Environmental Progress & Sustainable Energy最新文献

Climate change presents urgent challenges that require simultaneous attention to environmental and economic dimensions. Addressing this global issue involves tackling its root causes and closely monitoring progress in energy transition efforts to formulate effective strategies. Understanding the complexities and opportunities of shifting toward low-carbon economies underscores the necessity for innovative sector-specific policies promoting sustainable energy practices and reducing air pollution. An insightful grasp of how energy transitions impact environmental sustainability is critical, highlighting sector-specific dynamics for informed policy and decision-making. This study employs a wavelet approach to explore the relationship between CO₂ emissions and renewable energy consumption, analyzing both aggregate and sector-specific metrics. This time-varying analysis offers a view of how this relationship evolves over time, providing valuable insights into the effectiveness and outcomes of sustainable energy strategies. Drawing on a dataset spanning from January 1989 to March 2022 in the United States, the research identifies coherence and co-movements across different frequencies and time dimensions. Results underscore the need to tailor energy strategies to sector-specific dynamics, particularly noting that despite the growing adoption of renewable energies in industrial and transportation sectors, their impact on reducing CO₂ emissions remains limited. However, the electric power sector shows a promising potential for reducing emissions through increased renewable energy integration.

A notable distinction in this research is the utilization of a new method for calculating critical heat flux (CHF) based on a Look-Up Table. The present study comprehensively investigates the effects of hybrid nanofluid, a type of passive heat transfer enhancement technique, on convection heat transfer coefficients and CHF. The study covers five different climates representing significant climate conditions in Iran, namely Bandar Abbas, Esfahan, Shiraz, Tehran, and Yazd, each with different solar irradiations. The nanoparticles considered in this study include silver, nickel, and aluminum, as well as Ag-Au hybrid nanofluid with volumetric concentrations of 0.1%, 0.3%, 0.5%, 1%, and 2%. The modeling results reveal that the heat transfer coefficient increases with the volumetric concentration of nanoparticles. According to the results, at the CHF point for 2 vol% Ag–Au hybrid nanofluid and Ag, Ni, and Al nanoparticles, the heat transfer coefficient shows an increase of 28%, 11.5%, 10.6%, and 4.9%, respectively, compared to the results for pure water in Shiraz. Despite the acceptable results and effective performance of 2 vol% Ag–Au hybrid nanofluid for a linear Fresnel reflector, economically, 2 vol% nickel nanoparticles are identified as the most suitable choice.

This research introduces a novel technique for transforming wastewater into renewable hydrogen gas using an innovative photoelectrode composed of CrO₃-Cr₂O₃/polypyrrole (Ppy), synthesized through a one-pot method. The photoelectrode is applied to split wastewater under different light conditions: darkness, white light, and monochromatic light. In the absence of light, the CrO₃-Cr₂O₃/Ppy photoelectrode produces a photocurrent density (J_ph) value of 0.54 mA cm⁻², which significantly increases to 0.78 mA cm⁻² under white light exposure. The J_ph values range from 0.68 to 0.76 mA cm⁻² at wavelengths between 730 and 340 nm, showcasing the photoelectrode's remarkable sensitivity. This sensitivity highlights the potential of the photoelectrode to efficiently capture light energy for applications in wastewater treatment and green hydrogen production. By utilizing wastewater as a renewable energy source and employing the CrO₃-Cr₂O₃/Ppy photoelectrode, this approach addresses environmental concerns and energy needs concurrently. The proposed prototype for a three-electrode cell aims to directly produce hydrogen gas from wastewater, with the ultimate goal of generating hydrogen suitable for industrial applications. This innovative solution not only addresses wastewater treatment but also transforms it into a valuable source of green energy, emphasizing the potential for positive environmental and energy-related advancements.

Magnetic Cu_0.2Zn_0.3Co_0.5Fe₂O₄ nanoparticles were prepared by the rapid combustion method and characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), x-ray diffraction (XRD), and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). The average particle size and the saturation magnetization of the nanoparticles prepared at 400°C with 25 mL absolute alcohol were about 60.9 nm and 50 emu/g. The results of the experiment displayed that the adsorption process agreed with the pseudo-second-order kinetics model (R² > 0.98) and Langmuir isotherm model (R² = 0.9982), indicating that the adsorption of DB-2BLN onto magnetic Cu_0.2Zn_0.3Co_0.5Fe₂O₄ nanoparticles was monolayer chemisorption. ΔH (ΔH = −28.0135 kJ/mol) of the thermodynamic experiment was less than 0, indicating that the adsorption was an exothermic process. The effects of pH, initial concentration of dye, ionic strength, temperature, and adsorbent dosage on the adsorption process of DB-2BLN onto magnetic Cu_0.2Zn_0.3Co_0.5Fe₂O₄ nanoparticles and the regeneration performance of the nanoparticles were investigated. When the pH was determined to be 2 and the adsorbent dosage was 5 mg, the adsorption capacity reached the maximum. After 7 cycles, the removal rate of DB-2BLN still reached 92.6% of that for the first adsorption, showing excellent regeneration performance. Finally, the electrochemical properties of the magnetic Cu_0.2Zn_0.3Co_0.5Fe₂O₄ nanoparticles were investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS).

Tungsten oxide-iodide/poly-2-aminobenzenethiol nanocomposite (WO₂I₂/P2ABT) is created through the introduction of iodine into polymer chains, where iodine serves as an oxidizing agent during the synthesis process. With a highly porous structure, the sensing capabilities of WO₂I₂/P2ABT for detecting Pb²⁺ ions are successfully demonstrated, revealing a Nernstian slope of 26.2 mV/decade. This detection is accomplished through a simple potentiometric technique, employing a simple two-electrode cell setup. To further validate its performance, cyclic voltammetry is conducted using a three-electrode system, revealing a remarkable sensitivity of 7.2 × 10⁻⁵ A M⁻¹ for Pb²⁺ ions. The nanocomposite sensor's selectivity is rigorously examined by subjecting it to testing in the presence of 0.01 M interfering ions. The results unequivocally demonstrate that the sensor remains unresponsive to these interfering ions, underscoring its remarkable selectivity for Pb²⁺ ions. Moreover, the sensor's behavior is evaluated under real-world conditions using natural samples, where, no indications of interference from other ions are observed. This is estimated by the absence of cyclic peaks in the voltammogram, indicating the sensor's unique ability to selectively detect Pb²⁺ ions without being perturbed by other ions that may be naturally occurring in the samples. These findings emphasize the nanocomposite sensor's potential for a wide array of applications in environmental monitoring and analytical chemistry. Its extraordinary combination of high sensitivity, impeccable selectivity, and robust performance in practical scenarios establishes it as an invaluable tool for detecting Pb²⁺ ions across various contexts.

This research investigates the application of Extended Coherent Flame Model-3 Zones (ECFM-3Z) to assess the performance and emissions of rapeseed oil methyl ester (ROME). Experimental tests were carried out using a Lombardini 3 LD 350 model single-cylinder diesel engine, at 1600–3000 rpm with 200 rpm speed increments, under full load conditions. For numerical analysis, STAR-CD/ESICE software was employed. Methyl Oleate (C₁₉H₃₆O₂) was predicted as the surrogate biodiesel based on Gas Chromatography (GC) analysis and average mass calculation. Notably, the numerical analysis revealed a remarkable similarity in brake power between the experimental and computational investigations. In the range of 2400–3000 rpm, the biodiesel's performance exhibited a maximum deviation of 5%, primarily attributed to pumping, thermal, and friction losses. In terms of emissions, carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions were consistent with the findings of the experimental study, with a maximum disparity of 10%. However, carbon monoxide (CO) emissions ranged from 57% to 65% lower than those observed in the experimental study, while nitrogen oxide (NO_x) emissions exhibited a reduction of 63% to 84%. In contrast, oxygen (O₂) emissions were notably higher, ranging from 93% to 117% compared to the experimental study, and exhaust temperatures were elevated by 33% to 49% in comparison to the experimental results.

Current industrial technologies for seawater desalination involve high cost and energy consumption, that is, distillation and reverse osmosis, where these technologies are difficult to implement especially in developing countries. A cost-effective, environmental-friendly, and sustainable technology is essential in providing alternative methods for generation of clean water. Solar vapor generation is one of the potential green technologies in generating clean water, where the production and collection of clean water is made possible by using a solar absorber in a solar still. The practicality and performance of the carbonized sawdust based solar absorber in a solar still for the seawater desalination towards clean water generation was conducted outdoors with gradual enhancement on the solar still setup. The enhanced solar still with reflective surface and external thermal insulator improved the solar absorber performance, in contrast to the evaporation of the bulk seawater only and using solar absorber in the solar still without any enhancement. The average efficiency and evaporation rate of the solar absorber in the enhanced solar still was recorded at 61.5% and 0.98 kg m⁻² h⁻¹, respectively. The pH (7.52) and salinity (10 ppm) of the collected clean water meets the standard of safe water by the World Health Organization.

The compression-ignition properties of crude Jatropha and camphor oil blends with di ethyl ether (DEE) added is covered in this research. Six fuel samples are made based on volume: 90% C70J30 with 10% diethyl ether (C70J30 + 10% DEE), 90% C30J70 with 10% di-ethyl ether (C50J50 + 10% DEE), 70% Camphor oil with 30% crude Jatropha oil (C70J30), 50% Camphor oil with 50% crude Jatropha oil (C50J50), 30% Camphor oil with 70% crude Jatropha oil (C30750). A four-stroke, one-cylinder, naturally aspirated, compression-ignition engine operating at a constant 1500 rpm with a load range of 0%–100% with a 25% interval is used for the experiment. According to test findings, the C70J30 + 10% DEE has the lowest brake-specific energy consumption of 11.68 kJ/kWh, the maximum energy efficiency of 62.56%, and the highest thermal efficiency of 30.81%. Compared to the other biofuels examined, this puts it more in line with diesel. Additionally, blends of crude Jatropha oil and camphor oil showed at least 4.46 g/kWh of CO, 0.259 g/kWh of HC, and 74% of smoke opacity when DEE was added. However, it raises CO₂ to 0.792 kg/kWh and NO to 9.54 g/kWh. The greatest peak pressure and quickest heat release are produced by adding more DEE as a fuel additive and using a larger percentage of camphor oil. It also increases the coefficient of variation of the peak pressure throughout 100 cycles. All things considered, the C70J30 + 10% DEE's CI engine features are better.

In recent years, there has been a growing demand for environmentally friendly epoxides made from vegetable oils. Therefore, the use of materials from renewable resources, was implemented in this study with natural zeolite as a catalyst being chosen over synthetic zeolite because synthetic zeolite mostly consists of strong corrosive materials. The aims of this research to determine the effect of catalyst concentration on the relative conversion of oxirane (RCO). RCO was the highest at 30 min of the reaction for sunflower oil, being 72% at 80°C using a 0.25 g concentration of catalyst. Meanwhile, for palm oil, the highest RCO was only 52% at 80°C. Lastly, MATLAB software was used to develop a mathematical model for determination rate constant. In this model, the Runge–Kutta method of the fourth order was combined with genetic algorithm optimization to for development of kinetic model that best fitted with the experimental data.

Climate change is a global challenge today that has been highly considered due to the wide impacts on different sectors of a society. That is why the use of renewable energy for countries and communities should be considered. In addition, the limitation of fossil fuels and the problems incurred by greenhouse gas emissions have made it increasingly important to make renewable energy more attractive. Sustainable energy means continuous supply of energy for today's needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. Sustainable energy technologies include renewable energy sources such as hydroelectric power, solar energy, wind energy, geothermal energy, synthetic photo center and wave energy, as well as technologies designed to improve energy efficiency. Thus, this article discusses the development and performance of renewable supply chain energy in Iran. A strategic model is proposed and investigated to cover various aspects of sustainable renewable energy within a supply chain configuration integrated with machine learning method for quantification purpose. The novelty is on integrating machine learning and strategic plan to handle sustainability indicators within a renewable energy supply chain. The study also provides managerial insights to governments, researchers and stakeholders for the initiation of renewable energy use and suggestions for overcoming the barriers to its developments.