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This paper will introduce the open-source model MyPyPSA-Ger, a myopic optimization model developed to represent the German energy system with a detailed mapping of the electricity sector, on a highly disaggregated level, spatially and temporally, with regional differences and investment limitations. Furthermore, this paper will give new outlooks on the German federal government 2050 emissions goals of the electricity sector to become greenhouse gas neutral by proposing new CO2 allowance strategies. Moreover, the regional differences in Germany will be discussed, their role and impact on the energy transition, and which regions and states will drive the renewable energy utilization forward.
Following a scenario-based analysis, the results point out the major keystones of the energy transition path from 2020 to 2050. Solar, onshore wind, and gas-fired power plants will play a fundamental role in the future electricity systems. Biomass, run of river, and offshore wind technologies will be utilized in the system as base-load generation technologies. Solar and onshore wind will be installed almost everywhere in Germany. However, due to the nature of Germany’s weather and geographical features, the southern and northern regions will play a more important role in the energy transition.
Higher CO2 allowance costs will help achieve the 1.5-degree-target of the electricity system and will allow for a rapid transition. Moreover, the more expensive, and the earlier the CO2 tax is applied to the system, the less it will cost for the energy transition, and the more emissions will be saved throughout the transition period. An earlier phase-out of coal power plants is not necessary with high CO2 taxes, due to the change in power plant’s unit commitment, as they prioritize gas before coal power plants. Having moderate to low CO2 allowance cost or no clear transition policy will be more expensive and the CO2 budget will be exceeded. Nonetheless, even with no policy, renewables still dominate the energy mix of the future.
However, maintaining the maximum historical installation rates of both national and regional levels, with the current emissions reduction strategy, will not be enough to reach the level of climate-neutral electricity system. Therefore, national and regional installation requirements to achieve the federal government emission reduction goals are determined. Energy strategies and decision makers will have to resolve great challenges in order to stay in line with the 1.5-degree-target.
BACKGROUND
Various neutral and alkaline peptidases are commercially available for use in protein hydrolysis under neutral to alkaline conditions. However, the hydrolysis of proteins under acidic conditions by applying fungal aspartic peptidases (FAPs) has not been investigated in depth so far. The aim of this study, thus, was to purify a FAP from the commercial enzyme preparation, ROHALASE® BXL, determine its biochemical characteristics, and investigate its application for the hydrolysis of food and animal feed proteins under acidic conditions.
RESULTS
A Trichoderma reesei derived FAP, with an apparent molecular mass of 45.8 kDa (sodium dodecyl sulfate–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis; SDS-PAGE) was purified 13.8-fold with a yield of 37% from ROHALASE® BXL. The FAP was identified as an aspartate protease (UniProt ID: G0R8T0) by inhibition and nano-LC-ESI-MS/MS studies. The FAP showed the highest activity at 50°C and pH 4.0. Monovalent cations, organic solvents, and reducing agents were tolerated well by the FAP. The FAP underwent an apparent competitive product inhibition by soy protein hydrolysate and whey protein hydrolysate with apparent Ki-values of 1.75 and 30.2 mg*mL−1, respectively. The FAP showed promising results in food (soy protein isolate and whey protein isolate) and animal feed protein hydrolyses. For the latter, an increase in the soluble protein content of 109% was noted after 30 min.
CONCLUSION
Our results demonstrate the applicability of fungal aspartic endopeptidases in the food and animal feed industry. Efficient protein hydrolysis of industrially relevant substrates such as acidic whey or animal feed proteins could be conducted by applying fungal aspartic peptidases. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.
A novel peptidyl-lys metalloendopeptidase (Tc-LysN) from Tramates coccinea was recombinantly expressed in Komagataella phaffii using the native pro-protein sequence. The peptidase was secreted into the culture broth as zymogen (~38 kDa) and mature enzyme (~19.8 kDa) simultaneously. The mature Tc-LysN was purified to homogeneity with a single step anion-exchange chromatography at pH 7.2. N-terminal sequencing using TMTpro Zero and mass spectrometry of the mature Tc-LysN indicated that the pro-peptide was cleaved between the amino acid positions 184 and 185 at the Kex2 cleavage site present in the native pro-protein sequence. The pH optimum of Tc-LysN was determined to be 5.0 while it maintained ≥60% activity between pH values 4.5—7.5 and ≥30% activity between pH values 8.5—10.0, indicating its broad applicability. The temperature maximum of Tc-LysN was determined to be 60 °C. After 18 h of incubation at 80 °C, Tc-LysN still retained ~20% activity. Organic solvents such as methanol and acetonitrile, at concentrations as high as 40% (v/v), were found to enhance Tc-LysN’s activity up to ~100% and ~50%, respectively. Tc-LysN’s thermostability, ability to withstand up to 8 M urea, tolerance to high concentrations of organic solvents, and an acidic pH optimum make it a viable candidate to be employed in proteomics workflows in which alkaline conditions might pose a challenge. The nano-LC-MS/MS analysis revealed bovine serum albumin (BSA)’s sequence coverage of 84% using Tc-LysN which was comparable to the sequence coverage of 90% by trypsin peptides.
A systematic toxicological analysis procedure using high-performance thin layer chromatography in combination with fibre optical scanning densitometry for identification of drugs in biological samples is presented. Two examples illustrate the practicability of the technique. First, the identification of a multiple intake of analgesics: codeine, propyphenazone, tramadol, flupirtine and lidocaine, and second, the detection of the sedative diphenhydramine. In both cases, authentic urine specimens were used. The identifications were carried out by an automatic measurement and computer-based comparison of in situ UV spectra with data from a compiled library of reference spectra using the cross-correlation function. The technique allowed a parallel recording of chromatograms and in situ UV spectra in the range of 197–612 nm. Unlike the conventional densitometry, a dependency of UV spectra by concentration of substance in a range of 250–1000 ng/spot was not observed.
Passive solar elements for both direct and indirect gains, are systems used to maintain a comfortable living environment while saving energy, especially in the building energy retrofit and adaptation process. Sunspaces, thermal mass and glazing area and orientation have been often used in the past to guarantee adequate indoor conditions when mechanical devices were not available. After a period of neglect, nowadays they are again considered as appropriate systems to help face environmental issues in the building sector, and both international and national legislation takes into consideration the possibility of including them in the building planning tools, also providing economic incentives. Their proper design needs dynamic simulation, often difficult to perform and time consuming. Moreover, results generally suffer from several uncertainties, so quasi steady-state procedures are often used in everyday practice with good results, but some corrections are still needed. In this paper, a comparative analysis of different solutions for the construction of verandas in an existing building is presented, following the procedure provided by the slightly modified and improved Standard EN ISO 13790:2008. Advantages and disadvantages of different configurations considering thermal insulation, windows typology and mechanical ventilation systems are discussed and a general intervention strategy is proposed. The aim is to highlight the possibility of using sunspaces in order to increase the efficiency of the existing building stock, considering ease of construction and economic viability.
Energy Performance of Verandas in the Building Retrofit Process (PDF Download Available). Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/303093420_Energy_Performance_of_Verandas_in_the_Building_Retrofit_Process [accessed Jul 5, 2017].
Linear acceleration is a key performance determinant and major training component of many sports. Although extensive research about lower limb kinetics and kinematics is available, consistent definitions of distinctive key body positions, the underlying mechanisms and their related movement strategies are lacking. The aim of this ‘Method and Theoretical Perspective’ article is to introduce a conceptual framework which classifies the sagittal plane ‘shin roll’ motion during accelerated sprinting. By emphasising the importance of the shin segment’s orientation in space, four distinctive key positions are presented (‘shin block’, ‘touchdown’, ‘heel lock’ and ‘propulsion pose’), which are linked by a progressive ‘shin roll’ motion during swing-stance transition. The shin’s downward tilt is driven by three different movement strategies (‘shin alignment’, ‘horizontal ankle rocker’ and ‘shin drop’). The tilt’s optimal amount and timing will contribute to a mechanically efficient acceleration via timely staggered proximal-to-distal power output. Empirical data obtained from athletes of different performance levels and sporting backgrounds are required to verify the feasibility of this concept. The framework presented here should facilitate future biomechanical analyses and may enable coaches and practitioners to develop specific training programs and feedback strategies to provide athletes with a more efficient acceleration technique.
Experimental Investigation of the Air Exchange Effectiveness of Push-Pull Ventilation Devices
(2020)
The increasing installation numbers of ventilation units in residential buildings are driven by legal objectives to improve their energy efficiency. The dimensioning of a ventilation system for nearly zero energy buildings is usually based on the air flow rate desired by the clients or requested by technical regulations. However, this does not necessarily lead to a system actually able to renew the air volume of the living space effectively. In recent years decentralised systems with an alternating operation mode and fairly good energy efficiencies entered the market and following question was raised: “Does this operation mode allow an efficient air renewal?” This question can be answered experimentally by performing a tracer gas analysis. In the presented study, a total of 15 preliminary tests are carried out in a climatic chamber representing a single room equipped with two push-pull devices. The tests include summer, winter and isothermal supply air conditions since this parameter variation is missing till now for push-pull devices. Further investigations are dedicated to the effect of thermal convection due to human heat dissipation on the room air flow. In dependence on these boundary conditions, the determined air exchange efficiency varies, lagging behind the expected range 0.5 < εa < 1 in almost all cases, indicating insufficient air exchange including short-circuiting. Local air exchange values suggest inhomogeneous air renewal depending on the distance to the indoor apertures as well as the temperature gradients between in- and outdoor. The tested measurement set-up is applicable for field measurements.
We present a 3D simulation approach utilising the diffuse interface representation of the phase-field method combined with a heat transfer equation to analyse the thermal conductivity in air-filled aluminium foams with complex cellular structures of different porosity. Algorithmic methods are introduced to create synthetic open-cell foam structures and to compute the thermal conductivity by means of phase-field modelling. A material law for the effective thermal conductivity is derived by determining the appropriate exponent depending on the relative density in the system. The results are compared with the thermal conductivity in massive aluminium and in pure air.
Bud type carbon nanohorns (CNHs) are composed of carbon and have a closed conical tip at one end protruding from an aggregate structure. By employing a simple oxidation process in CO2 atmosphere, it is possible to open the CNH tips which increases their specific surface area by four fold. These tip opened CNHs combine the microporous nature of activated carbons and the crystalline mesoporous character of carbon nanotubes. The results for the high pressure CO2 gas adsorption of tip opened CNHs are reported herein for the first time and are found to be superior to traditional CO2 adsorbents like zeolites. The modified CNHs are also found to be promising materials for lithium ion batteries and the performance is found to be on a par with carbon nanotubes and carbon nanofibers.
Gas adsorption studies of CO2 and N2 in spatially aligned double-walled carbon nanotube arrays
(2013)
Gas adsorption studies (CO2 and N2) over a wide pressure range on vertically, highly aligned dense double-walled carbon nanotube arrays of high purity and high specific surface area are reported. At high pressures, the adsorption capacity of these materials was found to be comparable to those of metal organic frameworks and mesoporous molecular sieves. These highly aligned CNT arrays were chemically modified by treating with oxygen plasma and structurally modified by decreasing the diameter of individual carbon nanotubes. Oxygen plasma treatment led to grafting of a large number of C–O functional groups onto the CNT surface, which further increased the gas adsorption capacity. It was found that gas adsorption is dependent on tube diameter and increases with decrease of the individual CNT diameter in the CNT bundles. As results of our studies we have found that at lower pressure regimes, plasma functionalized carbon nanotubes exhibit better adsorption characteristics whereas at higher pressures, lower diameter carbon nanotube structures exhibited better gas adsorption characteristics.
A two-dimensional single-phase model is developed for the steady-state and transient analysis of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFC). Based on diluted and concentrated solution theories, viscous flow is introduced into a phenomenological multi-component modeling framework in the membrane. Characteristic variables related to the water uptake are discussed. A Butler–Volmer formulation of the current-overpotential relationship is developed based on an elementary mechanism of electrochemical oxygen reduction. Validated by using published V–I experiments, the model is then used to analyze the effects of operating conditions on current output and water management, especially net water transport coefficient along the channel. For a power PEMFC, the long-channel configuration is helpful for internal humidification and anode water removal, operating in counterflow mode with proper gas flow rate and humidity. In time domain, a typical transient process with closed anode is also investigated.
The state-of-the-art electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) calculations have not yet started from fully multi-dimensional modeling. For a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) with long flow channel, the impedance plot shows a multi-arc characteristic and some impedance arcs could merge. By using a step excitation/Fourier transform algorithm, an EIS simulation is implemented for the first time based on the full 2D PEMFC model presented in the first part of this work. All the dominant transient behaviors are able to be captured. A novel methodology called ‘configuration of system dynamics’, which is suitable for any electrochemical system, is then developed to resolve the physical meaning of the impedance spectra. In addition to the high-frequency arc due to charge transfer, the Nyquist plots contain additional medium/low-frequency arcs due to mass transfer in the diffusion layers and along the channel, as well as a low-frequency arc resulting from water transport in the membrane. In some case, the impedance spectra appear partly inductive due to water transport, which demonstrates the complexity of the water management of PEMFCs and the necessity of physics-based calculations.
Photovoltaic-heat pump (PV-HP) combinations with battery and energy management systems are becoming increasingly popular due to their ability to increase the autarchy and utilization of self-generated PV electricity. This trend is driven by the ongoing electrification of the heating sector and the growing disparity between growing electricity costs and reducing feed-in tariffs in Germany. Smart control strategies can be employed to control and optimize the heat pump operation to achieve higher self-consumption of PV electricity. This work presents the evaluation results of a smart-grid ready controlled PV-HP-battery system in a single-family household in Germany, using 1-minute-high-resolution field measurement data. Within 12 months evaluation period, a self-consumption of 43% was determined. The solar fraction of the HP amounts to 36%, enabled also due to higher set temperatures for space heating and domestic hot water production. Accordingly, the SPF decreases by 4.0% the space heating and by 5.7% in the domestic hot water mode. The combined seasonal performance factor for the heat pump system increases from 4.2 to 6.7, when only considering the electricity taken from the grid and disregarding the locally generated electricity supplied from photovoltaic and battery units.
This work provides a series of methane adsorption isotherms and breakthrough curves on one 5A zeolite and one activated carbon. Breakthrough curves of CH4 were obtained from dynamic column measurements at different temperature and pressure conditions for concentrations of 4.4 – 17.3 mol.‐% in H2/CH4 mixtures. A simple model was developed to simulate the curves using measured and calculated data inputs. The results show that the model predictions agree very well with the experiments.
Regarding the importance of adsorptive removal of carbon monoxide from hydrogen-rich mixtures for novel applications (e.g. fuel cells), this work provides a series of experimental data on adsorption isotherms and breakthrough curves of carbon monoxide. Three recently developed 5A zeolites and one commercial activated carbon were used as adsorbents. Isotherms were measured gravimetrically at temperatures of 278–313 K and pressures up to 0.85 MPa. Breakthrough curves of CO were obtained from dynamic column measurements at temperatures of 298–301 K, pressures ranging from 0.1 MPa to ca. 6 MPa and concentrations of CO in H2/CO mixtures of 5–17.5 mol%. A simple mathematical model was developed to simulate breakthrough curves on adsorbent beds using measured and calculated data as inputs. The number of parameters and the use of correlations to evaluate them were restricted in order to focus the importance of measured values. For the given assumptions and simplifications, the results show that the model predictions agree satisfactorily with the experimental data at the different operating conditions applied.
As a basis for the evaluation of hydrogen storage by physisorption, adsorption isotherms of H2 were experimentally determined for several porous materials at 77 K and 298 K at pressures up to 15 MPa. Activated carbons and MOFs were studied as the most promising materials for this purpose. A noble focus was given on how to determine whether a material is feasible for hydrogen storage or not, dealing with an assessment method and the pitfalls and problems of determining the viability. For a quantitative evaluation of the feasibility of sorptive hydrogen storage in a general analysis, it is suggested to compare the stored amount in a theoretical tank filled with adsorbents to the amount of hydrogen stored in the same tank without adsorbents. According to our results, an “ideal” sorbent for hydrogen storage at 77 K is calculated to exhibit a specific surface area of >2580 m2 g−1 and a micropore volume of >1.58 cm3 g−1.
In this paper, the J-integral is derived for temperature-dependent elastic–plastic materials described by incremental plasticity. It is implemented using the equivalent domain integral method for assessment of three-dimensional cracks based on results of finite-element calculations. The J-integral considers contributions from inhomogeneous temperature fields and temperature-dependent elastic and plastic material properties as well as from gradients in the plastic strains and the hardening variables. Different energy densities are considered, the Helmholtz free energy and the stress-working density, providing a physical meaning of the J-integral as a fracture criteria for crack growth. Results obtained for a plate with two different crack configurations each loaded by a cool-down thermal shock show domain-independence of the incremental J-integral for different energy densities even for high temperature gradients and significant temperature-dependence of the yield stress and the hardening exponent in the presence of large scale yielding. Hence, the derived J-integral is an appropriate parameter for the assessment of cracks in thermomechanically loaded components.
A balcony photovoltaic (PV) system, also known as a micro-PV system, is a small PV system consisting of one or two solar modules with an output of 100–600 Wp and a corresponding inverter that uses standard plugs to feed the renewable energy into the house grid. In the present study we demonstrate the integration of a commercial lithium-ion battery into a commercial micro-PV system. We firstly show simulations over one year with one second time resolution which we use to assess the influence of battery and PV size on self-consumption, self-sufficiency and the annual cost savings. We then develop and operate experimental setups using two different architectures for integrating the battery into the micro-PV system. In the passive hybrid architecture, the battery is in parallel electrical connection to the PV module. In the active hybrid architecture, an additional DC-DC converter is used. Both architectures include measures to avoid maximum power point tracking of the battery by the module inverter. Resulting PV/battery/inverter systems with 300 Wp PV and 555 Wh battery were tested in continuous operation over three days under real solar irradiance conditions. Both architectures were able to maintain stable operation and demonstrate the shift of PV energy from the day into the night. System efficiencies were observed comparable to a reference system without battery. This study therefore demonstrates the feasibility of both active and passive coupling architectures.
This paper presents the results of the idea generation experiment that repeats the study originally conducted at RMIT. In order to establish the influence that the experimental treatments make on the number and the breadth of solution ideas proposed by problem solvers with different knowledge levels, students from different years of study were recruited. Ninety students from the Offenburg University of Applied Sciences, Germany were divided into three groups. All students were asked to generate ideas on cleaning lime deposits from the inside of a water pipe and were given 16 minutes to record their individual ideas. Students of two experimental groups were shown some words for two minuted each. The Su-Field group was exposed to the eight fields of MATCEMIB. The Random Word group was shown eight random words every two minutes. The Su-Field group outperformed both the Control group and the Random Word group in the number of ideas generated. It was also found that the students from the Su-Field group proposed significantly broader solutions than the students from the Control and Random Word groups. The overall results of the experiment support the conclusions made by the RMIT researchers that simple ideation techniques can significantly improve idea generation and that the systematised Substance-Field Analysis is a suitable heuristic for engineering students.
In the present study, in vitro toxicity as well as biopersistence and photopersistence of four artificial sweeteners (acesulfame, cyclamate, saccharine, and sucralose) and five antibiotics (levofloxacin, lincomycin, linezolid, marbofloxacin, and sarafloxacin) and of their phototransformation products (PTPs) were investigated. Furthermore, antibiotic activity was evaluated after UV irradiation and after exposure to inocula of a sewage treatment plant. The study reveals that most of the tested compounds and their PTPs were neither readily nor inherently biodegradable in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)-biodegradability tests. The study further demonstrates that PTPs are formed upon irradiation with an Hg lamp (UV light) and, to a lesser extent, upon irradiation with a Xe lamp (mimics sunlight). Comparing the nonirradiated with the corresponding irradiated solutions, a higher chronic toxicity against bacteria was found for the irradiated solutions of linezolid. Neither cytotoxicity nor genotoxicity was found in human cervical (HeLa) and liver (Hep-G2) cells for any of the investigated compounds or their PTPs. Antimicrobial activity of the tested fluoroquinolones was reduced after UV treatment, but it was not reduced after a 28-day exposure to inocula of a sewage treatment plant. This comparative study shows that PTPs can be formed as a result of UV treatment. The study further demonstrated that UV irradiation can be effective in reducing the antimicrobial activity of antibiotics, and consequently may help to reduce antimicrobial resistance in wastewaters. Nevertheless, the study also highlights that some PTPs may exhibit a higher ecotoxicity than the respective parent compounds. Consequently, UV treatment does not transform all micropollutants into harmless compounds and may not be a large-scale effluent treatment option.
The formation and analysis of ten microporous triazolyl isophthalate based MOFs, including nine isomorphous and one isostructural compound is presented. The compounds 1 M – 3 M with the general formula [ M ( R 1 - R 2 - trz - ia ) ] ∞ 3 ·x H 2 O (M 2+ = Co 2+ , Cu 2+ , Zn 2+ , Cd 2+ ; R 1 = H, Me; R 2 = 2py, 2pym, prz (2py = 2-pyridinyle; 2pym = 2-pyrimidinyle; prz = pyrazinyle)) crystallize with rtl topology. They are available as single crystals and also easily accessible in a multi-gram scale via refluxing the metal salts and the protonated ligands in a solvent. Their isomorphous structures facilitate the synthesis of heteronuclear MOFs; in case of 2 M , Co 2+ ions could be gradually substituted by Cu 2+ ions. The Co 2+ :Cu 2+ ratios were determined by ICP-OES spectroscopy, the distribution of Co 2+ and Cu 2+ in the crystalline samples are investigated by SEM-EDX analysis leading to the conclusions that Cu 2+ is more favorably incorporated into the framework compared to Co 2+ and, moreover, that the distribution of the two metal ions between the crystals and within the crystals is inhomogeneous if the crystals were grown slowly. The various compositions of the heteronuclear materials lead to different colors and the sorption properties for CO 2 and N 2 are dependent on the integrated metal ions.
For the treatment of bone defects, biodegradable, compressive biomaterials are needed as replacements that degrade as the bone regenerates. The problem with existing materials has either been their insufficient mechanical strength or the excessive differences in their elastic modulus, leading to stress shielding and eventual failure. In this study, the compressive strength of CPC ceramics (with a layer thickness of more than 12 layers) was compared with sintered β-TCP ceramics. It was assumed that as the number of layers increased, the mechanical strength of 3D-printed scaffolds would increase toward the value of sintered ceramics. In addition, the influence of the needle inner diameter on the mechanical strength was investigated. Circular scaffolds with 20, 25, 30, and 45 layers were 3D printed using a 3D bioplotter, solidified in a water-saturated atmosphere for 3 days, and then tested for compressive strength together with a β-TCP sintered ceramic using a Zwick universal testing machine. The 3D-printed scaffolds had a compressive strength of 41.56 ± 7.12 MPa, which was significantly higher than that of the sintered ceramic (24.16 ± 4.44 MPa). The 3D-printed scaffolds with round geometry reached or exceeded the upper limit of the compressive strength of cancellous bone toward substantia compacta. In addition, CPC scaffolds exhibited more bone-like compressibility than the comparable β-TCP sintered ceramic, demonstrating that the mechanical properties of CPC scaffolds are more similar to bone than sintered β-TCP ceramics.
Fast charging of lithium-ion batteries remains one of the most delicate challenges for the automotive industry, being seriously affected by the formation of lithium metal in the negative electrode. Here we present a physicochemical pseudo-3D model that explicitly includes the plating reaction as side reaction running in parallel to the main intercalation reaction. The thermodynamics of the plating reaction are modeled depending on temperature and ion concentration, which differs from the often-used assumption of a constant plating condition of 0 V anode potential. The reaction kinetics are described with an Arrhenius-type rate law parameterized from an extensive literature research. Re-intercalation of plated lithium was modeled to take place either via reverse plating (solution-mediated) or via an explicit interfacial reaction (surface-mediated). At low temperatures not only the main processes (intercalation and solid-state diffusion) become slow, but also the plating reaction itself becomes slower. Using this model, we are able to predict typical macroscopic experimental observables that are indicative of plating, that is, a voltage plateau during discharge and a voltage drop upon temperature increase. A spatiotemporal analysis of the internal cell states allows a quantitative insight into the competition between intercalation and plating. Finally, we calculate operation maps over a wide range of C-rates and temperatures that allow to assess plating propensity as function of operating condition.
Passive hybridization refers to a parallel connection of photovoltaic and battery cells on the direct current level without any active controllers or inverters. We present the first study of a lithium-ion battery cell connected in parallel to a string of four or five serially-connected photovoltaic cells. Experimental investigations were performed using a modified commercial photovoltaic module and a lithium titanate battery pouch cell, representing an overall 41.7 W-peak (photovoltaic)/36.8 W-hour (battery) passive hybrid system. Systematic and detailed monitoring of this system over periods of several days with different load scenarios was carried out. A scaled dynamic synthetic load representing a typical profile of a single-family house was successfully supplied with 100 % self-sufficiency over a period of two days. The system shows dynamic, fully passive self-regulation without maximum power point tracking and without battery management system. The feasibility of a photovoltaic/lithium-ion battery passive hybrid system could therefore be demonstrated.
Young female handball players represent a high-risk population for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries. While the external knee abduction moment (KAM) is known to be a risk factor, it is unclear how cutting technique affects KAMs in sport-specific cutting maneuvers. Further, the effect of added game specificity (e.g., catching a ball or faking defenders) on KAMs and cutting technique remains unknown. Therefore, this study aimed: (i) to test if athletes grouped into different clusters of peak KAMs produced during three sport-specific fake-and-cut tasks of different complexities differ in cutting technique, and (ii) to test whether technique variables change with task complexity. Fifty-one female handball players (67.0 ± 7.7 kg, 1.70 ± 0.06 m, 19.2 ± 3.4 years) were recruited. Athletes performed at least five successful handball-specific sidestep cuts of three different complexities ranging from simple pre-planned fake-and-cut maneuvers to catching a ball and performing an unanticipated fake-and-cut maneuver with dynamic defenders. A k-means cluster algorithm with squared Euclidean distance metric was applied to the KAMs of all three tasks. The optimal cluster number of koptimal = 2 was calculated using the average silhouette width. Statistical differences in technique variables between the two clusters and the tasks were analyzed using repeated-measures ANOVAs (task complexity) with nested groupings (clusters). KAMs differed by 64.5%, on average, between clusters. When pooling all tasks, athletes with high KAMs showed 3.4° more knee valgus, 16.9% higher downward and 8.4% higher resultant velocity at initial ground contact, and 20.5% higher vertical ground reaction forces at peak KAM. Unlike most other variables, knee valgus angle was not affected by task complexity, likely due to it being part of inherent movement strategies and partly determined by anatomy. Since the high KAM cluster showed higher vertical center of mass excursions and knee valgus angles in all tasks, it is likely that this is part of an automated motor program developed over the players' careers. Based on these results, reducing knee valgus and downward velocity bears the potential to mitigate knee joint loading and therefore ACL injury risk.
In the literature, many studies have described the 3D printing of ceramic-based scaffolds (e.g., printing with calcium phosphate cement) in the form of linear structures with layer rotations of 90°, although no right angles can be found in the human body. Therefore, this work focuses on the adaptation of biological shapes, including a layer rotation of only 1°. Sample shapes were printed with calcium phosphate cement using a 3D Bioplotter from EnvisionTec. Both straight and wavy spokes were printed in a round structure with 12 layers. Depending on the strand diameter (200 and 250 µm needle inner diameter) and strand arrangement, maximum failure loads of 444.86 ± 169.39 N for samples without subsequent setting in PBS up to 1280.88 ± 538.66 N after setting in PBS could be achieved.
HPTLC on amino plates, with simple heating of the plates for derivatization, has been used for quantification of glucosamine in nutritional supplements. On heating the plate glucosamine reacts to form a compound which strongly absorbs light between 305 and 330 nm, with weak fluorescence. The reaction product can be detected sensitively either by absorption of light or by fluorescence detection. The detection limit in absorption mode is approximately 25 ng per spot. In fluorescence mode a detection limit of 15 ng is achievable. A calibration plot for absorption detection is linear in the range 25 to 4000 ng glucosamine. The derivative formed from glucosamine by heating is stable for months, and the relative standard deviation is 1.64% for 600 ng glucosamine. The amounts of glucosamine found in nutritional supplements were in agreement with the label declarations.
Background
To assess the in-field walking mechanics during downhill hiking of patients with total knee arthroplasty five to 14 months after surgery and an age-matched healthy control group and relate them to the knee flexor and extensor muscle strength.
Methods
Participants walked on a predetermined hiking trail at a self-selected, comfortable pace wearing an inertial sensor system for recording the whole-body 3D kinematics. Sagittal plane hip, knee, and ankle joint angles were evaluated over the gait cycle at level walking and two different negative slopes. The concentric and eccentric lower extremity muscle strength of the knee flexors and extensors isokinetically at 50 and 120°/s were measured.
Findings
Less knee flexion angles during stance have been measured in patients in the operated limb compared to healthy controls in all conditions (level walking, moderate downhill, steep downhill). The differences increased with steepness. Muscle strength was lower in patients for both muscle groups and all measured conditions. The functional hamstrings to quadriceps ratio at 120°/sec correlated with knee angle during level and downhill walking at the moderate slope in patients, showing higher ratios with lower peak knee flexion angles.
Interpretation
The study shows that even if rehabilitation has been completed successfully and complication-free, five to 14 months after surgery, the muscular condition was still insufficient to display a normal gait pattern during downhill hiking. The muscle balance between quadriceps and hamstring muscles seems related to the persistence of a stiff knee gait pattern after knee arthroplasty. LoE: III.
Optimal microgrid scheduling with peak load reduction involving an electrolyzer and flexible loads
(2016)
This work consists of a multi-objective mixed-integer linear programming model for defining optimized schedules of components in a grid-connected microgrid. The microgrid includes a hydrogen energy system consisting of an alkaline electrolyzer, hydrogen cylinder bundles and a fuel cell for energy storage. Local generation is provided from photovoltaic panels, and the load is given by a fixed load profile combined with a flexible electrical load, which is a battery electric vehicle. The electrolyzer has ramp-up constraints which are modeled explicitly. The objective function includes, besides operational costs and an environmental indicator, a representation of peak power costs, thus leading to an overall peak load reduction under optimized operation. The model is used both for controlling a microgrid in a field trial set-up deployed in South-West Germany and for simulating the microgrid operation for defined period, thus allowing for economic system evaluation. Results from defined sample runs show that the energy storage is primarily used for trimming the peak of electricity drawn from the public grid and is not solely operated with excess power. The flexible demand operation also helps keeping the peak at its possible minimum.
Batteries typically consist of multiple individual cells connected in series. Here we demonstrate single-cell state of charge (SOC) and state of health (SOH) diagnosis in a 24 V class lithium-ion battery. To this goal, we introduce and apply a novel, highly efficient algorithm based on a voltage-controlled model (VCM). The battery, consisting of eight single cells, is cycled over a duration of five months under a simple cycling protocol between 20 % and 100 % SOC. The cell-to-cell standard deviations obtained with the novel algorithm were 1.25 SOC-% and 1.07 SOH-% at beginning of cycling. A cell-averaged capacity loss of 9.9 % after five months cycling was observed. While the accuracy of single-cell SOC estimation was limited (probably owed to the flat voltage characteristics of the lithium iron phosphate, LFP, chemistry investigated here), single-cell SOH estimation showed a high accuracy (2.09 SOH-% mean absolute error compared to laboratory reference tests). Because the algorithm does not require observers, filters, or neural networks, it is computationally very efficient (three seconds analysis time for the complete data set consisting of eight cells with approx. 780.000 measurement points per cell).
The accurate diagnosis of state of charge (SOC) and state of health (SOH) is of utmost importance for battery users and for battery manufacturers. State diagnosis is commonly based on measuring battery current and using it in Coulomb counters or as input for a current-controlled model. Here we introduce a new algorithm based on measuring battery voltage and using it as input for a voltage-controlled model. We demonstrate the algorithm using fresh and pre-aged lithium-ion battery single cells operated under well-defined laboratory conditions on full cycles, shallow cycles, and a dynamic battery electric vehicle load profile. We show that both SOC and SOH are accurately estimated using a simple equivalent circuit model. The new algorithm is self-calibrating, is robust with respect to cell aging, allows to estimate SOH from arbitrary load profiles, and is numerically simpler than state-of-the-art model-based methods.
Lithium-ion batteries exhibit a dynamic voltage behaviour depending nonlinearly on current and state of charge. The modelling of lithium-ion batteries is therefore complicated and model parametrisation is often time demanding. Grey-box models combine physical and data-driven modelling to benefit from their respective advantages. Neural ordinary differential equations (NODEs) offer new possibilities for grey-box modelling. Differential equations given by physical laws and NODEs can be combined in a single modelling framework. Here we demonstrate the use of NODEs for grey-box modelling of lithium-ion batteries. A simple equivalent circuit model serves as a basis and represents the physical part of the model. The voltage drop over the resistor–capacitor circuit, including its dependency on current and state of charge, is implemented as a NODE. After training, the grey-box model shows good agreement with experimental full-cycle data and pulse tests on a lithium iron phosphate cell. We test the model against two dynamic load profiles: one consisting of half cycles and one dynamic load profile representing a home-storage system. The dynamic response of the battery is well captured by the model.
Lithium-ion batteries exhibit slow voltage dynamics on the minute time scale that are usually associated with transport processes. We present a novel modelling approach toward these dynamics by combining physical and data-driven models into a Grey-box model. We use neural networks, in particular neural ordinary differential equations. The physical structure of the Grey-box model is borrowed from the Fickian diffusion law, where the transport domain is discretized using finite volumes. Within this physical structure, unknown parameters (diffusion coefficient, diffusion length, discretization) and dependencies (state of charge, lithium concentration) are replaced by neural networks and learnable parameters. We perform model-to-model comparisons, using as training data (a) a Fickian diffusion process, (b) a Warburg element, and (c) a resistor-capacitor circuit. Voltage dynamics during constant-current operation and pulse tests as well as electrochemical impedance spectra are simulated. The slow dynamics of all three physical models in the order of ten to 30 min are well captured by the Grey-box model, demonstrating the flexibility of the present approach.
The free convection in a vertical gap is generalized to realize new analytical solutions of the Boussinesq-equations. The steady and time-dependent solutions for the temperature and velocity distribution are discussed in detail depending on the mass flux in vertical direction. The range of existence for flows with and without back flow is obtained. The transient behaviour of the solutions during the time-dependent development displays interesting physical behaviour.
Flows in nature and technology are often associated with specific structures and pattern. This paper deals with the development and behaviour of such flow pattern. Flow structures are important for the mass, momentum and energy transport. The behaviour of different flow pattern is used by engineers to obtain an efficient mass and energy consumption. Mechanical power is transmitted via the momentum of rotating machine parts. Therefore the physical and mathematical knowledge of these basic concepts is important. Theoretical and experimental investigations of principle experiments are described in the following. We start with the classical problem of the flow between two concentric cylinders where the inner cylinder rotates. Periodic instabilities occur which are called Taylor vortices. The analogy between the cylindrical gap flow, the heat transfer in a horizontal fluid layer exposed to the gravity field and the boundary layer flow along concave boundaries concerning their stability behaviour is addressed. The vortex breakdown phenomenon in a cylinder with rotating cover is also described. A generalization to spherical sectors leads then to investigations with different boundary conditions. The spherical gap flow exhibits interesting phenomena concerning the nonlinear character of the Navier-Stokes equations. Multiple solutions in the nonlinear regime give rise to different routes during the laminar-turbulent transition. The interaction of two rotating spheres results in flow structures with separation and stagnation lines. Experimental results are confirmed by numerical simulations.
Shapes and structures of vortex breakdown phenomena in rotating fluids are visualized. We investigate the flow in a cylindrical container and in a cone between two spherical surfaces. The primary swirling flow is induced by the rotating upper disk in the cylindrical case and by the lower boundary in the spherical case. The upper surface can be fixed with a no slip condition or can be a stress-free surface. Depending on these boundary conditions and on the Reynolds number novel structures of recirculation zones are realized. Experiments are done to visualize the topological structure of the flow and to determine their existence range as function of the geometry and rotation rate. A comparison between the experimental and theoretical approach shows a good agreement in respect to the topological structures of the flows.
Rotating flow systems are often used to study stability phenomena and structure developments. The closed spherical gap problem is generalized into an open flow system by superimposing a mass flux in meridional direction. The basic solutions at low Reynolds numbers are described by analytical methods. The nonlinear supercritical solutions are simulated numerically and realized in experiments. Novel steady and time-dependent modes of flows are obtained. The extensive results concern the stability behaviour, non-uniqueness of supercritical solutions, symmetry behaviour and transitions between steady and time-dependent solutions. The experimental investigations concern the visualization of the various instabilities and the quatitative description of the flow structures including the laminar-turbulent transition. A comparison between theoretical and experimental results shows good agreement within the limit of rotational symmetric solutions from the theory.
Jürgen Zierep passed away on July 29, 2021, at the age of 92. To him, science and education was not only a profession, but an affair of the heart. His impressive contributions in fluid mechanics comprise about 200 scientific publications in the fields of gas dynamics, similarity laws, flow instabilities, flows with energy transfer, and non-Newtonian fluids. In addition, he wrote eleven textbooks with great dedication. Those books by the “scientist who loves to teach” are nowadays available in different languages and regularly appear in new editions.
This work presents the results of experimental operation of a solar-driven climate system using mixed-integer nonlinear model predictive control (MPC). The system is installed in a university building and consists of two solar thermal collector fields, an adsorption cooling machine with different operation modes, a stratified hot water storage with multiple inlets and outlets as well as a cold water storage. The system and the applied modeling approach is described and a parallelized algorithm for mixed-integer nonlinear MPC and a corresponding implementation for the system are presented. Finally, we show and discuss the results of experimental operation of the system and highlight the advantages of the mixed-integer nonlinear MPC application.
The lifetime of a battery is affected by various aging processes happening at the electrode scale and causing capacity and power fade over time. Two of the most critical mechanisms are the deposition of metallic lithium (plating) and the loss of lithium inventory to the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI). These side reactions compete with reversible lithium intercalation at the graphite anode. Here we present a comprehensive physicochemical pseudo-3D aging model for a lithium-ion battery cell, which includes electrochemical reactions for SEI formation on graphite anode, lithium plating, and SEI formation on plated lithium. The thermodynamics of the aging reactions are modeled depending on temperature and ion concentration, and the reactions kinetics are described with an Arrhenius-type rate law. The model includes also the positive feedback of plating on SEI growth, with the presence of plated lithium leading to a higher SEI formation rate compared to the values obtained in its absence at the same operating conditions. The model is thus able to describe cell aging over a wide range of temperatures and C-rates. In particular, it allows to quantify capacity loss due to cycling (here in % per year) as function of operating conditions. This allows the visualization of aging colormaps as function of both temperature and C-rate and the identification of critical operation conditions, a fundamental step for a comprehensive understanding of batteries performance and behavior. For example, the model predicts that at the harshest conditions (< –5 °C, > 3 C), aging is reduced compared to most critical conditions (around 0–5 °C) because the cell cannot be fully charged.
This article presents the development, parameterization, and experimental validation of a pseudo-three-dimensional (P3D) multiphysics aging model of a 500 mAh high-energy lithium-ion pouch cell with graphite negative electrode and lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide (NMC) positive electrode. This model includes electrochemical reactions for solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) formation at the graphite negative electrode, lithium plating, and SEI formation on plated lithium. The thermodynamics of the aging reactions are modeled depending on temperature and ion concentration and the reactions kinetics are described with an Arrhenius-type rate law. Good agreement of model predictions with galvanostatic charge/discharge measurements and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy is observed over a wide range of operating conditions. The model allows to quantify capacity loss due to cycling near beginning-of-life as function of operating conditions and the visualization of aging colormaps as function of both temperature and C-rate (0.05 to 2 C charge and discharge, −20 °C to 60 °C). The model predictions are also qualitatively verified through voltage relaxation, cell expansion and cell cycling measurements. Based on this full model, six different aging indicators for determination of the limits of fast charging are derived from post-processing simulations of a reduced, pseudo-two-dimensional isothermal model without aging mechanisms. The most successful aging indicator, compared to results from the full model, is based on combined lithium plating and SEI kinetics calculated from battery states available in the reduced model. This methodology is applicable to standard pseudo-two-dimensional models available today both commercially and as open source.
This article presents the development, parameterization, and experimental validation of a pseudo-three-dimensional (P3D) multiphysics model of a 350 mAh high-power lithium-ion pouch cell with graphite anode and lithium cobalt oxide/lithium nickel cobalt aluminum oxide (LCO/NCA) blend cathode. The model describes transport processes on three different scales: Heat transport on the macroscopic scale (cell), mass and charge transport on the mesoscopic scale (electrode pair), and mass transport on the microscopic scale (active material particles). A generalized description of electrochemistry in blend electrodes is developed, using the open-source software Cantera for calculating species source terms. Very good agreement of model predictions with galvanostatic charge/discharge measurements, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and surface temperature measurements is observed over a wide range of operating conditions (0.05C to 10C charge and discharge, 5°C to 35°C). The behavior of internal states (concentrations, potentials, temperatures) is discussed. The blend materials show a complex behavior with both intra-particle and inter-particle non-equilibria during cycling.
Wood juice, a liquid produced during wood processing, is a harmful waste that requires utilization. To achieve a circular economy, biowastes should be recycled, reducing fossil carbon usage. Therefore, the objective of this work was to examine the potential of wood juice as a feedstock for bioplastic synthesis by Bacillus sp. G8_19. Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) syntheses using wood juice from Douglas fir trees and that from a mixture of spruce/fir trees were compared. It was found that the PHA content was higher after using wood juice from spruce/fir trees than that from Douglas fir trees (18.0% vs 6.1% of cell dry mass). Gas chromatography analysis showed that, with both wood juices, Bacillus sp. G8_19 accumulated poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate). The content of 3-hydroxyvalerate (3HV) monomers was higher when spruce/fir wood juice was used (10.7% vs 1.9%). The C/N ratio did not have a statistically significant effect on the copolymer content in biomass, but it did significantly influence the 3HV content. The proposed concept may serve as an approach to wood waste valorization via production of biodegradable materials.
The current methods used to assess the energy performance of ventilation devices do not consider all the aspects necessary for a comprehensive evaluation of decentralised ventilation concepts and can only be partially adapted to their needs. In order to improve the energy evaluation and to ensure the comparability of different systems, a calorimetric method was developed and implemented in test facilities for the evaluation of two decentralised devices: one equipped with a recuperative counter flow heat exchanger and one with a regenerative heat exchanger. This method, based on direct measurements of the heating load in an insulated test room, includes the effect of the electrical consumption of the fans on the energy performance of the ventilation devices. The calorimetric evaluation method was extended to a seasonal evaluation on the basis of a heating-degree-day method implemented for a warm, a cool and a moderate location in Europe: Athens, Strasbourg and Copenhagen. All the results are above 50% efficiency for both devices, even in Athens where the use of heat recovery ventilation is not usual.
Ozon-Querempfindlichkeit bei der Immissionsmessung von schwebstaubakkumuliertem Benzo[a]pyren
(2002)
Für die Beschreibung der Belastung der Luft mit polycyclischen aromatischen Kohlenwasserstoffen (PAK) wird vorwiegend die Konzentration eines Vertreters, das auf Schwebstaub akkumulierte Benzo[a]pyren (BaP), analysiert. Hierbei stellt Benzo[a]pyren die Leit komponen te für die Stoffklasse der PAK dar. Auf europäischer Ebene ist vorgesehen, für diesen Luftinhaltsstoff einen Grenzwert als Jahresmittelwert festzulegen. Deshalb wird bei bei der Normungsbehörde CEN zurzeit eine Europäische Norm für diesen Stoff erarbeitet. Aus der Literatur ist bekannt, dass für Benzo[a]pyren eine Querempfindlichkeit gegen Ozon und NO2 besteht. Im Zuge der Neuentwicklung eines Probenahmekopfs (PNK) für PAK-Immissionsmessungen, der durch den Einsatz eines Ozon- Scrubbers eine ozonfreie Immissionsmessung der Benzo[a]pyren-Konzentration ermög licht, wurde in dieser Arbeit die prinzipielle Einsetzbarkeit dieses Probe nahmekopfs geprüft. Zu diesem Zweck wurden Voruntersuchungen und Feldversuche durchgeführt, mit dem Ziel, Kenntnisse über die Ozon-Querempfindlichkeit zu erhalten. Um die Ozon-Querempfindlichkeit bei der Benzo[a]pyren-Bestimmung zu studieren, wurde Ozon in den Ansaugbereich der Probenahme dosiert. Als Ergebnis der Untersuchungen kann festgehalten werden, dass für die Benzo[a]pyren-Immissionsmessung eine deutliche Ozon-Querempfindlichkeit besteht, die unter Einsatz des neuen Ozon- Scrubbers vermieden werden kann.
Aqueous lithium–oxygen batteries are promising candidates for electric energy storage. In this paper we present and discuss a multiphase continuum model of an aqueous lithium–oxygen single cell including reactions and transport in a porous gas diffusion electrode (GDE). The model is parameterized using in-house half-cell experiments and available literature data on aqueous electrolytes. We validate our transport model with cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements over a wide range of temperatures (25, 40, 55 °C) and electrolyte concentrations (0.1–2 M). We observe very good agreement between simulations and measurements during oxygen reduction conditions. A sensitivity analysis of the validated model demonstrates the influence of the porous structure on GDE performance and gives directions for the future development of electrodes.
The structure of the separation bubble that appears in the secondary meridional flow between two coaxially rotating spheres at low and finite Reynolds number (Re) is considered. The low Re analytical study was motivated by recognizing some errors in the analytical work on this problem by Arunachalam and Majhi (1987, Q. Jl Mech. Appl. Math., 40, 47) whilst the finite Re experimental study was motivated by the desire to observe the separation bubble in the laboratory. Though the finite Re experiments were performed in a confined apparatus, they exhibit the qualitative features of the low Re theoretical predictions for the axisymmetric separation bubble that encloses two toroidal vortices symmetrically disposed above and below the mid‐plane of sphere separation, but strong effects of confinement are apparent. The flows observed include (i) a wall‐attached bubble symmetric about the mid‐plane at low Re, (ii) symmetric free‐standing bubbles at moderate Re, and (iii) an asymmetric bubble with flow separating from one sphere and attaching to the support shaft between the spheres at sufficiently high Re.