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System Analysis Of An Internal Combustion Engine (Ice) – Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (Sofc) Hybrid Cycle, Jose Javier Colon Rodriguez
System Analysis Of An Internal Combustion Engine (Ice) – Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (Sofc) Hybrid Cycle, Jose Javier Colon Rodriguez
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Due to the intermittent nature of renewable energy and the rigid operation of existing coal plants, the need for flexible power generation technology is eminent. Hybrid energy systems have shown potential for flexible, grid following dynamics while maintaining higher efficiencies. The work below focuses on the performance analysis of a proposed 100 kW pressurized Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) and Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) hybrid system. The un-utilized fuel from the SOFC stack provided the chemical energy to operate the engine. A turbocharger was used to deliver the necessary air flow for both the stack and engine. An external reformer …
Energy Forensics Analysis, Rupa Das
Energy Forensics Analysis, Rupa Das
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
The energy consumed by a building can reveal information about the occupants and their activities inside the building. This could be utilized by industries and law enforcement agencies for commercial or legal purposes. Utility data from Smart Meter (SM) readings can reveal detailed information that could be mapped to foretell resident occupancy and type of appliance usage over desired time intervals. However, obtaining SM data in the United States is laborious and subjected to legal and procedural constraints. This research develops a user-driven simulation tool with realistic data options and assumptions of potential human behavior to determine energy usage patterns …
Evaporative Techniques For Stormwater Runoff Alleviation, Allison M. Arnold
Evaporative Techniques For Stormwater Runoff Alleviation, Allison M. Arnold
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Current climate changes have led to a projected steady increase in rainfall over the next several decades, notably in the Greater Pittsburgh Area. Even without this predicted increase the urbanization of many regions has altered local natural environments, which in the past stored, shed and evaporated this runoff water effectively, maintaining balance within the water table. These added rainfall forecasts, combined with America’s growing trend to develop and expand the urbanization of our natural earth, has resulted in a growing surplus of stormwater runoff water affecting these cities and their suburbs, leaving many sanitation departments unable to meet the heightened …
A Lumped Computational Model For Sodium Sulfur Battery Analysis, Fan Wu
A Lumped Computational Model For Sodium Sulfur Battery Analysis, Fan Wu
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Due to the cost of materials and time consuming testing procedures, development of new batteries is a slow and expensive practice. The purpose of this study is to develop a computational model and assess the capabilities of such a model designed to aid in the design process and control of sodium sulfur batteries.;To this end, a transient lumped computational model derived from an integral analysis of the transport of species, energy and charge throughout the battery has been developed. The computation processes are coupled with the use of Faraday's law, and solutions for the species concentrations, electrical potential and current …
Energy Intensity Determination In Wood Processing Sawmills, Ramakrishna Babu Maddula
Energy Intensity Determination In Wood Processing Sawmills, Ramakrishna Babu Maddula
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Energy intensity is an important aspect to wood products producing sawmills in the State of West Virginia. This research aims to facilitate the accurate measurement of electrical energy intensity in sawmills by means of energy analysis and diagnostics using various data acquisition devices on electrical motors used in the manufacturing processes. Close to 90% of the electrical energy used in a typical sawmill is consumed by motors alone. The energy intensity determination is being accomplished by data collection with respect to electrical energy consumption parameters as well as production parameters. The electrical energy consumption was recorded on all the major …
A Multi-Agent Design For Power Distribution Systems Automation, M. Jawad Ghorbani
A Multi-Agent Design For Power Distribution Systems Automation, M. Jawad Ghorbani
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
A new Multi Agent System (MAS) design for fault location, isolation and restoration in power distribution systems is presented. In proposed approach, when there is a fault in the Power Distribution System (PDS), MAS quickly isolates the fault and restores the service to fault-free zones. Hierarchical coordination strategy is introduced to manage the agents which integrate the advantages of both centralized and decentralized coordination strategies. In this framework, Zone Agent (ZA) locate and isolate the fault based on the locally available information and assist the Feeder Agent (FA) for reconfiguration and restoration. FA can solve the restoration problem using the …
Structure Segmentation And Transfer Faults In The Marcellus Shale, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania: Implications For Gas Recovery Efficiency And Risk Assessment Using 3d Seismic Attribute Analysis, Emily D. Roberts
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
The Marcellus Shale has become an important unconventional gas reservoir in the oil and gas industry. Fractures within this organic-rich black shale serve as an important component of porosity and permeability useful in enhancing production. Horizontal drilling is the primary approach for extracting hydrocarbons in the Marcellus Shale. Typically, wells are drilled perpendicular to natural fractures in an attempt to intersect fractures for effective hydraulic stimulation. If the fractures are contained within the shale, then hydraulic fracturing can enhance permeability by further breaking the already weakened rock. However, natural fractures can affect hydraulic stimulations by absorbing and/or redirecting the energy …
The Production, Value, And Reduction Responsibility Of Carbon Emissions Through Electricity Consumption Of Manufacturing Industries In South Korea And Thailand, Medhawin Kitikun
The Production, Value, And Reduction Responsibility Of Carbon Emissions Through Electricity Consumption Of Manufacturing Industries In South Korea And Thailand, Medhawin Kitikun
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
This dissertation provides a new method of measuring efforts by manufacturing industries to reduce their emissions by curtailing electricity consumption. Employing comprehensive firm-level data from the National Manufacture Annual Surveys of South Korea and Thailand, I construct the measure from estimates of revenue functions by industry. The data consists of firms from more than 20 industries in each year from 1982 to 2005 for Korea and from 2001 to 2008 for Thailand. With a total of more than two million observations, I estimate revenue functions for each industry and year. Here, I use three inputs: number of employees(L), fixed asset …
Selling 'Fracking': Legitimation Of High Speed Oil And Gas Extraction In The Marcellus Shale Region, Jacob R. Matz
Selling 'Fracking': Legitimation Of High Speed Oil And Gas Extraction In The Marcellus Shale Region, Jacob R. Matz
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
The advent of horizontal hydraulic fracture drilling, or 'fracking,' a technology used to access oil and natural gas deposits, has allowed for the extraction of deep, unconventional shale gas and oil deposits in various shale seams throughout the United States and world. One such shale seam, the Marcellus shale, extends from New York State, across Pennsylvania, and throughout West Virginia, where shale gas development has significantly increased within the last decade. This boom has created a massive amount of economic activity surrounding the energy industry, creating jobs for workers, income from leases and royalties for landowners, and profits for energy …
Novel Engineered Nanostructured Complex Oxide For High Temperature Thermoelectric Power Generation, Diego F. Palacio
Novel Engineered Nanostructured Complex Oxide For High Temperature Thermoelectric Power Generation, Diego F. Palacio
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Thermoelectric power generators are a promising technology that can produce electrical power directly from waste heat emitted in energy production and consumption systems. The essential component of thermoelectric generators is the thermoelectric material which performs the energy conversion process. In order to make thermoelectric devices to be considered a significant contributor to US energy infrastructure, it is essential first to foster improvements in high performance thermoelectric materials. They must possess not only a high conversion efficiency, but also need be composed of nontoxic and abundantly available elemental materials having high chemical stability in air up to 800-1000 K. In comparison …
Switchgrass Potential On Reclaimed Surface Mines For Biofuel Production In West Virginia, Michael A. Marra
Switchgrass Potential On Reclaimed Surface Mines For Biofuel Production In West Virginia, Michael A. Marra
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
The high cost and environmental risks associated with non-renewable energy sources has caused an increased interest in, and development of renewable biofuels. Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.), a warm season perennial grass, has been investigated as a source of biofuel feedstock due to its high biomass production on marginal soils, its tolerance of harsh growing conditions, and its ability to provide habitat for wildlife and soil conservation cover. West Virginia contains vast expanses of reclaimed surface mine lands and could potentially benefit from the production of switchgrass as a biofuel feedstock. Furthermore, switchgrass production could satisfy Surface Mining Reclamation and Control …
Land As A Renewable Resource: Integrating Climate, Energy, And Profitability Goals Using An Agent-Based Netlogo Model, Inocencio Rodriguez
Land As A Renewable Resource: Integrating Climate, Energy, And Profitability Goals Using An Agent-Based Netlogo Model, Inocencio Rodriguez
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
The objectives of this study center over the course of the beef production life cycle as a management strategy to optimize the financial and natural resource endowment on farms at the county level based on the data available. Although the application is to West Virginia, implications can be derived for other areas with similar resource endowments. The beef farms located in adjacent locations within a county are identified as suppliers of inputs to the farm of interest (or contracting farm) in order to provide the basic foundation for agglomeration economies.;Both an intertemporal component and a spatial component are involved since …
In-Situ Surface Deformation And Ir Emission Measurements For Solid Oxide Fuel Cells, Huang Guo
In-Situ Surface Deformation And Ir Emission Measurements For Solid Oxide Fuel Cells, Huang Guo
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Direct utilization of coal syngas in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) can potentially be an efficient technology for next generation clean power generation. Long-term durability is an important requirement for the application of SOFC technology. The useful working life of SOFCs depends on the material degradation which is due to the aggressive environment at the operating conditions. In addition to the electrochemical performance, the mechanical integrity of the fuel cell anode is also essential for successful long-term operation.;Material degradation may occur due to several mechanisms depending on the environment and loading conditions. It is reported that SOFC anodes are susceptible …
Production Decline Behavior Of Shale Gas Reservoirs, Zahra Razzaghpanah
Production Decline Behavior Of Shale Gas Reservoirs, Zahra Razzaghpanah
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
The rise in global demand for energy leads oil and gas industry to enhance and develop newer techniques and technologies that produce more oil and gas from resources. Unconventional gas resources comprise a very important share of the domestic natural gas resource base and offer tremendous potential for future reserve and production growth. One of the most important issues associated with shale gas reservoirs is to have an accurate and reliable estimation of the reserves and ultimate recovery. The purpose of this research is to compare different decline curve analysis techniques, it is also to provide a more reliable method …
Hydrothermal Pretreatment Of Biomass Samples For Producing Energy Efficient Hydrogen Electrochemically, Laila P. Akkineni
Hydrothermal Pretreatment Of Biomass Samples For Producing Energy Efficient Hydrogen Electrochemically, Laila P. Akkineni
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
In this thesis, electrochemical production of hydrogen (H2) gas using two biomass materials, namely microcrystalline cellulose and wood sawdust, has been investigated. Since as obtained samples did not show meaningful activity in hydrogen production, these samples were subjected to hydrothermal pretreatment (HTP) in an autoclave using water as solvent at 200° C and up to 500 psi pressure. The HTP samples produced activity as high as that of high surface area activated carbon (BP2000) for producing H2 at energy efficient voltages.;To understand the changes produced by HTP, structural properties of the parent as well as the HTP samples were determined …
Optimization Of Operating Parameters For Minimum Mechanical Specific Energy In Drilling, Todd Robert Hamrick
Optimization Of Operating Parameters For Minimum Mechanical Specific Energy In Drilling, Todd Robert Hamrick
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Efficiency in drilling is measured by Mechanical Specific Energy (MSE). MSE is the measure of the amount of energy input required to remove a unit volume of rock, expressed in units of energy input divided by volume removed. It can be expressed mathematically in terms of controllable parameters; Weight on Bit, Torque, Rate of Penetration, and RPM. It is well documented that minimizing MSE by optimizing controllable factors results in maximum Rate of Penetration. Current methods for computing MSE make it possible to minimize MSE in the field only through a trial-and-error process. This work makes it possible to compute …
Electrochemical And Microstructural Analysis Of Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Electrodes, Mingjia Zhi
Electrochemical And Microstructural Analysis Of Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Electrodes, Mingjia Zhi
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Fuel cells offer several advantages over conventional routines of power generation, such as substantially higher conversion efficiency, modular construction, minimal sitting restriction, and much lower production of pollutants. Solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC), in principle, can utilize all kinds of combustion fuels including coal derived syngas (CSG). The U.S. Department of Energy is currently working on coupling coal gasification and SOFC to form Integrated Gasification Fuel Cell (IGFC) systems. Such IGFC systems will enable the clean, efficient and cost-effective use of coal---the nation's most abundant fossil fuel.;However several issues need to be considered before SOFC can be really commercialized. The …
Assessing The Effect Of Tree Canopy Stocking On Home Energy Use Savings During Peak Cooling Months In West Virginia, Jared Manzo
Assessing The Effect Of Tree Canopy Stocking On Home Energy Use Savings During Peak Cooling Months In West Virginia, Jared Manzo
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
This study estimated the direct energy savings for homes as well as identified specific site differences using actual electric usage for homes. Four sites, ranging between thirty and forty houses per site, were selected at various canopy cover levels (15, 25, 39, and 54 percent). Tree characteristics were measured for each house at the parcel level. This included tree height, height to live crown, species, crown width, distance from house, tree direction, and percent shrub surrounding the house. Energy use for cooling months (June-September) was obtained for sample homes from Allegheny Power. Data indicate a declining energy use with increasing …
Impact Of Gas Desorption On Production From Multiply Fractured Horizontal Well In Shale, Abdallah O. Arwishad
Impact Of Gas Desorption On Production From Multiply Fractured Horizontal Well In Shale, Abdallah O. Arwishad
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
In recent years, the exploitation of unconventional gas reservoirs has become increasingly important to North American energy supply. Unconventional gas development depends on effective stimulation of low permeability reservoir by creating multiple hydraulic fractures which connects massive reservoir area to the wellbore. Hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling are primary techniques to obtain economical production from the shale gas reservoir. In addition to that, gas desorption can be a significant source of gas production in shale gas reservoirs.;This research will illustrate the impact of gas desorption on production from multiply fractured horizontal well in shale by using a reservoir model. This …
Changing Games And Evolving Contexts: Political Bargaining In European Energy Disputes, Fabio Franch
Changing Games And Evolving Contexts: Political Bargaining In European Energy Disputes, Fabio Franch
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Energy has recently become a very important item on the political agenda of most Western countries; it is bound to be even more so in the future, due to the increasing scarcity of natural gas and oil. With Russia using the energy weapons to advance its economic and political goals, energy security has become a central topic in European politics. Important political bargaining models like game theory can offer valuable insights and contribute to the explanation of the outcome of important political confrontations like the ones between Russia and its former satellites. Game theory, however, fails to adequately account for …
Development Of Economic Analysis Models For Woody Biomass To Biofuels In Central Appalachia, Jinzhuo Wu
Development Of Economic Analysis Models For Woody Biomass To Biofuels In Central Appalachia, Jinzhuo Wu
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Concerns about volatile crude oil prices, energy security, and environmental issues are driving the production and use of renewable energy in the United States. Woody biomass can be used as feedstock for solid or liquid fuels or electricity generation. An economic analysis model was developed to estimate the delivered cost of woody biomass using different woody biomass handling systems. The model was designed to minimize the total annual delivered cost of woody biomass and applied to the central Appalachian region. Six forest districts were used to represent the destination of woody biomass supply. When demand is 900 metric tons (990 …
Internal Valve Design And Response Analysis For A Circulation Control Augmented Vertical Axis Wind Turbine, Andrew J. Nawrocki
Internal Valve Design And Response Analysis For A Circulation Control Augmented Vertical Axis Wind Turbine, Andrew J. Nawrocki
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Circulation control is an established method for increasing lift on an airfoil-shaped body. Previous research has focused on the application of circulation control to fixed-wing aircraft as well as rotorcraft; ongoing research at the Center for Industrial Research Applications (CIRA) involves the application of circulation control to vertical-axis wind turbines (VAWT). Due to size and response time constraints, one of the key technical hurdles of this application that must be overcome is the valve mechanism for controlling the airflow out of the blowing slots. A valve design consisting of a slotted, sliding gate mated to a slotted, fixed surface within …
Development Of A Coal Reserve Gis Model And Estimation Of The Recoverability And Extraction Costs, Chandrakanth Reddy Apala
Development Of A Coal Reserve Gis Model And Estimation Of The Recoverability And Extraction Costs, Chandrakanth Reddy Apala
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
The United States has the world largest coal resource and coal will serve as the major and dependable energy source in the coming 200 years or more. However, the amount of recoverable coal reserve depends on the geological formations and quality of the coal seams, future development of mining technology and the extraction cost. A NETL sponsored cooperative research was conducted by the researchers at Carnegie Mallon University (CMU) and West Virginia University (WVU) to estimate the recoverable coal reserve. This thesis presents some of the works that WVU performed to enhance the coal reserve model including characterization of coal …
Determination Of Mixed Hydrate Thermodynamics For Reservoir Modeling, Nagasree Garapati
Determination Of Mixed Hydrate Thermodynamics For Reservoir Modeling, Nagasree Garapati
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Natural gas hydrates are likely to contain more carbon than in all other fossil fuel reserves combined worldwide. Most of the natural gas hydrate deposits contain CH4 along with other hydrocarbon gases like C2H 6, C3H8 and non-hydrocarbon gases like CO 2 and H2S. Thus, if CH4 stored in natural gas hydrates can be recovered, the hydrates would potentially become a clean energy resource for the next 10,000 years. The production of CH4 from natural gas hydrate reservoirs has been predicted by reservoir simulators that implement phase equilibria data to predict various production scenarios. Therefore, it is very important to …
Design Of A Test Stand For Alternate Fuel And Ignition Systems Testing, Patrick Wildfire
Design Of A Test Stand For Alternate Fuel And Ignition Systems Testing, Patrick Wildfire
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
There is a growing interest in improving engine versatility through the capacity to run on more than one fuel. To aid in this effort, ongoing research is being conducted to investigate a novel system using microwave plasma ignition designed with the goal of allowing spark ignited engines to run on multiple fuels. To accomplish the testing of this system, it was necessary to design and fabricate a test stand including an engine and instrumentation capable of measuring the performance of the ignition system within the environment of a running engine, and capable of testing this system on multiple fuels. It …
Rapid Characterization Of Biomass: The Use Of Near Infrared And Fluorescence Spectroscopy As Process Analytical Technology (Pat) Method, Kofi Nkansah
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
The heterogeneous property of biomass (wood) affects its potential of being converted into any form of fuel in different ways (both positive and negative effects). Therefore in other to efficiently utilized biomass as a raw material for conversion into any form of clean alternative fuel to displace some of the fossil fuel we consume in the United State on a commercial scale basis, a quick, robust, non destructive on/in/at-line method of characterizing the physical and chemical properties of biomass that are relevant to the bio-refinery industry is imperative.;This study discusses the potential of using near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and fluorescence …
Kinetic Analysis Of Coal And Biomass Co-Gasification With Carbon Dioxide, Jiachuan Bu
Kinetic Analysis Of Coal And Biomass Co-Gasification With Carbon Dioxide, Jiachuan Bu
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Based on Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) experimental data, a kinetic analysis of the Boudouard reaction was studied for three different coal chars, three different biomass chars, and their mixtures. The coal chars included: North Dakota Lignite, Illinois No.6, and Powder River Basin char; the biomass chars included: Hardwood, Switchgrass, and Corn Stove char. The reaction temperature ranged from 900°C to 1100°C. Different kinetic models were used for modeling the reaction rate. For the simplified Dutta and Wen model, it was found that the reaction rate was first order with respect to both CO2 and carbon. For the modified shrinking sphere model, …
Development Of A Web-Based Woody Biomass Energy Expert System, Sabina Dhungana
Development Of A Web-Based Woody Biomass Energy Expert System, Sabina Dhungana
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
Woody biomass is evolving as a potential bioenergy feedstock at an industrial scale to provide the required supply for industries relying on these resources at necessary levels and feasible costs. In order to effectively utilize woody biomass for energy, it is essential to know in advance the availability of biomass, the equivalent energy provided, and the associated procurement costs. Expert systems, using computer based programming and containing knowledge bases reflecting the knowledge of human experts in the field, are being used in industrial facilities for real time problem analysis and knowledge enhancement. This study draws on this approach and attempts …
Agent Based Modeling Of Power Distribution Systems, Sridhar Chouhan
Agent Based Modeling Of Power Distribution Systems, Sridhar Chouhan
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
The electric power system is a very vast network and becoming more complex each day. The traditional vertically monopolistic structure has been deregulated and replaced by gencos, transcos and, discos; increasing the power system intricacy. During the past few decades there has been remarkable development in software and hardware technologies for the analysis and design activities in power system planning, operation, and control. However, much still depends on the judgment of human experts. A single fault in power system can lead to multiple faults and can collapse the whole system. Power System needs a more decentralized control mechanism for solving …
Effect Of Well Configurations On Productivity Index Of Gas Well Producing From Shale, Emaadeldein Abdullaay
Effect Of Well Configurations On Productivity Index Of Gas Well Producing From Shale, Emaadeldein Abdullaay
Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports
This study investigates the effect of various well configurations (designs) and their impact on the productivity index of shale gas wells. Five different well configurations (Multilateral wells) are compared with a single horizontal well, which is taken as a base case (BC). Both the base case and the different well configurations have the same drainage area, the initial gas in place and the total lateral lengths are equal. The data to calculate the productivity index and the modeling for the different well designs are obtained from reservoir simulation. The different flow regimes of each well configuration have been studied to …