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The augmentation of the epoxy (EP) resin surface to advance flashover performance has become a pivotal point of global interest. This research introduces a novel surface modification method and its mechanism for insulation materials. The research follows an electron cyclotron resonance ion implantation system to subject the surface of EP insulation to ion beams with diverse energies, i.e., 6, 10, 20, 40, 50, and 60 keV for a consistent time of 300 s at an angle of 90°. The experimental phase includes the DC flashover examination under negative polarity. Besides, the simulation phase includes the Monte Carlo model constructed using SRIM software to examine the range and distribution of bombarded ions in the targeted insulation. Results reveal that the flashover properties are affected by the surface potential, surface conductivity, trap distribution, water contact angle, and elemental composition. Likewise, based on the outcomes and theoretical point of view, it is revealed that the bombardment of energetic ions enhances the trap depth, assisting in a reduction in surface conductivity, confining the surface charge movements, and extensively suppressing the secondary electron emission yield. Also, the enhanced trap depth induces homo-charge formation near triple junctions. Synergistically, the factors contribute to high flashover voltages.

High voltage (HV) outdoor insulators are subjected to both electrical and environmental stresses, which may lead to their failure. Among the causes, corona discharge, humidity and UV radiation are considered to be the most damaging factors. Efforts are therefore underway to investigate new materials for improving the performance of insulating systems. In this research work, silicone-based room temperature vulcanized samples filled with alumina trihydrate (ATH), silicon dioxide and magnesium hydroxide (MH) were prepared and exposed to AC corona discharge for a duration of 110 h. The electric discharge was also accompanied by UV radiation and two different humidity levels. Following aging of the test samples, diagnosis was conducted to assess their integrity. Measurements based on determining the static contact angle demonstrated the loss of hydrophobicity of all the materials, while hydrophobicity recovery phenomena revealed that ATH-doped materials demonstrated a comparatively higher increase in the contact angle than in samples filled with silicone dioxide (silica) and MH. Scanning electron microscopy analysis revealed deep cracks and block-like structures on their surfaces. Similarly, energy-dispersive X-ray analysis indicated the signs of surface oxidation of the aged samples. However, the data of elemental composition exhibited the loss of filler contents as well as that of carbon from the base matrix. The overall assessment showed that resistance to suppress aging is influenced by both the filler type and its concentration in the investigated composites. The ATH-filled composites exhibited outstanding performance when exposed to the rigors of corona discharge and other environmental stresses. This research contributes to materials science and HV engineering by addressing the development of composites for enhanced insulator performance, with future aspects lying in the utilization of nano-composites for advanced functionality and durability.

The key solution to the now-a-days energy crisis is the conversion of waste heat into useful electrical energy. In this work, the structural, electronic, and thermoelectric characteristics of EuMg2X2 (X = P, As, Sb, Bi) zintl materials have been investigated comprehensively through first principles studies. Structural analysis shows that our measured values fit well with the previous available experimental data. Three potential functionals, PBE GGA, TB-mBJ, and hybrid functional (YS-PBE0), have been used to study the electronic behavior of the titled compounds. EuMg2X2 (X = P, As, Sb, Bi) reveal band gaps of 0.83 eV, 0.72 eV, 0.34 eV, and 0.41 eV, respectively, through hybrid functional (YS-PBE0). Density of states (DOS) and partial density of states (PDOS) studies reveals the role offered by different atomic orbitals in the formation of electronic band structures of the samples. Similarly, thermoelectric tone of the said compounds is calculated by virtue of BoltzTraP2 computational code. The ultralow thermal conductivity and optimum level of carriers' concentration encompass these materials to be good thermoelectrics with better and reasonable thermoelectric efficiency (ZTe). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we have synthesized facile Cu‐based CuO:Er2O3 nanoelectrode material for energy storage and generation. CuO:Er2O3 nanomaterial was synthesized employing phyto‐extract of Amaranthus viridis L. (AVL) as stabilizing and reducing agents. Spherical‐shaped CuO:Er2O3 nanomaterial was initially employed to study supercapacitor behavior. The specific capacitance of 82.25 F/g was found at 0.5 A/g by galvanostatic charge–discharge, whereas the value of 319 F/g was achieved at 2 mV/s by cyclic voltammetry (CV) measurements. Furthermore, CuO:Er2O3 electrode was investigated for water splitting energy generation potential and revealed an overpotential value of 323 mV at 10 mA/cm2 for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). However, for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), an overpotential value of 370 mV was found. The electrochemical impedance analysis revealed the faster flow of electrons and ions, suggesting great conductivity and lower resistance of the fabricated electrode. Thus, current electrochemical results are proposing CuO:Er2O3 as an competent electrode for overall energy‐generating as well as storage applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using single‐source precursor route, this work reports the synthesis of the novel chalcogenide heterosystem, i.e., BaS:CoS:La2S3 trichalcogenide heterosystem. With the narrowed band gap energy, BaS:CoS:La2S3 expresses excellent photonic response with 3.47 eV of tailored band gap resulting from chemical synergism. This chalcogenide is marked by superior crystallinity and possessed an average crystallite size of 18.29 nm. Morphologically, BaS:CoS:La2S3 exists in the form of the roughly spherical grains arranged in the irregular manner. The developed chalcogenide is assessed for charge storage by fabricating the electrode using a nickel form as a support. In a 0.1 m KOH background electrolyte, the BaS:CoS:La2S3 adorns electrode excelled in achieving a specific capacitance of 967.24 F g−1. In addition, this trichalcogenide expresses the specific power density of 1659 W kg−1. Fabricated electrode retains original capacitance after different cycles. Regarding electrode–electrolyte interactions, the fabricated electrode shows minimal resistance, with an equivalent series resistance (Rs) of 1.42 Ω as indicated by impedance studies. Additional circuit elements, including CPE (Yo = 2.17 × 10−04, n = 0.71) and Rct (6.97 Ω cm−2), are obtained after circuit fitting for the BaS:CoS:La2S3 trichalcogenide decorated electrode. Exhibiting stable behavior for 43 h, the synthesized material demonstrates profound durability and functionality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a result of global efforts to combat the rise in global climate change and carbon dioxide emissions, there has been a substantial increase in renewable energy investment for both residential and utility power generation. Solar power facilities are estimated to be among the major contributors to global decarbonization in terms of capacity by 2050. Consequently, the majority of economically significant countries are progressively implementing utility-scale photovoltaic (U-PV) systems. Nevertheless, a major obstacle to the expansion of U-PV generation is the identification and assessment of direct current (DC) faults in the extensive array of PV panels. In order to address this obstacle, it is imperative to provide an evaluation method that can accurately and cost-effectively identify and locate potential DC faults in PV arrays. Therefore, many studies attempted to utilize thermal cameras, voltage and current sensors, power databases, and other detecting elements; however, some of these technologies provide extra hurdles in terms of the quantity and expense of the utilized hardware equipment. This work presents a sophisticated system that aims to diagnose and locate various types of PV faults, such as line-to-ground, line-to-line, inter-string, open-circuit, and partial shading events, within a PV array strings down to a module level. This study primarily depends on three crucial indicators: precise calculation of the PV array output power and current, optimal placement of a limited number of voltage sensors, and execution of specifically specified tests. The estimation of PV array power, along with selectively placed voltage sensors, minimizes the time and equipment required for fault detection and diagnosis. The feasibility of the proposed method is investigated with real field data and the PSCAD simulation platform during all possible weather conditions and array faults. The results demonstrate that the proposed approach can accurately diagnose and localize faults with only NS/2 voltage sensors, where NS is the number of PV array parallel strings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A shift to alternate energy sources is needed at the present time to address rising environmental concerns. The current research work aims to use a chemical‐free and green route to synthesize nanocomposite for their application as an electrode in the generation as well as storage of energy. Subsequently, the green synthesis of Bi2O3‐Sb2O3 nanocomposite was carried out using the leaf extract of Amaranthus viridis. The synthesized nanocomposite revealed a well‐arranged pattern of spherical nanoparticles with a crystal size of 29.43 nm and a band gap value of 2.5 eV. The hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) potentials of Bi2O3‐Sb2O3 were studied through linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), whereas the energy storage studies were performed using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and galvanostatic charge discharge (GCD) techniques. The synthesized nanomaterial showed promising results for HER with an overpotential value of 205 mV as compared with OER, where an overpotential value of 450 mV was observed. However, excellent cyclic stability was witnessed for both reactions up to 1000 cycles. CV studies revealed an outstanding capacitance value of 348 F/g at a scan rate of 2 mV/s, whereas a specific capacitance of 269.5 F/g at a current density of 0.5 A/g was observed using GCD. The 15 h of electrode stability further endorsed the potential of synthesized material for energy‐based applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aims to demonstrate that a one-of-a-kind microencapsulated bio-based PCM may be utilized in the passive collection of solar energy in buildings. The research makes use of a PCM with thermal properties within the comfort zone but is also able to track the performance of solar photovoltaic panels. This allows the research to be more accurate. Because of this, the research can produce outcomes that are more accurate. After finishing the step before this one, the next thing that needs to be done is creating novel composite concrete panels. This step follows the completion of the phase before it. The outcomes of the mechanical and thermal tests served as the basis for determining the best composition of the concrete mix that should be used for making this panel. The method concludes with the construction of a test structure using composite walls as the primary building material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Distributed grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) generation explores several methods that produce energy at or near the point of consumption, with the aim of reducing electricity losses among transmission networks. Consequently, home on-grid PV applications have garnered increased interest from both scientific researchers and industry professionals over the last decade. Nevertheless, the growing installation of intermittent nature residential PV systems (R-PV) in low-voltage distribution networks is leading to more cautious considerations of technology limitations and PV design challenges. This conservative perspective arises from the standpoint of grid quality and security, ultimately resulting in the revocation of PV connection authorization. Hence, the design of R-PV systems should consider not only the specifications of the PV panels and load profiles but also the characteristics and requirements of the connected power grid. This project therefore seeks to enhance the design considerations of grid-connected PV systems, in order to help the end-users meet the grid codes set out by the Saudi Electricity Regulatory Authority (SERA). Since the maximum amount of generated power is essential for PV system optimization, the ratio of grid strength to maximum transmitted power was employed to ascertain the suitable capacity of the PV system, while the assessment of PV power output was utilized to specify the system size. Furthermore, a battery energy storage system (BESS) with a small size (~10% of the PV capacity) is employed to enhance the PV power quality for a dependable grid interconnection. The BESS is equipped with a versatile power controller in order to achieve the designed objectives. The obtained results show an essential advancement in terms of power quality and reliability at the customer's connection point. Moreover, with the design assessment process, the low-voltage ride-through (LVRT) and power factor requirements can be met, in addition to the total harmonic distortion (THD) and frequency transient limitations. The proposed solution assists end-users in efficiently designing their own R-PV systems while ensuring quality and sustainability for authorized grid interconnection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]