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Low-temperature waste heat recovery is an important component of generating a more efficient, cost-effective and environmentally-friendly energy source. To meet this goal, thermo-electrochemical cells (TECs) are cost-effective electrochemical devices that produce a steady electric current under an applied temperature difference between their electrodes. However, current TECs have low conversion efficiencies. On this project, I developed a comprehensive multiscale model that couples the governing equations in TECs. The model was used to understand the fundamental principles and limitations in TECs, and to find the optimum cell thickness, aspect ratio and number of cells in a series stack. Doped multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were then explored as alternative electrodes for TECs. One of the main objectives of this dissertation is to study multiwall carbon nanotube/ionic liquid (MWCNT/IL) mixtures as alternative electrolytes for TECs. Previous authors showed that the addition of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to a solvent-free IL electrolyte improves the efficiency of dye solar cells by 300%. My research plan involved a spectroscopy analysis of imidazolium-based ionic liquids (IILs) mixed with MWCNTs using impedance spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance. The results show that the combination of interfacial polarization and ion pair dissociation effects reduces mass transfer resistances and enhances the power of TECs at low wt% of MWCNTs. This happens in spite of reduced open circuit voltage due to percolated networks.

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This thesis investigates the impact of the provisions contained within a specific piece of legislation - the Environmental Protection Act 1990 [EPA] - upon the management of municipal solid waste. The legislation and its impact are considered within the broader context of the Conservative government's privatisation policy during its eighteen year period of office between 1979 and 1997 - and in particular the requirement for local authorities to subject services to compulsory competitive tender. Two sets of data covering the thirty-nine English shire county waste disposal authorities [WDA] are analysed. The first provides a snapshot of local authorities' expectations of the impact of the legislation as it began to be implemented whilst the second, more detailed and comprehensive set, provides cost and other information on an annual basis - covering a seven year period prior to the implementation of the EPA legislation plus five years post-EPA. Annual VEDA unit cost data is derived and trends and patterns identified, together with potential cost drivers. As the analysis progresses the approach focuses more upon using multiple regression techniques in an attempt to derive a predictive model for changes in waste disposal costs. This is then supplemented by the consideration of data envelopment analysis as a tool to be used to search for additional insights into the picture painted by the multiple regression work. The research concludes with a summary of the work done and draws conclusions, together with outlining options for developing and extending the work further.

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