Environmental Progress & Sustainable Energy最新文献

Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) are prominent green energy sources that generate power 50%–60% more efficiently than internal combustion engines. They emit only heat and water, avoiding carbon emissions, but their operating temperatures are limited by membrane hydration, flooding prevention, and material deterioration. A good heat management system boosts PEMFC's performance and flexibility. Most systems use air cooling under 2 kW and liquid cooling beyond 5 kW. Conventional air- and liquid-cooled systems have parasitic power, cost, maintenance, leakage, reliability, and portability concerns. We aim to solve air- and liquid-cooled system problems with innovative passive and hybrid solutions. This study explores innovative thermal management systems (TMS) like heat pipes, heat spreaders, PCMs, metal foam thermal management, microchannel heat sinks, and integrated cooling technologies for mid-range power applications (10–100 W and up). The presented work articulates both active and passive cooling systems in detail, followed by phase change materials (PCMs) and metal foam-based cooling systems. Thermal management systems incorporating PCMs minimize coolant pump requirements, improve water removal, and distribute reactants. PCMs cause system design, flow instability, working fluid leaks, and durability concerns. On the other hand, metal foam flow fields improve PEMFC performance over other cooling systems, but their pressure dips, humidity balance, electrolyte dehydration, and complexity make them challenging to deploy. Hybrid nanofluids, PCMs, metal foams, and hybrid cooling systems may increase application-specific cooling. This report advises more investigation in these areas. Understanding PEMFC thermal dynamics enhances system efficiency and longevity, enabling fuel cell commercialization and mainstream use.

Due to their multiple properties, including flexibility, lightness, and strength, thermoplastics are an essential material in the development of processes at both industrial and domestic levels. However, thermoplastics are often derived from polymers synthesized using non-renewable petroleum resources. This has environmental consequences. The following research is proposed as the first environmental and economic impact evaluation of the extrusion and molding process of polypropylene (PP) generated by an industrial site for monobloc plastic chair production, through a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Cost Analysis (CA) methodology. The analysis was conducted using SimaPro v10.1 software, Ecoinvent v3.10 database, and ReCiPe 2016 v1.07 impact assessment method. This study proposes multiple mitigative scenarios applicable to reduce the business-as-usual impact. Primary data was collected in 2024. The results show a significant environmental impact reduction caused by the substitution of the virgin PP with the recycled PP (−39%), a lower one generated by the substitution of the Italian country energy mix with the adoption of renewable energy sources (−12%), and a global added reduction obtained summarizing the two alternatives (−55%). The economic impacts are, instead, slightly influenced by the change in input raw materials, due to similar market costs. However, the cost reductions associated with the change in energetic source can be considered not negligible, excluding the plant design and commissioning costs. This research provides decision-makers with valuable guidance for implementing PP production plants, promoting sustainability and a circular economy. Advancing these prerogatives supports the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDGs 3, 11, and 13.

Biodiesel derived from Jatropha curcas presents a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels due to its non-edible nature and suitability for marginal lands. To improve both yield and environmental performance, this study investigates an innovative two-step ultrasound-assisted biodiesel production process combined with Taguchi optimization. Key parameters including oil-to-methanol molar ratio, reaction time, and catalyst dosage were optimized using the Taguchi method, while a laboratory-scale Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) was conducted using the ReCiPe Midpoint 2016 method. Under optimized reaction conditions, a biodiesel yield of 91.2% was achieved, with a methyl ester content of 97.8%, satisfying EN 14214 standards. LCA results revealed that the transesterification step was the main contributor to environmental impacts, notably climate change and toxicity. This study highlights a scalable and environmentally friendly approach to biodiesel production, aligning with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) and 13 (Climate Action).

The atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) concentration has reached its elevated peak, a severe threat to the world. Post-combustion CO₂ capture is the most crucial method to mitigate CO₂ emissions. Recently, the biomass-based adsorbent used in the adsorption technique has grabbed the great attention of the scientific communities. The adsorbent-packed post-combustion carbon capture unit can easily integrate with the existing working system without affecting efficiency. In the present research study, an experimental investigation has been conducted on biomass-derived adsorbent to explore the feasibility of CO₂ adsorption performance from the exhaust of a compression ignition (CI) engine. As a first step, rice husk is chosen as a suitable raw material to produce activated carbon using simultaneous carbonization and activation. As a second step, the prepared activated carbon material is subjected to distinctive characterization and analytical approaches to determine its surface aspects and physical and chemical characteristics. As a third step, the sample is loaded in-built of the capture unit and connected to the system. The main findings of the experimental test results are compared using the adsorbent capture efficacy with two distinct test fuels employed in the CI engine. The experimental outcomes show that the maximum CO₂ adsorption is achieved by about 24% and 28% for D2 quality diesel and Jatropha methyl ester biodiesel fuel operations, respectively, at normal operating conditions.

The ever-increasing global food requirement, food waste and loss, climate change, and energy and food insecurities have forced researchers around the world to think about sustainable development. This study has been designed to test a novel air cavity enabled renewably powered domestic solar dryer (DSD) for potato slices drying under natural convection (NC) and forced convection (FC) modes. The effect of potato slice thicknesses (3, 4, and 5 mm) on the performance of the DSD under NC and FC modes has also been presented. The average final moisture content of potato slices was 6.43% and 11.2% (wb) under NC and FC modes, respectively. The drying behavior of potato slice samples was found to be in accordance with the Midilli-Kucuk model. The total cost and embodied energy of the DSD under NC and FC modes were found to be INR 1557.14 ($18.68) and 126.84 kWh, and INR 1788.14 ($21.45) and 157.87 kWh, respectively. Drying rate, effective moisture diffusivity, heat transfer coefficients, thermal and exergy efficiencies were higher for 4 mm thick potato slice samples drying under both modes. The performance of the DSD under NC mode was found to be more desirable for potato slice samples drying.

This study examines the impact of gender inequality (GIQ) on energy poverty (EP) across Southeast Asia (SA), Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), and European Union (EU) countries over the period 2000–2020 using the Panel Mean Group (PMG) estimation method. The findings reveal that a 1% increase in GIQ leads to a 1.09% rise in EP in SA and a 0.14% increase in SSA, while in the EU, GIQ significantly mitigates EP. Renewable energy consumption (REN) has a strong negative effect on EP, particularly in SA (−0.66%). Additionally, economic development exhibits a non-linear relationship with EP, where early growth phases may exacerbate deprivation before reversing at higher income levels. These results highlight that gender disparities, even when moderated by economic and energy policy factors, remain a critical determinant of energy access outcomes. Policymakers are urged to adopt gender-sensitive energy strategies, enhance women's inclusion in energy governance, and increase investments in renewable infrastructure to bridge access gaps and promote inclusive development.

Mushroom drying faces significant challenges, including high-energy consumption, prolonged processing times, and quality degradation, while conventional methods contribute substantially to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This study investigates the synergistic effects of infrared power, air temperature, and heat recovery on energy efficiency, product quality, and GHG emissions during continuous conveyor infrared-hot air drying of white button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) slices. Results demonstrate that elevating air temperature and infrared power density enhances drying rates (up to 4.67 g water/min) and rehydration capacity (33.91%), while specific energy consumption declines with infrared power ≤850 W and air recirculation ≤70%. Integration of a heat recovery system reduced energy usage by 18%–62% and GHG emissions by 15%–32%, with total color difference (ΔE = 13.21) minimized at higher recirculation percentages. Through Response Surface Methodology optimization, ideal parameters were identified as 90°C drying temperature, 810.6 W infrared power, and 81.4% air recirculation (1 m/s velocity), yielding a desirability factor of 0.838. These findings underscore the viability of infrared-convective drying with heat recovery as a sustainable, high-efficiency solution for industrial mushroom processing, balancing productivity, energy conservation, and environmental stewardship.

Direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) is one of the most advanced fuel cells that is being considered as a future energy source. The objective of this study is to develop a mathematical model based on optimal operating parameters and to assess DMFC performance. Significant outcomes of two-dimensional (2D) simulations were anticipated to maximize the performance of the fuel cell for usage in portable applications and the transportation sectors. Simulation of the 2D fuel cell model built on the basis of physical principles was also used to forecast how the cell will operate under various operating situations. Using the Taguchi method, experimental data from previous researchers has been analyzed to obtain the optimum parameter for DMFC. This study focused on four important parameters: effects of fuel, oxidant concentrations, reactant flow direction, and membrane properties. Optimizing these parameters ensures better fuel utilization, reduced losses, and enhanced power density, leading to a more efficient and durable DMFC system. From the results obtained, DMFC with 1.0 M of methanol concentration as the fuel concentration, oxygen as the oxidant, counter-current flow as the flow direction, and Nafion® 211 as the type of membrane is the best configuration. This configuration achieved the highest current density of 3025 A/m².

The literature is inundated with studies emphasizing the importance of renewable energy consumption (REN) and sustainable resource management as a panacea to the threats of climate change, which include loss of species, food insecurity, extreme weather, sea level rise, and security risks. The current study examines the dynamic relationships in spatial and time domains between REC, natural resource rents (NR), and ecological footprint (EF) from 1990 to 2022, using the novel spatiotemporal intelligent regression models, specifically the Geographically Neural Network Weighted Regression (GNNWR) model for sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) countries. This novel method introduced by Yin et al. (2024) integrates a spatiotemporal weighting framework with neural network architectures. The GNNWR results suggest that REN, NR, and urbanization are significant supportive elements of ecological sustainability in SSA. Conversely, non-renewable energy consumption (NRE), economic growth, and globalization hurt the environment by upsurging the EF. The causality results display a bidirectional causality between REN and EF, NRE and EF, and economic growth and EF. However, unidirectional causality flows from NR and globalization to EF. In line with the results, policymakers in SSA will need to redefine their energy consumption portfolio. Efforts must be made to encourage energy transition by raising adequate awareness of the availability and benefits of consuming clean energies such as solar, tidal, geothermal, wind, and hydropower.