Modeling, Simulation and Control in Energy Systems

A special issue of Processes (ISSN 2227-9717). This special issue belongs to the section "Energy Systems".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 November 2024 | Viewed by 8482

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
School of Production Engineering and Management, Technical University of Crete, 73100 Chania, Greece
Interests: control systems (conventional and advanced) in energy; environmental and industrial systems; process modeling & simulation; development and evaluation of novel systems that exploit RES; production of alternative fuels and energy through eco-friendly processes; techno-economic studies
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Guest Editor
School of Mineral Resources Engineering, Technical University of Crete, 73100 Chania, Greece
Interests: transport phenomena in porous media; macroscopic (field) scale behavior of multiphase flows within geologic formations; conventional and enhanced oil recovery, soil remediation; geologic CO2 sequestration

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Clean energy systems are on the forefront of today’s discussions regarding the protection of our environment against global warming. Decarbonization strategies along with novel energy systems have diverted research groups to the working areas of renewables, alternative fuels, energy efficiency improvement, autonomous systems design, waste management and energy policy regulations. To this end, the framework of the modeling, simulation and control of energy systems has become an essential tool for unraveling the complex dynamics and for predicting the system performance under stochastic disturbances and system variations (either short-term or long-term). Such energy systems may range from TRL (technology readiness level) 1 to 9, and crucial efforts are devoted to their efficient scale-up and commercialization. Additions to these challenges are the advanced modeling and process control techniques that have been moved from pilot to industrial scale applications.

This Special Issue on “Modeling, Simulation and Control in Energy Systems” aims to collect high-quality research studies (including state-of-the art review papers) addressing challenges pertaining to the broad areas of energy production, management, utilization and storage. Topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Mathematical programming and control of energy systems;
  • Energy efficiency in vehicles, buildings and power stations;
  • Renewable energy systems and energy storage;
  • Electrochemical and H2-based systems (batteries, fuel cells and electrolyzers);
  • Waste-to-Power and Power-to-X technologies;
  • Distributed and off-grid energy systems;
  • Complex transport phenomena in energy processes;
  • Energy management and optimization;
  • Power Quality.

Dr. Dimitris Ipsakis
Dr. Andreas Yiotis
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Processes is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • zero carbon technologies
  • energy efficiency and energy conservation
  • hybrid and smart-grid systems
  • combined heat and power (CHP units)
  • waste processing
  • advanced process control
  • energy algorithms and optimization
  • energy economics, policy and planning

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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18 pages, 11094 KiB  
Article
Simulation and Experimental Design of Magnetic Fluid Seal Safety Valve for Pressure Vessel
by Zhenggui Li, Ziyue Wang, Changrong Shen, Wangxu Li, Yanxiong Jiao, Chuanshi Cheng, Jie Min and Yuanyuan Li
Processes 2024, 12(9), 2040; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr12092040 - 21 Sep 2024
Viewed by 804
Abstract
This article focuses on the safety valve of pressure vessels, and a new ferrofluid sealing device for pressure vessel safety valves is developed based on a special magnetic circuit. A combined method of numerical calculation and experimental analysis is used to study the [...] Read more.
This article focuses on the safety valve of pressure vessels, and a new ferrofluid sealing device for pressure vessel safety valves is developed based on a special magnetic circuit. A combined method of numerical calculation and experimental analysis is used to study the relationship between seal clearance, number of seals, pole slot width, pole tooth height, pole tooth width, and the sealing pressure of the ferrofluid sealing device. The research results show that seal clearance and pole tooth width have a significant impact on the sealing performance, and as the dimensions increase, the sealing pressure decreases. As the number of seals, pole tooth height, and slot width increase, the sealing performance initially improves and then decreases. This phenomenon is attributed to the increase in magnetic reluctance in the magnetic circuit. In experimental studies, when the excitation current of the electromagnet is 240 mA and the coil turns number 30, the sealing capacity is 61.22 kPa. When the excitation current is 200 mA and the coil turns number 80, the sealing capacity is 168.24 kPa. The experiments demonstrate the compensating ability of magnetic fluid seals in combination with safety valve seals, confirming that combined seals have higher reliability compared to conventional mechanical seals. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modeling, Simulation and Control in Energy Systems)
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21 pages, 7636 KiB  
Article
Primary-Side Indirect Control of the Battery Charging Current in a Wireless Power Transfer Charger Using Adaptive Hill-Climbing Control Technique
by Abdellah Lassioui, Marouane El Ancary, Zakariae El Idrissi, Hassan El Fadil, Kamal Rachid and Aziz Rachid
Processes 2024, 12(6), 1264; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr12061264 - 19 Jun 2024
Viewed by 868
Abstract
This paper addresses the control task of a wireless power transfer (WPT) charger designed for electric vehicles (EVs). The challenge is to maintain a constant battery charging current when the WPT is controlled on the ground side. Indeed, the intermittent latency involved in [...] Read more.
This paper addresses the control task of a wireless power transfer (WPT) charger designed for electric vehicles (EVs). The challenge is to maintain a constant battery charging current when the WPT is controlled on the ground side. Indeed, the intermittent latency involved in the wireless data communication between the ground and vehicle sides leads to system instability. To overcome this issue, a new control approach has been proposed in this paper. The proposed technique ensures indirect control of the battery charging current through control of the current on the ground side. The control technique relies on an adaptive hill-climbing algorithm in conjunction with a PI-based controller. The adaptive parameter is adjusted online, during the operation of the charger, only when a new measure of the battery charging current is received on the primary side. This makes it possible to avoid the need for real-time wireless data communication. It should be noted that this aspect is crucial in ensuring the controller’s robustness and stability of the system regardless of potential delays in wireless communication and large misalignments between the coils. The validity of the proposed control technique has been confirmed through simulation. In addition, experimental validation, using a laboratory test bed, demonstrated satisfactory results. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modeling, Simulation and Control in Energy Systems)
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17 pages, 4465 KiB  
Article
A Graphical User Interface for Calculating Exergy Destruction for Combustion Reactions
by M. Özgün Korukҫu
Processes 2024, 12(2), 294; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr12020294 - 30 Jan 2024
Viewed by 1054
Abstract
The combustion of fuels has been studied by many researchers as it is used in a wide range of engineering applications. The chemical equilibrium approach served as the foundation for the investigation of combustion reactions. This article presents a software application designed to [...] Read more.
The combustion of fuels has been studied by many researchers as it is used in a wide range of engineering applications. The chemical equilibrium approach served as the foundation for the investigation of combustion reactions. This article presents a software application designed to facilitate the calculation of combustion processes by calculating the combustion of 16 fuels among the common alkanes (CnH2n+2) and alcohols (CnH2n+1OH). The Ozan Combustion Calculator (OCC) offers a user-friendly and efficient graphical user interface (GUI) that allows users to easily input data and obtain results. The program was developed using MATLAB 2021a and LaTeX software, ensuring its reliability and accuracy. To perform these calculations, the program utilizes calculations of the thermophysical properties of fuels and water obtained from tables. The program consists of five modules, each serving a specific purpose. These modules calculate various parameters, such as the Adiabatic Flame Temperature, Exergy of Combustion with Dry Air, Exergy of Combustion with Moist Air, Energy of Combustion with Dry Air, and Energy of Combustion with Moist Air. Additionally, the program can be used to investigate the impact of relative humidity on the adiabatic flame temperature and exergy destruction. The results obtained from the calculations reveal that the adiabatic flame temperature exhibits a linear decrease as the relative humidity increases. On the other hand, exergy destruction demonstrates a quadratic increase with higher relative humidity values. The program derives mathematical relationships for the adiabatic flame temperature and exergy destruction with respect to relative humidity values, with a high regression coefficient (r2=0.999). The versatility of OCC makes it suitable for various applications. It can be utilized in university settings for both undergraduate- and graduate-level courses, providing students with a practical tool for studying combustion processes. Additionally, it finds applications in industrial settings for the design and optimization of combustors, gas turbines, and burners. The user-friendly interface and accurate calculations make OCC a valuable resource in the field of combustion engineering. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modeling, Simulation and Control in Energy Systems)
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13 pages, 8490 KiB  
Article
The Influence of Blade Tip Clearance on the Flow Field Characteristics of the Gas–Liquid Multiphase Pump
by Yuxuan Deng, Yanna Li, Jing Xu, Chunyan Kuang and Yanli Zhang
Processes 2023, 11(11), 3170; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11113170 - 7 Nov 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 896
Abstract
Gas–liquid multiphase pumps are critical transportation devices in the petroleum and chemical engineering industries, and improving their conveyance efficiency is crucial. This study investigates the influence of blade tip clearance variations on the flow characteristics within a multiphase pump. Numerical simulations were conducted [...] Read more.
Gas–liquid multiphase pumps are critical transportation devices in the petroleum and chemical engineering industries, and improving their conveyance efficiency is crucial. This study investigates the influence of blade tip clearance variations on the flow characteristics within a multiphase pump. Numerical simulations were conducted using Eulerian two-phase and SST k-ω turbulence models with four distinct tip clearance sizes (0 mm, 0.3 mm, 0.6 mm, and 0.9 mm). The performance curve, tip leakage flow (TLF), and internal gas distribution were subjected to analysis. The results indicate that the TLF is linearly related to the clearance size and traverses multiple flow passages, resulting in energy losses and a reduced pump head coefficient. Larger tip clearances (0.6 mm and 0.9 mm) exhibited a more uniform flow pattern, contrasting the irregularities seen with a 0.3 mm clearance. Compared to no tip clearance (0 mm), gas holdup within the impeller passages decreased by 18.39%, 39.62%, and 58.53% for clearances of 0.3 mm, 0.6 mm, and 0.9 mm, respectively, leading to decreased overall system efficiency. This study highlights the connection between tip clearance size and flow dynamics in multiphase pumps, offering insights for optimal tip clearance selection during multiphase pump design. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modeling, Simulation and Control in Energy Systems)
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17 pages, 3896 KiB  
Article
Design and Simulation of a Feedback Controller for an Active Suspension System: A Simplified Approach
by Vasileios Provatas and Dimitris Ipsakis
Processes 2023, 11(9), 2715; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11092715 - 11 Sep 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1528
Abstract
The concept of controlling vehicle comfort is a common problem that is faced in most under- and postgraduate courses in Engineering Schools. The aim of this study is to provide a simplified approach for the feedback control design and simulation of active suspension [...] Read more.
The concept of controlling vehicle comfort is a common problem that is faced in most under- and postgraduate courses in Engineering Schools. The aim of this study is to provide a simplified approach for the feedback control design and simulation of active suspension systems, which are applied in vehicles. Firstly, the mathematical model of an active suspension system (a quarter model of a car) which consists of a passive spring, a passive damper and an actuator is provided. In this study, we chose to design and compare the following controllers: (a) conventional P, PI and PID controllers that were tuned through two conventional methodologies (Ziegler–Nichols and Tyreus–Luyben); (b) an optimal PID controller that was tuned with a genetic algorithm (GA) optimization framework in terms of the minimization of certain performance criteria and (c) an internal model controller (IMC) based on the process transfer function. The controllers’ performance was assessed in a series of realistic scenarios that included set-point tracking with and without disturbances. In all cases, the IMC controller and the optimal PID showed superior performance. On the other hand, the P and PI controllers showed a rather insufficient behavior that involved persistent errors, overshoots and eventually, uncomfortable ride oscillations. Clearly, a step-by-step approach such as this, that includes modeling, control design and simulation scenarios can be applied to numerous other engineering examples, which we envisage to lead more students into the area of automatic control. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modeling, Simulation and Control in Energy Systems)
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16 pages, 3072 KiB  
Article
Capacity Management in Smart Grids Using Greedy Randomized Adaptive Search Procedure and Tabu Search
by Hugo de Oliveira Motta Serrano, Cleberton Reiz and Jonatas Boas Leite
Processes 2023, 11(8), 2464; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr11082464 - 16 Aug 2023
Viewed by 1046
Abstract
Over time, distribution systems have progressed from small-scale systems to complex networks, requiring modernization to adapt to these increasing levels of active loads and devices. It is essential to manage the capacity of distribution networks to support all these new technologies. This work, [...] Read more.
Over time, distribution systems have progressed from small-scale systems to complex networks, requiring modernization to adapt to these increasing levels of active loads and devices. It is essential to manage the capacity of distribution networks to support all these new technologies. This work, therefore, presents a method for evaluating the impact of optimal allocation and sizing of DGs and load shedding for response demand programs on distribution networks to improve the reliability and financial performance of electric power systems. The proposed optimization tool uses the Greedy Randomized Adaptive Search Procedure and Tabu Search algorithms. The combined optimization of DG allocation simultaneously with load shedding, reliability indices, load transference, and the possibility of islanded operation significantly improves the quality of the planning proposals obtained by the developed method. The results demonstrate the efficiency and robustness of the proposed method, improving the voltage profile by up to 2.02%, relieving the network capacity, and increasing the load restoration capability and reliability. Statistical analysis is also carried out to highlight the performance of the proposed methodology. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modeling, Simulation and Control in Energy Systems)
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Review

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51 pages, 13880 KiB  
Review
Towards Reliable Prediction of Performance for Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells via Machine Learning-Integrated Hybrid Numerical Simulations
by Rashed Kaiser, Chi-Yeong Ahn, Yun-Ho Kim and Jong-Chun Park
Processes 2024, 12(6), 1140; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr12061140 - 31 May 2024
Viewed by 1092
Abstract
For mitigating global warming, polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells have become promising, clean, and sustainable alternatives to existing energy sources. To increase the energy density and efficiency of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFC), a comprehensive numerical modeling approach that can adequately predict [...] Read more.
For mitigating global warming, polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells have become promising, clean, and sustainable alternatives to existing energy sources. To increase the energy density and efficiency of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFC), a comprehensive numerical modeling approach that can adequately predict the multiphysics and performance relative to the actual test such as an acceptable depiction of the electrochemistry, mass/species transfer, thermal management, and water generation/transportation is required. However, existing models suffer from reliability issues due to their dependency on several assumptions made for the sake of modeling simplification, as well as poor choices and approximations in material characterization and electrochemical parameters. In this regard, data-driven machine learning models could provide the missing and more appropriate parameters in conventional computational fluid dynamics models. The purpose of the present overview is to explore the state of the art in computational fluid dynamics of individual components of the modeling of PEMFC, their issues and limitations, and how they can be significantly improved by hybrid modeling techniques integrating with machine learning approaches. Furthermore, a detailed future direction of the proposed solution related to PEMFC and its impact on the transportation sector is discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modeling, Simulation and Control in Energy Systems)
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Planned Papers

The below list represents only planned manuscripts. Some of these manuscripts have not been received by the Editorial Office yet. Papers submitted to MDPI journals are subject to peer-review.

Title: Optimized Hybrid Deep Learning Models for Predicting Dynamic Performance of PEMFC through Hyperparameter Tuning
Authors: -
Affiliation: Pusan National University
Abstract: -

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