the mean deviation of the modified YuChoi model from the
experimental results is 5.5%.
10/01719 Microencapsulated n-octacosane as phase
change material for thermal energy storage
Sari, A. et al. Solar Energy, 2009, 83, (10), 17571763.
This study deals with preparation and characterization of polymethyl-
metracrylate (PMMA) microcapsules containing n-octacosane as phase
change material for thermal energy storage. The surface morphology,
particle size and particle size distribution (PSD) were studied by
scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The chemical characterization of
PMMA/octacosane microcapsules was made by FT-IR spectroscopy
method. Thermal properties and thermal stability of microencapsulated
octacosane were determined using differential scanning calorimetry
(DSC) and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). The melting and
freezing temperatures and the latent heats of the microencapsulated
octacosane as PCM were measured as 50.6 and 53.2

C, 86.4 and
88.5 J/g, respectively, by DSC analysis. TGA analysis indicated that
the microencapsulated octacosane degrade in two steps and had good
chemical stability. Thermal cycling test shows that the microcapsules
have good thermal reliability with respect to the accelerated thermal
cycling. Based on the results, it can be considered that the
microencapsulated octacosane have good energy storage potential.
10/01720 Parametric analysis for a new combined power
and ejectorabsorption refrigeration cycle
Wang, J. et al. Energy, 2009, 34, (10), 15871593.
A new combined power and ejectorabsorption refrigeration cycle is
proposed, which combines the Rankine cycle and the ejector
absorption refrigeration cycle, and could produce both power output
and refrigeration output simultaneously. This combined cycle, which
originates from the cycle proposed by authors previously, introduces an
ejector between the rectifier and the condenser, and provides a
performance improvement without greatly increasing the complexity of
the system. A parametric analysis is conducted to evaluate the effects
of the key thermodynamic parameters on the cycle performance. It is
shown that heat source temperature, condenser temperature, evapor-
ator temperature, turbine inlet pressure, turbine inlet temperature, and
basic solution ammonia concentration have significant effects on the
net power output, refrigeration output and exergy efficiency of the
combined cycle. It is evident that the ejector can improve the
performance of the combined cycle proposed by authors previously.
10/01721 Performance limit analysis of Recooled Cycle for
regenerative cooling systems
Bao, W. et al. Energy Conversion and Management, 2009, 50, (8), 1908
1914.
This paper presents a new cooling cycle called recooled cycle (RC) for
systems with active cooling and demonstrates how coolant could be
utilized for secondary cooling through the transfer of enthalpy from
coolant to work with an indirect increase in the coolant cooling
capacity (heat sink), without any property change in the coolant. The
basic concept and working principle are introduced; a thermodynamic
cycle analysis is performed to demonstrate the system performance
gains with RC over the conventional system with regenerative cooling.
Using the principle of thermodynamics, performance potential analysis
of RC is performed; expression of performance limit is obtained by
deduction. Numerical analysis results further reveal the potential
performance of RC taking scramjet engine with RC as the example.
Results show that RC is with great potential performance and scientific
feasibility. It can increase coolant heat sink and correspondingly reduce
the coolant flow for cooling. In addition, the power output of RC could
provide energy supply for subsystems.
10/01722 Performance of heat pumps charged with
R170/R290 mixture
Park, K.-J. and Jung, D. Applied Energy, 2009, 86, (12), 25982603.
In this study, the thermodynamic performance of R170/R290 mixture is
measured on a heat pump bench tester in an attempt to substitute R22.
The bench tester is equipped with a commercial hermetic rotary
compressor providing a nominal capacity of 3.5 kW. All tests are
conducted under the summer cooling and winter heating conditions of
7/45

C and 7/41

C in the evaporator and condenser, respectively.

During the tests, the composition in R170/R290 mixture is varied from
0% to 10% with an interval of 2%. Test results show that the coefficient
of performance (COP) and capacity of R290 are up to 15.4% higher
and 7.5% lower, respectively than those of R22 for two conditions. For
R170/R290 mixture, the COP decreases and the capacity increases with
an increase in the composition of R170. The mixture of R170/R290
mixture at 4%/96% composition shows the similar capacity and COP as
those of R22. For the mixture, the compressor discharge temperature is
1728

C lower than that of R22. For R170/R290 mixture, there is no

problem with mineral oil since the mixture is composed of hydro-
carbons. The amount of charge is reduced up to 58% as compared to
R22. Overall, R170/R290 mixture is a good long term drop-in
candidate from the view point of energy efficiency and greenhouse
warming to replace R22 in residential air-conditioners and heat pumps.
10/01723 Performance prediction of refrigerant-DMF
solutions in a single-stage solar-powered absorption
refrigeration system at low generating temperatures
He, L. J. et al. Solar Energy, 2009, 83, (11), 20292038.
A theoretical analysis of the coefficient of performance was undertaken
to examine the efficiency characteristics of R22 +DMF, R134a +
DMF, R32 +DMF as working fluids, respectively, for a single-stage
and intermittent absorption refrigerator which allows the use of heat
pipe evacuated tubular collectors. The modelling and simulation of the
performance considers both solar collector system and the absorption
cooling system. The typical meteorological year file containing the
weather parameters for Hangzhou is used to simulate the system. The
results show that the system is in phase with the weather. In order to
increase the reliability of the system, a hot water storage tank is
essential. The optimum ratio of storage tank per solar collector area for
Hangzhous climate for a 1.0 kW system is 0.0350.043L. Considering
the relative low pressure and the high coefficient of performance,
R134a +DMF mixture presents interesting properties for its appli-
cation in solar absorption cycles at moderate condensing and absorbing
temperatures when the evaporating temperatures in the range from
278 K to 288 K which are highly useful for food preservation and for
air-conditioning in rural areas.
10/01724 Simulation models for the analysis of space heat
consumption of buildings
Popescu, D. et al. Energy, 2009, 34, (10), 14471453.
This study develops and analyses an original methodology for the
simulation and prediction of space heating energy consumption in
buildings connected to a district heating system, characterized by lack
of individual control systems for end-users. The identification of the
input parameters is based on both classical engineering equations and
statistical analysis of collected data. Two main factors play important
roles in the model: (1) climate and (2) human behaviour. Model
validation was undertaken through the analysis of field data collected
during the winter, via a monitoring system working in a partially-
controlled district heating system. The comparison between the results
obtained with the proposed model versus classical methods points out
the possibility to implement, using the proposed methodology,
management policies for a district that offer significant cost-effective
energy savings opportunities.
10/01725 Simulation of a photovoltaic/thermal heat pump
system having a modified collector/evaporator
Xu, G. et al. Solar Energy, 2009, 83, (11), 19671976.
A new photovoltaic/thermal heat pump (PV/T-HP) system having a
modified collector/evaporator (C/E) has been developed and numeri-
cally studied. Multi-port flat extruded aluminium tubes were used in
the modified C/E, as compared to round copper tubes used in a
conventional C/E. Simulation results suggested that a better operating
performance can be achieved for a PV/T-HP system having such a
modified C/E. In addition, using the meteorological data in both
Nanjing and Hong Kong, China, the simulation results showed that this
new PV/T-HP system could efficiently generate electricity and thermal
energy simultaneously in both cities all-year-round. Furthermore,
improved operation by using variable speed compressor has been
designed and discussed.
10/01726 Study of a phase change energy storage using
spherical capsules. Part I: experimental results
Bedecarrats, J. P. et al. Energy Conversion and Management, 2009, 50,
(10), 25272536.
This paper presents an experimental investigation of the performance
of an encapsulated phase change energy storage during the charging
and the discharging processes. The spherical capsules, containing water
270 Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2010
10 Space heating and cooling/heat pumps
with a nucleation agent as a phase change material (PCM), fill the
thermal storage tank. The heat transfer fluid which circulates through
the tank and around the capsules is an aqueous solution of
monoethylene glycol. A series of experiments were carried out to
investigate the effects of various parameters including the inlet heat
transfer fluid temperature and flow rate, kinetics of cooling and
heating, on the charging and discharging processes. The main results
are: that there is a significant influence of the supercooling
phenomenon during the charging process; the lower the inlet coolant
temperature and the larger the coolant flow rate are, the faster the
storage is, the choice of the couples (flow rate, inlet temperature) must
permit storage of the total energy in a given time; and when a charge
mode follows an incomplete discharge mode, the charge mode is the
result of the crystallization of some capsules which present super-
cooling and of others which do not, the consequence is that the charge
mode is made at a higher temperature with a relatively shorter
duration.
10/01727 Study of a phase change energy storage using
spherical capsules. Part II: numerical modelling
Bedecarrats, J. P. et al. Energy Conversion and Management, 2009, 50,
(10), 25372546.
The objective of this work is the numerical study of an industrial
process of energy storage which consists in the use of a cylindrical tank
filled with encapsulated phase change materials (PCM). A particularity
is present in this kind of processes; it concerns the delay of the
crystallization of the PCM, called supercooling phenomenon. The
development of the model for cold storage with heat transfer fluid
flowing enables a detailed analysis of this process. The effects of
different parameters on the behaviour of the tank, such as the inlet
temperature, the flow rate, are examined when the tank is in vertical
position. There is substantial agreement between the prediction and
the experimental values already presented in part I.
10/01728 The impact of auxiliary energy on the efficiency of
the heating and cooling system: monitoring of low-energy
buildings
Kalz, D. E. et al. Energy and Buildings, 2009, 41, (10), 10191030.
This paper presents a detailed meta-analysis of end and primary energy
use for heating, cooling and ventilation of 11 low-energy non-
residential buildings and one residential building in Germany that
belong to the EnOB research program launched by the German
Federal Ministry for Economy. In particular, the analysis emphasizes
the substantial impact of auxiliary energy use on the efficiency of
heating and cooling performance. The investigated buildings employ
environmental energy sources and sinks such as the ground, ground
water, rainwater and the ambient air in combination with thermo-
active building systems. These concepts are promising approaches for
slashing the primary energy use of buildings without violating occupant
thermal comfort. A limited primary energy use of about 100 kWh
prim
/
(m
2
net
a) as a target for the complete building service technology
(HVAC and lighting) was postulated for all buildings presented. With
respect to this premise, a comprehensive long-term monitoring in high
time resolution was carried out over the course of two to five years,
with an accompanying commissioning of the building performance.
Measurements include the energy use for heating, cooling, and
ventilation, as well as the auxiliary equipment, the performance of
the environmental heat source and sink, and local climatic site
conditions.
10/01729 Thermal performance of packed bed thermal
energy storage units using multiple granular phase change
composites
Rady, M. Applied Energy, 2009, 86, (12), 27042720.
The present article reports on the utilization of multiple granular phase
change composites (GPCC) with different ranges of phase change
temperatures in a packed bed thermal energy storage system. Small
particle diameter of GPCC allows simple mixing of two or three ranges
of GPCCs in a packed bed for enhancement of storage unit
performance. Experiments have been carried out to characterize the
phase changing characteristics of two GPCCs chosen for this purpose.
Packed bed column experiments have been carried out to provide basic
understanding of the heat transfer process in the composite bed
consisting of a mixture of GPCCs at different values of mixing ratio. A
mathematical model has been developed for the analysis of charging
and discharging process dynamics. Once validated, the model has been
used to perform a parametric study to investigate the overall bed
performance at different values of mixing ratio and Reynolds number.
An optimization of the value of mixing ratio has been obtained based
on the overall charging and discharging times as well as the exergy
efficiency. It has been demonstrated that, as compared to the use of
single GPCC, careful choice of the mixing ratio of GPCCs in a
composite bed can result in a significant enhancement of the overall
storage unit performance. As compared to the use of multiple
sequential layers of GPCCs, using units composed of a mixture of
GPCCs with an optimized mixing ratio results in a remarkable
improvement of the unit performance without limitations on the
charging and discharging directions during practical applications.
10/01730 Two-phase Euler-Lagrange CFD simulation of
evaporative cooling in a Wind Tower
Saffari, H. and Hosseinnia, S. M. Energy and Buildings, 2009, 41, (9),
9911000.
A new design of wind tower is investigated numerically under different
structural parameters and environmental conditions. The new design is
some wetted columns, consisting of wetted curtains hung in the tower
column, which are modelled as surfaces that inject droplets of water
with very low speed. The CFD open source package Open FOAM is
used. The current three-dimensional CFD simulation has adopted both
the Eulerian approach for the air phase and the Lagrangian approach
for the water phase. The effects of water droplet diameter and water
droplet temperature on the thermal performance of the wind tower are
investigated at specific inlet air velocity and relative humidity and
height of wetted columns. Also, the effects of wind velocity, temp-
erature, and relative humidity inlet to wind tower are studied. Chang-
ing the height of the wetted columns and its effect on the evaporative
cooling in other specific parameters is studied. The results obtained
from the present CFD study are compared with the analytical data
taken from the literature and a good agreement is observed. As a
result, the height of 10 m of wetted columns decreases 12 K of the
ambient air temperature and increases 22% of its relative humidity.
10/01731 Unsteady fluid mechanics and heat transfer study
in a double-tube aircombustor heat exchanger with porous
medium
Moraga, N. O. et al. International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer,
2009, 52, (1314), 33533363.
Fluid mechanics and heat transfer are studied in a double-tube heat
exchanger that uses the combustion gases from natural gas in a porous
medium located in a cylindrical tube to warm up air that flows through
a cylindrical annular space. The mathematical model is constructed
based on the equations of continuity, linear momentum, energy and
chemical species. Unsteady fluid mechanics and heat transfer by forced
gas convection in the porous media, with combustion in the inner tube,
coupled to the forced convection of air in the annular cylindrical space
are predicted by use of finite volumes method. Numerical simulations
are made for four values of the annular air flow Reynolds number in
the range 100 _Re _2000, keeping constant the excess air =4.88, the
porosity " =0.4, and the airfuel mixture inlet speed Uo =0.43 m/s.
The results obtained allow the characterization of the velocity and
temperature distributions in the inner tube and in the annular space,
and at the same time to describe the displacement of the moving
combustion zone and the annular porous media heat exchanger thermal
efficiency. It is concluded that the temperature increase is directly
related to the outer Reynolds number.
10/01732 Urban heat island characteristics in London
during winter
Giridharan, R. and Kolokotroni, M. Solar Energy, 2009, 83, (9), 1668
1682.
This paper presents results characterizing the urban heat island
intensity (UHI) in London during the peak winter season. Most UHI
studies focus on the phenomenon during the summer as this is the
period when temperature peaks are observed. However, for urban
planning mitigation strategies and building energy demand design, the
heating season should be also considered, since proposed measures to
alleviate the summer UHI might have a negative effect during the
winter or intermediate seasons. The study carries out trend and
regression analysis by controlling climatic and geographical variations
in the data set following a methodology developed for studying summer
UHI. It was found that average nocturnal UHI of winter periods are of
similar magnitude to the summer periods but the peak winter UHI
trends are not as regular as summer giving a first indication that the
effect of climate and urban parameters is different. The regression
analysis in this research uses six on-site variables namely aspect ratio,
surface albedo, plan density ratio, green density ratio, fabric density
ratio and thermal mass to carry out impact investigation in six data sets,
categorized by three geographical location within London and three
sky conditions and regional wind velocity. The above variables do not
explain the changes in outdoor temperature as much as they did during
summer period models. However, unlike summer, the winter climate
control models have the same R
2
indicating that most of changes in
outdoor temperature are caused by climate factors and not the on-site
variables.
10/01733 Urban heat island in southern Europe: the case
study of Hania, Crete
Kolokotsa, D. et al. Solar Energy, 2009, 83, (10), 18711883.
Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2010 271
10 Space heating and cooling/heat pumps
This study analyses the results of the urban heat island (UHI) research
for a coastal densely built small Mediterranean town namely Hania,
Crete, Greece. The specific research targets to verify the existence, the
intensity, the size and the form of the UHI phenomenon in the specific
region as well as to understand its correlation with the local weather
conditions. Nine urban and three rural meteorological stations are used
for this study. Temperature and relative humidity measurements are
collected from 26 May 2007 until 24 October 2007. In parallel,
meteorological data including wind speed and direction, barometric
pressure, sunlight and precipitation for the specific region are collected
and elaborated for cross-correlation with the appearance of the UHI
phenomenon. During summer period, where the temperature is high,
the UHI takes its maximum intensity, of about 8

C. Also, the form

of the UHI is strongly influenced from the wind speed and direction.
The northern winds expand the UHI front, while the western winds
contribute to the UHI reduction. Finally the discomfort index (DI) is
calculated for the 2007 summer period to indicate the outdoor living
conditions.
10/01734 Warm homes: drivers of the demand for heating
in the residential sector in New Zealand
Howden-Chapman, P. et al. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (9), 33873399.
New Zealand houses are large, often poorly constructed and heated, by
OECD standards, and consequently are colder and damper indoors
than recommended by the World Health Organization. This affects
both the energy consumption and the health of households. The
traditional New Zealand household pattern of only heating one room
of the house has been unchanged for decades, although there has been
substantial market penetration of unflued gas heaters and more
recently heat pumps. This paper describes the residential sector and
the results of two community-based trials of housing and heating
interventions that have been designed to measure the impact of (1)
retrofitting insulation and (2) replacing unflued gas heaters and
electric resistance heaters with heat pumps, wood pellet burners and
flued gas heaters. The paper describes findings on the rebound effect
or take-back the extent to which households take the gains from
insulation and heating improvements as comfort (higher temperatures)
rather than energy savings, and compares energy-saving patterns with
those suggested by an earlier study. Findings on these aspects of
household space heating are discussed in the context of the New
Zealand governments policy drive for a more sustainable energy
system, and the implications for climate change policy.
11 ENGINES
Power generation and propulsion,
electrical vehicles
10/01735 A new approach for enhancing performance of a
gas turbine (case study: Khangiran refinery)
Farzaneh-Gord, M. and Deymi-Dashtebayaz, M. Applied Energy, 2009,
86, (12), 27502759.
There are various methods which are commercially available for
turbine air inlet cooling aiming to improve gas turbine efficiency. In
this study a new approach has been proposed to improve performance
of a gas turbine. The approach has been applied to one of the
Khangiran refinery gas turbines. The idea is to cool inlet air of the gas
turbine by potential cooling capacity of the refinery natural-gas
pressure drop station. The study is part of a comprehensive program
aimed to enhance gas turbines performance of the Khangiran gas
refinery. The results show that the gas turbine inlet air temperature
could be reduced in range of 425 K and the performance could be
improved in range of 1.55% for almost 10 months.
10/01736 Cotton methyl ester usage in a diesel engine
equipped with insulated combustion chamber
Hazar, H. Applied Energy, 2010, 87, (1), 134140.
An important alternative for diesel fuel is methyl ester made of
vegetable oils. Direct use these fuels without modification in diesel
engines causes some damages on the parts of the engines and also, the
viscosity of the methyl ester fuels is quite higher than that of diesel fuel
(No. 2D) and their calorific value is lower. Therefore it is not possible
to obtain more benefit. Coating combustion chamber parts with a
ceramic material seems an effective solution for improving perform-
ance of these lower-quality fuels compared with No. 2D and also
exhaust emission values. Since it allows to use higher combustion
temperatures. In the present study, surfaces of cylinder head, piston,
exhaust and inlet valve of a four-stroke, direct injection, single cylinder
diesel engine were coated with molybdenum (Mo) by plasma spray
method. Thus, thermal barrier characteristic was brought to these
parts. Variances in performance and emission values of cotton methyl
ester and 2D fuel mixtures were studied in the ceramic coated and
uncoated engines under the same running conditions. Performance (up
to 2.22.3% for engine power, up to 3.55.6% for specific fuel
consumption) and emission values (up to 1722% for CO, up to 5.2
10% for smoke) of the test fuels were improved in the coated engine
compared with the uncoated engine. However, because the coated
engine ran at higher temperatures compared with the uncoated engine,
an increase (up to 6.57.4%) was seen in NO
x
emission in cases of all
test fuels.
10/01737 Diagnosis methodology for the turbocharger
groups installed on a 1 MW internal combustion engine
Barelli, L. et al. Applied Energy, 2009, 86, (12), 27212730.
The issue of internal combustion engine (ICE) diagnosis attracts great
interest because modern engines need continual control of the
operational status, in order to obtain high efficiency in energy
conversion and accurate control of the polluting emissions. In
particular, in reference to an alternative ICE of 1 MW, the present
study relates the development, through the design of neural simulators,
of the turbocharger maps to reproduce the operational states
characterized by new&clean conditions and allowing the evaluation
of particular health state indices of such a module. In detail, after an
experimental campaign, turbocharger fundamental characteristics
referred to new&clean conditions, such as the compressor isoentropic
efficiency and the mass flow elaborated by the turbine, were evaluated
at different operation conditions of the alternative ICE. Subsequently,
the neural simulators were developed through the training and test of
different neural architectures.
10/01738 Evaluation of the effect of engine, load and
turbocharger parameters on transient emissions of diesel
engine
Rakopoulos, C. D. et al. Energy Conversion and Management, 2009, 50,
(9), 23812393.
The vital issue of exhaust emissions during transient operation of diesel
engines has been studied so far mainly on an experimental rather than
simulation basis, owing to the very high computational times required
for the analysis of each transient cycle. The study of transient
emissions, however, is extremely important to manufacturers, since
newly produced engines must meet the stringent regulations concern-
ing exhaust emissions levels. In the present work, a comprehensive two-
zone transient diesel combustion model is used for a preliminary
evaluation of the effect of various parameters on nitric oxide (NO) and
soot emissions during transient operation after load changes. The
parameters are divided into three categories according to the specific
sub-system examined, i.e. engine, load and turbocharger. Demonstra-
tive diagrams are provided for the development of NO and soot
emissions during the transient event, which depict the effect of each
parameter considered. Moreover, the peculiarities of each case are
discussed mainly in relation to turbocharger lag effects. For the current
engine-load configuration, it is found that exhaust valve opening timing
and cylinder wall insulation affect considerably NO and soot emissions.
Additionally, load characteristics as well as turbocharger (T/C) mass
moment of inertia play an important role on the development of
transient NO and soot emissions.
10/01739 Nine-step phenomenological diesel soot model
validated over a wide range of engine conditions
Tao, F. et al. International Journal of Thermal Sciences, 2009, 48, (6),
12231234.
A nine-step phenomenological soot model has been implemented into
the KIVA-3V code for predicting soot formation and oxidation
processes in diesel engines. The model involves nine generic steps,
i.e. fuel pyrolysis, precursor species (including acetylene) formation
and oxidation, soot particle inception, particle coagulation, surface
growth and oxidation. The fuel pyrolysis process leads to acetylene
formation and it is described by a single-step reaction. The particle
inception occurs via a generic gas-phase precursor species, and the
precursor is the product of an irreversible reaction from acetylene. The
acetylene addition reaction contributes to soot surface growth.
The particle coagulation affects both particle size and number density.
The oxidation of soot particles includes two mechanisms Nagle and
Strickland-Constables O
2
oxidation mechanism and Neoh and col-
leagues OH oxidation mechanism. The quasi-steady state assumption
is applied to an H
2
O
2
CO system for calculating OH concentration.
Both acetylene and precursor species have their own consumption
paths, each of which is described by a single-step oxidation reaction.
Validations of the model have been conducted over a wide range
of engine conditions from conventional to PCCI-like combustion. Two
engine examples (a heavy-duty diesel engine and a light-duty diesel
272 Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2010
11 Engines (power generation and propulsion, electrical vehicles)
engine) are presented in this paper. The predictions are compared
against measurements, and the applicability of the model to multi-
dimensional diesel simulations is assessed. The models capability of
predicting the soot distribution structure in a conventional diesel flame
is included in discussion as well. The work reveals that the nine-step
model is not only computationally efficient but also fundamentally
sound. The model can be applied to diesel engine combustion analysis
and, after calibration, is suitable to be integrated with genetic
algorithms for system optimization over a controllable range of
operations.
Hybrid engine systems
10/01740 A conceptual framework for the vehicle-to-grid
(V2G) implementation
Guille, C. and Cross, G. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (11), 43794390.
The paper focuses on presenting a proposed framework to effectively
integrate the aggregated battery vehicles into the grid as distributed
energy resources to act as controllable loads to levelize the demand on
the system during off-peak conditions and as a generation/storage
device during the day to provide capacity and energy services to the
grid. The paper also presents practical approaches for two key
implementation steps computer/communication/control network
and incentive program.
10/01741 CFD simulation study to investigate the risk from
hydrogen vehicles in tunnels
Middha, P. and Hansen, O. R. International Journal of Hydrogen
Energy, 2009, 34, (14), 58755886.
When introducing hydrogen-fuelled vehicles, an evaluation of the
potential change in risk level should be performed. It is widely
accepted that outdoor accidental releases of hydrogen from single
vehicles will disperse quickly, and not lead to any significant explosion
hazard. The situation may be different for more confined situations
such as parking garages, workshops, or tunnels. Experiments and
computer modelling are both important for understanding the situation
better. This article reports a simulation study to examine what, if any, is
the explosion risk associated with hydrogen vehicles in tunnels. Its aim
was to further the understanding of the phenomena surrounding
hydrogen releases and combustion inside road tunnels, and further-
more to demonstrate how a risk assessment methodology developed for
the offshore industry could be applied to the current task. This work is
contributing to the EU Sixth Framework (Network of Excellence)
project HySafe, aiding the overall understanding that is also being
collected from previous studies, new experiments and other modelling
activities. Releases from hydrogen cars (containing 700 bar gas tanks
releasing either upwards or downwards or liquid hydrogen tanks
releasing only upwards) and buses (containing 350 bar gas tanks releas-
ing upwards) for two different tunnel layouts and a range of longi-
tudinal ventilation conditions have been studied. The largest release
modelled was 20 kg H
2
from four cylinders in a bus (via one vent) in
50 s, with an initial release rate around 1000 g/s. Comparisons with
natural gas-fuelled vehicles have also been performed. The study
suggests that for hydrogen vehicles a typical worst-case risk assessment
approach assuming the full gas inventory being mixed homogeneously
at stoichiometry could lead to severe explosion loads. However, a more
extensive study with more realistic release scenarios reduced the
predicted hazard significantly. The flammable gas cloud sizes were still
large for some of the scenarios, but if the actual reactivity of the
predicted clouds is taken into account, moderate worst-case explosion
pressures are predicted. As a final step of the risk assessment
approach, a probabilistic QRA study is performed in which probabil-
ities are assigned to different scenarios, time-dependent ignition
modelling is applied, and equivalent stoichiometric gas clouds are
used to translate reactivity of dispersed non-homogeneous clouds. The
probabilistic risk assessment study is based on over 200 dispersion and
explosion CFD calculations using the commercially available tool
FLACS. The risk assessment suggested a maximum likely pressure
level of 0.10.3 barg at the pressure sensors that were used in the study.
Somewhat higher pressures are seen elsewhere due to reflections (e.g.
under the vehicles). Several other interesting observations were found
in the study. For example, the study suggests that for hydrogen releases
the level of longitudinal tunnel ventilation has only a marginal impact
on the predicted risk, since the momentum of the releases and
buoyancy of hydrogen dominates the mixing and dilution processes.
10/01742 Combustion characteristics of a 4-stroke CI
engine operated on Honge oil, Neem and Rice Bran oils
when directly injected and dual fuelled with producer gas
induction
Banapurmath, N. R. et al. Renewable Energy, 2009, 34, (7), 18771884.
Increasing petroleum fuel costs have led to a growing interest in
alternative fuels, in order to provide a suitable substitute to diesel for a
compression ignition (CI) engine. The vegetable oils present a
promising alternative fuel to diesel oil since they are renewable,
biodegradable and clean burning, with similar properties to that of
diesel. They offer almost same power output with slightly lower
thermal efficiency due to their lower energy content compared to
diesel. Utilization of producer gas in a CI engine on dual fuel mode
provides an effective approach towards conservation of diesel fuel.
Gasification involves conversion of solid biomass into combustible
gases, which completes combustion in a CI engines. Hence the
producer gas can act as promising alternative fuel and it has high
octane number (100105) and calorific value (56 MJ/Nm
3
). Its simpler
structure with low carbon content results in a substantial reduction of
exhaust emission. Downdraft moving bed gasifier coupled with
compression ignition engine are a good choice for moderate quantities
of available mass up to 500 kW of electrical power. Hence bio-derived
gas and vegetable liquids appear more attractive in view of their
friendly environmental nature. Experiments have been conducted on a
single cylinder, four-stroke, direct injection, water-cooled CI engine
operated in single fuel mode using Honge, Neem and Rice Bran oils. In
dual fuel mode combinations of producer gas and three oils were used
at different injection timings and injection pressures. Dual fuel mode
of operation resulted in poor performance at all the loads when
compared with single fuel mode at all injection timings tested.
However, the brake thermal efficiency is improved marginally when
the injection timing was advanced. Decreased smoke, NO
x
emissions
and increased CO emissions were observed for dual fuel mode for all
the fuel combinations compared to single fuel operation.
10/01743 Hydrous ethanol vs. gasoline-ethanol blend:
engine performance and emissions
Costa, R. C. and Sodre, J. R. Fuel, 2010, 89, (2), 287293.
This work compares the performance and emissions from a production
1.0-l, eight-valve, and four-stroke engine fuelled by hydrous ethanol
(6.8% water content in ethanol) or 78% gasoline22% ethanol blend.
The engine was tested in a dynamometer bench in compliance with
NBR/ISO 1585 standard. The performance parameters investigated
were torque, brake mean effective pressure (BMEP), brake power,
specific fuel consumption (SFC), and thermal efficiency. Carbon
monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO
2
), hydrocarbons (HC) and oxides
of nitrogen (NO
X
) exhaust emissions levels are also presented. The
results showed that torque and BMEP were higher when the gasoline
ethanol blend was used as fuel on low engine speeds. On the other
hand, for high engine speeds, higher torque and BMEP were achieved
when hydrous ethanol fuel was used. The use of hydrous ethanol
caused higher power at high engine speeds, whereas, for low engine
speeds, both fuels produced about the same power. Hydrous ethanol
produced higher thermal efficiency and higher SFC than the gasoline
ethanol blend throughout all the engine speed range studied. With
regard to exhaust emissions hydrous ethanol reduced CO and HC, but
increased CO
2
and NO
X
levels.
10/01744 Influence of injection timing on performance,
emission and combustion characteristics of a DI diesel
engine running on waste plastic oil
Mani, M. and Nagarajan, G. Energy, 2009, 34, (10), 16171623.
Environmental concern and availability of petroleum fuels have caused
interests in the search for alternate fuels for internal combustion
engines. Waste plastics are indispensable materials in the modern
world and application in the industrial field is continually increasing. In
this context, waste plastics are currently receiving renewed interest. As
an alternative, non-biodegradable, and renewable fuel, waste plastic oil
is receiving increasing attention. The waste plastic oil was compared
with the petroleum products and found that it can also be used as fuel
in compression ignition engines. In the present work, the influence of
injection timing on the performance, emission and combustion
characteristics of a single cylinder, four stroke, direct injection diesel
engine has been experimentally investigated using waste plastic oil as a
fuel. Tests were performed at four injection timings (23

, 20

, 17

and
14

bTDC). When compared to the standard injection timing of 23

BTDC the retarded injection timing of 14

bTDC resulted in decreased

oxides of nitrogen, carbon monoxide and unburned hydrocarbon while
the brake thermal efficiency, carbon dioxide and smoke increased
under all the test conditions.
10/01745 Model of a novel pressurized solid oxide fuel cell
gas turbine hybrid engine
Burbank, W. et al. Journal of Power Sources, 2009, 193, (2), 656664.
Solid oxide fuel cell gas turbine (SOFC-GT) hybrid systems for
producing electricity have received much attention due to high-
predicted efficiencies, low pollution and availability of natural gas.
Due to the higher value of peak power, a system able to meet
fluctuating power demands while retaining high efficiencies is strongly
preferable to base load operation. SOFC systems and hybrid variants
Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2010 273
11 Engines (hybrid engine systems)
designed to date have had narrow operating ranges due largely to the
necessity of heat management within the fuel cell. Such systems have a
single degree of freedom controlled and limited by the fuel cell. This
study will introduce a new SOFC-GT hybrid configuration designed to
operate over a 5:1 turndown ratio, while maintaining the SOFC stack
exit temperature at a constant 1000

C. The proposed system intro-

duces two new degrees of freedom through the use of a variable-
geometry nozzle turbine to directly influence system airflow, and an
auxiliary combustor to control the thermal and power needs of the
turbomachinery.
Transport battery development
10/01746 Considerations for the selection of an applicable
energy efficiency test procedure for electric motors in
Malaysia: lessons for other developing countries
Yanti, P. A. A. and Mahlia, T. M. I. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (9), 3467
3474.
Electric motors are a major energy-consuming appliance in the
industrial sector. According to a survey, electric motors account for
more than 70% of the total growth from 1991 to 2004 in electricity
consumption in this sector in Malaysia. To reduce electricity
consumption, Malaysia should consider resetting the minimum energy
efficiency standards for electric motors sometime in the coming year.
The first step towards adopting energy efficiency standards is the
creation of a procedure for testing and rating equipment. An energy
test procedure is the technical foundation for all energy efficiency
standards, energy labels and other related programs. The test con-
ditions in the test procedure must represent the conditions of the
country. This paper presents the process for the selection of an energy
test procedure for electric motors in Malaysia based on the countrys
conditions and requirements. The adoption of test procedures for
electric motors internationally by several countries is also discussed in
this paper. Even though the paper only discusses the test procedure for
electric motors in Malaysia, the methods can be directly applied in
other countries without major modifications.
10/01747 Electroless-plated tin compounds on
carbonaceous mixture as anode for lithium-ion battery
Jhan, Y. R. et al. Journal of Power Sources, 2009, 193, (2), 810815.
A composite anode materials was prepared that contained tin
compounds of Sn
6
O
4
(OH)
4
, SnO
2
and Sn
3
PO
4
on the surface of
carbonaceous mixture mesophase graphite particles (MGP) and nature
graphite (NG). The nanosize tin compounds were electrolessly plated
from aqueous solutions onto the carbonaceous mixture. The mor-
phology and structure of tin compounds were characterized by
scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). It
was found that the tin compounds particle size was a crucial factor to
improve Sn compounds/Carbon composite anodes for cyclability and
reversible capacity. The homogeneous dispersion and smaller particle
size of tin compounds was attributed to the additive of NG. As the
carbonaceous substrate was CC mixture carbon, the particle size of Sn
compounds was about 2030 nm. However, the particle size was 100
200 nm, as the carbon substrate was singular MGP. Electrochemical
performance test of the Sn compounds/CC composite electrode shows
the maximum specific charge capacity of 583 mAh g
1
at the fifth cycle.
The charge capacity retention of Sn compounds/CC electrode was
85% after 20 cycles. The reversible capacity of Sn compounds/
CC electrode increased 292 and 97 mAh g
1
more than pristine
(NG+MGP) electrode and Sn compounds/C electrode at the fifth
cycle, respectively.
10/01748 Energy management of fuel cell/battery/
supercapacitor hybrid power source for vehicle applications
Thounthong, P. et al. Journal of Power Sources, 2009, 193, (1), 376385.
This paper proposes a perfect energy source supplied by a polymer
electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) as a main power source and
storage devices: battery and supercapacitor, for modern distributed
generation system, particularly for future fuel cell vehicle applications.
The energy in hybrid system is balanced by the dc bus voltage
regulation. A supercapacitor module, as a high dynamic and high
power density device, functions for supplying energy to regulate a dc
bus voltage. A battery module, as a high energy density device,
operates for supplying energy to a supercapacitor bank to keep it
charged. A FC, as a slowest dynamic source in this system, functions to
supply energy to a battery bank in order to keep it charged. Therefore,
there are three voltage control loops: dc bus voltage regulated by a
supercapacitor bank, supercapacitor voltage regulated by a battery
bank, and battery voltage regulated by a FC. To authenticate the
proposed control algorithm, a hardware system in the laboratory is
realized by analog circuits and numerical calculation by dSPACE.
Experimental results with small-scale devices (a PEMFC: 500 W, 50 A;
a battery bank: 68 Ah, 24 V; and a supercapacitor bank: 292 F, 30 V,
500 A) corroborate the excellent control principle during motor drive
cycle.
10/01749 Multi-electron reaction materials for high energy
density batteries
Gao, X.-P. and Yang, H.-X. Energy & Environmental Science, 2010, 3,
(2), 174189.
The need for high-energy-density batteries becomes increasingly
important for the development of new and clean energy technologies,
such as electric vehicles and electrical storage from wind and solar
power. The search for new energetic materials of primary and
secondary batteries with higher energy density has been highlighted
in recent years. This review surveys recent advances in the research
field of high energy density electrode materials with focus on multi-
electron reaction chemistry of light-weight elements and compounds. It
concludes that the number of advanced batteries in industrial
development suggests a promising future for these applications. The
energy density of 300 Wh kg
1
is expected to be reached in the next 3
5 years and even higher densities for rechargeable batteries in 10 years.
10/01750 Nickel(II) tetra-aminophthalocyanine modified
MWCNTs as potential nanocomposite materials for the
development of supercapacitors
Chidembo, A. T. et al. Energy & Environmental Science, 2010, 3, (2),
228236.
The supercapacitive properties of nickel(II) tetraaminophthalocyanine
(NiTAPc)/multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) nanocomposite
films have been investigated for the first time and found to possess a
maximum specific capacitance of 981 57 F g
1
(200 12 mFcm
2
), a
maximum power density of 700 1 Wkg
1
, a maximum specific energy
of 134 8 Wh kg
1
and excellent stability of over 1500 charge-
discharge continuous cycling. Impedimetric study proves that most of
the stored energy of the MWCNT-NiTAPc nanocomposite can be
accessible at high frequency (720 Hz). When compared to MWCNTs
modified with unsubstituted nickel(II) phthalocyanine (MWCNT-
NiPc) or nickel(II) tetra-tert-butylphthalocyanine (MWCNT-tBu-
NiPc), MWCNT-NiTAPc exhibited superior supercapacitive beha-
viour, possibly due to the influence of nitrogen-containing groups on
the phthalocyanine rings.
10/01751 The feasibility of long range battery electric cars
in New Zealand
Duke, M. et al. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (9), 34553462.
New Zealand transport accounts for over 40% of the carbon emissions,
with private cars accounting for 25%. In the Ministry of Economic
Developments recently released New Zealand Energy Strategy to
2050, it proposed the widescale deployment of electric vehicles as a
means of reducing carbon emissions from transport. However, New
Zealands lack of public transport infrastructure and its subsequent
reliance on private car use for longer journeys could mean that many
existing battery electric vehicles (BEVs) will not have the performance
to replace conventionally fuelled cars. As such, this paper discusses the
potential for BEVs in New Zealand, with particular reference to the
development of the University of Waikatos long-range UltraCommu-
ter BEV. It is shown that to achieve a long range at higher speeds,
BEVs should be designed specifically rather than retrofitting existing
vehicles to electric. Furthermore, the electrical energy supply for a
mixed fleet of two million BEVs is discussed and conservatively
calculated, along with the number of wind turbines to achieve this. The
results show that approximately 1350 MW of wind turbines would be
needed to supply the mixed fleet of two million BEVs, or 54% of the
energy produced from New Zealands planned and installed wind
farms.
12 REFRACTORIES/
CERAMICS
Properties, production, applications
10/01752 Carbon-rich SiCN ceramics derived from phenyl-
containing poly(silylcarbodiimides)
Mera, G. et al. Journal of European Ceramic Society, 2009, 29, (13),
28732883.
274 Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2010
12 Refractories/ceramics (properties, production, applications)
Novel phenyl-containing polysilylcarbodiimides were synthesized and
their thermolysis and crystallization behaviour up to 2000

C was
investigated. The Si/C ratio of the preceramic polymer was varied in a
defined way by starting from dichlorosilanes with different organic
substituents, namely R and R
/
with R=phenyl and R
/
=H, phenyl,
methyl or vinyl. Several techniques were employed to study the
structural features of the polymers and their thermolysis products. The
temperature of crystallization depends on the carbon content of the
precursors. Thus, in the sample with the highest carbon content the
separation of -SiC from the amorphous SiCN matrix is observed at
T>1500

C, resulting in the highest temperature of thermal stability

against crystallization ever reported for a SiCN ceramic derived from
polysilylcarbodiimides. Moreover, no crystallization of -Si
3
N
4
was
observed.
10/01753 Effect of CuO on CaTiO
3
perovskite ceramics
prepared using a direct sintering process
Liou, Y.-C. et al. Journal of Nuclear Materials, 2009, 393, (3), 492496.
Effect of CuO on CaTiO
3
(CT) ceramics prepared using a direct
sintering process (reaction-sintering process) was investigated. The
mixture of raw materials was pressed and sintered into ceramics
without any calcination stage involved. Pure CT could be obtained. The
degree of densification in CT via reaction-sintering process is lower
than traditional oxide route but the grains grew easier in CT via
reaction-sintering process. A density 3.63 g/cm
3
(90.3% of
th
) is
obtained in CT pellets after 1500

C/16 h sintering. With 3 wt.% CuO

addition, density 3.92 g/cm
3
(97.5% of
th
) is obtained after 8 h
sintering at 1500

C due to the liquid phase sintering. The liquid phase

at grain boundaries appeared significantly at a lower sintering
temperature for longer soak time.
10/01754 Energy and environmental analysis of glass
container production and recycling
Vellini, M. and Savioli, M. Energy, 2009, 34, (12), 21372143.
This study examines, from an energy and environmental standpoint,
glass production for drink containers. The industrial process is first
analysed as is, so as to evaluate and assess its energy needs and its
associated environmental impact. Then the influence of glass container
recycling and reuse on energy consumption and pollutant emission is
investigated. To this end the recycling chain operation is illustrated and
appropriate working hypotheses for the modified process are for-
mulated, so that its energy and environmental performance can be
evaluated. Finally, the two production scenarios are compared by
means of life cycle assessment methodology, to the purpose of
determining the best recycling percentage for glass containers from
the standpoint of energy consumption and pollutant emission
minimization, taking also into account the waste legislation currently
in force. The model results indicate that glass container production can
be more environmentally benign than PET container production only if
the reuse and recycle factors are higher than a certain threshold; in the
simulation, the glass container production scenario with an 80% reuse
factor yields better performances than PET container production,
whereas a scenario with a 25% reuse factor fails to do so. Therefore any
management policy must carefully take into account the actual
possibilities of reuse and recycle in the specific sector considered, in
order to plan the most effective strategies from the energy and
environmental point of view. The potential of recycling is unquestion-
able, not only with the perspective of a general improvement of the
energy, environmental and technological processes, but also consider-
ing the substantial reduction on the environmental impacts considered.
10/01755 Energy performance of a dual airflow window
under different climates
Wei, J. et al. Energy and Buildings, 2010, 42, (1), 111122.
Ventilated windows have shown great potential in conserving energy in
buildings and provide fresh air to improve indoor air quality. This
paper reports the effort to use EnergyPlus to simulate the energy
performance of a dual airflow window under different climates. This
investigation first developed a network model to account for the two-
dimensional heat transfer in the window system and implemented it in
EnergyPlus. The two-dimensional assumption and the modified
EnergyPlus program were validated by the measured temperatures of
the window and the energy demand of a test cell with the window under
actual weather conditions. Then EnergyPlus was applied to analyse
energy performance of a small apartment installed with the dual
airflow windows in five different climate zones in China. The energy
used by the apartment with blinds windows and low-e windows was also
calculated for comparison. The dual airflow window can reduce heating
energy of the apartment, especially in cold climate. The cooling energy
reduction by the window was less important than that by shading solar
radiation. The dual airflow window is recommended for colder climate.
If improving air quality is a major consideration for a building, the
window can be used in any climate.
10/01756 Gamma-rays shielding properties of
xPbO:(100 x)B
2
O
3
glasses system at 662 keV
Kirdsiri, K. et al. Annals of Nuclear Energy, 2009, 36, (9), 13601365.
The mass attenuation coefficients, total interaction cross-sections and
effective atomic numbers of xPbO:(100 x)B
2
O
3
(where 30 _x _70%
weight) glass system have been investigated on the basis of the mixture
rule. The results are good agreement with the theoretical values,
calculated by WinXCom. Mass attenuation coefficients were increased
with increase PbO content, due to increase effective atomic number of
glass samples, which increase probability of photoelectric absorption in
glass. However, Compton scattering gives dominant contribution to the
total mass attenuation coefficients for studied glass samples. Their
shielding properties of glass samples are also better than ordinary
shielding concretes and commercial window glass which can be used
with advantage as transparent in visible region. These results are
indicating the potential of glasses in radiation shielding materials.
10/01757 Model-oriented cast ceramic tape seals for planar
solid oxide fuel cells
Sang, S. et al. Journal of Power Sources, 2009, 193, (2), 723729.
A straight capillary model is developed to estimate the mass leak rate
of the cast ceramic tape seals for planar solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs),
which is further rectified with consideration of microstructure complex-
ity including the tortuosity, cross-section variation and cross-link of
leak paths. The size distribution of the leak path, effective porosity and
the microstructure complexity are the main factors that influence the
leak rate of the cast tape seals. According to the model, Al
2
O
3
powders
are selected for preparation of the seals by tape casting, and the leak
rate is evaluated under various compressive stresses and gauge
pressures. The results indicate that Al
2
O
3
powder with D
50
value
about 2 mm and specific surface area near 5 m
2
g
1
can be used for the
cast tape seals; and the obtained leak rate can satisfy the allowable leak
limit.
10/01758 Optical properties of Al mirrors under impact of
deuterium plasma ions in experiments simulating ITER
conditions
Bardamid, A. F. et al. Journal of Nuclear Materials, 2009, 393, (3), 473
480.
The ion-induced modification of aluminium alloy mirrors, under
bombardment by deuterium plasma ions has been investigated as a
simulation of the environment effects on in-vessel mirrors in ITER.
Ellipsometry and reflectrometry have been used to characterize the
mirror surface, along with several surface diagnostic techniques (XPS,
Auger, SIMS). The results of multiangular- and spectro-ellipsometry
were analysed using both a bare surface model, and effective medium
model; the medium was composed of Al, Al
2
O
3
(Al(OD)
3
or AlOOD),
and voids. It was found that the reflectance decreases following
exposure to keV-range ions, but can be restored by subsequent
exposing the mirror to low-energy ions (-60 eV). Chemical processes
related to an increased oxide layer are thought to be responsible for the
decrease in reflectance, while the reduction of the oxide layer following
low-energy D
+
exposure may lead to the return of high reflectance.
By comparing the measurements with the results of modelling, a
mechanism is suggested to explain the experimental data. The
mechanism is based on: (1) chemical processes in a surface layer and
(2) changes in the thickness and roughness of the surface layer.
10/01759 Physical properties of an alumino-silicate waste
form for cesium and strontium
Kaminski, M. D. et al. Journal of Nuclear Materials, 2009, 392, (3),
510518.
Nuclear fuel reprocessing will be required to sustain nuclear power as a
baseload energy supplier for the world. New reprocessing schemes
offer an opportunity to develop a better strategy for recycling elements
in the fuel and preparing stable waste forms. Advanced strategies could
create a waste stream of cesium, strontium, rubidium, and barium.
Some physical properties of a waste form containing these elements
sintered into bentonite clay were evaluated. The authors prepared
samples loaded to 27% by mass to a density of approximately 3 g/cm
3
.
Sintering temperatures of up to 1000

C did not result in volatility of

cesium. Instead, the crystallinity noticeably increased in the waste form
as temperatures increased from 600 to 1000

C. Assemblages of
silicates were formed. Significant water evolved at approximately
600

C but no other gases were generated at higher temperatures.

10/01760 Sorption and desorption characteristics of a
packed bed of clayCaCl
2
desiccant particles
Tretiak, C. S. and Abdallah, N. B. Solar Energy, 2009, 83, (10), 1861
1870.
Desiccants can be used in conjunction with solar energy to provide a
viable alternative to traditional air conditioning techniques. A
desiccant consisting of clay and calcium chloride was developed and
tested using multiple sorption and desorption cycles. During sorption,
inlet air temperatures from 23 to 36

C with corresponding relative

Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2010 275
12 Refractories/ceramics (properties, production, applications)
humidities of 4266% were tested. Additionally, superficial air
velocities from 0.17 to 0.85 m/s were tested. During desorption, inlet
air temperatures from 50 to 57

C and superficial air velocities of

approximately 0.30 and 0.60 m/s were tested. A regression equation was
determined for the mass of water sorbed by the clayCaCl
2
desiccant
with a R
2
value of 0.917. The desorption data was regressed to an
exponential function and significant k-values were determined. An
equation for pressure drop through the desiccant was determined and
compared to existing models. The desiccant was found to perform well
during the repeated test cycles though small masses of desiccant were
lost due to surface disintegration of the desiccant spheres.
10/01761 Transparent heat mirrors based on tungsten
oxidesilver multilayer structures
Al-Kuhaili, M. F. et al. Solar Energy, 2009, 83, (9), 15711577.
Transparent heat mirrors based on tungsten oxide/silver three-layer
structures were fabricated using thermal evaporation. The optical and
morphological properties of the single layers were first investigated to
serve as a basis for the fabrication of the heat mirrors. Only silver films
with a thickness higher than 18 nm were found to be continuous.
Subsequently, WO
3
/Ag/WO
3
multilayers were deposited, where the
WO
3
layers thickness was fixed at 35 nm, and the thickness of the silver
layer was varied from 18 to 39 nm. The optical properties of the
multilayers were measured over the visible and near infrared ranges.
These multilayers exhibited the desired heat mirror behaviour, namely
the transmittance was largely confined to the visible range and the
reflectance was diminished in that range. The maximum visible
transmittance was 88.3% at 554 nm. Increasing the thickness of the
silver films resulted in a decrease of the visible transmittance, with a
corresponding increase in the infrared reflectance. Optimization of
these two opposing trends was evaluated using a figure of merit, from
which the best performance was obtained for multilayers with a silver
layer of thickness of 24 nm.
13 ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
SUPPLIES
Biofuels and bioconversion energy
10/01762 A thermoeconomic analysis of biomass energy
for trigeneration
Lian, Z. T. et al. Applied Energy, 2010, 87, (1), 8495.
This study aims to formulate a calculation process, based on the second
law of exergy, for evaluating the thermoeconomic potential of a steam-
turbine plant for trigeneration. The plant employs biomass, namely,
waste wood as its energy source. Four different plant configurations are
presented and assessed. Their cost effectiveness is evaluated with
varying economic and operating parameters, because only the fuel
price and electricity price are varied. In case 1, high pressure
superheated steam generated is supplied to meet the demand for
process heat as well as chilled water production in an absorption
chiller. In cases 2 and 3, steam is extracted at appropriate stages of the
turbine and supplied to meet the demand for process heat and chilled
water production in an absorption chiller. Steam generated in case 2
produces sufficient power to meet internal demands while case 3
generates excess electricity for sale back to the utility. In case 4, low
pressure saturated steam is generated to meet the demand for process
heat and electricity is bought from the utilities, including those used to
power an electric vapour-compression chiller. For all cases, it was
found that exergy destruction is most extensive in the furnace,
amounting to nearly 60%. Exergy destruction in the steam drum is
the next most extensive ranging from 11% to 16%. It was also observed
that the overall production cost decreases with steam pressure and
increases with steam temperature.
10/01763 Argentinean soy-based biodiesel: an introduction
to production and impacts
Tomei, J. and Upham, P. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (10), 38903898.
This paper explores the economic, social and environmental context,
drivers and impacts of increased demand for Argentine soy-based
biodiesel. It is based on extensive stakeholder interviews in Argentina,
including those in government, academia and the third sector; as well
as participant observation with communities in soy cultivation areas;
and review of relevant academic and grey literatures. Given Argenti-
nas history of political instability and relatively weak levels of
environmental protection, there is reason to be sceptical of the likely
effectiveness of biofuel sustainability certification as applied to
Argentine soy. Direct contracts between feedstock producers and
biodiesel retailers may be a more reliable approach to minimize
adverse environmental and social impacts than certification alone.
10/01764 Biodiesel production by microalgal
biotechnology
Huang, G. et al. Applied Energy, 2010, 87, (1), 3846.
Biodiesel has received much attention in recent years. Although
numerous reports are available on the production of biodiesel from
vegetable oils of terraneous oil-plants, such as soybean, sunflower and
palm oils, the production of biodiesel from microalgae is a newly
emerging field. Microalgal biotechnology appears to possess high
potential for biodiesel production because a significant increase in lipid
content of microalgae is now possible through heterotrophic cultivation
and genetic engineering approaches. This paper provides an overview
of the technologies in the production of biodiesel from microalgae,
including the various modes of cultivation for the production of oil-rich
microalgal biomass, as well as the subsequent downstream processing
for biodiesel production. The advances and prospects of using
microalgal biotechnology for biodiesel production are discussed.
10/01765 Biofuels development in Sub-Saharan Africa:
are the policies conducive?
Jumbe, C. B. L. et al. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (11), 49804986.
This paper analyses national, regional and international biofuels
policies and strategies to assess whether these policies promote or
undermine the development of biofuels sector in Africa. Despite
having a huge comparative advantage in land, labour and good climatic
conditions favourable for the growing of energy crops, few countries in
Sub-Saharan Africa have included biofuels strategies in their energy or
national development policies. Further results show that while
developed countries commit huge financial resources for research,
technology development and the provision of tax-incentives to both
producers and consumers, there is little government support for
promoting biofuels in Africa. Although the consequences of biofuels on
food supply remain uncertain, the mandatory blending of biofuels with
fossil fuels by industrialized countries will create demand for land in
Africa for the growing of energy crops for biofuels. This paper urgently
calls upon national governments in Sub-Saharan Africa to develop
appropriate strategies and regulatory frameworks to harness the
potential economic opportunities from biofuels sector development,
while protecting the environment and rural communities from the
adverse effects of land alienation from the mainstream agriculture
towards the growing of energy crops for biofuels at the expense of
traditional food crops.
10/01766 Catalytic upgrading of biorefinery oil from micro-
algae
Tran, N. H. et al. Fuel, 2010, 89, (2), 265274.
Micro-algae are seen as one of the major future fuel sources. Culture
and growth of oil rich micro-algae and catalytic process for the
conversion of their crude oils or biomass is reviewed here. While there
is a significant literature on growth and extraction of oil from the
resultant biomass the literature on the problems of refining these oils is
diverse and needs collation. It is clear that previous work has been
focused on the two green algae Botryococcus braunii and Chlorella
protothecoides containing terpenoid hydrocarbons and glyceryl lipids as
their major crude oils, respectively, both of which will need different
refinery technology for upgrading. Studies show a number of
conventional catalysts in the petroleum refining industry including
transition metals, zeolites, acid and base catalysts can be used with
variable effect. These have been employed for cracking, hydrocracking,
liquefaction, pyrolysis and transesterification processes to produce
diesel, jet fuel and petrol (gasoline). However there is strong evidence
that new nano-scale materials containing a high number of active sites
and high surface areas may offer more potential.
10/01767 Chemical forms of ash-forming elements in
woody biomass fuels
Werkelin, J. et al. Fuel, 2010, 89, (2), 481493.
Advanced fuel characterization helps to predict ash fouling and
slagging. Chemical fractionation analysis, i.e. sequential leaching in
H
2
O, NH
4
Ac(aq), and HCl(aq), was applied to the biomass of spruce,
pine, birch, and aspen. All of the Cl in the samples and most of the K,
Na, and P were water-soluble; most of the Mg and Mn, and some of the
Ca were leached in NH
4
Ac; most of the Ca was leached in HCl; and
most of the Si and S remained insoluble in the biomass. Ion
Chromatography found the water-soluble Cl, P, and S present as
Cl

, PO
4
3
, and SO
4
2
, respectively, and equimolar concentrations of
C
2
O
4
2
as leached Ca in the acid fraction. The biomass solids were
determined for anionic groups by methylene blue sorption. The
contents were lowest in the wood samples (22118 mmol/kg
D.S.
) and
highest in the bark samples (130453 mmol/kg
D.S.
). The closing of the
ion charge balance led to a quantitative model for the ash-forming
276 Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2010
13 Alternative energy supplies (biofuels and bioconversion energy)
matter: water-soluble salts (KCl, K
2
HPO
4
, and K
2
SO
4
), acid-soluble
minerals (CaC
2
O
4
), non-soluble minerals (SiO
2
), and organically
associated ash-forming elements (ionically bonded Ca
2+
, Mg
2+
,
Mn
2+
, and K
+
, and covalently bonded P and S).
10/01768 Comparative study of bio-ethanol production
from mahula (Madhuca latifolia L.) flowers by
Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells immobilized in agar agar
and Ca-alginate matrices
Behera, S. et al. Applied Energy, 2010, 87, (1), 96100.
Batch fermentation of mahula (Madhuca latifolia L., a tree commonly
found in tropical rain forest) flowers was carried out using immobilized
cells (in agar agar and calcium alginate) and free cells of Saccharomyces
cerevisiae. The ethanol yields were 151.2, 154.5 and 149.1 g kg
1
flowers
using immobilized (in agar agar and calcium alginate) and free cells,
respectively. Cell entrapment in calcium alginate was found to be
marginally superior to those in agar agar (2.2% more) as well as over
free cell (3.5% more) as regard to ethanol yield from mahula flowers is
concerned. Further, the immobilized cells were physiologically active at
least for three cycles [150.6, 148.5 and 146.5 g kg
1
(agar agar) and
152.8, 151.5 and 149.5 g kg
1
flowers (calcium alginate) for first, second
and third cycle, respectively] of ethanol fermentation without appar-
ently lowering the productivity. Mahula flowers, a renewable, non-
food-grade cheap carbohydrate substrate from non-agricultural
environment such as forest can serve as an alternative to food grade
sugar/starchy crops such as maize, sugarcane for bio-ethanol production.
10/01769 Effective acid-catalyzed transesterification for
biodiesel production
Miao, X. et al. Energy Conversion and Management, 2009, 50, (10),
26802684.
High effective acidic transesterification catalysed by trifluoroacetic acid
for biodiesel production was studied in the present research. The
results showed that the oil could be converted to biodiesel directly by
one-step trifluoroacetic acid catalyse process without extreme tem-
perature and pressure conditions. The optimum process combination
was 2.0 M catalyst concentration with 20:1 M ratio of methanol to oil at
temperature of 120

C. It reduced product specific gravity from an

initial value of 0.965 to a value of 0.878 in about 5 h of reaction time,
and the methyl ester content reached as high as 98.4%. The present
procedure represents a simple and mild method for biodiesel
production in short reaction time and with high conversion rate, which
would offer potential for an industrial process.
10/01770 Effects of minor constituents on cold flow
properties and performance of biodiesel
Dunn, R. O. Progress in Energy and Combustion Science, 2009, 35, (6),
481489.
Biodiesel is an alternative fuel or extender made from renewable
agricultural lipids that may be burned in a compression-ignition
(diesel) engine. It is defined as the mono-alkyl esters of fatty acids
derived from plant oils or animal fats. Biodiesel has many important
technical advantages compared to petrodiesel including superior
inherent lubricity, low toxicity, high (non-flammable) flash point and
biodegradability, very low or negligible sulfur content and lower
exhaust emissions of most regulated species. Biodiesel is generally
produced by transesterification of the lipid with a short-chain
monohydric alcohol. This process may leave behind very small (trace)
concentrations of minor constituents such as saturated monoacylgly-
cerols (MAGs) or free steryl glucosides (FStGs). These materials have
high melting points and very low solubilities allowing them to form
solid residues when stored during cold weather. Blending with
petrodiesel exacerbates the problem. Settling solid residues were
found to clog fuel filters in fuel dispensers and vehicles. In response to
documented problems the biodiesel industry in the United States
collaborated with the American Society of Testing and Materials
(ASTM) to develop a cold soak filterability performance test that will
help identify fuels that may have a propensity to clog filters if exposed
to long-term storage in cold weather.
10/01771 Effects of the substrate and cell concentration on
bio-hydrogen production from ground wheat by combined
dark and photo-fermentation
Argun, H. et al. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 2009, 34,
(15), 61816188.
Effects of the substrate and cell concentration on bio-hydrogen
production from ground wheat solution were investigated in combined
dark-light fermentations. The ratio of the dark to light bacteria
concentration (D/L) was kept constant at 1/10 while the wheat powder
(WP) concentration was changed between 2.5 and 20 g L
1
with a total
cell concentration of 0.41 g L
1
in the first set of experiments. Cell
concentration was changed between 0.5 and 5 g L
1
in the second set of
experiments while the wheat powder concentration was constant at
5 g L
1
with a D/L ratio of 1/7. The highest cumulative hydrogen
(135 ml) and formation rate (3.44 ml H
2
h
1
) were obtained with the
20 g L
1
wheat powder concentration. However, the highest yield
(63.9 ml g
1
starch) was obtained with the 2.5 g L
1
wheat powder. In
variable cell concentration experiments, the highest cumulative
hydrogen (118 ml) and yield (156.8 ml H
2
g
1
starch) were obtained
with 1.1 g L
1
cell concentration yielding an optimal biomass/substrate
ratio of 0.22 g cells/g WP.
10/01772 Electrochemical performance of a glucose/
oxygen microfluidic biofuel cell
Zebda, A. et al. Journal of Power Sources, 2009, 193, (2), 602606.
A microfluidic glucose/O
2
biofuel cell, delivering electrical power, is
developed based on both laminar flow and biological enzyme strategies.
The device consists of a Y-shaped microfluidic channel in which fuel
and oxidant streams flow laminarly in parallel at gold electrode
surfaces without convective mixing. At the anode, the glucose is
oxidized by the enzyme glucose oxidase whereas at the cathode, the
oxygen is reduced by the enzyme laccase, in the presence of specific
redox mediators. Such cell design protects the anode from interfering
parasite reaction of O
2
at the anode and works with different streams
of oxidant and fuel for optimal operation of the enzymes. The
dependence of the flow rate on the current is evaluated in order to
determine the optimum flow that would provide little to no mixing
while yielding high current densities. The maximum power density
delivered by the assembled biofuel cell reaches 110 mWcm
2
at 0.3 V
with 10 mM glucose at 23

C. This research demonstrates the feasibility

of advanced microfabrication techniques to build an efficient micro-
fluidic glucose/O
2
biofuel cell device.
10/01773 Energy value as a factor of agroforestry wood
species selectivity in Akinyele and Ido local government
areas of Oyo State, Nigeria
Erakhrumen, A. A. Biomass and Bioenergy, 2009, 33, (10), 14281434.
Wood usage for cooking and heating is still very relevant in most
developing countries especially those of sub-Saharan Africa and many
parts of Asia. Therefore, sustainable means of generating it for this and
other purposes are necessary bearing in mind the influence of
indigenous knowledge/users perspective on any production method
regarding success and sustenance. In conformity with this view,
questionnaires were administered on 240 respondents in eight rural
communities of Akinyele and Ido Local Government Areas (LGAs) of
Oyo State, Nigeria, to elicit information on species that can be used as
fuelwood, preferred by the respondents for incorporation into and/or
retention in agroforestry plots, out of which 179 (i.e. 75% of the total
number of questionnaires administered) were successfully retrieved for
statistical analyses. Twelve woody species namely: Annona senegalensis,
Anogeissus leiocarpus, Bridelia ferruginea, Daniellia oliveri, Detarium
microcarpum, Gardenia ternifolia, Hymenocardia acida, Lophira lanceo-
lata, Parkia biglobosa, Terminalia avicennioides, Triplochiton scler-
oxylon and Vitellaria paradoxa were prioritized on the basis of
respondents preference using a ranking pattern. Friedman chi-square
analysis showed that there was no significant difference (p >0.05) in
the ranking pattern of the respondents from the two LGAs. The mean
net calorific values (NCV) of the 12 species were found to be 17.71,
18.63, 18.04, 16.03, 17.67, 18.46, 19.00, 21.68, 19.63, 18.25, 14.65, and
19.47 MJ kg
1
respectively. The result of a two-way analysis of variance
indicated a significant variation (p >0.05) in NCV data for all the
species pooled together but not for each species except for D. oliveri
with a follow-up test using Fishers Least Significant Difference. The
Pearsons moment correlation analysis gave positive coefficient values
(r =0.868 and 0.874, p >0.05) between NCV and the cumulative
ranking values in Akinyele and Ido LGAs respectively. There was also
a coefficient value of 0.873 (p >0.05) between the cumulative ranking
values in the two LGAs. In line with the outcome of this study, it was
therefore recommended that native intelligence/indigenous knowledge
and/or users perspective should be part of the criteria for selecting
potential fuelwood species for incorporation into and/or retention in
agroforestry systems in this and other areas with similar characteristics.
10/01774 Experimental study on Egyptian biomass
combustion in circulating fluidized bed
Youssef, M. A. et al. Applied Energy, 2009, 86, (12), 26442650.
This study investigates the combustion of four kinds of biomass in a
circulating fluidized bed. The combustion chamber is a steel cylinder
with 145 mm inner diameter and 2 m height. Tests were conducted on
wheat straw, sawdust-wood, cottonseed burs, and corncobs. Excess air
was varied for each fuel. Temperature, heat flux and gas emissions were
measured along the combustion chamber and at the chimney inlet.
Results showed that sawdust-wood produces the highest values of CO
emissions (about 3000 mg/Nm
3
). On the other hand, cottonseed burs
produce the lowest values of CO emissions (about 250 mg/Nm
3
). The
SO
2
emissions were very low in all tests (less than 20 mg/Nm
3
). The
lowest emission value occurred at an excess air ratio (EA) of 1.24
except for cottonseed burs where it was 1.4.
Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2010 277
13 Alternative energy supplies (biofuels and bioconversion energy)
10/01775 Future bio-energy potential under various natural
constraints
van Vuuren, D. P. et al. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (11), 42204230.
Potentials for bio-energy have been estimated earlier on the basis of
estimates of potentially available land, excluding certain types of land
use or land cover (land required for food production and forests). This
study explores how such estimates may be influenced by other factors
such as land degradation, water scarcity and biodiversity concerns. The
analysis indicates that of the original bio-energy potential estimate of
150, 80 EJ occurs in areas classified as from mild to severe land
degradation, water stress, or with high biodiversity value. Yield
estimates were also found to have a significant impact on potential
estimates. A further 12.5% increase in global yields would lead to an
increase in bio-energy potential of about 50%. Changes in bio-energy
potential are shown to have a direct impact on bio-energy use in the
energy model TIMER, although the relevant factor is the bio-energy
potential at different cost levels and not the overall potential.
10/01776 Location of a biomass based methanol
production plant: a dynamic problem in northern Sweden
Leduc, S. et al. Applied Energy, 2010, 87, (1), 6875.
Concerning production and use of biofuels, mismatch between the
locations of feedstock and the biofuel consumer may lead to high
transportation costs and negative environmental impact. In order to
minimize these consequences, it is important to locate the production
plant at an appropriate location. In this paper, a case study of the
county of Norrbotten in northern Sweden is presented with the
purpose to illustrate how an optimization model could be used to assess
a proper location for a biomass based methanol production plant. The
production of lignocellulosic based methanol via gasification has been
chosen, as methanol seems to be one promising alternative to replace
fossil gasoline as an automotive fuel and Norrbotten has abundant
resources of woody biomass. If methanol would be produced in a stand-
alone production plant in the county, the cost for transportation of the
feedstock as well as the produced methanol would have great impact on
the final cost depending on where the methanol plant is located. Three
different production plant sizes have been considered in the study, 100,
200 and 400 MW (biomass fuel input), respectively. When assessing a
proper location for this kind of plant, it is important to also consider
the future motor fuel demand as well as to identify a heat sink for the
residual heat. In this study, four different automotive fuel- and district
heating demand scenarios have been created until the year 2025. The
results show that methanol can be produced at a maximum cost of
0.48 e/l without heat sales. By selling the residual heat as district
heating, the methanol production cost per litre of fuel may decrease by
up to 10% when the plant is located close to an area with high annual
heat demand.
10/01777 On representative sampling and reliable chemical
characterization in thermal biomass conversion studies
Thy, P. et al. Biomass and Bioenergy, 2009, 33, (11), 15131519.
Careful consideration and proper execution of representative sampling
and mass reduction procedures are critical for the validity and
reliability of chemical analyses of highly heterogeneous biomass fuels.
It is demonstrated how faulty sampling can result in apparent ash
compositions that differ from the true compositions by factors of 23
for many major oxides. Analytical results based on non-representative
samples are not representative for the specific fuel and processes being
studied. Despite the general acceptance that accurate and representa-
tive compositions of biomass fuel and their derivatives are a critical
prerequisite for understanding reactions and elemental fractionation
during combustion and other thermal conversion processes, the
biomass energy community appears largely to have ignored the critical
issues surrounding representative sampling. This can have resulted in
misleading or faulty conclusions and may have restricted the ability to
perform reliable predictive modelling. The authors here point to
effective yet simple sampling principles that should be implemented in
future biomass fuel studies.
10/01778 Optimization of the transesterification reaction in
biodiesel production
Ferella, F. et al. Fuel, 2010, 89, (1), 3642.
In this paper response surface methodology (RSM) was used to study
the transesterification reaction of rapeseed oil for biodiesel production.
The three main factors that drive the conversion of triglycerides into
fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) were studied according to a full
factorial design at two levels. These factors were catalyst concentration
(KOH), temperature and reaction time. The range investigated for
each factor was selected taking into account the process of Fox Petroli
SpA. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to determine the
significance of the factors and their interactions that primarily affect
the first of the two transesterification stages. This analysis evidenced
the best operating conditions of the first transesterification reaction
performed at Foxs plant: KOH concentration 0.6% w/w, temperature
50

C and reaction time 90 min with a CH

3
OH to KOH ratio equal to
60. Three empirical models were derived to correlate the experimental
results, suitable to predict the behaviour of triglyceride, diglyceride and
monoglyceride concentration. These models showed a good agreement
with the experimental results, demonstrating that this methodology
may be useful for industrial process optimization.
10/01779 Potential alternatives of heat and power
technology application using rice straw in Thailand
Suramaythangkoor, T. and Gheewala, S. H. Applied Energy, 2010, 87,
(1), 128133.
Rice straw could be used for heat and power with the current
technologies available in Thailand. The cost of rice straw for power
generation at 0.380.61 Baht/MJ
e
(at rice straw price 9301500 Baht/t)
is not competitive with coal at 0.30 Baht/MJ
e
but comparable with other
biomass at 0.350.53 Baht/MJ
e
. However, utilization of rice straw in
industrial boilers is a more competitive and flexible option with two
alternatives; (1) installing rice straw fired boilers instead of heavy oil
fired or natural gas ones when selecting new boilers; and (2) fuel
switching from coal to rice straw for existing boilers with cost saving of
feedstock supply by 0.01 Baht/MJ
h
. Based on its properties (Slagging
index, R
s
=0.04; fouling index, R
f
=0.24), rice straw is not expected to
have significant operating problems or different emissions compared
with wheat straw and rice husk under similar operating conditions.
10/01780 Pre-treatment and ethanol fermentation potential
of olive pulp at different dry matter concentrations
Haagensen, F. et al. Biomass and Bioenergy, 2009, 33, (11), 16431651.
The study investigates the pre-treatment and ethanol fermentation
potential of the olive pulp, which is the semi-solid residue generated
from the two-phase processing of the olives for olive oil production.
Wet oxidation and enzymatic hydrolysis have been applied aiming at
the enhancement of carbohydrates bioavailability. Different concen-
trations of enzymes and enzymatic durations have been tested. Both
wet oxidation and enzymic treatment were evaluated based on the
ethanol obtained in a subsequent fermentation step by Saccharomyces
cerevisiae and Thermoanaerobacter mathranii. It was found that a 4-day
hydrolysis time was adequate for a satisfactory release of glucose and
xylose. The combination of wet oxidation and enzymatic hydrolysis
resulted in the glucose and xylose concentration increase of 138 and
444%, respectively, compared to 33 and 15% with only enzymes added.
However, the highest ethanol production was obtained when only
enzymic pre-treatment was applied, implying that wet oxidation is not a
recommended pre-treatment process for olive pulp at the conditions
tested. It was also showed that increased dry matter concentration did
not have a negative effect on the release of sugars, indicating that the
cellulose and xylan content of the olive pulp is relatively easily avail-
able. The results of the experiments in batch processes clearly empha-
size that the simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF)
mode is advantageous in comparison with the separate hydrolysis and
fermentation (SHF) mode concerning process contamination.
10/01781 Rice straw as a renewable energy source in India,
Thailand, and the Philippines: overall potential and
limitations for energy contribution and greenhouse gas
mitigation
Gadde, B. et al. Biomass and Bioenergy, 2009, 33, (11), 15321546.
Rice is a widely grown crop in the South and South-East Asia that
leaves substantial quantity of straw in the field. The aim of this paper is
to assess the quantity of rice straw produced, estimate greenhouse gas
(GHG) emissions based on its current uses, and assess its possible
energy potential and related GHG emissions mitigation potential.
Updated statistics on rough rice production are used in this study in
combination with the literature values on straw-to-grain ratio (SGR) to
quantify the amount of rice straw produced in the three countries of
focus. It is estimated that 97.19, 21.86, and 10.68 Mt of rice straw
residue are produced in India, Thailand, and the Philippines,
respectively. In India, 23% of rice straw residue produced is surplus
and is either left in the field as uncollected or to a large extent open-
field burnt. About 48% of this residue produced is subjected to open-
field burning in Thailand, and in the Philippines it is 95%. The GHG
emissions contribution through open-field burning of rice straw in
India, Thailand, and the Philippines are 0.05%, 0.18%, and 0.56%, and
the mitigated GHG emissions when generated electricity is used would
be 0.75%, 1.81%, and 4.31%, respectively, when compared to the total
country GHG emissions.
10/01782 Spatial assessment of the bioenergy potential of
forest residues in the western province of Spain, Caceres
Lopez-Rodr guez, F. et al. Biomass and Bioenergy, 2009, 33, (10), 1358
1366.
The present work is mainly devoted to provide a rigorous analysis on
the quantification, the mapping and the management of the bioenergy
potential of forest residues from the most representative forestry
species of the west-central region of Spain (Caceres). An appropriate
methodological approach for the estimate of potential biomass and
278 Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2010
13 Alternative energy supplies (biofuels and bioconversion energy)
potential bioenergy as well as the use of GIS for data process are both
crucial for the design of thermal plants and for the accurate estimate of
biomass collection and transportation costs, according to the scale
economy of the plant. The total forest residues in the province of
Caceres are estimated as 463,000 t y
1
. The availability of such major
biomass potential for energy production is strongly conditioned to the
inherent difficulties during the extraction process. This way, an energy
potential of 139,000 toe y
1
would be achieved if the above-mentioned
biomass collection rate is assumed. The method to optimize the search
for suitable locations for thermal plants as well as for biomass
extraction/collection areas, based on the combined use of GIS and
spatial analysis techniques, is also described.
10/01783 Theoretical modeling of iodine value and
saponification value of biodiesel fuels from their fatty acid
composition
Gopinath, A. et al. Renewable Energy, 2009, 34, (7), 18061811.
Biodiesel is an alternative fuel consisting of alkyl esters of fatty acids
from vegetable oils or animal fats. The properties of biodiesel depend
on the type of vegetable oil used for the transesterification process. The
objective of the present work is to theoretically predict the iodine value
and the saponification value of different biodiesels from their fatty acid
methyl ester composition. The fatty acid ester compositions and the
above values of different biodiesels were taken from the available
published data. A multiple linear regression model was developed to
predict the iodine value and saponification value of different bio-
diesels. The predicted results showed that the prediction errors were
less than 3.4% compared to the available published data. The predicted
values were also verified by substituting in the available published
model which was developed to predict the higher heating values of
biodiesel fuels from their iodine value and the saponification value.
The resulting heating values of biodiesels were then compared with the
published heating values and reported.
10/01784 Thermal behavior of corn fibers and corn fiber
gums prepared in fiber processing to ethanol
Meszaros, E. et al. Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis, 2009,
85, (12), 1118.
In this work, a thorough study of all solid products obtained in corn
fibre processing to ethanol has been carried out with thermogravime-
try/mass spectrometry (TG/MS) and pyrolysis-gas chromatography/
mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS). The thermal behaviour of corn fibre,
destarched corn fibre, various alkali pretreated fibres and corn fibre
gums were compared. It has been established that no significant
changes occur in the thermal behaviour of the feedstock material as a
result of treatment with amylolytic enzymes. On one hand only the
concentration of the alkali (NaOH or KOH) seems to be important in
determining the chemical composition of the pretreated corn fibre
samples. On the other hand, the composition of the corn fibre gums
depends on the type and not the concentration of the alkali used in the
pretreatment step. The presence of H
2
O
2
degrades the structure and
alters the composition of the corn fibre to a larger extent. The
polymeric hemicellulose which is precipitated after pretreatment with
NaOH+H
2
O
2
contains less impurities than the corn fibre gum
prepared in the absence of hydrogen peroxide. The results indicate
that the applied analytical methods are suitable for studying changes in
the composition of the variously treated corn fibres. The observed
effects of the treatments are in good agreement with data determined
with conventional analytical techniques.
10/01785 Thermodynamic analysis of a solar coffee maker
Sosa-Montemayor, F. et al. Energy Conversion and Management, 2009,
50, (9), 24072412.
This paper presents a novel solar concentrating application, a coffee
brewing system using a satellite TV mini-dish concentrator coupled to a
stovetop espresso coffee maker. The authors present a theoretical
model for the thermal behaviour of the water in the lower chamber of
the coffee maker and validate the model obtaining good agreement
with the experimental results. The findings indicate that the coffee
brewing system works, it takes 3050 min to complete its task. The
model and this practical experience encourage making improvements
to the concentration device in order to obtain a useful solar coffee
maker, using the theoretical model as a safe guide to achieve this.
Geothermal energy
10/01786 A new energy analysis tool for ground source
heat pump systems
Michopoulos, A. and Kyriakis, N. Energy and Buildings, 2009, 41, (9),
937941.
A new tool, suitable for energy analysis of vertical ground source heat
pump systems, is presented. The tool is based on analytical equations
describing the heat exchanged with the ground, developed in Matlab
1
environment. The time step of the simulation can be freely chosen by
the user (e.g. 1, 2 h, etc.) and the calculation time required is very
short. The heating and cooling loads of the building, at the afore
mentioned time step, are needed as input, along with the thermo-
physical properties of the soil and of the ground heat exchanger, the
operation characteristic curves of the systems heat pumps and the
basic ground source heat exchanger dimensions. The results include
the electricity consumption of the system and the heat absorbed from
or rejected to the ground. The efficiency of the tool is verified through
comparison with actual electricity consumption data collected from an
existing large scale ground coupled heat pump installation over a 3-
year period.
10/01787 Application of geothermal heat pumps in a
renovated campus building
Lim, J.-H. International Journal of Energy Research, 2010, 34, (5), 445
453.
Geothermal heat pumps (GHPs), which are normally known as
ground-source heat pumps (GSHPs), offer many advantages for
heating and cooling commercial buildings because of their higher
energy efficiency compared with conventional electric heat pump
systems. In Korea, a recent requirement for mandatory implementation
of renewable energy systems in public buildings has been enforced for
buildings with a floor area exceeding 3000 m
2
. While GHPs may be
more costly to install initially than the regular heat pumps, they can
also produce markedly lower energy bills. For this reason, GHPs are
being considered as heating and cooling alternatives in the renovation
of campus buildings in Korea. This study investigated the application
methods of GHPs for the renovation of the campus building, and
compared the energy costs of GHPs with that of conventional systems.
The objective of this study was to present an operation status of GSHPs
in a renovated campus building as an example. When the GHP with
water storage had been operating for a whole year, the coefficient of
performance (COP) for heating reached from 3.12 to 5.27 according to
the leaving fluid temperature and entering fluid temperature. The COP
for cooling reached from 2.86 to 5.49. In comparison results, the sum of
the operating costs of the GHP system was about one third of the
current heating and cooling systems.
10/01788 Chemical stimulation techniques for geothermal
wells: experiments on the three-well EGS system at Soultz-
sous-Fore ts, France
Portier, S. et al. Geothermics, 2009, 38, (4), 349359.
Rock matrix stimulation is a method of enhancing well production or
injection within a broad range of challenging environments, varying
from naturally fractured limestones to sandstones with complex
mineralogy. A common and often successful stimulation option, matrix
acidizing, utilizes acids that react and remove mineral phases
restricting fluid flow. Reviewed is the technology of chemical
treatments available for oil, gas and geothermal wells and the key
elements and results of the chemical reservoir stimulation program at
the Soultz-sous-Forets, France, Enhanced Geothermal System Project.
10/01789 Comprehensive exergy analysis of a ground-
source heat pump system for both building heating and
cooling modes
Bi, Y. et al. Applied Energy, 2009, 86, (12), 25602565.
This paper presents a comprehensive exergy analysis of three circuits
and whole system of a ground-source heat pump (GSHP) for both
building heating and cooling modes. The purpose is to search out the
key potential energy saving components. The analytical formulae of
exergy loss, exergy efficiency, exergy loss ratio, exergy loss coefficient
and thermodynamic perfect degree are derived, respectively. The
results show that these exergy indexes should be used integratively, and
in the whole system the location of maximum exergy loss ratio is the
compressor, while the location of minimum exergy efficiency and
thermodynamic perfect degree is the ground heat exchanger, so that
the compressor and the ground heat exchanger should be primarily
improved. The results also indicate that the exergy loss of a GSHP
system for building heating mode is bigger than that of cooling mode,
and the exergy efficiency of a whole GSHP system is obviously lower
than those of its components for both building heating and cooling
modes. Therefore, a comprehensive exergy analysis of a GSHP should
be paid more attention to. The results may provide guidelines for the
design and optimization of GSHP systems.
10/01790 Efficiency improvement for geothermal power
generation to meet summer peak demand
Sohel, M. I. et al. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (9), 33703376.
Geothermal power is an important part of New Zealands renewable
electricity supply due to its attractive cost and reliability. Modular type
binary cycle plants have been imported and installed in various
Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2010 279
13 Alternative energy supplies (geothermal energy)
geothermal fields in New Zealand, with plans for further expansion.
Power output of these plants deteriorates in the summer because plant
efficiency depends directly on the geothermal resource and the
ambient temperature. As these plants normally use air-cooled
condensers, incorporating a water-augmented air-cooled system could
improve the power output in summer thereby matching the peak air-
conditioning demand. In this work, power generation for the Rotokawa
plant was characterized using a similar plant performance and local
weather. The improved performance was modelled for retrofit with a
wet-cooling system. Maximum generation increase on the hottest day
could be 6.8%. The average gain in power over the summer,
NovemberFebruary, was 1.5%, and the average gain for the whole
year was 1%. With current binary unit generation capacity at the
Rotokawa plant of 35 MW, investment in a water-augmented air-cooled
system could provide 2 MW of peak generation on the hottest days.
This investment in efficiency is found to compare favourably to other
supply options such as solar PV, wind or gas.
10/01791 Exergoeconomic evaluation on the optimum
heating circuit system of Simav geothermal district heating
system
Arslan, O. et al. Energy and Buildings, 2009, 41, (12), 13251333.
Simav is one of the most important 15 geothermal areas in Turkey. It
has several geothermal resources with the mass flow rate ranging from
35 to 72 kg/s and temperature from 88 to 148

C. Hence, these
geothermal resources are available to use for several purposes, such
as electricity generation, district heating, greenhouse heating, and
balneological purposes. In Simav, the 5000 residences are heated by a
district heating system using these geothermal resources. Beside this, a
greenhouse area of 225,000 m
2
is also heated by geothermal energy. In
this study, the working conditions of the Simav geothermal district
heating system have been optimized. The main characteristics of the
system have been presented and the impact of the parameters of
heating circuit on the system are investigated by the means of energy,
exergy, and life cycle cost (LCC) concepts. As a result, the optimum
heating circuit has been determined as 60/49

C.
10/01792 Numerical simulation of ground heat and
water transfer for groundwater heat pump system
based on real-scale experiment
Nam, Y. and Ooka, R. Energy and Buildings, 2010, 42, (1), 6975.
The groundwater heat pump (GWHP) system is an open-loop system
that draws water from a well or surface water, passes it through a heat
exchanger and discharges the water into an injection well or nearby
river. By utilizing the relatively stable temperature of groundwater, a
GWHP system can achieve a higher coefficient of performance and can
save more energy than conventional air-source heat pump (ASHP)
system. The performance of the system depends on the condition of
groundwater, especially temperature and depth, which affect perform-
ance of the heat pump and system. For the optimization of design and
operation of GWHP systems, it is necessary to develop a simulation
tool which can predict groundwater and heat flow and evaluate system
performance comprehensively. In this research, 3D numerical heat-
water transfer simulation and experiments utilizing real-scale equip-
ment have been conducted in order to develop the optimization
method for GWHP systems. Simulation results were compared with the
experimental results, and the validity of the simulation model was
confirmed. Furthermore, several case studies for the optimal operation
method have been conducted by calculating the coefficient of
performance on various groundwater and well conditions.
10/01793 The economic and environmental optimisation of
integrating ground source energy systems into buildings
Dickinson, J. et al. Energy, 2009, 34, (12), 22152222.
There are currently two main drivers for the consideration of ground
source energy systems in the built environment in the UK. First,
building occupiers and owners are becoming increasingly concerned at
rising energy prices and second, building designers are required to
reduce, due to European and national and local legislation, the opera-
tional CO
2
emissions from new and existing buildings. This paper
considers the application of bivalent (dual fuel) ground source heat
pump (GSHP) heating and cooling systems as a way to reduce the
installation costs while also providing considerable economic and
environmental savings. A case study building is used to demonstrate
the importance of optimizing ground loop heat exchanger length,
considering differing future energy prices and the chosen appraisal
period. An incremental approach is used to consider the relative
benefits of increasing the size of the GSHP. Designers can also be
misled by the assumption that by sizing a GSHP system to just meet the
legislative targets the most economically sized system will be installed.
The optimum system shows a >60% reduction in the capital cost vs a
peak-sized GSHP system whilst still providing >70% of the respective
economic savings and CO
2
reduction.
10/01794 The effect of borehole inclination on fluid and
ground temperature for GLHE systems
Marcotte, D. and Pasquier, P. Geothermics, 2009, 38, (4), 392398.
The effect of borehole inclination on ground temperatures and the
practical implications it has for the designs of ground-loop heat
exchangers (GLHE) systems is studied. The authors present a general
formulation allowing computation of ground temperature for any
number of boreholes, each borehole having its own thermal load, dip,
direction, depth (of its head) and length. It is shown with an actual
design that a slight tilt of the boreholes can substantially improve the
theoretical performance of the GLHE.
10/01795 Vertical-borehole ground-coupled heat pumps:
a review of models and systems
Yang, H. et al. Applied Energy, 2010, 87, (1), 1627.
A large number of ground-coupled heat pump (GCHP) systems have
been used in residential and commercial buildings throughout the
world due to the attractive advantages of high efficiency and
environmental friendliness. This paper gives a detailed literature
review of the research and developments of the vertical-borehole
GCHP technology for applications in air-conditioning. A general
introduction on the ground source heat pump system and its
development is briefly presented first. Then, the most typical
simulation models of the vertical ground heat exchangers currently
available are summarized in detail including the heat transfer processes
outside and inside the boreholes. The various design/simulation
programs for vertical GCHP systems primarily based on the typical
simulation models are also reviewed in this paper. Finally, the various
hybrid GCHP systems for cooling or heating-dominated buildings are
well described. It is found that the GCHP technology can be used both
in cold and hot weather areas and the energy saving potential is
significant.
Solar energy
10/01796 An inexpensive and efficient pyridine-based
additive for the electrolyte of dye-sensitized solar cells
Shi, J. et al. Journal of Power Sources, 2009, 193, (2), 878884.
This study reports on the synthesis and application of an inexpensive
pyridine-based additive allyl isonicotinate (AIN) for the efficient dye-
sensitized solar cells (DSCs). AIN can be quickly synthesized at room
temperature without any solvent. The presence of AIN in the
electrolyte enhances the open-circuit voltage (V
oc
), fill factor (FF)
and short-circuit photocurrent (J
sc
), consequently improving the energy
conversion efficiency () from 6.5% to 8.2%. The impedance
experiments show that the adsorption of AIN leads to the negative
shift of the conduction band edge of the dye-sensitized TiO
2
around
55 mV. The presence of AIN in the electrolyte can obviously suppress
the recombination of the injected electrons, increasing the lifetime of
electrons in the TiO
2
. The negative shift of the conduction band edge
and the suppression of the recombination of the injected electrons
contribute to the higher power conversion efficiency.
10/01797 Compact monocrystalline silicon solar modules
with high voltage outputs and mechanically flexible designs
Baca, A. J. et al. Energy & Environmental Science, 2010, 3, (2), 208211.
This paper describes a type of compact high-voltage photovoltaic
module that utilizes large collections of ultrathin (-15 mm), small
(-45 mm wide, -1 mm long) silicon solar cells was fabricated and
characterized. Integration on thin sheets of plastic yielded flexible
modules with per-cell efficiencies of -8%, voltage outputs >200 V, and
maximum power outputs >1.5 mW.
10/01798 Development of the high concentration III-V
photovoltaic system at INER, Taiwan
Kuo, C.-T. et al. Renewable Energy, 2009, 34, (8), 19311933.
The 100 kW high concentration photovoltaic (HCPV) system has been
constructed in October 2007 at the Institute of Nuclear Energy
Research (INER), Taiwan. The maximum module efficiency with a
geometrical concentration ratio of 476 is about 26.1% under 850 W/
m
2
DNI and passive cooling conditions. The 100 kW HCPV system
consists of 14 sets of pillar-stand 5 kW systems and 21 sets of roof-top
1.5 kW systems. Each 5 kW system and 1.5 kW are comprised of 40
modules and 12 modules respectively. Each module was integrated with
40 solar cells with 35% conversion efficiency each, manufactured by
Spectrolab Company, the highest III-V solar cell conversion efficiency
record keeper. This project is the pioneer for the establishment of one
MW HCPV demonstration system in 2008.
280 Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2010
13 Alternative energy supplies (solar energy)
10/01799 Direct solar water splitting cell using water, WO
3
,
Pt, and polymer electrolyte membrane
He, X. and Boehm, R. F. Energy, 2009, 34, (10), 14541457.
A solar water splitting cell composed of WO
3
, polymer electrolyte
membrane (PEM) and Pt was constructed for producing hydrogen
from deionized water in sunlight. Spectral responsivity measurements
under various temperatures and bias voltages were conducted for the
cell using the incident photon to current efficiency (IPCE) method. For
comparison, a known WO
3
photoelectrochemical (PEC) cell containing
H
3
PO
4
electrolyte, WO
3
/H
3
PO
4
/Pt, was tested using the same test
method. The WO
3
/PEMH
2
O/Pt cell showed better Quantum Effi-
ciency (QE) performance compared to that obtained from the cell with
the chemical electrolyte. For the first time, spectral responsivity of
photo water splitting process without bias power was unveiled in the
new WO
3
cell, demonstrating the self-sustained photo electrolysis
capability. Bias voltage effect on solar to hydrogen (STH) conversion
efficiency was dramatic in the range from 0.2 V to 1.2 V and
suppressions of STH were observed when high bias voltages were
applied. In addition, a strong temperature effect on the energy
conversion efficiency at high bias voltage was observed in the cell
containing PEMH
2
O, revealing that the STH at 54

C is nearly five
times that at 14

C.
10/01800 Economic efficiency of solar hot water policy in
New Zealand
Gillingham, K. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (9), 33363347.
New Zealand has recently followed the path of several other countries
in promoting solar hot water (SHW) systems in the effort to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions, yet the economic efficiency of large-scale
policies to encourage SHW remains a pressing question for policy-
makers. This paper develops an economic framework to examine
policies to promote SHW in New Zealand, including the current
information, training, and subsidy policy. The economic framework
points to environmental, energy security, and average-cost electricity
retail pricing market failures as motivation for SHW policy, with the
global climate change externality the most important of these. The
results indicate that domestic SHW systems are close to being
financially attractive from a consumer perspective, but a more sub-
stantial subsidy policy would be necessary for SHW to appeal to a wider
audience. Such a policy is far more likely to have positive net benefits
than a policy of mandating SHW on all homes or all new homes in New
Zealand, and could be justified on economic efficiency grounds under
reasonable assumptions. However, this result reverses under an
economy-wide carbon trading system that internalizes the environ-
mental externality.
10/01801 Economic evaluation of coalbed methane
production in China
Luo, D. and Dai, Y. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (10), 38833889.
Roaring natural gas demand, energy security and environment
protection concerns coupled with stringent emission reduction require-
ment have made Chinas abundant coalbed methane (CBM) resource
an increasingly valuable energy source. However, not all of Chinas
CBM resource is economic to develop under current technological
condition and economic situation. In order to locate the CBM resource
with economic viability to develop in China, economic evaluation of
CBM production is conducted by applying net present value (NPV)
method. The results indicate that more than half of CBM resource in
China is economic to develop. It shows that CBM price, production
rate and operating costs are the three major factors with most impact
on the economic viability of the CBM development in target areas in
China. The result also demonstrates that the economic limit production
is roughly 1200 cubic metres per day. These economic evaluation
results provide important information for both CBM companies and
China government.
10/01802 Effect of insulation thickness on the productivity
of basin type solar stills: an experimental verification under
local climate
Khalifa, A. J. N. and Hamood, A. M. Energy Conversion and
Management, 2009, 50, (9), 24572461.
To achieve a high efficiency in a solar still, heat losses from the sides
and base should be minimized by adequate insulation to insure the
storage of the absorbed thermal energy. The effect of insulation on the
productivity of a basin type solar still is verified in this study. Solar stills
with insulation thickness of 30, 60 and 100 mm are investigated and the
results are compared with those obtained for a still without insulation.
It was found that the insulation thickness has a significant impact on
the productivity of the still up to a thickness of 60 mm. The insulation
thickness could influence the productivity of the still by over 80%. A
performance correlation for the effect of insulation on productivity is
also developed.
10/01803 Energy and economic assessment of desiccant
cooling systems coupled with single glazed air and hybrid
PV/thermal solar collectors for applications in hot and
humid climate
Beccali, M. et al. Solar Energy, 2009, 83, (10), 18281846.
This paper presents a detailed analysis of the energy and economic
performance of desiccant cooling systems (DEC) equipped with both
single glazed standard air and hybrid photovoltaic/thermal (PV/t)
collectors for applications in hot and humid climates. The use of solar
cogeneration by means of PV/t hybrid collectors enables the
simultaneous production of electricity and heat, which can be directly
used by desiccant air handling units, thereby making it possible to
achieve very energy savings. The present work shows the results of
detailed simulations conducted for a set of desiccant cooling systems
operating without any heat storage. System performance was investi-
gated through hourly simulations for different systems and load
combinations. Three configurations of DEC systems were considered:
standard DEC, DEC with an integrated heat pump and DEC with an
enthalpy wheel. Two kinds of building occupations were considered:
office and lecture room. Moreover, three configurations of solar-
assisted air-handling units (AHU) equipped with desiccant wheels were
considered and compared with standard AHUs, focusing on achievable
primary energy savings. The relationship between the solar collectors
area and the specific primary energy consumption for different system
configurations and building occupation patterns is described. For both
occupation patterns, sensitivity analysis on system performance was
performed for different solar collector areas. Also, this work presents
an economic assessment of the systems. The cost of conserved energy
and the payback time were calculated, with and without public
incentives for solar cooling systems. It is worth noting that the use of
photovoltaics, and thus the exploitation of related available incentives
in many European countries, could positively influence the spread of
solar air-cooling technologies (SAC). An outcome of this work is that
SAC systems equipped with PV/t collectors are shown to have better
performance in terms of primary energy saving than conventional sys-
tems fed by vapour compression chillers and coupled with PV cells. All
SAC systems present good figures for primary energy consumption.
The best performances are seen in systems with integrated heat pumps
and small solar collector areas. The economics of these SAC systems at
current equipment costs and energy prices are acceptable. They
become more interesting in the case of public incentives of up to
30% of the investment cost (simple payback time from 5 to 10 years)
and doubled energy prices.
10/01804 Energy management algorithm for an optimum
control of a photovoltaic water pumping system
Sallem, S. et al. Applied Energy, 2009, 86, (12), 26712680.
The effectiveness of photovoltaic water pumping systems depends on
the adequacy between the generated energy and the volume of pumped
water. This paper presents an intelligent algorithm which makes
decision on the interconnection modes and instants of photovoltaic
installation components: battery, water pump and photovoltaic panel.
The decision is made by fuzzy rules on the basis of the photovoltaic
panel generation (PVPG) forecast during a considered day, on the load
required power, and by considering the battery safety. The algorithm
aims to extend operation time of the water pump by controlling a
switching unit which links the system components with respect to multi-
objective management criteria. The algorithm implementation demon-
strates that the approach extends the pumping period for more than 5 h
a day which gives a mean daily improvement of 97% of the water
pumped volume.
10/01805 Evaluation of the performance of three diffuse
hourly irradiation models on tilted surfaces according to the
utilizability concept
Posadillo, R. and Luque, R. L. Energy Conversion and Management,
2009, 50, (9), 23242330.
Three diffuse hourly irradiation models on tilted surfaces were
evaluated by making a database of hourly global and diffuse solar
irradiation on a horizontal surface, as well as global solar irradiation on
a tilted surface, recorded in a solar radiation station located at
Cordoba University (Spain). The method for a comparison of the
performance of these models was developed from a study of the
utilizable energy statistics, a value representing, for a specific period
of time, the mean monthly radiation that exceeded a critical level of
radiation. This model comparison method seemed to be suitable since
it provides a way of comparing the capacity of these models to estimate,
however, much energy is incident on a tilted surface above a critical
radiation level. Estimated and measured values were compared using
the normalized RMBE and RRMSE statistics. According to the results
of the method, of the three models evaluated, one isotropic and two
anisotropic, the Reindl et al. anisotropic model was the one giving the
best results.
Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2010 281
13 Alternative energy supplies (solar energy)
10/01806 Exergy analysis of integrated photovoltaic
thermal solar water heater under constant flow rate and
constant collection temperature modes
Tiwari, A. et al. Applied Energy, 2009, 86, (12), 25922597.
This study provides an energy analysis of an integrated photovoltaic
thermal solar (IPVTS) system by considering hot water withdrawal at a
constant flow rate and at constant collection temperature. Analysis is
based on the basic energy balance for a hybrid flat plate collector and
storage tank, respectively, in the terms of design and climatic
parameters. Numerical computations have been carried out for the
design and climatic parameters of the system used by Huang et al. It is
observed that the daily overall thermal efficiency of the IPVTS system
increases with increased constant flow rate and decreases with increases
of constant collection temperature. It is further to be noted that the
overall exergy and thermal efficiency of a IPVTS is maximum at the hot
water withdrawal flow rate of 0.006 kg/s.
10/01807 Experimental and numerical investigation on
thermal and electrical performance of a building integrated
photovoltaicthermal collector system
Corbin, C. D. and Zhai, Z. J. Energy and Buildings, 2010, 42, (1), 7682.
An experimentally validated computational fluid dynamics (CFD)
model of a novel building integrated photovoltaicthermal (BIPV/T)
collector is studied to determine the effect of active heat recovery on
cell efficiency and to determine the effectiveness of the device as a
solar hot water heater. Parametric analysis indicates that cell efficiency
can be raised by 5.3% and that water temperatures suitable for
domestic hot water use are possible. Thermal and combined (thermal
plus electrical) efficiencies reach 19% and 34.9%, respectively. A new
correlation is developed relating electrical efficiency to collector inlet
water temperature, ambient air temperature and insolation that allows
cell efficiency to be calculated directly.
10/01808 Experimental investigation of heat transfer and
friction factor characteristics of thermosyphon solar water
heater system fitted with spacer at the trailing edge of
leftright twisted tapes
Jaisankar, S. et al. Energy Conversion and Management, 2009, 50, (10),
26382649.
Experimental investigation of heat transfer and friction factor
characteristics of thermosyphon solar water heater with full length
leftright twist, twist fitted with rod and spacer at the trailing edge for
lengths of 100, 200 and 300 mm for twist ratio 3 and 5 has been studied.
The experimental data for plain tube collector has been compared with
fundamental equation within a discrepancy of 7.41% and 14.97%
for Nusselt number and friction factor, respectively. Result shows that
the Nusselt number decreases by 11% and 19% for twist fitted with rod
and twist with spacer, respectively, when compared with full-length
twist. Friction factor also decreases by 18% and 29% for twist fitted
with rod and spacer, respectively, as compared with full-length twist.
The heat enhancement in twist fitted with rod at the trailing edge is
maximum when compared with twist fitted with spacer because the
swirl flow is maintained throughout the length of rod.
10/01809 Fuzzy logic control of stand-alone photovoltaic
system with battery storage
Lalouni, S. et al. Journal of Power Sources, 2009, 193, (2), 899907.
Photovoltaic energy has nowadays an increased importance in electrical
power applications, since it is considered as an essentially inexhaustible
and broadly available energy resource. However, the output power
provided via the photovoltaic conversion process depends on solar
irradiation and temperature. Therefore, to maximize the efficiency of
the photovoltaic energy system, it is necessary to track the maximum
power point of the PV array. The present paper proposes a maximum
power point tracker (MPPT) method, based on fuzzy logic controller
(FLC), applied to a stand-alone photovoltaic system. It uses a sampling
measure of the PV array power and voltage then determines an optimal
increment required to have the optimal operating voltage which
permits maximum power tracking. This method carries high accuracy
around the optimum point when compared to the conventional one.
The stand-alone photovoltaic system used in this paper includes two bi-
directional DC/DC converters and a lead-acid battery bank to
overcome the scare periods. One converter works as an MPP tracker,
while the other regulates the batteries state of charge and compensates
the power deficit to provide a continuous delivery of energy to the load.
The obtained simulation results show the effectiveness of the proposed
fuzzy logic controller.
10/01810 Numerical study of a passive solar still with
separate condenser
Madhlopa, A. and Johnstone, C. Renewable Energy, 2009, 34, (7),
16681677.
A passive solar still with separate condenser has been modelled and its
performance evaluated. The system has one basin (basin 1) in the
evaporation chamber and two other basins (2 and 3) in the condenser
chamber, with a glass cover over the evaporator basin and an opaque
condensing cover over basin 3. Basins 1, 2 and 3 yield the first, second
and third effects respectively. The top part of the condensing cover is
shielded from solar radiation to keep the cover relatively cool. Water
vapour from the first effect condenses under the glass cover while the
remainder of it flows into the condenser, by purging and diffusion, and
condenses under the liner of basin 2. The performance of the system is
evaluated and compared with that of a conventional solar still under
the same meteorological conditions. Results show that the distillate
productivity of the present still is 62% higher than that of the
conventional type. Purging is the most significant mode of vapour
transfer from the evaporator into the condenser chamber. The first,
second and third effects contribute 60, 22 and 18% of the total distillate
yield respectively. It is also found that the productivity of the solar still
with separate condenser is sensitive to the absorptance of the liner of
basin 1, and the mass of water in basins 1 and 2. The mass of water in
basin 3 and wind speed have marginal effect on distillate production.
Other results are presented and discussed in detail.
10/01811 Optimisation of solar-optical and thermal
properties of buildings incorporating solar panels,
emulating traditional Chinese building style
Johnston, D. A. Energy and Buildings, 2010, 42, (1), 6368.
A building-integrated solar energy system, based on the traditional
Chinese building (e.g. pagoda) buildings with roofing at intermediate
levels (known as eaves) was investigated, with regard to providing for
heating and cooling demands. A number of building parameters,
related to energy exchange solar absorptivity of the exterior wall,
level of glazing, etc. were optimized to minimize demand, and the
orientation and tilt of the panels were selected to provide maximum
energy at the times of maximum demand. Each parameter was
investigated for a range of locations, in order to identify trends, which
could then be applied to other locations. In most cases, solar power was
sufficient to meet the cooling demands. For a number of locations,
solar power provided some, but not all, of the heating loads.
10/01812 Optimum tilt angle and orientation for solar
collectors in Syria
Skeiker, K. Energy Conversion and Management, 2009, 50, (9), 2439
2448.
One of the important parameters that affect the performance of a solar
collector is its tilt angle with the horizon. This is because of the
variation of tilt angle changes the amount of solar radiation reaching
the collector surface. A mathematical model was used for estimating
the solar radiation on a tilted surface, and to determine the optimum
tilt angle and orientation (surface azimuth angle) for the solar collector
in the main Syrian zones, on a daily basis, as well as for a specific
period. The optimum angle was computed by searching for the values
for which the radiation on the collector surface is a maximum for a
particular day or a specific period. The results reveal that changing the
tilt angle 12 times in a year (i.e. using the monthly optimum tilt angle)
maintains approximately the total amount of solar radiation near the
maximum value that is found by changing the tilt angle daily to its
optimum value. This achieves a yearly gain in solar radiation of
approximately 30% more than the case of a solar collector fixed on a
horizontal surface.
10/01813 Overview of the photovoltaic technology status
and perspective in Spain
Salas, V. and Olias, E. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews,
2009, 13, (5), 10491057.
The aim of this paper is to show the current status of photovoltaic
technology and the outlook for the coming years in Spain. In this way,
first it gives an account of the cumulative photovoltaic power installed,
the number of installations and its distribution data. Afterwards it
analyses the photovoltaic implementation by assessing the significance
of major projects, such as demonstration projects and photovoltaic
solar farms (which use conventional and concentration photovoltaic
panels). Likewise it draws attention to photovoltaic research and
development activities carried out nowadays. In addition it touches on
issues such as photovoltaic industry (solar silicon, cells and modules
companies), new initiatives and measures of support (focusing on feed-
in tariff system). Finally it lays emphasis on prospects for the coming
years.
10/01814 Parametric costbenefit analysis for the
installation of photovoltaic parks in the island of Cyprus
Poullikkas, A. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (9), 36733680.
In this work a feasibility study is carried out in order to investigate
whether the installation of large photovoltaic (PV) parks in Cyprus, in
the absence of relevant feed-in tariff or other measures, is economically
feasible. The study takes into account the available solar potential of
the island of Cyprus as well as all available data concerning current
renewable energy sources (RES) policy of the Cyprus government and
the current RES electricity purchasing tariff from the electricity
282 Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2010
13 Alternative energy supplies (solar energy)
authority of Cyprus. In order to identify the least-cost feasible option
for the installation of 1 MW PV park a parametric costbenefit analysis
is carried out by varying parameters such as PV park orientation, PV
park capital investment, carbon dioxide emission trading system price,
etc. For all above cases the electricity unit cost or benefit before tax, as
well as after-tax cash flow, net present value, internal rate of return and
payback period are calculated. The results indicate that capital
expenditure of the PV park is a critical parameter for the viability of
the project when no feed-in tariff is available.
10/01815 Penetration of solar power without storage
Stodola, N. and Modi, V. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (11), 47304736.
This paper addresses the question of how much of the electricity load
can be substituted by solar electricity, without leaving the solar power
plant substantially idle or requiring the solar power to be stored. It uses
historical sunlight and electrical load data from 32 regions of the USA
to determine the photovoltaic (PV) power generation capacity that
could be installed such that almost all of its energy output would
occur at times of high demand. Specifically, what is the maximum
deployment that permits 95% of the annual output from PV to be
utilized without reducing the output of the baseload plants? The results
for these 32 regions are that 7.8% of the total annual electricity
demand could be met by installing 59 GW of PV panels. This
represents about a fourth of the present electrical energy supplied by
dispatchable plants. If solar power were equally effective in the rest of
the USA, nearly 200 GW of PV capacity could be put to use without
any energy storage. Thus, in the near term, there is enormous room for
expanding the roughly 1 GW installed base of PV power without
investing in night-time energy storage. The paper also provides insight
into how year-to-year variability of sunlight and demand impact the
results.
10/01816 Performance analysis of a solar photovoltaic
operated domestic refrigerator
Modi, A. et al. Applied Energy, 2009, 86, (12), 25832591.
This paper describes the fabrication, experimentation and simulation
stages of converting a 165 l domestic electric refrigerator to a solar-
powered one. A conventional domestic refrigerator was chosen for this
purpose and was redesigned by adding battery bank, inverter and
transformer, and powered by solar photovoltaic (SPV) panels. Various
performance tests were carried out to study the performance of the
system. The coefficient of performance (COP) was observed to
decrease with time from morning to afternoon and a maximum COP
of 2.102 was observed at 7 AM. Simulations regarding economic
feasibility of the system for the climatic conditions of Jaipur city (India)
were also carried out using RETScreen 4. It was observed that the
system can only be economically viable with carbon trading option
taken into account, and an initial subsidy or a reduction in the
component costs mainly SPV panels and battery bank.
10/01817 Profits or preferences? Assessing the adoption of
residential solar thermal technologies
Mills, B. F. and Schleich, J. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (10), 41454154.
Solar thermal technologies offer the potential to meet a substantial
share of residential water and space heating needs in the EU, but
current levels of adoption are low. This paper uses data from a large
sample of German households to assess the effects of geographic,
residence, and household characteristics on the adoption of solar
thermal water and space heating technologies. In addition, the impact
of solar thermal technology adoption on household energy expendi-
tures is estimated after controlling for observed household hetero-
geneity in geographic, residential, and household characteristics. While
evidence is found of moderate household energy expenditure savings
from combined solar water and space heating systems, the findings
generally confirm that low in-home energy cost savings and fixed
housing stocks limit the diffusion of residential solar thermal
technologies. Little evidence is found of differential adoption by
distinct socio-economic groups.
10/01818 Solar home systems in Botswana opportunities
and constraints
Ketlogetswe, C. and Mothudi, T. H. Renewable and Sustainable Energy
Reviews, 2009, 13, (67), 16751678.
Lack of access to the electricity grid forms the main challenge facing
majority of developing regions particularly in rural communities. The
situation is driven mostly by the absence of electricity infrastructure in
most of the developing countries particularly in rural communities. A
number of developing countries are now encouraging the use of solar
home systems in isolated areas. Botswana is not immune to this trend.
Consequently, available evidence puts the overall contribution of solar
energy to primary energy supply in Botswana to less than 1%. A
plethora of factors are responsible for inhibiting rapid development of
solar home systems in isolated areas in Botswana. Some major
impediments often cited as causing low use of solar home systems by
rural communities in Botswana include, among others, the following:
(i) low-income status of most rural inhabitants, and (ii) migration of
house-owners from village status to lands, or cattle posts. This paper,
therefore, analyses factors that impede the rapid development of
photovoltaics power generation systems in rural environments in
Botswana. The analysis is based on photovoltaic power generation
pilot project which was carried out in three villages in Botswana,
namely Kudumatse, Lorolwana and Motlhabaneng.
10/01819 Solar lanterns for domestic lighting in India:
viability of central charging station model
Chaurey, A. and Kandpal, T. C. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (11), 4910
4918.
About 68 million households in India rely on kerosene as a fuel for
domestic lighting. Kerosene-based lighting devices, not only for poor
quality of light, but also for the risks of indoor air pollution and fire
hazards, etc. are not a desired option for domestic lighting purposes.
Solar lantern is a better alternative in terms of its quality of
illumination, durability and versatility of use. The dissemination model
for solar lantern in India has so far been based on cash sales with or
without the incentive of capital subsidy. This paper analyses several
dissemination models including rental and fee-for-service based on
centralized solar charging station concept for CFL- and LED-based
designs of solar lanterns available in India. The basis of comparison is
the acceptable daily costs or rental to the user as well as to the owner of
the charging station. Further, the paper studies the impact of likely
escalation in kerosene price on the acceptable daily rental and
estimates the amount of subsidy required to make the charging station
model viable for disseminating solar lanterns among rural households.
Wind energy
10/01820 Analysis and inter-comparison of energy yield of
wind turbines in Pakistan using detailed hourly and per
minute recorded data sets
Makkawi, A. et al. Energy Conversion and Management, 2009, 50, (9),
23402350.
Within Pakistan, the ease of availability of hydrocarbon gas reserves in
Balochistan had the effect of delaying the work on renewable energy
feasibility and the installation of appropriate pilot projects. However,
with a clear signs of depletion of fossil fuels the present government
has initiated a major programme of wind speed measurement and
installation of large wind farms at selected locations. The key force
behind the present resurgence of renewable energy activity within
Pakistan is the creation of the Alternative Energy Development Board
(AEDB), established by the government of Pakistan in 2003. Under the
aegis of AEDB wind speed data have been measured over a period of
4 years at a minutes frequency for southern Pakistan at Gharo. The
period of measurement was May 2002 to June 2006. The study explores
the potential for using hourly as opposed to minute-by-minute data for
the design of wind energy systems, the former set being much more
widely available for a larger number of locations within the developing
world. This work has therefore centred on finding the difference in the
wind energy production by using: (1) a measured long-term, minute-by-
minute data, and comparing this with (2) a concurrent hourly data set.
Furthermore, a comparison of the cumulative frequency of wind speed
from the latter data sets has also been carried out. It was found that the
difference between the annual energy outputs from the latter two data
sets was in close agreement with only a percent difference. The two
cumulative frequency functions were also found to be closely related.
These results may be of use for locations close to the equatorial belt
where the wind regime is noted for its stable and seasonal character.
10/01821 Analysis of impacts of wind integration in the
Tamil Nadu grid
George, M. and Banerjee, R. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (9), 36933700.
As the share of wind in power systems increases, it is important to
assess the impact on the grid. This paper combines analysis of load and
generation characteristics, generation adequacy and base and peak
load variations to assess the future role of wind generation. A
simulation of Tamil Nadu in India, with a high penetration of wind
power (27% by installed capacity), shows a capacity credit of 22% of
the installed wind capacity. For seasonal wind regimes like India,
neither the capacity factor, nor the capacity credit reflects the monthly
variation in the wind generation. A new approach based on the annual
load duration curve has been proposed for generation expansion
planning with higher penetration of wind. The potential savings in base
and peak capacity required with increasing wind power have been
quantified. A future scenario for Tamil Nadu for 2021 has been
illustrated. It was found that 5500 MW of wind power can save
Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2010 283
13 Alternative energy supplies (wind energy)
3200 MU of peak energy required or an average peak capacity of 2400
and 1100 MW of base capacity. This analysis would be useful to assess
the future impacts of increasing wind capacity in grids.
10/01822 Application of design space methodology for
optimum sizing of windbattery systems
Roy, A. et al. Applied Energy, 2009, 86, (12), 26902703.
A methodology for optimum sizing of different components (i.e. rotor
diameter, electrical generator rating, and battery capacity) of a
standalone windbattery system is proposed in this paper. On the
basis of time series simulation of the system performance along with
different design constraints, the entire set of feasible design options,
also known as the design space, has been identified on a rotor diameter
vs rated power diagram. The design space of a standalone windbattery
system identifies the entire envelope within which a feasible system
may be designed. The optimum configuration of the standalone system
is identified on the basis of minimum cost of energy (US$/kWh). It is
observed that the cost of energy is sensitive to the magnitude of
average demand and the wind regime. Sensitivity of the capital cost on
the minimum cost of energy is also studied.
10/01823 Application of wavelets and Prony method for
disturbance detection in fixed speed wind farms
Lobos, L. et al. International Journal of Electrical Power & Energy
Systems, 2009, 31, (9), 429436.
Voltage dips and transients are the most commonly encountered power
quality disturbances in wind farms. Signal parameters estimation is an
important prerequisite for power quality enhancement and for
improving the fault-ride capability of wind farms and consequently,
the voltage stability of the whole network. This paper examines the
application of advanced signal processing methodologies such as the
Prony method and wavelets for disturbance detection in wind farms.
Both methodologies have been effectively tested with different
disturbances simulated in a dynamic power network with a large
amount of wind energy and with data signals measured at wind turbine
terminals.
10/01824 Challenges of wind farms connection to future
power systems in Taiwan
Lin, C.-J. et al. Renewable Energy, 2009, 34, (8), 19261930.
This paper presents the potential challenges of integrating wind farms
into the future power systems in Taiwan. It first describes the
developments of wind power in Taiwan and the basic criteria and
general practices of connecting renewable energy resources to
transmission and distribution systems at Taiwan Power Company.
The paper then discusses current and future developments of power
systems and wind farms in Taiwan and the possible system integrations
of these potential wind farms. Finally, it identifies the major general
and specific challenges of wind farm integration to the future power
systems in Taiwan and concludes with suggested approaches to meet
these challenges.
10/01825 Development of a tree-shaped wind power system
using piezoelectric materials
Oh, S. J. et al. International Journal of Energy Research, 2010, 34, (5),
431437.
A tree-shaped wind power system using piezoelectric materials was
designed to produce power with any wind strong enough to cause any
bending in the energy-converting elements, i.e. piezoelectric materials.
Two different kinds of piezoelectric materials were used in this study to
produce power by scavenging energy from the wind. The soft flexible
one was used to make the leaf element, whereas the hard one was
applied to the trunk portion of the tree requiring stronger winds to
generate any power. Although small, each leaf played the role of a
power producer as currents continuously trickled down to a storage
battery installed at the bottom of the system. The test results
demonstrated the possibility of generating appreciable amounts of
energy depending on the piezoelectric materials applied, A more
sophisticated control circuit might also be useful to enhance the system
performance considered in this analysis.
10/01826 Distributed small-scale wind in New Zealand:
advantages, barriers and policy support instruments
Barry, M. and Chapman, R. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (9), 33583369.
Wind energy in New Zealand is commercially viable in many cases, yet
opportunities for its exploitation are far from fully utilized. Many
communities are showing resistance to wind farm developments, since
large wind farms are often seen as intrusive. Building wind farms on a
small scale may be a useful way of overcoming this problem. This study
examines the pattern of recent wind industry development in New
Zealand. It is argued that two key characteristics have emerged that are
limiting the potential development of the industry: a trend towards
large scale, leading to increased local opposition; and a small number
of investors. Research methods include a review of international and
local literature, and a rural mail survey questionnaire, with 338
respondents. The authors provide survey evidence that small wind
farms, and community ownership of them, may be attractive to local
communities, and that this point of advantage is helpful for the rapid
expansion of wind generation in New Zealand.
10/01827 Evaluation of electricity generation and energy
cost of wind energy conversion systems (WECSs) in Central
Turkey
Gokc ek, M. and Genc , M. S. Applied Energy, 2009, 86, (12), 27312739.
The negative effects of non-renewable fossil fuels have forced scientists
to draw attention to clean energy sources which are both environmen-
tally more suitable and renewable. Although Turkey enjoys fairly high
wind energy potential, an investigation and exploitation of this source
is still below the desired level. In this study which is a preliminary study
on wind energy cost in Central Anatolian-Turkey, the wind energy
production using time-series approach and the economic evaluation of
various wind energy conversion systems (WECSs) enjoying the 2.5, 5,
10, 20, 30, 50, 100 and 150 kW rated power size using the levelized cost
of electricity (LCOE) method for the seven different locations in
Central Turkey were estimated. In addition, effects of escalation ratio
of operation and maintenance cost and annual mean speed on LCOE
are taken into account. The wind speed data for a period between 2000
and 2006 years were taken from Turkish State Meteorological Service.
According to the result of the calculations, it is shown that the WECS
of capacity 150 kW produce the energy output 120,978 kWh per year in
the Case-A (Pinarbasi) for hub height 30 m and also the LCOE varies
in the range of 0.2930.0 $/kWh for all WECS considered.
10/01828 Exploring the potential of wind energy for a
coastal state
Yue, C.-D. and Yang, M.-H. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (10), 39253940.
Adequate recognition of the wind energy potential of coastal states
may have far-reaching effects on the development of the energy
systems of these countries. This study evaluates wind energy resources
in Taiwan with the aid of a geographic information system (GIS), which
allows local potentials and restrictions such as climate conditions, land
uses, and ecological environments to be considered. The findings
unveiled in this study suggest a significant role for offshore wind energy
resources, which may constitute between 94% and 98% of overall wind
resources in Taiwan. Total power yield from wind energy could reach
between 150 and 165 TWh, which would have, respectively, accounted
for between 62% and 68% of Taiwans total power generation of
243 TWh in 2007. Based on the Taiwans current emission factor of
electricity, wind energy has the potential to reduce CO
2
emissions by
between 94 and 102 million tons per year in Taiwan, which is,
respectively, equivalent to 28% and 31% of the national net equivalent
CO
2
emissions released in 2002. However, the challenge of managing
the variability of wind power has to be addressed before the
considerable contribution of wind energy to domestic energy supply
and CO
2
reduction can be realized.
10/01829 Innovation and the price of wind energy in the US
Berry, D. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (11), 44934499.
In the last 10 years, the wind energy industry has experienced many
innovations resulting in wider deployment of wind energy, larger wind
energy projects, larger wind turbines, and greater capacity factors.
Using regression analysis, this paper examines the effects of techno-
logical improvements and other factors on the price of wind energy
charged under long-term contracts in the United States. For wind
energy projects completed during the period 19992006, higher
capacity factors and larger wind farms contributed to reductions in
wind energy contract prices paid by regulated investor owned utilities
in 2007. However, this effect was offset by rising construction costs.
Turbine size (in MW) shows no clear relationship to contract prices,
possibly because there may be opposing factors tending to decrease
costs as turbine size increases and tending to increase costs as turbine
size increases. Wind energy is generally a low-cost resource that is
competitive with natural gas-fired power generation.
10/01830 Offshore wind power in the US: regulatory issues
and models for regulation
Snyder, B. and Kaiser, M. J. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (11), 44424453.
The first offshore wind farm became operational in 1991 in Vindeby,
Denmark. By 2008, large offshore wind farms had been built in
Denmark, the UK, the Netherlands, Ireland, and Sweden with a total
capacity of 1200 MW. Offshore wind farms have the potential to
generate a significant fraction of US electrical consumption, but the US
currently lacks offshore wind farms and is still developing a regulatory
system. At the state level only Texas has a leasing system for offshore
wind. Since all offshore land is the property of the state and cannot be
legally developed without a lease from the government, these absences
have stalled development. This study reviews and compares regulatory
and leasing systems developed in Europe and the USA to inform a
discussion of the major issues associated with the development of an
offshore leasing and regulatory system. The authors focus on the
284 Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2010
13 Alternative energy supplies (wind energy)
tradeoffs between encouraging a sustainable energy source and
ensuring environmental protection and public compensation. It is
concluded that there are likely multiple effective methods of
regulation.
10/01831 Pathways to commercial wind power in the US,
Europe and Japan: the role of demonstration projects and
field trials in the innovation process
Harborne, P. and Hendry, C. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (9), 35803595.
A growing, but little understood area of government involvement in
promoting renewable energy, is the use of demonstration projects and
field trials (DTs) as a policy tool. This paper explores the historical role
of DTs in the commercialization of wind turbines. The authors review
information from government, academic and industry sources, together
with the newly created Cass Wind DT database, and consider the
context, objectives, participants and nature of wind DTs in the EU,
USA and Japan. Overall, it is difficult to identify the benefits of wind
DTs for many of the key actors. Government funding of DTs does not
appear to be shaped by coherent or targeted strategic objectives
indeed governments use DTs differently despite similar stated
objectives. A common theme has been the involvement of many
stakeholders, with local authorities, utilities and operators taking the
lead rather than manufacturers. Wind DTs appear to have neither
enabled participating manufacturers to become significant global
suppliers with a few exceptions driven by additional financial and
legislative support from national governments-nor to have established
a dominant design. The major benefit of wind DTs appears to have
been learning by using for utilities and wind farm operators, reducing
operational costs.
10/01832 Probabilistic load flow with wind production
uncertainty using cumulants and CornishFisher expansion
Usaola, J. International Journal of Electrical Power & Energy Systems,
2009, 31, (9), 474481.
This paper proposes a method for probabilistic load flow in networks
with wind generation, where the uncertainty of the production is non-
Gaussian. The method is based on the properties of the cumulants of
the probability density functions (PDF) and the CornishFisher
expansion, which is more suitable for non-Gaussian PDF than other
approaches, such as GramCharlier series. The paper includes
examples and comparisons between different methods proposed in
literature.
10/01833 Public perceptions of wind energy developments:
case studies from New Zealand
Graham, J. B. et al. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (9), 33483357.
Although the public generally hold positive attitudes towards wind
energy, proposals for the construction of new wind farms are often met
with strong resistance. In New Zealand, where the government has
recently introduced ambitious policy targets for renewable energy
generation, negative perceptions of wind farms are increasingly evident
and have the potential to prevent the achievement of these targets. This
research sets out to examine what influences social resistance to wind
farms in New Zealand. Drawing from public submissions on three wind
farm proposals, a framework developed by Devine-Wright was used as
the basis for identification of factors affecting public perceptions of
wind farms. The research found firstly that there was no apparent
relationship between the proximity of submitters to a proposed wind
farm and their likelihood of having a negative perception of the
proposal. A wide range of factors written in submissions appeared to
have affected the submitters decision to support or oppose the wind
farm proposal. Some of these were consistent with Devine-Wrights
findings, but 10 further factors were added to the framework to
adequately cover the aspects raised in submissions. The findings have
implications for the achievement of New Zealands energy policy
aspirations.
10/01834 Reflections on integrating operation and
maintenance activities of offshore wind farms and
mariculture
Michler-Cieluch, T. et al. Ocean & Coastal Management, 2009, 52, (1),
5768.
Offshore waters are in a process of transition, revealing diverse and
heterogenic interests in marine resources. This increasing complexity
leads to limits in developing and managing the different and often
spatially overlapping maritime activities independently of one another.
On a showcase basis ways and manners as well as the preconditions of
an offshore co-management approach are discussed for the fledgling
actor groups offshore wind farmers and mariculturists. Both groups
may benefit through the integration of operation and maintenance
(O&M) activities. Their resources in terms of offers, needs and
constraints characteristics and thereof deduced potentialities for
interaction is a prerequisite for initiating a co-management process.
This process is more likely to develop and succeed if an interface
management that acts as a moderator, disclosing the interests of the
actor groups and offering possibilities for concerted action, guides it. It
is concluded that such an institutional arrangement may in the long
term contribute to a sound methodological tool for a co-management
approach between different offshore maritime sectors.
10/01835 Renewable energy sources (RES) projects and
their barriers on a regional scale: the case study of wind
parks in the Dodecanese islands, Greece
Oikonomou, E. K. et al. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (11), 48744883.
The increasing energy challenges faced, in particular, by isolated
communities, such as insular communities, call for an integrated,
flexible and easy-to-apply methodology aiming at providing a list of
renewable energy sources) (RES) projects capable to reduce green
house gas (GHG) emissions, satisfy future energy forecasts and reach
the objectives of international/national energy directives and obli-
gations, as, for example, the ones set by the Kyoto Protocol by 2010.
The EU project EMERGENCE 2010 developed such a methodology
that is implemented here in the case study of wind parks in the
Dodecanese islands in Greece. The results obtained consist of a final
list of financially viable RES wind projects, for which various barriers
have been previously identified and assessed. The additional advan-
tages of the proposed methodology is that besides providing as an end
result a comprehensive list of RES projects adopted to specific criteria
and regional priorities, it also allows space for involving from early
stages the local community and stakeholders in the decision-making
process (participatory planning); in this way, the EMERGENCE 2010
methodology may assist towards the RES promotion and public
acceptance, the profitability of RES investments and the regional
sustainable development.
10/01836 Robust filtering for the characterization of wind
turbines: improving its operation and maintenance
Sainz, E. et al. Energy Conversion and Management, 2009, 50, (9), 2136
2147.
Characterization of the wind turbine power curve in relation to the
wind characteristics recorded in real scenarios is a problem that must
be solved in order to optimize the operation and maintenance of a wind
farm. To fit the models some data are required and the quality of the
data must be assured. It is well known that real measurements are
prone to incorrect data, so the application of automatic filtering
techniques is essential to deal with this problem. In this study, a robust
statistical technique has been adapted in order to filter the raw data
taken from a real wind farms in Spain. Different models to consider the
non-linear nature of the power curve in function of the wind speed and
direction, and taking into account air temperature and pressure have
been considered and tested. The results obtained are good and the
proposed method has shown a very good robustness for rejecting
incorrect data, in comparison with classical criteria for data elimin-
ation. Analysing the presented models, the authors have observed that
the exponential model with direction factors is the more complete one,
since it considers both the wind speed and direction in a continuous
way. It gives good results but sometimes it is too exigent and it
eliminates more data than required. A good alternative is the binned
linear robust adjustment which gives a good filtering when there are
enough data for the different sectors and bines. It is less exigent than
the exponential one at high speeds, where there are few data. Both
models work properly at low wind speeds, when the amount of
measurements is high. The proposed techniques eliminate the need to
perform various filtering steps usually done manually to reject outliers,
reducing the time and costs required for the process in a great factor.
The automatic and robust data processing presented also allows
automatic systems to evaluate the unavailability and deviations of the
efficiency of installed wind power turbines.
10/01837 Roof-top wind turbines for microgeneration in
urban houses in New Zealand
Mithraratne, N. Energy and Buildings, 2009, 41, (10), 10131018.
Microgeneration using roof-top wind turbines is at present not
common in New Zealand. It is, however, being trialled by the electricity
network company, Vector, in a range of urban locations. Limitations of
size mean roof-top wind turbines may not satisfy the total energy
requirement of New Zealand houses. Ensuring structural stability and
complying with stringent noise standards in New Zealand are further
issues. In addition, roof-top turbines may be inefficient in terms of net
energy and carbon emissions, performance indicators that are funda-
mental for the adoption of this technology. This paper considers the
feasibility of using roof-top wind turbines in urban houses in New
Zealand and, using life cycle assessment, evaluates the net energy and
carbon emissions associated with their use. The results indicate that the
electricity-generating potential of centralized wind farms in New
Zealand using large turbines is 11.37 times the generating potential
of roof-top turbines mounted on urban houses. In spite of this the roof-
top turbines that are currently being trialled, could have the potential
to reduce the energy and carbon intensity of New Zealand electricity by
81% and 26%, respectively.
Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2010 285
13 Alternative energy supplies (wind energy)
10/01838 The effects of improvement of the main shaft on
the operating conditions of the Agnew turbine
Yassi, Y. Energy Conversion and Management, 2009, 50, (10), 2486
2494.
Agnew turbine is a 45

axial flow Kaplan type micro hydro. The turbine

was designed by an ex-lecturer of the University of Glasgow, to operate
without guide vanes. Later due to a joint research program between the
Iranian Research Organization for Science and Technology (IROST)
and the University of Glasgow it was developed to operate under low
head and limited flow potentials in Iran. The original design of the
main shaft of the turbine was supported by a bearing housing consisting
of three bearings outside the main casing, leaving the rest of the shaft,
hub and the runner without any supports inside the turbine. Later a
suitable support near the runner and inside the casing was designed
and installed. Standard turbine tests showed considerable improve-
ments in operating characteristics of the turbine due to these design
modifications. This paper presents details of these improvements and
the related outcomes.
10/01839 The offshore trend: structural changes in the
wind power sector
Markard, J. and Petersen, R. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (9), 35453556.
In recent years, the wind power sector has begun to move offshore, i.e.
to use space and good wind speeds on the open sea for large-scale
electricity generation. Offshore wind power, however, is not just
technologically challenging but also a capital intensive and risky
business that requires particular financial and organizational resources
not all potential investors might have. The authors therefore address
the question, what impact offshore wind power may have on ownership
and organizational structures in the wind power sector. Onshore and
offshore wind park ownership is compared in Denmark, the UK and
Germany. The analysis shows that offshore wind power in all three
countries is dominated by large firms, many of which are from the
electricity sector. In Denmark and the UK, also investors from the gas
and oil industry play an important role in the offshore wind business.
This development represents a major shift for countries such as
Germany and Denmark, in which the wind power sector has grown and
matured on the basis of investments by individuals, farmers, coopera-
tives and independent project developers. The structural changes by
which offshore wind power is accompanied have consequences for
turbine manufacturers, project developers, investors, associations and
policy makers in the field.
10/01840 Wind to power a new city in Oman
Albadi, M. H. et al. Energy, 2009, 34, (10), 15791586.
This paper proposes the use of wind power as a source of electricity in
a new city being developed in the Duqm area of Oman. Recent wind
speed measurements taken at the Duqm metrological station are
analysed to obtain the annual and monthly wind probability distri-
bution profiles represented by Weibull parameters. The monthly
average mean wind speed ranges between 2.93 m/s in February and
9.76 m/s in July, with an annual average of 5.33 m/s. A techno-economic
evaluation of a wind power project is presented to illustrate the
projects viability. Given Duqms wind profile and the power curve
characteristics of a V901.8 turbine, an annual capacity factor of 0.36 is
expected. For the base-case assumptions, the cost of electricity is about
$0.05 and $0.08 per kWh for discount rates of 5% and 10%,
respectively. These values are higher than that of the existing
generation system, due to the subsidized prices of domestically
available natural gas. However, given high international natural gas
prices, the countrys long-term LNG export obligations, and the
expansion of natural gas-based industries, investments in wind power
in Duqm can be justified. A feed-in tariff and capital cost allowance
policies are recommended to facilitate investments in this sector.
Others, including economics
10/01841 A novel hybrid (windphotovoltaic) system sizing
procedure
Hocaoglu, F. O. et al. Solar Energy, 2009, 83, (11), 20192028.
Windphotovoltaic hybrid system (WPHS) utilization is becoming
popular due to increasing energy costs and decreasing prices of
turbines and photovoltaic (PV) panels. However, prior to construction
of a renewable generation station, it is necessary to determine the
optimum number of PV panels and wind turbines for minimal cost
during continuity of generated energy to meet the desired consump-
tion. In fact, the traditional sizing procedures find optimum number of
the PV modules and wind turbines subject to minimum cost. However,
the optimum battery capacity is either not taken into account, or
it is found by a full search between all probable solution spaces
which requires extensive computation. In this study, a novel description
of the production/consumption phenomenon is proposed, and a new
sizing procedure is developed. Using this procedure, optimum
battery capacity, together with optimum number of PV modules and
wind turbines subject to minimum cost can be obtained with good
accuracy.
10/01842 A quadratic helix approach to evaluate the
Turkish renewable energies
Celiktas, M. S. and Kocar, G. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (11), 49594965.
The first renewable energy law concerning the Use of Renewable
Energy Resources for the Generation of Electrical Energy was
adopted from European Union regulations on 18 May 2005 in Turkey.
The purpose of the law is to expand the utilization of renewable energy
resources for generating electricity. Renewables are defined in the law
as generation facilities based on wind, solar, geothermal, biomass,
biogas, wave, current and tidal energy resources, hydrogen energy and
hydroelectric generation facilities. The aim of the study was to use
strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) analysis to
identify Turkish renewable energy market strategy and perspective by
focusing on four different concepts: policy, market, technology and the
social dimension. Different information gathering strategies have been
applied such as monitoring of all statements and press releases
published in the newspapers by all Turkish renewable energy parties
starting from the launch of the law, articles presented in the events
between 2000 and 2008 and face-to-face interviews. The results
demonstrated the importance of technology development and knowl-
edge creation for gaining competitiveness on the global arena and the
need for a systematic approach for transforming the created know-how
into economic and social benefits.
10/01843 A windPV-battery hybrid power system at
Sitakunda in Bangladesh
Nandi, S. K. and Ghosh, H. R. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (9), 36593664.
The measured wind data of Local Government Engineering Depart-
ment (LGED) for 2006 at 30 m height shows a good prospect for wind
energy extraction at the site. For a few months and hours the speed is
below the cut in speeds of the available turbines in the market. The
predicted solar radiation data from directly related measured cloud
cover and sunshine duration data of Bangladesh Meteorological
Department (BMD) for 19922003 indicates that a reliable power
system can be developed over the year if the solar energy technology is
merged with the wind energy technologies for this site. This research
work has studied on optimization of a windphotovoltaic-battery hybrid
system and its performance for a typical community load. The
assessment shows that least cost of energy (COE) is about US$0.363/
kWh for a community using 169 kWh/day with 61 kW peak and having
minimum amount of access or unused energy. Moreover, compared to
the existing fossil fuel-based electricity supply, such an environment
friendly system can mitigate about 25 t CO
2
/yr. The analysis also
indicates that windPV-battery is economically viable as a replacement
for conventional grid energy supply for a community at a minimum
distance of about 17 km from the grid.
10/01844 An innovation management approach for
renewable energy deployment the case of solar
photovoltaic (PV) technology
Shum, K. L. and Watanabe, C. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (9), 35353544.
The purpose of this paper is to present an innovation perspective on
the renewable energy deployment process by introducing the inno-
vation value-added chain (IVC) framework. The analytical objective of
IVC is to evaluate the impact of a new innovation on the various
stakeholders and players in the development and deployment
processes. A deployment or innovation strategy that causes minimal
disruption, enhances existing competencies, or expedites new learning
by the players has a higher chance to succeed. The authors draw upon
two sets of system integration costs data for grid-connected distributed
photovoltaic (PV) systems in Japan and the USA and demonstrate
conspicuously different dynamic learning behaviours. These two
deployment models can be understood in terms of how the IVCs are
organized and how PV system integration projects are performed in the
field. In addition, IVC-based findings can inform the targeted
application of conventional financial subsidies for learning investment
not only at the PV system level, but also at the (localized) system
integration level. This would involve other stakeholders, thus
suggesting new energy policy space. The authors highlight some future
research directions using the IVC framework.
10/01845 Analysis of transport costs for energy crops for
use in biomass pyrolysis plant networks
Rogers, J. G. et al. Biomass and Bioenergy, 2009, 33, (10), 13671375.
Fast pyrolysis of biomass produces a liquid bio-oil that can be used for
electricity generation. Bio-oil can be stored and transported so it is
possible to decouple the pyrolysis process from the generation process.
This allows each process to be separately optimized. It is necessary to
have an understanding of the transport costs involved in order to carry
286 Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2010
13 Alternative energy supplies (others, including economics)
out techno-economic assessments of combinations of remote pyrolysis
plants and generation plants. Published fixed and variable costs for
freight haulage have been used to calculate the transport cost for trucks
running between field stores and a pyrolysis plant. It was found that the
key parameter for estimating these costs was the number of round trips
a day a truck could make rather than the distance covered. This zone
costing approach was used to estimate the transport costs for a range of
pyrolysis plants size for willow woodchips and baled miscanthus. The
possibility of saving transport costs by producing bio-oil near to the
field stores and transporting the bio-oil to a central plant was
investigated and it was found that this would only be cost effective
for large generation plants.
10/01846 Applying environmental-behaviour concepts to
renewable energy siting controversy: reflections on a
longitudinal bioenergy case study
Upham, P. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (11), 42734283.
To date, studies of energy siting controversy and of environmental
psychology have barely informed one another, despite the environ-
mental-behaviour literature potentially having considerable relevance
to understanding public opposition to energy projects. This paper
points towards this relevance, using the example of a longitudinal study
of public objections to a 21.5 MWe bioenergy gasifier proposed for
Winkleigh in Devon, England. Local opinion surveys in 2004 and 2007
showed that public opposition to the proposed gasifier remained strong
but also revealed some statistically significant change and correlations
of wider interest. In the context of the environmental psychology
literature, the dominant model of contextualized values, intention and
behaviour, as well as other psychological approaches, are found to be
helpful, both for making sense of the results and for informing a
psychological research agenda on public objection to new energy
infrastructure.
10/01847 Asia energy mixes from socio-economic and
environmental perspectives
Thavasi, V. and Ramakrishna, S. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (11), 4240
4250.
Sustainable clean energy is the top social, economic, and environmen-
tal agenda of political leaders, policy makers, enlightened business
executives, and civil society in Asia. Strong economic growth in Asia
has caused a great demand for energy which has resulted in an
enormous increase in CO
2
emissions. The association of Southeast
Asian nations (ASEAN), India, China, South Korea and Japan are the
most important regions in Asia as their economies have been growing
steadily. These countries though heavily dependent on fossil fuels have
stepped up their measures towards low-carbon society amid domestic
affordability challenges and changing global mindset. This report
highlights the current energy scenario in these countries and their
effort towards an affordable and sustainable clean energy future. The
energy policy to enhance energy security and improve environmental
sustainability is also explicated in this article.
10/01848 Assessment of hydropower potential using GIS
and hydrological modeling technique in Kopili River basin in
Assam (India)
Kusre, B. C. et al. Applied Energy, 2010, 87, (1), 298309.
A hilly watershed in Kopili River basin in Assam (India) was
considered for assessment of hydropower potential using spatial tool
(GIS) and hydrological model (SWAT2000). The available data related
to topography, soil, land use, weather and discharge pertaining to the
study watershed were used to characterize the watershed. The
characterization was required for water resources hence hydropower
assessment. The hydrology of the study watershed was simulated
through the model. The prediction accuracy of the model was
confirmed through three well known efficiency criteria, viz. coefficient
of determination (R
2
=0.70), NashSutcliffe efficiency (E=0.64) and
Index of agreement (d =0.91). A total of 107 sites on nine streams
could be identified as potential location for hydropower generation in
the study watershed using the model outputs. Distributed power
availability through micro units (<0.5 MW) has been the characteristic
feature of the watershed. Estimated potential carbon emission reduc-
tion (CER) within the watershed might be up to 125 thousand t CO
2
,
even 50% of the potential hydropower of the 1204 sq km watershed
could be implemented. The result of the study is expected to boost the
initiative for hydropower generation in the region considering the
limitation of fossil fuels, increasing power demand and availability of
untapped water resources.
10/01849 Assessment of small hydropower (SHP)
development in Turkey: laws, regulations and EU policy
perspective
Kucukali, S. and Baris, K. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (10), 38723879.
This paper aims to evaluate the development of small hydropower
(SHP) in Turkey and discusses the current situation of SHP plants in
terms of government policy, economical aspects and environmental
impacts taking EU policy into account. The laws published in recent
years in Turkey succeeded in promoting the utilization of renewable
energy for electricity generation, but it is considered that those laws are
not fully compatible with EU policy. After the publication of Renew-
able Energy Law there occurred a boost in SHP project along with
hydropower development. Thus, the hydropower potential of Turkey
increased 15% and the construction of hydropower plants also
increased by a factor of four in 2007 as compared to 2006. Investment
and operating costs are in favour of SHP development in Turkey as
having the lowest costs among European countries (3001000 e/kW as
investment cost and 1 ecent/kWh as operating cost). Turkish govern-
ments have taken precautions for environmental issues resulted from
renewable energy utilization but these are obviously not adequate. It is
concluded that more attention must be paid on environmental issues
and monitoring of the facilities must be enabled with further laws or
regulations.
10/01850 Bioenergy overview for Portugal
Ferreira, S. et al. Biomass and Bioenergy, 2009, 33, (11), 15671576.
Bioenergy is seen as one of the key options to mitigate greenhouse gas
emissions and substitute fossil fuels. Bioenergy is also an atypical
energy source due to its diversity and inter-linkages with many other
technological and policy areas. The goal of this paper is to analyse the
Portuguese possibilities for bioenergy provision from biomass. The
potentials of biomass, conversion technologies and legal framework
are analysed and discussed. The result of this analysis shows that there
are still unused potentials especially from forestry, which can
contribute significantly to cover the bioenergy targets. However, the
Portuguese experience with conversion technologies is limited to
combustion, which is a drawback that must be solved so as to the
bioenergy potential can be used. Research and development projects,
as well as demonstration projects are needed in order to improve the
efficiency of the technological processes. At political level, Portuguese
governments have been following the policies and strategies of the
European Commission in the energy sector. However, energy crops
market, due to the inter-linkage with agricultural policy, seems to need
some additional political impetus.
10/01851 Bioethanol development in China and the
potential impacts on its agricultural economy
Qiu, H. et al. Applied Energy, 2010, 87, (1), 7683.
China is now the third largest bioethanol producer in the world after
the USA and Brazil. This paper aims to provide an overview of Chinas
current bioethanol programme, its future trend, and the likely impacts
on its agricultural economy in the future. The analysis shows that China
has developed an ambitious long-run biofuel program with a series of
financial and institutional supports. While there are several potential
feedstock crops available for bioethanol production, lack of land for
feedstock production is one of major constraints in Chinas bioethanol
expansion. The results show that although Chinas bioethanol expan-
sion will have little impacts on overall agricultural prices in
international markets, it will have significant impacts on the prices,
productions, and trade of those energy crops being used for bioethanol
production in China.
10/01852 Biofuel developments in Sweden and the
Netherlands: protection and socio-technical change in a
long-term perspective
Ulmanen, J. H. et al. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 2009,
13, (67), 14061417.
This paper reviews long-term development of biofuels in Sweden and
the Netherlands. In particular this paper explores the social dynamics
of niche protection. The Swedish and Dutch cases are analysed by
means of the strategic niche management perspective extended with
insights from political science. The main argument here is that the
development of biofuels and the way this development is protected
relies on a variety of actor strategies and (local and global) discourses.
This case therefore suggests that policy making for biofuels is a
complex and non-linear process that can only partly be managed by
policy actors.
10/01853 Biofuels and synthetic fuels in the US and China:
a review of well-to-wheel energy use and greenhouse gas
emissions with the impact of land-use change
Yan, X. et al. Energy & Environmental Science, 2010, 3, (2), 190197.
Alternative transportation fuels are projected to grow substantially due
to energy security concerns especially in the USA and China.
Moreover, some of these fuels can potentially reduce greenhouse gas
emissions from the transportation sector and hence, can help to
mitigate climate change. This comprehensive review considers well-to-
wheel fossil fuel use and greenhouse gas emissions of biofuels and
synthetic fuels in the USA and China, including emissions from land-
use change. The results are carefully benchmarked to the emissions
caused by crude oil-derived fuels as well as synthetic fuels from fossil
feedstocks in order to estimate the potential emission reduction or
Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2010 287
13 Alternative energy supplies (others, including economics)
increase. The review strongly suggests that biofuels and synthetic fuels
can contribute to greenhouse gas mitigation in the transport sector only
if appropriate feedstocks are used and emissions from land-use change
are minimized.
10/01854 Biofuels securing the planets future energy
needs
Demirbas, A. Energy Conversion and Management, 2009, 50, (9), 2239
2249.
The biofuels include bioethanol, biobutanol, biodiesel, vegetable oils,
biomethanol, pyrolysis oils, biogas, and biohydrogen. There are two
global biomass-based liquid transportation fuels that might replace
gasoline and diesel fuel; these are bioethanol and biodiesel. World
production of biofuel was about 68 billion litres in 2007. The primary
feedstocks of bioethanol are sugarcane and corn. Bioethanol is a
gasoline additive/substitute. Bioethanol is by far the most widely used
biofuel for transportation worldwide. About 60% of global bioethanol
production comes from sugarcane and 40% from other crops. Biodiesel
refers to a diesel-equivalent mono alkyl ester based oxygenated fuel.
Biodiesel production using inedible vegetable oil, waste oil and grease
has become more attractive recently. The economic performance of a
biodiesel plant can be determined once certain factors are identified,
such as plant capacity, process technology, raw material cost and
chemical costs. The central policy of biofuel concerns job creation,
greater efficiency in the general business environment, and protection
of the environment.
10/01855 Cornerstones of a renewable energy law for
emerging markets in South America
Kissel, J. M. et al. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (9), 36213626.
Since 1990, effective support schemes for renewable energies have
been introduced mainly in European countries. In this article, the
authors explain which consequences different general conditions could
have on the design and functioning of feed-in laws. Cornerstones for an
adjusted feed-in law to the particular general conditions of emerging
and developing countries in South America will be drawn, which should
give support to the decision-makers for designing an attuned and well-
functioning feed-in legislation.
10/01856 Economic feasibility of solar-powered led
roadway lighting
Wu, M. S. et al. Renewable Energy, 2009, 34, (8), 19341938.
The optical efficacy of light emitting diode (LED) has exceeded 72 lm/
W in 2006. This implies that energy can be saved about 75%, as
compared to mercury lamps widely used in roadway lighting. In some
remote areas where the grid power cannot reach, independent solar-
powered lighting using high-power LED provides a promising solution.
However, the cost of solar photovoltaic device may cause the
application of solar-powered LED roadway lighting to be not
economically feasible. The present study investigates the design of
the solar-powered LED roadway lighting using high-power LED
luminaire (100 W) and estimates the installation cost for a 10 km
highway with 2 lanes. LED luminaries are installed on both side of the
road with staggered arrangement. The pole distance is 30 m. The cost
comparison of LED lighting using grid and solar power with the
conventional mercury lamps was carried out. It shows that the
installation cost is US$22 million for LED powered by grid power
and US$26 million for solar-powered. The total installation cost of
conventional mercury lighting is US$18 million. The excess cost of LED
mainly comes from the cost of LED lamp and solar PV. But, the cost of
power generation and electrical transmission line can be greatly
reduced since about 75% energy was saved for LED. This permits
the use of smaller copper wire and shorter line length for solar-
powered system which in turn saves installation cost. The payback time
for the excess investment of LED is 2.2 years for LED using grid power
and 3.3 years for LED using solar power.
10/01857 Economics of wind turbine as an energy fuel
saver a case study for remote application in Oman
Malik, A. and Al-Badi, A. H. Energy, 2009, 34, (10), 15731578.
This paper presents a study carried out to investigate the economics of
wind turbine as an energy fuel saver. The load and the wind data are
taken from a remote agricultural research station in Oman. Presently,
the station is provided with electricity from diesel-engine generating
units. The annual peak load and minimum load recorded at the site is
130 kW and 28 kW respectively. The annual average wind speed at the
site is 5.7 m/s. A 50-kW wind turbine is selected to demonstrate the
economic feasibility of the turbine as a fuel saver. The results show that
wind energy utilization is an attractive option with total specific cost of
the selected wind turbine ranges between 7.4 and 8.45 cents/kWh at
7.55% discount rate comparing to diesel generation operating cost of
14.3 cents/kWh, considering the capital cost of diesel units as sunk. The
simple payback period of the turbine is between 5.1 and 5.4 years and
discounted payback between 6.7 and 8.0 years.
10/01858 Fuelwood: the other renewable energy source
for Africa?
Hiemstra-van der Horst, G. and Hovorka, A. J. Biomass and Bioenergy,
2009, 33, (11), 16051616.
In recent years, increasing concerns over rising oil prices, supply
shortfalls and the environmental impacts of fossil fuel use have fed
growing interest in renewable energy sources for Sub-Saharan Africa.
Although traditional biofuels already enjoy widespread popularity,
their use has often been actively discouraged due to the lingering
influence of fuelwood crisis era narratives. In particular, urban
fuelwood consumption is frequently portrayed as a cause of environ-
mental degradation leading to energy insecurity among low-income
households, especially where the resource is commercialized. Such
views have had significant influence among policy makers, often
resulting in repressive forestry legislation. In contrast, however, a
number of researchers have demonstrated that wood energy depen-
dence is often not a significant cause of deforestation and can provide
important livelihood opportunities. This article reassesses urban
fuelwood sourcing and its impacts using a recent case study conducted
by the authors in Maun, Botswana and results previously reported in
the literature. Findings indicate that although harvesting is unregu-
lated, its impacts are significantly mitigated by collectors strong
preferences for source sites with abundant dead wood, low competition
and recognized access rights. As well, fuelwood vending is found to
provide critical support to rural incomes and a key source of low-cost
urban energy. As such, the benefits of fuelwood use and avoidance of
negative effects will most effectively be achieved by decentralized
management approaches that build on local institutions and under-
standings of the resource.
10/01859 Impacts of a United States biofuel policy on New
Zealands agricultural sector
Saunders, C. et al. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (9), 34483454.
The rise in oil prices has spurred interest in biofuels. Policies in the
United States like the renewable fuel standard (RFS) have led to an
expansion of ethanol production, while the New Zealand government
has mandated a minimum level of biofuel sales. The research used a
partial equilibrium model of international trade to quantify the price
and farmgate income effects of the US RFS policy. The goal was to
examine the competition between food and biofuel production and to
quantify the impact of the policy on the agricultural sector in New
Zealand. The RFS policy has a significant impact on corn prices, but a
small effect on livestock prices and production. There thus appears to
be little conflict between food and fuel uses for corn at the level of the
RFS mandate. New Zealands pasture-based livestock sector benefits
from the use of corn for ethanol production: it receives better prices for
its products, but does not face the same input cost increases as
competitors. The results suggest that New Zealand faces an interesting
decision: it could support investment in biofuels research, or benefit
from the biofuels boom through the indirect impacts on demand and
prices for meat and milk.
10/01860 Innovative private micro-hydro power
development in Rwanda
Pigaht, M. et al. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (11), 47534760.
Under the Private Sector Participation in Micro-Hydro Development
Project in Rwanda, four newly registered Rwandan companies are
each constructing a micro-hydro electricity plant (100500 kW) and
building a low-voltage distribution grid. These companies financed
their plants through their own equity and debt with support from the
PSP hydro project. This support comprised a subsidy of 3050% of
investment costs, technical and business development assistance,
project monitoring and financial controlling. The experiences gained
so far have important implications for similar future micro-hydro
energy sector development projects and this paper puts forward three
key messages: (1) institutional arrangements rather than technical
quality determine the success of such projects; (2) truly sustainable
rural electrification through micro-hydro development demands a high
level of local participation at all levels and throughout all project
phases, not just after plant commissioning; and (3) real impact and
sustainability can be obtained through close collaboration of local
private and financial sector firms requiring only limited external funds.
In short, micro-hydro projects can and will be taken up by local
investors as a business if the conditions are right. Applying these
messages could result in an accelerated uptake of viable micro-hydro
activities in Rwanda, and in the opinion of the authors elsewhere too.
10/01861 International renewable energy policy between
marginalization and initial approaches
Hirschl, B. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (11), 44074416.
This article undertakes an analysis of renewable energy policy at the
international level. So far, such policy efforts have been carried out in a
fragmented manner across various fields and without the benefit of any
specific international agreements or organizations. In the two key
policy areas of energy and climate, in which one would expect to find
288 Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2010
13 Alternative energy supplies (others, including economics)
direct approaches at the international level, there have been only
marginal efforts to promote renewable energy and with little direct
impact something which at first glance is rather remarkable. Initiated
in the wake of the Second World Summit on Sustainable Development,
in 2002 in Johannesburg, there exists for the first time a specific policy
process set in motion by the German government which has led to
some initial soft instruments and institutional forms; this multilateral
process, which, although parallel and independent in its approach, is
proceeding nonetheless in a consensual manner similar to the UN
negotiations. At the same time, several countries have taken the lead to
form an international organization for renewable energy; this is
presently being developed. This article examines the various policy
levels as well as the roles of the significant national and international
actors on the basis of a multilevel governance approach.
10/01862 Optimal design of district heating and cooling
pipe network of seawater-source heat pump
Li, X.-L. et al. Energy and Buildings, 2010, 42, (1), 100104.
District heating and cooling (DHC) using a seawater-source heat pump
involves large system engineering. The investments and the operational
cost of a DHC pipe network are higher than a tradition system, so the
authors built a least-annualized-cost global optimal mathematic model
to investigate further. Furthermore, this model considers the variety of
heating load and cooling load, the operational adjustment in different
periods of the year. Genetic algorithm (GA) was used to obtain the
optimal combinations of discrete diameters. Some operators of GA
were selected to reduce the calculation time and obtain good cal-
culation accuracy. This optimal method was used in the DHC network
of the Xinghai Bay commercial district. Design optimization can avoid
the hydraulic unbalance of the system, enhance the running efficiency
and greatly reduce the annualized-cost comparing with the traditional
design method.
10/01863 Planning of community-scale renewable energy
management systems in a mixed stochastic and fuzzy
environment
Cai, Y. P. et al. Renewable Energy, 2009, 34, (7), 18331847.
In this study, an interval-parameter superiorityinferiority-based two-
stage programming model has been developed for supporting commu-
nity-scale renewable energy management (ISITSP-CREM). This
method is based on an integration of the existing interval linear
programming (ILP), two-stage programming (TSP) and superiority
inferiority-based fuzzy-stochastic programming (SI-FSP). It allows
uncertainties presented as both probability/possibilistic distributions
and interval values to be incorporated within a general optimization
framework, facilitating the reflection of multiple uncertainties and
complexities during the process of renewable energy management
systems planning. ISITSP-CREM can also be used for effectively
addressing dynamic interrelationships between renewable energy
availabilities, economic penalties and electricity-generation defici-
encies within a community scale. Thus, complexities in renewable
energy management systems can be systematically reflected, highly
enhancing applicability of the modelling process. The developed
method has then been applied to a case of long-term renewable
energy management planning for three communities. Useful solutions
for the planning of renewable energy management systems have been
generated. Interval solutions associated with different energy avail-
abilities and economic penalties have been obtained. They can be used
for generating decision alternatives and thus help decision-makers
identify desired policies under various economic and system-reliability
constraints. The generated solutions can also provide desired energy
resource/service allocation plans with a minimized system cost (or
economic penalties), a maximized system reliability level and a
maximized energy security. Tradeoffs between system costs and
energy security can also be tackled. Higher costs will increase potential
energy generation amount, while a desire for lower system costs will
run into a risk of energy deficiency. They are helpful for supporting:
(a) adjustment or justification of allocation patterns of renewable
energy resources and services, (b) formulation of local policies
regarding energy utilization, economic development and energy struc-
ture under various energy availabilities and policy interventions, and
(c) analysis of interactions among economic cost, system reliability and
energy-supply shortage.
10/01864 Portfolio management of hydropower producer
via stochastic programming
Liu, H. et al. Energy Conversion and Management, 2009, 50, (10), 2593
2599.
This paper presents a stochastic linear programming framework for the
hydropower portfolio management problem with uncertainty in market
prices and inflows on medium term. The uncertainty is modelled as a
scenario tree using the Monte Carlo simulation method, and the
objective is to maximize the expected revenue over the entire scenario
tree. The portfolio decisions of the stochastic model are formulated as
a tradeoff involving different scenarios. Numerical results illustrate the
impact of uncertainty on the portfolio management decisions, and
indicate the significant value of stochastic solution.
10/01865 Practical aspects in solving the medium-term
operation planning problem of hydrothermal power systems
by using the progressive hedging method
dos Santos, M. L. L. et al. International Journal of Electrical Power &
Energy Systems, 2009, 31, (9), 546552.
The medium-term operation planning (MTOP) of hydrothermal
systems aims to define generation targets that minimize the expected
operation cost over the planning period, considering a set of
constraints with respect to the power system and the generating units.
Mathematically, this problem can be characterized as a linear,
stochastic and large scale, which requires the application of suitable
optimization tools. The purpose of this paper is to apply the
progressive hedging (PH) method to solve the MTOP problem. For
that, two critical aspects of the PH are addressed: the use of warm start
and the choice of a suitable penalty parameter. In addition, this paper
compares the performance of the PH to other popular methods, the
full high-scale linear programming problem, also known as determi-
nistic equivalent, and the nested decomposition, when solving similar
problems. As a result it is shown that the PH is a competitive method to
solve the MTOP problem.
10/01866 Probabilistic evaluation of reserve requirements
of generating systems with renewable power sources: the
Portuguese and Spanish cases
Matos, M. et al. International Journal of Electrical Power & Energy
Systems, 2009, 31, (9), 562569.
This paper presents an application of probabilistic methodologies to
evaluate the reserve requirements of generating systems with a large
penetration of renewable energy sources. The idea is to investigate the
behaviour of reliability indices, including those from the well-being
analysis, when the major portion of the renewable sources comes from
wind power and other intermittent sources. A new simulation process
to address operating reserve adequacy is introduced, and the
correspondent reliability indices are observed. Case studies on the
Portuguese and Spanish generating systems are presented and
discussed.
10/01867 Rejecting renewables: the socio-technical
impediments to renewable electricity in the United States
Sovacool, B. K. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (11), 45004513.
If renewable power systems deliver such impressive benefits, why do
they still provide only 3% of national electricity generation in the
United States? As an answer, this article demonstrates that the
impediments to renewable power are socio-technical, a term that
encompasses the technological, social, political, regulatory, and
cultural aspects of electricity supply and use. Extensive interviews of
public utility commissioners, utility managers, system operators,
manufacturers, researchers, business owners, and ordinary consumers
reveal that it is these socio-technical barriers that often explain why
wind, solar, biomass, geothermal, and hydroelectric power sources are
not embraced. Utility operators reject renewable resources because
they are trained to think only in terms of big, conventional power
plants. Consumers practically ignore renewable power systems because
they are not given accurate price signals about electricity consumption.
Intentional market distortions (such as subsidies), and unintentional
market distortions (such as split incentives) prevent consumers from
becoming fully invested in their electricity choices. As a result, newer
and cleaner technologies that may offer social and environmental
benefits but are not consistent with the dominant paradigm of the
electricity industry continue to face comparative rejection.
10/01868 Renewable energy consumption and income in
emerging economies
Sadorsky, P. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (10), 40214028.
Increased economic growth and demand for energy in emerging
economies is creating an opportunity for these countries to increase
their usage of renewable energy. This paper presents and estimates two
empirical models of renewable energy consumption and income for a
panel of emerging economies. Panel cointegration estimates show that
increases in real per capita income have a positive and statistically
significant impact on per capita renewable energy consumption. In the
long term, a 1% increase in real income per capita increases the
consumption of renewable energy per capita in emerging economies by
approximately 3.5%. Long-term renewable energy per capita consump-
tion price elasticity estimates are approximately equal to 0.70.
10/01869 Socio-psychological impacts of the introduction
of energy technologies: change in environmental behavior
of households with photovoltaic systems
Hondo, H. and Baba, K. Applied Energy, 2010, 87, (1), 229235.
Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2010 289
13 Alternative energy supplies (others, including economics)
After installing a photovoltaic (PV) system in a house or a school, it is
said that people seem to increase behaviour that shows concern for the
environment such as saving electricity. Do characteristics of PV systems
have any influence on the change in peoples behaviour? This study
attempts to discover why peoples behaviour toward energy and the
environment change after installing a PV system. Based on ques-
tionnaire surveys, this paper describes the results of statistical analysis
concerning the changes in households that installed PV systems. The
results show that in households where the family members are highly
aware of their PV systems they tend to increase environmental
behaviour after installing the PV system. It is also found that an
increase in communication about environmental behaviour in a family
tends to go hand-in-hand with the increase in environmental behaviour.
The findings suggest that the installation of residential PV systems
affect peoples concern and norms related to energy and the
environment, and consequently influences peoples behaviour.
10/01870 Systems analyses and the sustainable transfer of
renewable energy technologies: a focus on remote areas of
Africa
Brent, A. C. and Kruger, W. J. L. Renewable Energy, 2009, 34, (7),
17741781.
Sustainable energy provision is regarded as one of the most significant
challenges facing the realm of development, especially in Africa where
large proportions of the population still lack access to energy services.
Although there have been much efforts to address these problems with
renewable energy technologies, there have also been substantial
failures and problems. The Intermediate Technology Development
Group (ITDG) has developed a manual that seeks to address these
implementation issues. The Renewable Energy for Sustainable Rural
Livelihoods workgroup has also developed such a framework, termed
SURE, which is a multi-criteria decision analysis modelling tool. Both
of these frameworks rely heavily on the Sustainable Livelihoods
Approach and emphasize the need to rigorously analyse the sub-
systems where technologies are to be introduced. These two frame-
works have been integrated and assessed in terms of their applicability
for the South African rural renewable energy landscape through a
Delphi study conducted with several experts in the energy sector. The
results indicate that the integrated framework is suitable for the South
African context, with additions to the ITDG and SURE frameworks
suggested. Finally the paper highlights a potential concern in the South
African renewable energy industry in that technology assessment
methods that are utilized in practise do not incorporate the concepts of
sustainability science adequately; this must be addressed through
further case study research efforts.
10/01871 The rise and fall of GO trading in European
renewable energy policy: the role of advocacy and policy
framing
Nilsson, M. et al. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (11), 44544462.
This paper examines policy processes surrounding the rise and fall of
the proposed EU-wide policy instrument designed to help achieve the
EUs renewable energy targets the trading of guarantees of origin
(GO). It discusses its origins and examines factors in the policy
processes over time leading first to its development and then to its
abandonment. A first analysis looks at the near-term policy-making
process before and after the proposal on GO trading in January 2008,
focusing on the European policy-making institutions and influences of
interest groups and member state governments. It then takes a step
back and looks over a longer time period at how competing policy
frames have shaped the agendas underlying the debate. Results show
how a strong internal market frame acted as a primary driving force in
the Commission to promote the GO trading instrument. The rejection
of the GO trading proposal in the Council and Parliament can be
largely attributed to the lack of a strong lobby in favour of GO, the
accumulated experience with and institutionalization of national RES
support policies such as feed-in tariffs, and growing general political
concerns for supply security, innovation and competitiveness.
10/01872 Willingness-to-pay for renewable energy: primary
and discretionary choice of British households for micro-
generation technologies
Scarpa, R. and Willis, K. Energy Economics, 2010, 32, (1), 129136.
This paper documents the policy context of renewable energy
production in the European Union. The research adopts a choice
experiment approach to investigate households WTP for these
renewable energy technologies in the UK. The micro-generation
technologies comprise solar photovoltaic, micro-wind, solar thermal,
heat pumps, and biomass boilers and pellet stoves. The study compares
the results from conditional and mixed logit models, which estimate the
distribution of utility coefficients and then derives WTP values as a
ratio of the attribute coefficient to the price coefficient, with a model in
which the WTP distribution is estimated directly from utility in the
money space. The results suggest that whilst renewable energy
adoption is significantly valued by households, this value is not
sufficiently large, for the vast majority of households, to cover the
higher capital costs of micro-generation energy technologies.
14 FUEL SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY
Fundamental science, analysis,
instrumentation
10/01873 A case study in data audit and modelling
methodology Australia
Apelbaum, J. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (10), 37143732.
The purpose of the paper is to outline a rigorous, spatially consistent
and cost-effective transport planning tool that projects travel demand,
energy and emissions for all modes associated with domestic and
international transport. The planning tool (Aus
e
Tran) is a multi-modal,
multi-fuel and multi-regional macroeconomic and demographic-based
computational model of the Australian transport sector that overcomes
some of the gaps associated with existing strategic level transport
emission models. The paper also identifies a number of key data issues
that need to be resolved prior to model development with particular
reference to the Australian environment. The strategic model structure
endogenously derives transport demand, energy and emissions by
jurisdiction, vehicle type, emission type and transport service for both
freight and passenger transport. Importantly, the analytical framework
delineates the national transport task, energy consumed and emissions
according to region, state/territory of origin and jurisdictional proto-
cols, provides an audit mechanism for the evaluation of the
methodological framework, integrates a mathematical protocol to
derive time series FFC emission factors and allows for the impact of
non-registered road vehicles on transport, fuel and emissions.
10/01874 A comparative analysis for multiattribute
selection among renewable energy alternatives using fuzzy
axiomatic design and fuzzy analytic hierarchy process
Kahraman, C. et al. Energy, 2009, 34, (10), 16031616.
In this paper, fuzzy multicriteria decision-making methodologies are
suggested for selecting among renewable energy alternatives. The first
methodology is based on the AHP which allows the evaluation scores
from experts to be linguistic expressions, crisp, or fuzzy numbers, while
the second is based on AD principles under fuzziness which evaluates
the alternatives under objective or subjective criteria with respect to
the functional requirements obtained from experts. The originality of
the paper comes from the fuzzy AD application to the selection of the
best renewable energy alternative and the comparison with fuzzy AHP.
In the application of the proposed methodologies the most appropriate
renewable energy alternative is determined for Turkey.
10/01875 A decoupled power flow algorithm using particle
swarm optimization technique
Acharjee, P. and Goswami, S. K. Energy Conversion and Management,
2009, 50, (9), 23512360.
A robust, non-divergent power flow method has been developed using
the particle swarm optimization (PSO) technique. The decoupling
properties between the power system quantities have been exploited in
developing the power flow algorithm. The speed of the power flow
algorithm has been improved using a simple perturbation technique.
The basic power flow algorithm and the improvement scheme have
been designed to retain the simplicity of the evolutionary approach.
The power flow is rugged, can determine the critical loading conditions
and also can handle the flexible alternating current transmission system
(FACTS) devices efficiently. Test results on standard test systems show
that the proposed method can find the solution when the standard
power flows fail.
10/01876 A free-parameter theoretical model for describing
the electron elastic scattering in water in the Geant4 toolkit
Champion, C. et al. Radiation Physics and Chemistry, 2009, 78, (9),
745750.
The present work provides an accurate description of the elastic
scattering process for low-energy electrons (10 eV10 keV) in liquid
water by means of a free-parameter quantum-mechanical treatment.
The calculations are performed in the partial-wave formalism by means
of a total interaction potential taking into account a static contribution
290 Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2010
14 Fuel science and technology (fundamental science, analysis, instrumentation)
as well as fine effects like exchange and polarization contributions. The
obtained results in terms of singly differential and total cross-sections
exhibit relatively good agreement with available experimental data (in
gaseous water). They have been incorporated into the Geant4 toolkit,
which has been recently extended with physics processes for micro-
dosimetry applications in liquid water down to the electronvolt scale.
They offer an improved alternative to the semi-empirical and to the
screened Rutherford models already available in this very low-energy
extension.
10/01877 A metafrontier approach for measuring an
environmentally sensitive productivity growth index
Oh, D. Energy Economics, 2010, 32, (1), 146157.
This paper presents an alternative environmentally sensitive pro-
ductivity growth index to incorporate group heterogeneities into a
conventional MalmquistLuenberger productivity growth index. The
proposed approach allows the calculation of both efficiency and
technical changes, for economic agents operating under different
technologies. Moreover, it also enables the computation of changes in
the technological gap between regional and global frontier technol-
ogies. The proposed index is employed in measuring productivity
growth and its decomposed components in 46 countries between 1993
and 2003. The main finding is that Europe has taken the lead in the
world frontier technology and that Asia has attempted to move towards
the frontier technology. Subsequent policy implications are provided
based on some empirical studies.
10/01878 A multiobjective approach for solving
cooperative n-person games
Maali, Y. International Journal of Electrical Power & Energy Systems,
2009, 31, (10), 608610.
A linear programming model is introduced to solve cooperative games.
The solution is always Pareto optimal. It is based on the idea of the
core but instead of requiring rationality for all groups, a multiobjective
approach is proposed including the importance weights of the players.
A case study illustrates the application of this method.
10/01879 An efficient parallel computing scheme for Monte
Carlo criticality calculations
Dufek, J. and Gudowski, W. Annals of Nuclear Energy, 2009, 36, (8),
12761279.
The existing parallel computing schemes for Monte Carlo criticality
calculations suffer from a low efficiency when applied on many
processors. A new fission matrix based scheme is suggested for
efficient parallel computing. The results are derived from the fission
matrix that is combined from all parallel simulations. The scheme
allows for a practically ideal parallel scaling as no communication
among the parallel simulations is required, and inactive cycles are not
needed.
10/01880 An improved three-dimensional wavelet-based
method for solving the first-order Boltzmann transport
equation
Zheng, Y. et al. Annals of Nuclear Energy, 2009, 36, (9), 14401449.
A new angular discretization scheme based on the Daubechies
wavelets has been developed in recent studies. A decoupled S
N
and
wavelet expansion method was proposed. This paper discusses the
limitations and improvements of this decoupled scheme. The scaling
function, instead of the wavelet function, is applied as the basis
function. It significantly improved the efficiency and computational
stability. A new series of wavelets on the interval are applied instead of
the wrapped wavelets, which eliminate the edge effect in the angular
subdomain scheme. Based on the improvements, a wavelet-based
neutron transport code package WAVTRAN is developed and the
previous work is extended to the three-dimensional calculation and
anisotropic scattering calculation. Numerical results demonstrate that
the improvements are effective. Further investigations demonstrate
that the wavelet-based angular discretization scheme is more powerful
than the traditional ones in some highly anisotropic angular flux
problems.
10/01881 Calculation of time-dependent neutronic
parameters using Monte Carlo method
Shayesteh, M. and Shahriari, M. Annals of Nuclear Energy, 2009, 36,
(7), 901909.
A new code, named time-dependent Monte Carlo (TDMC), is
developed for the calculation of neutronic parameters of multiplying
systems. The code simulates the time-dependent neutron transport
equation with explicit representation of delayed neutrons by using
Monte Carlo method. Calculations with time-varying boundaries and/
or cross sections are possible by this code. The resulting code is tested
using benchmark problems and other methods that are available in the
literature.
10/01882 Calibrating fault seal using a hydrocarbon
migration model of the Oseberg Syd area, Viking Graben
Childs, C. et al. Marine and Petroleum Geology, 2009, 26, (6), 764774.
It is widely acknowledged that fault rock capillary properties are
important in controlling the distribution of hydrocarbons in sedimen-
tary basins, and methods exist for predicting the capillary seal capacity
of prospect bounding faults. However, fault seal capacity is rarely
incorporated into models of hydrocarbon migration. This paper
presents the results of migration modelling of the Oseberg Syd area
of the Viking Graben incorporating fault rock capillary properties. Seal
capacity is calculated in the model as a function of Shale Gouge Ratio
(SGR), i.e. the percentage shale in the sequence moved past a point on
a fault. Over 3000 model realizations were run for different SGR to
fault seal capacity relationships and the calculated hydrocarbon
distributions were compared with known distributions. Realizations
were ranked according to the closeness of fit between model and actual
oilwater contacts for seven traps. The best-fit to all seven traps was
provided by realizations with significant seal capacity at SGR values
greater than ca. 0.2; a value which is in agreement with an inde-
pendently derived fault-by-fault calibration between SGR and seal
capacity. The level of fill calculated for an individual trap is extremely
sensitive to minor changes in the seal capacity relationship because it is
controlled not only by the seal capacities of the faults that bound the
trap, but also by the pattern of fillspill of upstream traps. This
sensitivity to minor changes in seal capacity introduces large uncertain-
ties when fault seal capacity relationships are used in a predictive mode
and emphasizes the requirement for migration modelling in fault seal
prospect evaluation.
10/01883 Carbon Lorenz curves
Groot, L. Resource and Energy Economics, 2010, 32, (1), 4564.
The purpose of this paper is twofold. First, it exhibits that standard
tools in the measurement of income inequality, such as the Lorenz
curve and the Gini-index, can successfully be applied to the issues of
inequality measurement of carbon emissions and the equity of
abatement policies across countries. These tools allow policy-makers
and the general public to grasp at a single glance the impact of
conventional distribution rules such as equal caps or grandfathering, or
more sophisticated ones, on the distribution of greenhouse gas
emissions. Second, using the Samuelson rule for the optimal provision
of a public good, the Pareto-optimal distribution of carbon emissions is
compared with the distribution that follows if countries follow Nash
Cournot abatement strategies. It is shown that the Pareto-optimal
distribution under the Samuelson rule can be approximated by the
equal cap division, represented by the diagonal in the Lorenz curve
diagram.
10/01884 Chitin complex for the remediation of mine
impacted water: geochemistry of metal removal and
comparison with other common substrates
Ann Robinson-Lora, M. and Brennan, R. A. Applied Geochemistry,
2010, 25, (3), 336344.
Remediation of mine impacted water (MIW) generally requires
decreasing the acidity and concentrations of dissolved and/or particu-
late contaminants (SO
4
2
, metals and metalloids). By fulfilling these
requirements in both laboratory and field trials, the sustainable
composite waste material, crab-shell chitin complex (CC) has proven
to be a promising substrate for MIW remediation, but has not yet been
directly compared with other substrates under controlled conditions. In
this study, remediation rates and metal removal mechanisms promoted
by CC were evaluated and compared to the more commonly used
lactate and spent mushroom compost (SMC) using sacrificial batch
microcosms and geochemical modelling. Under comparable conditions
with equivalent mass of substrate to water ratios, increases in pH were
much faster in the microcosms containing CC than with the other
substrates: CC increased the pH from pH 3.0 to near neutral in 3 d. In
microcosms containing CC, steady alkalinity generation and acidity
removal were observed at average rates of 26.5 and 25.2 mg CaCO
3
/L-
d, respectively. The activity of SO
4
2
-reducing bacteria was evident
after 9 d of incubation, with average reduction rates of 17.8 mg SO
4
2
/
L-d. Similar changes in alkalinity, acidity, and SO
4
2
were also
observed in lactate-containing microcosms, but only after a 27 d lag
period. No alkalinity generation or SO
4
2
reduction activity was
observed in bottles containing SMC. Aluminum removal (100%) was
eventually observed with all substrates, but occurred much faster with
CC. Results from thermodynamic geochemical modelling indicate that
Al removal was consistent with the precipitation of hydroxides and/or
alunite. Iron removal was consistent with precipitation of Fe(III)
oxides and Fe(II) sulfides, as well as sorption onto CC and SMC. The
addition of Na lactate interfered with such mechanisms due to
complexation effects. Chitin complex was the only substrate able to
partially remove Mn ( 73%), likely due to the formation of rhodochro-
site. The results of this study indicate that CC is an attractive substrate
for treating metal-laden waste streams, especially those which are high
in Mn.
Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2010 291
14 Fuel science and technology (fundamental science, analysis, instrumentation)
10/01885 Energy metrics analysis of hybridphotovoltaic
(PV) modules
Tiwari, A. et al. Applied Energy, 2009, 86, (12), 26152625.
In this paper, energy metrics (energy payback time, electricity
production factor and life cycle conversion efficiency) of hybrid
photovoltaic (PV) modules have been analysed and presented for the
composite climate of New Delhi, India. For this purpose, it is necessary
to calculate: (1) the energy consumption in making different
components of the PV modules and (2) the annual energy (electrical
and thermal) available from the hybrid-PV modules. A set of
mathematical relations have been reformulated for computation of
the energy metrics. The manufacturing energy, material production
energy, energy use and distribution energy of the system have been
taken into account, to determine the embodied energy for the hybrid-
PV modules. The embodied energy and annual energy outputs have
been used for evaluation of the energy metrics. For a hybrid-PV
module, it has been observed that the EPBT gets significantly reduced
by taking into account the increase in annual energy availability of the
thermal energy in addition to the electrical energy. The values of EPF
and LCCE of hybrid PV module become higher as expected.
10/01886 Energy simulation of vertical greenery systems
Wong, N. H. et al. Energy and Buildings, 2009, 41, (12), 14011408.
This study simulated the effects of vertical greenery systems on the
temperature and energy consumption of buildings. First, TAS software
simulations were performed to determine their effects on thermal
comfort and energy consumption. It was found that 100% greenery
coverage from vertical greenery systems is effective in lowering the
mean radiant temperature of a glass-facade building. Furthermore, to
lower the energy cooling load significantly, the shading coefficient of
plant species has to be low. Second, a thermal calculation of the
envelope thermal transfer value (ETTV) was performed to obtain their
effects on the thermal performance of building envelope. Results
showed a linear correlation between shading coefficient and leaf area
index where a lower shading coefficient leads to a greater thermal
insulation. A 50% greenery coverage from vertical greenery systems
and a shading coefficient of 0.041 reduce the ETTV of a glass facade
building by 40.68%. Lastly, vertical greenery systems in mitigating the
urban heat island effect within an estate were simulated using STEVE
model. The increase of greenery coverage from vertical greenery
systems was most significantly felt with a drop in the minimum estate
air temperature throughout a large region of the estate.
10/01887 Forecasting energy consumption in Taiwan using
hybrid nonlinear models
Pao, H. T. Energy, 2009, 34, (10), 14381446.
The total consumption of electricity and petroleum energies accounts
for almost 90% of the total energy consumption in Taiwan, so it is
critical to model and forecast them accurately. For univariate
modelling, this paper proposes two new hybrid non-linear models that
combine a linear model with an artificial neural network (ANN) to
develop adjusted forecasts, taking into account heteroscedasticity in
the models input. Both of the hybrid models can decrease round-off
and prediction errors for multi-step-ahead forecasting. The results
suggest that the new hybrid model generally produces forecasts which,
on the basis of out-of-sample forecast encompassing tests and
comparisons of three different statistic measures, routinely dominate
the forecasts from conventional linear models. The superiority of the
hybrid ANNs is due to their flexibility to account for potentially
complex non-linear relationships that are not easily captured by linear
models. Furthermore, all of the linear and non-linear models have
highly accurate forecasts, since the mean absolute percentage forecast
error (MAPE) results are less than 5%. Overall, the inclusion of
heteroscedastic variations in the input layer of the hybrid univariate
model could help improve the modelling accuracy for multi-step-ahead
forecasting.
10/01888 Higher-harmonic focused-wave forces on a
vertical cylinder
Ma, Y. et al. Ocean Engineering, 2009, 36, (8), 595604.
This paper considers higher-harmonic forces due to wave focusing on a
vertical circular cylinder. A series of experiments has been conducted
in a wave flume. The first six-harmonic components of the measured
wave forces are analysed using the scale-averaged wavelet spectrum. It
is noted that due to the transient nature of focused (freak) waves,
Fourier analysis would not provide equivalent information to that
gleaned from the analyses used herein. The results for the experiments
with very steep wave crests show significant amplitudes at the fourth
and fifth harmonics. These harmonics exhibit amplitudes that are the
same order as the second harmonic, but much larger than those of
the third harmonic. The wavelet-based bicoherence is used to detect
the quadratic non-linearity of the measured forces. And the bicoher-
ence spectra reveal the primary mathematical reason for the existence
of the striking amplitudes of the fourth and fifth harmonics: the
interaction between the lower-harmonic components couple more
strongly with the fourth and fifth harmonics, thus the fourth and fifth
harmonics glean more energy than those of the third-harmonic
components. However, the physical explanation for this remains
elusive.
10/01889 Measurement of meteorological data based on
wireless data acquisition system monitoring
Benghanem, M. Applied Energy, 2009, 86, (12), 26512660.
Estimation of solar energy potential of a region requires detailed solar
radiation climatology, and it is necessary to collect extensive radiation
data of high accuracy covering all climatic zones of the region. In this
regard, a wireless data acquisition system (WDAS) would help to
estimate solar energy potential considering the remote regions energy
requirement. This article explains the design and implementation of
WDAS for assessment of solar energy. The proposed system consists of
a set of sensors for measuring meteorological parameters. The
collected data are first conditioned using precision electronic circuits
and then interfaced to a PC using RS232 connection via wireless unit.
The LabVIEW program is used to further process, display and store
the collected data in the PC disk. The proposed architecture permits
the rapid system development and has the advantage of flexibility and it
can be easily extended for controlling the renewable energy systems
like photovoltaic system. The WDAS with executive information
systems and reporting tools helps to tap vast data resources and
deliver information.
10/01890 Method using gas chromatography to determine
the molar flow balance for proton exchange membrane fuel
cells exposed to impurities
Bender, G. et al. Journal of Power Sources, 2009, 193, (2), 713722.
An understanding of the potentially serious performance degradation
effects that trace level contaminants can cause in proton exchange
membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) is crucial for the successful deployment
of PEMFC for commercial applications. An experimental and analytic
methodology is described that employs gas chromatography (GC) to
accurately determine the concentration of impurity species in the fuel
and oxidant streams of a PEMFC. This study also shows that the
accurate determination of the contaminant concentrations at the anode
and cathode inlets and outlets provides a means to quantify reactions
of contaminants within the cell and to identify diffusive mass transport
across the membrane. High data accuracy down to sub-ppm contami-
nant levels is required and was achieved by addressing several
challenges pertaining to experimental setup and data analysis which
are both discussed in detail. The application of the methodology is
demonstrated using carbon monoxide and toluene which were injected
into the cell at concentrations between 1 and 10 ppm and 20 and
60 ppm, respectively. Both impurities were observed to react in the fuel
cell: carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide, and toluene to methylcyclo-
hexane. For both contaminants closure of the molar flow balances to
within 3% was achieved even at the low contaminant concentrations.
This allowed the extent of both reactions at the applied operating
conditions to be quantified. The presented methodology is shown to be
a valuable tool for investigating the effects and reactions of trace
contaminants in fuel cells and for providing critical insights into the
mechanisms responsible for the associated performance degradation.
10/01891 Monthly average clear-sky broadband irradiance
database for worldwide solar heat gain and building cooling
load calculations
Gueymard, C. A. and Thevenard, D. Solar Energy, 2009, 83, (11),
19982018.
This paper establishes the formulation of a new clear-sky solar
radiation model appropriate for algorithms calculating cooling loads
in buildings. The aim is to replace the ASHRAE clear-sky model of
1967, whose limitations are well known and are reviewed. The new
model is derived in two steps. The first step consists of obtaining a
reference irradiance dataset from the REST2 model, which uses a high-
performance, validated, two-band clear-sky algorithm. REST2 requires
detailed inputs about atmospheric conditions such as aerosols, water
vapour, ozone, and ground albedo. The development of global
atmospheric datasets used as inputs to REST2 is reviewed. For the
most part, these datasets are derived from space observations to
guarantee universality and accuracy. In the case of aerosols, point-
source terrestrial measurements were also used as ground truthing of
the satellite data. The second step of the model consists of fits derived
from a REST2-based reference irradiance dataset. These fits enable
the derivation of compact, but relatively accurate expressions, for beam
and diffuse clear-sky irradiance. The fitted expressions require the
tabulation of only two pseudo-optical depths for each month of the
year. The resulting model, and its tabulated data, are expected to be
incorporated in the 2009 edition of the ASHRAE Handbook of
Fundamentals.
292 Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2010
14 Fuel science and technology (fundamental science, analysis, instrumentation)
10/01892 New computation method for stratification pipes
of solar storage tanks
Goppert, S. et al. Solar Energy, 2009, 83, (9), 15781587.
The efficiency of low-flow solar systems is strongly influenced by the
quality of the thermal stratification in the storage tank. The better a
thermal stratification can be generated and maintained, the higher can
be the yield of the solar system. Fluid mechanical charge systems are
often used for this purpose, which cause, however, undesirable sucking
effects. Therefore, the knowledge of the appearing fluid flows as well as
the knowledge of the consequences of constructive changes are very
important for the design of such charge systems. However, simulations
with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) are very costly and time-
consuming. In this article a new and much simpler computation
method is introduced making the determination of the individual fluid
flows and the estimation of the effects of constructive changes possible.
The computations can be carried out within short time. The
comparison with CFD gives a qualitatively good agreement for a
simple charge system. The results of a constructive modification of the
charge system reducing the sucking effect are discussed. The remaining
quantitative differences result from the discrepancies between the non-
ideal behaviour of the real fluid and the model assumptions and point
out improvement potentials.
10/01893 Numerical investigation of the first bifurcation for
natural convection of fluids enclosed in a 2D square cavity
with Pr lower than 1.0
Wang, X. et al. Energy Conversion and Management, 2009, 50, (10),
25042512.
This article presents a numerical study of the effect of the Prandtl
number on the first bifurcation of natural convection for fluids
enclosed in a 2D square cavity subject to a horizontal temperature
gradient. The natural convection equations are solved using a second-
order EulerTaylorGalerkin (ETG) finite element method of frac-
tional steps. Influence of the mesh resolution on the numerical
investigation is analysed first on 10 sets of uniform square element
meshes while the Rayleigh numbers are 10
4
and 10
5
keeping Pr =0.71.
Variations of the averaged Nusselt number and its relative error in the
results provided by the benchmark computation of Davis with the grids
are used to find the role of mesh resolution. As for Ra =10
4
and 10
5
,
Nu
AVER
increases first with the increase in the number of grids used.
And for each Ra, Nu
AVER
tends to be independent of the number of
elements when it is higher than 80 80. Grids (101 101) are then used
in the study to capture the first bifurcation of natural convection. The
bisection method and the flow patterns are utilized to estimate the
critical Rayleigh number for 11 different fluids for which Pr _1.0. It
can be deduced from the results presented that Ra
Cr
decreases with the
increase in Pr. Variation of Ra
Cr
with Pr is also fitted to estimate Ra
Cr
for any fluids for which Pr _1.0 directly. It is also observed that the
global flow cores are inclined for each Pr and that the inclination
degree increases in anticlockwise direction with Pr.
10/01894 Numerical simulation of three-dimensional flow
dynamics in a hot water storage tank
Ievers, S. and Lin, W. Applied Energy, 2009, 86, (12), 26042614.
Research has shown that the thermal performance of a hot water
system can be increased by maximizing the level of thermal stratifica-
tion within the storage tank, which could lead to huge energy saving. To
analyse the effects of tank geometry and operating conditions on the
thermal stratification within a storage tank, seven three-dimensional
models have been numerically simulated by using the computational
fluid dynamics program Fluent with realistic boundary and initial
conditions applied. The level of thermal stratification in each model
has been quantified using exergy analyses. The results show that
increasing the tanks height/diameter aspect ratio, decreasing inlet/
outlet flow rates and moving the inlet/outlet to the outer extremities of
the tank all result in increasing levels of thermal stratification.
10/01895 Offshore wind energy development in the
exclusive economic zone: legal and policy supports and
impediments in Germany and the US
Portman, M. E. et al. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (9), 35963607.
The development of renewable energy as a major component of efforts
to combat climate change serves as the impetus for the location of
energy production facilities in coastal ocean space. Yet, while many
coastal nations see offshore renewable energy development as an
important way forward, the speed and manner in which these efforts
take shape vary dramatically. This paper assesses the role of coastal
nations domestic legal and policy frameworks in the siting of offshore
renewable energy facilities in areas under federal jurisdiction. It
focuses on two nations Germany and the United States. Both have
articulated their interest in renewable offshore energy, but while
Germany has approved many offshore sites, recent US proposals have
for the most part stalled. Based on a review of legal and policy
documents, laws and regulations, academic literature, and interviews,
this research identifies and compares factors that figure most
prominently for the development of offshore renewable energy
policies. Comparisons are organized under four categories: the
regulatory framework, the publics role in siting, targeted economic
mechanisms, and indirect mechanisms. The paper concludes with
observations about prominent supports and impediments and sugges-
tions for further research.
10/01896 On the frequency-dependent specific heat and
TMDSC: constitutive modelling based on thermodynamics
with internal state variables
Lion, A. and Yagimli, B. Thermochimica Acta, 2009, 490, (12), 6474.
To develop constitutive models to represent the thermomechanically
chemically coupled behaviour of curing resins, vulcanizing elastomers
or melting and crystallizing polymers the technique of DSC is
extremely helpful. In the present study, the method of TMDSC is
interpreted and evaluated in the context of thermodynamics with
internal state variables. The balance equation of energy and the
dissipation principle in the form of the ClausiusDuhem inequality
form the theoretical basis of this study. Since the pressure and the
temperature are the external variables in DSC, the specific Gibbs free
energy is used as thermodynamic potential. It depends on temperature,
stress and a set of internal state variables to represent the micro-
structure of the material on a phenomenological basis. The tempera-
ture- and internal variable-induced changes in the Gibbs free energy
are approximated by a Taylor series up to second order terms. As a
substantial result of this work, closed-form expressions for the dynamic
calorimetric response due to harmonic temperature perturbations and
the frequency-dependent complex heat capacity are derived. The
theory allows a physical interpretation of the complex heat capacity and
its underlying phenomena and is in accordance with experimental
observations from literature.
10/01897 On-line measurement of separation dynamics in
primary gas/oil/water separators: challenges and technical
solutions a review
Jaworski, A. J. and Meng, G. Journal of Petroleum Science and
Engineering, 2009, 68, (12), 4759.
The aim of this paper is to provide a comprehensive review of the
current measurement technologies available for on-line monitoring of
the performance of the gas/oil/water separators, which are commonly
used as the first stage of crude oil processing. First, a short overview is
given of the fluid physics governing the separation processes and the
design of separation vessels. Simple theoretical models of separation
physics are briefly reviewed and the process challenges outlined. This is
followed by the description of existing measurement systems, those
entering the market and likely future developments. The measurement
systems are broadly divided into three categories: (1) those based on
the assumption of a complete phase separation within the vessel;
(2) those based on the concept of an array of sensors distributed across
the heterogeneous layers, hence not requiring any assumptions
regarding the actual phase distribution; and (3) more complex systems
enabling cross-sectional imaging in the industrial process tomography
sense.
10/01898 Optimization of network planning by the novel
hybrid algorithms of intelligent optimization techniques
Sadegheih, A. Energy, 2009, 34, (10), 15391551.
This paper proposes a new hybrid algorithm Meta-heuristic for the
problem of network planning systems. The main goal of this paper is, to
develop an efficient optimization tool which will minimize the cost
functions of the stated optimization problems in network planning
systems. The following are the objectives of the research: to investigate
the capabilities of genetic algorithm, simulated annealing and tabu
search for the defined optimization tasks; to develop a hybrid
optimization algorithm which will produce improved iterations
compared to those found by GA, SA, and TS algorithms. The
performance of the hybrid algorithm is illustrated and six hybrid
algorithms are developed, to improve the iterations obtained. The cost
function of this problem consists of the capital investment cost in
discrete form, the cost of transmission losses and the power generation
costs. It is advantageous to use exact DC load flow constraint equations
based on the modified form of Kirchhoffs second law because the
iterative process for line addition is not required. Hence, the
computation time is decreased. Finally, the hybrid VI shows to be a
very good option for network planning systems given that it obtains
much accentuated reductions of iteration, which is very important for
network planning.
10/01899 Prediction of torque and specific fuel
consumption of a gasoline engine by using artificial neural
networks
Togun, N. K. and Baysec, S. Applied Energy, 2010, 87, (1), 349355.
This study presents an artificial neural network (ANN) model to
predict the torque and brake specific fuel consumption of a gasoline
engine. An explicit ANN based formulation is developed to predict
Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2010 293
14 Fuel science and technology (fundamental science, analysis, instrumentation)
torque and brake specific fuel consumption of a gasoline engine in
terms of spark advance, throttle position and engine speed. The
proposed ANN model is based on experimental results. Experimental
studies were completed to obtain training and testing data. Of all 81
data sets, the training and testing sets consisted of randomly selected
63 and 18 sets, respectively. An ANN model based on a back-
propagation learning algorithm for the engine was developed. The
performance and an accuracy of the proposed ANN model are found
satisfactory. This study demonstrates that ANN is very efficient for
predicting the engine torque and brake specific fuel consumption.
Moreover, the proposed ANN model is presented in explicit form as a
mathematical function.
10/01900 Role of alternative electron acceptors (AEA) to
control methane flux from waterlogged paddy fields: case
studies in the southern part of West Bengal, India
Mukherjee, R. et al. International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control,
2009, 3, (5), 664672.
The rice fields, depleted of O
2
, contain large amount of moisture and
organic substrates to provide an ideal anaerobic environment for
methanogenesis and are one of the principal anthropogenic sources of
methane. In order to mitigate this emission alternative electron
acceptors (AEA) were altered in the soil. The experiments were
carried out in four seasons at the site of Balarampur, near Baruipur,
South 24 Parganas, West Bengal, namely SeptemberDecember 2005
(Cultivar: Sundari), FebruaryMay 2006 (Cultivar: Sundari), Septem-
berDecember 2006 and FebruaryMay 2007 (Cultivar: Swarna-
Pankaj). The seasonal average methane flux (Fe treated), for the
cultivar type Sundari (season: SeptemberDecember 2005), is
4.41 t ha
1
, as compared to the value of 6.40 t ha
1
for the untreated
soil. Similarly for FebruaryMay 2006, the seasonal average methane
flux (Fe treated) is 5.52 t ha
1
, whereas the untreated flux is 5.69 t ha
1
.
In the third and fourth seasons there were two treatments with
ammonium thiosulfate and ferric hydroxide. The seasonal average
methane flux (treatment: ammonium thiosulfate) is 4.35 t ha
1
and
5.41 t ha
1
respectively, whereas for the ferric hydroxide treated soil it
is 4.35 t ha
1
and 6.14 t ha
1
respectively. The properties related to the
nutrient quality of the harvested paddy seeds supplement these results.
10/01901 Safety-barrier diagrams as a tool for modelling
safety of hydrogen applications
Duijm, N. J. and Markert, F. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy,
2009, 34, (14), 58625868.
Safety-barrier diagrams have proven to be a useful tool in documenting
the safety measures taken to prevent incidents and accidents in process
industry. Especially during the introduction of new hydrogen technol-
ogies or applications, as for example hydrogen refuelling stations,
safety-barrier diagrams are considered a valuable supplement to other
traditional risk analysis tools to support the communication with
authorities and other stakeholders during the permitting process.
Another advantage of safety-barrier diagrams is that they highlight the
importance of functional and reliable safety barriers in any system and
here is a direct focus on those barriers that need to be subject to safety
management in terms of design and installation, operational use,
inspection and monitoring, and maintenance. Safety-barrier diagrams
support both quantitative and qualitative approaches. The paper will
describe the background and syntax of the methodology and demon-
strate the usefulness of such diagrams for hydrogen technologies.
10/01902 Selecting parameters for the environmental
interpretation of peat molecular chemistry
a pyrolysis-GC/MS study
Schellekens, J. et al. Organic Geochemistry, 2009, 40, (6), 678691.
A number of samples from a deep peat bog in Tierra del Fuego were
analysed using pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py-
GC/MS) in order to extract parameters that might be used to interpret
the peat chemistry in terms of vegetation change, anaerobic and
aerobic decomposition, and fire incidence. The choice of parameters
was based on factor analysis of 177 pyrolysis products, quantified for 13
samples, separated into extract and residue, as well as the total
samples. Factor analysis of extracts, residues and total samples yielded
similar classifications in terms of vegetation and decomposition.
Pyrolysis products and ratios that most clearly differentiated samples
were used to interpret the depth profile. Although interpretation was
not always straightforward, indications of parameters to describe
vegetation shifts, aerobic and anaerobic decomposition, and fire largely
coincided. These parameters will be used in a forthcoming study for a
more complete interpretation of the peat profile.
10/01903 Sky luminance/radiance model with multiple
scattering effect
Kocifaj, M. Solar Energy, 2009, 83, (10), 19141922.
Angular distribution of the diffuse light essentially varies with the
physical state of a disperse media. The main factors influencing the
optical behaviour of the Earths atmosphere are the total optical
thickness, the scattering ability of atmospheric layers, and also the
reflectance of underlying surface. Any model aspiring to be more
universal and still satisfactory accurate must at least account for these
quantities. The paper presents the theoretically derived equation
simulating the sky luminance/radiance under various meteorological
conditions. Because the radiative transfer equation in plan-parallel
atmosphere is solved exactly, the proposed approximation formula is
physically well founded. Compared with other, predominately empiri-
cal models, the presented approach accepts the basic principles of light
scattering in a turbid environment and the model is spectral in its
nature (contrary to empirical models in current use). In addition, the
contribution of multiple scattering is taken into account. A set of free
parameters, otherwise used as weighting factors for individual optical
effects, makes the model easily scalable and applicable for a wide range
of optical states of the atmosphere.
10/01904 Sloshing waves and resonance modes of fluid in
a 3D tank by a time-independent finite difference method
Wu, C.-W. and Chen, B.-F. Ocean Engineering, 2009, 36, (67), 500
510.
A 3D time-independent finite difference method is developed to solve
for wave sloshing in a three-dimensional tank excited by coupled surge
and sway motions. The 3D equations of fluid motion are derived in a
moving coordinate system. The three-dimensional tank, with an
arbitrary depth and a square base, is subjected to a range of excitation
frequencies with motions that exhibit multiple degrees of freedom. For
demonstration purposes the numerical scheme is validated by a
benchmark study. Five types of sloshing waves were observed when
the tank is excited by various excitation frequencies. A spectral analysis
identified the resonant frequencies of each type of wave and the results
show a strong correlation between resonant modes and the occurrence
of the sloshing wave types. The method can be used to simulate fluid
sloshing in a 3D tank with six-degrees of freedom.
10/01905 Spectroscopic sensor techniques applicable to
real-time biodiesel determination
Chuck, C. J. et al. Fuel, 2010, 89, (2), 457461.
The term biodiesel refers to the fatty acid alkyl esters (FAAE) derived
from vegetable, animal or waste oil feedstocks. This alternative fuel is
increasingly becoming a significant part of the transport sector with
over 10 million tonnes sold in the EU in 2007. Currently a small
amount of biodiesel (presently 3.5% in the UK) is present in diesel fuel
but this could rise to up to 30% in the medium term. As biodiesel is not
one chemical compound but an amalgamation of different FAAE, the
physical properties of the diesel fuel are not only dependent on the
amount of biodiesel in the diesel fuel (blend level) but also on the fatty
acid profile of the biodiesel. This paper reports on an initial study to
assess a range of current techniques which could be used in the future
as a basis to determine blend level in unknown samples of diesel and
gain further information on the fatty acid profile of the biodiesel in the
blend. The three techniques applied were FT-IR spectroscopy,
refractive index and UVVis spectroscopy.
10/01906 Strategic analysis methodology for energy
systems with remote island case study
Krumdieck, S. and Hamm, A. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (9), 33013313.
A strategic analysis methodology is presented for adaptive energy
systems engineering to realize an optimal level of service in the context
of a communitys social, economic, and environmental position. The
groundwork stage involves characterizing the social context, assessing
available energy resources, identifying environmental issues, setting
eco-resource limits, and quantifying socio-economic constraints for a
given region. A spectrum of development options is then constructed
according to the range of energy service levels identified for the sector
under study. A spectrum of conceptual energy systems is generated and
infrastructure investments and resource use are modelled. The
outcome is a matrix of energy system investment possibilities for the
range of energy demand levels reflecting the values, ideas, and
expectations expressed by the community. These models are then used
to assess technical feasibility and economic, environmental and social
risk. The result is an easily understood graphical depiction of local
aspirations, investment options, and risks which clearly differentiates
development opportunities from non-viable concepts. The approach
was applied to a case study on Rotuma, an isolated Pacific Island. The
case study results show a clear development opportunity space for
Rotuma where desired energy services are in balance with investment
sources, resource availability, and environmental constraints.
10/01907 Technical and economical tools to assess
customer demand response in the commercial sector
Bel, C. A

. et al. Energy Conversion and Management, 2009, 50, (10),

26052612.
The authors present a methodology to evaluate and quantify the
economic parameters (costs and benefits) attached to customer
electricity consumption by analysing the service provided by the
294 Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2010
14 Fuel science and technology (fundamental science, analysis, instrumentation)
different pieces of absorbed electricity. The first step of this
methodology is to perform a process oriented market segmentation
to identify segments according to their flexibility potential. After that, a
procedure based on comprehensive simulations to identify and quantify
the actual demand that can be managed in the short term is presented
and, finally, the required economic analysis is performed. The
methodology, which is demonstrated with some applications to the
commercial sector, not only helps the customers to integrate in flexible
distribution systems but also offers the necessary economical par-
ameters for them to integrate in electricity markets.
10/01908 Two practical methods for unionized energy grid
construction in continuous-energy Monte Carlo neutron
transport calculation
Leppanen, J. Annals of Nuclear Energy, 2009, 36, (7), 878885.
A considerable speed-up in continuous-energy Monte Carlo neutron
transport calculation can be achieved by using the same unionized
energy grid for all point-wise reaction cross-sections. This speed-up
results from the fact that time-consuming grid iteration is reduced to
minimum, and if the unionized grid is constructed by combining the
grids of all nuclides, there is no loss of data or accuracy in the
calculation. The drawback of this approach is that computer memory is
wasted for storing a large number of redundant data points. Memory
usage may become a problem, especially in burn-up calculations, in
which the irradiated materials consist of several hundred actinide and
fission product nuclides. The grid size easily increases to over 1 million
points, requiring tens of gigabytes of memory for storing the cross
section data. This paper presents two practical methods for reducing
the memory demand, while trying preserve the accuracy of the original
data. The calculation routines are included in the PSG2/Serpent Monte
Carlo reactor physics burn-up calculation code and the methods are
tested in a BWR assembly burn-up calculation.
10/01909 Validity ranges of three analytical solutions to
heat transfer in the vicinity of single boreholes
Philippe, M. et al. Geothermics, 2009, 38, (4), 407413.
In ground-coupled heat pump systems, accurate prediction of transient
ground heat transfer is important to establish the required borehole
length and to determine precisely the resulting fluid temperature.
Three analytical solutions to transient heat transfer in the vicinity of
geothermal boreholes are presented. These solutions are referred to as
the infinite line source (ILS), the infinite cylindrical source (ICS) and
the finite line source (FLS) models, which vary in complexity and are
based on simplifications of the borehole geometry. The results of these
models are compared and their validity domains are determined.
Fuel cell technology
10/01910 A combined methanol autothermal steam
reforming and PEM fuel cell pilot plant unit: experimental
and simulation studies
Ouzounidou, M. et al. Energy, 2009, 34, (10), 17331743.
An integrated system for hydrogen production via autothermal steam
reforming of methanol and consequent power generation in a polymer
electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cell has been developed and
operated at CPERI. The pilot plant comprises an autothermal
reforming reactor to produce hydrogen, a preferential oxidation
reactor (PROX) to reduce CO concentration below 50 ppm and a
PEM fuel cell for power generation. The present paper deals with the
study of this system, both from an experimental and a theoretical point
of view. The experimental work aims to: (a) examine the effect of the
reforming temperature on methanol conversion and on the effluent
stream concentration, (b) investigate the effect of reaction temperature
and O
2
/CO ratio on the performance of the PROX reactor, and (c)
evaluate the operation of a 10-cell PEM fuel cell, using pure hydrogen
and air at three temperature levels. The experimental data are
subsequently utilized for the validation of one-dimensional pseudo-
homogeneous models that have been developed for the two reactors
and also for the identification of the voltagecurrent characteristic
curve of the PEM fuel cell. The validated models are then used to
investigate the behaviour and explore the interactions, both static and
dynamic, among the various process subsystems.
10/01911 A rapid break-in procedure for PBI fuel cells
Tingelof, T. and Ihonen, J. K. International Journal of Hydrogen
Energy, 2009, 34, (15), 64526456.
Different break-in procedures for phosphoric acid doped polybenzi-
midazole membrane fuel cells (PBI-FC) have been studied, including
voltage cycling and the use of constant current at different tempera-
tures. A rapid break-in procedure consisting of high-temperature
constant current break-in and relaxation has been developed. The
break-in procedure is considered suitable for contamination and
performance studies.
10/01912 A review of biomass-derived fuel processors for
fuel cell systems
Xuan, J. et al. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 2009, 13, (6
7), 13011313.
Fuel cell coupled with biomass-derived fuel processor can convert
renewable energy into a useful form in an environmental-friendly and
CO
2
-neutral manner. It is considered as one of the most promising
energy supply systems in the future. Biomass-derived fuels, such as
ethanol, methanol, biodiesel, glycerol, and biogas, can be fed to a fuel
processor as a raw fuel for reforming by autothermal reforming, steam
reforming, partial oxidation, or other reforming methods. Catalysts
play an important role in the fuel processor to convert biomass fuels
with high hydrogen selectivity. The processor configuration is another
crucial factor determining the application and the performance of a
biomass fuel processing system. The newly developed monolithic
reactor, micro-reactor, and internal reforming technologies have
demonstrated that they are robust in converting a wide range of bio-
mass fuels with high efficiency. This paper provides a review of the
biomass-derived fuel processing technologies from various perspectives
including the feedstock, reforming mechanisms, catalysts, and pro-
cessor configurations. The research challenges and future development
of biomass fuel processor are also discussed.
10/01913 An easy-to-approach and comprehensive model
for planar type SOFCs
Li, P. W. et al. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 2009, 34, (15),
63936392.
An easy-to-approach and comprehensive mathematical model for
planar type solid oxide fuel cells is presented in the current work. It
provides a tool for researchers to conduct parametric studies with less-
intensive computation in order to grasp the fundamentals of coupled
mass transfer, electrochemical reaction, and current conduction in a
fuel cell. In the model, the analysis for the mass transfer polarization at
a known average fuel cell operating temperature is based on an average
mass transfer model analogous to an average heat transfer process in a
duct flow. The effect of the species partial pressure at electrode/
electrolyte interfaces is therefore included in the exchange current
density for activation polarizations. An electrical circuit for the current
and ion conduction is used to analyse the ohmic losses from anode
current collector to cathode current collector. The three types of over-
potentials caused by different polarizations in a planar type solid oxide
fuel cell can be identified and compared. The effects of species
concentrations, properties of fuel cell components to the voltage
current performance of a fuel cell at different operating conditions are
studied. Optimization of the dimensions of flow channels and current-
collecting ribs is also presented. The model is of significance to the
design and optimization of solid oxide fuel cells for industrial
application.
10/01914 Analysis of the energy efficiency of innovative
ATR-based PEM fuel cell system with hydrogen membrane
separation
Salemme, S. et al. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 2009, 34,
(15), 63846392.
This study reports a simulative energy efficiency analysis performed on
innovative fuel processor PEM fuel cell systems in which hydrogen is
produced via methane autothermal reforming, separated with a
membrane unit coupled with a water gas shift reactor and then
converted into electric energy by means of the PEM fuel cell. Two basic
configurations are investigated: one with the membrane unit placed
downstream the water gas shift reactor and the other with the
membrane unit embedded into the water gas shift reactor. The results
are discussed and compared with the case of a fuel processor
constituted by an autothermal reforming reactor followed by two water
gas shift reactors and a preferential CO-oxidation reactor. Pressure,
steam to methane and oxygen to methane inlet ratios are explored as
operation variables. The effect of addition of steam as sweep gas into
the permeate side of the membrane is also presented and discussed.
10/01915 Design, integration and demonstration of a 50 W
JP8/kerosene fueled portable SOFC power generator
Cheekatamarla, P. K. et al. Journal of Power Sources, 2009, 193, (2),
797803.
A man-portable solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) system integrated with
desulfurized JP8 partial oxidation (POX) reformer was demonstrated
to supply a continuous power output of 50 W. This paper discusses
some of the design paths chosen and challenges faced during the
thermal integration of the stack and reformer in aiding the system
startup and shutdown along with balance of plant and power manage-
ment solutions. The package design, system capabilities, and test
results of the prototype unit are presented.
Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2010 295
14 Fuel science and technology (fuel cell technology)
10/01916 Life time test in direct borohydride fuel cell
system
Jamard, R. et al. Journal of Power Sources, 2009, 193, (2), 779787.
The electric performances of direct borohydride fuel cells (DBFCs) are
evaluated in terms of power density and life time with respect to the
NaBH
4
concentration. A DBFC constituted of an anionic membrane, a
0.6 mg
Pt
cm
2
anode and a commercial non-platinum based cathode led
to performances as high as 200 mWcm
2
at room temperature and with
natural convection of air. Electrochemical life time test at
0.55 mAcm
2
with a 5 M NaBH
4
/1 M NaOH solution shows a voltage
diminution of 1 mVh
1
and a drastic drop of performances after 250 h.
The life time is twice longer with 2 M NaBH
4
/1 M NaOH solution
(450 h) and the voltage decrease is 0.5 mVh
1
. Analyses of the
components after life time tests indicate that voltage loss is mainly
due to the degradation of the cathode performance. Crystallization of
carbonate and borate is observed at the cathode side, although the
anionic membrane displays low permeability to borohydride.
10/01917 Palladiumpolyelectrolyte hybrid nanoparticles
for hydrogen sensor in fuel cells
Ohara, S. et al. Journal of Power Sources, 2009, 193, (1), 367370.
The authors prepared palladiumpolyelectrolyte hybrid nanoparticles
by using a metallization of polyelectrolyte. They also selected
polyacrylic acid (PAA) as a polyelectrolyte and reduced the palladium
ions on the PAA by using ascorbic acids in order to form a unique
spherically shaped mosslike hybrid nanoparticle. Palladium (Pd) can
absorb hydrogen to become PdH
x
, and the storage of hydrogen
increases the electrical resistance and volume of Pd materials. The use
of this material is attracting growing interest as a reliable, cheap,
ultracompact, and safe hydrogen sensor for use in fuel cells. This study
showed the utilization of the PdPAA hybrid nanoparticles as a highly
sensitive hydrogen sensor that exhibited a switch response depending
on volume expansion in a cyclic atmosphere exchange.
10/01918 Thermo-fluid and electrochemical modeling of a
multi-bundle IP-SOFC technology for second generation
hybrid application
Mounir, H. et al. Energy Conversion and Management, 2009, 50, (10),
26852692.
This paper describes an electrochemical model, which studies the
performance of multi-bundles integrated-planar solid oxide fuel cell
(IP-SOFC strip) fuelled by pure hydrogen. Following a description of
the basic geometries and general premises the approaches and
simplifications for the calculation of ohmic resistance, gas flow, heat
and mass transfers are given. The effect of fuel pressure ratio and the
temperature variation are investigated in a parameter study. The model
results have been validates well with experimental data obtained from a
full-size prototype of IP-SOFC technology for the second generation
hybrid application; it is found that the ohmic and cathode activation
overpotentials represent a major loss in fuel cell voltage. The results
obtained from both strips also demonstrated acceptable performance
and good reproducibility bundles to bundles at 900

C. These results
indicated weak effect of parameter variation on the bundles to bundles
performances.
10/01919 Thermodynamic model for exergetic performance
of a tubular SOFC module
Akkaya, A. V. et al. Renewable Energy, 2009, 34, (7), 18631870.
A tubular solid oxide fuel cell (TSOFC) module fed by methane is
modelled and analysed thermodynamically from the exergy point of
view in this paper. The model of the TSOFC module consists of mixer,
pre-reformer, internal reforming fuel cell group, afterburner and
internal pre-heater components. The model of the components forming
module is given based on mass, energy and exergy balance equations.
The developed thermodynamic model is simulated, and the obtained
performance characteristics are compared and validated with the
experimental data taken from the literature concerning the TSOFC
module. For exergetic performance analysis, the effects of operating
variables such as current density, pressure, and fuel utilization factor
on exergetic performances (module exergy efficiency, module exergetic
performance coefficient, module exergy output and total exergy
destruction rate, and components exergy efficiencies, exergy destruc-
tion rates) are investigated. From the analysis, it is determined that the
biggest exergy loss stems from exhaust gasses. Other important sources
of exergy destruction involve fuel cell group and afterburner. Con-
sequently, the developed thermodynamic model is expected to provide
not only a convenient tool to determine the module exergetic
performances and component irreversibility but also an appropriate
basis to design complex hybrid power generation plants.
15 ENVIRONMENT
Pollution, health protection,
applications
10/01920 Air versus terrestrial transport modalities:
an energy and environmental comparison
Federici, M. et al. Energy, 2009, 34, (10), 14931503.
In the last 15 years, worldwide air transportation has grown at an
average yearly rate of 4.5%. Forecasts confirm that this could be the
average increase rate for the next 20 years, although recent oscillation
of oil price translated into a slowing down of such a trend, with several
air companies forced out of business. Within this framework, low cost
airlines keep increasing their market share, in so making the airplane
compete with terrestrial transport modalities, not only for medium and
long distances, but also for short trips. This is because air transport is
obviously faster than transport by trains and cars, and most often it also
is a cheaper option in money terms. In spite of its apparent success, air
transportation is a source of concern for many analysts, because it is
considered as the more energy intensive and polluting transport
modality. In order to explore the correctness of such an issue, air
transportation was compared to high-speed trains and other modern
terrestrial modalities, by using a whole-system approach. The present
study applies an LCA-like approach, by taking into account all the
energy and materials directly and indirectly required to make and
operate infrastructures (i.e. tunnels, railways, highways) and vehicles.
Efficiency and environmental loading are assessed by means of
material flow accounting, embodied energy analysis and emergy
synthesis methods. Results point out that the gap among the
environmental performances of air, road and railway modalities is
significantly narrower than expected. The thermodynamic and en-
vironmental costs of road and railway infrastructure cannot be
disregarded as negligible. In a selected number of cases these transport
modalities perform even worse than the air transportation mode, where
infrastructures play a much smaller role.
10/01921 Carbon emission offsets for aviation-generated
emissions due to international travel to and from New
Zealand
Smith, I. J. and Rodger, C. J. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (9), 34383447.
International air transport emissions are not subject to liability under
the Kyoto Protocol. However, pressure is mounting globally for
international aviation to be included in post-Kyoto arrangements. In
the absence of international collective action, a number of so-called
carbon offsetting schemes have emerged that allow individual travellers
and companies to compensate for their international air travel
emissions. These schemes offer technological solutions, such as
planting sink forests to sequester emissions. To consider the
implications of future collective action, this paper presents a case
study assessment of the physical feasibility of five schemes for all short
duration journeys to and from New Zealand. This is the first
comprehensive national-level case study assessment of competing
offsetting options for international aviation emissions in the peer-
reviewed literature. The CO
2
-e emissions produced by the air travel of
international visitors to New Zealand, and for New Zealand residents
travelling overseas, is calculated in this paper to be 7893 and 3948 Gg,
respectively, in 2005. It is then shown that no single offsetting scheme
targeted inside the country appears physically and/or politically
realistic. This indicates the sheer size of these emissions, and the
challenge that the international community faces for collective action
on this matter.
10/01922 Characteristics and potential environmental
consequence of weathered materials in the surface layer of a
spontaneously combusting mine spoil stockpile
Lu, W. et al. Applied Geochemistry, 2010, 25, (3), 496501.
In this study an investigation was carried out to characterize the sulfidic
mine spoils in the surface layer of a spontaneously combusting waste
rock stockpile. The objective was to assess its potential impacts on acid
mine drainage generation. The results show that there were substantial
amounts of elemental S and various sulfate minerals in the weathered
materials, indicating the occurrence of significant sulfide mineral
oxidation in the investigated spontaneously combusting mine spoils
(SCMS). It is likely that the surfacially occurring elemental S was
derived from the deeper waste rock layers experiencing spontaneous
combustion under limited aeration conditions. The significantly higher
acidity, EC and SO
4
2
concentration in the SCMS, relative to the non-
SCMS suggest that spontaneous combustion is a much faster and more
powerful process driving sulfide-derived acid generation, compared to
296 Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2010
15 Environment (pollution, health protection, applications)
microbially catalysed oxidation of sulfide minerals. The export of acid
sulfate materials from the spontaneously combusting waste rock
stockpile not only generates severe acid mine drainage but could also
act as an inducer for biologically catalysed oxidation of newly exposed
sulfide minerals in the areas surrounding the stockpile.
10/01923 Do economic, financial and institutional
developments matter for environmental degradation?
Evidence from transitional economies
Tamazian, A. and Rao, B. B. Energy Economics, 2010, 32, (1), 137145.
Several studies have examined the relationship between environmental
degradation and economic growth. However, most of them did not take
into account financial developments and institutional quality. More-
over, Stern noted that there are important econometric weaknesses in
the earlier studies, such as endogeneity, heteroscedasticity, omitted
variables, etc. The purpose of this paper is to fill this gap in the
literature by investigating the linkage between not only economic
development and environmental quality but also financial development
and institutional quality. The authors employ the standard reduced-
form modelling approach to control for country-specific unobserved
heterogeneity and GMM estimation to control for endogeneity. This
study considers 24 transition economies and panel data for 19932004
and the results support the EKC hypothesis while confirming the
importance of both institutional quality and financial development for
environmental performance. It was also found that financial liberal-
ization may be harmful for environmental quality if it is not
accomplished in a strong institutional framework.
10/01924 Economic and environmental assessment on the
energetic valorization of organic material for a municipality
in Quebec, Canada
Morin, P. et al. Applied Energy, 2010, 87, (1), 275283.
Waste-to-energy provides a solution to two problems: waste manage-
ment and energy generation. An integrated anaerobic waste valoriza-
tion process is an interesting option, but because of investments cost
and low energy value in the province of Quebec, it is hard for a
municipality to commit to that solution. This paper investigated the
economic possibilities to manage organic material, organic fraction of
municipal solid waste, and municipal wastewater sludge by anaerobic
digestion for a 150,000 inhabitant municipality, with consideration to
energy generation and greenhouse gas emission reduction. Using the
biogas to co-generation solution brings a payback time on investment
(PBT) of 3.7 years with electricity price at 0.10 $Cdn/kWh. The
addition of manure from surrounding farms increases the biogas
production by 37%, but increases the PBT to 6.8 years unless the
leftover digestate can be used for agronomic valorization; then it
becomes economically advantageous. The natural gas purchasing cost
is too low to promote the enrichment of biogas into renewable natural
gas. However, this scenario has the lowest energetic payback time
(3.3 years) and reduces the most greenhouse gas emissions
(4261 tCO
2
eq/a).
10/01925 Energy and emission analysis for industrial
motors in Malaysia
Saidur, R. et al. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (9), 36503658.
The industrial sector is the largest user of energy in Malaysia.
Industrial motors account for a major segment of total industrial
energy use. Since motors are the principle energy users, different
energy savings strategies have been applied to reduce their energy
consumption and associated emissions released into the atmosphere.
These strategies include using highly efficient motors, variable speed
drive (VSD), and capacitor banks to improve the power factor. It has
been estimated that there can be a total energy savings of 1765, 2703
and 3605 MWh by utilizing energy-efficient motors for 50%, 75% and
100% loads, respectively. It was also found that for different motor
loads, an estimated US$115,936 US$173,019 and US$230,693 can be
saved in anticipated energy costs. Similarly, it is hypothesized that a
significant amount of energy can be saved using VSD and capacitor
banks to reduce speed and improve the power factor, thus cutting
energy costs. Moreover, a substantial reduction in the amount of
emissions can be effected together with the associated energy savings
for different energy savings strategies. In addition, the payback period
for different energy savings strategies has been found to be reasonable
in some cases.
10/01926 Environmental factors in woodfuel production:
opportunities, risks, and criteria and indicators for
sustainable practices
Lattimore, B. et al. Biomass and Bioenergy, 2009, 33, (10), 13211342.
Bioenergy from sustainably managed forest ecosystems could provide a
renewable, carbon-neutral source of energy in many nations and
communities throughout the world. In order for forest bioenergy to be
an ecologically sustainable fuel source, woodfuel procurement systems
must not adversely impact forest ecosystems or the environment.
Sustainable forest management (SFM) certification schemes are one
mechanism for applying standards and monitoring regimes to forest
management systems to ensure ecological sustainability. This paper
provides a global review of the main environmental risks to forest
ecosystems that can arise from household- to industrial-scale woodfuel
production systems, including forest soil quality and site productivity,
water resources, biodiversity and carbon budgets. A set of regionally
adaptable principles, criteria, indicators and verifiers of sustainable
forest management were developed, based on criteria and indicators
from existing internationally recognized certification frameworks and
scientific literature and tailored to address issues relevant to producing
and harvesting forest bioenergy feedstocks. A variable monitoring
approach and a three-tiered certification approach are proposed as two
methods for enabling the adoption of certification and associated
monitoring requirements across a wide range of forest operations in
regions with widely differing levels of development. The importance of
the adaptive forest management framework inherent in certification
systems to ensuring the efficacy and continual improvement in
woodfuel sustainability is stressed. The proposed principles, criteria,
indicators and verifiers can be adapted to local conditions and
incorporated into existing sustainable forest management and green
energy certification schemes, as well as other criteria and indicator
frameworks, to ensure the environmental sustainability of woodfuel
production systems.
10/01927 Estimating the effect of urban density on fuel
demand
Karathodorou, N. et al. Energy Economics, 2010, 32, (1), 8692.
Much of the empirical literature on fuel demand presents estimates
derived from national data which do not permit any explicit consider-
ation of the spatial structure of the economy. Intuitively the degree of
spatial concentration of activities would be expected to have a strong
link with transport fuel consumption. The present paper addresses this
theme by estimating a fuel demand model for urban areas to provide a
direct estimate of the elasticity of demand with respect to urban
density. Fuel demand per capita is decomposed into car stock per
capita, fuel consumption per kilometre and annual distance driven per
car per year. Urban density is found to affect fuel consumption, mostly
through variations in the car stock and in the distances travelled, rather
than through fuel consumption per kilometre.
10/01928 Evaluation of the effectiveness of the regulatory
regime in the management of oil pollution in Kenya
Ohowa, B. O. Ocean & Coastal Management, 2009, 52, (1), 1721.
This paper presents an evaluation of the effectiveness of the regulatory
regime in the management of oil pollution on Kenyas marine and
coastal environment. The prospect of chronic oil pollution along the
Kenyan coastline and the port of Mombasa is discussed. A review of
the vulnerable marine and coastal resources, commonly used indicators
of effectiveness in oil pollution management and the legislation
governing oil pollution is given. The author concludes by emphasizing
that despite having the right legislation in place, there is need for the
establishment of criteria and indicators necessary for evaluation of
policy effectiveness.
10/01929 Fuel wood consumption pattern of tribal
communities in cold desert of the Lahaul valley,
North-Western Himalaya, India
Rawat, Y. S. et al. Biomass and Bioenergy, 2009, 33, (11), 15471557.
Fuel wood is the primary source of energy in rural areas of the
Himalaya. Lack of resources, extremely low temperature and xeric
climatic conditions of the study region (Khoksar 3200 m, Jahlma
3000 m, Hinsa 2700 m and Kuthar 2600 m) of cold desert of the Lahaul
valley has led to serious deforestation due to excessive use of fuel wood
in the past. On the basis of family sizes, fuel wood consumption was
recorded less in large family as compared to small family. The fuel
wood is used for various activities such as cooking, water heating, room
heating, lighting and livestock rearing, etc. Fuel wood consumption was
highest in high altitude villages as compared to low altitude villages
irrespective of family size. Fuel wood consumption of 4.32 0.99 kg/
capita/day was highest at Khoksar for small family during winter season
followed by the autumn (2.25 0.15 kg/capita/day) and summer
(1.38 0.13 kg/capita/day). The labour energy expenditure for fuel
wood collection was also highest for Khoksar (91.91 MJ/capita/year),
followed by Hinsa (61.29 MJ/capita/year), Kuthar (52.01 MJ/capita/
year) and Jahlma (51.89 MJ/capita/year), respectively. It was found that
fuel wood consumption in the study region was influenced by the local
cold climate and season of the year. The present information on fuel
wood consumption pattern at different altitudes would be helpful in
designing appropriate technologies to develop energy plantations in
the region.
10/01930 Gas build-up in a domestic property following
releases of methane/hydrogen mixtures
Lowesmith, B. J. et al. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 2009,
34, (14), 59325939.
Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2010 297
15 Environment (pollution, health protection, applications)
The results of large-scale experiments to study gas accumulation within
a ventilated enclosure representing a domestic room are presented.
Gas was released vertically upwards at a pressure typical of that
experienced in a domestic environment from hole sizes representative
of leaks and breaks in pipes. The released gas composition was either
methane or a methane/hydrogen mixture containing up to 50%
hydrogen. During the experiments, gas concentrations throughout the
enclosure and the external wind conditions were monitored. A
mathematical model has also been developed to describe the gas
release as it mixes with air and forms a layer of gas/air mixture in the
upper part of the enclosure. The model accounts for both wind and
buoyancy driven ventilation, which arises as a result of the formation of
the gas accumulation within the enclosure. The results show the
importance of buoyancy driven ventilation on the steady state gas
concentrations achieved.
10/01931 GISELA GIS-based evaluation of land use and
agriculture market analysis under global warming
Mori, S. et al. Applied Energy, 2010, 87, (1), 236242.
One of the important future issues is how agriculture production can
meet the future demand increase due to the population and the income
growth. Global warming would give both positive and negative impacts
on them. Agriculture is often expected to supply biofuels to meet the
growing transportation energy demand and the warming control policy.
GISELA GIS-based evaluation for land use and agriculture
production model is developed to evaluate the current and the
potential cropland for rice, wheat, maize and soy-beans production
under climate changes. The authors assess the food and the feed
demand based on the historical regional statistics for world into 18
regions. Finally, they assess the future food market integrating the
above supply and demand conditions developing a dynamic optimiz-
ation model, GISELA. Current GISELA findings are as follows:
(1) potential cropland in south America will be extensively cultivated,
(2) market price of wheat and soy will gradually go up while that of
maize is almost stable in medium yield case, and (3) in the low-yield
case, all crop prices hike rapidly in the mid of this century.
10/01932 Groundwater remediation by an in situ biobarrier:
a bench scale feasibility test for methyl tert-butyl ether and
other gasoline compounds
Saponaro, S. et al. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 2009, 167, (13),
545552.
Most gasoline contains high percentages of methyl tert-butyl ether
(MTBE) as an additive. The physico-chemical properties of this
substance (high water solubility, low sorption in soil) result in high
mobility and dissolved concentrations in soil. In situ permeable
biological barriers (biobarriers, BBs) can remediate MTBE polluted
groundwater by allowing pure cultures or microbial consortia to
degrade MTBE when aerobic conditions are present, either by direct
metabolism or cometabolism. Lab-scale batch and column tests were
carried out to assess a selected microbial consortium in biodegrading
MTBE and other gasoline compounds (benzene B, toluene T,
ethylbenzene E, xylenes X) and to measure the parameters affecting
the efficacy of a BB treatment of polluted groundwater. During the
aerobic phase of the batch tests, the simultaneous biodegradation of
MTBE, tert-butyl alcohol (TBA), B, T, E and o-X was observed. The
rapid biodegradation of BTEXs resulted in decreased oxygen avail-
ability, but MTBE degradation was nevertheless measured in the
presence of BTEXs. Stationary concentrations of MTBE and TBA were
measured when anoxic conditions occurred in the systems. Values for a
first order kinetic removal process were obtained for MTBE
(0.031 0.001 d
1
), B (0.045 0.002 d
1
) and T (0.080 0.004 d
1
) in
the inoculated column tests. The estimate of the BB design parameters
suggested that inoculation could significantly modify (double) the
longitudinal dispersivity value of the biomass support medium. No
effect was observed in the retardation factors for MTBE, B and T.
10/01933 Household energy consumption pattern and
socio-cultural dimensions associated with it: a case study of
rural Haryana, India
Joon, V. et al. Biomass and Bioenergy, 2009, 33, (11), 15091512.
A survey of household energy consumption pattern was carried out in a
village of Jhajjhar district of Haryana, India in the year 2007. The
households surveyed covered heterogeneous population belonging to
different income, educational and social groups. There was more
availability and utilization of solid biomass fuels as energy resources in
domestic sector as compared to the commercial fuels. Dung cakes, crop
residues and firewood were found to be the three main fuels used for
cooking, though LPG was also used along with biomass fuels. But
complete conversion to cleaner fuels has not taken place yet even in
households that has been using LPG for many years. Income was an
important factor determining the choice of fuel for cooking, but there
were some socio-cultural factors which were equally important in
making fuel preferences at household level.
10/01934 Hydrogen related risks within a private garage:
concentration measurements in a realistic full scale
experimental facility
Gupta, S. et al. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 2009, 34,
(14), 59025911.
The next generation of hydrogen energy based vehicles is expected to
come into widespread use in the near future. Various topics related to
hydrogen including, production, storage, and application of hydrogen
as an energy carrier, have become subjects of discussion in the
framework of various European and international projects. Safety
information is vital to support the successful introduction into
mainstream and public acceptance of hydrogen as an energy carrier.
One of such issues, which is seeking major attention is related to
hydrogen powered vehicles parked inside a confined area (such as in a
private garage). It is of utmost importance to predict, if uncontrolled
release of hydrogen from a vehicle parked inside a confined area can
create an explosive atmosphere. Subsequently, how preventive
measures can be implied to control these explosive atmospheres, if
present inside a confined area? There is little guidance currently
developed for confined areas accommodating hydrogen fuelled
vehicles. It is essential that mitigation measures for such conditions
become established. The present work is developed in the framework
of European Network of Excellence HySafe and the French national
project DRIVE (experimental data for the evaluation of hydrogen risks
onboard vehicles, the validation of numerical tools and the edition of
guidelines). This paper investigates the possible non-catastrophic
scenarios that may arise in a real situation from a hydrogen-fuelled
vehicle parked inside a garage. The studied test cases evaluate the
influence of injected volumes of hydrogen and the initial conditions at
the leakage source on the dispersion and mixing characteristics in an
unobstructed confined environment. The mixing process and build-up
of hydrogen concentration are measured for the duration of 24 h. Due
to safety reasons, helium is used instead of hydrogen.
10/01935 Identifying predictors of attitudes towards local
onshore wind development with reference to an English
case study
Jones, C. R. and Eiser, J. R. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (11), 46044614.
The threats posed by climate change are placing governments under
increasing pressure to meet electricity demand from low-carbon
sources. In many countries, including the UK, legislation is in place
to ensure the continued expansion of renewable energy capacity.
Onshore wind turbines are expected to play a key role in achieving
these aims. However, despite high levels of public support for onshore
wind development in principle, specific projects often experience local
opposition. Traditionally this difference in general and specific
attitudes has been attributed to NIMBYism (not in my back yard),
but evidence is increasingly calling this assumption into question. This
study used multiple regression analysis to identify what factors might
predict attitudes towards mooted wind development in Sheffield,
England. This study reports on the attitudes of two groups; one group
(target) living close to four sites earmarked for development and an
unaffected comparison group (comparison). The authors found little
evidence of NIMBYism amongst members of the target group; instead,
differences between general and specific attitudes appeared attribu-
table to uncertainty regarding the proposals. The results are discussed
with respect to literature highlighting the importance of early,
continued and responsive community involvement in combating local
opposition and facilitating the deployment of onshore wind turbines.
10/01936 Impacts of integration of production of black and
green energy
Zhou, H. and Tamas, M. M. Energy Economics, 2010, 32, (1), 220226.
As the mandate for minimum renewable sources renders tradable
green certificates (TGCs) an essential input for power generation, it
may induce mergers between power companies of conventional and
renewable sources. Such mergers enable the integrated firms to extend
market power from the TGC market to the physical energy market. The
authors found that the price of TGCs is indeed higher in the integrated
market than the disintegrated market, indicating the presence of
market power leveraging. However, despite higher TGC price, the total
supply of electricity is greater under integration than disintegration,
reflecting efficiency gains from vertical integration, which eliminates
double marginalization. The thrust of this paper is that market changes
induced by environmental policies will in turn affect environmental and
economic regulations. For example, increased supply resulting from
integration induced by the renewable source mandate may reduce the
effectiveness of programs that promote energy saving behaviour, but at
the same time creates room for raising the minimum of renewable
sources without unduly depressing production and consumption.
10/01937 Influence of environmental conditions on
carbonaceous particle concentrations within New Zealand
Trompetter, W. J. et al. Journal of Aerosol Science, 2010, 41, (1), 134
142.
298 Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2010
15 Environment (pollution, health protection, applications)
Variables that influence ambient concentrations of air particulate
matter due to motor vehicle emissions and biomass burning for home
heating were investigated for 10 urban environments in New Zealand.
It was found that contributions to ambient particulate matter
concentrations from these two main anthropogenic carbonaceous
sources were only sometimes correlated with the population and/or
source activity within an airshed. The average particulate concentration
attributed to motor vehicle emissions was found to correlate with the
airshed population, whereas the home heating contribution was
observed to be independent. It was found that particulate matter from
biomass burning for home heating emissions often build up during cold
calm nights under temperature inversion conditions, restricting vertical
dispersion thus confining air particulate matter to a limited atmos-
pheric volume. The average winter particulate concentrations due to
home heating within the airsheds studied were attributed more to
environmental confinement rather than source activity.
10/01938 Is fuel-switching a no-regrets environmental
policy? VAR evidence on carbon dioxide emissions, energy
consumption and economic performance in Portugal
Pereira, A. M. and Pereira, M. M. Energy Economics, 2010, 32, (1),
227242.
The objective of this paper is to estimate the impact of carbon dioxide
emissions from fossil fuel combustion activities on economic activity in
Portugal in order to evaluate the economic costs of policies designed to
reduce carbon dioxide emissions. The authors found that energy
consumption has a significant impact on macroeconomic activity. In
fact, a one ton of oil equivalent permanent reduction in aggregate
energy consumption reduces output by e6340 over the long term, an
aggregate impact which hides a wide diversity of effects for different
fuel types. More importantly, and since carbon dioxide emissions are
linearly related to the amounts of fuel consumed, the results allow the
estimation of the costs of reductions in carbon dioxide emissions from
different energy sources. The authors estimate that marginal abate-
ment costs for carbon dioxide are e45.62 per ton of carbon dioxide per
year for coal, e66.52 for oil, e91.07 for gas, e191.13 for electricity and
e254.23 for biomass. An important policy implication is that, once the
overall economic costs of reducing carbon dioxide emissions are
considered, fuel switching is a no-regrets environmental policy capable
of reducing carbon dioxide emissions without jeopardizing economic
activity and indeed with the potential for generating favourable
economic outcomes.
10/01939 Lay concepts on CCS deployment in Switzerland
based on qualitative interviews
Wallquist, L. et al. International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control,
2009, 3, (5), 652657.
Laypeoples acceptance and perception of carbon dioxide capture and
storage (CCS) can have an influence on its political feasibility. It is
important, therefore, to study how laypeople perceive CCS and which
cognitions they hold with respect to this technique. The authors
conducted in-depth interviews with laypeople (N=16) to explore their
mental concepts of CCS. Little knowledge about CCS was detected
among laypeople. They also found that laypeople fear that a
deployment of CCS could create incentives that would hinder a
sustainable development of the energy economy. A misunderstanding
of the concepts of hydro- and geostatic pressure, as well as a lack of
knowledge about the physicalchemical properties of carbon dioxide
seemed to trigger fundamental rejection of CCS among some laypeople.
Future research should study which of the concepts and beliefs found in
the present study are stable and which of them can be easily corrected
by information given to the respondents.
10/01940 Optimization of fuel core loading pattern design
in a VVER nuclear power reactors using particle swarm
optimization (PSO)
Babazadeh, D. et al. Annals of Nuclear Energy, 2009, 36, (7), 923930.
The two main goals in core fuel loading pattern design optimization are
maximizing the core effective multiplication factor (K
eff
) in order to
extract the maximum energy, and keeping the local power peaking
factor (P
q
) lower than a predetermined value to maintain fuel integrity.
In this research, a new strategy based on particle swarm optimization
(PSO) algorithm has been developed to optimize the fuel core loading
pattern in a typical VVER. The PSO algorithm presents a simple social
model by inspiration from bird collective behaviour in finding food. A
modified version of PSO algorithm for discrete variables has been
developed and implemented successfully for the multi-objective
optimization of fuel loading pattern design with constraints of keeping
P
q
lower than a predetermined value and maximizing K
eff
. This strategy
has been accomplished using WIMSD and CITATION calculation
codes. Simulation results show that this algorithm can help in the
acquisition of a new pattern without contravention of the constraints.
10/01941 Radiological risk assessment for an urban area:
focusing on a drinking water contamination
Jeong, H.-J. et al. Annals of Nuclear Energy, 2009, 36, (9), 13131318.
This paper specifically discusses a water quality modelling and health
risk assessment for cesium-137 to assess the potential and actual effects
on human health from drinking water contaminated by a radiological
terrorist attack in the Seoul metropolitan area, Korea. With respect to
the source term caused by a terrorist attack, it was assumed that 50 TBq
of cesium-137 was introduced into the Paldang Lake which is a single
water resource for the Seoul metropolitan area. The EFDC (environ-
mental fluid dynamics code) model was used to calculate the
hydrodynamic and water quality for the model domain, Paldang Lake.
Mortality risk and morbid risk coefficients caused by the ingestion of
tap water were used to assess a human health risk due to cesium-137.
The transport of cesium-137 in the Paldang water system was mainly
dependent on the flow streamlines and the effect of the dilution from
the other branches. The mortality and morbidity risks due to the
drinking water contamination by cesium-137 were 4.77 10
7
and
6.92 10
7
, respectively. Accordingly, it is very important to take
appropriate countermeasures when radiological terrorist attacks have
occurred at water resources to prevent radiological risks by radio-
nuclides.
10/01942 Research on the waiting time of passengers and
escalator energy consumption at the railway station
Ma, W.-W. et al. Energy and Buildings, 2009, 41, (12), 13131318.
Based on the Little formula and the classical queuing model of multi-
channel M|D|n, the relations of the average queue length, the maximum
waiting time and the escalator service intensity were identified and the
waiting time simulation model was established. With the passenger
delivery data at a railway station in China and the probability
distribution model of waiting time, a detailed analysis was made on
the escalator allocation, power and energy consumption on holidays,
ordinary working days and the largest-passengers-volume days; mean-
while, the fixed and variable energy consumption were compared and
studied when the waiting time are 5, 10 and 30 s. The result shows that
the waiting time settings affect the allocation and the energy
consumption of the escalators and the fixed energy consumption takes
70%.
10/01943 Studies of lagoon ash from Sarawak to assess the
impact on the environment
Kolay, P. K. and Singh, H. Fuel, 2010, 89, (2), 346351.
Coal utilization, mainly in thermal power plants, has increased
significantly from 4.2 to 13 million tonnes within 2000 to 2005, which
resulted in the production of approximately 2 million tonnes of coal ash
in Malaysia. Of this only a small percentage is used as a cement
ingredient, in concrete industry, as a fill material, etc. and with the rest
of the amount being disposed in ash ponds or lagoons. If the lagoons
are not properly designed with a landfill liner or if there is spillage
from the ash pond, the toxic heavy metal present in coal ash can result
in the contamination of the subsurface soil and the ground water. The
concentration of heavy metals or trace elements in coal residues
depends on the composition of a particular parent coal and the bulk
utilization of lagoon ash for various purposes requires a complete
characterization of the ash. Hence, this paper analyses the coal ash for
its trace element content and characterizes mainly physical, chemical,
mineralogical, morphological and thermal properties of the lagoon ash
from a local coal based thermal power plant from Sarawak, Malaysia.
The results also indicated that, the concentration of some trace
elements is quite high from the environmental perspective in this
particular lagoon ash.
10/01944 The impact of household consumption patterns
on emissions in Spain
Duarte, R. et al. Energy Economics, 2010, 32, (1), 176185.
This paper analyses the relationship between household consumption
patterns and pollution in the Spanish economy. The analysis was
carried using a social accounting matrix (SAM) for the Spanish
economy prepared for 1999. Taking the final demand of households as
the exogenous account in the SAM framework and combining this with
the information provided by the Household Budget Continuous
Survey on income and consumption, the authors analyse the pollution
produced by both the economy and households in order to satisfy
consumption requirements. The effects of income inequality on
expenditure levels, establishing a link between income level, consump-
tion patterns, propensity to consume and CO
2
emissions are also
considered.
10/01945 Uncertainty in the learning rates of energy
technologies: an experiment in a global multi-regional
energy system model
Rout, U. K. et al. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (11), 49274942.
Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2010 299
15 Environment (pollution, health protection, applications)
The diffusion of promising energy technologies in the market depends
on their future energy productioncost development. When analysing
these technologies in an integrated assessment model using endogen-
ous technological learning, the uncertainty in the assumed learning
rates (LRs) plays a crucial role in the productioncost development
and model outcomes. This study examines the uncertainty in LRs of
some energy technologies under endogenous global learning im-
plementation and presents a floor-cost modelling procedure to
systematically regulate the uncertainty in LRs of energy technologies.
The article narrates the difficulties of data assimilation, as compatible
with mixed integer programming segmentations, and comprehensively
presents the causes of uncertainty in LRs. This work is executed using a
multi-regional and long-horizon energy system model based on
TIMES framework. All regions receive an economic advantage to
learn in a common domain, and resource-ample regions obtain a
marginal advantage for better exploitation of the learning technologies,
due to a lower supply-side fuel-cost development. The lowest learning
investment associated with the maximum LR mobilizes more deploy-
ment of the learning technologies. The uncertainty in LRs has an
impact on the diffusion of energy technologies tested, and therefore
this study scrutinizes the role of policy support for some of the
technologies investigated.
10/01946 Universalization of access to modern energy
services in Indian households economic and policy
analysis
Reddy, C. R. and Eiser, B. S. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (11), 46454657.
Provision of modern energy services for cooking (with gaseous fuels)
and lighting (with electricity) is an essential component of any policy
aiming to address health, education or welfare issues; yet it gets little
attention from policy-makers. Secure, adequate, low-cost energy of
quality and convenience is core to the delivery of these services. The
present study analyses the energy consumption pattern of Indian
domestic sector and examines the urban-rural divide and income
energy linkage. A comprehensive analysis is done to estimate the cost
for providing modern energy services to everyone by 2030. A public-
private partnership-driven business model, with entrepreneurship at
the core, is developed with institutional, financing and pricing
mechanisms for diffusion of energy services. This approach, termed
as EMPOWERS (entrepreneurship model for provision of wholesome
energy-related basic services), if adopted, can facilitate large-scale
dissemination of energy-efficient and renewable technologies like
small-scale biogas/biofuel plants, and distributed power generation
technologies to provide clean, safe, reliable and sustainable energy to
rural households and urban poor. It is expected to integrate the
processes of market transformation and entrepreneurship development
involving government, NGOs, financial institutions and community
groups as stakeholders.
10/01947 Water: a key resource in energy production
Carrillo, A. M. R. and Frei, C. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (11), 4303
4312.
Water and energy are the key resources required for both economic
and population growth, and yet both are increasingly scarce. The
distribution of water takes large amounts of energy, while the
production of energy requires large amounts of water in processes
such as thermal plant cooling systems or raw materials extraction. This
study analyses the water needs for energy production in Spain
according to the energy source sector (electricity, transportation or
domestic) and process type (extraction and refining of raw materials or
thermal plant use). Current and future water needs are quantified
according to energy demand and technology mix evolution. Hypothe-
tical scenarios that simulate the risks of promoting specific energy
policies are also analysed. Results show that the combination of energy
resources used in Spain is projected to be more than 25% more water
consumptive in 2030 than in 2005 under ceteris paribus conditions.
Renewable energies are mixed in terms of their consequences on the
water supply; wind power can reduce water withdrawal, while the
biofuels production is a water-intensive process.
CO
2
, NO
x
, SO
2
and particulate
emissions
10/01948 Allocating the CO
2
emissions of an oil refinery
with AumannShapley prices: comment
Moghaddam, A. T. N. Energy Economics, 2010, 32, (1), 243255.
The allocation of CO
2
emissions of petroleum refineries to their oil
products is a necessary step in the retrospective well-to-tank (WTT)
analysis. These allocated emissions are used to evaluate the environ-
mental impacts of automotive fuels production within the refinery. Oil
refining is a complex joint production system and there exists no simple
and unique answer to this allocation question. Recently, Pierru
proposed adapting the AumannShapley cost sharing method to deal
with this issue. This paper aims at describing the conceptual and
technical difficulties of this adaptation to the WTT context. Moreover,
the authors show that this approach, as proposed by Pierru, is not
applicable to any real-type refinery model. Different suggestions are
provided to improve its applicability (when it is possible) in real
situations. A simple numerical example as well as a real-type refinery
case study is provided for illustrations. Finally, an alternative allocation
approach is discussed which the authors believe is more adapted to the
WTT context.
10/01949 Design issues in a mandatory greenhouse gas
emissions registry for the United States
Stolaroff, J. K. et al. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (9), 34633466.
On 10 March 2009, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
proposed a new rule, mandatory reporting of greenhouse gases
(GHGs). When final, the rule would compel most large sources of
GHGs to report their emissions to EPA as well as fossil fuel suppliers
and vehicle engine manufacturers to report their fuel sales and engine
emissions rates, respectively. The authors suggest a number of
improvements to the rule that would enhance compatibility with
expected future climate legislation and enable a broader range of
policies and analysis: (1) lower the threshold for reporting to a level
more consistent with expected future legislation, (2) require reporting
of electricity use along with direct emissions, (3) require reporting of
emissions per unit output for a small number of selected sectors,
(4) include a system of identifying corporate ownership of reporting
facilities, and (5) identify a path toward coverage for sectors that were
left out of the proposal due to underdeveloped reporting protocols.
10/01950 Greenhouse gas emission factor development for
coal-fired power plants in Korea
Jeon, E.-C. et al. Applied Energy, 2010, 87, (1), 205210.
Accurate estimation of greenhouse gas emissions is essential for
developing an appropriate strategy to mitigate global warming. This
study examined the characteristics of greenhouse gas emission from
power plants, a major greenhouse gas source in Korea. The power
plants examined use bituminous coal, anthracite, and sub-bituminous
coal as fuel. The CO
2
concentration from power plants was measured
using GCFID with methanizer. The amount of carbon, hydrogen, and
calorific values in the input fuel was measured using an elemental
analyser and calorimeter. For fuel analysis, CO
2
emission factors for
anthracite, bituminous coal, and sub-bituminous coal were 108.9, 88.4,
and 97.9 Mg/kJ, respectively. The emission factors developed in this
study were compared with those for IPCC. The results showed that
CO
2
emission was 10.8% higher for anthracite, 5.5% lower for
bituminous coal, and 1.9% higher for sub-bituminous coal than the
IPCC figures.
10/01951 Greenhouse gas emissions in Hawaii: household
and visitor expenditure analysis
Konan, D. E. and Chan, H. L. Energy Economics, 2010, 32, (1), 210
219.
This paper focuses on petroleum use and greenhouse gas emissions
associated with economic activities in Hawaii. Data on economic
activity, petroleum consumption by type (gasoline, diesel, aviation fuel,
residual, propane), and emissions factors are compiled and analysed.
In the baseline year 1997, emissions are estimated to total approxi-
mately 23.2 million metric tons of carbon, 181 thousand metric tons of
nitrous oxide, and 31 thousand metric tons of methane in terms of
carbon-equivalent global warming potential over a 100-year horizon.
Air transportation, electricity, and other transportation are the key
economic activity responsible for GHG emissions associated with fossil
fuel use. More than 22% of total emissions are attributed to visitor
expenditures. On a per person per annum basis, emission rates
generated by visitor demand are estimated to be higher than that of
residents by a factor of 4.3 for carbon, 3.2 for methane, and 4.8 for
nitrous oxide.
10/01952 Impact of a possible environmental externalities
internalisation on energy prices: the case of the greenhouse
gases from the Greek electricity sector
Georgakellos, D. A. Energy Economics, 2010, 32, (1), 202209.
This paper is concerned with the impact of the internalization of
environmental externalities on energy prices. In this context, its aim is
to quantify the external cost of greenhouse gases (specifically carbon
dioxide) generated during electricity production in the thermal power
plants in Greece and to estimate the impact on the electricity
production cost and on the electricity prices of a possible internaliz-
ation of this external cost by the producers. For this purpose, this paper
applies the EcoSenseLE online tool to quantify the examined
externalities. This research finds that the calculated external cost is
significantly high (compared to the corresponding production cost)
mainly in lignite-fired power plants. Specifically, a possible internal-
300 Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2010
15 Environment (CO
2
, NO
x
, SO
2
and particulate emissions)
ization of this external cost would increase the production cost by more
than 52% (on average), which, in turn, would affect similarly the
electricity prices. This finding could be important for decision makers
in the electricity sector to develop strategies for emission reduction and
to develop environmental and energy policies. The general limitation of
the external cost methodology applies to this work as it uses the
standard method developed for the Externe project. Similarly, the data
limitations as well as assumptions related to the costs and exclusions/
omissions of cost elements affect the results.
10/01953 Interventions for large-scale carbon emission
reductions in future UK offices
Jenkins, D. P. et al. Energy and Buildings, 2009, 41, (12), 13741380.
Previous work by the authors has shown the effect that changing
climate and small power/lighting equipment can have on heating and
cooling loads of typical existing UK offices, for a 2005 baseline. This
follow-on study uses an improved office, with reduced cooling loads,
and performs retrofit fabric and HVAC measures to further reduce the
energy and associated CO
2
emissions. The effect of heat recovery on
the proposed 2030 office is then quantified, showing that such an
office can tend towards being passively heated. With adaptive comfort
also applied, the office CO
2
emissions are estimated for various UK
locations. The measures suggest CO
2
emissions relating to heating,
cooling and ventilation (HVAC) can be reduced by 61% for the specific
office-type studied. The proposed measures are carried out while
allowing for a change in activity between 2005 and 2030. When all
factors leading to changes in energy use are accounted for, namely
small power, lighting, HVAC and climate change, total CO
2
savings of
65% are estimated when compared to the 2005 baseline. In achieving
these theoretical savings, the relationship between internal activity and
HVAC is studied, and identified as being a crucial area if challenging
CO
2
emission targets are to be reached.
10/01954 Prediction of SO
2
removal efficiency for wet flue
gas desulfurization
Dou, B. et al. Energy Conversion and Management, 2009, 50, (10), 2547
2553.
The wet flue gas desulfurization in the coal-fired power plants has been
the most widely used because of its high SO
2
removal efficiency,
reliable and low utility consumption. The difficulty in the prediction of
the SO
2
removal from flue gas is that the performance of the system is
related to a wide range of variables. In this paper, the SO
2
was removed
by absorbing and reacting SO
2
with limestone slurry, and limestone
scrubbing was accomplished in a spraying reactor. Experimental
investigations for effects of different operating variables on the SO
2
removal showed the reasonable process parameters such as the pH
value of the liquid phase, droplet size of the spray and the flow rates of
liquid and gas. The removal process was analysed using the two-film
theory of mass-transfer. Both the liquid and gas side resistances were
important, and the absorption rate was controlled by a combination of
both gas-film and liquid-film diffusion controls. A model of external
mass-transfer with the effects of a chemical enhancement factor and
sulfite concentration in the liquid phase was developed for the pre-
diction of the SO
2
removal efficiency, and the calculated values were in
reasonable agreement with the experimental values. The study is
considered as the one-dimensional prediction of SO
2
removal and low-
cost application of limestone slurry for commercial FGD technology.
10/01955 Structural decomposition analysis of Australias
greenhouse gas emissions
Wood, R. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (11), 49434948.
A complex system of production links greenhouse gas emissions to
consumer demands. While progress may be made in improving
efficiency, other changes in the production structure may easily annul
global improvements. Utilizing a structural decomposition analysis, a
comparative-static technique of inputoutput analysis, over a time
period of around 30 years, net greenhouse emissions are decomposed
in this study into the effects, due to changes in industrial efficiency,
forward linkages, inter-industry structure, backward linkages, type of
final demand, cause of final demand, population affluence, population
size, and mix and level of exports. Historically, significant competing
forces at both the whole of economy and industrial scale have been
mitigating potential improvements. Key sectors and structural influ-
ences are identified that have historically shown the greatest potential
for change, and would likely have the greatest net impact. Results
clearly reinforce that the current dichotomy of growth and exports are
the key problems in need of address.
10/01956 Total factor carbon emission performance:
a Malmquist index analysis
Zhou, P. et al. Energy Economics, 2010, 32, (1), 194201.
This paper introduces a Malmquist CO
2
emission performance index
(MCPI) for measuring changes in total factor carbon emission
performance over time. The MCPI is derived by solving several data
envelopment analysis models. Bootstrapping MCPI is proposed to
perform statistical inferences on the MCPI results. Using the index the
emission performance of the worlds 18 top CO
2
emitters from 1997 to
2004 is studied. The results obtained show that the total factor carbon
emission performance of the countries as a whole improved by 24%
over the period and this was mainly driven by technological progress.
The results of a cross-country regression analysis to investigate the
determinants of the resulting MCPI are presented.
10/01957 Transport sector CO
2
emissions growth in Asia:
underlying factors and policy options
Timilsina, C. R. and Shrestha, A. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (11), 4523
4539.
This study analyses the potential factors influencing the growth of
transport sector carbon dioxide (CO
2
) emissions in selected Asian
countries during the 19802005 period by decomposing annual
emissions growth into components representing changes in fuel mix,
modal shift, per capita gross domestic product (GDP) and population,
as well as changes in emission coefficients and transportation energy
intensity. It was found that changes in per capita GDP, population
growth and transportation energy intensity are the main factors driving
transport sector CO
2
emission growth in the countries considered.
While growth in per capita income and population are responsible for
the increasing trend of transport sector CO
2
emissions in China, India,
Indonesia, Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and
Thailand; the decline of transportation energy intensity is driving CO
2
emissions down in Mongolia. Per capita GDP, population and
transportation energy intensity effects are all found responsible for
transport sector CO
2
emissions growth in Bangladesh, the Philippines
and Vietnam. The study also reviews existing government policies to
limit CO
2
emissions growth, such as fiscal instruments, fuel economy
standards and policies to encourage switching to less emission intensive
fuels and transportation modes.
10/01958 Which is the preferable transport fuel on a
greenhouse gas basis; biomethane or ethanol?
Power, N. M. and Murphy, J. D. Biomass and Bioenergy, 2009, 33, (10),
14031412.
Biomethane and ethanol are both biofuels which are generated from
agricultural crops that can be utilized to meet the biofuels directive. In
Ireland with the demise of the sugar industry 48,000 ha of land is
readily available for biofuel production, without unduly effecting food
production. Which biofuel should dominate? This paper investigates
biofuel production for three different crop rotations: wheat, barley and
sugar beet; wheat, wheat and sugar beet; wheat only. A greenhouse gas
balance is performed to determine under what conditions each biofuel
is preferable. For both biofuels, the preferred crop on a weight basis is
wheat, while on an area basis the preferred crop is sugar beet.
Biomethane scenarios produce more gross energy than ethanol
scenarios. Under the base assumption (7.41% biogas losses, and
biomethane utilized in a converted petrol engine, such as a bi-fuel car,
and thus underperforming on a km/MJ basis) ethanol generated more
net greenhouse gas savings than biomethane. This was unexpected as
biomethane produces twice the net energy per hectare as ethanol. If
either biogas losses were reduced or biomethane was utilized in a
vehicular engine optimized for biomethane (such as a bus powered
solely on gaseous biofuel) then biomethane would generate signifi-
cantly more net greenhouse gas savings than ethanol. It was found that
if biogas losses were eliminated and the biomethane was used in a
vehicle optimized for biomethane, then the net greenhouse gas savings
are 2.4 times greater than those from ethanol generated from the same
feedstock.
Hydrocarbon emissions
10/01959 Effects of anthropopressure and soil properties
on the accumulation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in
the upper layer of soils in selected regions of Poland
Maliszewska-Kordybach, B. et al. Applied Geochemistry, 2009, 24, (10),
19181926.
Fifty soil samples collected from agricultural land in four regions of
Poland with different anthropopressure were analysed for their content
of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) by GC/MS. The regions
correspond to Polish administrative units (voievodeships): Podlaskie
and Lubelskie are situated in the rural East part of the country and
more industrialized Slaskie and Dolnoslaskie voievodeships in the
South-West part. Basic physicochemical properties as well as the
content of selected potentially harmful metals (Pb and Zn) were
included in the soil analysis. Overall accumulation of 16PAHs in the
upper soil layer was within the range 731800 mg kg
1
with a geometric
mean (GM) of 252 mg kg
1
, while the mean benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) load
was 20 mg kg
1
. This corresponds with data for other European
Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2010 301
15 Environment (hydrocarbon emissions)
countries. Carcinogenic compounds contributed nearly in 50% to the
total PAHs loads. In uncontaminated rural regions the mean 16PAHs
and BaP contents were 113159 mg kg
1
and 1113 mg kg
1
, respectively.
Regional conditions strongly influenced the accumulation of PAHs _4-
rings, which were highly dependent (over 95%) on local anthropo-
pressure expressed as dust and 4PAHs emission indexes. Soil acidity
was the main soil parameter related to the accumulation of higher
molecular weight PAHs in soils. In more contaminated regions a
significant link between soil OM and PAH loads was noted. The same
regions were characterized by associations between PAHs and
potentially harmful metals implying common sources of pollution.
Those relationships were not observed in the uncontaminated part of
the country. The lower molecular weight PAHs contributed to a smaller
extent (about 20%) to the total PAHs content in soils, and were less
affected by anthropogenic factors.
10/01960 The effect of adding dimethyl carbonate (DMC)
and ethanol to unleaded gasoline on exhaust emission
Wen, L. et al. Applied Energy, 2010, 87, (1), 115121.
Oxygen containing additives are usually used to improve gasolines
performance and reduce exhaust emissions. In this study, the effect of
oxygen containing additives on gasoline blended fuels on exhaust
emissions was investigated for different engine speeds in a single
cylinder, four-stroke, spark-ignition engine. The results indicate that
CO and HC exhaust emissions are lower with the use of ethanol
gasoline and DMCgasoline blended fuels as compared to the use of
unleaded gasoline. On the other hand, the effect of ethanolgasoline
and DMCgasoline blended fuels on NO
X
exhaust emission is
insignificant. Using oxygen containing additives can increase fuel
consumption as a result of the heating value of the blended fuels being
lower than that of unleaded gasoline.
Life cycle analysis
10/01961 A life cycle analysis on a Bio-DME production
system considering the species of biomass feedstock in
Japan and Papua New Guinea
Higo, M. and Dowaki, K. Applied Energy, 2010, 87, (1), 5867.
This paper describes the performance and/or CO
2
intensities of a Bio-
DME (biomass di-methyl ether) production system, considering the
differences of biomass feedstock. In the past LCA studies on an energy
chain model, there is little knowledge on the differences of biomass
feedstock and/or available condition. Thus, in this paper, the authors
selected Papua New Guinea (PNG) which has good potential for
supply of an energy crop (a short rotation forestry), and Japan where
wood remnants are available, as model areas. Also, they referred to
nine species of biomass feedstock of PNG, and to eight species in
Japan. The system boundary on this LCA consists of (1) the pre-
treatment process, (2) the energy conversion process, and (3) the fuel
transportation process. Especially, since the pre-treatment process has
uncertainties related to the moisture content of biomass feedstock, as
well as the distance from the cultivation site to the energy plant, there
were considered by Monte Carlo simulation. Next, the authors
executed the process design of the Bio-DME production system based
on the basic experimental results of pyrolysis and char gasification
reactions. Due to these experiments, the gas components of pyrolysis
and the gasification rate under H
2
O (steam) and CO
2
were obtained.
Also, the pressurized fluid-bed gasification process was designed. In a
liquefaction process, that is, a synthesis process of DME, the result
based on an equilibrium constant was used. In the proposed system, a
steam turbine for an auxiliary power was assumed to be equipped, too.
The energy efficiencies are 39.056.8 LHV-%, depending upon the
biomass species. Consequently, CO
2
intensities in the whole system
were 16.347.2 g-CO
2
/MJ-DME in the Japan case, and 12.236.7 g-
CO
2
/MJ-DME in the PNG one, respectively. Finally, using the results
of CO
2
intensities and energy efficiencies, the authors obtained the
regression equations as parameters of hydrogen content and heating
value of a feedstock. These equations will be extremely significant
when the BTL (biomass-to-liquid, e.g. Bio-DME) energy system is
installed in the near future, in order to mitigate CO
2
emissions
effectively, and to estimate the energys efficiency.
10/01962 Crop residues as raw materials for biorefinery
systems a LCA case study
Cherubini, F. and Ulgiati, S. Applied Energy, 2010, 87, (1), 4757.
This paper focuses on a biorefinery concept which produces bio-
ethanol, bioenergy and biochemicals from two types of agricultural
residues, corn stover and wheat straw. These biorefinery systems are
investigated using a life cycle assessment (LCA) approach, which takes
into account all the input and output flows occurring along the
production chain. This approach can be applied to almost all the other
patterns that convert lignocellulosic residues into bioenergy and
biochemicals. The analysis elaborates on land use change aspects, i.e.
the effects of crop residue removal (like decrease in grain yields,
change in soil N
2
O emissions and decrease of soil organic carbon). The
biorefinery systems are compared with the respective fossil reference
systems producing the same amount of products/services from fossils
instead of biomass. Since climate change mitigation and energy security
are the two most important driving forces for biorefinery development,
the assessment focuses on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and
cumulative primary energy demand, but other environmental cat-
egories are evaluated as well. Results show that the use of crop
residues in a biorefinery saves GHG emissions and reduces fossil
energy demand. For instance, GHG emissions are reduced by about
50% and more than 80% of non-renewable energy is saved. Land use
change effects have a strong influence in the final GHG balance (about
50%), and their uncertainty is discussed in a sensitivity analysis.
Concerning the investigation of the other impact categories, biorefin-
ery systems have higher eutrophication potential than fossil reference
systems. Based on these results, a residues-based biorefinery concept is
able to solve two problems at the same time, namely find a use for the
abundant lignocellulosic residues and ensure a mitigation effect for
most of the environmental concerns related to the utilization of non-
renewable energy resources. Therefore, when agricultural residues are
used as feedstocks, best management practices and harvest rates need
to be carefully established. In fact, rotation, tillage, fertilization
management, soil properties and climate can play an important role
in the determination of the amount of crop residue that can be
removed minimizing soil carbon losses.
10/01963 Life cycle assessment (LCA) of waste
management strategies: landfilling, sorting plant and
incineration
Cherubini, F. et al. Energy, 2009, 34, (12), 21162123.
This paper focuses on a life cycle assessment (LCA) of four waste
management strategies: landfill without biogas utilization; landfill with
biogas combustion to generate electricity; sorting plant which splits the
inorganic waste fraction (used to produce electricity via refuse derived
fuels) from the organic waste fraction (used to produce biogas via
anaerobic digestion); direct incineration of waste. These scenarios are
applied to the waste amount and composition of the municipality of
Rome in Italy and are evaluated under different points of view: global
and local emissions, total material demands, total energy requirements
and ecological footprints. Results, reliable for most of the European
big cities, show landfill systems as the worst waste management options
and significant environmental savings at global scale are achieved from
undertaking energy recycling. Furthermore, waste treatments finalized
to energy recovery provide an energy output that, in the best case, is
able to meet the 15% of Romes electricity consumption.
10/01964 Life cycle assessment and life cycle costing of
bioethanol from sugarcane in Brazil
Luo, L. et al. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 2009, 13, (6
7), 16131619.
Brazil has always been the pioneer in the application of bioethanol as a
main fuel for automobiles, hence environmental and economic analyses
of the Brazilian ethanol industries are of crucial importance. This study
presents a comparative life cycle assessment on gasoline and ethanol as
fuels, and with two types of blends of gasoline with bioethanol, all used
in a midsize car. The focus is on a main application in Brazil, sugarcane
based ethanol. The results of two cases are presented: base case
bioethanol production from sugarcane and electricity generation from
bagasse; future case bioethanol production from both sugarcane and
bagasse and electricity generation from wastes. In both cases sugar is
co-produced. The life cycles of fuels include gasoline production,
agricultural production of sugarcane, ethanol production, sugar and
electricity co-production, blending ethanol with gasoline to produce
E10 (10% of ethanol) and E85 (85%), and finally the use of gasoline,
E10, E85 and pure ethanol. Furthermore, a life cycle costing (LCC)
was conducted to give an indication on fuel economy in both cases. The
results show that in the base case less GHG is emitted; while the overall
evaluation of these fuel options depends on the importance attached to
different impacts. The future case is certainly more economically
attractive, which has been the driving force for development in the
ethanol industry in Brazil. Nevertheless, the outcomes depend very
much on the assumed price for crude oil. In LCC a steady-state cost
model was used and only the production cost was taken into account.
In the real market the prices of fuels are very much dependent on the
taxes and subsidies. Technological development can help in lowering
both the environmental impact and the prices of the ethanol fuels.
10/01965 Life cycle energy assessment of a typical office
building in Thailand
Kofoworola, O. F. and Gheewala, S. H. Energy and Buildings, 2009, 41,
(10), 10761083.
302 Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2010
15 Environment (life cycle analysis)
A typical office building in Thailand was analysed using the life cycle
energy analysis (LCEA) method. Results indicate that although life
cycle energy (LCE) distribution is concentrated at the operating phase,
the embodied energy of buildings is a non-negligible fraction of the
LCE balance. Energy (electricity) used for lighting and HVAC systems
in the operation phase and the manufacture of concrete and steel were
the most significant elements in the buildings life cycle. Application of
a combination of energy saving measures, showed that 4050% of
energy (electricity) used in a typical office building in Thailand can be
saved. Preliminary analysis indicated that recycling building materials
can contribute additional energy savings (about 8.9%) to a buildings
LCE profile. Therefore reducing energy consumption should be a
priority for not only the operation but also other life cycle phases. It is
suggested that both embodied and operating energy should be
accounted for within the context of energy efficiency through the
incorporation of LCEA into the existing Thai building energy code.
16 ENERGY
Supplies, policy, economics, forecasts
10/01966 A comparative study on the energy policies in
Japan and Malaysia in fulfilling their nations obligations
towards the Kyoto Protocol
Lau, L. C. et al. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (11), 47714778.
Global warming and the associated changes in the world climate
pattern have been accepted world wide as the gravest threat to
humanity in the twentieth century. To mitigate the impacts of global
warming, the Kyoto Protocol was established in 1997 with the objective
of reducing global greenhouse gases (GHGs) emission, in particular
carbon dioxide, by 5.2% below 1990 levels. Developed nations that
ratified the Protocol are committed to GHG reduction targets while
developing nations are encouraged to reduce GHG emissions on a
voluntary basis. Since most of the GHGs emissions come from the
energy sector, energy policy plays an important role in fulfilling the
Kyoto Protocol obligations. This year marks the beginning of the
commitment period for the 2012 Kyoto Protocol. In this case, it would
be worthwhile to compare the energy policies in Malaysia and Japan as
these nations move towards fulfilling their obligations towards the
Kyoto Protocol; bearing in mind that both countries ratified the
Protocol, but that Japan commits a reduction target of 6% while
Malaysia bears no obligation. Based on the comparison, recommen-
dations were made on how a developing nation like Malaysia could
adopt the policies implemented in Japan to suit local conditions and
contribute significantly to GHG reduction.
10/01967 A semiparametric model of household gasoline
demand
Wadud, Z. et al. Energy Economics, 2010, 32, (1), 93101.
Gasoline demand studies typically generate a single price and income
elasticity for a country. It is however possible that these elasticities may
differ among various socio-economic groups. At the same time,
parametric gasoline demand models may not be flexible enough to
capture the changes in price elasticities with different levels of income.
This paper models US gasoline demand using more flexible semipara-
metric techniques, accommodating the possibility of differences in
responses among households. The econometric model employs a non-
parametric bivariate smoothing for price and income and a parametric
representation of other explanatory variables. Possible heterogeneity in
price and income elasticities is modelled through interacting price and
income with demographic variables. Results show that price responses
do vary with demographic variables such as income, multiple vehicle
holding, presence of multiple wage earners or rural or urban residential
locations. Households responses to a price change decrease with
higher income. Multiple vehicle and multiple earner households also
show higher sensitivity to a price change. Households located in urban
areas reduce consumption more than those in rural areas in response to
an increase in price. Comparison of the flexible semiparametric model
with a parametric translog model, however, reveals no significant diff-
erences between results, and the parametric models have the advantage
of lower computational requirements and better interpretability.
10/01968 A study on the energy penalty of various air-side
system faults in buildings
Lee, S. H. and Yik, F. W. H. Energy and Buildings, 2010, 42, (1), 210.
Automatic fault detection and diagnosis (FDD) can help enhance
building energy efficiency by facilitating early detection of occurrence
of system faults, especially those of air-conditioning systems, thus
enabling rectification of the faults before much energy is wasted due to
such faults. However, building owners may not invest in FDD unless
they are convinced of the energy cost savings that can be achieved. This
paper presents the results of a study on the energy cost impacts of a
range of common system faults in variable air volume (VAV) air-
conditioning systems, which are widely adopted for their good part-
load energy efficiency. The simulation results indicate that some faults
may significantly increase energy use in buildings, for example,
negative room air temperature sensor offset, stuck open VAV box
damper, negative supply air temperature sensor offset, stuck open
outdoor air damper and stuck open and leaking cooling coil valve.
Since building occupants may adapt to the symptoms of these faults,
such as reduced room air temperature, and thus may not complain
about them, the occurrence of such faults are not immediately apparent
unless a FDD system is available. Some other faults, e.g. positive supply
air temperature sensor offset, positive room air temperature sensor
offset, stuck closed cooling coil valve and stuck closed VAV box
damper, may allow less energy to be used but will lead to unbearable
indoor environmental conditions, such as high indoor temperature.
Such faults, therefore, can easily be detected even without a FDD
system, as there will be feedback from the building occupants.
10/01969 Account for sector heterogeneity in Chinas
energy consumption: sector price indices vs. GDP deflator
Ma, C. Energy Economics, 2010, 32, (1), 2429.
A common practice in decomposition analyses is to deflate output
indicators to purge the impact of inflation by using a general deflator.
This practice fails to account for sector heterogeneity and can be
hazardous. Although the general identified patterns are largely correct,
the calculated magnitudes can be misleading or even wrongly signed.
Instead, it is strongly recommended that sector heterogeneity is
accounted for by using individual sector price indices for all relevant
sectors instead of one general (GDP) deflator. This paper analyses this
advanced decomposition using Chinese data and compares to the usual
method of using only one deflator. It is found that while most
differences are only of quantitative quality, some show even a
qualitative difference. Furthermore, the rising energy intensity in the
early 2000s, which has been discussed by previous studies, vanishes
completely.
10/01970 An energy-economic scenario analysis of
alternative fuels for personal transport using the Global
Multi-regional MARKAL model (GMM)
Gul, T. et al. Energy, 2009, 34, (10), 14231437.
This paper deals with the long-term prospects of alternative fuels in
global personal transport. It aims at assessing key drivers and key
bottlenecks for their deployment, focusing particularly on the role of
biofuels and hydrogen in meeting climate policy objectives. The
analysis is pursued using the global multi-regional MARKAL model
(GMM), a perfect foresight bottom-up model of the global energy
system with a detailed representation of alternative fuel chains, linked
to the model for the assessment of greenhouse gas induced climate
change (MAGICC). The analysis shows that biofuels are limited by the
regional availability of low-cost biomass, but can be important for
meeting mild climate policy targets. If policy-makers intend to pursue
more stringent climate policy, then hydrogen becomes a competitive
option. However, the analysis finds that the use of hydrogen in
personal transport is restricted to very stringent climate policy, as only
such policy provides enough incentive to build up the required delivery
infrastructure. An analysis of costs additionally shows that keeping the
hydrogen option open does not take considerable investments com-
pared to the investment needs in the power sector within the next
decades, but allows the use of hydrogen for the pursuit of stringent
climate policy in the second half of the century.
10/01971 An integrated approach to energy prospects for
North America and the rest of the world
Bassi, A. M. et al. Energy Economics, 2010, 32, (1), 3042.
Many international organizations and research institutions have
released recently unequivocal scenarios on energys future prospects.
The peak in global oil production is likely to happen in the next 1015
years, and is likely to have large impacts on our quality of life in the
coming decades. This study presents an integrated tool for national
energy planning customized to North America. The authors analysed
the impact of world oil production on economic, social and
environmental indicators. Two cases of global ultimate recoverable
oil reserves are considered, a low and medium estimate within current
research. Three sets of policy directions were chosen: business as usual
(market based), maximum push for renewables, and low carbon
emissions. Results of the simulations show that without restrictions
on emissions coal becomes the dominant energy in the longer term. On
the other hand, if US policymakers are able to effectively implement
Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2010 303
16 Energy (supplies, policy, economics, forecasts)
the necessary polices, such as a 20% RPS by 2020 and increased CAFE
Standards, along with increased energy conservation and efficiency, the
medium to longer-term economic impacts of a global peak in oil
production can be mitigated, while a sustained reduction in emissions
would require a larger effort.
10/01972 Analysis of the efficiency of the Iberian power
futures market
Herraiz, A

. C. and Monroy, C. R. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (9), 3566

3579.
Market efficiency is analysed for the Iberian power futures market and
other European power markets, as well as other fuel markets through
evaluation of ex-post forward risk premium. The equilibrium price
from compulsory call auctions for distribution companies within the
framework of the Iberian power futures market is not optimal for
remuneration purposes as it seems to be slightly upward biased. In the
period considered (August 2006July 2008), monthly futures contracts
behave similarly to quarterly contracts. Average risk premiums have
been positive in power and natural gas markets but negative in oil and
coal markets. Different hypotheses are tested regarding increasing
volatility with maturity and regarding forward risk premium variations
(decreasing with variance of spot prices during delivery period and
increasing with skewness of spot prices during delivery period).
Enlarged data sets are recommended for stronger test results. Energy
markets tend to show limited levels of market efficiency. Regarding the
emerging Iberian power futures market, price efficiency is improved
with market development of all the coexistent forward contracting
mechanisms and with further integration of European regional
electricity markets.
10/01973 Chinas fuel economy standards for passenger
vehicles: rationale, policy process, and impacts
Oliver, H. H. et al. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (11), 47204729.
China issued its first fuel economy standards (FES) for light-duty
passenger vehicles (LDPV) in September 2004, and the first and
second phases of the FES took effective in July 2005 and January 2008,
respectively. The stringency of the Chinese FES ranks third globally,
following the Japanese and European standards. This study reviews the
policy-making background, including the motivations, key players, and
the process; and then explains the content and the features of the FES
and why there was no compliance flexibility built into it. Next, the
authors assess the various aspects of the standards impact, including
fuel economy improvement, technology changes, shift of market
composition, and overall fuel savings. Lastly, they comment on the
prospect of tightening the existing FES and summarize the comp-
lementary policies that have been adopted or may be considered by the
Chinese government for further promoting efficient vehicles and
reducing transport energy consumption. The Chinese experience is
highly relevant for countries that are also experiencing or anticipating
rapid growth in personal vehicles, those wishing to moderate an
increase in oil demand, or those desirous of vehicle technology
upgrades.
10/01974 Defining limits: energy constrained economic
growth
Nel, W. P. and van Zyl, G. Applied Energy, 2010, 87, (1), 168177.
The historical and deductive merits for an explicit energy-based
economic growth formulation are presented. Parameters in the
formulation are successfully calibrated to empirical data and a range
of forecasts is made for global economic growth potential to 2050,
based on a plausible case of energy availability. The results
demonstrate the vital importance of energy security and lead to the
conclusion that the current socio-economic paradigm may not be
sustainable.
10/01975 Economic impacts of higher oil and gas prices:
the role of international trade for Germany
Lutz, C. and Meyer, B. Energy Economics, 2009, 31, (6), 882887.
The analysis concentrates on direct and indirect price increases,
induced shifts in international trade and structural changes in the oil
importing economies. The paper at hand asks, whether a stabilizing
effect via international trade and domestic structural change on the
GDP of oil importing countries can be observed, if a permanent oil
price increase occurs. At least for Germany, structural change from
consumer goods to investment goods industry and an improvement of
international competitiveness limit negative impacts of increased
energy prices. Analysis is based on the extensive and disaggregated
global GINFORS model and the detailed INFORGE model for the
German economy.
10/01976 Economical analysis and relation between
energy inputs and yield of greenhouse cucumber
production in Iran
Mohammadi, A. and Omid, M. Applied Energy, 2010, 87, (1), 191196.
This paper studies the energy balance between the input and the output
per unit area for greenhouse cucumber production. For this purpose,
the data on 43 cucumber production greenhouses in the Tehran
province, Iran, were collected and analysed. The results indicated that
a total energy input of 148,836.76 MJ ha
1
was consumed for cucumber
production. Diesel fuel (with 41.94%) and chemical fertilizers (with
19.69%) were amongst the highest energy inputs for cucumber
production. The energy productivity was estimated as 0.80 k MJ
1
.
The ratio of energy output to energy input was approximately 0.64.
Results indicate 10.93% and 89.07% of total energy input was in
renewable and non-renewable forms, respectively. The regression
results revealed that the contribution of energy inputs on crop yield
(except for fertilizers and seeds energies) was significant. The human
labour energy had the highest impact (0.35) among the other inputs in
greenhouse cucumber production. Econometric analysis indicated that
the total cost of production for one hectare of cucumber production
was around $33,425.70. Accordingly, the benefitcost ratio was
estimated as 2.58.
10/01977 Energy and water tradeoffs in enhancing food
security: a selective international assessment
Mushtaq, S. et al. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (9), 36353644.
Rice is the major staple food in most Asian countries. However, with
rapidly growing populations, sustained high productivity and yields
through improving water productivity is critically important. Increas-
ingly complex energyagriculture relationships require an in-depth
understanding of water and energy tradeoffs. This study contributes to
energy and food policies by analysing the complex energy, water and
economics dynamics across a selection of major rice growing countries.
The results show that tradeoffs exist between yield and energy inputs
with high yield attributed to higher levels of energy input. The selected
developed countries show higher energy productivity, relative to all
other energy inputs, compared to the selected developing counties,
owing to enhanced mechanization, on-farm technology and improved
farm management. Among all countries, China has the highest water
productivity due to water-saving irrigation practices. These practices
offer opportunities for developed and developing countries to increase
water productivity at the same time taking advantage of economic and
energy benefits of reduced pumping. Sustained production from
agriculture is vital to food security. Improved irrigation practices can
offset environmental footprints in the short run but their large-scale
implementation remains an issue. In the long run, investments are
needed to buffer the negative impacts of food production on the
environment. Investments to boost water productivity and improved
energy use efficiency in crop production are two pathways to reduce
energy dependency, enhanced natural resource sustainability and
ensuring future food security.
10/01978 Energy crop production costs in the EU
Ericsson, K. et al. Biomass and Bioenergy, 2009, 33, (11), 15771586.
The objective of this study was to calculate indicative ranges of
production costs and assess the main sources of cost for a number of
energy crops, both annual and perennial, on a regional level in Europe.
The production costs were calculated in terms of the economic
compensation required by the farmer in order to grow the crop, and
therefore include not only the cost of cultivation, but also the costs of
land and risk, which are often omitted in production cost calculations.
The cost of land was calculated as the opportunity cost based on the
production of cereals. Thus, higher food prices lead to higher land
costs, which in turn lead to higher energy crop production costs. The
analysis was performed for three cases with different assumptions
concerning yields and production cost reductions resulting from scale
(total cultivation area in the region), and learning effects. The
calculated energy crop production costs were found to be consistently
lowest for short-rotation coppice (SRC) crops and highest for annual
straw crops. The production costs of SRC crops were calculated to be
about 45 e GJ
1
under present conditions and 34 e GJ
1
under
improved future conditions. The production costs for perennial grasses
were calculated to be about 67 e GJ
1
and 56 e GJ
1
under present
and improved future conditions, respectively. The production costs for
annual straw crops were estimated to be 68 e GJ
1
under present
conditions with small potential for cost reductions in the future.
10/01979 Energy policy in transport and transport policy
Van Dender, K. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (10), 38543862.
Explanations for, and indirect evidence of, imperfections in the market
for private passenger vehicle fuel economy suggest there is a
reasonable case for combining fuel economy standards and fuel or
carbon taxes to contribute to an energy policy that aims to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions and improve energy security. Estimates of
key elasticities, including the rebound effect, indicate that the positive
and negative side-effects of fuel economy measures on transport
activities and external costs are limited. However, an energy policy for
transport does not replace a transport policy that aims to manage the
main transport externalities including congestion and local pollution.
304 Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2010
16 Energy (supplies, policy, economics, forecasts)
Conventional marginal cost estimates and standard cost-benefit
reasoning suggest that policies that address congestion and local
pollution likely bring benefits at least as large as those from fuel
economy measures. But the large uncertainty on the possible effects of
greenhouse gas emissions constitutes a strong challenge for standard
cost-benefit reasoning. Emerging results from methods to cope with
this uncertainty suggest that policies to stimulate the widespread
adoption of low-carbon technologies in transport are justified.
10/01980 Factors impacting district heating companies
decision to provide small house customers with heat
Lygnerud, K. and Peltola-Ojala, P. Applied Energy, 2010, 87, (1), 185
190.
District heating companies efficiency of providing district heating to
small houses in Finland and Sweden is studied. The method used is
data envelopment analysis. The results indicate that Finnish compa-
nies, overall, are more efficient when offering district heat to small
house customers. In Finland, price increases demand and impacts
district heating company efficiency the most. The lower price level in
Finland, compared to Sweden, might be a reflection of competition
between different heating goods. In Sweden, network size and company
size (large companies are more efficient in providing small houses with
heat than small ones) drive the efficiency of small house district
heating.
10/01981 Germany and energy security in the 2000s:
rise and fall of a policy issue?
Duffield, J. S. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (11), 42844292.
After some two decades of inattention, the issue of energy security
once again moved to the top of the policy agenda in Germany in the
mid-2000s. After briefly achieving renewed prominence, however, it
was eclipsed in German energy policy, at least temporarily, by
heightened concerns about climate change. This paper explains the
re-emergence of concerns about energy insecurity in recent years as
well as the reasons for their subsequent overshadowing. It describes
and explains the steps that have been taken during this period to
promote German energy security and analyses their adequacy. The
paper identifies a number of reasons to be sceptical about how much
the agreed policies will improve Germanys energy security, but it
concludes that there are nevertheless good reasons to expect the issue
to regain the attention of policy-makers in the future.
10/01982 Gradual reforms and the emergence of energy
market in China: evidence from tests for convergence of
energy prices
Ma, H. et al. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (11), 48344850.
This study investigates the emergence of energy markets by testing for
convergence of energy prices with a new dataset on energy spot prices
in 35 major cities in China. Both descriptive statistics and unit root are
employed to test the convergence of energy prices for each of four fuel
price series. The whole study period is divided into two sub-periods in
order to reconcile the gradual energy reforms. The results show the
steady improvement in energy market performance in China, especially
during the second sub-period, which suggests that the market appears
to be playing an increasing role in determining energy prices. While
panel unit root tests show energy markets are integrated in China as a
whole, city-by-city univariate unit root tests suggest that there are still
many regional energy markets, probably because energy reserves
(especially coal) vary widely across regions. Since Chinas energy
economy is gradually moving towards market-oriented mechanisms, the
existing literature may become obsolete soon.
10/01983 Hydro reservoir handling in Norway before and
after deregulation
Wolfgang, O. et al. Energy, 2009, 34, (10), 16421651.
The Norwegian Energy Act that came into force in 1991 deregulated
the electricity market and removed the former obligation power
companies had to supply electricity to the geographical area they were
responsible for. Hence producers can supply electricity on the basis of
profitability. In 2007 the Energy Act was evaluated by the government.
As a part of this, a study concerning hydro reservoir handling before
and after deregulation was carried out by SINTEF. Public statistics
show that average hydro reservoir levels measured in per cent of
reservoir capacity have been reduced after 1990. The authors have used
the power-market model EMPS (EFIs Multi-area Power-market
Simulator) to analyse if this reduction can be explained by natural
variation in climatic variables or by structural changes that have
occurred after 1990. Simulation results show that the reduced reservoir
levels cannot be explained by natural variation in climatic variables.
Structural changes such as increased transmission capacities can,
however, explain some of the reduction. The study does not indicate
that the present reservoir handling gives reservoir levels that are too
low. In this paper the authors also describe the stochastic dynamic
optimization problem for long-term hydropower scheduling, and
explain how this problem actually is solved by the EMPS model.
10/01984 Intra- and extra-union flexibility in meeting the
European Unions emission reduction targets
Tol, R. S. J. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (11), 43294336.
The EU has proposed four flexibility mechanisms for the regulation of
greenhouse gas emissions in the period 20132020: (1) the emissions
trade scheme (ETS), a permit market between selected companies;
(2) trade in non-ETS allotments between member states; (3) the clean
development mechanism (CDM) to purchase offsets in developing
countries; and (4) trade in CDM warrants between member states. This
paper shows that aggregate abatement costs fall as flexibility increases.
However, limited flexibility creates rents so that increasing flexibility
raises costs in some member states. Costs are reduced more by the
CDM than by non-ETS trade. The CDM warrants market reduces costs
by a small amount only; market power is a real issue. However, the
warrants market is obsolete in case there is non-ETS trade. The CDM
leads to price convergence between the ETS and non-ETS market.
There would be one price for carbon in the European Union if the
proposed limits on CDM access are relaxed slightly.
10/01985 Measuring the security of external energy supply
in the European Union
Le Coq, C. and Paltseva, E. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (11), 44744481.
The security of energy supply is one of the main objectives of EU
energy policy. This study introduces an index designed to evaluate the
short-term risks associated with the external supply of energy to the
EU member states. It combines measures of energy import diversifica-
tion, political risks of the supplying country, risk associated with energy
transit, and the economic impact of a supply disruption. The authors
construct separate indexes for three primary energy types, oil, gas and
coal, and demonstrate that member states levels of supply risk
exposure differ across energies. Most other studies of this kind provide
aggregate indexes combining different types of energy. The results
suggest that an aggregate approach could be misleading, at least for
discussions of the short-term response to risks.
10/01986 Modelling fuel demand for different
socio-economic groups
Wadud, Z. et al. Applied Energy, 2009, 86, (12), 27402749.
The fuel-demand literature provides a range of estimates of the long-
and short-run price and income elasticities of gasoline demand for
different countries and states. These estimates can be very useful in
predicting the overall impacts of policy approaches designed to reduce
fuel consumption and to address concerns of carbon emissions or
energy security. However, analysis of policy options based on
elasticities that are homogenous across income groups provides no
information about the relative distributional burden that may be faced
by different sectors of the population. Different responses to the same
change in price or income are likely to occur, dependent on both travel
needs and income levels. This paper estimates gasoline demand
elasticities for different income quintiles in the USA to test for
heterogeneity in demand response. Group wise summary consumer
expenditure data for 20 years is used to derive the elasticity estimates.
The results show that the elasticities do vary across groups and follow a
U-pattern from the lowest to the highest income quintile. The lowest
income quintile is found to have the largest price elasticity. The lowest
and the highest income quintiles appear to be statistically insensitive to
any changes in income. The rebound effect also follows the U-pattern,
with the highest rebound observed among the wealthiest households.
Rural households appear to have lower price elasticity than households
in urban areas.
10/01987 Small scale biomass heating systems: standards,
quality labelling and market driving factors an EU outlook
Verma, V. K. et al. Biomass and Bioenergy, 2009, 33, (10), 13931402.
In the present study a comparative evaluation of several existing quality
labels and standards for small scale biomass heating systems (BHS) and
the biomass fuels they use was performed. With the introduction of
pellet fuels, biomass heating technology achieved enough maturity to
successfully compete with oil/gas heating devices in terms of ease of
use, utilization of energy and pollutant emissions. From indoor air
quality and related health risks point of view, quality labelling of both
BHS and fuel they use leads to stricter emissions, efficiency and safety
requirements as compared to National and EU standards. Several
measures supporting this green energy market in the active countries
(Sweden, Nordic countries, Germany, France and Austria) were
investigated. It was found that policies and financial incentives such
as the Finance Law (20052009) in France and Market Incentives
Programme (19992006) in Germany are the most successful. German
regulations and quality label (Blue Angel) provide the stringent quality
requirements for residential BHS. In Belgium, Wallonia is the most
active region for biomass energy utilization (83.5 MW for residential
heating in 2007). A quality label for small scale BHS however does not
yet exist. An equivalent label (Optimaz) exists for oil fired residential
boilers. Emphasis has been placed upon using Optimaz as a reference
Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2010 305
16 Energy (supplies, policy, economics, forecasts)
and to compare with other existing quality labels. As a result, an effort
had been made to move ahead in the preliminary study for
development of a quality label for Belgian.
10/01988 Statistical analyses on summer energy
consumption characteristics of residential buildings in
some cities of China
Chen, S. et al. Energy and Buildings, 2010, 42, (1), 136146.
This study analyses energy consumption characteristics and investigates
the influence factors of residential energy consumption in summer in
typical cities of China. The residences studied were located in seven
cities of five architecture thermotechnical design zones. Questionnaire
surveys revealed housing unit characteristics, household characteristics,
the possession and utilization of domestic energy consuming appliances
and indoor thermal environment in summer. Energy consumption
analyses show that summer energy consumption amounts in different
cities bear distinct regional characteristics: the household amounts of
electricity use are largest in Hong Kong, and the values are smaller but
still at a high level in Beijing, Shanghai and Changsha, and at the
smallest level in Kunming, Harbin and Urumqi, while the difference in
gas use is small among these cities. Influence factor analyses show that
city locations, housing unit characteristics, the utilization of space
coolers and water heaters, household characteristics, and subjective
evaluation of indoor thermal environment all contribute to the
residential energy consumption in summer when taking all the families
in the seven cities as the sample collectivity, while detail analyses for
separate cities shows each city has its own characteristics. In Shanghai,
the satisfaction rate of thermal environment, the possession and
operation of air conditioners and housing unit characteristics greatly
affect the summer energy consumption, but the electrical fan is judged
as the non-influence factor, while in Urumqi, the possession and
operation of electrical fans and the categories of water heaters have
remarkable effect, and the influence of housing unit characteristics is
also distinct, but the number of air conditioners and their usage
contribute little to energy use due to the cool climate.
10/01989 The additional benefits of setting up an energy
security centre
Nagy, K. Energy, 2009, 34, (10), 17151720.
An Agreement of Cooperation was concluded in 2008 on the setting up
of an Energy Security Centre amongst the Hungarian Ministry of
Defence, the Ministry of Economy and Transport, the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs, the National Office for Research and Technology and
the Prime Ministers Office. This paper summarizes the findings for the
setting up of the Centre and creating the necessary conditions required
for its operation. The main idea is that qualitatively new conditions to
facilitate effective problem solving to meet the demands of mankind for
energy are needed. The key part of this work is the creation of the
structures of a global problem-solving network. It will function as a
network of energy security knowledge centres (KC). A number of KC
with different specialization will be built on these structures, resulting
in a global network with new synergies, which will in return foster the
development of new capabilities and the emergence of new way of
thinking. The paper discusses the results related to the application of a
global approach to energy security and points out the necessity of
regarding energy security and environmental protection as integral
parts of the system.
10/01990 Will energy regulations in the Gulf States make
buildings more comfortable a scoping study of residential
buildings
Radhi, H. et al. Applied Energy, 2009, 86, (12), 25312539.
This paper examines the interaction between occupant thermal comfort
and envelope component regulations in the Gulf States. The country
chosen for this study is the Kingdom of Bahrain, the smallest country in
the Gulf region. Simulation results and comparative studies were
employed to investigate the impact of the current envelope component
regulations on the internal environment. The paper focuses on
residential buildings and concludes that the envelope component
regulations contribute positively to the internal thermal performance.
Although these envelope components are not generally the primary
elements that impact upon internal thermal comfort there are
circumstances when the components become very warm and occupants
positioned close to them will experience discomfort. This paper shows
that the thermal insulation regulation makes a small impact on thermal
comfort, whereas the window regulation, particularly glazing, is more
influential and that for most window areas, solar impacts are generally
large.
Energy conservation
10/01991 A new methodology for the design of low energy
buildings
Chlela, F. et al. Energy and Buildings, 2009, 41, (9), 982990.
This paper aims to set up a methodology that simplifies parametrical
studies during the design process of a low energy building. The
methodology is based on the design of experiments method which is a
statistical method widely used in industry to perform parametric
studies that reduces the required number of experiments. This method
was used to perform first- and second-order metamodels for the energy
demand and energy consumption of an office building called
Beethoven. Three French cities were considered: Nancy (cold climate),
Agen (moderate climate) and Nice (hot climate). The developed
metamodels showed rather good results for the annual heating demand
and final energy consumption of the building. Less accurate results
were obtained for the annual cooling demand. However, the accuracy
of the different metamodels was improved significantly by introducing
new terms similar to the Taylor series. These new metamodels were
developed by coupling several conventional designs. Afterwards, a
metamodelling methodology has been developed in order to design low
energy buildings. The proposed methodology starts by defining the
outputs and factors to consider followed by choosing a set of random
experimental points used to compute the experimental errors of the
developed metamodels. The designer starts by computing a basic first
order metamodel using a factorial design and then improves step by
step the accuracy of the metamodels if the calculated experimental
errors are considered unsatisfactory. Currently, the increase of the
capabilities and complexity of building energy simulation tools could
result in new difficulties during the design process of low energy
buildings. The obtained metamodels in this study could be used instead
of the simulation tools for computing the energy performance of the
buildings and to find out optimal solutions for building envelope and
HVAC systems to design low energy buildings. Furthermore, these
models could provide support during the building design process for
rational design decisions regarding the selection of energy-saving
building components. Future works will be carried out using the
developed metamodels to outline guidelines solutions for building
envelope and HVAC systems in order to design low energy buildings
with respect to the French climate context.
10/01992 A study on energy performance of hotel buildings
in Singapore
Priyadarsini, R. et al. Energy and Buildings, 2009, 41, (12), 13191324.
This paper presents a study on energy performance of Singapores
hotel buildings. Energy consumption data and other pertinent
information were collected from 29 quality hotels through a national
survey. Building features and operational characteristics contributing
to the variations in hotel energy performance were discussed. The
annual average total energy use intensity (EUI) in these hotels is
427 kWh/m
2
. Electricity and gas are used in all sampled hotels, and
some hotels also use diesel to power standby generator or hot water
boiler. The authors also investigated relationships between electricity
consumption and number of occupied rooms in individual hotels; the
weak correlations found indicate it is necessary to improve energy
management when occupancy rate is low. Besides, Pearson correlations
between hotel energy use intensity and possible explanatory indicators
revealed that three-star hotels differ from high class establishments in
energy use. Worker density and years after the last major energy
retrofit were also found to be highly correlated to hotel building energy
use intensity. Also discussed in this paper is the effect of weather
conditions on electricity consumption of the hotels.
10/01993 Compressed air system best practice
programmes: what needs to change to secure long-term
energy savings for New Zealand?
Neale, J. R. and Kamp, P. J. J. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (9), 34003408.
The establishment of a compressed air system (CAS) best practice
programme is a key component of one of the initial industrial energy
efficiency programmes being driven by New Zealand government
ministries and agencies. In a global context this is not a new initiative in
that existing programmes have been functioning in Europe and USA,
yet in each of these cases the impact 10 years on has been patchy with
limited long-term improvements in overall energy efficiency. The New
Zealand CAS best practice programme currently under development is
sponsored by the Electricity Commission (EC) and the Energy
Efficiency Conservation Authority (EECA). It takes a new approach
in policy direction, with variations from those used in other
international programmes. A significant level of electricity levy money
is to be committed to this programme and it is timely to highlight its
merits and potential weaknesses, and what is required to generate long-
term energy savings beyond the levels achieved by more mature
overseas programmes.
306 Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2010
16 Energy (energy conservation)
10/01994 Driving for fun? Comparing the effect of fuel
prices on weekday and weekend fuel consumption
Frondel, M. and Vance, C. Energy Economics, 2010, 32, (1), 102109.
Focusing on individual motorists in car-owning households in
Germany, this paper investigates the determinants of automobile
travel, with the specific aim of quantifying the effects of fuel prices and
person-level attributes on travel conducted over a 5-day week and
weekend. The analysis is predicated on the notion that car use is an
individual decision, albeit one that is dependent on intra-household
allocation processes, thereby building on a growing body of literature
that has identified the importance of socioeconomic factors such as
employment status, gender, and the presence of children in determin-
ing both access to and use of the car. To capture this two-stage decision
process, a two-part model was used, which consists of probit and OLS
estimators, and elasticity estimates derived that incorporate both the
discrete and continuous choices pertaining to car use. With fuel price
elasticity estimates ranging between 0.45 and 0.50, the results
suggest raising prices via fuel taxes to be a promising energy
conservation and climate protection measure.
10/01995 Economic evaluation of energy saving measures
in a common type of Greek building
Nikolaidis, Y. et al. Applied Energy, 2009, 86, (12), 25502559.
This paper deals with the economic analysis and evaluation of various
energy-saving measures in the building sector, focusing on a domestic
detached house in Greece, i.e. in a typical Mediterranean climate. In
order to detect the energy-saving measures that, in addition to energy
benefits, can also provide economic profits, the study examines the
following measures: all kinds of insulation; upgrading of the heating
system; use of thermal solar systems; upgrading of lighting; upgrading
of electric appliances; upgrading of the cooling system. The economic
evaluation methods used for ranking the energy-saving measures are
the net present value, the internal rate of return, the savings to
investment ratio and the depreciated payback period. It has been found
that amongst the most effective energy-saving methods are the
upgrading of lighting, the insulation of the roof of the building and
the installation of an automatic temperature control system.
10/01996 Efficiency of energy recovery ventilator with
various weathers and its energy saving performance in a
residential apartment
Liu, J. et al. Energy and Buildings, 2010, 42, (1), 4349.
The energy recovery ventilator (ERV) is an effective method, which
can transfer heat and moisture from the exhaust air into the outdoor
fresh air to save energy in buildings. Nowadays, the ERV has been
widely used in the commercial, industrial and residential buildings in
China. Its energy-saving performance depends on a lot of factors, such
as the outdoor environmental conditions, the enthalpy efficiency of the
exchanger, and so on. Based on the relationship among sensible heat,
latent heat and enthalpy efficiency, the authors analysed the weighted
coefficient equations for describing the performance of ERV in
different climatic zones in China. According to China weather data,
enthalpy efficiency of the exchanger mainly depends on sensible heat
efficiency in winter and latent heat efficiency in summer. The energy
simulations of a sample apartment in a residential building were made
under different operation conditions to study the performance of ERV.
The energy-saving performances of the ERV were studied with five
different outdoor climatic conditions, the enthalpy efficiency, fan
power consumption of ERV and fresh air change rate. To improve
energy-saving performance, better efficient enthalpy exchange material
and higher efficiency fans must be explored, while reasonable fresh air
change rate as well as proper operation period according to local
climate should also be carefully considered.
10/01997 Energetic contribution potential of building-
integrated photovoltaics on airports in warm climates
Ruther, R. and Braun, P. Solar Energy, 2009, 83, (10), 19231931.
Airport buildings in sunny and warm regions present a perfect match
between energy demand and solar resource availability. Airport
buildings are also typically large and horizontal, isolated and free of
shading, and have a great potential for the integration of solar
photovoltaic (PV) systems. This study assesses the potential impact in
energy demand reduction at the Florianopolis International Airport in
Brazil (27

S, 48

W) with the use of building-integrated photovoltaic

systems. The authors analyse the buildings hourly energy consumption
and solar irradiation data, to assess the match between energy demand
and potential generation, and estimate the PV power necessary to
supply both the total amount and fractions of the annual energy
demand. The results show that the integration of PV systems on airport
buildings in warm climates can supply the entire electric power
consumption of an airport complex, in line with the general concept
of a zero-energy building.
10/01998 Energy and exergy utilization efficiencies in the
Japanese residential/commercial sectors
Kondo, K. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (9), 34753483.
Unlike the manufacturing sector, the residential/commercial sectors of
Japan struggle to meet their environmental requirements. For instance,
their CO
2
emission levels have increased tremendously since 1990. This
research estimates energy and exergy (available energy) efficiencies in
Japans residential/commercial sectors during the period 19902006.
Since an exergy analysis reveals available energy losses, it is an
effective tool to achieve sustainable societies. The primary objective of
this paper is to examine the potential for advancing the true energy
efficiency in Japans residential/commercial sectors by observing
energy and exergy efficiency disparities. The results show large
differences between the overall energy and exergy efficiencies in the
residential (60.12%, 6.33%)/commercial sectors (51.78%, 5.74%) in
2006. This implies great potential for energy savings in both sectors.
Furthermore, this research suggests that the residential sector may face
more difficulties than the commercial sector, although the latter
appears to be less energy-efficient, according to recent statistics. This is
because the disparity between energy and exergy efficiencies has
expanded in the residential sector since 2000. This study illustrates the
importance of exergy analyses in promoting sustainable energy policies
and new adaptation strategies.
10/01999 Energy consumption, energy savings, and
emission analysis in Malaysian office buildings
Saidur, R. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (10), 41044113.
This paper is concerned with the estimation of energy use in office
buildings in Malaysia and with the energy use of major equipment.
Energy intensity (EI) a measure of a buildings energy performance
is estimated for Malaysia and compared with a number of selected
countries. Air conditioners are shown to be the major energy users
(57%) in office buildings, followed by lighting (19%), lifts and pumps
(18%) and other equipment (6%). It is estimated that 77,569 MWh of
energy can be saved and a huge reduction of emissions achieved
through the application of advance glazing, compact fluorescent lamps
(CFL), insulation, housekeeping, and by raising thermostat set point
temperature of air conditioners, and reducing EI. It is also estimated
that a very substantial amount of energy can be saved by making use of
energy-efficient motors in building systems with different motor
loading percentages. Finally, it can be shown that the use of variable
speed drives and energy-efficient motors leads to substantial energy
savings and an enormous reduction in emissions.
10/02000 Energy saving and energy efficiency concepts for
policy making
Oikonomou, V. et al. Energy Policy, 2009, 37, (11), 47874796.
Departing from the concept of rational use of energy, the paper
outlines the microeconomics of end-use energy saving as a result of
frugality or efficiency measures. Frugality refers to the behaviour that
is aimed at energy conservation, and with efficiency the authors refer to
the technical ratio between energy input and output services that can
be modified with technical improvements (e.g. technology substi-
tution). Changing behaviour from one side and technology from the
other are key issues for public energy policy. This study attempts to
identify the effects of parameters that determine energy-saving
behaviour with the use of the microeconomic theory. The role of these
parameters is crucial and can determine the outcome of energy
efficiency policies; therefore policymakers should properly address
them when designing policies.
10/02001 Evaluation of CCHP systems performance based
on operational cost, primary energy consumption, and
carbon dioxide emission by utilizing an optimal operation
scheme
Cho, H. et al. Applied Energy, 2009, 86, (12), 25402549.
This paper presents an optimization of the operation of combined
cooling, heating, and power (CCHP) systems for different climate
conditions based on operational cost, primary energy consumption
(PEC), and carbon dioxide emissions (CDE) using an optimal energy
dispatch algorithm. The results for the selected cities demonstrate that
in general there is not a common trend among the three optimization
modes presented in this paper since optimizing one parameter may
reduce or increase the other two parameters. The only cities that show
reduction of PEC while also reducing the CDE are Columbus, MS;
Minneapolis, MN; and Miami, FL. For these cities the operational cost
always increases when compared to the reference case consisting of
using a vapour/compression cycle for cooling and natural gas for
heating. On the other hand, for San Francisco and Boston, CCHP
systems increase the CDE. In general, if CCHP systems increase the
cost of operation, as long as energy savings and reduction of emissions
are guaranteed, the implementation of these systems should be
considered.
Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2010 307
16 Energy (energy conservation)
10/02002 Experimental investigation of an innovative low
electricity consumption air cooling system for small
building application
Bakos, G. C. and Tsagas, N. F. Energy and Buildings, 2009, 41, (10),
10581062.
This paper investigates the development of a low-cost air cooling
system used for small-scale applications. Its operation is based on the
rational and efficient use of energy available in conventional freezers,
used for purposes other than air conditioning, to cool small areas. The
proposed air cooling system is applied to a small kiosk prototype
(called periptero), found very often in the streets of Greek cities and
villages, and used to sell goods to people. The proposed air cooling
system is using the low-temperature air inside the freezers to cool the
air inside the kiosk and provide a more comfortable environment for
the owner, particularly during the summer period.
10/02003 Influence of seasonal variations on energy-saving
opportunities in a pulp mill
Persson, J. and Berntsson, T. Energy, 2009, 34, (10), 17051714.
Significant energy savings can be achieved in the pulp and paper
industry through process integration. The aim of this paper was to
investigate how much seasonal variations in the process influence the
potential for making energy savings. The hot and warm water system in
a market pulp mill has been evaluated from an energy point of view,
using pinch analysis. Considerable energy-saving potential was found,
40.7 MW, of which 16.5 MW was in the form of steam savings. The
steam savings represent 7% of the total steam consumption at the mill.
New heat exchanger networks were redesigned using different
approaches. The influence of seasonal variations was estimated from
the calculated energy savings when monthly averages were used in the
new heat exchanger networks. When seasonal variations were taken
into account, the energy-saving opportunities fell by 2.55.0 MW,
depending on heat exchanger network design, compared with a steady-
state scenario. Consequently, 8894% of the theoretical energy savings
could be realized. An economic evaluation indicates positive earnings
from investment in a new heat exchanger network when seasonal
variations were taken into account, even with low prices for the
extracted steam and excess heat (5 e/MWh) and with an annuity factor
of 0.2.
10/02004 Methods to determine stratification efficiency of
thermal energy storage processes review and theoretical
comparison
Haller, M. Y. et al. Solar Energy, 2009, 83, (10), 18471860.
This paper reviews different methods that have been proposed to
characterize thermal stratification in energy storages from a theoretical
point of view. Specifically, this paper focuses on the methods that can
be used to determine the ability of a storage to promote and maintain
stratification during charging, storing and discharging, and represent
this ability with a single numerical value in terms of a stratification
efficiency for a given experiment or under given boundary conditions.
Existing methods for calculating stratification efficiencies have been
applied to hypothetical storage processes of charging, discharging and
storing, and compared with the rate of entropy production caused by
mixing calculated for the same experiments. The results depict that
only one of the applied methods is in qualitative agreement with the
rate of entropy production, however, none of the applied methods is in
agreement with the rate of entropy production and also able to
distinguish between the entropy production caused by mixing and the
entropy changes due to heat losses.
10/02005 Modeling energy market dynamics using discrete
event system simulation
Gutierrez-Alcaraz, G. and Sheble, G. B. Energy, 2009, 34, (10), 1467
1476.
This paper proposes the use of discrete event system simulation to
study the interactions among fuel and electricity markets and
consumers, and the decision-making processes of fuel companies
(FUELCOs), generation companies (GENCOs), and consumers in a
simple artificial energy market. In reality, since markets can reach a
stable equilibrium or fail, it is important to observe how they behave in
a dynamic framework. The authors consider a NashCournot model in
which marketers are depicted as NashCournot players that determine
supply to meet end-use consumption. Detailed engineering consider-
ations such as transportation network flows are omitted, because the
focus is upon the selection and use of appropriate market models to
provide answers to policy questions.
10/02006 Quantitative assessment of energy conservation
due to public awareness campaigns using neural networks
Mahmoud, M. A. and Alajmi, A. F. Applied Energy, 2010, 87, (1), 220
228.
This case study aims to quantitatively assess the impact of an energy
conservation campaign that was launched under the name Trsheed in
Kuwait in the summer of 2007. Most electric energy (EE) consumption
in the summer in the country is used in air conditioning and past trends
indicate a strong correlation between ambient weather conditions and
energy demand. The size and attitude of the population is an important
factor in this regard; Kuwait has an expatriate population that is larger
than the indigent population, and whose size is closely linked to
economic activities that are largely dependent on oil revenues and
varies with fluctuations of oil prices. Three neural network architec-
tures (NNs) were evaluated in terms of their ability to estimate future
EE demand based on previous trends. Backpropagation neural
networks were found to be most suitable for this purpose in
comparison to general regression and polynomial NNs. The inputs to
the NNs investigated included hourly weather condition indicators;
specifically the dry-bulb temperature and relative humidity. The output
of the NNs was the hourly energy demand. An analysis based on actual
weather data from 2004 to 2007 was performed to gauge the impact of
the energy conservation campaign in the summer of 2007. Results of a
second NN analysis show that round-the-clock mean weather con-
ditions may be used to predict total future energy demand over a
period of time (daily, weekly or monthly), but future peak loads should
be estimated separately using mean weather conditions during peak
hours only. Savings in national energy demand, as a result of future
conservation campaigns, are estimated to be more than 5% and 4% in
total and peak demands, respectively.
10/02007 Recommendations for energy efficient and
visually acceptable street lighting
Kostic, M. and Djokic, L. Energy, 2009, 34, (10), 15651572.
While designing new street lighting installations or dealing with
reconstructions of the existing ones, lighting designers usually do not
take into consideration all of the available means for energy savings
and optimal performance. This paper offers a set of the most important
recommendations regarding the relevant influencing factors for energy
savings in street lighting, the majority of which represent the results
and conclusions of original research. Recommendations which result
from user needs and regard visual quality are also briefly presented.
Taking all of these recommendations into account provides improve-
ment of appearance and sense of security, as well as energy and cost
savings.
17 ENERGY CONVERSION
AND RECYCLING
10/02008 Catalytically upgraded landfill gas as a
cost-effective alternative for fuel cells
Urban, W. et al. Journal of Power Sources, 2009, 193, (1), 359366.
The potential use of landfill gas as feeding fuel for the so-called molten
carbonate fuel cells (MCFC) imposes the need for new upgrading
technologies in order to meet the much tougher feed gas specifications
of this type of fuel cells in comparison to gas engines. Nevertheless,
MCFC has slightly lower purity demands than low temperature fuel
cells. This paper outlines the idea of a new catalytic purification
process for landfill gas conditioning, which may be supposed to be
more competitive than state-of-the-art technologies and summarizes
some lab-scale results. This catalytic process transforms harmful
landfill gas minor compounds into products that can be easily removed
from the gas stream by a subsequent adsorption step. The optimal
process temperature was found to be in the range 250400

C. After a
catalyst screening, two materials were identified, which have the ability
to remove all harmful minor compounds from landfill gas. The first
material was a commercial alumina that showed a high activity towards
the removal of organic silicon compounds. The alumina protects both a
subsequent catalyst for the removal of other organic minor compounds
and the fuel cell. Due to gradual deactivation caused by silica
deposition, the activated alumina needs to be periodically replaced.
The second material was a commercial VS
2
O
5
/TiO
2
-based catalyst that
exhibited a high activity for the total oxidation of a broad spectrum of
other harmful organic minor compounds into a simpler compound class
acid gases (HCl, HF and SO
2
), which can be easily removed by
absorption with, e.g. alkalized alumina. The encouraging results
obtained allow the scale-up of this landfill gas conditioning process
to test it under real landfill gas conditions.
10/02009 Characteristics of co-combustion and kinetic
study on hydrothermally treated municipal solid waste with
different rank coals: a thermogravimetric analysis
Muthuraman, M. et al. Applied Energy, 2010, 87, (1), 141148.
This study presents an investigation on the influence of hydrothermally
treated municipal solid waste (MSW) on the co-combustion charac-
teristics with different rank coals, i.e. Indian, Indonesian and
Australian coals. MSW blends of 10%, 20%, 30% and 50% (wt.%)
308 Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2010
17 Energy conversion and recycling
with different rank coals were tested in a thermogravimetric analyser
(TGA) in the temperature range from ambient to 700

C under the
heating rate of 10

C/min. Combustion characteristics such as volatile

release, ignition and burnout were studied for the blend fuel. Different
ignition behaviour was observed depending on the blends composition
and the coal rank. The result of this work indicates that the blending of
MSW improves devolatization properties of coal. But it was found that
the co-combustion characteristics of MSW and coal blend cannot be
predicted only from the pyrolytic and or devolatization phenomena as
the other factors such as the coal quality also plays a vital role in
deciding the blends co-combustion characteristics. The TGA combus-
tion profiles showed that the combustion characteristics of blends
followed those of parent fuels in both an additive and non-additive
manners. These experimental results help to understand and predict
the behavior of coal and MSW blends in practical applications.
10/02010 Degradation of waste high-density polyethylene
into fuel oil using basic catalyst
Jan, M. R. et al. Fuel, 2010, 89, (2), 474480.
High-density polyethylene (HDPE) has been degraded thermally and
catalytically using MgCO
3
at 450

C into liquid fraction in a batch

reactor. Different conditions like temperature, time and catalyst ratio
were optimized for the maximum conversion of HDPE into liquid
fraction. Catalytic degradation yielded 92% liquid fraction whereas
90% wax was obtained with thermal degradation. The composition of
the liquid fraction was characterized by physicochemical properties of
petroleum fuel tests. The catalytic liquid fraction consisted of high
concentration of C
8
C
9
, C
13
C
14
and C
17
C
18
hydrocarbons. The
distillation data showed that 50% of the fraction has boiling point in
the range of gasoline and 50% in the range of diesel oil.
10/02011 Fueling an D.I. agricultural diesel engine with
waste oil biodiesel: effects over injection, combustion and
engine characteristics
Radu, R. et al. Energy Conversion and Management, 2009, 50, (9),
21582166.
The paper presents the results of research concerning the use of a
biodiesel-type fuel in DI diesel engines; the fuel injection system and
the engine were tested. The results indicated that the injection
characteristics are affected when a blend containing 50% methyl ester
and 50% petrodiesel is used as fuel (injection duration, pressure wave
propagation time, average injection rate, peak injection pressure). As a
result, the engine characteristics are also affected, the use of the
biodiesel blend leading to lower output power and torque; the lower
autoignition delay and pressure wave propagation time led to changes
of the cylinder pressure and heat release traces and to lower peak
combustion pressures.
10/02012 Hydrothermal reforming of bio-diesel plant waste:
products distribution and characterization
Onwudili, J. A. and Williams, P. T. Fuel, 2010, 89, (2), 501509.
A viscous waste derived from a bio-diesel production plant, in the form
of crude glycerol, was reacted under subcritical and supercritical water
conditions and the product composition determined in relation to
process conditions. Preliminary analysis of the original sample showed
that the main constituent organic compounds were methanol
(20.8 wt.%), glycerol (42.3 wt.%) and fatty acid methyl esters
(33.1 wt.%). Uncatalysed reforming experiments were carried out in a
75 ml Hastelloy-C batch reactor at temperatures between 300

C and
450

C and pressures between 8.5 MPa and 31 MPa. Oil/wax constituted

more than 62 wt.% of the reactions products. At 300

C, the main
product was a waxy material containing mainly glycerol and fatty acid
methyl esters. As the temperature increased to supercritical water
conditions, low viscosity oils were produced and all of the glycerol was
reacted. The oils contained mainly saturated and unsaturated fatty acid
esters as well as their decomposition products. The gaseous products
were carbon dioxide, hydrogen and methane and lower concentrations
of carbon monoxide and C
2
C
4
hydrocarbons. No char formation was
observed. However, during alkaline gasification with sodium hydroxide
at 380

C, the reaction products included a gaseous effluent containing

up to 90% by volume of hydrogen, in addition to oil and significant
amount of whitish solid residue (soap). Sodium hydroxide influenced
the production of hydrogen via watergas shift by the removal of
carbon dioxide as sodium carbonate, but also decreased oil product
possibly through saponification.
10/02013 Influence of the emissions trading scheme on
generation scheduling
Kockar, I. et al. International Journal of Electrical Power & Energy
Systems, 2009, 31, (9), 465473.
The paper investigates the effects of emissions constraints and an
emissions trading scheme (ETS) on the generation scheduling out-
come. ETS is a cap-and-trade market mechanism that has been
introduced in European Union in order to facilitate CO
2
emissions
management. This scheme gives generators certain amount of CO
2
allowances which they can use to cover emissions produced during
energy generation. In a current setting, most of the allowances are
given for free. However, under ETS generators also have an
opportunity to buy and sell CO
2
allowances on the market. Since
generation power outputs are bounded by the amount of CO
2
emissions that they are allowed to produce over time, it is becoming
increasingly important for generating units to manage their allocations
in the most profitable way and decide when and how much of
permissions to spent to produce electricity. The method proposed here
allows for modelling of this new limitation by including costs of buying
and selling of CO
2
allowance in the generation scheduling procedure.
It also introduces additional emissions constraints in the problem
formulation. Although CO
2
permissions and energy are traded in
separate markets, the proposed formulation permits analysis on how
emission caps and emission market prices can influence market
outcome. The method is illustrated on a five-unit system. Given
examples compare: (1) a base-case when all generators have made a
decision to use portions of their total free allocations that do not cause
any shortfall during the investigated time period; (2) two cases when
the least expensive generators decisions on the amount of free
allowances they are willing to use during the considered period are
insufficient. In all cases generators also submit prices at which they
expect to be able to top-up or sell allowances on the market, however,
only in the second and third case the buying option becomes active
and affects generation scheduling and total costs. In addition, the
paper investigates how aggregation of emissions allowances of
generators belonging to the same company can affect market clearing.
10/02014 Investment and emission control under
technology and pollution externalities
Heal, G. and Tarui, N. Resource and Energy Economics, 2010, 32, (1),
114.
This paper studies incentives to develop advanced pollution abatement
technology when technology may spillover across agents and pollution
abatement is a public good. This was motivated by a variety of pollution
control issues where solutions require the development and implemen-
tation of new pollution abatement technologies. The authors show that
at the Nash equilibrium of a simultaneous-move game with R&D
investment and emission abatement, whether the free rider effect
prevails and under-investment and excess emissions occur depends on
the degree of technology spillovers and the effect of R&D on the
marginal abatement costs. There are cases in which, contrary to
conventional wisdom, Nash equilibrium investments in emissions
reductions exceed the first-best case.
10/02015 Multicriteria analysis to evaluate the energetic
reuse of riparian vegetation
Recchia, L. et al. Applied Energy, 2010, 87, (1), 310319.
The management of riparian vegetation which includes cutting
operations of grass, reeds, bushes and trees, is very important to
reduce hydrogeologic risk. In Tuscany, riparian biomass and residues
are mainly left shredded along courses or disposed in landfills as
special wastes: actually different laws prohibit that tree trunks are
abandoned in areas naturally affected by flooding, because they can be
moved contributing to increase the water level and to maximize the
hydraulic risk of some other nearby areas. In some cases, it is also
possible to store the logs in specified sites from where they can be
taken and used as a fuel in fireplaces or domestic heating plants. This
work studies the possibility of the reuse of riparian vegetation as
biomass for energy production and evaluates benefits and drawbacks
from the economical, environmental and managerial points of view.
Particularly, a specific methodology has been developed for two
hydrological districts of Tuscany, with different typologies and
densities of vegetation. First, an estimation of biomass distribution
on the land and an evaluation of annual wood availability have been
carried out; then, different chains concerning harvesting operation,
biomass transport, storage conditions and final utilization, have been
defined and compared by a specific multicriteria analysis (MCA);
finally, for the most suitable bio-energy chains the life cycle assessment
(LCA) has been implemented. Results of the LCA have also permitted
to validate some environmental indicators used in the MCA, as
mechanization level of yards, energy efficiency of plants or transport
distances. The decision-making tool developed allows to compare costs
and environmental benefits of the energy use of riparian vegetation,
supporting local authorities involved in energy planning: in this way it
is possible to confront different alternatives to match the energy
demand and meet the energy saving and sustainability issues at the
lowest cost for the community. In conclusion, the most interesting bio-
energy chains, based on technology of direct combustion, are those that
require a limited forestry mechanization, the short transport distances
and the medium sized plants. The LCA applied to these most suitable
chains has also shown significant environmental benefits to promote
the energetic use of riparian biomass instead of fossil fuels.
Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2010 309
17 Energy conversion and recycling
10/02016 Optimizing hydrogen production from organic
wastewater treatment in batch reactors through
experimental and kinetic analysis
Sharma, Y. and Li, B. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 2009,
34, (15), 61716180.
Anaerobic hydrogen production from organic wastewater, an emerging
biotechnology to generate clean energy resources from wastewater
treatment, is critical for environmental and energy sustainability. In
this study, hydrogen production, biomass growth and organic substrate
degradation were comprehensively examined at different levels of two
critical parameters [chemical oxygen demand (COD) and pH]. Hydro-
gen yields had a reverse correlation with COD concentrations. The
highest specific hydrogen yield (SHY) of 2.1 mole H
2
/mole glucose was
achieved at the lowest COD of 1 g/L and decreased to 0.7 mole H
2
/mole
glucose at the highest COD of 20 g/L. The pH of 5.56.0 was optimal
for hydrogen production with the SHY of 1.6 mole H
2
/mole glucose,
whereas the acidic pH (4.5) and neutral pH (6.07.0) lowered the
hydrogen yields. Under all operational conditions, acetate and butyrate
were the main components in the liquid fermentation products.
Additionally, a comprehensive kinetic analysis of biomass growth,
substrate degradation and hydrogen production was performed. The
maximum rates of microbial growth (m
m
) and substrate utilization (R
su
)
were 0.03 g biomass/g biomass/day and 0.25 g glucose/g biomass/day,
respectively. The optimum pH for the rate of hydrogen production
(R
H
2
) and SHY were 5.89 and 5.74 respectively. Based on the kinetic
analysis, the highest R
H
2
and SHY for batch-mode anaerobic hydrogen
production systems were projected to be 13.7 mL/h and 2.32 mole H
2
/
mole glucose.
10/02017 Production of diesel-like fuel from waste engine
oil by pyrolitic distillation
Arpa, O. et al. Applied Energy, 2010, 87, (1), 122127.
The aim of this study is to obtain diesel-like fuel from waste lubrication
engine oils by pyrolitic distillation method, which can be used in diesel
engines. With this aim in mind, waste engine oil is collected in a tank,
and it is purified from contaminants such as dust, heavy carbon soot,
metal particles, gum-type materials and other impurities by filtering in
the process prepared earlier. To investigate effects of additives known
as sodium carbonate (NaCO
3
), zeolite and lime (CaO) on density,
viscosity, flash point, sulfur content, heating value and distillation
temperature, the purified oil samples are blended separately with
additives having mass basis of 2%, 4%, 6%, 8% and 10%. The mixed
samples are exposed to pyrolitic distillation process to produce fuels to
be used in engines. Thermal and physical properties of the produced
fuels such as density, flash point, viscosity, sulfur content, heating value
and distillation temperatures are examined. From these results, the
CaO with a ratio of 2% has the highest effect on decreasing of sulfur
content of the waste engine oil and on acquiring the most suitable
distillation temperatures close to values of a diesel fuel. Diesel-like fuel
(DLF) is obtained as 60% of the waste lubrication engine oil.
10/02018 Sustainability of bioethanol production from
wheat with recycled residues as evaluated by Emergy
assessment
Coppola, F. et al. Biomass and Bioenergy, 2009, 33, (11), 16261642.
An emergy assessment study of 24 bioethanol production scenarios was
carried out for the comparison of bioethanol production using winter
wheat grains and/or straw as feedstock and conversion technologies
based on starch (first generation) and/or lignocellulose (second
generation). An integrated biomass utilization system (IBUS) was
used for combining the two kinds of feedstock. The crop was cultivated
under four combinations of Danish soil conditions (sand or sandy
loam) and crop managements (organic or conventional). For each of
the production processes, two scenarios, with or without recycling of
residues, were considered. Material and energy flows were assessed to
evaluate the bioethanol yield, the production efficiency in terms of
emergy used compared to energy produced (transformity), and the
environmental load (ELR) in terms of use of non-renewable resources.
These three indicators varied among the four feedstock production
scenarios to the same extent as among the three different industrial
production scenarios and in each case the efficiency was lower and the
use of non-renewables higher for the non-recycling system. The system
most efficient for production of bioethanol (lowest transformity) and
with the lowest environmental load (ELR) was bioethanol produced
from grains cultivated in the organic sandy loam scenario; systems with
the highest transformity and ELR were bioethanol production based on
straw from conventional cultivation and without recycling of residues.
The IBUS concept obtained the best bioethanol production efficiency
for each cultivation system but its consumption of non-renewable
resources was not optimal.
10/02019 Sustainable valorization of plastic wastes for
energy with environmental safety via high-temperature
pyrolysis (HTP) and high-temperature steam gasification
(HTSG)
Kantarelis, E. et al. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 2009, 167, (13),
675684.
In the present study the energetic valorization of electric cable
shredder residues (mixed plastics) has been investigated. Thermo-
chemical conversion by means of high-temperature steam gasification
(HTSG) and high-temperature pyrolysis (HTP) was studied. The
effects of temperature and reaction time process parameters were
investigated. Comparison of the results showed that HTSG seems a
more suitable process in terms of produced syngas quality (64%, v/v
and 13 MJ/Nm
3
) than HTP because of higher H
2
yield and lower tar
content.
10/02020 Synthetic fuel production from tea waste:
characterisation of bio-oil and bio-char
Uzun, B. B. et al. Fuel, 2010, 89, (1), 176184.
The pyrolysis of tea waste was studied for determining the main
characteristics and quantities of liquid and solid products. Particular
investigated process variables were temperature (673973 K), heating
rate (5700 Kmin
1
) and nitrogen gas flow rate (200800 cm
3
min
1
).
The maximum oil and char yields are 30.4 (773 K) and 43.3% (673 K),
respectively. The liquid and its aliphatic sub-fraction were character-
ized by elemental analysis, FT-IR,
1
H NMR, and GC/MS. The char was
characterized with elemental analysis, SEM, BET, and FT-IR
techniques. The aliphatic sub-fraction of the obtained bio-oil contains
predominantly n-alkanes and alkenes, and branched hydrocarbons.
According to the experimental results the liquid products can be used
as liquid fuels, whereas the solid product seems to be not suitable for
adsorption purposes, due to having low surface areas.
310 Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2010
17 Energy conversion and recycling