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Open-pit mining remains the dominant method for copper extraction in current operations, with blasting playing a pivotal role in the efficiency of downstream processes such as loading, hauling, crushing, and milling. This study assesses the impact of surface blast design parameters on the performance of a comminution circuit processing a copper-bearing ore. The analysis focuses on important design parameters such as burden, spacing, stemming, and powder factor, evaluating their influence on the fragment size distribution and downstream comminution circuit performance. Using the Kuz-Ram model, four novel blast designs are compared against a baseline to predict the size distribution of rock fragments (X80). Key performance indicators throughput and specific energy consumption are calculated to evaluate the comminution circuit performance. Results demonstrated that reducing the X80 from 500 mm to 120 mm led up to a 20% increase in throughput and a 29% reduction in total specific energy consumption. Furthermore, achieving finer particle sizes through more intensive blasting contributed to a reduction in total operating costs by up to 12%. These findings provide valuable insights for optimizing blast design to improve comminution circuit performance, contributing to sustainable mining practices by reducing energy consumption, operating costs, and the environmental footprint of mining operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water shows a strong tendency to absorb the energy of wavelengths of 3 and 6 µm, which are in the infrared (IR) range. Therefore, IR dryers are used to dry food and fruits that have a high‐water content. Thus, modeling and optimizing energy and exergy parameters of terebinth drying in an IR–rotary drum (RD) dryer were evaluated using the response surface methodology. Independent factors included IR power and rotary rotation speed, and response factors were specific energy consumption (SEC), energy efficiency (EFF), exergy efficiency (EXEFF), specific exergy loss (EXLOSS), and exergy improvement potential (EIP). According to the obtained results, the range of EFF and EXEFF was between 28.93%–9.11% and 0.88%–6.62%, respectively. As IR power and RD speed increased, SEC (123.75–39.21 MJ/kg), EXLOSS (3.97–2.97 MJ/kg), and EIP (3.62–1.009 MJ/kg) decreased, while EFF and EXEFF increased. The results obtained in this study showed that the optimal IR drying power is 616.39 W, and the optimal rotary rotation speed is 13.46 rpm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to develop a novel microwave integrated‐swirling flow‐fluidized bed drying system. In this regard, for better understanding the drying performance and energy consumption of this novel system and its effect on the product quality parameters, the experiments were performed by using green tea leaves. Also, mathematical modeling and energy analysis was performed for this novel system. Drying experiments were carried out for 100, 300, 600, and 800 W microwave powers and some critical drying parameters such as dimensionless moisture ratio, moisture content, and drying rate were computed. Moreover, specific energy consumption (SEC), specific moisture extraction rate, and thermal efficiency of the system were estimated. Accordingly, the best drying curve equation was obtained as Improved Midilli‐Kucuk model for all microwave powers. Moreover, the highest water extract, the maximum caffeine, and the minimum total ash of the product were determined to be 43.83%, 2.2%, and 5.94%, respectively, at 800 W power. Minimum SEC, maximum specific moisture extraction rate, and maximum energy efficiency of the system were estimated as 11.4 KWh kg−1, 0.088 kg KWh−1, and 23.7% at 800 W, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forward Osmosis (FO), a membrane desalination technology and Capacitive Deionization (CDI), an electrically operated desalination technology, are numerically integrated utilizing four different configurations for the high-water recovery rate and ultrapure water production from brackish water resource. To minimize the wastewater rejection, the CDI desorption stream is continuously fed to the FO unit, efficiently recovering the remaining freshwater. To produce ultrapure water, freshwater stream obtained from FO is provided to the CDI cell, which adsorbs the remaining dissolved solute particles. These two configurations serve the purpose of both industrial as well as domestic water supply requirements. Continuing this concept, the formation of the other two configurations allows us to obtain fresh water and ultrapure water simultaneously and up to a 90% freshwater recovery rate for the areas with inadequate supply. The performance parameters to assess the integration are the Water Recovery Rate (WRR) and Specific Energy Consumption (SEC). The first configuration (CDI-FO), proposed for a high freshwater recovery rate, resulted in 79.33% WRR with an SEC of 0.689 ${\bi \; }{\rm kWh}/{\rm m}^3$ kWh / m 3 . While, for the second configuration (FO-CDI), 34.25% water was recovered as 2.87 ppm ultrapure water along with 34.25% freshwater. The third proposed configuration (CDI-FO-CDI) had a WRR of 79.33%, 14.67% of which was recovered as ultrapure water of concentration 2.86 ppm. The fourth configuration (CDI-FO-FO) developed for high water recovery, removed the maximum of water from the feed stream with a WRR of 91.33% and remained energy-efficient, consuming an SEC of 0.908 $\; {\rm kWh}/{\rm m}^3$ kWh / m 3 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to evaluate the electrochemical oxidation of real textile wastewater using boron-doped diamond (BDD) and different titanium-based mixed metal oxide (Ti/MMO) commercial anodes, namely Ti/RuO2-TiO2, Ti/IrO2-Ta2O5, Ti/IrO2-RuO2, and Ti/RuO2/IrO2-Pt. Experiments were conducted in batch mode, with stirring, at different applied current densities. The results showed that BDD attained the best results, followed by Ti/RuO2-TiO2, which achieved total color removal, a chemical oxygen removal of 61% with some mineralization of organic compounds, and a similar specific energy consumption to BDD. The worst performance was observed for Ti/IrO2-Ta2O5, with a specific energy consumption four times superior to BDD due to a negligible organic load removal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Convective drying is one of the most commonly employed preservation techniques for food. However, the use of high temperatures and extended drying times often leads to a reduction in product quality and increased energy consumption. To address these issues, hybrid processes combining convective drying with more efficient methods are frequently employed. This study investigates the convective rotary drying of carrot (cv. Nantes), assisted by microwaves and ultrasound, using a hybrid rotary dryer. In total, four distinct drying programs—comprising one convective and three hybrid approaches—were evaluated. The study assessed drying kinetics, energy consumption, and product quality. The use of ultrasound increased the drying rate by 13%, microwaves by 112%, and microwaves and ultrasound together by 140%. The use of microwaves reduced energy consumption by 30%, whereas ultrasound resulted in a slight increase. All processes resulted in a significant reduction in water activity. Ultrasound decreased the color difference index, while microwaves increased it compared to convective drying. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study addresses the challenge of processing undersized or overripe mangoes by integrating microwave heating with traditional foam-mat drying technique. The study aims at investigating drying kinetics coupled with thin-layer drying modeling and influences of microwave power (300 - 600 W) and hot-air temperature (55 - 75 °C). Among ten drying models, the so-called Midilli equation fitted well with experimental data. Results showed enhanced drying process associated with microwave heating, providing reduced drying time from 600 - 700 min (for conventional hot-air mode) to 30 - 100 min (for microwave-assisted mode). Standard deviations of moisture content and dried foam thickness measured at various points revealed uneven heat distribution when using high microwave energy, evidenced by burnt spots at 600 W. Additionally, foam collapse was observed under the mild process with low microwave powers, possibly due to prolonged drying periods. Response surface methodology demonstrated that microwave power was more important factor, positively affecting effective diffusivity coefficient (Deff) while inversely influencing specific energy consumption (SEC) and color difference (ΔE). Deff value increased from 5.41x10-6 m²·s-1 at 300 W and 55 °C to 18.43x10-6 m²·s-1 at 600 W and 75 °C, confirming enhance drying performance. As assisted with microwave heating, drying foamed mango sample consumed less energy up to 92 %. Optimal drying parameters were determined based on balancing the enhancement of drying performance and color alteration, suggesting drying the thick foamed mango pulp at temperature of 55 °C combined with microwave heating at 520 W, which can be served as a basis for further industrial scale-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In agriculture, the transformation and drying industries have the most share of energy consumption. The present study aims to optimize the drying process of apple pulp sheets. This process includes checking the energy consumption values and emission of greenhouse gases by the vacuum system in the normal atmosphere (Natm) and controlled atmosphere (Catm) methods. Experiments were conducted at five drying chamber temperatures (i.e., 45, 55, 65, 75, and 85 ℃) and five vacuum pressures (i.e., 40, 50, 60, 70 and 80 kPa). Optimizations were performed using the response surface methodology and the central composite design. The optimum point of apple pulp sheets drying for a gas turbine-oil gas power plant was obtained at a drying temperature of 84.9 ℃ and vacuum pressure of 60.6 kPa. The desirability index was 0.9936 under these conditions. Besides, the optimal value of the response variables, including drying time, total energy consumption (EC), specific energy consumption (SEC), NOX emission, and CO2 emission, were 205 min, 7.65 kWh, 339.02 kWh/kgwater, 1962.94 g/kgwater, and 210,872.40 g/kgwater, respectively. The results showed that in the Catm method, the EC, SEC, NOX, and CO2 from the oil gas turbine power plant were about 19.22%, 37.19%, 37.19%, and 62.72% less than the Natm method, respectively. Therefore, using a vacuum dryer and applying the Catm method in the gas turbine oil of a gas power plant is more economical regarding environmental pollution than the vacuum dryer using the Natm method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions is a crucial issue in the cassava starch processing industry. In this study, the integrated system combining livestock, cassava cultivation and cassava production in the same area leads to both a zero emission goal and economic efficiency, a typical example of an effective agro-industrial symbiosis. A heat exchange/recovery system was applied including the economizer, heat exchanger tank, biogas tank, and boiler. The economizer attached to the boiler's chimney transfers heat from exhaust gases for pre-heating feed water entering the boiler. The biogas tank recovers energy from the wastewater of starch production and livestock, and the generated biogas was used as fuel for the boiler. Results: The energy and exergy efficiency, energy losses, and exergy destruction for the heat recovery system were analyzed. The specific energy consumption was used to evaluate the overall energy efficiency for a cassava starch factory with a capacity of 20 tons/day. The results show that there is a high potential to recycle waste into energy in the cassava starch industry. The total energy saving and reduced greenhouse gas emissions per year of the cassava starch factory were 0.054%/year and 123,564 kgCO2/per year, respectively. Conclusions: Cassava starch factories can save energy and reduce emissions when applying a heat recovery system in the integrated agro-industrial system. Excess heat from the production was used for evaporating (removal of) NH3 in wastewater flow from the biogas tank, and for heating the biogas system to enhance the efficiency of methane production. A biochar filter was attached to the economizer for adsorption of released ammonium, and the biochar after adsorption was combined with sludge from the biogas tank to produce a solid biofertilizer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of natural additives in pipeline transportation has gained significant attention in recent years due to their potential to enhance the stability and rheology of the suspension. In this study, the dispersing and stabilizing properties of the saponin extracted from the fruits of Sapindus laurifolia are examined in the pipeline transportation of limestone. The physicochemical, morphological, and flow characteristics of limestone samples less than 75 μm are determined. The rheological behaviors of the suspension have been examined by varying the shear rate, solid, and dispersion concentrations. The critical micelle concentration of the dispersant was determined to be 1.8 wt%. In the tested concentration ranges of 40–70%, the Hershel–Bulkley model best matched the data. When the surfactant was added to the suspension, the water's surface tension was lowered, increasing the wettability of the limestone particles and decreasing particle-particle contact. Increases in zeta potential measurements confirmed that the steric component primarily stabilizes limestone water suspension. Finally, the dispersant's economic impact was studied depending on slurry head loss and specific energy consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy saving and consumption reduction is one of the current important research in the field of green and sustainable manufacturing. Products or components containing variable curvature contouring are widely used in the automotive, medical, aerospace, and mold industries, while there is a lack of methods to model the energy consumption ratio for variable curvature contouring and improve its energy efficiency. A method for modeling the specific energy consumption of variable curvature contouring and energy consumption optimization is proposed for this problem. Firstly, the components of energy consumption in processing of the CNC machine tool machining are analyzed, and the relationship between curvature characteristics and material removal rate is investigated from the geometric perspective. Secondly, orthogonal experiments with different curvatures of straight lines, convex arcs, and concave arcs are designed to collect energy consumption data. Based on the experimental data, the Dueling Deep Q-Network optimization support vector regression (Dueling DQN-SVR) was used to establish the specific energy consumption model considering the curvature. Finally, a multi-objective optimization model is constructed when considering specific energy consumption, efficiency, and quality, and the Pareto solution set is solved using a multi-objective Gray Wolf optimization algorithm (MOGWO). The Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) method was used to select the optimal combination of machining parameters. The experimental results show that the accuracy of the established model is more than 95%. The method improved energy efficiency by more than 7.82% and efficiency by more than 1.128%. These research results are of great theoretical and practical significance for achieving energy-efficient variable curvature contour machining. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study developed dried shiitake mushrooms through belt-conveyor combined microwave-hot air (MWHAB) drying, comparing it with hot air (HA) drying. MWHAB drying, with microwave powers ranging from 300 W to 600 W at 65 °C, was contrasted with HA drying at the same temperature. Both blanched and unblanched samples were dried to a final moisture content of 11.1% (d.b.). The research evaluated drying kinetics, specific energy consumption (SEC), and various quality aspects, including color, shrinkage, rehydration, texture, and microstructure. Results showed that blanched samples dried with MWHAB at 600 W significantly reduced drying times and SEC by 76.9% and 77.3%, respectively, compared to HA drying. Dried MWHAB products exhibited lower shrinkage and hardness but higher rehydration, larger pore sizes, and void area fraction than HA. Although no significant color differences were observed, MWHAB drying at 600 W yielded lower values for shrinkage and hardness, and higher values for rehydration, void area fraction, and larger pore sizes than other cases. Additionally, unblanched dried samples displayed reduced shrinkage and hardness but increased color values, rehydration, larger pore sizes, and void area fraction compared to blanched samples. Optimal shiitake mushroom production is recommended using unblanched samples dried with MWHAB at 600 W microwave power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates how temperature and forward osmosis (FO) membrane properties, such as water permeability (A), solute permeability (B), and structural parameter (S), affect the specific energy consumption (SEC) of forward osmosis-reverse osmosis system. The results show that further SEC reduction beyond the water permeability of 3 LMH bar-1 is limited owing to high concentration polarization (CP). Increasing S by 10-fold increases FO recovery by 177.6%, causing SEC decreases by 33.6%. However, membrane with smaller S also increases external CP. To reduce SEC, future work should emphasize mixing strategies to reduce external CP. Furthermore, increasing the temperature from 10 to 40 °C can reduce SEC by 14.3%, highlighting the energy-saving potential of temperature-elevated systems. The factorial design indicates that at a lower temperature, increasing A and decreasing S have a more significant impact on reducing SEC. This underlines the importance of developing advanced FO membranes, particularly for lower-temperature processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to rapid development of cities, number of municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) has faced drastic growth in recent decades. Reviewing the literature indicates that WWTPs in urban areas are one of the essential energy consumers, and it is necessary to evaluate their energy consumption. In Tehran, the capital of Iran, the number of WWTPs has increased to meet the demands of its increasing population. Yet, the energy consumption of these WWTPs in Tehran has not been thoroughly examined. This research aims to measure and provide the specific energy consumption of Tehran WWTPs and bridge the research gap by providing precise measurements for three key performance indicators (KPIs): energy consumption per influent volume (kWh/m³), per population-equivalent (kWh/PE-year), and per kilogram of Chemical Oxygen Demand removed (kWh/kg COD). The South Tehran Wastewater Treatment Plant (STWWTP), the largest WWTP in Tehran, demonstrated highest energy efficiency with consumption rates of 0.21 kWh/m³ for influent volume, 16.75 kWh/PE-year, and 0.48 kWh/kg COD removed. Furthermore, the smallscale WWTPs of Tehran showed a significant variation in specific energy consumption. Zargandeh Wastewater Treatment Plant (ZWWTP) represented the poorest efficiency by consuming 96.34 kWh for each person under its service and 3.66 kWh per kg COD removed. In contrast, Ekbatan Wastewater Treatment Plant (EWWTP), among the small-scale WWTPs, demonstrated great energy efficiency with consumption rates of 33.15 kWh per capita and 0.52 kWh/m³. However, this great variation in energy consumption of Tehran WWTPs needs further investigation, and strategies for improving the energy efficiency of these WWTPs are required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current study, four drying methods, namely microwave (MD), vacuum (VD), hot air (HAD), and freeze drying (FD), were compared for drying of Indian borage (Plectranthus amboinicus) leaves for optimum energy consumption and bioactive compounds' retention. Effective moisture diffusivity for MD was about 100 times more than that of HAD and VD. MD at 600 W showed minimum specific energy consumption (4.04 kWh/kg), proving the most suitable drying condition. Moreover, it showed desirable energy values in terms of maximum specific moisture extraction rate (0.265 kg moisture/kWh) and maximum drying efficiency (15.85%). Bioactive compounds' retention in terms of phenols, antioxidants, and flavonoids was better in MD, followed by FD. Mathematical modeling of drying kinetics data revealed proper fitting of three drying models, namely, Aghbashlo, Modified Page‐II, and Page model, for explaining the drying behavior of Indian borage leaves. Multivariate characterization using principal component analysis revealed that FD and MD had a strong effect on bioactive compounds' retention, while VD and HAD showed least effect. Hence, based on optimum energy utilization and bioactive compounds' retention, MD at 600 W was selected for efficient drying of Indian borage leaves. Practical applications: Drying of Indian borage leaves using microwave drying (MD) resulted in quicker drying with retention of bioactive compounds and color of dried leaves. The energy aspects were also favorable for industrial scale‐up. With due consideration to capacity enhancement in MD, it can prove to be a promising source of drying for culinary, medicinal, and aromatic plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study proposes a feasible solution for boil-off gas (BOG) treatment to facilitate NH3 fuel use by ocean-going ships, which is currently considered an alternative fuel for ships. Two systems were designed and analyzed for BOG in IMO Type-A NH3 fuel storage tanks for 14,000 TEU container ships. First, BOG lost inside the storage tank minimized economic losses through the onboard re-liquefaction system. The total energy consumed by the system to process NH3 gas generated in the fuel tank at 232.4 kg/h was 51.9 kW, and the specific energy consumption (SEC) was 0.223 kWh/kg. Second, NH3 was supplied to the direct Low-Pressure Selective Catalytic Reduction (LP-SCR) system to treat marine pollutants generated by combustion engines. The feasible design point was determined by calculating the NH3 feed flow rate using three methodologies. The energy consumed by the direct LP-SCR system was 3.89 and 2.39 kW, and the SEC was 0.0144 at 0.0167 kWh/kg at 100% and 25% load, respectively. The feasibility was indicated via economic analysis. Depending on the life cycle cost, the competitiveness of the re-liquefaction system depends on the price of NH3, where a higher price yields a more economical solution. In conclusion, the direct LP-SCR system has a low overall cost because of its low energy consumption when supplying NH3 and its reduced amount of core equipment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Influences of drying air temperatures on drying time, specific energy consumption as well as product quality of culture asparagus were investigated in hot-air drying. The drying properties of asparagus samples were performed in a laboratory scale convection dryer at three different temperatures. The drying times of asparagus samples were found as 1200, 630 and 510 min for 50, 60 and 70 °C, respectively. In regard to the data obtained, Midilli et al. model is superior to other models to describe drying behavior of asparagus samples. The effective moisture diffusivity values of asparagus samples were calculated between 6.32 ⋅ 10-9-1.62 ⋅ 10-8 m²/s and the activation energy was estimated as 43.59 kJ/mol. The highest rehydration content and the least total color change were found in asparagus slices dried at 50 °C. Energy consumption values for asparagus samples dried at 50, 60 and 70 °C temperatures were obtained as 10.14, 5.32 and 4.31 kWh, respectively. In terms of energy consumption values, the best efficiency among all drying temperatures was obtained at 70 °C. It has been determined that the specific energy consumption decreased with increasing temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sun drying is the most common technique used to dry various food products due to its economic convenience. However, it is not effective owing to its unreliable nature leading to microbial deterioration and aflatoxin contamination of food. In Tanzania, about 1.3 million tonnes of maize bran are at risk of deterioration annually due to improper drying. The aim of this study was to design, fabricate and test an efficient small-scale flash dryer for maize bran. Using principles of material and energy balance, a small-scale flash dryer with a throughput of 500 kg of dry product per hour was designed resulting in a nominal diameter of 387 mm and a drying length of 20 m. Design calculations and drawings were done using MS Excel 2021 and SolidWorks 2018 respectively. Empirical procedures were used to fabricate and test the dryer. The material of construction used in the flash duct was food grade (stainless steel, SS 201). A fuel blend of Waste Engine Oil (WEO) and diesel (85%-15%) was used with a novel heavy oil burner. It was observed that at an inlet air temperature of 150 °C and air velocity of 12 m/s, moist maize bran was dried from 37% to 10% w.b. The fabricated flash dryer's energy efficiency, specific energy consumption, and specific energy utilization are 74%, 3.4 MJ/kg water evaporated, and 1.71 MJ/kg dry maize bran respectively. It was concluded that the fabricated small-scale flash dryer displayed improved energy performance compared to others presented in literature. Better instrumentation was recommended for feedback control on burner operation and process monitoring which further enhances the performance of the fabricated small-scale flash dryer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In grinding processes using hammer mills, the configuration, number and speed of hammers are some of the main factors that can affect system performance. This paper aims to investigate the effects of hammer configurations in terms of specific energy consumption (SEC), grinding mass efficiency, and productivity. These effects were studied theoretically on the basis of classical grinding laws and experimentally with four different hammer configurations. From theoretical studies, a decreasing power model of SEC versus hammer configurations was developed, which was then validated with a determination coefficient of 0.99 in experiments using a 2 HP-DC hammer mill. The good agreement between theoretical and experimental results confirms that the specific energy consumption and the productivity are directly dependent on hammer configurations, but the effects are not significant for grinding mass efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the existing literature on specific energy consumption (SEC) use for paddy drying and consolidates all relevant data for comparisons across technologies. Energy consumption data for a range of drying technologies are consolidated from published literature and normalized to enable comparison. A large proportion of the source data are generated from operational performance in industrial or laboratory settings, while the remainder is derived from computer simulations. The SEC of paddy drying is driven primarily by technology type; however, operational factors (such as the system size, temperature, and airflow) and external factors (such as the local climate and paddy moisture content) also heavily influence system energy use. The results of our analysis show that the industrial drying technologies explored in this study have an average SEC of 5.57 ± 2.21 MJ/kg, significantly lower than the 20.87 ± 14.97 MJ/kg observed in a laboratory setting, which can potentially be attributed to differences in processing capacity. Multi-stage drying typically has higher energy efficiency when tempering stages are incorporated. The self-circulating design of some drying systems may provide additional opportunities for heat exchange, leading to efficient drying performance without the need for a separate tempering stage. Beyond traditional methods, we have observed a notable shift towards solar-assisted and infrared drying technologies in laboratory settings, reflecting an increasing interest in sustainable and efficient drying solutions. In summary, this review consolidates SEC data for rice drying technologies, analyzes the energy intensity and performance of each drying technology, and identifies data gaps that might be addressed in future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The awareness of energy consumption is gaining much more attention in manufacturing due to its economic and sustainability benefits. Reducing energy consumption in advanced manufacturing processes, like directed energy deposition (DED) manufacturing, is critical for Industry 4.0 and the forthcoming Industry 5.0 since it allows for more economical, sustainable, and environmentally friendly manufacturing approaches. An energy consumption model is needed for quantifying the consumption and predicting the impact of various process parameters in manufacturing. This paper aims to develop an energy consumption model for DED-based hybrid additive manufacturing (HAM) for an Inconel 718 part. The specific energy consumption (SEC) is used while developing the energy consumption of the product manufacturing lifecycle. This study focuses on the analysis to investigate three significant factors (scanning speed, laser power, and feed rate), their interactions' effects, and whether they have a significant effect on energy consumption. The results suggest that all the factors have a strong influence, but their interaction effects have a weak influence on the energy consumption for HAM. Among the three process parameters, it is found that laser power has the most significant effect on energy consumption. Again, based on the regression analysis, this study also recommends high scanning speed while the laser power and feed rate should be low. Also, idle time has significant energy consumption during the whole HAM process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study demonstrates a comprehensive characterisation of an Indian iron ore sample to investigate the effect of blending coarse particles with fine particulate slurry on the rheology, slurryability, and stability of iron ore suspension. Various bench-scale tests are carried out to determine iron ore samples' physico-chemical, morphological, and flow characteristics. The iron ore samples with three distinct particle size ranges (< 38, 38–75, 75–106 µm) are used to prepare eight different bi-modal slurry samples. The rheological characteristics of the slurry are investigated at a shear rate range between 50 and 600 1/s, and regression analysis is performed to evaluate the nature of the slurry. Finally, the best particle size distribution is evaluated based on critical parameters such as apparent viscosity, settling characteristics, pressure drop, and specific energy consumption. The optimal proportion of coarse particles (38–75 µm) blending in the slurry suspension of fine particulate is observed at 40% (by weight), while in the case of the coarse particle (75–106 µm), it is 30% (by weight). Maximum pressure drop reduction recorded for the optimal proportion bi-modal samples I7 and I10 at 40, 50, 60, 70, 75, and 80% concentrations is 57.6, 56.81, 55.2, 52.45, 49.31, 46.3%, and 57.98, 59.18, 56.2, 54.74, 50.86, 48.15%, respectively. In contrast to uni-modal samples, the specified bi-modal samples with an optimal particle size distribution showed significantly lower yield stress, viscosity and enhanced solids loading in the slurry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In fact, current water supplies due to natural constraints or lack of infrastructure (or both) cannot be provided in a sustainable manner for all increasing and competing uses (e.g. residential, industrial, agricultural). While promoting Penghu's low-carbon islands, in a water-scarce environment, it is the motivation of this research to take into account the development of water resources and lower energy consumption costs. The seawater desalination plant water production technology is improved, the cost of water production is reduced. This research uses a genetic algorithm (GA) to optimize the recovery rate to solve the minimum Specific energy consumption (SEC) value, and then, according to the required water production, the optimal flow rate of raw seawater of the high-pressure pump is obtained, so as to minimize the energy consumption of the reverse osmosis (RO) system. The energy recovery device has a great effect on reducing the energy consumption of the RO system, and it can be seen from the results that the higher efficiency does greatly reduce the energy consumption of the SEC and water production under the different energy recovery device efficiency. Calculated using genetic algorithms, and the SEC is 3.275 and the recovery rate is 45.1%, and the water production energy consumption is 2.35 kWh/m3. Scheme B changed the efficiency of the energy recovery unit to 97.22%, resulting in a SEC of 1.819 and a recovery rate of 25.3%, and a water production energy consumption of 1.31 kWh/m3. Finally, challenges and research gaps are also proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cryogenic supercritical hydrogen storage technology is a high-density physical hydrogen storage method, which is a highly promising hydrogen storage approach. However, existing research has mainly focused on the development of storage devices for cryogenic supercritical hydrogen, with limited research on the cooling process of supercritical hydrogen. Therefore, a novel cooling process for cryogenic supercritical hydrogen production based on helium expansion cycle with liquid nitrogen (LN 2) pre-cooling is proposed in this paper. In this process, after being compressed and cooled in multiple stages, the feed hydrogen is pre-cooled by LN 2. Then, cryogenic supercritical hydrogen (10 MPa, −235.15 °C, 63.36 g/L) is obtained by helium multi-stage expansion refrigeration. The process is simulated by Aspen HYSYS and optimized by genetic algorithm (GA) to obtain lower specific energy consumption (SEC). Thermodynamic analyses are conducted to evaluate the process. And compared with the conventional hydrogen liquefaction process, the results show that the proposed process is reasonable and superior. The SEC 0 , figure of merit (FOM), and the total exergy loss of the system are 5.432 kWh/kg H2 , 43.88%, and 289.69 kW respectively. This study indicates that the proposed process has significant implications for the hydrogen industry and provides valuable information for cryogenic supercritical hydrogen storage systems. • A novel high-density cryogenic supercritical hydrogen storage system is proposed. • Twelve key variables in the process are optimized to reduce the energy consumption. • The process has higher exergy efficiency than conventional LH 2 plants. • The volume storage density of hydrogen can reach 63.36 kg/m3 in the system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research was set out to evaluate the specific energy consumption (SEC) in drying African oil bean seed using convective hot air and microwave oven dryers. The process parameters investigated in thin-layer drying were temperature (40, 50, 60, 70 °C), microwave power (450, 720, 900 W), slice thickness (2, 3, 5 mm) and treatment (untreated (UT), brine pretreated (BT) and sucrose pretreated (ST)). Response surface methodology (RSM) was used to evaluate the effect of oven temperature, microwave power, slice thickness, and treatment on the SEC of African oil bean seed. The result revealed that the SEC for African oil bean seed ranged from 21.12 to 57.33 k Wh kg−1 and 90.76 to 261.23 k Wh kg−1 for microwave and oven drying, respectively. The study also found that the SEC decreases with increase in slice thickness in both microwave and oven dryer. The microwave oven method reduced SEC of African oil bean seed by 22% compared to convective hot air oven drying method. The optimum SEC was obtained at 4 mm material thickness, 53.57 °C hot air oven temperature and 814.32 W microwave power. Among the treatments, BT sample is comparatively the best treatment for AOB in order to save drying energy consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Freshwater scarcity is a growing concern worldwide due to increasing demand and climate change. A promising method that could provide fresh water is seawater desalination. Presently, both thermal- and membrane-based desalination technologies consume a high amount of specific energy (measured in kWh/m³), which limits the use of seawater for drinking purposes. The development of hybrid desalination technologies has the potential to significantly reduce the energy consumption and cost of desalination, making it a more viable solution to address freshwater scarcity. By integrating the advantages of several desalination techniques and eliminating their drawbacks, hybridization can improve system performance. In the current study, a hybrid desalination system was developed by integrating the vacuum membrane distillation (VMD) output into the multi-effect distillation (MED) input. The results indicated a drop in specific thermal energy consumption (STEC) at various feed flow rates and a decrease in STEC in hybrid mode compared to stand-alone VMD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green forage maize harvesters face challenges such as high soil humidity and soft soil in the field, mismatched working parameters, and poor reliability and adaptability. These challenges often result in header blockage, significant harvest loss, and increased energy consumption. Traditional testing and statistical analysis methods used in most existing studies are limited by complex test processes, their time-consuming nature, high costs, and poor prediction accuracy. To address these problems, a test bench was constructed to analyze the effects of forward speed, cutting height, number of rows, and their interactions on specific energy consumption and harvest loss of the green forage maize (GFM) header. A combined response surface method (RSM)–artificial neural network (ANN) approach is proposed for modeling and predicting the performance parameters of the header. The optimal conditions were determined by optimizing the specific energy consumption and loss rate. The optimal combination parameters are a forward speed of 1.6 km/h, a cutting height of 167 mm, and a number of rows of 4. However, RSM–ANN has larger R2 values and lower root mean square errors (RMSE) and mean square errors (MSE) compared to RSM. Specifically, the R2 of the RSM–ANN model for specific energy consumption and loss rate a 0.9925 and 0.9906, MSE are 0.00001775 and 0.004558, and RMSE are 0.004214 and 0.006752, respectively. The results show that the combined RSM–ANN method has higher precision and accuracy and can better predict and optimize the header performance. This study overcomes the limitations of traditional methods and has the potential to provide data and method references for the design, optimization, prediction, and intelligent diagnosis of faults in the operational parameters of agricultural machinery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The installed capacity of seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) as the main means to solve the water resource crisis is increasing year by year. However, the current SWRO is mainly composed of membrane components, high pressure pumps, booster pumps and energy recovery devices. In this paper, a new multi-action internal curve seawater desalination high-pressure pump with energy recovery function was proposed, which can recover the pressure energy of concentrated seawater and pressurize the raw seawater at the same time. The working principle and internal structure of the pump were described in detail, and the design of a pulsation-free structure was illustrated. The operating pressure and specific energy consumption of the proposed system with different membrane component structures, feed water flow rate and recovery rate were analyzed. The final design of the membrane component structure had one segment for each stage with three containers in each segment and eight reverse osmosis membranes in each container. The recovery rate and the feedwater flow rate of the proposed system were 40% and 531 m³/d, respectively. The specific energy consumption of water production reached 1.65 kWh/m³ in a validation test. The water production cost and the system volume were both significantly reduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An exergy analysis was conducted to investigate the high specific energy consumption (SEC) of point-of-use reverse osmosis (POU RO) devices. The RO module from one such device was experimentally characterized for desalination of 650, 1,000 and 1,800 mg/L sodium chloride solutions at 70-630 kPa feed pressures. The minimum SEC was 1.54 ± 0.04 kWh/m3, while the maximum second law efficiency and recovery ratio were 1.80% ± 0.05% and 24.6% ± 0.8%, respectively. Losses at the motor, pump, RO element, and flow restrictor respectively accounted for 36%, 25%, 8%, and 29% of the SEC at the intermediate concentration. By highlighting these inefficiencies, we also identified potential avenues for improving the system performance. Recovering brine pressure can decrease SEC significantly. Elevated feed pressures could also decrease SEC and raise recovery ratio but permeate flux would exceed recommended design limits (< 30 L/m2·h), thus increasing fouling risk. The same could be achieved by increasing membrane area provided that the resulting increase in cost and size of the system are acceptable. This work will help guide new developments to decrease the energy consumption of POU RO desalination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Palm oil mill effluent (POME) is considered the most environmentally harmful when discharged without proper treatment. In addition to conventional biological treatment methods, physicochemical treatment techniques are considered alternative methods to treat POME as polishing or post-treatment techniques to meet the discharge water quality standards set by authorities. Recently, electroflotation (EF) has gained popularity in wastewater treatment owing to its high efficiency, no harmful by-products, and ease of operation. However, EF has limitations on energy consumption because high current density and long electrolysis time are often used to increase the density of gas bubbles and metallic ions produced in the EF system used in pollutant removal. Polyaluminum chloride (PAC) and cationic polyacrylamide (CPAM) are used as alternative options for the production of coagulants instead of using a sacrificial anode in EF. In this study, we hypothesized that PAC and CPAM could enhance the efficiency and reduce the specific energy consumption of EF by minimizing the electrolysis time used in POME treatment. The effects of electrolysis time, current density, and coagulant dosage on POME treatment were investigated. EF treatment at a current density of 2.5 mA/cm2 has achieved 82% of turbidity and 47% of chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal after 45 min electrolysis time, consuming 0.014 kWh of specific energy for the treatment of one gram of COD. There was no improvement in terms of turbidity removal when the current density was increased from 2.5 to 5 mA/cm2; however, the COD removal efficiency was increased up to 52% at 5 mA/cm2. When EF was performed at 1 A combined with PAC at a dosage of 40 mg/L and CPAM at a dosage of 20 mg/L, it was noticed that turbidity and COD removal increased up to 96% and 54%, respectively, within 15 min electrolysis. Subsequently, the specific energy consumption was reduced to 0.004 kWh (by 71%) per one gram of COD treatment. Results confirmed that the chemical coagulants could increase the POME treatment efficiency and reduce the specific energy consumption of EF. However, this method can be improved aiming at further reduction of COD by mineralizing the dissolved organic compounds to fulfill the POME discharge quality standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a pilot scale microwave hopper dryer was fabricated and used for drying the plastic pellets. The electromagnetic field analysis was conducted according to the positions of the waveguide and reflector for the highest dissipated energy was determined. The experimental setup was prepared by placing the waveguide in the middle of the cylindrical cavity and the cone for scattered reflection at the position facing the waveguide by the electromagnetic field analysis results. The experiments were carried out at two microwave powers (1 and 2 kW), 5 pulsed microwave (off–on time ratio—0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1.0). As a result of the experiment, it was confirmed that 2 kW of power is required to dry 25 kg of plastic pellets, and the pulsed microwave off–on time ratio is less than 0.4, the pellets are damaged. Therefore as a final concluding result, to prevent breakage plastic pellets, microwave power of 2 kW and 0.6 microwave off–on time ratio was selected as the most appropriate combination for drying plastic pellets using the microwave hopper dryer. Assessment of the specific energy requirement in microwave power and off–on time ratio showed that the value with 278.36 MJ/kg. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes methods of heating battery-driven electrical buses. The examined buses were two identical airport transport buses and two buses used in local transportation. To heat the first buses, an electrical water heater with a heating capacity of 20 kW, and for air conditioning, a rooftop air conditioner with a cooling capacity of 20.6 kW was installed. Climate control in the city buses was achieved using an R744 heat pump with a cooling capacity of 25 kW and a heating capacity between 14 and 21 kW, along with an electrical water heater with a capacity of 32 kW. During the project, the measurement data of the buses described above were taken for a full year and evaluated. The analysis of the measurement data brought insights into the specific electrical energy consumption of climate control in the buses in real operating conditions at outdoor temperatures between 2 °C and 36 °C. The results of this project additionally provide information on the optimization potential for the climate control of buses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Türkiye is one of the biggest developing countries and the second biggest cement exporter in the world. In 2021, the country exported around $1billion of cement, which is responsible for over 8% of emissions globally. In order to fulfill the EU norms, energy, emissions, and cost reduction investments continue in the country. The aim of this paper is to perform a detailed exergoeconomic assessment of a rotary burner to increase the energy and exergy performance and decrease energy consumption, exergy costs and environmental impacts of a real scale cement factory in Türkiye. During the 2-year period, detailed data has been obtained from the factory by real time detection of clinker manufacturing process. By applying the specific exergy costing (SPECO) method, energy and exergy destructions, and exergetic cost distributions for the rotary burner are calculated in detail. The 1st and 2nd law efficiencies of the overall factory, specific energy (SEC) and exergy (SExC) consumption, and SPECO for clinker production are calculated to be 59.84%, 39.04%, 4786.75 MJ/ton, 5230.38 MJ/ton, and 10.11 $/MJ, respectively. The use of magnesia-spinel composite refractory bricks and the anzast layer formation decreased the SPECO by 2.71% corresponding to a saving of $2,280,000 preventing 13.74 MtCO2 emissions yearly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Three laboratory-scale solar drying systems were investigated for drying food surplus. • Highest specific energy consumption was observed for system with heat pump (HPD). • HPD outperformed the best in terms of energy and enviro-economic feasibility. • P b and CO 2/emissions of HPD were estimated to be 2.98 years and 10.99 kg/year. • Farmers and industrials are encouraged to invest in HPD systems. Three laboratory-scale drying systems, which are direct solar dryer (SD), solar dryer-assisted solar water collector (SCD), and solar dryer provided with a heat pump (HPD) to generate hot water to the heat exchanger, are considered in this work for drying tomato surplus. The study reported the kinetics, energy, environmental, and economic analysis as crucial investment factors. Outcomes showed that SD, SCD, and HPD took, respectively, 16 h within two drying days, 14 and 13 h, to reduce the moisture content from 14.68 ± 0.02 to 0.13 (g/g), with a significant diffusional stage for both SCD and HPD. Using a heat pump increased the specific energy consumption (SEC) of HPD ranging from 0.87 to 2.79 kJ/kg. The annual saving attained 9.5 × 104, 1.2 × 105, and 1.57 × 105 DZD with feasible payback periods at 3.67, 4.95, and 2.98 years for SD, SCD, and HPD, respectively. The systems had a CO 2/emission of 36.60, 100.5, and 43.68 kg/year and net CO 2/mitigation at 9.21, 25.18, and 10.99 tons/year, respectively, for SD, SCD, and HPD. Among the examined drying systems, HPD outperformed the best in energy and enviro-economic and can be considered to invest at a large scale by the industrials or farmers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tailings are the waste material left after "mineral values" have been extracted from the ore. Proper tailings disposal should be economical and environmentally safe. This study reports significant increase in energy efficiency during hydro-transport of zinc tailings by integrating a swirl-motion-inducing pipe segment into the conventional pipeline. The computational model was rigorously tested against available experimental data on standard pipes. The zinc tailings slurry used has a wide particle size distribution, represented by multiple size classes, each having representative size and concentration. The study found that adding swirl-inducing pipe section to the conventional pipeline decreased specific energy consumption (SEC) by up to 35 % for transporting settling slurry, especially at moderate to high solids concentrations. Among the various configurations tested, the pipeline with a 10-lobed swirl-inducing segment achieved the lowest SEC across the operating conditions considered. These findings highlight the potential of swirl-inducing segments in improving energy efficiency for slurry transport. [Display omitted] • Examined innovative pipe designs with varying lobes for dense slurry flow. • Identified 10-lobed swirl pipe as consistently energy-efficient in all conditions. • 10-lobed swirl pipe reduces energy use by ∼35 % compared to traditional pipes. • Highlighted effectiveness of 10-lobed pipe in reducing particle settling. • Compared novel pipe design to conventional pipes in Hindustan Zinc Ltd. case study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modeling fouling in forward osmosis (FO) spiral-wound membrane (SWM) is challenging due to the time-dependent nature of fouling and the complex flow patterns induced by baffle. This necessitates the development of a general modeling framework for FO SWM module that prioritizes both accuracy and ease of implementation. This framework was validated against FO SWM experiment data from previous work, demonstrating a reasonable agreement with a maximum error of 13.1 % in FO permeate flux. This validated model was used to study the impact of fouling on feed recovery, a critical factor influencing specific energy consumption (SEC) in FO-RO desalination systems. While improved operating conditions and membrane parameters (A , S s and C f) initially lead to increased water flux, this effect was significantly counteracted by accelerated fouling. Consequently, performance improvements in terms of flux and SEC remained minimal (<1 %) under severe fouling conditions. The results show that for foulant cake with larger pore diameter (>10 nm), the contribution of hydraulic resistance is insignificant compared to osmotic resistance. However, the contribution of hydraulic resistance becomes important for foulant cakes with pore diameter smaller than 10 nm. This paper shows that modeling have evolved to a stage that they can be used to understand membrane fouling phenomena at the SWM module scale. [Display omitted] • Modeling framework for time-dependent fouling in FO SWM is proposed. • This framework successfully validated against experimental data. • Improved parameters (A , S s , C f) show minimal performance improvement under fouling. • Mechanical resistance cannot be ignored for foulant cake with pore diameter < 10 nm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the great differences in mechanical properties between hard concretion and coal, the shearer drum cutting coal and rock containing hard concretion will inevitably lead to a series of problems, such as severe load impact, increased cutting specific energy consumption and low coal loading efficiency. Taking the cutting part of a thin coal seam shearer in service in the target mining area as the prototype, the mechanical models of shearer drum and rocker arm are established by using UG, and the discrete element model of coal wall with hard concretions is built by importing it into EDEM. The influence law of traction speed on coal loading rate, drum load and cutting specific energy consumption is analyzed, and the corresponding fitting relationship function is obtained. Taking the traction speed as the design variable, and the drum load, cutting specific energy consumption and coal loading rate as the comprehensive indicators, a multi-objective optimization function is established. The optimal solution is obtained by using NSGA II optimization algorithm, and the accuracy of the simulation is verified by experiments. This method has certain engineering significance for the reasonable selection of shearer traction speed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the arrangement of picks on the cutting head of the transverse-axis driving anchor machine is analyzed and discussed, and two kinds of arrangement modes, namely sequential arrangement and punnett arrangement are studied. Based on the explicit dynamic analysis program ANSYS / LS-DYNA and the Holmquist-Johnson-Cook model, the contact mechanics characteristics between the pick and the rock are analyzed by using the theory and processing method of contact dynamics, rock mechanics and finite element. The maximum cutting force, average cutting force, cutting specific energy consumption and cutting force variance are obtained. By comparing the two groups of arrangement, it is concluded that the punnett arrangement is better than the sequential arrangement. Using MATLAB software to calculate the spectrum of cutting force, it is concluded that the main frequency is between 0 ~ 10Hz when the cutting head works. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The design and choice of pipe fittings in such systems plays an important role as far as headloss and flow separation are factors of concern. This study aims to investigate the flow of coal water suspension through a converging section, diverging section and a bend using computational fluid dynamics approach. The modelling and simulation are carried out on geometries consisting of both converging and diverging sections of variable angles along with a bend of R/d ratio of 2. The computational fluid dynamics simulation results are in good agreement with the experimental data, with an average percentage error of 1.96%. 1° angle of divergence and 7° angle of convergence are optimum designs for the lowest local headloss. However, the headloss across the entire test section is found to be minimum for the case where the angle of convergence/divergence is fixed at 1° each. The specific energy consumption gives a practical idea about the minimum energy required for the transportation of solids through some distance, which is an all-time minimum for the suspension containing 60% solids by mass. The study presents a detailed investigation into the local as well as global flow characteristics of the coal water suspension through a test section. [Display omitted] • The 7° converging section has the lowest headloss. • The headloss across the diverging section is minimum at an angle of 1°. • The global headloss is minimum for the 1° geometries. • The SEC is minimum for the suspension having solids' concentration of 60% by mass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lighting systems are used in all building types and consume large amounts of energy as well as adding to carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. The aim of this research was to analyze energy consumption in the lighting systems of a new building. This study conducted a preliminary energy consumption audit of the Faculty of Science on the Kasetsart University Sriracha Campus, Thailand. The actual energy consumption in the study period and the specific energy index (specific energy consumption) were assessed. The results showed that the total electric power of all bulbs in the building was 72.13 kW and about 74 % were 20 W lamps. Annual energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions were 157,753.73 kWh and 89,477.92 kg carbon dioxide for 9 hours use. The total energy consumption accounted for 1.64 % and 4.37 % based on 9 and 24 hours operation, respectively. The specific energy index was higher than the average for this university. Therefore, the energy consumption data obtained are very important in developing energy‐saving measures.

In the present study, the degradation of methylene blue (MB) dye, a common pollutant from textile and printing industries was observed using UV/H2O2 advanced oxidation process. Effect of process variables like pH (3-11), H2O2 dosage (2.5-12.5) mM and initial MB dose (10-100) mg/L on decolorization efficiency of dye was investigated. An acidic pH of 3 was found to be favorable for decolorization of MB. Degradation of MB followed pseudo-first-order removal kinetics. Rate constants of MB decolorization increased with increase in H2O2 concentration and decrease in initial dye concentration. The results showed that about 89.85% residual H2O2 remained in the system even after 75 min treatment time. To ensure the minimum residual H2O2 in effluent and optimum MB removal, H2O2 dose was optimized at 12.5 mM with specific energy consumption of 271.6 kWh/kg dye. Thus, in the described experimental range of conditions, UV/H2O2 oxidation of MB may be an efficient, inexpensive and clean alternative treatment for decolorization of textile wastewater containing this dye. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar energy, amongst all renewable energies, has attracted inexhaustible attention all over the world as a supplier of sustainable energy. The energy requirement of major seawater desalination processes such as multistage flash (MSF), multi-effect distillation (MED) and reverse osmosis (RO) are fulfilled by burning fossil fuels, which impact the environment significantly due to the emission of greenhouse gases. The integration of solar energy systems into seawater desalination processes is an attractive and alternative solution to fossil fuels. This study aims to (i) assess the progress of solar energy systems including concentrated solar power (CSP) and photovoltaic (PV) to power both thermal and membrane seawater desalination processes including MSF, MED, and RO and (ii) evaluate the economic considerations and associated challenges with recommendations for further improvements. Thus, several studies on a different combination of seawater desalination processes of solar energy systems are reviewed and analysed concerning specific energy consumption and freshwater production cost. It is observed that although solar energy systems have the potential of reducing carbon footprint significantly, the cost of water production still favours the use of fossil fuels. Further research and development on solar energy systems are required to make their use in desalination economically viable. Alternatively, the carbon tax on the use of fossil fuels may persuade desalination industries to adopt renewable energy such as solar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrohydrodynamic (EHD) drying is considered a highly efficient technology due to its ability to create powerful convective airflow with low energy consumption. EHD efficiency depends on multiple factors, such as voltage, current, environmental conditions, drying material, and electrodes geometry. This research is exploring the effect of collecting electrode geometry on the drying rate and energy efficiency of EHD drying. Although numerical studies predict a better performance of mesh collectors compared to solid plate collectors, experimental verification is still missing. This research addresses this gap by comparing the performance of plate versus mesh collecting electrodes in drying experiments with three discharge electrodes (nails, needles, pins) and two materials (wet paper and apple slices). Our experiments confirmed the benefits of mesh collector compared to the plate, namely up to 25% higher drying flux and a 20–35% smaller specific energy consumption. For example, EHD drying of apple slices with the mesh resulted in specific energy consumption of 719–731 kJ/kg compared to 935–968 kJ/kg with the plate collector. The better energy efficiency of the mesh collector provides a unique opportunity for the industrial upscaling of EHD drying technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A mathematical model of double-effect DCMD-HP integrated system was established. • Simulation calculation diagram and software APP were developed. • The developed model was validated with experimental data. • Coupling mechanism between DCMD and HP was deeply analyzed. • Three DCMD systems were compared in water production, GOR and SEC. High energy consumption represents one of the hindrances in enabling large scale application of membrane distillation. In this work, experimental and simulation studies of a double-effect direct-contact membrane distillation integrated with a single-stage vapor-compression heat pump (DE-DCMD-HP) were carried out for concentrating tap water with the aim to evaluate the energy saving of the integrated system. It was found during our experiments that an auxiliary cooler must be added to remove the excess heat from HP to enable the integrated system to reach the steady-state condition. The temperature-heat flux plots were first utilized to analyze how HP and DE-DCMD affected each other and reveal their coupling mechanism. The simulation results showed that the increase in the first-effect feed inlet temperature, T fi ,1 and the flow rate, V caused the thermodynamic cycle line of refrigerant shift to higher temperature, which led to the increase of the input power of the compressor and the auxiliary cooler, ultimately affecting the water production mass rate, m ̇ d , the coefficient of performance, COP, the gain output ratio, GOR, and the specific energy consumption, SEC. The experimental and simulation results revealed that increasing T fi ,1 and V increased the permeate flux N h and GOR and reduced the SEC. The performances for three different DCMD configurations were furthermore evaluated via experiments at constant feed temperature whereby the SEC decreased from 2168 kWh·t−1 for single-effect DCMD to 1085 kWh·t−1 for DE-DCMD to 257 kWh·t−1 for DE-DCMD-HP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The plastic injection molding process is essential for rapidly producing intricate plastic parts, yet optimizing its energy efficiency without compromising quality remains a challenge. This paper uses the Plackett-Burman method to investigate parameter interactions and identify optimal settings to minimize energy consumption while maintaining quality with the 750-ton hydraulic injection molding machine. Analysis of variance statistically evaluates parameter impacts. Specific energy consumption and cycle time are chosen as response variables, with eight parameters as factors. Results show screw rotation speed significantly impacts Specific energy consumption (84.18%) and mold closing movement affects cycle time (29.27%). The model explains 94.2% of Specific energy consumption variability and 99.34% of cycle time variability. Specifically, the study found that with an optimal configuration of the parameters, the system achieves an average specific energy consumption of 21.7477 kWh/kg and an average cycle time of 38.174 s. Pareto analysis highlights key factors for optimization, guiding efforts to improve energy efficiency. Interaction analysis reveals factors are largely independent. The prediction profiler offers insights into achieving lower energy consumption and cycle time, aiding cost reduction and process optimization. This study provides valuable insights for enhancing efficiency and sustainability in plastic injection molding. It introduces the novel application of the Plackett-Burman design to optimize energy efficiency in plastic injection molding. These crucial insights address complexity in industrial plastics manufacturing, focusing on key factors impacting energy and cycle time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Humidification Dehumidification (HDH) desalination is a convenient process to produce drinking water from low temperature saline water in waterfront areas. High energy consumption of the system remains as a limiting factor, besides many enhancements done in improving the system performance. Though HDH system cycles are classified on the basis of air and water cycles, detailed performance analysis of different HDH cycles is absent till date. The present study aims at carrying out parametric analysis of possible HDH layouts and finally proposing a layout with high Gain Output Ratio (GOR) and Recovery Ratio (RR) at the low equipment volumes. Simulations are carried out using the Scilab® software. Simulation results are validated using the experimental data obtained from a pilot plant of open-air open-water single stage system. Variation of system parameters like humidifier volume, dehumidifier volume, GOR and RR were analysed in detail for each individual layouts. Out of the eight different layouts investigated, Layout 8 is found to be the best based on GOR, RR, equipment volume and specific energy consumption. Hence it is recommended to use Layout 8 with an inlet temperature of 74 °C and MFR of 2.4 for productivity of 90 LPH. [Display omitted] • Detailed study on the performance analysis of 8 different layouts are carried out for a fixed productivity. • Optimal feedwater temperature in humidifier of layouts are directly related with the GOR and RR of the system. • Least equipment volume and highest RR is obtained at the highest feedwater temperature, independent of type of layout. • Highest GOR is obtained at the least feed water temperature if air or water or both streams operate in closed cycle. • Layout 8 is found to have the highest GOR and RR at the lowest value of specific energy consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reverse osmosis (RO) is widely accepted for water reuse because it ensures clean water production. However, innovation in the RO process is necessary for water reuse to enhance its recovery while mitigating membrane fouling and reducing the increase in specific energy consumption (SEC). Therefore, circle sequence reverse osmosis (CSRO) adopts a staged design with flow reversal (FR) and a semi-batch design with a jet pump to enhance water flux distribution and energy efficiency for high-recovery water reuse. This study examined the water flux distribution and SEC of CSRO. When the distribution of water flux was compared, CSRO demonstrated a 7.7 % reduction in water flux in the front element compared to semi-batch reverse osmosis (SBRO). This reduction was attributed to advanced designs in SBRO, such as the two-stage design and an FR operation. The SEC of RO systems was also compared under high-recovery conditions. While both SBRO and CSRO achieved SEC reduction of 20–25 % or 9–18 % compared to two-stage RO depending on the feed salinity, CSRO was slightly more energy-efficient for high-saline feed. It is expected that CSRO has excellent potential for high-recovery water reuse, considering the improvement in water flux distribution and energy efficiency. [Display omitted] • Circle sequence reverse osmosis (CSRO) is newly proposed for water reuse. • CSRO adopts a staged design with FR and a semi-batch design with a jet pump. • Design advancements of CSRO were compared with two-stage RO and SBRO. • CSRO effectively concentrated the feed with evenly distributed water flux in RO. • CSRO was more energy-efficient than SBRO for concentrating the high TDS feed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]