Engineering Commons^™

Quantum-Powered Battery Scheduling In Modern Distribution Grids, Diba Ehsani

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The rising need for exploiting a novel and evolved computation is an increasing concern in the power distribution system to address the exponential growth of distribution-connected devices. Scheduling numerous battery energy storage systems in an optimal way is one of the emerging challenges that will be more noticeable as the number of batteries, including residential, community, and vehicle batteries, increases in the grid. This thesis focuses on this topic and offers a necessary component in building the quantum-compatible distribution system of the future. Using a constrained quadratic model (CQM) on D-Wave’s hybrid solver as well as a binary quadratic model …

A Screening Tool For The Implementation Of Electric And Thermal Energy Storage Systems At Commercial And Industrial Facilities, Mckenna P. Amerson

Theses and Dissertations

The integration of on-site renewable systems with energy storage devices is an important topic in improving energy management for commercial buildings and industrial facilities. Energy storage technologies have the ability to impact the end user’s power reliability while creating measurable energy and cost savings. However, the potential yet remains to increase the application of these systems. To determine the feasibility of renewables and energy storage in commercial and industrial applications, a pre-screening software tool is developed using data-driven algorithms to complete an energy, cost, and carbon savings analysis of storage implementation. A case study of a standalone retail building is …

Aqueous Redox Flow Batteries With Boron Doped Diamond As An Electrode., Alex M. Bates

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As the interest and implementation of renewable energy accelerates, so does that of grid energy storage. It is widely believed that a cost-effective energy storage technology will bring about the proliferation of renewable energy. Redox flow battery (RFB) technology represents a promising solution to cost-effective grid energy storage. Compared to other technologies, RFBs have a long lifetime, high efficiency, are non-flammable, significantly reduce cost, and separately scale power and energy. The separation of power and energy enables increased energy capacity by simply adding electrolyte volume. Of the challenges facing RFB technology, one readily apparent is the cost of the active …

Power Take-Off And Energy Storage System Static Modeling And Sizing For Direct Drive Wave Energy Converter To Support Ocean Sensing Applications, Xiang Zhou, Ossama Abdelkhalik, Wayne Weaver

Michigan Tech Publications

This paper addresses the sizing and design problem of a permanent magnet electrical machine power take-off system for a two-body wave energy converter, which is designed to support ocean sensing applications with sustained power. The design is based upon ground truth ocean data bi-spectrums (swell and wind waves) from Martha’s Vineyard Coastal Observatory in the year 2015. According to the ground truth ocean data, the paper presents the optimal harvesting power time series of the whole year. The electrical machine and energy storage static modeling are introduced in the paper. The paper uses the ground truth ocean data in March …

Transient Analysis Of Diffusion-Induced Deformation In A Viscoelastic Electrode, Yaohong Suo, Fuqian Yang

Chemical and Materials Engineering Faculty Publications

In this study, we analyze the transient diffuse-induced-deformation of an electrode consisting of the conducting polymer polypyrrole (PPY) by using the theories of linear viscoelasticity and diffusion-induced stress. We consider two constitutive relationships with dependence of viscosity on strain rate: Kelvin-Voigt model and three-parameter solid model. A numerical method is used to solve the problem of one-dimensional, transient diffusion-induced-deformation under potentiostatic operation. The numerical results reveal that the maximum displacement occurs at the free surface and the maximum stress occurs at the fixed end. The inertia term causes the stress to increase at the onset of lithiation. The stress decreases …

Enhanced Carbon Dioxide Electrolysis At Redox Manipulated Interfaces, Wenyuan Wang, Lizhen Gan, John P. Lemmon, Fanglin Chen, John T. S. Irvine, Kui Xie

Faculty Publications

Utilization of carbon dioxide from industrial waste streams offers significant reductions in global carbon dioxide emissions. Solid oxide electrolysis is a highly efficient, high temperature approach that reduces polarization losses and best utilizes process heat; however, the technology is relatively unrefined for currently carbon dioxide electrolysis. In most electrochemical systems, the interface between active components are usually of great importance in determining the performance and lifetime of any energy materials application. Here we report a generic approach of interface engineering to achieve active interfaces at nanoscale by a synergistic control of materials functions and interface architectures. We show that the …

Sorption-Based Energy Storage Systems: A Review, Kyaw Thu, Nasruddin Nasruddin, Sourav Mitra, Bidyut Baran Saha

Makara Journal of Technology

Mismatched timing between the supply and demand of energy calls for reliable storage systems. Energy storage systems have become further significant with the widespread implementation of renewable energy. These systems can mitigate problems that are often associated with renewable energy sources such as supply unreliability while meeting the de-mand during peak hours. Energy can be stored in various forms, yet storage systems can be generally grouped based on their output forms, namely (i) electricity and (ii) heat or thermal energy. Electrical energy is the most convenient and effective form since it can power almost all modern devices. However, the electricity …

Ammonia Production From A Non-Grid Connected Floating Offshore Wind-Farm: A System-Level Techno-Economic Review, Vismay V. Parmar

Masters Theses

According to U.S. Department of Energy, offshore wind energy has the potential to generate 7,200 TWh of energy annually, which is nearly twice the current annual energy consumption in the United States. With technical advances in the offshore wind industry, particularly in the floating platforms, windfarms are pushing further into the ocean. This creates new engineering challenges for transmission of energy from offshore site to onshore. One possible solution is to convert the energy produced into chemical energy of ammonia, which was investigated by Dr. Eric Morgan. In his doctoral dissertation, he assessed the technical requirements and economics of a …

Solar Thermoelectricity Via Advanced Latent Heat Storage, Michele L. Olsen, Eric S. Toberer, David S. Ginley, Philip A. Parilla, Emily L. Warren, Aaron D. Martinez, Jonathan E. Rea, Corey Lee Hardin, Christopher J. Oshman, Nathan P. Siegel

Other Faculty Research and Publications

An aspect of the present disclosure is a system that includes a thermal valve having a first position and a second position, a heat transfer fluid, and an energy converter where, when in the first position, the thermal valve prevents the transfer of heat from the heat transfer fluid to the energy converter, and when in the second position, the thermal valve allows the transfer of heat from the heat transfer fluid to the energy converter, such that at least a portion of the heat transferred is converted to electricity by the energy converter.

Synthesis And Characterization Of Transition Metal Oxide And Dichalcogenide Nanomaterials For Energy And Environmental Applications, Ren Ren

Theses and Dissertations

Transition metal oxides (TMOs) and transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have gained immense interest recently for energy and environmental applications due to their exceptional structural, electronic, and optical properties. For example, titanium dioxide (TiO2) as one of the TMO photocatalysts has been widely studied due to its stability, non-toxicity, wide availability, and high efficiency. However, its wide bandgap significantly limits its use under visible light or solar light. Recent studies also show that semiconducting TMDs could be used as potential supercapacitor electrode materials and platinum (Pt)-free electrocatalysts for economical utilization of renewable energy, because the high cost and scarcity of Pt …

Resilient And Real-Time Control For The Optimum Management Of Hybrid Energy Storage Systems With Distributed Dynamic Demands, Christopher R. Lashway

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A continuous increase in demands from the utility grid and traction applications have steered public attention toward the integration of energy storage (ES) and hybrid ES (HESS) solutions. Modern technologies are no longer limited to batteries, but can include supercapacitors (SC) and flywheel electromechanical ES well. However, insufficient control and algorithms to monitor these devices can result in a wide range of operational issues. A modern day control platform must have a deep understanding of the source. In this dissertation, specialized modular Energy Storage Management Controllers (ESMC) were developed to interface with a variety of ES devices. The EMSC provides …

An Economic Analysis Of Residential Photovoltaic Systems With And Without Energy Storage, Rodney Moses Kizito

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Residential photovoltaic (PV) systems serve as a source of electricity generation that is separate from the traditional utilities. Investor investment into residential PV systems provides several financial benefits such as federal tax credit incentives for installation, net metering credit from excess generated electricity added back to the grid, and savings in price per kilowatt-hour (kWh) from the PV system generation versus the increasing conventional utility price per kWh. As much benefit as stand-alone PV systems present, the incorporation of energy storage yields even greater benefits. Energy storage (ES) is capable of storing unused PV provided energy from daytime periods of …

Passive Thermal Management Using Phase Change Materials, Yash Yogesh Ganatra

Open Access Theses

The trend of enhanced functionality and reducing thickness of mobile devices has led to a rapid increase in power density and a potential thermal bottleneck since thermal limits of components remain unchanged. Active cooling mechanisms are not feasible due to size, weight and cost constraints. This work explores the feasibility of a passive cooling system based on Phase Change Materials (PCMs) for thermal management of mobile devices. PCMs stabilize temperatures due to the latent heat of phase change thus increasing the operating time of the device before threshold temperatures are exceeded. The primary contribution of this work is the identification …

Impedance-Resolved Performance And Durability In Redox Flow Batteries, Alan Michael Pezeshki

Doctoral Dissertations

The realization of redox flow batteries (RFBs) as a grid-scale energy solution depends on improving the performance and lifetime of the technology to decrease the high capital costs. The electrodes are a key component in the RFB; performance enhancement is often achieved through chemical or thermal treatments of commercially available porous carbon materials.

This dissertation uses impedance spectroscopy-based methods to gain insight into performance and durability in RFBs, enabling intelligent cell design. Initial work focused on understanding the impact of improved electrode and membrane properties on system performance. An accelerated stress test was then developed that can be used to …

Heat Generation In The Railroad Bearing Thermoplastic Elastomer Suspension Element, Oscar O. Rodriguez, Juan Carbone, Arturo A. Fuentes, Robert E. Jones, Constantine Tarawneh

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

The main purpose of this ongoing study is to investigate the effect of heat generation within a railroad thermoplastic elastomer suspension element on the thermal behavior of the railroad bearing assembly. Specifically, the purpose of this project is to quantify the heat generated by cyclic loading of the elastomer suspension element as a function of load amplitude, loading frequency, and operating temperature. The contribution of the elastomer pad to the system energy balance is modeled using data from dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) of the specific materials in use for that part. DMA is a technique that is commonly used to …

Capacity Optimization Of Battery-Generator Hybrid Power System: Toward Minimizing Maintenance Cost In Expeditionary Basecamp/Operational Energy Applications, Jude C. Onwuanumkpe

Open Access Theses

Low and transient load condition are known to have deleterious impact on the efficiency and health of diesel generators (DGs). Extensive operation under such loads reduces fuel consumption and energy conversion efficiency, and contribute to diesel engine degradation, damage, or catastrophic failure. Non-ideal loads are prevalent in expeditionary base camps that support contingency operations in austere environments or remote locations where grid electricity is either non-existent or inaccessible. The impact of such loads on DGs exacerbates already overburdened basecamp energy logistics requirements. There is a need, therefore, to eliminate or prevent the occurrence of non-ideal loads. Although advances in diesel …

Mechanics Of Electrode Materials In Lithium Battery Applications., Jubin Chen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

During lithiation and detlithiation, substantial volumetric changes occur within the electrode materials used for rechargeable lithium batteries. The magnitude of these deformations is inherently linked to the electrical capacity of the battery electrical capacity, which tends to degrade with repeated cycling. In this dissertation, the relationship between electrical discharge capacity and mechanical deformation state is examined using in-situ imaging of the working electrode surface within a custom CR2032 coin cell lithium battery. Digital image correlation is used to quantify electrode strains throughout the discharge-charge process. The effect of constraint due to substrate stiffness is investigated for two film materials: traditional …

Nanofiber-Based Membrane Separators For Lithium-Ion Batteries, Mataz Alcoutlabi, Hun Lee, Xiangwu Zhang

Mechanical Engineering Faculty Publications and Presentations

Nanofiber-based membranes were prepared by two different methods for use as separators for Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). In the first method, Electrospinning was used for the fabrication of Polyvinylidene fluoride PVDF nanofiber coatings on polyolefin microporous membrane separators to improve their electrolyte uptake and electrochemical performance. The nanofiber-coated membrane separators show better electrolyte uptake and ionic conductivity than that for the uncoated membranes. In the second method, Forcespinning® (FS) was used to fabricate fibrous cellulose membranes as separators for LIBs. The cellulose fibrous membranes were made by the Forcespinning® of a cellulose acetate solution precursor followed by a subsequent alkaline hydrolysis …

Vanadium Trichloride Thermochemical Solar Energy Storage System Analysis., Caleb Michael Rogers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

As annual energy consumption grows, developing renewable solar energy conversion systems, storage systems, and high density electrical energy production systems is growing increasingly important. The proposed system utilizes vanadium trichloride thermal decomposition to produce chlorine gas and vanadium dichloride. A second reaction combines gaseous hydrogen chloride and the product vanadium dichloride to reform vanadium trichloride and produce hydrogen gas. Hydrogen gas and chlorine gas can be stored indefinitely and electrical energy is obtained from the chemicals by a non-humidified dry membrane hydrogen – chlorine fuel cell. The fuel cell produces the gaseous hydrogen chloride needed to reform vanadium trichloride. The …

Enhanced Reversibility And Durability Of A Solid Oxide Fe–Air Redox Battery By Carbothermic Reaction Derived Energy Storage Materials, Xuan Zhao, Xue Li, Yunhui Gong, Kevin Huang

Kevin Huang

The recently developed solid oxide metal–air redox battery is a new technology capable of high-rate chemistry. Here we report that the performance, reversibility and stability of a solid oxide iron–air redox battery can be significantly improved by nanostructuring energy storage materials from a carbothermic reaction.

A High Energy Density All Solid-State Tungsten-Air Battery, Xuan Zhao, Xue Li, Yunhui Gong, Nansheng Xu, Kevin Gregory Romito, Kevin Huang

Kevin Huang

An all solid-state tungsten–air battery using solid oxide–ion electrolyte is demonstrated as a new chemistry for advanced energy storage. The unique design of separated energy storage from the electrodes allows for free volume expansion–contraction during electrical cycles and new metal–air chemistry to be explored conveniently.

Carbon Based Nano-Composite Materials For Energy Storage Applications, Gerardo Rodriguez Melo

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Energy storage systems and devices are an integral part of advanced electronic technology. Electronic technology is ever-advancing, but in order to do so, it must be supported by all its systems. The energy storage system is one key system that may dictate the performance and limitation of such electronics. Thus, research emphasis on energy storage devices has been on improving the performance of energy storage devices, such as: improved energy and power density, increased stability and cycle life, as well as reduced costs. Lithium-ion-batteries, and supercapacitors offer the potential to meet energy storage demands and to be improved further upon. …

Electric Vehicles In Smart Grids: Performance Considerations, Uttam Kumar Deb Nath

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Distributed power system is the basic architecture of current power systems and demands close cooperation among the generation, transmission and distribution systems. Excessive greenhouse gas emissions over the last decade have driven a move to a more sustainable energy system. This has involved integrating renewable energy sources like wind and solar power into the distributed generation system. Renewable sources offer more opportunities for end users to participate in the power delivery system and to make this distribution system even more efficient, the novel "Smart Grid" concept has emerged. A Smart Grid: offers a two-way communication between the source and the …

Equilibrium And Dynamic Charge Storage In Nanopores With Room Temperature Ionic Liquids, Peng Wu

All Dissertations

Electrochemical capacitors store electrical energy physically in the electrical double layers at the electrode/electrolyte interfaces. In spite of their high power density and extraordinary cyclability, the widespread deployment of electrochemical capacitors is limited by their moderate energy density. The current surge in interest in electrochemical capacitors is driven by recent breakthroughs in developing novel electrode and electrolyte materials. In particular, electrodes featuring sub-nanometer pores and room-temperature ionic liquids are promising materials for next-generation electrochemical capacitors. To realize the full potential of these materials, a basic understanding of the charge storage mechanisms in them is essential. In this Dissertation, using atomistic …

A Novel Intermediate-Temperature All Ceramic Iron–Air Redox Battery: The Effect Of Current Density And Cycle Duration, Xuan Zhao, Xue Li, Yunhui Gong, Nansheng Xu, Kevin Huang

Faculty Publications

We here report the energy storage characteristics of a new all ceramic iron–air redox battery comprising of a reversible solid oxide fuel cell as the charger/discharger and a Fe–FeO_x redox couple as the chemical storage bed. The effects of current density and cycle duration on specific energy and round trip efficiency of the new battery have been systematically studied at 650°C and 550°C. The results explicitly show that current density is the most influential variable on the performance, signifying the importance of improving electrochemical performance of the reversible solid oxide fuel cell.

Enhanced Reversibility And Durability Of A Solid Oxide Fe–Air Redox Battery By Carbothermic Reaction Derived Energy Storage Materials, Xuan Zhao, Xue Li, Yunhui Gong, Kevin Huang

Faculty Publications

The recently developed solid oxide metal–air redox battery is a new technology capable of high-rate chemistry. Here we report that the performance, reversibility and stability of a solid oxide iron–air redox battery can be significantly improved by nanostructuring energy storage materials from a carbothermic reaction.

Cyclic Durability Of A Solid Oxide Fe-Air Redox Battery Operated At 650°C, Xuan Zhao, Yunhui Gong, Xue Li, Nansheng Xu, Kevin Huang

Faculty Publications

The recently developed rechargeable solid oxide metal-air redox battery has shown a great potential for applications in mid- to large-scale stationary energy storage. Cyclic durability is one of the most important requirements for stationary energy storage. In this study, we report the cyclic durability of a solid oxide Fe-air redox battery operated at 650°C. The battery was continuously cycled 100 times under a current density of 50 mA/cm² with rather flat performance, producing an average specific energy of 760 Wh/kg-Fe at a round-trip efficiency of 55.5%. The post-test examination indicated that the performance losses could arise from the fuel-electrode …

A High Energy Density All Solid-State Tungsten-Air Battery, Xuan Zhao, Xue Li, Yunhui Gong, Nansheng Xu, Kevin Gregory Romito, Kevin Huang

Faculty Publications

An all solid-state tungsten–air battery using solid oxide–ion electrolyte is demonstrated as a new chemistry for advanced energy storage. The unique design of separated energy storage from the electrodes allows for free volume expansion–contraction during electrical cycles and new metal–air chemistry to be explored conveniently.

A New Class Of Solid Oxide Metal-Air Redox Batteries For Advanced Stationary Energy Storage, Xuan Zhao

Theses and Dissertations

Cost-effective and large-scale energy storage technologies are a key enabler of grid modernization. Among energy storage technologies currently being researched, developed and deployed, rechargeable batteries are unique and important that can offer a myriad of advantages over the conventional large scale siting- and geography- constrained pumped-hydro and compressed-air energy storage systems. However, current rechargeable batteries still need many breakthroughs in material optimization and system design to become commercially viable for stationary energy storage.

This PhD research project investigates the energy storage characteristics of a new class of rechargeable solid oxide metal-air redox batteries (SOMARBs) that combines a regenerative solid oxide …

Buffering Pv Output During Cloud Transients With Energy Storage, Yacouba Moumouni

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Consideration of the use of the major types of energy storage is attempted in this thesis in order to mitigate the effects of power output transients associated with grid-tied CPV systems due to fast-moving cloud coverage. The approach presented here is to buffer intermittency of CPV output power with an energy storage device (used batteries) purchased cheaply from EV owners or battery leasers. When the CPV is connected to the grid with the proper energy storage, the main goal is to smooth out the intermittent solar power and fluctuant load of the grid with a convenient control strategy. This thesis …