[pt] Com a crescente demanda – nacional e internacional – por biocombustíveis e a pressão internacional para redução da emissão de gases de efeito estufa, o Brasil teria muito a ganhar, do ponto de vista econômico e ambiental, com um aumento na eficiência e oferta de biocombustíveis. O advento da produção de biocombustíveis produzidos em fazendas de alga possibilita uma relação de simbiose com usinas de cana-de-açúcar. Tais algas se alimentam, entre outras substâncias, de dióxido de carbono, e a abundante biomassa de cana queimada em caldeiras, aliada à incidência solar privilegiada no Brasil, fazem da utilização de algas em usinas de cana uma possibilidade de conversão de emissões de gás de efeito estufa em biocombustível. Essa dissertação tem como objetivo estimar o resultado da implantação de uma fazenda de algas em uma usina de cana-de-açúcar. A usina em questão sofreu vistoria e fez-se o levantamento da produção de energia renovável e as emissões atmosféricas dos principais gases de efeito estufa (CH4, N2O e CO2), através da metodologia de Avaliação de Ciclo de Vida (ACV). A meta, a partir desta análise e com o uso de dados primário de uma empresa que instala fazendas de alga, é estimar o acréscimo de biocombustível gerado por algas e o decréscimo das emissões de GEE no processo produtivo. Os resultados obtidos na Usina Estudada mostram que caso a mesma implantasse uma fazenda de algas em seu parque industrial, sua eficiência energética na produção de energia através do etanol quase triplicaria ao passo em que emitiria quatro vezes menos poluentes em sua cadeia de produção. Caso a usina optasse por gerar exclusivamente Biodiesel, produziria Biodiesel (B100) para 19 anos de subsistência com um combustível 78,4 por cento menos poluente em termos de GEE. Aproximações mostram que caso a totalidade da lavoura de cana implante fazendas de algas no Brasil, apenas o Biodiesel gerado neste processo seria equivalente à quase 70 por cento da produção Brasileira de diesel de 2012. / [en] With the demand for Biofuels growing – in Brazil and abroad – and with worldwide efforts to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, Brazil would have much to gain, from an environmental and economic point of view, from increasing the efficiency and offer of biofuels. The advent of biofuels produced in algae farms enabled a symbiotic relationship with ethanol plants. Such algae feeds off, among other things, Carbon Dioxide, and the abundant biomass burned in ethanol plants boilers, along with Brazil s privileged solar incidence, and this regime permits such farms to convert GHG to biofuel. The objective of this study was to investigate an ethanol plant as a productive system to understand how the addition of an algae farm could change the status quo of energy efficiency and emission of pollutant gases. The system analyzed includes the sugarcane sowing, the plantation handling, the harvesting, the industrial activities, and the Ethanol distribution. The goal, from this analysis and using primary data from a company that installs algae farms, is to estimate the increase of biofuel generated by algae and decrease GHG emissions in the production process. The results obtained in Plant Studied show that an algae farm in its industrial grounds would better its energy efficiency in almost threefold, while generating four times less atmospheric pollution in their production chain. If the plant chose to produce exclusively Biodiesel, production of B100 Biodiesel would be enough for the industry s diesel needs for 19 years, with a 78.4 percent cleaner fuel in terms of GHG emissions. Approximations show that if all the sugar cane fields implant algae farms in Brazil, the Biodiesel generated in this process would be equivalent to almost 70 percent of the Brazilian production of diesel from 2012.

More renewable energy leads to higher energy imbalances in the Swedish electric power system. In the same time, the grid capacity is almost reached in some regions which requires an extension of the current grids or a reduction of the power consumption. Demand response could be a key factor for both stabilizing the energy balances and reducing the grid congestion. The aim with this thesis is to analyze the potential incomes that demand response from heat pumps can generate for the balance responsibility parties and the grid operators and evaluate how it would affect the end-consumers.   The investigated local grid that contains of 174 multi-family buildings with heat pumps could reduce its highest peak power with 2,9 MW. This peak power reduction generated a cost reduction of 483 000 SEK per year or 2800 SEK per building per year in reduced penalty fees and power subscription fees. The mFRR market and the power reserve market were determined to be the most suitable markets for using demand response from heat pumps on for the balance responsibility party in the electricity price region SE3. SE3 consists of 10146 multi-family buildings with heat pumps. The mFRR market generated an average income of 2 699 000 SEK per winter season whereas the power reserve market generated a yearly administrative compensation of 1 133 000 SEK per season and 104 000 SEK per call-off. It is important that end-consumers obtain demand-based tariffs or hourly based tariffs to enable a cost reduction from the control system.

No description available.

Este trabalho estuda a cadeia do Gás Natural Líquido (GNL) e propõe utilizações para a recuperação da energia do processo de regaseificação em ciclos de potência acoplados. Primeiramente, aborda a cadeia de abastecimento do GNL, identificando e quantificando os pontos consumidores de energia, destruidores de exergia e a reevaporação de massa ocorrida quando o metano esta na fase líquida. Posteriormente, avaliam-se as possibilidades do aproveitamento energético do processo de regaseificação, que ocorre no final dessa cadeia. Trata-se da busca por ciclos térmicos mais eficientes e aumentar o aproveitamento do trabalho reversível dos sistemas, abordando três alternativas de plantas de potência para operarem acopladas ao fornecimento de GNL, com benefício mútuo para ambos os processos: promoção da regaseificação do GNL sem energia auxiliar e aumento da eficiência da planta de potência. O ciclo selecionado para a integração entre as plantas foi o (CHP) Brayton-Rankine com três formas diferentes de acoplamento. Os resultados obtidos mostram que 14,81% da energia contida no combustível na entrada da planta de liquefação é perdida ou consumida nos processos que envolvem a cadeia. Quando essa cadeia é acoplada a um ciclo de potência, obteve-se uma recuperação da energia gasta no processo de regaseificação que reduz a perda de energia para 12,65%. Pelo lado da planta de potência, a eficiência energética de um ciclo combinado operando sem estar acoplado à regaseificação do GNL é de 49,68%, com destruição de exergia de 1078,0 kJ/kg. Dependendo do tipo de acoplamento proposto, o rendimento subiu para até 61,53%, com conseqüente redução de destruição de exergia. / This work studies the chain of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and suggests its use for recovery energy in the process of regasification connected with cycles of power. First, it approaches the chain of supply chain of the LNG, identifies and quantifies the energy demand points, destruction of exergy and the reevaporation of mass occurred when the methane is liquid phase. After, the possibilities of the energy recovery of the regasification process are evaluated, that occurs in the end of this chain. The work searches for more efficient thermal cycles and the increase the recovery of the reversible work of the systems. Three alternatives are evaluated of power plants to operate connected to the LNG regasification, with mutual benefit for both the processes: promotion of the regasification of the LNG without energy auxiliary and increase the efficiency of the power plant. The cycle selected for the integration between the plants was (CHP) Brayton-Rankine with three different forms of coupling. The results show that 14.81% of the energy contained in the fuel in the entrance of the liquefaction plant are lost or consumed in the processes that involve the chain. When this chain is connected to a power cycle, the recovery of the energy spent in the regasification process reduces the loss of energy for 12,65%. For the side of the power plant, the energy efficiency of the combined cycle operating without connected to the regasification of the LNG is 49,68%, with destruction of exergy of 1078,0 kJ/kg. Depending on the type of considered coupling, the energy efficiency is 61,53%, with consequent reduction of destruction exergy.

This thesis focused on the modelling of a pulping process. The purpose was to see if an accurate model can be crated based on relatively simple premises and if the errors can be identified or analysed. To realise this, the authors conducted a literature study to identify the current state of the art regarding the chemical pulping process. In addition, flow charts and sample data from a case study were examined. Based on the literature review and case study, model assumptions were derived. The model is divided into sixteen components. Where mixing occurs, lumped conditions are assumed. The model has five validation points, four of which are temperatures and a mass flowrate. These are shown as deviations from the measured values. In conclusions, it was the model could produce stable results over a narrow time frame. More so if the transition period at the start of the simulation is overlooked. Several new model assumptions are presented with the purpose to increase accuracy e.g. account for the components ability to store mass.

L’étude du comportement des roches nécessite de comprendre leur réponse sous diverses sollicitations. L’étude énergétique de l’endommagement des roches est indispensable pour prédire les phénomènes dynamiques. Ces phénomènes sont dus au développement de fissures dans les roches soumises à des fortes contraintes initiales et induites. La fissuration est une forme de dissipation d’énergie qui permet de rétablir l'équilibre du milieu. L’objectif de la thèse est de modéliser la fissuration dans les milieux rocheux dans la perspective d’étudier le comportement des ouvrages souterrains à grande profondeur. Le développement des modèles capables de représenter la fissuration, la coalescence des fissures et leur interaction avec des fractures préexistantes est indispensable. De la littérature, il ressort deux principales approches théoriques et numériques de modélisation de la fissuration : continue et discrète. Une synthèse critique de ces approches nous a conduit à retenir l’approche discrète et plus particulièrement le code Yade dans le cadre de cette thèse. Ce code permet de simuler explicitement la fissuration avec ou sans fractures pré-existantes. Des développements ont été effectués afin de tenir compte des différentes formes d’énergie intervenant dans le comportement des roches soumises à des sollicitations. En particulier une corrélation entre l’énergie de fissuration numérique et l’activité microsismique observée sur des échantillons en laboratoire en compression. Les différentes composantes énergétiques explicitées puis implémentées dans Yade sont : le travail externe, l’énergie potentielle, l'énergie élastique, l’énergie de frottement, l’énergie de fissuration, l'énergie cinétique et l’énergie dissipée en amortissement. La validation de l’approche énergétique a été réalisée grâce à la simulation des essais de laboratoire. L’évolution des différentes composantes énergétiques a permis de vérifier que le bilan des énergies est correctement évalué. Le bilan énergétique a également été vérifié à échelle de structures en simulant l’excavation souterraine d’un Mine-by Experiment (URL Manitoba). L’extension de la zone endommagée induite par l’excavation prédite numériquement a été comparée à celle observée in-situ autour du Mine-by Experiment. Il a été constaté que l’endommagement prédit est similaire à celui observé dans les directions des contraintes initiales mineure et majeure. Par ailleurs la formulation énergétique permet d’étudier numériquement les processus de fissuration des roches. Wassermann (2006) a réalisé des essais de compression uniaxiale et triaxiale sur des échantillons de minerai de fer lorrain. Nous avons modélisé ces essais. La comparaison qualitative des événements acoustiques et des énergies de fissuration issues respectivement des essais et des simulations numériques a montré des tendances similaires. Par contre, la comparaison d’un point de vue quantitatif a montré que le nombre des événements acoustiques numériques est plus important que celui déterminé expérimentalement. L’énergie dissipée par fissuration numérique est également plus importante que celle obtenue sur les essais. Cette différence est expliquée par le fait que les capteurs du dispositif expérimental ne détectent pas tous les événements acoustiques. Les résultats obtenus pourront permettre de mieux comprendre les cinétiques des phénomènes dynamiques dans les ouvrages souterrains profonds. Une autre application a consisté à modéliser un pilier de mine de fer de Joeuf (Lorraine). Le modèle numérique montre deux modes de fissuration dans le pilier : (a) écaillage en peau de pilier, (b) deux bandes de rupture s’initiant du mur et toit du pilier pour se propager vers le cœur du pilier. Ce travail offre de bonnes perspectives pour mieux comprendre la propagation de la fissuration à plus grande échelle mais aussi de progresser dans la recherche de corrélation entre la géomécanique et la géophysique / The study of rock mass behavior requires the understanding of their response under various loadings. The study of rock damage from an energetic point of view is essential in order to predict dynamic phenomena. These phenomena are due to the development of cracks in rocks subjected to strong initial and induced stresses. Fracturing is a form of energy dissipation that restores the balance of the involved medium. The aim of the thesis is to model rock cracks and study the behavior of underground structures at great depths. The development of models able to simulate the fracturing, the coalescence of cracks and their interaction with pre-existing fractures is essential. In the literature, there are two main theoretical and numerical approaches for crack modeling: continuous and discrete. A detailed analysis of these approaches has led us to choose the discrete approach and more particularly the code Yade. This code enables to simulate explicitly cracks propagation with or without pre-existing fractures. Developments have been made to evaluate the different forms of energy involved in rock behavior. In particular, a correlation between the cracks energy determined numerically and the microseismic activity observed in laboratory samples has been performed. The various energy components developed and then implemented in Yade are: external work, potential energy, elastic energy, friction energy, cracks energy, kinetic energy and damping energy. Validation of the energy approach was carried out by simulating laboratory tests. The evolution of the various energy components permits to verify that the energy balance is correctly evaluated. The energy balance was also verified at a structure scale by simulating the underground excavation of a Mine-by Experiment (URL Manitoba). The extension of the damaged zone induced by excavation and predicted by numerical simulations was compared with that observed in-situ around the Mine-by Experiment. It has been found that the predicted and the observed damage are similar in the directions of initial minor and major initial stresses. In addition, the energy formulation enables to study numerically the fracturing process of rocks. Wassermann (2006) performed uniaxial and triaxial compression tests on samples of iron ore from Lorraine. We have modeled these tests. The qualitative comparison of acoustic events and cracks energies determined from tests and numerical simulations showed similar trends. On the other hand, the quantitative comparison showed that the number of numerical acoustic events is greater than the number of experimental acoustic events. Also, the energy dissipated by cracks determined numerically is greater than the energy measured in the tests. This difference is explained by sensors accuracy of the experimental device, which are not able to detect all the generated acoustic events. The results obtained will allow us to better understand the dynamic phenomena in the deep underground structures. Another application consisted in modeling an iron ore pillar of Joeuf (Lorraine). The numerical model shows two modes of cracking in the pillar: (a) flaking of pillar wall, (b) two breaking bands initiating from the wall and the roof of the pillar to propagate towards his core. This provides good perspectives for better understanding cracks propagation at a larger scale, also to progress in the understanding of the correlation between geomechanics and geophysics

Este trabalho estuda a cadeia do Gás Natural Líquido (GNL) e propõe utilizações para a recuperação da energia do processo de regaseificação em ciclos de potência acoplados. Primeiramente, aborda a cadeia de abastecimento do GNL, identificando e quantificando os pontos consumidores de energia, destruidores de exergia e a reevaporação de massa ocorrida quando o metano esta na fase líquida. Posteriormente, avaliam-se as possibilidades do aproveitamento energético do processo de regaseificação, que ocorre no final dessa cadeia. Trata-se da busca por ciclos térmicos mais eficientes e aumentar o aproveitamento do trabalho reversível dos sistemas, abordando três alternativas de plantas de potência para operarem acopladas ao fornecimento de GNL, com benefício mútuo para ambos os processos: promoção da regaseificação do GNL sem energia auxiliar e aumento da eficiência da planta de potência. O ciclo selecionado para a integração entre as plantas foi o (CHP) Brayton-Rankine com três formas diferentes de acoplamento. Os resultados obtidos mostram que 14,81% da energia contida no combustível na entrada da planta de liquefação é perdida ou consumida nos processos que envolvem a cadeia. Quando essa cadeia é acoplada a um ciclo de potência, obteve-se uma recuperação da energia gasta no processo de regaseificação que reduz a perda de energia para 12,65%. Pelo lado da planta de potência, a eficiência energética de um ciclo combinado operando sem estar acoplado à regaseificação do GNL é de 49,68%, com destruição de exergia de 1078,0 kJ/kg. Dependendo do tipo de acoplamento proposto, o rendimento subiu para até 61,53%, com conseqüente redução de destruição de exergia. / This work studies the chain of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and suggests its use for recovery energy in the process of regasification connected with cycles of power. First, it approaches the chain of supply chain of the LNG, identifies and quantifies the energy demand points, destruction of exergy and the reevaporation of mass occurred when the methane is liquid phase. After, the possibilities of the energy recovery of the regasification process are evaluated, that occurs in the end of this chain. The work searches for more efficient thermal cycles and the increase the recovery of the reversible work of the systems. Three alternatives are evaluated of power plants to operate connected to the LNG regasification, with mutual benefit for both the processes: promotion of the regasification of the LNG without energy auxiliary and increase the efficiency of the power plant. The cycle selected for the integration between the plants was (CHP) Brayton-Rankine with three different forms of coupling. The results show that 14.81% of the energy contained in the fuel in the entrance of the liquefaction plant are lost or consumed in the processes that involve the chain. When this chain is connected to a power cycle, the recovery of the energy spent in the regasification process reduces the loss of energy for 12,65%. For the side of the power plant, the energy efficiency of the combined cycle operating without connected to the regasification of the LNG is 49,68%, with destruction of exergy of 1078,0 kJ/kg. Depending on the type of considered coupling, the energy efficiency is 61,53%, with consequent reduction of destruction exergy.

No description available.

Le Bilan de Masse de Surface (BMS, c'est-à-dire les précipitations de neige auxquelles est retranchée l'ablation par sublimation, ruissellement ou érosion) de la calotte polaire Antarctique représente une contribution majeure et encore mal connue à l'évolution actuelle du niveau des mers. Le stockage d'eau douce par accumulation de neige sur la calotte posée est supposé s'intensifier au cours du 21eme siècle, modérant l'élévation du niveau des mers et modifiant la dynamique glaciaire. Les trois-quarts du bilan de masse de surface Antarctique sont concentrés au dessous de 2000 m d'altitude alors que cette zone ne représente que 40% de la surface de la calotte posée. Les précipitations orographiques sont une contribution majeure à l'accumulation dans cette région, il est donc crucial d'estimer précisément ce terme. La modélisation de ce processus est fortement dépendant de la résolution des modèles, car les pentes de la calotte influencent l'intensité des précipitations orographiques. La sublimation et la fonte de la neige sont eux aussi fortement dépendant de l'élévation. Bien qu'ils contribuent actuellement peu au bilan de masse de surface de l'Antarctique, ils sont susceptibles de subir des changements importants au cours des prochains siècles. Les modèles atmosphériques de climat, globaux ou régionaux, ne peuvent pas atteindre une résolution allant au delà de 40 km sur l'Antarctique pour des simulations à l'échelle du siècle du fait de coûts de calcul importants. A ces résolutions, la topographie des zones côtières Antarctique n'est pas correctement représentée. C'est pourquoi nous avons développé le modèle de régionalisation SMHiL (Surface Mass balance High-resolution downscaLing) qui permet d'estimer les composantes du bilan de masse de surface Antarctique à haute résolution (~15 km) à partir de champs atmosphériques de plus grande échelle. Nous calculons l'effet de la topographie fine sur les précipitations orographiques et sur les processus de couche limite menant à la sublimation, la fonte et le regel. SMHiL est validé pour la période actuelle à partir d'un jeu de données inédit constitué de plus de 2700 observations de qualité contrôlée. Cependant, les observations représentatives du BMS de la zone côtière Antarctique y sont sous-représentées. Dans ce contexte, nous montrons que la ligne de balise mise en place par l'observatoire GLACIOCLIM-SAMBA en bordure de calotte constitue une référence pour estimer les performances des modèles. Enfin, nous utilisons SMHiL à l'aval du modèle de circulation générale LMDZ4 pour évaluer les variations de BMS au cours du 21eme et du 22eme siècles. Le BMS à haute résolution est significativement différent de celui de LMDZ4 et est plus proche du BMS observé pour la période actuelle. Les résultats suggèrent que les précédentes estimations d'augmentation du BMS au cours du prochain siècle étaient sous-estimées de près de 30% par LMDZ4. Les changements de BMS à faible élévation résulteront d'une compétition entre l'augmentation d'accumulation de neige et de ruissellement. SMHiL est un outil destiné à être appliqué à l'aval d'autres modèles de climat, globaux ou régionaux, pour une meilleure estimation des variations futures du niveau des mers. / The Antarctic Surface Mass Balance (SMB, i.e. the snow accumulation from which we subtract ablation by sublimation, run-off or erosion) is a major yet badly known contribution to changes in the present-day sea level. Water storage by snow accumulation on the Antarctic continent is expected to increase in the 21st century, which would moderate the rise in sea level and impact the ice dynamic response of the ice sheet. Three-quarters of the Antarctic SMB are concentrated below 2000 m above sea level whereas this area represents only 40% of the grounded ice sheet area. Orographic precipitation is a major contributor to snow accumulation in this region, which is why a better estimation of this term is important. The representation of this process by models depends to a great extent on the resolution of the model, since precipitation amounts depend on the ice sheet slopes. Sublimation and snowmelt also depend on elevation, and although they are presently minor contributors to the Antarctic SMB, their role is expected to become more important in the coming centuries. Global and regional atmospheric climate models are unable to achieve a 40-km resolution over Antarctica at a century time scale, due to their computing cost. At this resolution, the Antarctic coastal area is still badly represented. This is why we developed the downscaling model SMHiL (Surface mass balance high-resolution downscaling) to estimate the Antarctic SMB components at a high resolution (~15 km) from large-scale atmospheric forcings. We computed the impact of the high-resolution topography on orographic precipitation amounts and the boundary layer processes that lead to sublimation, melting and refreezing. SMHiL has been validated for the present period with a dataset composed of more than 2700 quality-controlled observations. However, very few of these observations are representative of the Antarctic coastal area. In this context, we show that the GLACIOCLIM-SAMBA stake lines located on the ice sheet coast-to-plateau area is an appropriate reference to evaluate model performance. Finally, we used SMHiL to estimate the SMB changes during the 21st and 22nd centuries, by downscaling the atmospheric global climate model LMDZ4. The high-resolution SMB is significantly different from the SMB given by LMDZ4 and is closer to the observed one for the present period. Our results suggest that previous studies using the LMDZ4 models underestimated the future increase in SMB in Antarctica by about 30%. Future changes in the Antarctic SMB at low elevations will result from the conflict between higher snow accumulation and runoff. The downscaling model is a powerful tool that can be applied to climate models for a better assessment of a future rise in sea level.

La région de l'Hindu-Kush Karakoram Himalaya (HKH) est la plus grande région englacée de la planète, hormis les calottes polaires. Dans cette région, les mesures météorologiques et de bilans de masse sont sporadiques et les observations glaciologiques concernent essentiellement les mesures de fluctuations des fronts des glaciers. Ainsi, la réponse de ces glaciers aux changements climatiques est très mal connue. Le but de ce travail de thèse est d'améliorer la connaissance des relations entre les variables météorologiques et les bilans de masse glaciaires à partir de l'étude du glacier du Chhota Shigri situé dans l'Ouest de l'Himalaya. De nombreuses mesures in-situ de bilans de masse, de vitesses d'écoulement, d'épaisseurs et de météorologie ont été réalisées depuis 2002 et au cours de ce PhD. Ces observations permettent d'analyser le comportement du glacier au regard des fluctuations climatiques. Entre 2002 et 2013, nos observations indiquent une perte de masse cumulée équivalente à une lame d'eau de -6.45 m. Par ailleurs, l'analyse des observations des flux de glace suggèrent que le glacier a connu un état proche d'un état d'équilibre avec des bilans nuls ou légèrement positifs au cours des années 1990. Nous avons dans un premier temps reconstitué les bilans de masse annuels et saisonniers depuis 1969 en utilisant un modèle degré-jour et des variables météorologiques simples, précipitations et températures. Depuis 1969, les bilans de masse sont faiblement négatifs, équivalents à -0.30 m d'eau par an. Cette reconstitution montre que le glacier était proche de l'état d'équilibre entre 1986 et 2000, ce qui confirme les résultats obtenus à partir de l'analyse des flux de glace et des mesures géodésiques. Cette étude montre également que la perte de masse glaciaire est récente et révèle des fluctuations de bilans de masse avant l'année 2000 très différentes de ce que l'on trouve dans la littérature. L'analyse des bilans de masse à l'échelle décennale révèle que les précipitations hivernales et les températures estivales jouent un rôle sensiblement équivalent. Afin de comprendre plus en détail les variables climatiques qui contrôlent le bilan de masse, nous avons, dans un second temps, analysé les flux d'énergie en surface à l'aide de stations météorologiques situées sur le glacier et à proximité du glacier. Le rayonnement de courtes longueurs d'onde contrôlent 80 % des flux d'énergie entrant en surface alors que les flux de chaleur latente, sensible et de conduction contribuent pour 13, 5 et 2 % respectivement du flux entrant total. Par ailleurs, notre étude montre que les événements de fortes précipitations au cours de la période de mousson jouent un rôle essentiel sur l'évolution des bilans de masse. Néanmoins, à cause du manque de données de précipitation dans cette région et le fort gradient régional, la distribution des précipitations sur le glacier reste mal connue. / The Hindu-Kush Karakoram Himalayan (HKH) region is the largest snow and ice reservoir on the planet outside the Polar Regions. In the HKH region the mass balance and meteorological observations are sparse and the historical knowledge is mainly concentrated on snout fluctuation records. Hitherto, the understanding of glacier-climate relationship is poor in the HKH region. Therefore, the goal of the present work is to improve the understanding of glacier-climate relationship on a representative glacier ‘Chhota Shigri' in the western Himalaya. A number of in-situ measurements concerning mass balances, surface velocity, ice thickness and meteorology have been collected during and before the present PhD work since 2002. These data sets were first analyzed to understand the glacier behaviour and then used in the models to understand the glacier relationship with climatic variables. Between 2002 and 2013, glacier showed a mass wastage/unsteady-state conditions with a cumulative mass loss of –6.45 m w.e. Further, the ice flux analysis over 2002-2010 suggested that the glacier has experienced a period of steady-state or slightly positive mass balance during the 1990s. We first reconstructed the annual and seasonal mass balances using a degree day model from simple meteorological variables, precipitation and temperature. This reconstruction allowed us to examine the mass balances between 1969 and 2012. Since 1969, Chhota Shigri showed a moderate mean mass wastage at a rate of −0.30 m w.e. a-1. A period of steady-state between 1986 and 2000, already suggested by ice flux analysis and geodetic measurements, was confirmed. The mass balance evolution of this glacier revealed that the mass wastage is recent and provide a very different pattern than that of usually found in the literature on western Himalayan glaciers. The analysis of decadal time scale mass balances with meteorological variables suggested that winter precipitation and summer temperature are almost equally important drivers controlling the mass balance pattern of this glacier. Second, in order to understand the detailed physical basis of climatic drivers, a surface energy balance study was also performed using the in-situ meteorological data from the ablation area of Chhota Shigri Glacier. Net all-wave radiation was the main heat flux towards surface with 80% contribution while sensible, latent heat and conductive heat fluxes shared 13%, 5% and 2% of total heat flux, respectively. Our study showed that the intensity of snowfall events during the summer-monsoon is among the most important drivers responsible for glacier-wide mass balance evolution of Chhota Shigri Glacier. However, due to the lack of precipitation measurements and the strong precipitation gradient in this region, the distribution of precipitation on the glacier remains unknown and needs further detailed investigations.