This master's thesis aims to assess energy dependency on primary energy sources of the three main economic actors in the contemporary world scene that includes the European Union, the United States and China. Energy geopolitics gets a new face nowadays, turns upside down and the centers of world economy must face all these changes. Disparity in availability of energy sources and consumption, new drilling and manufacturing technologies, methods of extractions, new players and adopted energy policies as well as limited domestic supplies have a significant impact on the structure of the energy mix and energy (un)self-sufficiency. In the first part, the author deals with engineering and deployment of observed energy sources as well as the definition of energy dependency respectively energy security. In the next chapters, the author focuses especially on three economic centers while analyzing the nature, characteristics and trend of their production and consumption of energy as well as energy raw materials flow to these countries respectively to integrations. At the end, the author obtains by these analyses an image of energy dependency or vulnerability of these economies.

Made available in DSpace on 2017-06-01T18:20:25Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 dissertacao_fernando_luiz.pdf: 33790100 bytes, checksum: c4cc04374bb2b0dcd638242804eebd1f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009-03-24 / The recovery of by-products like glycerin and cake from oilseeds, resulting in the production of biodiesel, has been the main alternative to make this biofuel competitive compared to petroleum and diesel oil. This alternative can be associated with a beneficial integration of processes, such as use of glycerin as a solvent for separation of ethanol-water mixture in plants alcohol. Thus, the use of glycerin in place of ethylene glycol, a substance of fossil origin was tested. The glycerin eliminates the azeotrope formed by modification of the liquid-vapor equilibrium of ethanol-water mixture, increasing the difference in volatility between these components. To verify the operating conditions suitable for the process of extractive distillation for ethanol dehydration, experiments were performed in laboratory scale, using a central composite rotational design (CCRD). The independent variables were the molar fraction glycerol / water and the degree of vacuum, the latter as a way to avoid thermal decomposition of glycerol into acrolein. The analysis of the response surfaces showed that the molar fraction glycerin / ethanol becomes appropriate than 0.4 and the absolute pressure of the system is adequate around 380 mm Hg. In this way it was possible to obtain a statistical model for simulation and prediction of appropriate conditions to the process for developing a technology that prior actions to preserve the environment. / A valorização dos subprodutos como a glicerina e a torta de oleaginosas, originados no processo de produção de biodiesel, tem sido a principal alternativa para tornar esse biocombustível competitivo em relação ao diesel de petróleo. Essa alternativa pode estar associada a uma vantajosa integração de processos, como é o caso de utilização da glicerina como solvente para separação da mistura etanol-água em usinas de álcool. Para isso, estudou-se a utilização da glicerina em substituição ao etilenoglicol, esta última substância de origem fóssil. A glicerina elimina o azeótropo formado pela modificação do equilíbrio líquido-vapor da mistura etanol-água, aumentando a diferença de volatilidade entre esses componentes. Para verificação das condições operacionais adequadas ao processo de destilação extrativa de desidratação do etanol, foram realizados experimentos em escala de laboratório, com auxílio de um Delineamento Composto Central Rotacional (DCCR). As variáveis independentes foram a fração molar glicerina/água e o grau de vácuo, este último como forma de se evitar a decomposição térmica da glicerina em acroleína. A análise das superfícies de resposta mostrou que a fração molar glicerina/etanol torna-se adequada acima de 0,4 e que a pressão absoluta do sistema torna-se adequada em torno de 380 mm Hg. Com isto, obteve-se um modelo estatístico de simulação e a previsão de condições adequadas ao processo, para o desenvolvimento de uma tecnologia que privilegie as ações de preservação ao meio ambiente.

According to the current governmental regulations, all diesel buses will be replaced in the United States and the European market within the next ten years. There are over 60,000 buses in the United States and each year over 3,000 new buses of approximately 40 feet in length are purchased. The bus market has a growth rate of four to five percent per year over the last two years. The improvements in technology offered by United States companies prove unsatisfactory in terms of bus performance and the emissions of new buses. The energy crisis in the United States and concern over the health hazards of the diesel fuel exhaust gases and particulates, alternative fuel vehicles are in great demand in the transit market world wide.

The field of this diploma thesis is characteristic of cement used in road infrastructure building. In cooperation with the cement plant Horné Srnie, was made previously produced road cement matrix, according to the original recipe. This Diploma thesis is focused on the following characteristics of the cement: the compressive strength, the stiffening process, the volume stability and the development of the hydration heat. The research of the hydration process was analyzed by X-ray diffraction and differential thermal analysis

Master’s thesis deals with comparsion and rating the compressed natural gas as an aircraft piston engine fuel. An information search of conventional fuels and differences of the fuel systems for AVGAS and CNG is included. Next part describes the aircraft and its engine on which is the mathematic model based. After that perfomance and consumption data are calculated for both fuels and the results are then compared. At the end of the thesis, a design of the CNG fuel system with components selection is described.

In this thesis the effects of two future greenhouse gas emissionreducing strategies in the passenger transport sector are investigated.Three factors were modelled for 2021-2055; The life cycle emissions offour vehicle types using a well-to-wheel life cycle analysis tool calledGREET, the growth curve of these vehicle types was analyzed andextrapolated to obtain total vehicle predictions and the mileage ofthese vehicles was extrapolated from existing governmental data. Theresulting scenarios show that in the short term E85 ex fuel vehicles arecapable of more avoided emissions, with EVs outperforming them inthe long term. However limitations in the prediction of vehicle mileageleaves the overtake point to be determined.

The main goal of this thesis is to create business plan for the gas station with help of OMV franchise. Entrepreneurship, franchising and definition of used analyses are described in the theoretical part. Necessary analyses are performed in the analytical part. Suggested business plan and harmonogram of its implementation are described in the last part of this thesis.

Reducing CO2 emission in air transport is the main theme of this master´s thesis. As the public interest in aviation and climate change is world´s growing it could be consider as a hot topic. As a response to public interest was the creation of contracts, standards and limits of carbon dioxide emissions. The master´s thesis is divided into several parts. The first is mapping of global air traffic and carbon dioxide emissions. The second part deals with European approach to solving problems of reducing CO2 emissions follows by description of ICAO Aeroplane CO2 emissions standard. The part of the thesis is the overview of the use of biofuels in aviation and their price. The conclusion summarizes all knowledge learned while working on this thesis.

The diploma thesis is focused on the combustion of the low calorific gaseous fuels. The first part is devoted to the characterization and usage of low calorific fuels. Then combustion theory focused mainly on emissions and thermodynamics. Next characterization of burners and their modifications for low calorific value fuels is described. Safe storage and handling of chosen gases is also included in the last chapter of the theoretical part. Practical part includes the description of the laboratory experiment, which was a part of this thesis. It consists of the experiment description, experimental plan, calculation and evaluation of emissions, high and low heating value, density, flame temperatures and heat flux. Laboratory experiment was carried out with different fuels. Low calorific fuels were simulated by gradual increase of the concentration of inert gasses in the natural gas. Increased concentration of inert gasses had positive effect on the emissions. Measurement of the flame temperatures confirmed that the decrease of emissions corresponds to the inert gas addition to the noble fuel. Heat flux and thermal efficiency of the combustion was almost identical for each configuration.

This thesis is focused on nanoparticles produced by internal combustion engines utilized in vehicles. It deals with spatial distribution of nanoparticles within urban areas, impact of alternative fuels usage on particle production and toxicity, and a particle toxicological testing methodology. Monitoring of airborne nanoparticles identified traffic as the main source of airborne nanoparticles in places with heavy traffic load (Prague), as well as in a small city with only local traffic (Čelákovice). Most particles were likely emitted during short episodes of high emissions (e.g. uphill acceleration). During the measurements, high-emission vehicles responsible for a large fraction of the air pollution were also identified. On the other hand, small non-road internal combustion engines, which are not subject to any limit on particle emissions, such as a lawn mower, were operated during the measurement and generated a large number of nanoparticles. The amount and characteristics of the particles produced by combustion depend on the combustion technology and the fuel composition. A large part of the thesis deals with alternative fuels and their effects on the quantity of produced particles and toxicity of organic matter adsorbed on the particles. Hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) exhibited the lowest...