Energy Systems Commons^™

Numerical Simulation Of Enhancement In Co2 Sequestration With Various Water Production Schemes Under Multiple Well Scenarios, Li Chen

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

CO₂ geological sequestration simultaneously combined with water production from deep saline aquifers can effectively address the challenge faced by the modern energy systems for reducing the CO₂ emissions and water intensity while providing reliable, affordable, and secure energy. However, little attention has been paid to date in the literature on determining the best CO₂ injection strategy for achieving both the optimal water production and the optimal CO₂ space storage capacity while maintaining operational safety. This research first establishes three injection-extraction scenarios based on the typical geological parameters of the Junggar Basin in China to analyze the …

Design Of A Very High Efficiency Evaporatively Cooled Mini-Split Air Conditioner, Florida Solar Energy Center, Danny Parker

FSEC Energy Research Center®

An in-house research project at the Florida Solar Energy Center in 2013 was conducted to evaluate the potential of an evaporatively cooled mini-split heat pump. The mini-split heat pump modified was a 1.5-ton Fujitsu model with 19.2 SEER and 10.0 HSPF energy efficiency ratings. Cooling capacity of the system is variable and ranges from 7,000 to 23,000 Btu/h.

We demonstrated that it is possible to improve the energy efficiency of the evaluated mini-split air conditioner by 21% seasonally in Florida's humid climate using an evaporative pre-cooler. Further, we showed the same apparatus was able to improve air conditioner efficiency by …

Electric Vehicle Energy Impacts, Florida Solar Energy Center, Katherine Mckenzie

FSEC Energy Research Center®

The objective of this research project was to evaluate the impacts of electric vehicles (EVs) and renewable wind and solar photovoltaic (PV) power generation on reducing petroleum imports and greenhouse gas emissions to Hawaii. In 2015, the state of Hawaii mandated fossil fuel electric power displacement by imposing Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) that will reach 100% renewable electricity generation by 2045. With small, remote and isolated island electricity grids, utilities in Hawaii face unprecedented technical and economic challenges to meet these goals with exceedingly high levels of intermittent wind and PV power generation. To meet these RPS goals, EVs become …

An Experimental Study On Drag Reduction Of Aftermarket Additions On An Suv, Christiana L. Katsoulos

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Over recent years, the awareness of climate change has become more prevalent worldwide and one major contributor to global warming has been the use of transportation. Vehicles contribute to global warming by releasing petroleum based emissions such as significant amounts of carbon dioxide and numerous other harmful environmental pollutants. SUVs contribute to the emissions problem more so than sedans, since they have lower gas mileage and need more gasoline regularly. The main functionality of sport utility vehicles, or SUVs, includes hauling or off-roading and fuel efficiency is not always the focus in the design process. However, aerodynamic enhancements could improve …

System-Layout-Dependent Thermally Induced Solder Stress & Reliability Implications, Ange C. Iradukunda

Mechanical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

Electronic flip chip assemblies consist of dissimilar component materials, which exhibit different CTE. Under thermal cyclic operating conditions, this CTE mismatch produces interfacial and interconnect stresses, which are highly dependent on system layout. In this paper, sensitivity analyses are performed using ANSYS FEA to establish how the proximity and arrangement of neighboring devices affect interconnect stress. Flip chip alignment modes ranging from edge-to-edge to corner-to-corner are studied. Results of these FEA studies, demonstrated that closely packing devices together has the effect of making them act as one. This results in a significant increase in the thermomechanical stresses induced on peripheral …

Numerical Investigation Of A Phase-Change Material Based Photovoltaic Panel Temperature Regulation System, Rohit Gulati

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

As the production of clean electricity has gained importance, photovoltaic (PV) panels have become a widely used technology. But, during operation, PV panels heat up due to the solar insolation and suffer a drop in electrical output. The goal of this investigation is to use phase-change materials (PCM) to passively cool PV panels. The PCM is inside an aluminum container attached to the back surface of the PV panel. Four configurations of the container are investigated. The first configuration is a container with bulk PCM occupying its entire interior volume. The depth of this container is varied. The second configuration …

Deposition Velocity Dependence On Urban Morphology, Rawand Muzafar Rasheed

Maseeh Summer Undergraduate Research Experience

Understanding the interactions between the atmospheric boundary layer and urban structures provides insights into emerging problems such as green building design as well as dispersion and deposition of pollutants on urban structures. Characterization of deposition velocity dependence through the naphthalene sublimation method on model urban structures is conducted herein where the analogous fundamental transport mechanisms of momentum and mass transport is obtained via mass of naphthalene transferred. Via wind tunnel experiments, results show that deposition velocity of naphthalene from urban structures increases with increased number of urban structures ahead of the point of investigation. This is attributed to the wakes …

Semi-Annual Program Progress Performance Report For University Transportation Systems Pppr#7, Florida Solar Energy Center, David L. Block

FSEC Energy Research Center®

The Electric Vehicle Transportation Center (EVTC) supports the U.S. Department of Transportation's strategic goal of planning for near-term integration of alternative fuel vehicles as a means to build a sustainable transportation system. The project objectives are to evaluate technologies, standards, planning and policies to ensure seamless integration of electric vehicles (EVs) into a complex transportation network and electricity grid. The EVTC bridges the gap between deployment of electric vehicles and the traditional transportation system. This document is a summary of the activities until April 28, 2017.

Fabrication And Study Of The Structure And Magnetism Of Rare-Earth Free Nanoclusters, Bhaskar Das

Department of Physics and Astronomy: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

No abstract provided.

Residential Code Review For The 2017 Florida Building Energy Code, Florida Solar Energy Center, Jeffrey Sonne

FSEC Energy Research Center®

The project reviews provisions of the proposed 2017 residential Florida building energy code in order to make a determination if it meets or exceeds the 2015 IECC code.

Electric Bus Systems. A Case Study And Optimization Study, Florida Solar Energy Center, Nan Qin

FSEC Energy Research Center®

Pure electric buses (EBs) offer an alternative fuel for the nation's transit bus systems. To evaluate EBs in a transit setting, this project investigated the five electric bus fleet of the StarMetro transit system of the city of Tallahassee, FL. For the study, the implementing strategy, route distances and timings, charging times, fuel economies, impact of chargers, and maintenance and operational characteristics were analyzed. The results were compared to a baseline five diesel bus fleet. The results showed that even with a four-fold improvement in fuel efficiency, the operational costs of electric buses were only 10% lower than that for …

Fuel Cell Vehicle Technologies Final Report, Florida Solar Energy Center, Nan Qin

FSEC Energy Research Center®

Fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) use hydrogen as fuel and exhaust only water and heat. They provide driving ranges and fueling times comparable to gasoline vehicles. Despite the advantages, FCEVs have been in and out of the spot light of the auto industry for the past several decades. As FCEVs finally moved from concept demonstration to commercialization in 2015, it is critical to analyze the opportunities and challenges this technology brings. This project placed emphasis on four areas: (1) Analysis of the development of FCEVs from a historic and technology point of view; (2) analysis of hydrogen fueling station infrastructure …

Optimizing Jets For Wake Control Of Ground Vehicles, Domenic Barsotti, Sandra Boetcher

Publications

A system of wake control for a ground vehicle to help promote increased fuel efficiencies of the ground vehicle by modifying an air flow wake generated during the movement of the vehicle in a forward direction. The system includes at least one slot jet configured to be located along a rear profile portion of the ground vehicle. The at least one slot jet is configured to provide a continuous flow of air at a non-zero velocity when the ground vehicle is moving in a forward direction, the non-zero velocity being at least partially directed in a rearward direction with an …

Assessing The Sunguide® And Steward Databases, Florida Solar Energy Center, Richard Raustad

FSEC Energy Research Center®

This report is a final research report for Assessing the SunGuide® and STEWARD Databases project of the Electric Vehicle Transportation Center (EVTC) at the University of Central Florida (UCF). The Electric Vehicle Transportation Center is a University Transportation Center funded by the Research and Innovative Technology Administration of the U.S. Department of Transportation. The EVTC is a research and education center whose projects prepare the U.S. transportation system for the influx of electric vehicles into a sustainable transportation network and investigate the opportunity these vehicles present to enhance electric grid modernization efforts. The EVTC is led by UCF's Florida Solar …

Pv-Driven Heat Pump Water Heater Final Report, Florida Solar Energy Center, Carlos Colon

FSEC Energy Research Center®

As part of the effort towards zero energy buildings and high efficiency water heating systems, the Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) working under contract with the National Renewable Energy laboratories (NREL) has successfully completed a demonstration of a photovoltaic heat pump water heater (PV-HPWH) concept. The system integrates two 310Wp solar photovoltaics (PV) modules and grid tied micro-inverters with a commercially available 50-gallon HPWH. The project showcases innovative strategies for distributed PV thermal systems that limit grid interaction and provide increased thermal energy storage. The system utilizes a custom appliance control module (ACM) interface to vary thermostat settings (115 °F …

Electric Vehicle Charging Technologies Analysis And Standards, Florida Solar Energy Center, J. Doug Kettles

FSEC Energy Research Center®

This project has evaluated the technologies and standards associated with Electric Vehicle Service Equipment (EVSE) and the related infrastructure, and the major cost issue related to electric vehicle (EV) charging -- the cost of utility power. The technology assessment report evaluated safety standards for infrastructure, highway and vehicles and the barriers and challenges of deploying an expanded network of EV charging stations. The report also made recommendations to help standardize and expedite EVSE infrastructure and charging network deployment.

Cost Effectiveness Of Energy Efficiency And On-Site Photovoltaic Power For 2015 International Energy Conservation Code Eri (Energy Rating Index) Compliance, Florida Solar Energy Center, Philip W. Fairey

FSEC Energy Research Center®

EnergyGauge® USA v.5.1 is used to simulate the energy use of one-story, three bedroom, 2000 ft², single-family, frame homes in sixteen representative U.S. climates comprising all eight IECC climate zones. The energy use of the Section R406.2 minimum efficiency home (the Baseline Home) is compared against the energy use of homes complying with the prescriptive requirements of Section R402 of the 2015 IECC and against homes complying with the Section R406 Energy Rating Index (ERI) Compliance Alternative. The improvement cost and energy savings of the improved homes relative to the Baseline Home are then used to determine the cost effectiveness …

Effect Of Sky Conditions On Light Transmission Through A Suspended Particle Device Switchable Glazing, Aritra Ghosh, Brian Norton, Aidan Duffy

Articles

A suspended particle device (SPD) switchable glazing changes its state from opaque to transparent in the presence of a power supply. SPD glazing's near normal transmission varies with incident angle and clearness index. Due to a lower diffuse component, higher glazing transmission ensues at higher clearness indices. Transmittance values for different azimuthal incident angle for a SPD glazing for its “transparent” and “opaque” states have been determined. In Dublin, below 0.5 clearness index, isotropic diffuse transmittance was prevailed while transmission of direct insolation was dominant above 0.5 clearness index. For south facing vertical plane SPD glazing transmittance in its transparent …

Implications Of Electric Vehicle Penetration On State And Federal Highway Revenues, Florida Solar Energy Center, Kevin Schleith

FSEC Energy Research Center®

This report summarizes the results of research conducted to determine if current and near future electric vehicle (EV) sales will have an impact on motor fuel tax revenues as part of the Federal Highway Trust Fund (HTF). Gasoline and diesel fuel taxes account for $31.1 billion or about 87% of the HTF. The project results were accomplished by conducting a review of existing industry and government reports that detail fuel tax revenues and an analysis of EV sales from 2010 through 2016. Results show, that as of January 2017, the lost fuel tax revenue from EV sales of 560,000 vehicles …

Electric Vehicle Life Cycle Cost Analysis, Florida Solar Energy Center, Richard Raustad

FSEC Energy Research Center®

This project compared total life cycle costs of battery electric vehicles (BEV), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV), hybrid electric vehicles (HEV), and vehicles with internal combustion engines (ICE). The analysis considered capital and operating costs in order to present an equal comparison of differing vehicles. The analysis also included photovoltaic (PV) and workplace charging options. The overall goal was to define the total vehicle cost of ownership over 5, 10, 15, and 20 year life expectancies. The developed life cycle cost computer program will allow any individual to compare life cycle costs of any vehicle.