With the popularization of natural gas and the requirements for environmental protection, the development and utilization of natural gas is particularly important. The status of natural gas in China's oil and gas exploration and development is constantly improving, and the country is paying more and more attention to the exploitation and utilization of natural gas. The Upper Paleozoic tight sandstone in the Ordos Basin is characterized by low porosity, low permeability and large area of concealed gas reservoirs. By injecting CO2 into the formation, the recovery of natural gas can be improved, and at the same time, the stable storage of CO2 can be achieved to achieve a win-win situation of CO2 emission reduction and utilization. Injecting greenhouse gas CO2 into gas reservoirs for storage and improving recovery has also become a hot research issue. In order to improve the recovery efficiency of tight sandstone gas reservoir, this paper takes the complex tight sandstone of Upper Paleozoic in Ordos Basin as the research object, through indoor physical simulation experiments, carried out the influence of displacement rate, fracture dip angle, core permeability, core dryness and wetness on CO2 gas displacement efficiency and storage efficiency, and analyzed the influence of different factors on CO2 gas displacement efficiency and storage efficiency to improve the recovery and storage efficiency. The research results show that under different conditions, when the CO2 injection pore volume is less than 1PV, the relationship between the CH4 recovery rate and the CO2 injection pore volume is linear, and the tilt angle is 45 °. When the CO2 injection pore volume exceeds 1PV, the CH4 recovery rate increases slightly with the increase of displacement speed, the recovery rate of CO2 displacement CH4 is between 87% - 97%, and the CO2 breakthrough time is 0.7PV-0.9PV. In low-permeability and low-speed displacement cores, the diffusion of CO2 molecules is more significant. The lower the displacement speed is, the earlier the breakthrough time of CO2 is, and the final recovery of CH4 slightly decreases. Gravity has a great impact on CO2 storage and enhanced recovery. The breakthrough of high injection and low recovery of CO2 is earlier, and the recovery of CH4 is about 3.3% lower than that of low injection and high recovery. The bound water makes the displacement phase CO2 partially dissolved in the formation water, and the CO2 breakthrough lags about 0.1PV. Ultimately, CH4 recovery factor and CO2 storage rate are higher than those of dry core displacement. The research results provide theoretical data support for CO2 injection to improve recovery and storage efficiency in complex tight sandstone gas reservoirs.

Energy storage systems (ESSs) are the key elements to improve the operation of power systems. On the other hand, these elements challenge the power system planners. The difficulties arise as a result of the ESSs' economic and technological features. The cycle life of ESSs is a critical aspect that influences the choices made during expansion planning processes. In this manuscript, we have focused on a new model for the expansion planning of ESSs considering the impacts of technical properties, such as the cycle life and depth of discharge. For this purpose, the proposed model consists of the hourly operation planning of ESSs in the sample days of year. A new indicator is proposed to determine the daily charging/discharging cycles of ESSs. Numerical results show the ability of the proposed model to determine the optimal technology and capacity of ESSs.

Novel treatment strategies are emerging for rare, genetic diseases, resulting in clinical trials that require adequate biomarkers for the assessment of the treatment effect. For enzyme defects, biomarkers that can be assessed from patient serum, such as enzyme activity, are highly useful, but the activity assays need to be properly validated to ensure a precise, quantitative measurement. Aspartylglucosaminuria (AGU) is a lysosomal storage disorder caused by the deficiency of the lysosomal hydrolase aspartylglucosaminidase (AGA). We have here established and validated a fluorometric AGA activity assay for human serum samples from healthy volunteers and AGU patients. We show that the validated AGA activity assay is suitable for the assessment of AGA activity in the serum of healthy controls and AGU patients, and it can be used for diagnostics of AGU and, potentially, for following a treatment effect.

Installations of decentralised Renewable Energy Systems (RES) are becoming increasing popular as governments introduce ambitious energy policies to curb emissions and slow surging energy costs. This work presents a novel model for optimal sizing for decentralised renewable generation and hybrid storage system to create a Renewable Energy Community (REC), developed in Python. The model implements PV Solar and Wind Turbines combined with a hybrid battery and Regenerative Hydrogen Fuel Cell (RHFC). The electrical service demand is derived using real usage data from a rural island case study location. Cost remuneration is managed with an REC virtual trading layer, ensuring fair distribution among actors in accordance with the European RED(III) policy. A multi-objective Genetic Algorithm (GA) stochastically determines the system capacities such that the inherent trade-off relationship between project cost and decarbonisation can be observed. The optimal design results in an LCOE of 0.15€/kWh, reducing costs by over 50% compared with typical EU grid power, with a project IRR of 10.8%, simple return of 9.6%/year, and ROI of 9 years. Emissions output from grid only use is reduced by 72% to 69 gCO2e/kWh. Further research of lifetime economics and additional revenue streams in combination with this work could provide a useful tool for users to quickly design and prototype future decentralised REC systems.

: There has been an ever-increasing demand for energy from the past decades. Renewable energy technologies play a major role in satisfying the energy demand as well as in a decreased CO2 emissions. Solar and Wind energies are the major upcoming technologies in renewable energies. Decentralized power production is a system where the energy production and consumption are very close to each other. Microgrids can be decentralized or grid connected and they, with renewable energy sources, encounter a problem of storage as the power production from solar and wind is intermittent. This paper discusses the comparison between using batteries and pumped storage hydropower (PSH) as an energy storage system and the integration of wind and solar PV energy sources. HOMER software simulations are used to obtain optimized renewable energy integration in microgrid and to understand its economic analysis. Two scenarios are run with the model where one considers battery and the other considers PSH to obtain the economic and technical best results of these microgrids. The economic analysis showed a lower net present cost (NPC) and levelized cost of energy (LCOE) for the microgrid with PSH. The results show that microgrid with storage of PSH is economical with an NPC of 45.8 M€ and an LCOE of 0.379 €/kWh in comparison with batteries solution which has an NPC of 95.2M€ and an LCOE of 0.786 €/kWh. The role of storage is understood by differentiating the data into different seasons using Python for data analysis. Furthermore, sensitivity analysis is made by varying the capital cost multiplier of Solar PV and Wind Turbine to obtain optimal solutions.

In this work, the use of graphite-like carbon nitride (g-C3N4) with improved texture characteristics for the synthesis of supported palladium catalysts of dehydrogenation of nitrogen-containing heterocycles was studied. This process is key to the creation of liquid organic carrier technology (LOHC) using N-heterocycles as reversibly hydrogenated/dehydrogenated substrates. For the preparation of g-C3N4-mca supports with advanced textural characteristics, well-established technology of the melamine cyanurate complex carbonization and standard techniques of adsorption precipitation together with wet impregnation were used for the synthesis of Pd-containing systems. The activity of the synthesized catalysts was studied in decahydroquinoline dehydrogenation. The high weight content of extractable hydrogen (7.2 wt %) and the high extraction rate, respectively, make it possible to consider these substances as the most promising N-heterocyclic compounds for this technology. It was shown that an increase in the specific surface area of g-C3N4 allows for achieving a slightly lower, but comparable fineness of palladium particles for the 1 wt% Pd/MCA-500 sample, compared to the standard 1 wt% Pd/C. In this case, the catalytic activity of 1 wt% Pd/MCA-500 in dehydrogenation of both substrates exceeded the analogous parameter for catalysts supported by nitrogen free supports. This regularity is presumably associated with the electron-donor effect of surface nitrogen, which favorably affects the dehydrogenation rate as well as the stability of catalytic systems.

With the swift advancement of wearable electronic devices and the electronic textile industry, the energy storage components of these devices must possess the capability to maintain stable mechanical and chemical properties even after undergoing multiple bending or tensile deformations. This circumstance has expedited research efforts toward novel materials, processing techniques, and designs for flexible energy storage devices. Among the myriad of materials investigated thus far, biomass-derived architectures have garnered significant attention due to renewability, cost-effectiveness, and abundance in earthly resources. Notably, flexible carbon membrane/ monolithic derived from biomass serve as a particularly promising option for self-supporting electrodes, align seamlessly with the requirements of next-generation electronic devices, and obviate the need for additional costs, unnecessary weight, and the high contact resistance that additive insulating adhesives may entail. This review delves into the comprehensive analysis of biomass feedstocks and methodologies employed in the synthesis of flexible self-supporting carbon electrodes. Subsequently, the advancements in their application in energy storage devices are elucidated. Finally, an outlook on the potential of biomass self-supported carbon architectures and the challenges they face is provided.

The increased interest in space activities, structural health monitoring, and terrestrial monitoring in hostile and inaccessible zones places a high demand for energy sources for autonomous systems. Conventional electrochemical batteries that could be used are plagued by low energy storage density, short life, disposal of unwanted batteries, and related undesired recharging or replacement maintenance requirements, which endangers the environment. Fuel cells and solar energy sources being exploited to mitigate the adverse effect of environmental threats posed by batteries and fossil fuels are costly to acquire and maintain. The availability of energy sources derived from waste heat from radioactive decay for domestic appliances and industrial equipment will also help alleviate the effects of climate change, which continues to threaten the environment due to fossil fuel energy-based sources that emit harmful carbon monoxide into the atmosphere. A combination of energy from waste heat, harvested via thermoelectricity and existing battery technology to produce a hybrid energy source, can guarantee secured energy for an extended period. Based on the Seebeck effect, thermoelectric energy generation may considerably contribute to sustainable energy development and meet the power demand for spacecraft applications. Modeling of the energy from waste heat, the Li-ion battery, and a hybrid energy source are considered, and their performances are established using the MATLAB/Simulink environment. Results confirmed the comparative advantage of the hybrid energy source over and above the respective electrochemical batteries and waste heat energy sources regarding effectiveness and performance efficiency. Since batteries are required to operate in a constantly changing environment, the effects of temperatures on batteries were investigated. The results show that the performances of batteries decrease with a decrease in ambient temperature and that the higher the maximum operating capacity, the higher the battery's internal temperature.

The present review revisits representative studies addressed to develop efficient carbon-based heterogeneous catalysts for two important reactions, namely, the production of hydrogen from formic acid and the hydrogenation of carbon dioxide to formic acid. The HCOOH-CO2 system is considered a promising couple for a hydrogen storage system that would be involved in an ideal carbon-neutral cycle. Significant advancements have been achieved in those catalysts designed to catalyze the dehydrogenation of formic acid under mild reaction conditions, while much effort is still needed to catalyze the challenging CO2 hydrogenation reaction. The design of carbon-based heterogeneous catalysts for these reactions encompasses both the modulation of the properties of the active phase (particle size, composition, and electronic properties), as well as the modification of the supports by means of incorporation of nitrogen functional groups. These approaches are herein summarized to provide a compilation of the strategies followed in recent studies to set the basis for a hydrogen storage system attained by the HCOOH-CO2 couple.

The issue of environmental sustainability is increasingly topical and one of the most impactful sectors is that of the construction industry. As stated in the reports of the GlobalABC, the building sector is the main responsible for GHG emissions, generating about 37% of global CO2e emissions. Already during the phases of production and construction of buildings about 10% of global emissions are produced, while the remaining part comes from their use, from the energy for air conditioning and lighting. Reducing emissions in the pre-use phase of buildings is therefore a crucial issue for combating climate change. The research investigates the potential of timber construction systems, thanks to the carbon storage property of the material. The proposed calculation methodology is structured according to the LCA-Life Cycle Assessment approach, referring to the C2H phase (from Cradle-To-Handover), and evaluates emissions related to the production and construction of buildings. To identify the timber construction system that minimizes CO2e emissions, within the limits of the investigation (A1-A5 phases), the method was applied to two buildings built with different technologies: one with X-Lam panels and one with a framed structure. The results were analyzed, compared, and discussed to demonstrate that the timber buildings are the most virtuous solution in the Net Zero Carbon perspective by 2050.

This analysis focuses on identifying the most efficient and cost-effective method of supplying power to a remote site, exploring photovoltaics (PV) and small wind turbines as primary power sources, and evaluating battery banks and hydrogen storage fuel cell systems as potential storage options. The hydrogen storage system converts surplus renewable power into hydrogen through an elec-trolyzer, storing it for later use in a fuel cell when renewable sources produce less power, enabling efficient energy storage during peak production periods. A sensitivity analysis of wind speed and hydrogen subsystem cost was conducted to evaluate the hydrogen storage system's performance. The optimal system graph suggests that the hydrogen subsystem must significantly decrease in cost to rival the battery bank, and in most cases, both the hydrogen system and battery bank were recommended together, offering reliable and efficient power for the remote site. While the battery bank is presently the more feasible option for powering the remote site, continuous monitoring and evaluation of both systems, considering site location, energy needs, and available resources, are essential to determine the most suitable power supply approach as technology advances and costs evolve over time.

Hybrid renewable energy systems (HRES), complemented by pumped hydropower storage (PHS), have become increasingly popular amidst the increase of renewable energy penetration. This con-figuration is even more prosperous in remote regions that are typically not connected to the mainland power grid, where the energy independence challenge intensifies. This research focuses on the design of such systems, from the perspective of establishing an optimal mix of renewable sources that takes advantage of their complementarities and synergies, combined with the versatility of PHS. However, this design is subject to substantial complexities, due to the multiple objectives and constraints to fulfill, on the one hand, and the inherent uncertainties as well, that span over all underlying processes, i.e., external, and internal. In this vein, we utilize a proposed HRES layout for the Aegean Island of Sifnos, Greece, to develop and evaluate a comprehensive simulation-optimization scheme in deterministic and, eventually, stochastic setting, revealing the design problem under the umbrella of uncertainty. In particular, we account for three major uncertain elements, namely the wind velocity (natural process), the energy demand (anthropogenic process), and the wind-to-power conversion (internal process, expressed in terms of a probabilistic power curve). Emphasis is also given to the decision-making procedure, which requires a thorough interpretation of the uncertainty-aware optimization outcomes. Finally, since the proposed PHS uses the sea as the lower reservoir, additional technical challenges are addressed.

The European pear is a climacteric fruit species characterized by high storability. 'Conference', a pear cultivar very popular on the market, can be stored in a CA room without major losses for half a year. However, for ‘Conference’ storage to be successful, the fruit must be harvested fully developed even before it enters the climatic maturation phase. Harvested too early or too late, pears will taste bad, have physiological disorders and will be poorly storable. Among the various methods used to determine the optimal harvest date, the degree-days method, which relies of the sum of active temperatures, seems to be relatively accurate and easy to apply. During 11 years of study, ‘Conference’ pears were harvested on 4 dates (every 4-5 days) chosen based on measurements and observations, and then, after a six-month storage period, the optimum harvest date was determined. During the growing season, temperature was measured using an automatic weather station to calculate the sum of active temperatures from full bloom to the optimal harvest date. Measurements made after storage were analysed and the sum of active temperatures needed for the proper development of ‘Conference’ pear was calculated to be 2469 degree days. The calculations are very accurate because the dispersion calculated using the standard deviation was only 20 °. The base temperature with the smallest error was 0 °. On the basis of the study results, this method can be recommended as useful for determining the optimal harvest date.

In the rapidly evolving field of data management, numerous terminologies, such as data warehouse, data lake, data lakehouse, and data mesh , have emerged, each representing a unique analytical data architecture. However, the distinctions and similarities among these paradigms often remain unclear. The present paper aimed to navigate the data architecture landscape by conducting a comparative analysis of these paradigms. The analysis a identified and elucidated the differences and similari- ties in features, capabilities, and limitations of these architectural constructs. The study outcome serves as a comprehensive guide, assisting practitioners in selecting the most suitable analytical data architecture for their specific applications.

We investigated new anodic coloring materials that are used as ion storage layers in complementary energy storage electrochromic devices (ESECDs) to enhance their electrochromic storage performance. In this study, we fabricated counter electrodes (ion storage layers) using IrO2 doping NiO (Ir: NiO) film through cathodic arc plasma (CAP) with varying surface charge capacities. We investigated the influence of MoO3-doped WO3 (Mo: WO3) film by various Ar/O2 gas flow ratios (1/4, 1/5, and 1/6). The ESECDs used in the demonstration were 10×10 cm2 in size. They achieved optical transmittance modulation of Ir: NiO- ESECDs (glass/ITO/ Mo: WO3/gel-polymer electrolytes/ Ir: NiO /ITO/glass), ΔT=53.3% (from Tbleaching (66.6%) to Tcoloration (13.1%)). The ESECDs had a quick coloration time of 3.58 seconds, a rapid bleaching time of 1.24 seconds, and high cycling durability. It remained at 45% transmittance modulation even after 3000 cycles. New anodic materials can provide an alternative to traditional active materials for bi-functional electrochromic batteries.

Solar heating technology is a promising solution to promote China to achieve the “3060 double carbon” target as soon as possible. And seasonal thermal storage (STS) can effectively solve the mismatch problem of solar heating systems between the supply and demand of thermal energy. Due to the instability of solar radiation resources and heat demand, it is necessary to analyze the dynamic response characteristics of the system. Yet, related studies are still scarce. In this study, a solar heating system with a solar tower receiver and STS was introduced in north China. The dynamic performance of the system is analyzed with a dynamic simulated method in a typical day or typical operation modes, and the switch mechanism between multiple operation modes is also revealed. The impact of different heating strategies on system performance was analyzed. Results showed that the solar fraction of the system reached 89.4% in the third year, which was 3.6% higher than the first year. The quality-quantity heating operation strategies can be effective ways to improve the discharge efficiency of STS and the system performance without any heat pump. The electricity consumption of the pump on the heating side could be significantly reduced by 44.6% compared with the quality control.

As for their large surface area and pore volume, three-dimensional covalent organic frameworks (3D COFs) have emerged as competitive porous materials. However, due to the structural dynamic behavior particularly for imine-linked 3D COFs, potentially unlock their potential for gas storage application. Herein, we showed a pre-locked linker strategy introduces breaking dynamic behavior in 3D COFs. A predesigned planar linker based 3,8-diamino-6-phenylphenanthridine (DPP) was prepared to produce non-dynamic 3D JUC-595, as benzylideneamine moiety in DPP locked the linker flexibility and restrict the molecular-bond rotation of the imine linkages. Upon solvent inclusion and release, the PXRD profile of JUC-595 remained intake, while JUC-594 with flexible benzidine linker experienced crystal transformation due to framework contraction-expansion. As a result, the activated JUC-595 achieved higher surface areas (754 m² g-1) than that of JUC-594 (548 m² g-1). Furthermore, improved CO2 and CH4 storages were also seen in JUC-595 compared with JUC-594. Impressively, JUC-595 recorded high normalized H2 storage capacity that surpass other reported high surface area 3D COFs. This works shows important insight on manipulating structural properties of 3D COF to tune the gas storage performance.

A modular approach to the construction of electric machines, drive systems, power supply systems is a new direction of modern technology development. Especially, the modular approach is promising for electric vehicles due to such positive aspects as increased efficiency, fault tolerance, overall reliability, safety, enhanced control capabilities, etc. In this work, the modular approach is comprehensively applied to an EV powertrain system, which includes a dual three-phase (DTP) BLDC motor with two machine modules of an asymmetric configuration, two battery modules and a supercapacitor module (SCM). The proposed H–H configuration of modular EV powertrain system includes four voltage source inverters that combine the power modules with the open ends of the windings (OEW) of the module machine armature, and provide control of their operation. Based on the developed mode system of the OEW machine module operation for EV traction and braking, a general control algorithm for the proposed configuration of the modular EV powertrain system has been developed. It combines the control of the operating modes with the functions of maintaining the required SOC level of the SCM and equalizing the SOCs of the two battery modules. The conducted simulation and experimental studies confirmed the workability and effectiveness of the proposed solutions.

: Electric air conditioning and heating systems capacity is growing rapidly. So does the nameplate capacity of PV power plants. While demand in cooling has a positive correlation with solar irradiationirradiance, the demand in heating has an opposite relation. In this study, different approaches of to design (aggregation; energy storagethermal, battery and implicit systems storage) and control (frequency conversion; variable and adaptive load) and their effects on the efficiency of an off-grid active thermal stabilisation system based on a solar-powered heat pump are analysed. The case considered is permafrost thermal stabilisation system in Norway. It is shown that proper layout and control of the system with an adaptive load can reduce the capital expenses expenditures and the total cost of ownership by 30-40%. Increase in the efficiency capacity factor and cooling stability of the systems with the aggregated and threshold power consumervariable load due to the principle of aggregation is studied. The downside of that is the increase in compressors operation time by 50% with variable load and by 25% per unit with aggregation which means more frequent replacement in terms of motor-hours. But The the feasibility of this approaches considered are applicable for a wide range of solar-powered facilities, but the results are is quite case sensitive and depends on the prices for low-power heat pumps. The prospects of using the excess refrigerant and soil for thermal energy storage instead of traditional electrochemical batteries are considered.

Accurate determination of the concentration of alcohols and their metabolites is important in forensics and in several life science areas. A new method has been developed to quantify alcohols and their oxidative products using a headspace gas chromatography- mass spectrometer and isotope-labelled internal standards. This work demonstrates the application of this method, specifically in quantifying the concentration of oxidative products of alcohol and other minor alcohols found in hand sanitizers, which have become an essential household item since the COVID-19 pandemic. Apart from the major component, the minor alcohols found in hand sanitizers include methanol, isopropanol, and n-propanol. In ethanol-based hand sanitizers, a significant amount of acetaldehyde was observed as an oxidation product, while in isopropanol-based hand sanitizers, acetone was observed. The concentration of acetaldehyde in ethanol-based hand sanitizers significantly increased with storage time and temperature, whereas no such increase of acetone concentration was observed in isopropanol-based hand sanitizers with storage time and temperature.

Increasing of renewable energy share in total energy production is a direction that leads towards European Union’s aims of carbon neutrality by 2050, as well as increases energy self-sufficiency and independence. Some of the main challenges to increase renewable energy share while providing efficient and secure energy supply are related to optimization and profitability of de-centralized energy production systems. Integration of energy storage systems in addition to decentralized renewable energy production, for example, by solar panels, leads to more effective electricity supply and smart energy solutions. The modelling of such complex dynamic system can be performed using system dynamics method. The aim of the article is to forecast the practice of electricity storage in Latvia in the coming decades. A system dynamics model predicting the implementation of battery storage in private households was created for the case study of Latvia. Modelling results reveal that under the right conditions for electricity price, investment costs and with the right policy interventions battery storage technologies combined with PV panels have high potential for utilization in household sector. Model results show that in baseline scenario with no additional policies up 21 422 households or 10.8 % of Latvian households could have combined PV and battery system installed in 2050. Moderate subsidy policy can help to increase this number up to 25 118.

The article delves into the crucial realm of compressing hydrogen in its gaseous state, a pivotal process for enhancing its viability in both civil and industrial sectors. The study initiates by providing a concise overview and comparison of diverse hydrogen storage methodologies, laying the groundwork with an in-depth analysis of hydrogen's thermophysical properties. It scrutinizes plausible configurations for hydrogen compression, aiming to strike a delicate balance between energy consumption, predominantly derived from the fuel itself, and the requisite number of compression stages. Notably, to render hydrogen storage competitive in terms of volume, pressures of at least 350 bar are deemed essential, albeit at an energy cost amounting to approximately 10% of the fuel's calorific value. Multi-stage compression emerges as a crucial strategy, not solely for energy efficiency, but also to curtail temperature rise, with an upper limit set at 200°C. This nuanced approach is underlined by the exploration of compression levels commonly cited in the literature, particularly 350 bar and 700 bar. Ultimately, the study advocates for a three-stage compression system as a pragmatic compromise, capable of achieving high-pressure solutions while keeping compression work below 10 MJ/kg, a threshold indicative of sustainable energy utilization.

It is expected that due to the new UE regulation focus on waste management, managing kitchen waste will become more important in the future, especially in households. It is, therefore, crucial to develop user-friendly and odor-free containers to store kitchen waste. The study aimed to test the effectiveness of compost biochar in reducing noxious odors and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released during kitchen waste storage. Varying quantities of compost biochar (0%, 1%, 5%, and 10%) were added to food waste samples and incubated for seven days at 20℃. VOCs released were analyzed on days 1, 3, and 7 of the storage simulation process. The results indicated that adding 5-10% of composts’ biochar to kitchen waste significantly reduced emissions in 70% of detected VOCs compounds. Additionally, Compost's biochar can be used to eliminate potential odor components and specific dangerous VOCs such as ethylbenzene, o-xylene, acetic acid, and naphthalene. A new composts’ biochar with a unique composition was particularly effective in reducing VOCs and could be an excellent solution for eliminating odors in kitchen waste con-tainers.

A novel hybrid CSP-PV power plant is presented. Instead of the integration used in current hybrid power plants, where part of the PV production is charged into the thermal energy storage system through electrical resistors, the proposed system integrates both PV and thermal solar fields using a high-temperature heat pump. Both the heat pump and the heat engine are based on Brayton supercritical CO2 thermodynamic cycles. Such integration allows for charging the molten salts storage as if a central tower receiver field supplied the thermal energy, whereas parabolic trough collectors are employed. Unlike conventional hybrid plants, where the storage of PV production leads to a decrease in power injected into the grid throughout the day, the power injected by the proposed system remains constant. The heat engine efficiency is 44.4%, and the COP is 2.32. The LCOE for a 50 MWe plant with up to 12 hours of storage capacity is 171 $/MWh, which is lower than that of existing CSP power plants with comparable performance. Although the cost is higher compared to a PV plant with batteries, this hybrid system offers two significant advantages: it eliminates the consumption of critical raw materials in batteries, and all the electricity produced comes from a synchronous machine.

An approach of implementing X-bar and R control charts as a statistical control tool to monitor changes in the melting profile of fresh and stored flaxseed oils by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used. Phase transition melting profiles were collected after 0, 2, 4, 6 months of storing flaxseed oils, originated from five different cultivars. Four peaks at around -36, -30, -25, -12 °C were identified using the deconvolution analysis procedure, which enabled data to be collected on peak temperature (T), peak height (h) and the peak area (A), as well as the ratio calculated from these parameters. Control charts of DSC parameters, linked to the second peak (h2, A2) and calculated ratios of those parameters showed an increasing or decreasing trend within the storage time, thus were considered to be indicators of oil deterioration. Since DSC parameters related to the first peak (h1, A1) and third peak (h3, A3) remained unchanged within storage, they were established as the markers of flaxseed oil authenticity.

: The primary use of the potato is direct consumption. The classification of potatoes into consumption type is made on the basis of consumption evaluation of hydrothermally treated tubers. Nutrient deficiency in the soil, including Mg, contributes to the inhibition of potato growth and development and negatively affects the cooking characteristics of the tubers. Magnesium and biostimulants are responsible for plant nitrogen management. Thus, it is necessary to control the content of harmful nitrates and toxic nitrites in tubers. In potato production, it is also important to maintain appropriate conditions during storage. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of mineral fertilization with magnesium and a biostimulant preparation during cultivation of edible potato and long-term storage on the traits determining utility-consumption type and the content of harmful nitrogen compounds in tubers. The study was conducted using the early potato variety Satina. In a three-year (2015-2017) three-factor experiment: evaluation date (immediately after harvest and after six months of storage), soil fertilization with mineral magnesium (0, 30, 60, 90 kg MgO ha-1), application of an amino acid biostimulant (0, 1.5, 3.0 l ha-1), five consumption traits of tubers after cooking determining the utility-consumption type of potato were determined. In addition, the consumer safety of the potato was determined based on the nitrate and nitrite content of the tubers. The tendency to overcook tubers significantly depended on all the factors used during potato cultivation. In contrast, the texture and structure of tuber flesh after cooking depended only on mineral fertilization with magnesium. The flesh of the tubers after cooking was most tender (1.0 pt) and firm (1.4 pt) after the application of 60 and 90 kg MgO ha-1, respectively. The moisture level of the flesh after cooking was significantly influenced by the interaction of magnesium fertilization with the biostimulant preparation. The factors of the experiment did not modify the utility-consumption type (B/A), while there was a change in the type in relation to that specified by the grower - general utility (B). The applied cultivation technology and long-term storage did not deteriorate the consumer safety of tubers (<200 mg kg-1) in terms of NO3 (max. 112.1 mg kg-1) and NO2 (max. 1.08 mg kg-1) contents. Organoleptic traits: mealiness, moisture and flesh structure were significantly positively related to nitrate and nitrite content of tubers immediately after harvesting and to nitrite concentration after long-term storage.

For effective warehouse management, various criteria should be taken into consideration in terms of inventory management, demand, transportation distance, usage area, delivery-waiting times, and minimizing the costs that may arise from them. Because, the purpose of the product assignment problem is to minimize the total transport distance during storage and to reduce the space required for product assignment. However, the storage location assignment problem (SLAP) occurs simultaneously with production planning activities in real life. In this study, an integrated mixed-integer nonlinear (MINLP) mathematical model is proposed, which includes the assignment of products to storage areas and production planning, using the TOPSIS (Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution) class based policy for storage systems where multiple criteria are important. In the TOPSIS class-based policy, weight and waiting time criteria are taken into account, as well as the COI (Cube-per-order index index), which is widely used in the literature. In addition, a decision support system flow has been proposed that takes into account the single criterion, multiple criteria and COI index criteria of the developed model and provides its integration with different product assignment policies. Detailed literature research; It has been revealed that the proposed mathematical model and decision support system flow have the feature of applying an existing field of science to a new problem.

By enhancing the bitumen properties with the additives produced from wastes not only can be improved the performance of flexible pavements but also can be contributed to the environment. This research aims to produce a novel pyrolytic char from different wastes and to investigate the usability of this char as an additive in bitumen. In this study, firstly, the pyrolytic char was produced from co-pyrolysis of three different wastes including waste paper cups, polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) wastes. Properties of the char were determined by using CHN (carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analyses. The high temperature rheological properties of binders were evaluated by using DSR (dynamic shear rheometer), RV (rotational viscometer), softening point and penetration tests. Additionally, specific gravity, storage stability, high temperature performance grades (PG) and temperature susceptibilities of binders were determined. Test results showed that this pyrolytic char enhanced the high temperature properties of neat bitumen by increasing softening point, viscosity, rutting resistance and high temperature PG. And, it can be said that the bituminous binder modified with this pyrolytic char had a good storage stability when it was used at 8% ratio in neat bitumen.

The temperature-dependent energy storage properties of four tungsten bronze phase compounds are studied together with an investigation of their structure and temperature-dependent permittivity response, i.e., Ba6Ti2Nb8O30 (BTN), Ba6Zr2Nb8O30 (BZN), Sr3TiNb4O15 (STN) and Sr3ZrNb4O15 (SZN) ceramics. It was found that BZN has smaller grains and a more porous structure than BTN. SZN shows no clear grain boundaries with the most porous structure among all samples, exhibiting a much lower permittivity response than other samples with no signs of phase transitions from room temperature to 400 °C. Though the energy storage response of those samples is generally quite low, it exhibits rather good temperature stability. It was suggested that by obtaining a denser structure through chemical modification or other methods, those tungsten bronze ceramics with good temperature stability could be promising as energy storage devices when improved energy storage properties are achieved.

The present study examined mechanisms underlying memory deficits in patients with Parkinson disease (PD)and their associations with structural metrics. Nineteen PD and 22 matched controls underwent two memory experiments. In experiment 1 (delayed memory task), subjects were asked to remember an array of colored rectangles with varying memory set sizes [Low-Load (2 items), Low-Load with Distractor, & High-Load (5 items)]. After a 7s delay period, they reported whether the orientation of any relevant figures had changed (test period). In experiment 2 (working memory task), memory arrays were presented in varying set sizes (2 to 6 items) with no distractors that were followed by a 2s delay period and subsequent test period. Brain MRI data were acquired to assess structural differences (volumes and cortical thickness) in brain areas related to attention, working memory storage, and episodic memory. Compared to controls, PD patients had lower memory capacity scores in all memory load conditions for experiment 1 (p <0.021) whereas there were no group differences in any memory load conditions for experiment 2 (p>0.06). In addition, PD patients had lower thickness in the left superior temporal gyrus (p=0.02). Lower thickness values in the left superior temporal gyrus were significant predictors of lower delayed memory performance in Low-Load and Low-Load with Distractor conditions (ps’<0.044) and working memory performance of memory load conditions of 4 and 5 items (p’s<0.012). The present findings suggest that PD patients may have intact working memory storage capacity but impaired attentional filtering and memory consolidation that may lead to lower delayed memory scores. Lower delayed memory in PD may partly be associated with lower cortical thickness in the left superior temporal gyrus.

In the last two decades, the development of high-throughput diagnostic methods and availabil-ity of effective treatments has increased interest in newborn screening for lysosomal storage disorders. However, long-term follow-up experience is needed to clearly identify risks, benefits and challenges. We report our 8-year experience of screening and follow up on about 250,000 neonates screened for four lysosomal storage diseases (Pompe disease, mucopolysaccharidosis type I, Fabry dis-ease, Gaucher disease), using enzyme activity assay by tandem mass spectrometry, and bi-omarker quantification as second tier test. Among the 126 positive newborns (0.051%), 51 infants were confirmed as affected (positive pre-dictive value 40%), with an overall incidence of 1:4,874. Of these, 3 infantile-onset Pompe dis-ease, 2 neonatal-onset Gaucher disease and 4 mucopolysaccharidosis type I patients were imme-diately treated. Furthermore, another four Gaucher disease patients needed treatment in the first years of life. Our study demonstrated the feasibility and effectiveness of newborn screening for lysosomal storage diseases. Early diagnosis and treatment allow the achievement of better patient out-comes. Challenges such as false positive rates, the diagnosis of variants of uncertain significance or late-onset forms, and the lack of treatment for neuronopathic forms, should be addressed.

Laurencia seaweed species synthesize a broad range of secondary metabolites mainly terpenes, such as the elatol exhibiting ecological roles, such as defense against fouling and herbivores. Recently, an intricate cellular machinery was evidenced concerning terpenes biosynthetic pathways, storage inside corps en cerise - CC and regulated exocytosis in these species. But for seaweeds in general, the proteins involved in transmembrane transport of secondary metabolites remains unknown. Assays with Rhodamine-123 and cyclosporine A (CSA) revealed the presence of ABC transporters in CC membrane of Laurencia dendroidea. In vivo incubation assays with CSA resulted in CC morphological changes, reduced intracellular elatol concentrations and increased biofouling cover on the seaweed surface. Cultivation assays in the presence of a marine pathogenic bacteria induced the expression of ABC proteins belonging to the subfamilies ABCB, ABCD, ABCF and ABCG. The later subfamily is known to associated in the transport terpenes in plants. Our results shed new light on the role of ABC proteins in key mechanisms of the defensive system in seaweeds against fouling and herbivory.

Hydrogen storage in high pressure tanks can occur with different filling strategies. Many studies have been carried out on supplies with increasing pressure rates. However, hydrogen filling with constant mass inflow rate have not received the same attention. The present work aims to carry out numerical simulations to study hydrogen flow, in a type 3 tank of 70 MPa NWP and constant inflow rate condition. From the analysis of the results, it was possible to verify that there is a linear relationship between the increase in the total equilibrium temperature and the final hydrogen temperature. There is also a linear increasing relationship between Inlet and final temperatures when the equilibrium temperature is fixed. Considering fully adiabatic walls results in significant increases in temperature. The difference between total and static temperatures found in the Inlet tube decreases with the decrease in mass flow rate. The choice of a polymer for the tank lining led to higher temperatures when compared to an aluminum lining.

Storing apples for up to a year is a well-established practice aimed at providing a continuous, locally-produced fruit supply to consumers and adapting to market trends for optimized profits. Temperature control is the cornerstone of postharvest conservation and apples are typically kept at temperatures from 0 to 3 °C. However, the energy-intensive process of the initial cool down and subsequent temperature maintenance poses significant financial challenges and contributes to the carbon footprint. Higher storage temperatures could reduce cooling-related energy usage but also pose the risk of enhanced ripening and quality loss. This work explores different storage technologies aiming to reduce energy consumption such as 1-methylcyclopropene, ultra-low oxygen and dynamic controlled atmosphere together with raised temperatures. The integration of advanced monitoring and control systems, coupled with data analytics and energy management in apple storage is also discussed. These sustainable strategies can be implemented without cost-intensive construction measures in standard storage facilities. Furthermore, beneficial side effects of higher storage temperatures in terms of a reduced occurrence of storage disorder symptoms and higher maintenance of quality attributes are also discussed for this special issue on sustainable horticultural production systems and supply chains.

Under the "dual carbon" target in China, virtual power plants (VPPs) play an important role in improving grid security and promoting clean and low-carbon energy transformation. VPPs can integrate and control distributed resources to participate in the energy market and make full use of distributed resources. However, the intermittency and volatility of renewable energy and the "heat-driven" working mode of CHP units create contradictions that seriously affect the peak-shaving ability of VPPs and lead to high carbon emissions. To solve these problems, this paper aggregates CHP units, wind power, photovoltaics, carbon capture, hydrogen energy storage, and electric boilers into a new type of virtual power plant. The "hydrogen energy storage-electric boiler" joint decoupling CHP working mode is used to strengthen the coupling relationship between electric-thermal-hydrogen load. At the same time, a tiered carbon trading mechanism is considered, with the net profit of the VPP as the optimization objective, balancing economic and environmental considerations. A low-carbon economic dispatch model for VPPs is established, and a genetic algorithm is used for optimization. Three different scheduling strategies are set, and simulations are conducted in three different seasonal scenarios. The results show that the net profit in the cooling season increased by 50.4%, and carbon emissions decreased by 42.3%. In the transitional season, the net profit increased by 39.2%, and carbon emissions decreased by 44.9%. In the heating season, the net profit increased by 19.4%, and carbon emissions decreased by 43.4%. Overall, the proposed dispatch strategy can improve the new energy consumption capacity and total revenue of VPPs while achieving the goal of reducing carbon emissions.

Bismuth sodium titanate thin films (BNT) were deposited on Pt/SiN substrates by Sol-Gel spin coating technique under O2 atmosphere. Microstructural, structural, and electrical properties of the obtained film were investigated. Scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy micrographs were used to analyze the microstructure of the films. Furthermore, EDX analysis revealed a Na-deficient composition for the obtained film. X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy allowed the identification of a pure perovskite BNT phase. Dielectric, ferroelectric, and leakage current measurements revealed good frequency stability of the dielectric constant and dielectric losses for BNT thin film. The results are discussed in terms of Na-deficiency effects on the defect structure of BNT. Further, the film showed attractive electrostatic energy storage properties with energy density that exceeds 1.04 J/cm3 under E = 630 kV/cm.

The broad acceptance of electromobility depends heavily on the performance and service life of the battery technology used. Lithium-ion battery technology is currently the most promising energy storage technology for mobile applications, but the performance and capacity of the cells is extremely temperature sensitive. Especially in these new complex and powerful applications there is a significant need for thermal management. Depending on the ambient conditions, part of the effective battery energy must therefore be used to temper the system. So far, mainly active components have been used for this task. This not only reduces the overall efficiency, but also increases the weight, volume and maintenance requirements of the system. In the present work, an alternative battery temperature management system (BTMS) was developed. A concept based on latent heat storage materials was created, which uses the advantages of thermal energy storage and the design freedom of additive manufacturing technology, and its suitability for use in battery applications was checked. On the one hand, the use of systems for storing thermal energy was researched and, on the other hand, an innovative cooling concept was created considering new production possibilities.

Traditional lithium-ion batteries cannot meet the high flexibility and bendability requirements of modern flexible electronic devices due to the limitations of their electrode materials. Therefore, the development of high-performance flexible energy storage devices is of great significance for promoting flexible electronics. In recent years, one-dimensional flexible fiber lithium-ion batteries have been rapidly developed due to the advantages of high flexibility and bendability. However, it is still a big challenge to realize 1D flexible fiber lithium-ion batteries with excellent electro-chemical properties and good mechanical performance. In this work, a reduced graphene ox-ide-based printing ink is proposed to fabricate flexible Li4Ti5O12/graphene fiber electrodes through a 3D printing assembly strategy. It is noteworthy that the green reducing agent vitamin C was used to reduce graphene oxide in one step, which improved the conductivity of the fiber elec-trode. Furthermore, a 3D conductive network is constructed inside the fiber electrodes due to the high specific surface area of reduced graphene oxide, which enhances the electronic conductivity and ion mobility. The fiber electrode not only has good mechanical performance, but also has ex-cellent electrochemical properties. Equally important, the method is simple and efficient, and the working environment is flexible. It can precisely control the shape, size and structure of the one-dimensional fiber flexible electrode, which is of great significance for the development of fu-ture flexible electronic devices.

Hydrogen plays an important role in the implementation of Australia’s Net-Zero Strategy. It competes with lithium-ion rechargeable batteries in the electrification of Australian land transportation sector, and can provide an alternative energy storage medium for the greening of the country’s electrical grid system. This paper reviews the role hydrogen plays in the current government’s Net-Zero strategy, and investigates the potential role of other bioenergy sources. It is found that hydrogen and batteries play essentially complementary roles in reducing transport emissions, and that the former energy source is more suited to the operation of long-distance commercial service vehicles than batteries. It is suggested that bioenergy fuels such as biomethane, second generation biofuels and HVO can provide suitable bridging alternatives in the event that Australia’s EV strategy is unable to meet the 2030 target.

Background: Glycogen storage diseases (GSDs), known as glycogenoses, belong to inborn metabolic defects in the glycogen metabolism pathway. Several types of GSDs are distinguished, including Ia, Ib, III, VI, and IX. GSDs manifest as excessive glycogen deposition in the liver and muscles, resulting in the dysfunction of these organs. Therefore, the treatment of choice is multitherapy that, due to dietary restrictions, may lead to nutritional deficiencies and organ complications. This study aims to assess anthropometric, body composition, skeletal status, results of selected laboratory tests, dietary, lifestyle and physical capacity analyses in patients with glycogenoses and compare the results between GSD I and GSD III-VI-IX groups. Results: The results indicate that GSD patients were overweight or obese (44% of patients had BMI +1SD or +2SD) with high percentage of fat tissue (50% of patients had above 30% of body fat) and inadequate bone mineralisation (total body less head: median z-score -0.9, L2-L4 segment: median z-score -1.65). GSD I patients had the highest risk of developing obesity (67% of them had above 30% of body fat) and osteoporosis (total body less head: median z-score -1.0, L2-L4 segment: median -1.7). Conclusions: Special attention should be paid to appropriate diet and supplementation in patients with glycogenoses.

A gas-hydrate method of CO₂ gas storage is one of the modern technology for reducing it emissions into the atmosphere. The breakup of gas bubbles by a shock wave is an actual area of scientific and technological research. However, it is little known that such research began in the late 1950s in the USSR. The article presents the main discoveries related to the destruction of gas bubbles in a liquid under the influence of a shock wave, made more than 60 years ago. Looking back: study the past to understand the present.

In this paper, we investigate the structural, microstructural, dielectric, and energy storage properties of Nd and Mn co-doped Ba0.7Sr0.3TiO3 [(Ba0.7Sr0.3)1-xNdxTi1-yMnyO3 (BSNTM) ceramics (x = 0, 0.005, and y = 0, 0.0025, 0.005, and 0.01)] via a defect dipole engineering method. The complex defect dipoles (MnTi"-VO∙∙)∙ and (MnTi"-VO∙∙) between acceptor ions and oxygen vacancies capture electrons, enhancing the breakdown electric field and energy storage performances. XRD, Raman spectroscopy, and microscopic investigations of BSNTM ceramics revealed the formation of a tetragonal phase, increased oxygen vacancies, and reduced grain size with Mn dopant, respectively. The BSNTM ceramics with x=0.005 and y=0 exhibit a high dielectric constant of 2058 and a dielectric loss of 0.026 at 1 kHz. These values gradually decreased to 1876 and 0.019 for x=0.005 and y=0.01 due to the Mn2+ ions at Ti4+-site, which facilitates the formation of oxygen vacancies, and prevents the decrease of Ti4+. In addition, the defect dipoles act as a driving force for depolarization to tailor the domain formation energy and domain wall energy, which provides a high difference between the maximum polarization of Pmax and remnant polarization of Pr (ΔP=10.39 µC/cm2). Moreover, the complex defect dipoles with optimum oxygen vacancies in BSNTM ceramics can provide not only a high ΔP but also reduce grain size, which together improve the breakdown strength from 60.4 to 110.6 kV/cm, giving rise to a high energy storage density of 0.41 J/cm3 and high efficiency of 84.6% for x=0.005 and y=0.01. These findings demonstrate that defect dipoles engineering is an effective method to enhance the energy storage performance of dielectrics for capacitor applications.

Microgrid is one of the important ways to accommodate distributed PV generation. However, the optimal planning scheme of microgrids is closely related to solar resources, load characteristics, and the key components of microgrid systems. This paper uses HOMER software to conduct collaborative planning for grid-connected PV-storage microgrids with electric vehicles in multiple scenarios. Specifically, we construct a multi-scenario capacity optimization model for PV generation, energy storage, and converters, considering both the cleanliness and economic performance of microgrids. The performance is quantified using indices such as net present cost, levelized cost of electricity, and carbon dioxide emission under multiple scenarios. Finally, we conduct extensive case studies on a business park in Wuhan, China, to compare and discuss the planning performance under multiple scenarios, as well as sensitivity analysis with specific cases.

Mucopolysaccharidoses (MPSs) are rare inherited lysosomal storage diseases (LSDs) caused by deficient activity in one of the enzymes responsible for glycosaminoglycans lysosomal degradation. MPS II is caused by pathogenic mutations in the IDS gene, leading to deficient activity of the enzyme iduronate-2-sulfatase, which causes dermatan and heparan sulfate storage in the lysosomes. MPS VI has dermatan sulfate lysosomal storage, owing to a deficiency of arylsulfatase B, due to pathogenic mutations in the ARSB gene. Alterations in the immune system of MPSs mouse models have been described but the data is still scarce concerning MPSs patients. Herein, we study different leukocyte populations in MPS II and VI disease patients. MPS VI, but not MPS II patients, have a decrease percentage of Natural Killer (NK) cells and monocytes when compared with controls. No alterations were identified in the percentage of T, invariant NKT and B cells in both groups of MPS disease patients. However, we uncovered alterations in the naïve versus memory status of both helper and cytotoxic T cells in MPS VI disease patients compared to control group. Indeed, MPS VI disease patients have a higher frequency of naïve T cells and consequently lower frequency of memory T cells than control subjects. Altogether, these results reveal MPS VI disease-specific alterations in some leukocyte populations, suggesting that the type of substrate accumulated and/or enzyme deficient in the lysosome may have a particular effect on the normal cellular composition of the immune system.

This paper focuses on designing and assessing Pumped Hydroelectric Energy Storage Systems (PHES), connected to the grid and PV system for self-consumption structured at Mutah university in an area of high solar potential. In focusing on PHES and PV literature was made to have data on the field, based on the grid code needed in Jordan. Next, a prospection to find the proper location for the installation was done. Afterward, a load profile was inserted to know the energy demand of the university. Then The productivity of the solar power plant of Mutah University was included. Finally, MATLAB software was used to realize the amount of energy to be stored, this data was used to implement the system which was chosen and sized. PHES layout was created to find the most accurate values for parameters to optimize the system performance, and to investigate the loss analysis. The system attains 9230.89 MWh/year. An annual load yields 4430 MWh/year, which covers the Mutah university demand with an estimated saving of 2039773 JD.

The development of technology that combines supercapacitors and lithium-ion batteries by externally connecting them in parallel is ongoing. This study examines the correlation between the volume ratio and electrical characteristics of a cell made by internally connecting a battery capacitor with Li4Ti5O12 as the anode active material and a supercapacitor in parallel. It was found that increasing the volume occupied by the battery capacitor in the cell led to increased cell energy and resistance, resulting in decreased output characteristics. Conversely, increasing the volume occupied by the supercapacitor in the cell led to a decrease in the IR drop during discharge and cell temperature when evaluating cycle characteristics with a current of 20C. The study also examined the behavior of the current distributed during the charging and discharging process based on the volume ratio of the supercapacitor and the battery capacitor. Analyzing the correlation between the volume ratio and electrical characteristics of supercapacitors and battery capacitors could potentially lead to the development of a new type of energy storage device.

Integrating photovoltaic (PV) systems plays a pivotal role in the global shift toward renewable energy, offering significant environmental benefits. In many instances, utility companies pay for both energy and peak demand. PV systems can effectively reduce energy consumption during their operational periods, while, their contribution during peak hours, particularly in the early morning and late evening, is often limited. To address this issue, battery storage systems are utilized for storing energy during off-peak hours and releasing it during peak times. However, finding the optimal size of PV-battery systems remains a challenge. This study proposes a novel statistical model to optimize PV-battery system sizing for enhanced peak demand reduction. The model aims to flatten 95% of peak demand days up to a certain demand threshold, ensuring consistent energy supply and financial benefit for utility companies. A straightforward and effective search methodology is employed to determine the optimal system sizes. Additionally, the model effectiveness is rigorously tested through a modified Monte Carlo simulation coupled with time series clustering to generate various scenarios to assess performance under different conditions. The results indicate that the optimal PV-battery system successfully flattens 95% of daily peak demand up to 2000 kW, yielding a financial benefit of $812,648 over 20 years.

The shortage of precooling equipment in litchi producing regions could lead to a high loss rate, poor quality of litchis. It is urgent to develop a portable precooling device for litchi producing regions. In this study, a novel spray hydrocooler with thermal energy storage (TES) were designed, fabricated, and tested. A simple mathematical model of TES capacity, ice coil thermal resistance and refrigeration system was employed to determine hydrocooler parameters. Then designed the structure of the spray hydrocooler. Maximum charging test was implemented with full TES capacity and litchi spray hydrocooling experiments were carried out at different charging times, spray flow rate, and litchi load with one-third TES capacity. Results showed that: (1) the spray hydrocooler allows for the rapid and effective precooling of litchis; (2) the hydrocooler can precool 299 kg litchis with one-third TES storage, meet the precooling requirements; (3) the effective TES capacity achieved 1.25×108 J at the maximum TES capacity of the hydrocooler, while the energy efficiency ratio (EER) is 2; (4) the precooling capacity was maximum and the average power consumption was minimum when the litchi load was 23 kg and the spray flow rate was 30 L min-1. Longer charging time is the most important factor in increasing precooling capacity and reducing average power consumption.

Ni-rich layered cathodes are regarded as a potential candidate for high energy-density lithium-ion batteries, but their high sensitivity to air during storage and poor thermal stability are a vital challenge for large-scale applications. In this paper, an effective solid-solution strategy was proposed to improve the surface and structural stability of Ni-rich layered cathodes by introducing Li2MnO3. The structural analysis results indicate that the formation of Li2CO3 inert layers on Ni-rich layered cathodes during storage in air is responsible for the increased electrode interfacial impedance, thereby resulting in the severe deterioration of electrochemical performance. The introduction of Li2MnO3 can reduce the surface reactivity of Ni-rich cathode materials, playing a certain suppression effect on the formation of surface Li2CO3 layer and the deterioration of electrochemical performances. Additionally, the thermal analysis results show that the heat release of Ni-rich cathodes strongly depends on the charge of states, and Li2MnO3 can suppress oxygen release and significantly improves the thermal stability of Ni-rich layered cathodes. This work provide a method to improve the storage performance and thermal stability of Ni-rich cathode materials.

The utilization of natural waxes to form oleogels has emerged as a new and efficient technique for structuring liquid edible oil into solid-like structures for diverse food applications. The objective of this study was to investigate the interaction between sunflower wax (SW) and monoglycerides (MGs) in olive oil oleogels and to assess their physical characteristics and storage stability. To achieve this, pure SW and a combination of SW with MGs in a 1:1 ratio were examined within a total concentration range of 6-12% w/w. The formed oleogels were characterized based on their microstructure, melting and crystallization properties, textural characteristics, and oxidative stability during storage. All the oleogels were shelf-stable, and as the concentration increased, the hardness of the oleogels also increased. The crystals of SW oleogels were long needle-like, while the combination of SW and MGs led to the formation of crystal aggregates and rosette-like crystals. The differential scanning calorimetry and FTIR showed that the addition of MGs led to different crystal structures. The oxidation results revealed that oleogels had low peroxide and TBARS values throughout the 28-day storage. These results provide useful insights about the utilization of SW and MGs oleogels for potential applications in the food industry.

A new study for CH4 reforming to hydrogen and hydrogen storage was performed using magnesium-based alloy. MgH2-12Ni (with the composition of 88 wt% MgH2 + 12 wt% Ni) was prepared in a planetary ball mill by milling in hydrogen atmosphere (reaction-involved milling). X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses were performed for the samples after reaction-involved milling and after reactions with CH4. The variation of adsorbed or desorbed gas with time was measured by a Sieverts’ type high-pressure apparatus at 773 K. The microstructures of the powders were observed using scanning transmission microscope (STEM) with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The synthesized samples were also characterized using Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. XRD pattern of MgH2-12Ni after reaction with CH4 of 12 bar at 773 K and decomposition under 1.0 bar at 773 K exhibited phases of MgH2 and Mg2NiH4. This shows that reforming of CH4 was occurred, hydrogen produced after reforming of CH4 was then adsorbed on the particles, and hydrides were formed during cooling to room temperature. Ni and Mg2Ni formed during heating up to 773 K are believed to have brought about catalytic effects for reforming CH4. MgH2-12Ni adsorbed 0.8 wt% reformed CH4 within 1 min in a reaction with CH4 of 12 bar at 773 K and then desorbed 0.8 wt% reformed CH4 (hydrogen-containing mixture) within 1 min under 1 bar at 773 K. Attenuated total reflectance FT-IR spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) spectra of MgH2-12Ni after reactions under 12 bar CH4 at 723 K and 773 K showed peaks of C-H bending, C=C stretching, O-H stretching, O-H bending, and C-O stretching.

The integration of the increasing share of Renewable Energy Sources (RES) requires the availability of suitable energy storage systems to improve the grid flexibility, and Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES) systems could be a promising option. In this study, a CO2-free Diabatic CAES system is proposed and analysed. The plant configuration is derived from a down-scaled version of the McIntosh diabatic CAES plant, where the natural gas is replaced with green hydrogen, produced on site by a Proton Exchange Membrane electrolyser powered by a Photovoltaic power plant. In this study, the components of the hydrogen production system are sized to maximize the Self-Consumption share of PV energy generation and the effect of the design parameters on the H2-CAES plant performance are analysed on a yearly basis. Moreover, a comparison between the use of natural gas and hydrogen in terms of energy consumption and CO2 emissions is discussed. The results show that the proposed hydrogen fuelled CAES can effectively match the generation profile and the yearly production of the natural gas fuelled plant by using all the PV energy production, while producing zero CO2 emissions.

Kiwifruits are often exposed to various temperature fluctuation (TF) during postharvest storage. To evaluate the effect of TF on the qualities of kiwifruits, fruits were stored at 2 ºC, 2 ºC or 5 ºC (TF2ºC-5ºC), 2 ºC or 7 ºC (TF2ºC-7ºC), alternating every 12 h. Observations revealed that kiwifruits stored at constant 2 °C showed the lowest loss of weight and vitamin C due to the minimum ethylene production and respiratory rate compared to that of TF2ºC-5ºC and TF2ºC-7ºC. Moreover, the results of RT-qPCR verifed that the expression of genes encoding polygalacturonase, β-galacturonidase, and pectin methyl esterase was significantly increased by the treatment of TF. Hence, TF accelerated the degradation of the cell walls, softening, translucency and relative conductivity of the flesh of kiwifruits. Besides, the impact of TF2ºC-7ºC on kiwifruits was more significant relative to TF2ºC-5ºC. The present study provides a theoretical basis for kiwifruit during cold storage.

The accuracy of estimating changes in terrestrial water storage (TWS) using Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) level-2 products is limited by the leakage effect resulting from post-processing and the weaker signal magnitude in adjacent areas. TWS anomaly in Dnieper River basin, where characteristic with medium scale and adjacent weak TWS anomaly, is estimate in this work. Two categories of leakage error repaired method (including forward modeling, Data-driven, single and multiple scaling factor) are employed. Root mean square error (RMSE) and Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency (NSE) are used to evaluate the efficiency of methods. Compare to independent methods, TWS anomaly inverted by multiple scaling factor depending on CPC Soil Moisture model is more accurate in terms with RMSE 2.32 and NSE 0.88, which scaling factors corresponding to trend term 1.02, annual term 1.04, and semi-annual term 1.14. Further, comprehensive climate insights behind of the TWS anomaly were confirmed. The temperate continental climate of this River basin is shown, according to the variation of TWS anomaly in spatial domain. Snowmelt is significant role in TWS anomaly of Dnieper River basin, which is accord with the precipitation record and the 14 years temperature spatial distribution of February. Overall, we compare TWS anomaly recovered by single and multiple scaling method, the leakage signal originates mainly from semi-annual term of the TWS anomaly.

The average sizes \ {\bar{L}}_{i\ } and their dispersion W_i along the i-th axis of crystallites in powders are used to determine the X-ray diffraction sizes, D_{i\ XRD}, averaged over crystallite columns within the BWA method. Numerical calculations have been carried out for an orthorhombic lattice of crystallites, such as LiFePO4, NMC, having Lamé's g-type superellipsoid shape. For Lognormal distributions, the analytical expression for the normalized coefficient Kn is found and includes two constants. The first K_{g,0} is a constant at W→0, the second K_g is a constant depending on the g -type shape. The dependences of D_{i\ XRD} are also calculated for Normal distribution. A fairly simple equation can be obtained as a result of analytical transformations in the framework of experimentally validated approximations. However, a simpler way is to carry out numerical computer calculations with subsequent approximation of the calculated curves. Using the obtained analytical expressions to control technologies from nuclear fuel to cathode materials will improve the efficiency of flexible energy network especially storage in autonomous and standby power plants.

This study aimed to overcome the difficulty of conducting the horizontal-well cavity leaching test in the field and to investigate the long-term stability of the horizontal-well salt-cavity natural gas storage. The simulation test design is combined with the similarity theory to study the cavity expansion characteristics and the influence law of cavity leaching parameters. Through the design of a rubber hose connection, an integrated closed test system for multi-stage horizontal-well cavity leaching and brine drainage was built. The test system also realises the repeatable backward movement of the injection well during the test. A similarity simulation of the test design was carried out, and the test platform was constructed to carry out multi-stage horizontal-well leaching tests with a nitrogen cushion. In the horizontal-well leaching tests with a nitrogen cushion, the influence laws of the well spacing, flow rate and liquid level position on cavity expansion were investigated. Based on the morphological characteristics of the horizontal-well cavity, a numerical model of the horizontal-well salt cavity was developed, which reflects the real cavity morphology leached in the test. The long-term stability of the horizontal-well salt-cavity natural gas storage under different internal pressures was investigated through numerical simulation.

Background/objectives: The health benefits of resistant starch are well known, but there have not been many studies available documenting the effect of basmati rice products containg resistant starch upon blood glucose level and lipid profile in vivo efficacy. Methods: Common cooking methods were used to prepare basmati rice products including two boiling methods viz. boiling 1 (boiling by absorption), boiling 2 (boiling in extra amount of water), frying and pressure cooking. The cooked rice were held at various temperatures and times: it was made fresh (T1), kept at room temperature (20–22°C) for 24 h (T2), kept at 4°C for 24 h (T3), and then reheated after being kept at 4°C for 24 h(T4). Next, the products' proximate composition, total dietary fibre (soluble and insoluble), resistant starch (RS), and In vitro starch digestion rate (rapidly and slowly digested starch) were examined. The effect of RS on blood glucose and lipid profile were measured in humans and rats. Histopathological study of liver and pancreas in rats were also observed. Results: The basmati rice prepared by boiling 1 and stored with T3 was found more effective to control blood glucose and lipid profile. Similarly in rats, the blood glucose level, cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL were reduced about 29.7, 37.9, 31.3 and 30.5% respectively, after consumption of basmsti rice prepared by boiling 1 and stored at T3. Conclusion: Rice products stored at 4⁰C have a high amount of resistant starh, insoluble dietary fibre, slowly digestible starch and low glycemic index. Thus helps to inhibit glycogen and lipid synthesis.

The Limpopo estuary mangrove forest covers about 928 ha, however 382 ha remain intact and 546 ha were degraded after the 2000 floods. Mangrove replanting campaigns have been carried out at the site. This article aims to evaluate the structure and carbon pool of aboveground and belowground living biomass and soil carbon in natural and replanted mangrove forests (2016, 2014 and 2010). The methodology consisted of selecting 40 strata where structural data were collected. Living biomass above and below ground and soil carbon was obtained based on the methodology described by Kauffman and Donato (2012). The results showed that A. marina was the most observed species in all study areas. The carbon reserve of living biomass above and below ground in the natural forest was 67.9±100.9 MgCha -1 and 65.0±77.1MgC ha -1 , respectively; and in the planted forests (2016, 2014, 2010) it was 1.1±0.5MgCha-1 and 2.1±1.0MgCha-1, 1.8±1.0MgCha-1 and 3.6±2.0MgCha-1, 3.7±2.0MgCha-1 and 5.3±2.5MgCha-1 . Soil carbon reserve was 229.4±119.4 MgCha-1 in natural forest and 230.3±134.8 MgCha-1 , 234.8±132.7MgC ha-1, 229.4±119.4 MgCha-1 in planted forests (2016, 2014, 2010). The total carbon reserve in the natural forest was 362.3 MgCha-1 and in the planted forestsn(2016, 2014, 2010) it was 233.5 MgCha-1 , 240.2 MgCha-1, 246.4 MgCha-1. Natural and restored forests had similar anoumts of soil carbon, which reinforces the idea that soil is a stabel carbon pool. Morever, restored forests failed to store the same amount of live biomass (an carbon), which supports the idea that it is better to prevent habitat degradation than to restore it.

This paper defines the two main causes of global warming in the UK and seeks to cut climate change using green hydrogen made from renewable electricity sources. Combustion vehicles powered by fossil gasoline and diesel emit a third of UK climate-warming CO2 while buildings heated by natural gas provide a quarter. First, current UK grid problems are defined: Electricity grid, gas grid and petroleum grid. Then experiments on the private energy community of Keele University allow electrolysis demonstrations producing green hydrogen for buildings and vehicle refueling. Next, the model supply chain is planned and tested. Finally, experiments and calculations are outlined, analyzing the optimum system design criteria proposed. We conclude that economic green hydrogen can displace diesel and gasoline in vehicle transport, while also displacing natural gas for combined heat and power in buildings. In addition, the prospect in 2023 is that profits can now be made all along the green hydrogen supply chain, such that new businesses involved in clean communities can beat the National Grid monopoly and other large dominant fossil grid companies.

Multi-rotor drones, a kind of unmanned equipment which is widely used in military, commercial consumption and other fields, has been developed very rapidly in recent years. However, their short flight time has hindered the expansion of their application range. This can be addressed by utilizing hydrogen fuel cells, which exhibit high energy density, strong adaptability to ambient temperature, and no pollution emissions, as the power source. Accordingly, the application of hydrogen fuel cells as the power source in multi-rotor drones is a promising technology that has attracted significant research attention. This paper summarizes the development process of hydrogen fuel cell mul-ti-rotor drones and analyzes the key obstacles that need to be addressed for the further development of hydrogen fuel cell multi-rotor drones, including structural lightweight, hydrogen storage methods, energy management strategies. Additionally, prospects for the future development of hydrogen fuel cell multi-rotor drones are presented.

To handle the huge amount of data generated by IoT devices, Big Data processing tools make it easier. This paper discusses the Big Data concept and its main V’s characteristics. It further describes IoT-enabling technologies; nominally cloud computing such as SaaS and PaaS. The centralization and infrastructure of Big Data systems, and how Cloud Computing gives a platform access to the data from anywhere. The paper explores IoT with big data architectural solutions for various use cases across the healthcare and transportation sectors.

This paper introduces a structured design for an effective power-sharing technique among converter-interfaced distributed generation (DG) units within a microgrid that operates without a synchronous generator. The proposed power-sharing technique leverages the battery energy storage system (BESS) to promptly respond to network changes. The real power output of each commercial distributed energy resources (CDER) unit is governed by a frequency-droop characteristic and a complementary frequency restoration strategy. Deloading techniques are employed by solar and wind power generators to enhance response during power supply or demand disturbances. To ensure microgrid stability, small-signal analysis is conducted for controller design, including the determination of stability margins. Initial tuning of the power-sharing technique parameters is achieved using the Ziegler-Nichols Method, followed by further optimization through a meta-heuristical algorithm to enhance the response time of energy sources. The proposed power-sharing technique's performance is evaluated on a benchmark medium voltage network using industry-standard commercial software. The test results demonstrate the precise and rapid power-sharing capabilities among DGs facilitated by the proposed technique, highlighting its effectiveness in dynamic microgrid environments.

Compressed carbon dioxide energy storage (CCES) offers several benefits over other existing energy storage systems, including ease of liquefaction, high energy storage density, and environmental friendliness. As a result, the research progress, economic and technological feasibility, and system operation of the CCES system are all discussed in depth in this study. The system evaluation method is summarized and the compressed carbon dioxide storage is analyzed, and the performance optimization direction of the compressed carbon dioxide energy storage technology is discussed. When the overall performance of a transcritical CCES system, a supercritical CCES system and a liquid CCES system are compared, it is discovered that the supercritical CCES system has better thermodynamic characteristics and a simpler system configuration, making it suitable for large-scale development and use. The goal of the CCES system's future development is to create a design with an optimum compression and expansion ratio, a more precise analysis and system model, and multi-field coupling. This review's discussion serves as a guide for the best design and use of the CCES system.

Building on the carbon reduction targets agreed in the Paris Agreements, many nations have renewed their efforts toward achieving carbon neutrality by the year 2050. In line with this ambitious goal, nations are seeking to understand the appropriate combination of technologies which will enable the required reductions in such a way that they are appealing to investors. Around the globe, solar and wind power lead in terms of renewable energy deployment, while carbon capture and storage (CCS) is scaling up toward making a significant contribution to deep carbon cuts. Using Japan as a case study nation, this research proposes a linear optimization modeling approach to identify the potential contributions of renewables and CCS toward maximizing carbon reduction and identifying their economic merits over time. Results identify that the combination of these three technologies could enable a carbon dioxide emission reduction of between 55 and 67 percent in the energy sector by 2050 depending on resilience levels and CCS deployment regimes. Further reductions are likely to emerge with increased carbon pricing over time. The findings provide insights for energy system design, energy policy making and investment in carbon reducing technologies which underpin significant carbon reductions, while identifying potential regional social co-benefits.

In air-breathing proton exchange membrane fuel cells (Air PEM FCs), high rate of water evaporation from the cathode might influence the resistance of the membrane electrode assembly (MEA), which is highly dependent on the water content of the Nafion membrane. We propose a dead-end hydrogen anode as a means of intermediate storage of water/humidity for self-humidification of the membrane. Such inflatable bag integrated with the PEM FC has a potential in blimp applications for anode self-humidification. A dynamic numerical water balance model, validated by experimental measurements, is derived to predict the effect of MEA configuration, membrane’s hydration state, and water transfer rate at the anode on MEA resistance and performance. The experimental setup included humidity measurements, polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy tests to quantify the effect of membrane hydration on its resistance in a lightweight MEA integrated with an inflatable dead-end hydrogen storage bag. Varying current density (20 mA, 40 mA and 60 mA) and cathode humidity (20, 50 and 80%) were examined and compared with the numerical results. The validated model predicts that the hydration state of the membrane and water transfer rate at the anode can be increased by using a thin membrane and thicker gas diffusion layer.

Bi0.5Na0.5TiO3-0.06BaTiO3 (BNT-BT) thin films were prepared by both chemical solution (CSD) and pulsed laser deposition (PLD). The microstructure, dielectric, and ferroelectric properties were investigated. High stability of the dielectric permittivity (∆ɛ/ɛ(150 °C) ≤ ± 15%) over a wide temperature range from room temperature to 300 °C was obtained. Distinctly, the CSD film showed high TCC stability with variation of ± 5% up to 250°C. Furthermore, the CSD film showed an unsaturated ferroelectric hysteresis loop characteristic of the ergodic relaxor phase, however the PLD one exhibited almost saturated loop signature of the coexistence of both ergodic and non-ergodic states. The energy storage properties of the prepared films were determined using the P–E loops obtained at different temperatures. The results showed that these films exhibit stable and improved energy storage density comparable to the ceramic capacitors. Moreover, the CSD film exhibited more rigidity and better energy storage density that exceeds 1.3 J/cm3 under low applied field of 317 KV/cm as well as interesting efficiency in a large temperature range. The obtained results are very promising for energy storage capacitors operating at high temperatures.

This study investigated the impact of chitosan (CH, 1%) and aloe vera gel (AL, 30%) edible coatings on the preservation of blue honeysuckle quality during a 28-day storage at -1°C. Coating with CH, AL, and CH+AL led to notable enhancements in several key attributes. These included increased firmness, total soluble solids, acidity, pH, and antioxidant capacity (measured through DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP assays), as well as the preservation of primary (ascorbic acid) and secondary metabolites (TPC, TAC, and TFC). These coatings also resulted in reduced weight loss, respiration rate, color, abscisic acid, ethylene production, and malondialdehyde content. Notably, the CH+AL treatment excelled in preserving secondary metabolites and elevating FRAP-reducing power, demonstrating a remarkable 1.43-fold increase compared to the control after 28 days. Overall, CH+AL exhibited superior effects compared to CH or AL treatment alone, offering a promising strategy for extending shelf life and preserving quality of blue honeysuckle during storage.

Leak of carbon dioxide (CO2) from conventional underground carbon storage reservoirs is an increasing concern. It is highly desirable to inject CO2 into low-temperature reservoirs so that CO2 can be locked inside the reservoir in solid state as CO2-hydrates. Marine gas hydrate reservoirs and surrounding water aquifers are attractive candidates for this purpose. However, the nature of low-permeability of these marine sediments hinders injection of CO2 in commercial scale due to the low-injectivity of wells with conventional completions. This study investigates injection of CO2 into the low-permeability marine reservoirs using a new type of well namely radial-lateral wells (RLW). An analytical model was developed for predicting CO2 injectivity of the RLW to assess well injectivity improvement. A case study and sensitivity analysis were performed with field data from the South China Sea. Result of analysis reveals that the injectivity of the RLW is nearly proportional to reservoir permeability, lateral wellbore length, and number of laterals. CO2 injection rate is predicted to be 19 tons/day to 250 tons/day, which is 3 to 15 times higher than the injectivity of frac-packed wells. It is feasible to inject CO2 into the low-permeability-low-temperature marine reservoirs at commercial flow rates. This work provides an analytical tool to predict CO2-injectivity of RLW in low-temperature marine reservoirs for leak-free CO2 storage.

The reduction of PV prices and interest in energy independence accelerate the adoption of residential battery storage. This storage can support various functions of an energy system undergoing decarbonization. In this work, operative benefits of the storage from the system perspective, namely, generation cost reduction and congestion mitigation, are investigated. Germany is chosen as a case study due to its strong reliance on variable renewable energy. For the analysis, an economic dispatch model with a high spatial resolution is coupled with a Pan-European transmission grid model. It is shown that the system's generation costs are highest when the assets are used only to maximize the PV self-consumption, and the costs are lowest when the storage also reacts to the market dynamics. This amounts to 6% cost reduction. Both operation strategies result in an equal level of grid congestion and infrastructure loading. This is improved with a strategy that accounts regional peak reduction as a secondary objective. The high congestion level emphasizes the grid expansion need to keep pace with the generation and electrification expansion necessary to decarbonize other sectors. Lastly, policymakers should enable multipurpose utilization, e.g., via the introduction of market-oriented retail electricity prices with intervention options for grid operators.

Red raspberry fruit production is increasing worldwide due to the growing consumer interest in foods with high antioxidant properties. However, raspberries are very perishable fruit with a short shelf life. Chitosan applications have shown promising results in promoting the storage of different berry fruit. This work aimed at analysing the effects of chitosan applied in pre- and/or post-harvest on the quality and antioxidant properties of raspberry fruit during the cold storage and room temperature conditions (i.e., 6 d at 4 °C and 3 d at 20 °C, respectively). Pre-harvest chi-tosan applications reduced fruit weight loss during cold storage and room temperature condi-tions but also reduced fruit decay at room temperature conditions. Furthermore, pre-harvest treatments with chitosan increased the total phenol and anthocyanin contents and promoted the highest total antioxidant activity with respect to other treatments. Of note, after the cold storage, post-harvest chitosan application drastically reduced the development of fungi that cause fruit decay, thus minimizing the potential risk of mycotoxin production. Overall, this study demon-strates that applications of chitosan in pre-harvest are sufficient to ensure the goal of maintaining and/or increasing the quality and antioxidant properties of fruit during cold storage and room temperature conditions.

The pace of implementation of renewable electricity storage in Europe is disappointingly slow. Several factors influence it, but there is a need to speed up the rate and increase the volumes in order to promote a 100% transition to renewable energy resources, expand the practice of using renewable energy, and contribute to the improvement of the user's quality of life. Also, an important factor is significantly reducing the global impact on the environment and climate change. Electricity from renewable energy sources such as solar and wind has a seasonal nature that cannot provide the necessary electricity consumption and cover peak loads. Also, the so-called "energy resource crisis" is a very topical problem at the moment, which reinforces the global need to increase the share of renewable energy resources in the overall balance of primary energy resources. It is precisely the wider integration of renewable electricity storage in practice that can help stimulate this. The availability of renewable electricity is constantly increasing and the level of technological innovation is rapidly developing, therefore it is valuable to analyze, look for connections and at the same time the main differences in the ways of accumulation in order to promote its availability from a private house to the national and European scale as a whole. Therefore, this article analyses and compares the different options for renewable electricity storage, from small batteries to large storage systems, arriving at the best solution according to needs, using analysis methods such as multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA) and TOPSIS. After comparing nine criteria, such as the amount of investment required, existing power density, efficiency, duration of operation and others, in both groups, it was concluded that lithium-ion batteries are currently the best solution among batteries, while in the group of large accumulation systems – pumped hydro storage.

The two-stage direct thermal contact (2sDTC) process is a rapid dewatering approach for fluid fine tailings (FFT) that is integrated into an oil sands bitumen extraction plant to reduce tailings pond storage and freshwater usage. In the first stage, combustion gas directly contacts atomized FFT, vaporizing water and yielding dry solids and steam-rich hot gas. The second stage involves pond effluent water directly contacting the steam-rich hot gas, recovering heat and condensing moisture. Case studies confirm the technical feasibility of the integration. Benefits include producing a dry discharge, reducing tailings water discharge and conserving an equivalent to 0.2 barrels of freshwater per barrel of oil produced. Most importantly, these benefits incur no additional energy cost to the plant as the integration eliminates the energy penalty and CO2 emissions associated with FFT dewatering. Further capacity enhancement can be achieved by using centrifuge-concentrated FFT. The study reveals that FFT concentrated to ~50 wt% solids could still maintain its pump-ability and be accommodated by the 2sDTC process, leading to an integration which could dewater more FFT annually and conserve more freshwater ( 0.58 barrels per barrel of oil produced), with the sole energy requirement being the power to drive the centrifuge machinery.

A single geological carbon dioxide (CO2) storage within salinity aquifer as a paramount stratagem in the context of forthcoming CO2 sequestration initiatives. Within the expansive tapestry of terrestrial salinity aquifers in China, replete with nuances in mineral composition and structural diversity, a paradigm distinct from the marine sedimentary basins of North America, a labyrinthine stratigraphic environment of elevated complexity unfolds. Consequently, conspicuous lacunae and insufficiencies manifest within the existing knowledge reservoir pertaining to CO2-water-rock (mineral) reaction mechanisms. Notably, a conspicuous dearth of insights prevails concerning the dissolution kinetics inherent to individual minerals embroiled in these reactions. The present investigation undertakes a scrupulous exploration into the dissolution and erosive processes manifest within four emblematic terrestrial minerals in conjunction with CO2. Furthermore, the study meticulously scrutinizes the evolution of ionic composition and pH within the formation water throughout the trajectory of the geochemical reactions. To accomplish this, a simulation apparatus is configured to emulate conditions germane to temperature, pressure, and mineralization characteristics characteristic of a prototypical salinity aquifer reminiscent of the Daqing oilfield in China. The findings that emerge from this scrutiny reveal that the erosive action of CO2 fluid begets varying degrees of dissolution within the four minerals under investigation. Moreover, our meticulous inquiry lays bare that, in the terminal phases of the reaction process, feldspar precipitates secondary minerals, characterized primarily by dawsonite, in response to the aquatic milieu typifying the profound salinity stratum of terrestrial sedimentation. This milieu is notably enriched with Na+ ions and NaHCO3. This phenomenon suggests that feldspar, under these specific conditions, assumes the mantle of a mineral amenable to carbon sequestration, thus enriching the reservoir for CO2 mineralization within the salinity stratum of terrestrial sedimentation.

Integrating a grid-connected battery into a Renewable Energy Community boosts Collective-Self-Consumption of photovoltaic produced energy and allow to perform Energy Arbitrage in the day-ahead and intraday electricity market. However, is it a cost-effective investment? The proposed analysis relay on Net Present Value assessment. Ageing affects are integrated and sensitivity analyses are conducted: considering community customers number, electricity mar-ket prices, battery cost, size and the decision to engage in energy arbitrage. Each scenario under-goes a 20-year hourly simulation using an ageing aware rolling-horizon 24-hours-looking-ahead scheduling, optimized with Mixed-integer linear Programming. Forecast errors, provid-ing of ancillary services, real time control and grid constrains are not taken into account. Simulations conducted on the Italian market indicates that a battery dedicated solely to collec-tive self-consumption is not economically appealing. However, integrating Energy Arbitrage, despite impact on battery lifespan, halves the payback period and enhances the attractiveness of larger battery investments. The Net Present Value is contingent upon battery size, customer number and market prices. However, if battery cost does not exceed 200 €/kWh the investment become cost-effective across all scenarios.

Studies on the long-term stability of meat analogs stored under frozen conditions are lacking. Here, we aimed to assess the storage stability of vegetable oil-supplemented meat analogs and analyze the effects of temperature and storage period on their physiochemical characteristics. The meat analogs were prepared by adding 30 g castor oil, orange oil, palm oil, shortening, or margarine vegetable oil based on 100 g of textured vegetable protein. They were then stored at −18 or −60 °C for 6 months and analyzed at one-month intervals. The meat analog supplemented with orange oil had the highest water content, liquid-holding capacity, hardness, and antioxidant activity. During frozen storage, temperature barely affected the meat quality. The storage stability of all meat analog samples was maintained for 6 months, although the quality was slightly reduced with an increase in storage duration. Coliform group bacteria were not detected regardless of the storage condition. Orange oil improved the juiciness of meat analogs, and the quality of samples was maintained for at least 6 months under frozen storage. The findings of this study are relevant to the development and promotion of vegetable meat as an alternative to animal meat.

Black-purple carrots possess, apart from carotenoids, high content of other bioactive pigments such as anthocyanins. However, both carotenoids and anthocyanins are modified over cold storage due to their lability. In this work, we investigated the effect of the postharvest elicitation on nutritional and organoleptic quality of purple carrots over storage at 5°C for 21 days. Based on our experience, we considered methyl jasmonate and abscisic acid as elicitors. The values obtained were compared with those provided by the fresh-untreated sample on the treatment day (ie, day 0) and after three-week storage (ie, on day 21), which were used as a reference. As a result, carotenoid content increased naturally in untreated samples over storage whereas anthocyanins maintained invariable. Also, physicochemical parameters reflected apparent organoleptic quality loss. However, the postharvest treatment of purple carrot samples with elicitors resulted in similar carotenoid content in elicited samples to fresh carrots on day 0 as well as lower concentration of anthocyanins and antioxidant activity. Besides, elicitation, particularly with abscisic acid, enabled purple carrot deterioration to be slowed down and, therefore, the organoleptic quality to be preserved. This suggests delaying effect of both elicitors on the spoilage rate of purple carrots over the storage time. These findings indicate that the postharvest application of elicitors may be an interesting conservation method, alternative to traditional procedures, to decelerate decomposition and extend shelf-life of purple carrots.

Chilean jack mackerel (Trachurus murphyi) is recognized as one of the most valuable pelagic resources across the southeast Pacific Ocean. Despite its nutritious properties it is an underused resource due to its rapid spoilage. The use of high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) for the processing of aquatic products could be an efficient alternative to cold storage since HHP might inactivate microbial pathogens and slow down spoilage microorganisms, therefore extending the product’s shelf life. The aim of the study was to compare the effect of HHP at 450 and 550 MPa for 3 min on the physicochemical properties of jack mackerel muscle undergoing pre- and post-rigor mortis stage and further storage for 26 days at 4°C. pH, total volatile basic nitrogen, trimethylamine, color, water-holding capacity, and texture were assessed. The proximate composition, pH, total volatile basic nitrogen, trimethylamine, color, water holding capacity, and texture, showed significant changes between untreated and treated samples, while the water holding capacity was virtually unaffected. Overall results showed an acceptable and long-lasting edible quality of Trachurus murphyi stored at 4°C when preserved through HHP. These findings suggest that the HHP might be able to industrially scale the production of highly physicochemical superior and minimally processed fish products.

Circulating miRNA-451a has recently emerged as an important biomolecule with potential clinical values as a diagnostic marker for several diseases. However, to be used as such, it is critical to accurately assay miRNA-451a in the clinic. Yet, pre-analytical factors that can affect such an error-free clinical assay of miRNA-451a have not been explored. This study aimed at investigating several of these pre-analytical factors that may affect the accurate quantification of miRNA-451a in human blood samples. We initially evaluated miRNA-451a levels in red blood cells (RBCs), white blood cells (WBCs), platelets, and plasma by droplet digital PCR (ddPCR). Next, we quantified miRNA-451a levels in whole blood or plasma stored at different temperatures for different time periods by ddPCR and used hemolyzed plasma samples to study the effects of hemolysis on plasma miRNA-451a concentration. We found that WBCs and platelets contain trace amounts of miRNA-451a and that about 99.9% of miRNA-451a in the blood are localized in RBCs. Hemolyzed plasma showed 58.5-fold increase in miRNA-451 concentration as compared to non-hemolyzed plasma. Importantly, plasma stored at room temperature (RT) or 4ºC showed a steady statistically significant decrease in miRNA-451a levels over a 7-day period whereas plasma samples stored at -20 or -80ºC for up to 7 days showed stable miRNA-451a levels. Together, our data indicate that hemolysis and blood storage at RT or 4ºC may have significant negative effects on the levels of circulating miRNA-451a.

The concrete sector is known for its significant contribution to the CO2 emissions. There are two main contributing factors for this situation: the large amount of concrete consumed per year on the planet and the high CO2 released from Portland cement manufacture, the key binding agent in concrete. To face the consequent sustainability issues, diverse strategies have been explored on the carbon capture and storage potential of cementitious materials. This paper addresses the potential of storing CO2 in concrete during the curing stage, applied to the precast Portuguese industry. To this purpose, it was assumed that CO2 will become a waste that will require an outlet in the future, considering that carbon capture will become mandatory in many industries. This work concluded that the net benefit in terms of carbon retention is positive for the process of storing carbon in concrete during the curing stage. More specifically, it was demonstrated that the additional emissions from the introduction of this new operation are only 10% of the stored amount, returning a storage potential of 76 000 tonnes of CO2 yearly. Moreover, the overall net reduction in the concrete life cycle averages 9.4% and 8.8% for precast elements and only non-structural elements, respectively. When a low cement dosage strategy is coupled with carbonation curing technology, the overall carbon net reduction is estimated to be 45%.

The integration of renewable energy and hybrid energy storage system (HESS) into electrified railways to build electric railway smart microgrid system (ERSMS) is beneficial for reducing fossil fuel consumption and minimizing energy waste. However, the fluctuations of renewable energy generation and traction load challenge the energy management effectiveness for such a complex system. In this work, an energy management strategy is proposed which firstly decomposes the renewable energy into low-frequency and high-frequency components by an integrated empirical mode decomposition (IEMD). Then, a two-stage energy distribution approach is utilized to appropriately distribute the energy flow among the ERSMS. Finally, the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed solution are validated through case study.

Indoor comfort is a critical determinant of the holistic educational experience, significantly influencing the well-being, concentration, and performance of students within the confines of school environments. Despite the widespread implementation of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems in educational institutions, achieving satisfactory thermal conditions, acceptable acoustics, and optimal daylight levels for occupants continues to pose a considerable challenge. In this review, we specifically delves into the parameters characterizing Italian school environments, recognizing their direct impact on students’learning and concentration. The primary objectives of this review are conducting a thorough examination of the current acustic conditions in Italian schools. The initial phase of our search strategy involved retrieving data from key databases, namely, Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, PubMed, and Google Scholar. Following the elimination of duplicate articles (n = 289), a total of 135 distinct papers remained for analysis. A critical review of the existing literature is presented based on these criteria, offering guidelines and recommendations for forthcoming studies. The critical review underscores various shortcomings in the current design, deployment, and documentation of multi-domain studies, signaling the need for enhanced quality in future research efforts.

The flywheel is a widespread mechanical component used for the storage of kinetic energy and angular momentum. It typically consists of a cylindrical inertia rotating about its axis on rolling bearings, which involves undesired friction, lubrication, and wear. This paper presents an alternative mechanism that is functionally equivalent to a classical flywheel while relying exclusively on limited-stroke flexure-joints. This novel 1-degrees-of-freedom zero-stiffness mechanism has no wear and requires no lubrication: it is thus compatible with extreme environments, such as vacuum, cryogenics, or ionizing radiation. The mechanism is composed of two coupled pivoting rigid bodies whose individual angular momenta vary during motion but whose sum is constant at all times when the pivoting rate is constant. The quantitative comparison of the flexure-based flywheel to classical ones based on a hollow cylinder as inertia shows that the former stores typically 6 times less angular momentum and kinetic energy for the same mass while occupying typically 10 times more volume. The freedom of design of the shape of the rigid bodies offers the possibility of modifying the ratio of the kinetic energy stored versus angular momentum, which is not possible with classical flywheels. For example, a flexure-based flywheel with rigid pivoting bodies in the shape of thin discs stores 100 times more kinetic energy than a classical flywheel with the same angular momentum. A proof-of-concept prototype was successfully built and characterized in terms of reaction moment generation, which validates the presented analytical model.

Saudi Arabia is a prominent producers of dates, with 1.6 million tons annually. There is a need to evaluate physical properties and quality of fruits non-destructively and then be modeled and predicted throughout the storage period. The aim of the current study was to generate a quality index (Qi) and Near-infrared spectra (NIR) models non-destructively to predict properties of Barhi dates fruits including objective and sensory evaluations. The engineering properties of Barhi dates were measured and modeled with quality index (Qi) based on NIR of fresh Barhi fruits (hardness, color, TSS, pH, and sensory evaluations) and during storage in cold, ambient, and controlled at-mosphere (CA) for up to four months. The prediction of Qi is non- destructively based on NIR utilizing PLSR and ANN data analysis. The results showed that the Qi generated corresponds with high precision to the characteristics of the examined fruits through the duration of the storage period with R2 of 0.96. The NIR spectrum proves to be an efficient method to evaluate the Barhi fruits' quality index. where ANN was found to be more suitable than PLSR analysis. Thus, NIR can be utilized to accurately predict the Qi of fruits quality effectively throughout the handling, processing, transporting, storage, and retail sector supply chain.

Soil nitrite (NO2‒) is an important reactive intermediate in many nitrogen transformation processes, but it is unstable under acidic conditions. Canonical extraction method of soil NO2‒ with potassium chloride (KCl) solution greatly underestimates its concentration. In order to reflect the concentration more accurately, we optimized the extraction method of soil NO2‒ in this study. Moreover, soil ammonium (NH4+) and nitrate (NO3‒) were also systematically investigated to achieve efficient extraction of soil inorganic nitrogen. The results showed that un-buffered KCl significantly underestimated soil NO2‒ concentration compared to DIW. The highest recovery of NO2‒ was obtained by extracting with DIW at 10 min of oscillation for three soils. Compared with DIW, the concentration of NH4+ and NO3‒ in soil extracted from KCl solution increased significantly. Furthermore, the soil inorganic nitrogen content of extracts stored at 4°C for one day were closer to directly measurements of fresh samples than the other storage methods. Overall, the recommend analysis method for soil NO2‒ was extracted by DIW, oscillated for 10 min, and filtered by a 0.45 µm filter, and soil NH4+ and NO3‒ were extracted with KCl solution and oscillated for 30 min. The extract should be stored at 4°C and analyzed within 24 hours.

In large-capacity energy storage systems, instructions are decomposed typically using an equalized power distribution strategy, where clusters/modules operate at the same power and durations. When dispatching shifts from stable single conditions to intricate coupled conditions, this distribution strategy inevitably results in increased inconsistency and hastened system aging. This paper presents a novel differentiated power distribution strategy comprising three control variables: the rotation status, the operating boundaries for both Depth of Discharge (DOD) and C-rates (C) within a control period. The proposed strategy integrates an aging cost prediction model developed to express the mapping relationship between these control variables and aging costs. Additionally, it incorporates the multi-colony particle swarm optimization (Mc-PSO) algorithm into the optimization model to minimize aging costs. The aging cost prediction model consists of three functions: predicting health features (HFs) based on the cumulative charge/discharge throughput quantity and operating boundaries, characterizing HFs as comprehensive scores, and calculating aging costs using both comprehensive scores and residual equipment value. Further, we elaborated on the engineering application process for the proposed control strategy. In the simulation scenarios, this strategy prolonged the service life by 14.62%, reduced the overall aging cost by 6.61%, and improved module consistency by 21.98%, compared with the traditional equalized distribution strategy. In summary, the proposed strategy proves effective in elongating service life, reducing overall aging costs, and increasing the benefit of energy storage systems in particular application scenarios.

Nowadays, the increasingly serious environmental pollution and energy problems urgently require internal combustion engine-based transportation vehicles to upgrade or replace, so the new energy transportation vehicles based on hybrid power and fuel cells have gradually stepped on the stage and continue to innovate. The shipping industry is one of the main sources of global greenhouse gas emissions. The development of clean energy ships represented by fuel cells has attracted wide attention. Fuel cell has the advantages of clean, pollution-free and low noise, but it has some disadvantages such as insufficient dynamic response performance and fast performance decay. Limited by the characteristics of a single energy source, a variety of energy sources and bidirectional DC converters are usually mixed together to form a hybrid ship to improve the flexibility, stability and economy of the ship, and enhance its adaptability to complex sea conditions through the reconfiguration of power system energy. Taking fuel cell ferry "FCS Alsterwasser" as the research object, this study proposed an improved equivalent minimum hydrogen consumption energy management strategy based on fuzzy logic control. First, the power system of the modified mother ship was simulated, and a hybrid power system including fuel cell, lithium iron phosphate battery and supercapacitor was proposed. Then, the dynamic system simulation model and double closed loop PI control model are established in MATLAB/Simulink, and the reliability of the model is verified by the simulation analysis of charge and discharge characteristics. Then, the feasibility of the proposed method is demonstrated by designing simulation experiments based on typical working conditions of the mother ship. The simulation results show that under the premise of meeting the load requirements, the control strategy designed in this paper has a better optimization effect than the S-type penalty function in terms of lithium battery power, lithium battery SOC, bus voltage stability and equivalent hydrogen consumption, which improves the stability and economy of the power system, and has certain engineering practical value.

The changes in storage loss, water distribution status, gel characteristics, TBARS, total volatile basic nitrogen, and total plate count of cooked reduced-phosphate silver carp surimi batter during cold storage at 4 °C were investigated. The storage loss, content of free water, pH, hardness, TBARS, total volatile basic nitrogen value and total plate count of all cooked reduced-phosphate silver carp surimi batters significantly increased (P < 0.05) with increasing the cold storage time. Meanwhile, the content of immobilized water, whiteness, springiness, and cohesiveness decreased significantly (P < 0.05). At the same cold storage time, the sample of cooked reduced-phosphate silver carp surimi batter has lower water mobility, darker colour and better texture characteristics, but the values of TBARS, total volatile basic nitrogen and total plate count were not significantly different (P > 0.05). To sum up, the use of potassium bicarbonate instead of sodium tripolyphosphate could produce the cooked reduced-phosphate silver carp surimi batter with better water holding capacity and gel characteristics during cold storage.

Monitoring the quality of stored bulk grain is generally done using temperature cables hung from silo roofs. Little investigation has been done into the effects of number of sensors and their placement in terms of reliability of the monitoring system with regard to making stored grain quality management decisions. A previously developed 3D finite element simulation model was verified and used to investigate these aspects. In the first study, a silo was loaded with about 228.6 Mg (9000 bushels) of maize and six temperature cables were placed in the grain mass. The maize was aerated continuously for a period of two weeks, and the cable sensor temperatures were compared to the predicted temperatures which were in close agreement with the observed readings. The standard error of prediction ranged from 2.0 to 3.7°C. In the second study, 15 and 30 sensors were placed at manufacturer recommended depths and horizontal locations in the grain mass of three silo sizes (i.e., 11x11, 14.6x14.6 and 14.6x18.3 m diameter by eave height). The average grain temperatures predicted by the 15 and 30 sensors over a one-year simulation period were compared to the average grain temperatures predicted for the entire grain mass (1968, 3052, and 3204 mesh nodes). The number of sensors needed to monitor stored grain temperatures reliably in the three silo sizes investigated heavily depended on whether the aeration control strategy achieved a sufficiently low temperature by the time the aeration fans were turned off and sealed ahead of the non-aerated storage period. Fifteen or 30 sensors were sufficient to monitor grain temperatures during the aeration cooling period but for the two larger silo sizes more than 30 sensors would be needed during the storage period. As silo size increased, and surface-to-volume ratio decreased, grain temperatures remained lower during the storage period. Results support the best management practice recommendation of leaving cooled grain cold and not warming it up in the spring ahead of storage into the summer.

The ability to control the temperature distribution T(t,r) and the rate of temperature change Rt,r inside glasses is important for their microstructuring. The lattice temperature is considered at time t, exceeding the electron-phonon thermalization time, and at a distance r from the center of the model spherical heating zone. In order to describe thermal excitations, the heat capacity of glasses must be considered as a function of time due to its long-term relaxation. A method for analytical calculation of T(t,r) and R(t,r) for glasses with dynamic heat capacity cdyn(t) is proposed. It is shown that during laser microstructuring the local cooling rate -R(t,r) significantly depends on the time dispersion of cdyn(t). It has been established that at the periphery of the model heating zone of the laser beam focus, the local cooling rate can reach more than 1011 K/s. Strong cooling rate gradients were found at the periphery of the heating zone, affecting the microstructure of the material. This effect is significantly enhanced by the time dispersion of cdyn(t). The effect associated with this time dispersion is significant even well above the glass transition temperature Tg, since even short relaxation times of the dynamic heat capacity cdyn(t) are significant.

This research paper focuses on the synthesis and characterization of Cu-doped Mg-Co ferrites with varying compositions (Mg_0.6-xCo_0.4Cu_xFe₂O₄, where x = 0.0, 0.1, 0.2, and 0.3) using a solid-state reaction method. This paper also investigates the structural, morphological, magnetic, and electrical characteristics of synthesized Mg_0.6-xCo_0.4Cu_xFe₂O₄, where x = 0.0, 0.1, 0.2, and 0.3. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique confirms the ferrites spinel structure in the Fd-3m space group, with average crystallite sizes ranging from 57.29 to 48.57 nm. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy verifies chemical and structural changes, while scanning electron microscopy (SEM) reveals cubic crystal growth with an average grain size of 1 to 1.5 μm. DC electrical resistivity decreases with increasing temperature and Cu²⁺ substitution, ranging from 1.4 x 10⁶ Ω-cm to 6.7 x 10⁵ Ω-cm. The study suggests a correlation between resistivity and Cu²⁺ concentration. Magnetic behaviour, studied using a Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (VSM), shows dependence on dopant concentration, with coercivity ranging from 157 Oe to 256 Oe. The results indicate potential applications in magnetic storage devices, antennas, transformers, and high-frequency electronics.

Capturing atmospheric CO2 and storing it in natural rock systems (i.e., alkaline earth silicate and hydroxide minerals) through carbonation reactions is a promising greenhouse gas mitigation research, and largely depends on the use of hydrated ultramafic rocks (serpentinites), which are widespread in orogenic belts around the globe. The Jurassic ophiolites in the Southern Apennines represent a natural analogue and a great opportunity for the mineralogical sequestration of CO2. Serpentinites of the Pollino ophiolite Massif have been widely studied for their mineralogical, petrographic, and chemical characteristics, providing major findings on their impact on environmental and human health issues. Serpentinites here have been divided into cataclastic and massive types based on their structures and are characterized by pseudomorphic and vein textures. The mineralogy of the studied serpentinites consists of lizardite, antigorite, clino-crysotile, Cr-chlorite, magnetite, tremolite, actinolite, pyroxene and calcite, and the most commonly occurring serpentine minerals are polymorphs of serpentine including lizardite, clino-crysotile and antigorite. Systematic petrographic and mineralogical studies of serpentinites in ophiolites, such as those outcropping in the Southern Apennines can represent a starting point for the study of natural materials, which can be used for CO2 storage and sequestration. A particular attention must be given to those carbonate phases, produced by carbonation processes to check whether the serpentinites of the Pollino Massif can be used for the induced mineral Carbon Capture Storage (CCS). If successful, this technique and the Pollino Massif serpentinites can become highly significant in safeguarding the health of our planet's climate.

This paper presents a novel approach to power management techniques in energy storage system (ESS) interoperability with the energy power system (EPS) by inserting a SCADA controlled directional protection relay for improving the mode switching sequence. According with latest European standards, all necessary measures for re-synchronization and reconnection for health work of the system must be taken. The proposed approach intends to improve the “interface” between storage systems and electric power grid by using a directional relay which provides interoperability improvement by automatic recognizing and differentiating the switching sequence of the mode of operation from the fault mode. Simulated results from a small scale electrical generating system are provided. The results demonstrate that the proposed power management solution is technically ideal to achieve high quality energy while retaining the stability of the power grid network. The interoperability of PHS systems integrated with the electric power grid usually leads to perturbations in terms of frequency of the generated voltage, and for improving it we designed an automatic treating and re-connecting software module. This work regards the importance of producing electricity from green and renewable energy sources, while retaining the stability and reliability of the power grid. ESS systems are widely used to help balancing of intermittent forms of load demand on the electrical power grid at specific key moments. In this article, the pumped hydro storage (PHS) technologies are proposed as an economical way to utilize smoothly the off-peak energy or surplus energy, by pumping water to a reservoir at a higher level. During peak load periods, the stored water is discharged through the reversible pump-turbine to generate electricity to meet the peak demand controlled by designed SCADA application.

New ways of generating energy are currently being discussed, with a transition from traditional primary sources to more environmentally friendly options, particularly renewables. Energy storage is also closely related to this transition. Battery storage currently dominates this area. However, flywheel energy storage system (FESS) technology offers an alternative that uses stored kinetic energy to be transformed into mechanical energy and, using a motor-generator, electrical energy. FESS technology is thus flexible and can be applied in different industrial applications. The management of the technology of recycling W-MMC waste material from other products and the subsequent trial production of high-strength W-MMC material with a density of more than 17 500 kg/m3 from recycled powders allowed to test the limits of the so-called "heavy" flywheels used in rotor production. Materials with densities ≥ 7 800 kg/m3, and operating at lower to medium speeds up to 20 000 rpm. The results achieved lead to the conclusion that the developed recycled materials of the W-MMC type with a density ≥ 17 500 kg/m3, with a yield strength of 1 200 - 1 700 MPa depending on the production method, can be used as a substitute for the structural steels used today, without an enforced reduction of the maximum allowed rotor speed due to exceeding the maximum allowed stress.

Soil moisture reserve is a key factor in maintaining soil fertility and all other related ecosystem services (including carbon sequestration, soil biodiversity, soil erosion control). In semiarid blown-sand areas under aridification water preservation is a particularly crucial task for agriculture. The international Diverfarming project (2017–2022) within the EU Horizon 2020 Program focused on the impacts of crop diversification and low-input practices in all pedoclimatic regions of Europe. In the three-year experiment conducted in the Pannonian region the impacts of intercropping asparagus with different herbs on some provisioning and regulating ecosystem services were evaluated in the Kiskunság sand regions. Relying on the findings based on a range of measured physical and chemical soil parameters and on crop yields and qualitative properties, advice was formulated for farmers. The message drawn from the experiment is somewhat ambiguous. The local farmer agrees that crop diversification improves soil quality, but he denies that it would directly influence farm competitiveness, which primarily depends on cultivation costs (such as fertilization, plant protection and labour). Further analyses are needed to prove the long-term benefits of diversification through enriching soil microbial life and the possible reduction of fertilizer use while water demand is kept at a low level and the same crop quality is ensured.

Underground storage of natural gas has the characteristics of clean and low-carbon, and has the ability to provide sustainable and stable supply. It is a very high-quality green energy that can increase the storage efficiency of gas storage through fracturing, achieving the sustainable development goal of "Carbon Peaking and Carbon Neutrality". The accurate evaluation of the fracability of a reservoir is an important prerequisite for reservoir fracturing design and post fracturing productivity evaluation. At present, research on fracability is mainly based on qualitative characterization or quantitative evaluation based on rock mechanics and fracturing construction parameters, which cannot fully reflect the rock composition and structure of each stage. Firstly, based on logging data, this paper analyzes the evolution laws of strain energy such as elastic properties, pre-peak dissipation energy, and post-peak fracture energy during the transition of rock materials from plastic deformation to brittle fracture in an energy perspective, and determines the key energy that affects the brittle characteristics of rocks. Secondly, a brittleness index evaluation approach has been established that can comprehensively reflect the mechanical properties of rocks during pre-peak deformation and post-peak damage stages. In addition, this article focuses on the impact of reservoir stratigraphic environment by combining the influence of geo-stresses with the rock brittleness index, and proposes a new method for evaluating reservoir fracability. Finally, this paper conducts a study on the fracability evaluation of three wells in a gas storage facility in eastern China. The results indicate that low modulus and fracability coefficient are beneficial for fracturing, thereby improving the gas production and peak shaving ability of gas storage.

This paper offers an integrated approach for correlated storage assignment strategy (CSAS) to optimize travel distance by considering item correlation, picking frequency, zoning, and slot constraints to improve operational efficiency in distribution centers. We simplify the mixed integer non-linear programming (MINLP) model and incorporate integrated heuristic procedures for faster convergence. We introduce positive and negative centroid deviations as techniques to guide the model convergence and explore different scenarios. In the second stage of item assignment, we prioritize items within zones using a ranking formula that is optimal for both single-item and multiple-item orders. By analyzing the distribution of correlated item across zones and the impact of their picking frequency on optimizing travel distance, we propose an improved CSAS that minimize travel distance by strategically placing items based on their proximity to the depot. Our model reduces trips in distant zones by prioritizing larger average order sizes, while maximizing trips for frequently ordered smaller lists in closer zones. This method significantly reduces travel distance by minimizing the need for pickers in distant zones to frequently travel to the depot. Simulation results show reductions of up to 36.75% for fitted data and 33.59% for recent data.

Fresh-cut apple is commonly known as minimally processed agriculture products because of their convenience and ease of consumption. However, during storage, the quality of the apple rapidly changes after the cutting process due to enzymatic and non-enzymatic processes. This study aimed to monitor the quality changes of fresh-cut apples at various temperatures and different types of products in the application of a cold chain system during distribution and storage. The results showed that the total viable count in fresh-cut apples initially differed between apple only and mixed products (apple, orange, and tomato) during storage (p &lt; 0.05). Moreover, there are no significant differences (p &gt; 0.05) in physicochemicals except firmness, titratable acidity, and pH, which are highly correlated to microbial growth (total viable count and total coliform number). Furthermore, the optimal temperature for extending the shelf-life of fresh-cut apples was at 4°C.

The analysis presented is based on actual GHU energy demand. The special feature of this load is the existence of strong daily fluctuations in energy consumption, especially during the summer months. This study presents a methodology for managing such loads with the main objective of maximizing the operating efficiency of MG.

With the increasing prominence of renewable energy sources providing flexibility to the power grid, there is a growing recognition of the need to expand virtual Energy Storage Systems (ESS) to replace traditional ESS, which faces challenges in terms of supply and scalability. Grid-connected microgrids can supply power stably and are being built, so they can be used as virtual ESS to provide flexibility to the power system. This study proposes an approach to determine the optimal Power Conversion System (PCS) and battery capacity for a Virtual Energy Storage System(VEES) based on a grid-connected microgrid incorporating Photovoltaic (PV) and ESS. In this paper, it is assumed that microgrids can provide flexibility to the grid by participating in the energy trading market, there are corresponding profits and penalties for order. Numerical examples are performed to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.

The benefits of cycling as a sustainable transportation mode are widely recognized. Cycling to work offers numerous advantages for individuals, employers, the environment, and society, ranging from improved physical health, wellbeing, and productivity to enhanced public health and reduced carbon emissions. Many governments around the world have implemented various policy measures, interventions, and initiatives to promote cycling. Some cities and towns have encouraged workplaces to provide bike-friendly amenities, such as secure bike parking/storage and shower and changing facility (referred to as end-of-trip facilities), to accommodate cyclists and motivate more employees to embrace sustainable transportation options. However, the presence or absence of such amenities has been found to both positively influence cycling behavior or deter some individuals from cycling to work. Despite the desirability of these amenities, the number of office buildings equipped with bike storage and shower/changing facility remains small, and their economic value is not well understood. In this paper, we aim to investigate whether the presence of cycling-supportive facilities could add value to office buildings. Specifically, we conduct a study using data from office buildings across England as of the end of 2021. We employ hedonic techniques to examine whether office buildings with bike storage and/or shower facility command a rent premium and whether the existence of a rent premium for bike storage and/or shower facility vary by location and across regions in England, independently from any premium associated with BREEM certification. We find that the buildings with bike storage and shower facility secure rent premiums respectively. The level of rent premiums varies with location and regions. The variations of premium are driven by the shortage of the supply of these facilities.