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This study introduces an innovative solution to address the challenges arising from the volatile natural gas market and the growing integration of renewable energy sources within the industrial sector. The research strives to confront this challenge by including renewable methanol (CH3OH) and converting it into methane (CH4), with an intermediate step involving synthesis gas (CO/H2) by using concentrating solar power. This approach provides a sustainable and adaptable solution to reduce dependence on natural gas. The process entails a methanol decomposition reaction at moderate temperatures (<350 °C). Subsequently, the synthesis gas is compressed to 40 bar, stored, and discharged through a methanation process that can be conducted at high temperatures (>500 °C). The resulting methane is used as fuel for gas turbines and can also serve as feedstock in the chemical industry. The simulations were conducted in ASPEN HYSYS and yielded overall system efficiencies exceeding 29% and roundtrip efficiencies of 44%. Through techno-economic optimisation of the reaction conditions, competitive levelized fuel costs (LCOF) of €172/MWh and future LCOE values of €145/MWh were achieved. These findings present an innovative strategy for integrating gas turbine cycles and additional conversion pathways for green methanol.

This study introduces an innovative solution to address the challenges arising from the volatile natural gas market and the growing integration of renewable energy sources within the industrial sector. The research strives to confront this challenge by including renewable methanol (CH3OH) and converting it into methane (CH4), with an intermediate step involving synthesis gas (CO/H2) by using concentrating solar power. This approach provides a sustainable and adaptable solution to reduce dependence on natural gas. The process entails a methanol decomposition reaction at moderate temperatures (<350 °C). Subsequently, the synthesis gas is compressed to 40 bar, stored, and discharged through a methanation process that can be conducted at high temperatures (>500 °C). The resulting methane is used as fuel for gas turbines and can also serve as feedstock in the chemical industry. The simulations were conducted in ASPEN HYSYS and yielded overall system efficiencies exceeding 29% and roundtrip efficiencies of 44%. Through techno-economic optimisation of the reaction conditions, competitive levelized fuel costs (LCOF) of €172/MWh and future LCOE values of €145/MWh were achieved. These findings present an innovative strategy for integrating gas turbine cycles and additional conversion pathways for green methanol.

This study introduces an innovative solution to address the challenges arising from the volatile natural gas market and the growing integration of renewable energy sources within the industrial sector. The research strives to confront this challenge by including renewable methanol (CH3OH) and converting it into methane (CH4), with an intermediate step involving synthesis gas (CO/H2) by using concentrating solar power. This approach provides a sustainable and adaptable solution to reduce dependence on natural gas. The process entails a methanol decomposition reaction at moderate temperatures (<350 °C). Subsequently, the synthesis gas is compressed to 40 bar, stored, and discharged through a methanation process that can be conducted at high temperatures (>500 °C). The resulting methane is used as fuel for gas turbines and can also serve as feedstock in the chemical industry. The simulations were conducted in ASPEN HYSYS and yielded overall system efficiencies exceeding 29% and roundtrip efficiencies of 44%. Through techno-economic optimisation of the reaction conditions, competitive levelized fuel costs (LCOF) of €172/MWh and future LCOE values of €145/MWh were achieved. These findings present an innovative strategy for integrating gas turbine cycles and additional conversion pathways for green methanol.

Among the portfolio of energy systems for local power generation, Organic Rankine cycles (ORCs) for residential applications are an opportunity for local cogeneration based on synergies with existing thermal heating and storage systems. They can be highly competitive for isolated installations and the refurbishment of existing solar heating installations based on solar domestic hot water. This article evaluates the potential for hybrid solar ORC integration in residential buildings. The analyses focus on the annual yields of a domestic 1 kW ORC cycle to assess the advantages and disadvantages of the variation of demand and the availability of solar resources. The models are developed, integrating TRNSYS and EES to allow a detailed evolution characterisation. Performance and impact of CHP adaptation are considered based on demand, storage volume-collectors area ratio, and production strategies. The analysis is completed with a thermo-economic analysis under different ranges of thermodynamic parameters. Positive IRR results of 8.61% are obtained for the installation located in Seville, Spain, operating the ORC 15% of the year. It also reduces the overheating associated with the lack of heat demand and excess solar irradiation in the solar system for the warm months by 20%.

Among the portfolio of energy systems for local power generation, Organic Rankine cycles (ORCs) for residential applications are an opportunity for local cogeneration based on synergies with existing thermal heating and storage systems. They can be highly competitive for isolated installations and the refurbishment of existing solar heating installations based on solar domestic hot water. This article evaluates the potential for hybrid solar ORC integration in residential buildings. The analyses focus on the annual yields of a domestic 1 kW ORC cycle to assess the advantages and disadvantages of the variation of demand and the availability of solar resources. The models are developed, integrating TRNSYS and EES to allow a detailed evolution characterisation. Performance and impact of CHP adaptation are considered based on demand, storage volume-collectors area ratio, and production strategies. The analysis is completed with a thermo-economic analysis under different ranges of thermodynamic parameters. Positive IRR results of 8.61% are obtained for the installation located in Seville, Spain, operating the ORC 15% of the year. It also reduces the overheating associated with the lack of heat demand and excess solar irradiation in the solar system for the warm months by 20%.

The widespread use of renewable energy requires the support of high-capacity energy storage systems. This work proposes a thermochemical energy storage system for concentrated solar power plants based on the reversible hydration/dehydration process of the calcium hydroxide. It is a single fluidised bed reactor concept with alternating dehydration-hydration processes, charging and discharging alternating reactions, with superheated steam as fluidising agent. The system has been modelled using Aspen Plus™, including equilibrium data and hydrodynamic performance of the reactor. The model has been used to evaluate the effect of different parameters of the reactor, such as geometry, average particle size, or inlet streams conditions, on the performance of the reactor and the system. The thermal integration of the system was optimised using pinch analysis. For the proposed layouts, round-trip efficiencies values of 68 % are obtained. The economic analyses show specific investment costs between 4170 $/kWe and 3250 $/kWe for plants in the range of 31 MW to 45 MW, which are competitive with those expected for plants with storage of molten salts in this power range. LCOE values between 67 $/MWh and 83 $/MWh were obtained. The analyses show how these values highly depend on the fresh material replacement requirements related to the deactivation of the material and operational strategies. The results show the interest in further developments of this concept for concentrated solar power plants.

This work explores the use of open-pore, inert ceramic foams with different pore sizes as particle abatement systems in small biomass combustion systems. Porous foams made of silicon carbide with pore sizes 10 to 60 pores-per-inch were installed in an in-house designed combustion unit operated with wood pellets. Their effects on the temperature distribution inside the chamber, particulate and gases emissions were studied using different airflow rates in the reaction-limited regime (low equivalence ratio) to minimise stoichiometric factors. The influence of pore size, foam position with respect to the flame and space velocity were assessed. The confinement of the flame with inert foams was found to substantially modify the temperature distribution in the combustion chamber, improve the air-fuel mixture, and favour the thermal decomposition of the pellet, leading to a reduction in particulate emissions when compared to free-flame combustion at the same experimental conditions. In general, the amount of particulate matter was found to decrease by up to one order of magnitude as the pore size of the foam was reduced, while the temperature gradient in the combustion chamber was increased. Nitrogen oxides and carbon dioxide emissions were essentially unchanged, irrespectively of the pore size of the foam. It is expected that these values will be improved with longer residence times, as happens in operations with reduced excess air ratios. These results suggest that it is possible to control pollutants derived from domestic heating within the most restrictive current regulations on particulate emissions by integrating flame confinement designs with better operating practices and efficient abatement systems.

The widespread use of renewable energy requires the support of high-capacity energy storage systems. This work proposes a thermochemical energy storage system for concentrated solar power plants based on the reversible hydration/dehydration process of the calcium hydroxide. It is a single fluidised bed reactor concept with alternating dehydration-hydration processes, charging and discharging alternating reactions, with superheated steam as fluidising agent. The system has been modelled using Aspen Plus™, including equilibrium data and hydrodynamic performance of the reactor. The model has been used to evaluate the effect of different parameters of the reactor, such as geometry, average particle size, or inlet streams conditions, on the performance of the reactor and the system. The thermal integration of the system was optimised using pinch analysis. For the proposed layouts, round-trip efficiencies values of 68 % are obtained. The economic analyses show specific investment costs between 4170 $/kWe and 3250 $/kWe for plants in the range of 31 MW to 45 MW, which are competitive with those expected for plants with storage of molten salts in this power range. LCOE values between 67 $/MWh and 83 $/MWh were obtained. The analyses show how these values highly depend on the fresh material replacement requirements related to the deactivation of the material and operational strategies. The results show the interest in further developments of this concept for concentrated solar power plants.

Heating decarbonisation through electrification requires the development of novel heat batteries. They should be suitable for the specific application and match the operation conditions of domestic renewable energy sources. Supercooled liquids, often considered a drawback of phase change materials, are among the most promising technologies supporting heating decarbonisation. Although some studies have shed light on stable supercooling, the fundamentals and stability remain open problems not always accompanied by relevant experimental investigations. This research critically analyses the physic and chemistry of sodium acetate (SA, NaCH3COO) aqueous solution, a low-cost, non-toxic, and abundant compound with stable supercooling for long-term heat storage. It has an appropriate phase change temperature for high-density heat storage using heat pumps or solar thermal technologies in residential applications. The existing discrepancies in literature are critically discussed through a systematic experimental evaluation, providing novel insights into efficient material design and appropriate boundary conditions for reliable material use in long-term heat batteries. Despite previous studies showing that the thermal reliability and stability of sodium acetate aqueous solution as a supercooled liquid for heat storage cannot be guaranteed, this study demonstrates that through an appropriate encapsulation and sealing method, the peritectic composition of sodium acetate solution (p-SA 58 wt%) can be used as a supercooled liquid for long-term heat storage with a stable melting temperature of 57 °C, appropriate for domestic heat technologies. It is demonstrated that energy storage efficiency can be maintained under cycling, with a constant latent heat storage capacity of 245 kJ/kg and a volumetric storage density of 314 MJ/m3. It was confirmed that the material should achieve a fully-melted state for stable supercooling. Finally, local cooling and retaining seed crystals through hi

Heating decarbonisation through electrification requires the development of novel heat batteries. They should be suitable for the specific application and match the operation conditions of domestic renewable energy sources. Supercooled liquids, often considered a drawback of phase change materials, are among the most promising technologies supporting heating decarbonisation. Although some studies have shed light on stable supercooling, the fundamentals and stability remain open problems not always accompanied by relevant experimental investigations. This research critically analyses the physic and chemistry of sodium acetate (SA, NaCH3COO) aqueous solution, a low-cost, non-toxic, and abundant compound with stable supercooling for long-term heat storage. It has an appropriate phase change temperature for high-density heat storage using heat pumps or solar thermal technologies in residential applications. The existing discrepancies in literature are critically discussed through a systematic experimental evaluation, providing novel insights into efficient material design and appropriate boundary conditions for reliable material use in long-term heat batteries. Despite previous studies showing that the thermal reliability and stability of sodium acetate aqueous solution as a supercooled liquid for heat storage cannot be guaranteed, this study demonstrates that through an appropriate encapsulation and sealing method, the peritectic composition of sodium acetate solution (p-SA 58 wt%) can be used as a supercooled liquid for long-term heat storage with a stable melting temperature of 57 °C, appropriate for domestic heat technologies. It is demonstrated that energy storage efficiency can be maintained under cycling, with a constant latent heat storage capacity of 245 kJ/kg and a volumetric storage density of 314 MJ/m3. It was confirmed that the material should achieve a fully-melted state for stable supercooling. Finally, local cooling and retaining seed crystals through hi

The widespread use of renewable energy requires the support of high-capacity energy storage systems. This work proposes a thermochemical energy storage system for concentrated solar power plants based on the reversible hydration/dehydration process of the calcium hydroxide. It is a single fluidised bed reactor concept with alternating dehydration-hydration processes, charging and discharging alternating reactions, with superheated steam as fluidising agent. The system has been modelled using Aspen Plus™, including equilibrium data and hydrodynamic performance of the reactor. The model has been used to evaluate the effect of different parameters of the reactor, such as geometry, average particle size, or inlet streams conditions, on the performance of the reactor and the system. The thermal integration of the system was optimised using pinch analysis. For the proposed layouts, round-trip efficiencies values of 68 % are obtained. The economic analyses show specific investment costs between 4170 $/kWe and 3250 $/kWe for plants in the range of 31 MW to 45 MW, which are competitive with those expected for plants with storage of molten salts in this power range. LCOE values between 67 $/MWh and 83 $/MWh were obtained. The analyses show how these values highly depend on the fresh material replacement requirements related to the deactivation of the material and operational strategies. The results show the interest in further developments of this concept for concentrated solar power plants.

This work explores the use of open-pore, inert ceramic foams with different pore sizes as particle abatement systems in small biomass combustion systems. Porous foams made of silicon carbide with pore sizes 10 to 60 pores-per-inch were installed in an in-house designed combustion unit operated with wood pellets. Their effects on the temperature distribution inside the chamber, particulate and gases emissions were studied using different airflow rates in the reaction-limited regime (low equivalence ratio) to minimise stoichiometric factors. The influence of pore size, foam position with respect to the flame and space velocity were assessed. The confinement of the flame with inert foams was found to substantially modify the temperature distribution in the combustion chamber, improve the air-fuel mixture, and favour the thermal decomposition of the pellet, leading to a reduction in particulate emissions when compared to free-flame combustion at the same experimental conditions. In general, the amount of particulate matter was found to decrease by up to one order of magnitude as the pore size of the foam was reduced, while the temperature gradient in the combustion chamber was increased. Nitrogen oxides and carbon dioxide emissions were essentially unchanged, irrespectively of the pore size of the foam. It is expected that these values will be improved with longer residence times, as happens in operations with reduced excess air ratios. These results suggest that it is possible to control pollutants derived from domestic heating within the most restrictive current regulations on particulate emissions by integrating flame confinement designs with better operating practices and efficient abatement systems.

Biomorphic SiC is a biotemplated material fabricated by Si melt-infiltration of carbon preforms from wood pyrolysis. In this work, porous bioSiC ceramics from five different wood precursors, with porosities between 45 and 72% were studied for their feasibility in filtering applications.Gas permeability and mechanical stability were investigated as a function of the microstructure of the starting wood precursor. Air-permeation performance at room temperature was measured for a range of flow rates, and the permeability constants were assessed by fitting of Forchheimer's equation to the experimental data. Darcian permeabilities were achieved in the range 10-10 m, while inertial terms were in the range 10-10 m, showing a correlation with the average pore size and orientation of the larger channels. Regarding the mechanical stability, maximum compressive strength values were reached in the range of 3-115 MPa.These results improve our understanding of the ways in which the microstructure influences permeability and mechanical robustness, enabling the device requirements to be tailored by selecting the wood precursor. It was also shown that these materials are promising for hot-gas filtering applications.

Energy storage is the main challenge for a deep penetration of renewable energies into the grid to overcome their intrinsic variability. Thus, the commercial expansion of renewable energy, particularly wind and solar, at large scale depends crucially on the development of cheap, efficient and non-toxic energy storage systems enabling to supply more flexibility to the grid. The Ca-Looping (CaL) process, based upon the reversible carbonation/calcination of CaO, is one of the most promising technologies for thermochemical energy storage (TCES), which offers a high potential for the long-term storage of energy with relatively small storage volume. This manuscript explores the use of the CaL process to store Concentrated Solar Power (CSP). A CSPCaL integration scheme is proposed mainly characterized by the use of a CO2 closed loop for the CaL cycle and power production, which provides heat decoupled from the solar source and temperatures well above the ~550ºC limit that poses the use of molten salts currently used to store energy as sensible heat. The proposed CSP-CaL integration leads to high values of plant global efficiency (of around 45-46%) with a storage capacity that allows for long time gaps between load and discharge. Moreover, the use of environmentally benign, abundantly available and cheap raw materials such as natural limestone would mark a milestone on the road towards the industrial competitiveness of CSP.

Energy storage is the main challenge for a deep penetration of renewable energies into the grid to overcome their intrinsic variability. Thus, the commercial expansion of renewable energy, particularly wind and solar, at large scale depends crucially on the development of cheap, efficient and non-toxic energy storage systems enabling to supply more flexibility to the grid. The Ca-Looping (CaL) process, based upon the reversible carbonation/calcination of CaO, is one of the most promising technologies for thermochemical energy storage (TCES), which offers a high potential for the long-term storage of energy with relatively small storage volume. This manuscript explores the use of the CaL process to store Concentrated Solar Power (CSP). A CSPCaL integration scheme is proposed mainly characterized by the use of a CO2 closed loop for the CaL cycle and power production, which provides heat decoupled from the solar source and temperatures well above the ~550ºC limit that poses the use of molten salts currently used to store energy as sensible heat. The proposed CSP-CaL integration leads to high values of plant global efficiency (of around 45-46%) with a storage capacity that allows for long time gaps between load and discharge. Moreover, the use of environmentally benign, abundantly available and cheap raw materials such as natural limestone would mark a milestone on the road towards the industrial competitiveness of CSP.

Energy storage is the main challenge for a deep penetration of renewable energies into the grid to overcome their intrinsic variability. Thus, the commercial expansion of renewable energy, particularly wind and solar, at large scale depends crucially on the development of cheap, efficient and non-toxic energy storage systems enabling to supply more flexibility to the grid. The Ca-Looping (CaL) process, based upon the reversible carbonation/calcination of CaO, is one of the most promising technologies for thermochemical energy storage (TCES), which offers a high potential for the long-term storage of energy with relatively small storage volume. This manuscript explores the use of the CaL process to store Concentrated Solar Power (CSP). A CSPCaL integration scheme is proposed mainly characterized by the use of a CO2 closed loop for the CaL cycle and power production, which provides heat decoupled from the solar source and temperatures well above the ~550ºC limit that poses the use of molten salts currently used to store energy as sensible heat. The proposed CSP-CaL integration leads to high values of plant global efficiency (of around 45-46%) with a storage capacity that allows for long time gaps between load and discharge. Moreover, the use of environmentally benign, abundantly available and cheap raw materials such as natural limestone would mark a milestone on the road towards the industrial competitiveness of CSP.

Biomorphic SiC is a biotemplated material fabricated by Si melt-infiltration of carbon preforms from wood pyrolysis. In this work, porous bioSiC ceramics from five different wood precursors, with porosities between 45 and 72% were studied for their feasibility in filtering applications.Gas permeability and mechanical stability were investigated as a function of the microstructure of the starting wood precursor. Air-permeation performance at room temperature was measured for a range of flow rates, and the permeability constants were assessed by fitting of Forchheimer's equation to the experimental data. Darcian permeabilities were achieved in the range 10-10 m, while inertial terms were in the range 10-10 m, showing a correlation with the average pore size and orientation of the larger channels. Regarding the mechanical stability, maximum compressive strength values were reached in the range of 3-115 MPa.These results improve our understanding of the ways in which the microstructure influences permeability and mechanical robustness, enabling the device requirements to be tailored by selecting the wood precursor. It was also shown that these materials are promising for hot-gas filtering applications.

Energy storage is the main challenge for a deep penetration of renewable energies into the grid to overcome their intrinsic variability. Thus, the commercial expansion of renewable energy, particularly wind and solar, at large scale depends crucially on the development of cheap, efficient and non-toxic energy storage systems enabling to supply more flexibility to the grid. The Ca-Looping (CaL) process, based upon the reversible carbonation/calcination of CaO, is one of the most promising technologies for thermochemical energy storage (TCES), which offers a high potential for the long-term storage of energy with relatively small storage volume. This manuscript explores the use of the CaL process to store Concentrated Solar Power (CSP). A CSPCaL integration scheme is proposed mainly characterized by the use of a CO2 closed loop for the CaL cycle and power production, which provides heat decoupled from the solar source and temperatures well above the ~550ºC limit that poses the use of molten salts currently used to store energy as sensible heat. The proposed CSP-CaL integration leads to high values of plant global efficiency (of around 45-46%) with a storage capacity that allows for long time gaps between load and discharge. Moreover, the use of environmentally benign, abundantly available and cheap raw materials such as natural limestone would mark a milestone on the road towards the industrial competitiveness of CSP.

Biomorphic SiC is a biotemplated material fabricated by Si melt-infiltration of carbon preforms from wood pyrolysis. In this work, porous bioSiC ceramics from five different wood precursors, with porosities between 45 and 72% were studied for their feasibility in filtering applications.Gas permeability and mechanical stability were investigated as a function of the microstructure of the starting wood precursor. Air-permeation performance at room temperature was measured for a range of flow rates, and the permeability constants were assessed by fitting of Forchheimer's equation to the experimental data. Darcian permeabilities were achieved in the range 10-10 m, while inertial terms were in the range 10-10 m, showing a correlation with the average pore size and orientation of the larger channels. Regarding the mechanical stability, maximum compressive strength values were reached in the range of 3-115 MPa.These results improve our understanding of the ways in which the microstructure influences permeability and mechanical robustness, enabling the device requirements to be tailored by selecting the wood precursor. It was also shown that these materials are promising for hot-gas filtering applications.

Biomorphic SiC is a biotemplated material fabricated by Si melt-infiltration of carbon preforms from wood pyrolysis. In this work, porous bioSiC ceramics from five different wood precursors, with porosities between 45 and 72% were studied for their feasibility in filtering applications.Gas permeability and mechanical stability were investigated as a function of the microstructure of the starting wood precursor. Air-permeation performance at room temperature was measured for a range of flow rates, and the permeability constants were assessed by fitting of Forchheimer's equation to the experimental data. Darcian permeabilities were achieved in the range 10-10 m, while inertial terms were in the range 10-10 m, showing a correlation with the average pore size and orientation of the larger channels. Regarding the mechanical stability, maximum compressive strength values were reached in the range of 3-115 MPa.These results improve our understanding of the ways in which the microstructure influences permeability and mechanical robustness, enabling the device requirements to be tailored by selecting the wood precursor. It was also shown that these materials are promising for hot-gas filtering applications.

Energy storage is the main challenge for a deep penetration of renewable energies into the grid to overcome their intrinsic variability. Thus, the commercial expansion of renewable energy, particularly wind and solar, at large scale depends crucially on the development of cheap, efficient and non-toxic energy storage systems enabling to supply more flexibility to the grid. The Ca-Looping (CaL) process, based upon the reversible carbonation/calcination of CaO, is one of the most promising technologies for thermochemical energy storage (TCES), which offers a high potential for the long-term storage of energy with relatively small storage volume. This manuscript explores the use of the CaL process to store Concentrated Solar Power (CSP). A CSPCaL integration scheme is proposed mainly characterized by the use of a CO2 closed loop for the CaL cycle and power production, which provides heat decoupled from the solar source and temperatures well above the ~550ºC limit that poses the use of molten salts currently used to store energy as sensible heat. The proposed CSP-CaL integration leads to high values of plant global efficiency (of around 45-46%) with a storage capacity that allows for long time gaps between load and discharge. Moreover, the use of environmentally benign, abundantly available and cheap raw materials such as natural limestone would mark a milestone on the road towards the industrial competitiveness of CSP.

The Ca-Looping (CaL) process is considered as a promising technology for CO2 post-combustion capture in power generation plants yielding a minor penalty on plant performance as compared with other capture technologies such as conventional amine-based capture systems. This manuscript presents a new carbonator reactor model based on lab-scale multicyclic CaO conversion results, which take into account realistic CaO regeneration conditions that necessarily involve calcination under high CO2 partial pressure and high temperature. Under these conditions, CaO conversion in the diffusion controlled stage is a relevant contribution to the carbonation degree in the typical residence times. The main novelty of the model proposed in the present work is the consideration of the capture efficiency in the diffusion controlled phase of carbonation. It is demonstrated that increasing the residence time by a few minutes in the carbonator yields a significant improvement of the capture efficiency. Model predictions are shown to agree with experimental results retrieved from pilot-scale tests. The new model allows a more accurate evaluation and prediction of carbonator’s performance over a wider range of residence times. The results obtained may be relevant for the optimization of CaL operation parameters to be integrated in real power plants.

The Ca-Looping (CaL) process is considered as a promising technology for CO2 post-combustion capture in power generation plants yielding a minor penalty on plant performance as compared with other capture technologies such as conventional amine-based capture systems. This manuscript presents a new carbonator reactor model based on lab-scale multicyclic CaO conversion results, which take into account realistic CaO regeneration conditions that necessarily involve calcination under high CO2 partial pressure and high temperature. Under these conditions, CaO conversion in the diffusion controlled stage is a relevant contribution to the carbonation degree in the typical residence times. The main novelty of the model proposed in the present work is the consideration of the capture efficiency in the diffusion controlled phase of carbonation. It is demonstrated that increasing the residence time by a few minutes in the carbonator yields a significant improvement of the capture efficiency. Model predictions are shown to agree with experimental results retrieved from pilot-scale tests. The new model allows a more accurate evaluation and prediction of carbonator’s performance over a wider range of residence times. The results obtained may be relevant for the optimization of CaL operation parameters to be integrated in real power plants.

The Ca-Looping (CaL) process is considered as a promising technology for CO2 post-combustion capture in power generation plants yielding a minor penalty on plant performance as compared with other capture technologies such as conventional amine-based capture systems. This manuscript presents a new carbonator reactor model based on lab-scale multicyclic CaO conversion results, which take into account realistic CaO regeneration conditions that necessarily involve calcination under high CO2 partial pressure and high temperature. Under these conditions, CaO conversion in the diffusion controlled stage is a relevant contribution to the carbonation degree in the typical residence times. The main novelty of the model proposed in the present work is the consideration of the capture efficiency in the diffusion controlled phase of carbonation. It is demonstrated that increasing the residence time by a few minutes in the carbonator yields a significant improvement of the capture efficiency. Model predictions are shown to agree with experimental results retrieved from pilot-scale tests. The new model allows a more accurate evaluation and prediction of carbonator’s performance over a wider range of residence times. The results obtained may be relevant for the optimization of CaL operation parameters to be integrated in real power plants.

The Ca-Looping (CaL) process is considered as a promising technology for CO2 post-combustion capture in power generation plants yielding a minor penalty on plant performance as compared with other capture technologies such as conventional amine-based capture systems. This manuscript presents a new carbonator reactor model based on lab-scale multicyclic CaO conversion results, which take into account realistic CaO regeneration conditions that necessarily involve calcination under high CO2 partial pressure and high temperature. Under these conditions, CaO conversion in the diffusion controlled stage is a relevant contribution to the carbonation degree in the typical residence times. The main novelty of the model proposed in the present work is the consideration of the capture efficiency in the diffusion controlled phase of carbonation. It is demonstrated that increasing the residence time by a few minutes in the carbonator yields a significant improvement of the capture efficiency. Model predictions are shown to agree with experimental results retrieved from pilot-scale tests. The new model allows a more accurate evaluation and prediction of carbonator’s performance over a wider range of residence times. The results obtained may be relevant for the optimization of CaL operation parameters to be integrated in real power plants.

A methodology for the estimation of the mean temperature of the cylinder inner surface in an air-cooled internal combustion engine is proposed. Knowledge of this temperature is necessary to determine the heat flux from the combustion chamber to the cylinder wall. Along with the heat transfer coefficient this parameter also allows almost 50% of engine heat losses to be determined. The temperature is relatively easy to determine for water-cooled engines but this is not in the case for air-cooled engines. The methodology described here combines numerical and experimental procedures. Simulations were based on FEM models and experiments were based on the use of thermocouples and infrared thermography. The methodology avoids the use of data or correlations developed for other engines, providing more reliable results than extrapolating models from one engine to another. It also prevents from taking measurements from inside the combustion chamber, reducing invasion and experiments complexity. The proposed methodology has been successfully applied to an air-cooled four-stroke direct-injection diesel engine and it allows the cylinder mean inner surface temperature and cylinder-cooling air heat transfer coefficient to be estimated.

A methodology for the estimation of the mean temperature of the cylinder inner surface in an air-cooled internal combustion engine is proposed. Knowledge of this temperature is necessary to determine the heat flux from the combustion chamber to the cylinder wall. Along with the heat transfer coefficient this parameter also allows almost 50% of engine heat losses to be determined. The temperature is relatively easy to determine for water-cooled engines but this is not in the case for air-cooled engines. The methodology described here combines numerical and experimental procedures. Simulations were based on FEM models and experiments were based on the use of thermocouples and infrared thermography. The methodology avoids the use of data or correlations developed for other engines, providing more reliable results than extrapolating models from one engine to another. It also prevents from taking measurements from inside the combustion chamber, reducing invasion and experiments complexity. The proposed methodology has been successfully applied to an air-cooled four-stroke direct-injection diesel engine and it allows the cylinder mean inner surface temperature and cylinder-cooling air heat transfer coefficient to be estimated.

A methodology for the estimation of the mean temperature of the cylinder inner surface in an air-cooled internal combustion engine is proposed. Knowledge of this temperature is necessary to determine the heat flux from the combustion chamber to the cylinder wall. Along with the heat transfer coefficient this parameter also allows almost 50% of engine heat losses to be determined. The temperature is relatively easy to determine for water-cooled engines but this is not in the case for air-cooled engines. The methodology described here combines numerical and experimental procedures. Simulations were based on FEM models and experiments were based on the use of thermocouples and infrared thermography. The methodology avoids the use of data or correlations developed for other engines, providing more reliable results than extrapolating models from one engine to another. It also prevents from taking measurements from inside the combustion chamber, reducing invasion and experiments complexity. The proposed methodology has been successfully applied to an air-cooled four-stroke direct-injection diesel engine and it allows the cylinder mean inner surface temperature and cylinder-cooling air heat transfer coefficient to be estimated.

A methodology for the estimation of the mean temperature of the cylinder inner surface in an air-cooled internal combustion engine is proposed. Knowledge of this temperature is necessary to determine the heat flux from the combustion chamber to the cylinder wall. Along with the heat transfer coefficient this parameter also allows almost 50% of engine heat losses to be determined. The temperature is relatively easy to determine for water-cooled engines but this is not in the case for air-cooled engines. The methodology described here combines numerical and experimental procedures. Simulations were based on FEM models and experiments were based on the use of thermocouples and infrared thermography. The methodology avoids the use of data or correlations developed for other engines, providing more reliable results than extrapolating models from one engine to another. It also prevents from taking measurements from inside the combustion chamber, reducing invasion and experiments complexity. The proposed methodology has been successfully applied to an air-cooled four-stroke direct-injection diesel engine and it allows the cylinder mean inner surface temperature and cylinder-cooling air heat transfer coefficient to be estimated.

A methodology for the estimation of the mean temperature of the cylinder inner surface in an air-cooled internal combustion engine is proposed. Knowledge of this temperature is necessary to determine the heat flux from the combustion chamber to the cylinder wall. Along with the heat transfer coefficient this parameter also allows almost 50% of engine heat losses to be determined. The temperature is relatively easy to determine for water-cooled engines but this is not in the case for air-cooled engines. The methodology described here combines numerical and experimental procedures. Simulations were based on FEM models and experiments were based on the use of thermocouples and infrared thermography. The methodology avoids the use of data or correlations developed for other engines, providing more reliable results than extrapolating models from one engine to another. It also prevents from taking measurements from inside the combustion chamber, reducing invasion and experiments complexity. The proposed methodology has been successfully applied to an air-cooled four-stroke direct-injection diesel engine and it allows the cylinder mean inner surface temperature and cylinder-cooling air heat transfer coefficient to be estimated.

Homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) engines produce very low NO and soot emissions and alsoimprove engine efficiency when compare to conventional spark ignition engines. The combustion process bases on the self-ignition of a homogenous air-fuel mixture without an external ignition source. The gas temperature is very important to initiate the combustion and to promote the appropriate chemical kinetics. As a result, the heat release rate and heat transfer inside the combustion chamber play a significant role in the HCCI combustion mode. The high relevance of gas temperature on this combustion mode means that heat transferis considered through a dedicated heat transfer model. In this system the forced convection from hot gases to the combustion chamber walls is the dominant heat transfer mechanism. This paper focuses on the relationship between HRR in HCCI combustion mode and the four parameters that are required for an analytical function to model this heat release rate. More specifically, the influences of the fuel-air equivalence ratio, engine speed and EGR on the four parameters that control HRR are examined. The analytical HRR law is validated over a wide range of operating conditions in HCCI combustion mode and shows that these four parameters are directly related to any load condition, including engine speed, fuel rate and EGR. These parameters can therefore be used to characterize this combustion mode.

Homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) engines produce very low NO and soot emissions and alsoimprove engine efficiency when compare to conventional spark ignition engines. The combustion process bases on the self-ignition of a homogenous air-fuel mixture without an external ignition source. The gas temperature is very important to initiate the combustion and to promote the appropriate chemical kinetics. As a result, the heat release rate and heat transfer inside the combustion chamber play a significant role in the HCCI combustion mode. The high relevance of gas temperature on this combustion mode means that heat transferis considered through a dedicated heat transfer model. In this system the forced convection from hot gases to the combustion chamber walls is the dominant heat transfer mechanism. This paper focuses on the relationship between HRR in HCCI combustion mode and the four parameters that are required for an analytical function to model this heat release rate. More specifically, the influences of the fuel-air equivalence ratio, engine speed and EGR on the four parameters that control HRR are examined. The analytical HRR law is validated over a wide range of operating conditions in HCCI combustion mode and shows that these four parameters are directly related to any load condition, including engine speed, fuel rate and EGR. These parameters can therefore be used to characterize this combustion mode.

Homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) engines produce very low NO and soot emissions and alsoimprove engine efficiency when compare to conventional spark ignition engines. The combustion process bases on the self-ignition of a homogenous air-fuel mixture without an external ignition source. The gas temperature is very important to initiate the combustion and to promote the appropriate chemical kinetics. As a result, the heat release rate and heat transfer inside the combustion chamber play a significant role in the HCCI combustion mode. The high relevance of gas temperature on this combustion mode means that heat transferis considered through a dedicated heat transfer model. In this system the forced convection from hot gases to the combustion chamber walls is the dominant heat transfer mechanism. This paper focuses on the relationship between HRR in HCCI combustion mode and the four parameters that are required for an analytical function to model this heat release rate. More specifically, the influences of the fuel-air equivalence ratio, engine speed and EGR on the four parameters that control HRR are examined. The analytical HRR law is validated over a wide range of operating conditions in HCCI combustion mode and shows that these four parameters are directly related to any load condition, including engine speed, fuel rate and EGR. These parameters can therefore be used to characterize this combustion mode.

Homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) engines produce very low NO and soot emissions and alsoimprove engine efficiency when compare to conventional spark ignition engines. The combustion process bases on the self-ignition of a homogenous air-fuel mixture without an external ignition source. The gas temperature is very important to initiate the combustion and to promote the appropriate chemical kinetics. As a result, the heat release rate and heat transfer inside the combustion chamber play a significant role in the HCCI combustion mode. The high relevance of gas temperature on this combustion mode means that heat transferis considered through a dedicated heat transfer model. In this system the forced convection from hot gases to the combustion chamber walls is the dominant heat transfer mechanism. This paper focuses on the relationship between HRR in HCCI combustion mode and the four parameters that are required for an analytical function to model this heat release rate. More specifically, the influences of the fuel-air equivalence ratio, engine speed and EGR on the four parameters that control HRR are examined. The analytical HRR law is validated over a wide range of operating conditions in HCCI combustion mode and shows that these four parameters are directly related to any load condition, including engine speed, fuel rate and EGR. These parameters can therefore be used to characterize this combustion mode.

Homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) engines produce very low NO and soot emissions and alsoimprove engine efficiency when compare to conventional spark ignition engines. The combustion process bases on the self-ignition of a homogenous air-fuel mixture without an external ignition source. The gas temperature is very important to initiate the combustion and to promote the appropriate chemical kinetics. As a result, the heat release rate and heat transfer inside the combustion chamber play a significant role in the HCCI combustion mode. The high relevance of gas temperature on this combustion mode means that heat transferis considered through a dedicated heat transfer model. In this system the forced convection from hot gases to the combustion chamber walls is the dominant heat transfer mechanism. This paper focuses on the relationship between HRR in HCCI combustion mode and the four parameters that are required for an analytical function to model this heat release rate. More specifically, the influences of the fuel-air equivalence ratio, engine speed and EGR on the four parameters that control HRR are examined. The analytical HRR law is validated over a wide range of operating conditions in HCCI combustion mode and shows that these four parameters are directly related to any load condition, including engine speed, fuel rate and EGR. These parameters can therefore be used to characterize this combustion mode.

Homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) engines are drawing attracting attention as the next-generation’s internal combustion engine, mainly because of its very low NOx and soot emissions and also for improvement in engine efficiency. Much research has been carried out in order to go deeper in this combustion process using multizone models or CFD codes. These simulation tools, although they can give a detailed view of the combustion process, are very time consuming and the results depend a lot on the initial conditions. A previous step to be considered in the simulation of the HCCI process is a heat release law evaluated from results of the experiment and a zero-dimensional model. This paper focuses on the development of a new heat release rate (HRR) law that models the HCCI process when the combustion chamber is considered as a homogeneous volume. The parameters of this law have been adjusted through an optimization process that has allowed to fit the combustion chamber pressure. All the engine operative conditions from low to full load have been successfully simulated with this HRR law, with the maximum error in the estimation of combustion chamber pressure less than 2%.

Homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) engines are drawing attracting attention as the next-generation’s internal combustion engine, mainly because of its very low NOx and soot emissions and also for improvement in engine efficiency. Much research has been carried out in order to go deeper in this combustion process using multizone models or CFD codes. These simulation tools, although they can give a detailed view of the combustion process, are very time consuming and the results depend a lot on the initial conditions. A previous step to be considered in the simulation of the HCCI process is a heat release law evaluated from results of the experiment and a zero-dimensional model. This paper focuses on the development of a new heat release rate (HRR) law that models the HCCI process when the combustion chamber is considered as a homogeneous volume. The parameters of this law have been adjusted through an optimization process that has allowed to fit the combustion chamber pressure. All the engine operative conditions from low to full load have been successfully simulated with this HRR law, with the maximum error in the estimation of combustion chamber pressure less than 2%.

Homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) engines are drawing attracting attention as the next-generation’s internal combustion engine, mainly because of its very low NOx and soot emissions and also for improvement in engine efficiency. Much research has been carried out in order to go deeper in this combustion process using multizone models or CFD codes. These simulation tools, although they can give a detailed view of the combustion process, are very time consuming and the results depend a lot on the initial conditions. A previous step to be considered in the simulation of the HCCI process is a heat release law evaluated from results of the experiment and a zero-dimensional model. This paper focuses on the development of a new heat release rate (HRR) law that models the HCCI process when the combustion chamber is considered as a homogeneous volume. The parameters of this law have been adjusted through an optimization process that has allowed to fit the combustion chamber pressure. All the engine operative conditions from low to full load have been successfully simulated with this HRR law, with the maximum error in the estimation of combustion chamber pressure less than 2%.

Homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) engines are drawing attracting attention as the next-generation’s internal combustion engine, mainly because of its very low NOx and soot emissions and also for improvement in engine efficiency. Much research has been carried out in order to go deeper in this combustion process using multizone models or CFD codes. These simulation tools, although they can give a detailed view of the combustion process, are very time consuming and the results depend a lot on the initial conditions. A previous step to be considered in the simulation of the HCCI process is a heat release law evaluated from results of the experiment and a zero-dimensional model. This paper focuses on the development of a new heat release rate (HRR) law that models the HCCI process when the combustion chamber is considered as a homogeneous volume. The parameters of this law have been adjusted through an optimization process that has allowed to fit the combustion chamber pressure. All the engine operative conditions from low to full load have been successfully simulated with this HRR law, with the maximum error in the estimation of combustion chamber pressure less than 2%.

Homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) engines are drawing attracting attention as the next-generation’s internal combustion engine, mainly because of its very low NOx and soot emissions and also for improvement in engine efficiency. Much research has been carried out in order to go deeper in this combustion process using multizone models or CFD codes. These simulation tools, although they can give a detailed view of the combustion process, are very time consuming and the results depend a lot on the initial conditions. A previous step to be considered in the simulation of the HCCI process is a heat release law evaluated from results of the experiment and a zero-dimensional model. This paper focuses on the development of a new heat release rate (HRR) law that models the HCCI process when the combustion chamber is considered as a homogeneous volume. The parameters of this law have been adjusted through an optimization process that has allowed to fit the combustion chamber pressure. All the engine operative conditions from low to full load have been successfully simulated with this HRR law, with the maximum error in the estimation of combustion chamber pressure less than 2%.