by Abdul G. Khan

Received: 22 July 2021;  Published: 14 December 2021;  doi: 10.21926/jept.2104049

There is growing concern for the contamination of our soils and waters worldwide with heavy metals (HMs), as a result of indiscriminate use of agrochemicals for feeding growing population which require optimal use of resources and sustainable agricultural strategies. This can be simultaneously achieved by using microbes as bio-fertilizers, bio-protectants, and bio-stimulants, and suitable phytoremediation- plant capable of removing heavy metals contaminants from contaminated sites. There is a growing need to adopt [...]

by Abdullah Abbas Kendoush

Received: 04 October 2021;  Published: 07 December 2021;  doi: 10.21926/jept.2104048

By the adoption of a drag-buoyancy equality model, analytical solutions were obtained for the drag coefficients (CD) of Taylor bubbles rising steadily in pipes. The obtained solutions were functions of the geometry of the Taylor bubble and the gas volume fraction. The solutions were applicable at a wide range of Capillary numbers. The solution was validated by comparison with experimental data of other investigators. All derived drag formulas were subject to the condition that Bond number >4, for air-water systems.

by Despina Vamvuka  , Maria Deli  and Antonios Stratakis

Received: 06 September 2021;  Published: 11 November 2021;  doi: 10.21926/jept.2104047

In this work, the conducted chemical, mineralogical, fusibility, and thermogravimetric analyses and calculated the slagging/fouling indicators for predicting deposition tendencies in boilers to study the ash fusibility behavior of selected agricultural residues and their blends with lignite. Two additives, bauxite, and clinochlore, were used at varying amounts to reduce ash melting, followed by examining their anti-fusion mechanisms. Initial deformation and softening temperatures of biomass materials were low for c [...]

by Foad Haeri  , Deepak Tapriyal  , Christopher Matranga  , Dustin Crandall  and Angela Goodman

Received: 05 September 2021;  Published: 05 November 2021;  doi: 10.21926/jept.2104046

Contact angles were measured for CO2-brine interactions on 20 different rocks that represent the properties of various CO2 storage depositional environments to characterize the wettability during geologic carbon storage. Three different CO2 phases (gaseous, liquid, and supercritical) were considered to investigate the effect of pressure and temperature. Bubbles were studied in two groups of larger and smaller than 500 μm, the latter being more relevant to pore scale. Variation was observed among contact angle measu [...]

by Ernest Ilisca

Received: 18 June 2021;  Published: 29 October 2021;  doi: 10.21926/jept.2104045

Most of the hydrogen storage vessels meant for vehicles to run the electric motor via a fuel cell during transport are designed for drives of only a few tenths of kilometers per day. The present report, however, describes a vessel model that is conceived to hold the hydrogen energy only for short periods during transport, such as a few hours. This would include transport via a light-duty vehicle, a taxi, or a bus, which would load liquid hydrogen at a station every morning for the day. This is a simple model based [...]

by Carsten Croonenbroeck  and David Hennecke

Received: 20 July 2021;  Published: 25 October 2021;  doi: 10.21926/jept.2104044

In this study, we address the wind farm layout optimization (WFLO) problem and tackle the issue of optimal turbine placement by incorporating additional aspects of an economically driven target function. Firstly, we have analyzed the effect of wind direction on a given turbine arrangement. Based on the direction-dependent wake pattern, practitioners sometimes shut down certain turbines on their farms. Our method computes which turbines should be shut down in which wake situation. On this basis, we have developed a [...]

by Argyrios V. Karatrantos  , Sharif Khan  , Chuanyu Yan  , Reiner Dieden  , Koki Urita  , Tomonori Ohba  and Qiong Cai

Received: 24 May 2021;  Published: 27 September 2021;  doi: 10.21926/jept.2103043

The performance of metal-ion batteries at low temperatures and their fast charge/discharge rates are determined mainly by the electrolyte (ion) transport. Accurate transport properties must be evaluated for designing and/or optimization of lithium-ion and other metal-ion batteries. In this review, we report and discuss experimental and atomistic computational studies on ion transport, in particular, ion diffusion/dynamics, transference number, and ionic conductivity. Although a large number of studies focusing on l [...]

by Hong Yong Sohn  , Mohamed Elzohiery  and De-Qiu Fan

Received: 28 June 2021;  Published: 23 September 2021;  doi: 10.21926/jept.2103042

This article describes the development of a novel ironmaking technology based on flash reduction. The development started with the proof of the kinetic feasibility, considering that a typical flash reactor provides only a few seconds of residence time. This was followed by tests in a laboratory flash reactor and finally a pilot plant operation. The rate equations formulated in this work were developed considering the optimum combination of temperature, residence time, and reducing gas partial pressure to achieve > [...]

by Hironari Minami  , Hiroaki Izumi  , Takumi Hasegawa  , Fan Bai  , Daisuke Mori  , Sou Taminato  , Yasuo Takeda  , osamu yamamoto  and Nobuyuki Imanishi

Received: 30 June 2021;  Published: 23 September 2021;  doi: 10.21926/jept.2103041

Rechargeable batteries with higher energy and power density exceeding the performance of the currently available lithium-ion batteries are suitable for application as the power source in electric vehicles (EVs). Aqueous lithium-air batteries are candidates for various EV applications due to their high energy density of 1910 Wh kg-1. The present study reports a rechargeable aqueous lithium-air battery with high power density at room temperature. The battery cell comprised a lithium anode, a non-aqueous anode electro [...]

by Efstathios E. Michaelides

Received: 19 April 2021;  Published: 10 September 2021;  doi: 10.21926/jept.2103040

The impending adverse effects of Global Climate Change encourages the substitution of fossil fuels with non-carbon sources for electricity generation. However, while fossil fuel power plants may generate electric power at demand, the most abundant renewable energy sources–wind and solar–are intermittent or periodically variable. This necessitates the development of adequate energy storage at the utility/grid level. Using actual data for the hourly energy demand in the ERCOT electricity grid, this study examines the [...]