Energy Systems Commons^™

An Analysis Of Fuel Cell Vehicle Models By Major Automakers, Florida Solar Energy Center, Nan Qin

FSEC Energy Research Center®

Fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) use hydrogen as fuel and exhaust only water. They provide driving ranges and fueling times comparable to gasoline vehicles. Despite the advantages, FCEVs have been in and out of spot light of the auto industry for the past several decades. The information on the development of fuel cell vehicles by major automakers is disparate. This report systematically examined the technical developments of FCEVs since the introduction of the first lab-based fuel cell vehicle in 1966. It included an overview of 117 FCEV models from 31 automakers. It should help the stakeholders to gain an insight …

Achieving Challenge Home In Affordable Housing In The Hot-Humid Climate, Florida Solar Energy Center, David Beal

FSEC Energy Research Center®

The Building America Partnership for Improved Residential Construction (BA-PIRC) worked with two affordable housing builders who pursued and achieved CH certification. Both builders needed very few changes to reach CH; however, both were already certifying homes under the ENERGY STAR® for Homes Standard v.3.1. Habitat for Humanity affiliates’ mortgage terms are 0% interest over a 30-year mortgage to qualified buyers. To improve relevance of the study to the general homebuilding community, the cost-effectiveness calculations herein are based on a code-minimum reference rather than the builders’ standard practice (ENERGY STAR), and projected first year cash flow is provided for both the …

Modeling Of Mixed Friction Interactions Occurring In Axial Piston Pumps, Andrew C. Adelsperger, Lizhi Shang, Dan Mizell, Monika Ivantysynova

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

Axial piston pumps are integral to a variety of hydraulic systems due to their versatility and reliability, but most attempts to model them for design purposes have failed. However, software which fully models the fluid structures within these pumps, such as the FSTI gap design program, has improved significantly. Unfortunately, current discrepancies between simulated and measured friction forces on the cylinder due to the fluid drag and piston movement need to be eliminated so that more accurate simulation of these pumps in operation is possible. Friction measurements and FSTI simulation outputs were analyzed with MATLAB filters and graphs, resulting in …

The Role Of Surface Area In Catalytic Gasification Of Biomass, Elizabeth A. Wachs, Nitish Kumar, Indraneel Sircar, Prithviraja Basak, Jay P. Gore Phd

The Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Symposium

Gasification of biomass has the potential to provide a carbon-negative source of liquid fuels. The current limited use of gasification is due in part to the high temperatures necessary to achieve high conversion levels. These temperatures can be lowered by the use of catalysts, but the mechanisms by which catalysts affect the reaction rate are not fully understood. Here, the structural component of potassium carbonate’s role in the gasification process was examined. Samples of pinewood sawdust were impregnated with potassium carbonate, then pyrolyzed with N2 in a fixed bed reactor at 750°C (heater thermocouple reading). Half of the char was …

Cost Effectiveness Of 2015 Iecc Compliance Using The Hers Index, Florida Solar Energy Center, Philip W. Fairey

FSEC Energy Research Center®

The EnergyGauge HERS software tool is used to examine the 2012 IECC Standard Reference Design (IECC SRD) configuration for three-bedroom, one-story 2000 ft² and three-bedroom, two-story 2,400 ft² single-family homes in sixteen representative U.S. cities. The energy use of the 2012 SRD homes is compared against the energy use of homes complying with the 2015 IECC using the ERI compliance method. HERS simulations for each home are conducted for both a best case home orientation and a worst case home orientation. Improvements to the 2012 IECC SRD homes are made such that the HERS Index for the homes …

Investigation Of Potential Benefits Of Revising Exception 1 Under Florida Building Code, Energy Conservation, Section 101.4.7.1.1 Duct Sealing Upon Equipment Replacement, Florida Solar Energy Center, Janet Mcilvaine

FSEC Energy Research Center®

Section 101.4.7.1.1, Duct sealing upon equipment replacement (Mandatory), of the 2012 Supplement to the Florida Building Code, Energy Conservation went into effect briefly in 2013. The new section required sealing of accessible ducts at the time of HVAC equipment replacement. Exception #1 however, eliminates the requirement for ducts in conditioned space, and by doing so, effectively eliminates the sealing requirement for building cavities in conditioned space that are used as air distribution paths. However, test results show that these building cavities are often connected to adjacent unconditioned spaces, in effect they are not really in the conditioned space because they …

Analysis Of Different Techniques For Improving Performance Of Flat Plate Solar Collectors For Fruits Drying, Godfrey Mbabaye

Tanzania Journal of Engineering and Technology (TJET)

Fruits drying had become a broader technology in fruits and vegetables value addition. The technology is reported to be a promising way of drying without incurring higher cost but its adaptation has not been feasible in rural areas. Solar dryers have been developed but its poor performance limits its applicability. In this study, several techniques for modifications of traditional solar collector were addressed. It was observed that, varying collector designs in different techniques, a range of collector performances can be archived. The research shows that, collector efficiency can be improved by 9.6% when employing double duct counter flow compared to …

Initial Testing Of A Unitary Hvac System Advanced Control Module, Florida Solar Energy Center, Richard Raustad

FSEC Energy Research Center®

Testing of a unitary HVAC system advanced control module and the results.

Assessment Of Energy Efficient Methods Of Indoor Humidity Control For Florida Building Commission Research, Florida Solar Energy Center, Charles Withers, Jr.

FSEC Energy Research Center®

This research project was conducted with the primary objective to identify approaches and technologies which can achieve energy-efficient latent cooling in light of code requirements that may increase overall ventilation rates in new Florida homes. This report covers the work of two primary efforts of completing a literature review and testing a few space conditioning methods in a mechanically ventilated building. Results from a literature review provide a list of various approaches to managing the latent load in homes with emphasis on energy efficiency and cost-effectiveness. In addition to a literature review, controlled experiments using four different approaches to space …

A Review Of Home Airtightness And Ventilation Approaches For Florida Building Commission Research, Florida Solar Energy Center, Jeffrey Sonne

FSEC Energy Research Center®

This research project was conducted with the primary objectives of 1) providing a literature review, examination of experimental data, and calculations of energy impacts of using or not using various types of ventilation systems and 2) developing alternative approaches to achieving acceptable levels of ventilation while avoiding the risks associated with super-tight home enclosures and potential mechanical system failures. The report includes discussions of pertinent airtightness and mechanical ventilation topics and provides recommended ventilation practices for Florida.

Redox Stable Anodes For Solid Oxide Fuel Cells, Guoliang Xiao, Fanglin Chen

Faculty Publications

Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) can convert chemical energy from the fuel directly to electrical energy with high efficiency and fuel flexibility. Ni-based cermets have been the most widely adopted anode for SOFCs. However, the conventional Ni-based anode has low tolerance to sulfur-contamination, is vulnerable to deactivation by carbon build-up (coking) from direct oxidation of hydrocarbon fuels, and suffers volume instability upon redox cycling. Among these limitations, the redox instability of the anode is particularly important and has been intensively studied since the SOFC anode may experience redox cycling during fuel cell operations even with the ideal pure hydrogen as …

Flexible Residential Test Facility: Impact Of Infiltration And Ventilation On Measured Cooling Season Energy And Moisture Levels, Florida Solar Energy Center, Danny Parker

FSEC Energy Research Center®

Air infiltration and ventilation in residential buildings is a very large part of the heating loads, but empirical data regarding the impact on space cooling has been lacking. Moreover, there has been little data on how building tightness might relate to building interior moisture levels in homes in a hot and humid climate. To address this need, BA-PIRC has conducted research to assess the moisture and cooling load impacts of airtightness and mechanical ventilation in two identical laboratory homes in the hot-humid climate over the cooling season.

Economic, Energy And Ghg Emissions Performance Evaluation Of A Whispergen Mk Iv Stirling Engine Μ-Chp Unit In A Domestic Dwelling, Gerry Conroy, Aidan Duffy, Lacour Ayompe

Articles

This paper presents an assessment of the energy, economic and greenhouse gas emissions performances of a WhisperGen Mk IV Stirling engine μ-CHP unit for use in a conventional house in the Republic of Ireland. The energy performance data used in this study was obtained from a field trial carried out in Belfast, Northern Ireland during the period June 2004 - July 2005 by Northern Ireland Electricity and Phoenix Gas working in collaboration with Whispertech UK. A comparative performance analysis between the µ-CHP unit and a condensing gas boiler revealed that the µ-CHP unit resulted in an annual cost saving of …

Investigation Of Boiling Performance Of Graphene-Coated Surfaces, Daniel C. Stack

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

In this Capstone Project, I sought to investigate the boiling performance of graphene-coated surfaces. Boiling was accomplished in a pool boiling chamber, with samples of graphene-coating SiO₂ wafers. I developed a procedure for graphene transfer for sample fabrication. Samples were prepared with graphene grown on copper substrates by chemical vapor deposition (CVD). Graphene was transferred from copper substrates to SiO­₂ wafers by a thermal release transfer tape. Copper was etched away from the tape-graphene combination by ferric chloride, and the tape was peeled away after heating, leaving graphene on the SiO₂ substrate. Contact angles were measured to …

Bellevue-Santa Fe Charter School Solar Panel Project, Dulce Arroyo Martinez, Henrik Lee, Moises Quiroz, Timothy Iafrate

Mechanical Engineering

This project covers the design, manufacture, and installation of solar panel frames on a charter school in Avila Beach, CA. Through preliminary research regarding important factors (such as solar movement, ideal panel angle, and site-specific factors), a frame that meets the standards set forth in the California Building Codes was designed. After approval by presiding authorities, parts specified in the design were ordered, inspected upon arrival, and manufactured to the design as necessary. Much of the challenge was related to the installation aspect of the project—coordination with the proper authorities and correct submission of applications was integral to the success …

Anisotropy Of The Reynolds Stress Tensor In The Wakes Of Counter-Rotating Wind Turbine Arrays, Nicholas Michael Hamilton

Dissertations and Theses

A wind turbine array was constructed in the wind tunnel at Portland State University in a standard Cartesian arrangement. Configurations of the turbine array were tested with rotor blades set to rotate in either a clockwise or counter-clockwise sense. Measurements of velocity were made with stereo particle-image velocimetry. Mean statistics of velocities and Reynolds stresses clearly show the effect of direction of rotation of rotor blades for both entrance and exit row turbines. Rotational sense of the turbine blades is visible in the mean spanwise velocity W and the Reynolds shear stress -[macron over vw]. The normalized anisotropy tensor was …

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

FSEC Energy Research Center®

The Electric Vehicle Transportation Center's (EVTC) vision is to transform the country's transportation network into a fully integrated "smart" electric vehicle deployment system coupled with a "smart" electric grid achieved with maximum efficiency and minimum time and disruption.

To accomplish the EVTC vision, the Center's goals are to serve as the focal point for 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 will evaluate technologies, standards and policies to ensure seamless integration of EVs into a complex electricity grid and transportation …

Small Scale Wind Turbine, Cameron Allen, Davis Gumbo, Mitchell Petronek, Scott Roskens

College of Engineering Presentations

The Department of Energy (DOE) has put together a collegiate wind competition to design, build, and market a small wind turbine (17.7in diameter rotor dimension). For our mechanical engineering senior design project our team will participate in this competition. Ten schools will compete in the competition in Las Vegas this May. Our team designed a wind turbine to produce power for ultraviolet light water purification in remote areas and during emergency situations. The turbine was designed to produce 10 watts at a wind speed between 5 and 14 m/s. The turbine is also equipped with an emergency brake that will …

Simulation Of An Intake Manifold Pre-Heater For Cold Diesel Engine Startup, Patrick K. Kreun

Masters Theses

Ensuring consistent, reliable diesel engine startups in cold temperatures is of utmost importance in a number of applications. Under extreme temperatures, the use of glow plugs is complemented by intake manifold heaters. In these, the energy released from combustion increases the intake air temperature before the air enters the main combustion chamber. Since the process also alters the stoichiometry of the fuel-air mixture at the intake ports, the preheater operation must be optimized in order to guarantee successful and reliable in-cylinder combustion during engine startups. This paper describes the development of an intake manifold model incorporating an air pre-heater for …

A One-Dimensional Model Of A Closed-Loop Refrigeration Test Block For Centrifugal Compressors, Paul D. Gessler

Master's Theses (2009 -)

The increasingly competitive building equipment and control industry pushes manufacturers to continually improve the performance and efficiency of their products to develop and maintain a competitive edge. Compressor development is an expensive endeavor, but the cost and time required for testing can be minimized by developing a model of the compressor test block to predict its behavior with a given prototype compressor at specified operating conditions. This thesis presents a thermodynamic model of a hot gas bypass test block used to evaluate centrifugal compressor performance at a compressor development facility. The test block uses cooling towers to reject the heat …

Modeling And Experimental Investigation Of Parabolic Trough Solar Collector, Mohanad Abdulazeez Abdulraheem Alfellag

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

In this thesis, a mathematical model is applied to study the performance of a parabolic trough solar collector (PTSC). The proposed model consists of three parts. The first part is a solar radiation model. In this section, the amount of solar radiation incident upon Earth is estimated using equations and relationships between the sun and the Earth. The second part is the optical model. This part has the ability to determine the optical efficiency of PTSC throughout the daytime. The last part is the thermal model. The aim of this section is to estimate the amount of energy collected by …

A Metaevaluation Of Energy Efficiency Evaluations, Brandy Brown

Dissertations

This study systematically reviews the methodological characteristics of energy efficiency evaluations and uses metaevaluation to assess its quality. Metaevaluation is used to systematically assess the quality of evaluation products, confirm that evaluations deliver sound findings and conclusions, are useful to the client, are credible, are ethically conducted, and are done as cost-effective as possible. The results of this study show that the ability to accurately assess evaluation for methodological quality using evaluations reports as a primary data source depends on the presence of detailed descriptions of evaluation methods. Furthermore, the study suggests that methodological variations of energy efficiency evaluations coalesce …

Understanding The Global Energy Crisis, Eugene D. Coyle, Richard A. Simmons

Purdue University Press Books

We are facing a global energy crisis caused by world population growth, an escalating increase in demand, and continued dependence on fossil-based fuels for generation. It is widely accepted that increases in greenhouse gas concentration levels, if not reversed, will result in major changes to world climate with consequential effects on our society and economy. This is just the kind of intractable problem that Purdue University’s Global Policy Research Institute seeks to address in the Purdue Studies in Public Policy series by promoting the engagement between policy makers and experts in fields such as engineering and technology.

Major steps forward …

Technical And Business Solutions For Zero Net-Energy Ready And Zero Net-Energy Homes In The Hot Humid Climate, Florida Solar Energy Center, Eric Martin

FSEC Energy Research Center®

The Department of Energy's Challenge Home program provides a standardized platform for application and marketing of Building America innovations in new residential construction and is intended to facilitate delivery of zero net-energy ready and zero net-energy homes that also meet goals for durability, quality, affordability, and comfort. The Building America Partnership for Improved Residential Construction, one of the Building America research team leads, has partnered with several builders in the hot-humid climate, as they work through the process of adopting Challenge Home. This paper serves to identify viable technical pathways to meeting the Challenge Home criteria in this region and …

Hydrogen Fueling Stations Infrastructure, Florida Solar Energy Center, Nan Qin

FSEC Energy Research Center®

Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs) can provide customers with the benefits of low to zero greenhouse gas emissions, high performance, and comfort without compromising range and refill time. With three major automakers (Honda, Hyundai, and Toyota) planning to introduce consumer FCEVs by the end of 2015, FCEVs will play an increasingly important role in the electric vehicle arena. Building hydrogen fueling infrastructure has been identified as a major obstacle in FCEV commercialization. This report is part of an ongoing effort within an Electric Vehicle Transportation Center (EVTC) project: "Fuel Cell Vehicle Technologies, Infrastructure and Requirements." This report is based on …

Energy And Peak Power Reduction From Air Misting Products Applied To Commercial Condensing Units In Hot And Humid Climates, Florida Solar Energy Center, Charles Withers, Jr.

FSEC Energy Research Center®

A proprietary research project was conducted to evaluate the potential annual and peak energy reduction resulting from the addition of a water misting system applied to supermarket condenser coils in the Florida Power and Light service territory. Tests were performed to evaluate the performance of a mist system under various outdoor conditions over an eight-month period in a hot and humid climate zone. The project measured an average of 2.8% percentage energy savings and average 3.2% utility peak demand reduction. The report discusses why hot and humid climates can expect much lower savings compared to hot and arid climates. One …

Comparative Performance Analysis: Hers Index Score Dependencies Related To Home Geometries And Operating Assumptions, Florida Solar Energy Center, Philip W. Fairey

FSEC Energy Research Center®

EnergyGauge USA v.3.1.02 is used examine the impact of geometry and operating conditions on comparative simulation analysis techniques that are used to evaluate home energy performance with respect to a standardized reference case. A cohort of homes is simulated using the HERS Index scoring system in 15 U.S. cities that are representative of the 8 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) climate zones. All of the homes are configured to have the thermal envelope characteristics specified by Table R402.1.1 of the 2012 IECC. All homes are also configured to meet all other mandatory requirements of the 2012 IECC, including 75% high …

Impact Of Residential Mechanical Ventilation On Energy Cost And Humidity Control, Florida Solar Energy Center, Eric Martin

FSEC Energy Research Center®

The DOE Building America program has been conducting research leading to cost effective high performance homes since the early 1990's. Optimizing whole house mechanical ventilation as part of the program's systems engineered approach to constructing housing has been an important subject of the program's research. Ventilation in residential buildings is one component of an effective, comprehensive strategy for creation and maintenance of a comfortable and healthy indoor air environment. The study described in this white paper is based on building energy modeling with an important focus on the indoor humidity impacts of ventilation. The modeling tools used were EnergyPlus version …

Water Transport Through Porous Media And In Flow Channels Of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell, Mehdi Mortazavi

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports - Open

Proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell has been known as a promising power source for different applications such as automotive, residential and stationary. During the operation of a PEM fuel cell, hydrogen is oxidized in anode and oxygen is reduced in the cathode to produce the intended power. Water and heat are inevitable byproducts of these reactions. The water produced in the cathode should be properly removed from inside the cell. Otherwise, it may block the path of reactants passing through the gas channels and/or gas diffusion layer (GDL). This deteriorates the performance of the cell and eventually can cease …

Electric Vehicle Sales And Future Projections, Florida Solar Energy Center, David L. Block

FSEC Energy Research Center®

The objective of this research is to evaluate historical vehicle sales as a basis to determine future projections of electric vehicles sales and cumulative values within the U.S. and by selected states. The results for the U.S. show that the cumulative sales of electric vehicles through 2013 is 167,600 vehicles with 96, 700 sold in 2013 or that 58% of total vehicles were sold in 2013. Depending upon the escalation rate selected, the 10 year future U.S. cumulative sales (2023) are predicted to be from 1.8 to 7.3 million vehicles. Future predictions were also done for the states of Florida, …