Energetika

Title

2023-12-04T19:13:25+02:00

2024-04-12T22:53:11+03:00

Design and optimization of automatic solar irrigation-based PLC

2023-12-03T20:41:39+02:00

Irrigation is the most important step in agriculture. In order to obtain a good agricultural crop, water must be used wisely and appropriately without waste. This article presents an automatic solar irrigation system developed and designed by the authors. The system consists of two parts: a photovoltaic water pumping system and a unit of control based on programmable logic controller. The programmable logic controller (PLC) uses two sensors: one is placed in the field to measure the moisture in the soil, while the second is used to control the amount of water in the storage unit. The photovoltaic pumping system was designed to be able to irrigate one-hectare area of henna Lawsonia inermis L. with daily water need of 33 m3/day and total dynamic head (TDH) of 14 m. The region opted for this study and analysis is 34°41.1’ N latitudes and 6°29.6’ E longitudes in Zribet el Oued-biskra, Algeria.

Policies and energy consumption-driven trends facilitating development of the value chain for wind energy component manufacturing in Lithuania

2024-01-05T22:43:18+02:00

The paper is aimed at analysing policies and energy consumption related trends motivating the development of the value chain for wind energy component (WEC) manufacturing in Lithuania. A comparative literature review and statistical data (2000–2022) analysis were employed for the purpose. The policy overview revealed that investment, climate and energy policy, and related measures establish the preconditions for the entry of manufacturing enterprises into the value chain for WEC as they are creating the demand for domestic and foreign WEC. The results of statistical data analysis showed that from 2009 through 2019, the annual rate of primary energy consumption (PEC) decreased by an average of 0.5% per year, and in 2020 as much as 8.5% due to the COVID-19 lockdown in the European Union (EU). Though the EU countries are still dominated by fossil fuels and related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are high (2.8 Gt in 2022), over the last decade, the use of renewable energy sources (RES) was growing rapidly, with a tenfold increase in solar energy and a threefold increase in wind energy consumption. As a clean energy technology, wind power plants (PPs) have the highest CO2 emission reduction potential per MW; also, wind energy is among the cheapest sources of electricity production. Since the EU is a worldwide leader in installations of wind energy capacity and technology deployment, it provides a solid basis for further development. Currently, most of the off-shore plants are operating in the North Sea, but with the new wind parks in the Baltic, Black and Mediterranean seas as well as in the Atlantic Ocean, wind energy could meet more than 80% of electricity demand in Europe. The implementation of wind energy projects requires development of WEC manufacturing activities in EU countries.

Energy saving during the partial heat load period by integrating a steam-heated absorption heat pump into the thermal scheme of a PT-60/70-130/13 steam turbine

2024-03-01T10:05:05+02:00

The task of determining the efficiency of operation of an absorption heat pump (AHP) with steam heating (COP conversion factor = 1.71) integrated into the thermal circuit of a PT-60/70-130/13 steam turbine that releases production steam and hot water during the partial heat load period (spring and autumn; also referred to as the inteheating period) is being solved in this paper. Variants of operation of the PT-60/70-130/13 with an integrated AHP with a capacity of ~17.25 MW in the partial heat load period were studied when steam with parameters of 1.296 MPa, 280°C was realised in the production selection of the adjustable turbine at flow rates of 20, 30, and 50 t/h with a variable heat load on hot water supply, which was determined by the return network water consumption task 1000–1400 t/h, while the ‘useful’ electrical power of the power complex was provided at ~30 MW. At electricity prices of 0.13 USD/(kWh) and standard fuel of 309 USD/t for Ukraine, the simple payback period of 17.25 MW AHP as part of the PT-60/70-130/13 steam turbine for the partial heat load period at a production load of 20–50 t/h of steam at the consumption of return network water of heat supply 1000–1200 t/h can decrease to two years. At the same time, during the partial heat load period, which lasts ~4404 hours in Ukraine, up to ~1.2% of fuel, up to 44% of technical water for feeding the circulation cooling system, and 0.4% of softened water for feeding are saved. A tangible environmental effect is achieved due to the reduction of harmful emissions – actual heat and hazardous gases – to the atmosphere: CO2 by 1118.7 tons, NOx by 5.87 t, thus saving ~41,000 of technical water.

Analysis of the Wider Potential for Heat Pump and Geothermal Energy Integration in Traditional Systems and Grids

2024-04-12T22:54:07+03:00

The current energy security crisis is primarily a heating crisis. Space and water heating accounts for almost one-third of the EU’s final energy consumption, and unfortunately, around 62% of this demand is still met by fossil fuels. In this context, heat pumps, geothermal energy, and other renewable energy sources emerge as crucial technologies offering effective solutions to enhance energy efficiency and decrease dependence on fossil fuels as well as to achieve the EU energy and climate goals.

This article focuses on the analysis of the potential and opportunities of using heat pumps and geothermal energy in conventional heating systems and district heating networks. This topic requires an in-depth analysis of the current state, challenges, benefits, and prospects of these technologies in the EU market. By examining the possibilities for wider adoption and discussing the associated factors, the article aims to provide valuable insights into and recommendations for the advancement of heat pumps and geothermal energy in the EU, along with the presentation of some case studies in this field.

Energetika

Title

Contents

Design and optimization of automatic solar irrigation-based PLC

Policies and energy consumption-driven trends facilitating development of the value chain for wind energy component manufacturing in Lithuania

Energy saving during the partial heat load period by integrating a steam-heated absorption heat pump into the thermal scheme of a PT-60/70-130/13 steam turbine

Analysis of the Wider Potential for Heat Pump and Geothermal Energy Integration in Traditional Systems and Grids