Abstract This article introduces a novel approach for the active‐mode indirect drying of food grains using an independent high‐temperature thermal energy storage (TES) system. It uses commercial software to conduct numerical analysis of a solar drying unit fused with indirect TES. Employing commercial grade phase change material X‐180, solar drying unit incorporates scheffler dishes, receiver, TES, thermic fluid pump, air blower, and dryer fitted with a radiator. Heat transfer fluid Thermenol‐66 has been used to facilitate the heat transfer from receiver to TES and dryer. Two distinct TES designs, one without fins (case A) and the other with fins (case B), have been used to encapsulate phase change material and facilitate the flow of heat transfer fluid. The dynamic performance of independent solar drying unit components was examined at various mass flow rates during charging and discharging process. The results demonstrate that adding 42 fins, i.e. (case B), reduces the charging and discharging time to 22% and 24%, respectively. Due to high charging and discharging power, the rate of temperature change in case B is 19% higher compared to case A. To maintain drying quality, the dryer should have a continual flow of hot air at a constant temperature. Therefore, utilization of the TES, case A, provides a significantly higher uniformity index and a more extended drying period during the discharge process.
Thermal barrier coating is critical for thermal insulation technology, making the underlying base metal capable of operating at a melting temperature of 1150 °C. By increasing the temperature of incoming gases, engineers can improve the thermal and mechanical performance of gas turbine blades and the piston cylinder arrangement. Recent developments in the field of thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) have made this material suitable for use in a variety of fields, including the aerospace and diesel engine industries. Changes in the turbine blade microstructure brought on by its operating environment determine how long and reliable it will be. In addition, the effectiveness of multi-layer, composite and functionally graded coatings depends heavily on the deposition procedures used to create them. This research aims to clarify the connection between workplace conditions, coating morphology and application methods. This article presents a high-level overview of the many coating processes and design procedures employed for TBCs to enhance the coating’s surface quality. To that end, this review is primarily concerned with the cultivation, processing and characteristics of engineered TBCs that have aided in the creation of specialized coatings for use in industrial settings.
Building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) systems have gained a lot of attention in recent years as they support the United Nations’ sustainable development goals of renewable energy generation and construction of resilient infrastructure. To make the BIPV system infra resilient, there is a need to adopt digital technologies such as the internet of things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), edge computing, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), and robotics. In this study, the current challenges in the BIPV system, such as the rise in the temperature of the PV modules, the occurrence of various faults, and the accumulation of dust particles over the module surface, have been identified and discussed based on the previous literature. To overcome the challenges, the significance and application of the integration of these digital technologies in the BIPV system are discussed along with the proposed architecture. Finally, the study discusses the vital recommendations for future directions, such as ML and DL for image enhancement and flaws detection in real-time image data; edge computing to implement DL for intelligent BIPV data analytics; fog computing for 6G assisted IoT network in BIPV; edge computing integration in UAV for intelligent automation and detection; augmented reality, virtual reality, and digital twins for virtual BIPV systems with research challenges of real-time implementation in the BIPV.
Thermal energy storage (TES) assisted with phase change materials (PCM)s seeks greater attention to bridge the gap between energy demand and supply. PCM has its footprint toward efficient storage of solar energy. Inorganic salt hydrate PCMs are propitious over organic PCMs in terms of energy storage ability, thermal conductivity, and fireproof, however the major issue of supercooling and poor optical absorbance remains. This research investigates commercialized inorganic salt hydrate PCM with phase transition temperature of 50 °C, thermal conductivity of 0.593 Wm −1 K −1 which is favoured with melting enthalpy of 190 J g −1 , and 2–3 °C of supercooling. Mixture of graphene: silver at a proportion of (1:1) is used as the hybrid nanomaterial to further enhance the thermal conductivity, optical absorbance, and thermal stability. Hybrid nanocomposites are developed via two‐step process involving direct mixing and ultrasonication. Morphological behaviour, chemical stability, optical property, thermal property, thermal reliability, and stability of the developed nanocomposite samples are experimentally analysed. As a result, sustainable TES materials with thermal conductivity of 0.937 Wm −1 K −1 , optical absorbance of 0.8, increased energy storage potential is formulated. Subsequently a numerical simulation is conducted to illustrate the potential of the developed nanocomposite in transfer of heat energy.
The Journal retracts the article, “Dynamics of MHD Convection of Walters B Viscoelastic Fluid through an Accelerating Permeable Surface Using the Soret–Dufour Mechanism” [...]
In this paper, three PCM based foot warmers of cylindrical and rectangular in shape were designed, developed and fabricated to store solar energy during sunshine hours. The stored energy was utilised to warm the feet in the late evening to replace electric heaters. By trial experiment, it was found out that the surface temperature of the storage units of the foot warmer should be between 37?C?41?C for heating the feet. Therefore, commercial grade lauric acid (Melting Point 42.2?C, Latent Heat of Fusion 181 ? 103 J/kg) was used as a latent heat storage material. Experiments were conducted during a winter season to study the latent heat storage units and the thermal performance of the rectangular shaped foot warmer was found better than the cylindrical shaped with the same storage capacity. The experimental thermal performance studies of these latent heat storage systems showed that such type of foot warmer can be used for heating purpose of the feet and legs in composite and cold and sunny climates.
A simplified version of differential thermal analysis has been developed resulting in an inexpensive apparatus for determining the latent heat of fusion of phase change materials. The experimental results performed with three samples show that the present method yields results which agree within 5% with the measurements of sophisticated differential scanning calorimetry apparatus.
Abstract Residential cooking with non‐renewable energy sources, such as firewood, charcoal, natural gas, participate in the emission of more than a gigaton of CO 2 per year, which represents 2% of the global CO 2 emissions. Additionally, toxic particles including sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, and mercury are released leading to elevated levels of indoor air pollution, and adversely affecting the health of the inhabitants. The residential sector's non‐renewable energy cooking devices also pose significant problems, consuming approximately 30%–40% of global energy usage, with over 80% dedicated to cooking applications. To mitigate the negative impacts of traditional cooking on health and the environment, various renewable energy‐based cooking technologies have been developed recently. The primary contributions of our paper are to: (a) present a comprehensive review of concentrated solar thermal cooking technologies, assessing their social, economic, and environmental impact across different climatic zones in developing countries like India; (b) classify and compare different solar cooking technologies, highlighting their advantages and limitations in various scenarios; (c) evaluate the energy efficiency of diverse solar cooking technologies; (d) analyze the impact of solar cookers on communities in developing countries; and (e) identify the challenges and future directions for solar cooker technologies, particularly in solar community kitchens. Our novel findings demonstrate that using solar cooking devices can reduce energy consumption by up to 56% in Indian schools. Moreover, the payback period ranges from 3 to 6 years, contingent on the technology's cost, climatic conditions, and available subsidies. Consequently, significant positive impacts on society, the economy, and the environment are observed when traditional cooking devices are replaced by solar cooking devices. This study provides a unique and thorough analysis, contributing to the growing body of knowledge on sustainable cooking solutions and their potential to transform energy consumption patterns in developing regions.
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