Water, Air Emissions, and Cost Impacts of Air-Cooled Microturbines for Combined Cooling, Heating, and Power Systems： A Case Study in the Atlanta Region

The increasing pace of urbanization means that cities and global organizations are looking for ways to increase energy efficiency and reduce emissions. Combined cooling, heating, and power （CCHP） systems have the potential to improve the energy generation efficiency of a city or urban region by providing energy for heating, cooling, and electricity simultaneously. The purpose of this study is to estimate the water consumption for energy generation use, carbon dioxide （CO2） and NOx emissions, and economic impact of implementing CCHP systems for five generic building types within the Atlanta metropolitan region, under various operational scenarios following the building thermal （heating and cooling） demands. Operating the CCHP system to follow the hourly thermal demand reduces CO2 emissions for most building types both with and without net metering. The system can be economically beneficial for all building types depending on the price of natural gas, the implementation of net metering, and the cost structure assumed for the CCHP system. The greatest reduction in water consumption for energy production and NOx emissions occurs when there is net metering and when the system is operated to meet the maximum yearly thermal demand, although this scenario also results in an increase in greenhouse gas emissions and, in some cases, cost. CCHP systems are more economical for medium office, large office, and multifamilv residential buildings.

Aerodynamic Performance of Wind Microturbines and Their Dynamic Response

Wind microturbines typically have rotor diameters of 2 m or less. This paper presents theoretical expressions that can be used to determine the aerodynamic performance of wind microturbines. A commercially-available three-bladed microturbine was tested at the outlet plane of a wind tunnel. The cross-section dimensions of the wind tunnel jet are 2.5 m （horizontal） x 1.5 m （vertical）. The tested microturbine has a diameter of 1.2 m, and it generates a maximum power output of about 300 W. The paper provides the wind tunnel test methodology that was used to determine the mean and fluctuating forces generated by the aforementioned wind microturbine. Both the static and dynamic responses of the turbine were measured, and results from this testing are presented in this paper. These results enable the trends and predictions of the theoretical expressions to be compared with wind tunnel measurements. It is shown that, for this particular microturbine, the behaviours of these test measurements are consistent with the expected theoretical predictions.

Integration of Renewable Energy Resources in Microgrid

Microgrid is a new concept in power generation. The Microgrid concept assumes a cluster of loads and micro sources operating as a single controllable system that provides both power and heat to its local area. Not much is known about Microgrid behavior as a whole system. Some models exist which describe the components of a Microgrid. In this paper, model of Microgrids with steady state and their transient responses to changing inputs are presented. Current models of a fuel cell, microturbines, wind turbine and solar cell have been discussed. Finally a complete model built of Microgrid including the power sources, their power electronics, and a load and mains model in MATLAB/Simulink is presented.

Modeling, Control &Fault Management of Microgrids

In this paper, modeling and decentralize control principles of a MicroGrid (MG) whom equipped with three Distributed Generation (DG) systems (consist of: Solar Cell System (SCS), MicroTurbine System (MTS) and Wind Energy Conversion System (WECS)) is simulated. Three arrangement of load changing have investigated for the system. In first one the system doesn’t have transfer of power between MG and grid. In other two arrangements system have transfer of power between MG and utility grid. Of course in third case transfer of power between DG resources is considerable. Case study system is equipped by energy storage devices (battery bank) for each DG’s separately by means of increasing the MG reliability. For WECS and SCS, MPPT control and for MTS, voltage and frequency (V&F) controller has designed. The purpose of this paper is load respond in MG and storage process of surplus energy by consider of load changing. MATLAB/Simulink and its libraries (mainly the Sim Power Systems toolbox) were employed in order to develop a simulation platform suitable for identifying MG control requirements. This paper reported a control and op- eration of MG in network tension by applying a three phase fault.

Control and Implementation of Single-Inverter Microgrid

In this paper, simulation and implementation way for practical control of Single Inverter Microgrid (SIMG) is presented. This system is equipped by solar system, wind energy conversion system (WECS), and microturbine system. Each DG’s has controlled independently. This is a kind of decentralize control because each DG’s has difference controller. Control of Microgrid (MG) during both grid tie and islanding modes is presented. Solar system and WECS are modeled based on santerno products. This system is compared with three inverter MGs with Centralize control strategy. Controlled signals show that SIMG is more reliable and economical. THD is improved and strategy is simplified for SIMG.

Study of Microturbine Models in Islanded and Grid-Connected Mode

Modeling and simulation of two different microturbine （MT） models to analyze load following performance as distributed energy resource （DER） have been presented in this paper. The first model consists of speed governor, acceleration control, and temperature control blocks while the other is GAST model. The system comprises a synchronous generator and a MT coupled to it. Simulations are carried out in islanded and grid-connected mode to observe the system response when supplying variable loads. The load following characteristics is observed and validated for this MT-synchronous generator model in Matlab-Simulink environment. This is applicable with combined heat power （CHP） generators both with general fuel as well as bio-fuels. The use of bio-fuels is very much promising for generating green power preventing green house gas emissions for fighting against global warming.

Preliminary Design, Drive-Cycle Simulation and Energy Analysis of a Hybrid Transit Bus

Modern metropolises are increasingly affected by air quality problems. Transportation is one of the largest sources of several pollutants emissions, such as nitrogen oxides (NOx) and carbon monoxide (CO). Today in the EU, vehicles' emissions are strictly limited by Euro 6 norm-Euro VI for heavy-duty vehicles-which is periodically upgraded. To match such limits, manufacturers are forced in developing new technologies to perform new sustainable vehicles design strategies, such as EVs and HEVs. Present work's aim is to provide the design of series-hybrid urban transportation bus, equipped with a novel thermal power unit, namely a small gas turbine, to exploit its cleaner combustion process in comparison with an ICE. The control logic is described, while the main drivetrain components are chosen, and suitable models from suppliers are selected as well. Then, some simulations of the resulting vehicle are performed on opportune drive cycles, using Advisor, a free software based on Matlab-Simulink environment, published by US' National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). Two different final configurations are environmentally and economically analysed, with the thermal power unit being respectively fuelled by compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). Both satisfy the Euro VI norms, showing a substantial emission reduction (-89% and -43% in CO and THC releases respectively) in comparison to pollutants' threshold values.

On Problems with Downscaling in Internal Flows

Problems that may accompany downscaling in internal flows are discussed. Non-dimensional similarity parameters （like Re, M, etc.） depend on parameters that scale down fully （e.g., length）, or that are specified by design （velocities, cascade geometry）, or that are scale invariant （like thermophysical and transport properties of fluids）.This fact has to be taken into acount in the similarity considerations. With decreasing Reynolds number the surface forces become of growing importance, however, if not going down directly to microflows the main problems are connected with the three-dimensional flow structure affecting the skin friction, and with the fact that some of the flow phenomena （e.g. vortical structures） cannot fully develop.

Study on leakage flow characteristics of radial inflow turbines at rotor tip clearance

Tip clearance leakage flow in a radial inflow turbine rotor for microturbines under the stage environment is investigated using a three-dimensional viscous flow simulation. The results indicate that the scraping flow caused by relative motion between casing and rotor tip, and the pressure difference between pressure side and suction side at rotor tip, play important roles in tip clearance leakage flow. The more the rotor tip speed increases and tip clearance height decreases, the more the scraping effect acts. Though the leakage velocity of tip clearance at midsection and exducer regions changes less when the rotor rotational speed is changing, the distance between passage vortex and rotor suction side varies in evidence. Main leakage flow rate of tip clearance takes place at region of exducer tip and some seal configurations will be quite effective for cutting leakage flow if these configurations are arranged over midsection and exducer of the radial inflow rotor.