abstract: Microbial electrochemical cells (MXCs) serve as an alternative anaerobic technology to anaerobic digestion for efficient energy recovery from high-strength organic wastes such as primary sludge (PS). The overarching goal of my research was to address energy conversion from PS to useful resources (e.g. hydrogen or hydrogen peroxide) through bio- and electro-chemical anaerobic conversion processes in MXCs. First, a new flat-pate microbial electrolysis cell (MEC) was designed with high surface area anodes using carbon fibers, but without creating a large distance between the anode and the cathode (<0.5 cm) to reduce Ohmic overpotential. Through the improved design, operation, and electrochemical characterization, the applied voltages were reduced from 1.1 to ~0.85 V, at 10 A m-2. Second, PS conversion was examined through hydrolysis, fermentation, methanogenesis, and/or anode respiration. Since pretreatment often is required to accelerate hydrolysis of organic solids, I evaluated pulsed electric field technology on PS showing a modest improvement of energy conversion through methanogenesis and fermentation, as compared to the conversion from waste activated sludge (WAS) or WAS+PS. Then, a two-stage system (prefermented PS-fed MEC) yielded successful performance in terms of Coulombic efficiency (95%), Coulombic recovery (CR, 80%), and COD-removal efficiency (85%). However, overall PS conversion to electrical current (or CR) through pre-fermentation and MEC, was just ~16%. Next, a single-stage system (direct PS-fed MEC) with semi-continuous operation showed 34% CR at a 9-day hydraulic retention time. The PS-fed MEC also showed an important pH dependency, in which high pH (> 8) in the anode chamber improved anode respiration along with methanogen inhibition. Finally, H2O2 was produced in a PS-fed microbial electrochemical cell with a low energy requirement (~0.87 kWh per kg H2O2). These research developments will provide groundbreaking knowledge for MXC design, commercial application, and anaerobic energy conversion from other high-strength organic wastes to resources. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Civil and Environmental Engineering 2016

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Thesis (MTech (Electrical Engineering))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2017. / Globally governments are faced with challenges in the energy sector which are exacerbated by uncertain financial markets and resource limitations. The over utilization of fossil fuels for electricity generation has had a profound impact on the climatic conditions on earth. Coal power stations release carbon dioxide (CO2) during the combustion process and studies show that concentrations have sharply risen in the atmosphere. Adverse environmental conditions like global warming exist as a result of high greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in particular CO2. In 2015 Eskom constructed Sere Wind farm with a supply capability of 100 MW. Due to the lack of technical expertise and skills with regard to the new technology within Eskom, Siemens was offered a 5 year maintenance contract. Siemens also provides training on basic operation and maintenance (O&M) of the wind farm to Eskom staff. This excludes specialised training on Siemens Turbine Condition Monitoring (TCM) systems which is a critical part to develop optimum maintenance strategies. This shortage of specialised skills in the application of condition monitoring techniques within Eskom is a major concern. If the most cost effective maintenance strategies during the contract period are implemented, the long term plant health and design life of Sere wind farm will be reduced. There is a need to develop new condition monitoring techniques to complement or address the shortcomings of the existing systems. Developing these skills will increase the understanding of the technology and improve the operating and maintenance of Sere wind farm.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-10-09T12:53:39Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 / Made available in DSpace on 2014-10-09T13:58:43Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 / Complexos do íon uranilo (UO22+) apresentam um grande potencial como materiais luminescentes, aplicados em tecnologia laser, sondas luminescentes, células para conversão de energia solar, etc. Neste trabalho avaliou-se a eficiência da transferência de energia no aquo-complexo de UO2(MS)22H2O dopado com Eu3+ (MS = íon metanossulfonato, CH3SO3-) e no aquo-complexo de Eu(MS)36H2O dopado com UO22+ para serem usados como eficientes dispositivos moleculares conversores de luz e/ou em células solares para conversão de energia. Também foram descritos a síntese, caracterização e estudo espectroscópico das matrizes UO2(MS)2.(H2O)n.(x%mol)Eu3+ e Eu(MS)3.(H2O)n.(x%mol) UO22+ (nas quais x= 1, 3, 5 e 10). Os complexos obtidos foram caracterizados por análise elementar CHN e espectrofotometria para determinar a concentração de U6+, espectroscopia de absorção na região do infravermelho, análise térmica e espectroscopia de luminescência. Os dados de infravermelho sugerem que o metanossulfonato atue como um ligante bidentado. O espectro de emissão do complexo UO2(MS)2 dopado com európio exibe bandas fluorescentes características do íon uranilo, atribuídas à transição 3&prod;u &rarr; 1&sum;g+ da matriz de urânio. Para os complexos de Eu(MS)3 dopados com UO22+, as transições 5Do &rarr; 7FJ (J= 0&rarr;4) são predominantes do espectro. A intensidade de luminescência do európio associada à sensibilização é registrada no espectro de emissão na faixa de 420-720 nm. A constante de supressão da fluorescência do UO22+ pelo Eu3+ também foi determinada. / Dissertação (Mestrado) / IPEN/D / Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares - IPEN-CNEN/SP

Made available in DSpace on 2014-10-09T12:55:18Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 / Made available in DSpace on 2014-10-09T14:06:01Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 / Neste trabalho, os sistemas de eletrocatalisadores platina-rutênio (PtRu/C) e platina-estanho (PtSn/C) suportados em carbono de alta área superficial XC72R (Cabot) foram preparados pela redução química de precursores metálicos em solução usando o ácido cítrico como agente redutor. Os eletrocatalisadores foram preparados em diferentes valores de pH, com o objetivo de obter as condições de sínteses mais otimizadas para cada um dos sistemas preparados. O método otimizado mostrou-se eficiente na redução e ancoragem de todos os metais presente em solução, sendo possível preparar tanto catalisadores com baixos teores de segundo metal (razão atômica entre Pt:M = 90:10) quanto catalisadores com altos teores de segundo metal (Pt:M = 50:50). Os eletrocatalisadores obtidos foram caracterizados por espectroscopia de energia dispersiva de raios X, difração de raios X e microscopia eletrônica de transmissão. A atividade frente a eletro-oxidação de metanol e etanol foi avaliada através de voltametria cíclica e cronoamperometria em célula eletroquímica. Para os catalisadores com melhores desempenhos eletroquímicos foram realizados experimentos em célula a combustível unitária alimentada diretamente por metanol ou etanol. O desempenho dos eletrocatalisadores preparados foi comparado com o desempenho dos eletrocatalisadores comerciais Pt50Ru50/C e Pt75Sn25/C da linha HP (High Performance) fornecidos pela E-TEK, considerados como referência nos estudos frente a eletro-oxidação de alcoóis. Para eletro-oxidação do metanol foram obtidos eletrocatalisadores com desempenho comparável ao E-TEK e para eletro-oxidação de etanol foram obtidos eletrocalisadores com desempenho superior aos catalisadores E-TEK. / Dissertação (Mestrado) / IPEN/D / Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares - IPEN-CNEN/SP

Please read the abstract in the section 00front of this document / Dissertation (MEng (Electrical Engineering))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering / unrestricted

No description available.

Dieser Beitrag untersucht die Verluste elektrischer Maschinen in Abhängigkeit von der verwendeten Stromrichtertopologie und bei verschiedenen Pulsfrequenz. Beispielhaft wird eine permanentmagneterregte Synchronmaschine (PMSM) mit einer Bemessungsleistung von 18 kW behandelt. Zum Betrieb der Maschine wird der Prototyp des 3-Level-Stromrichters LT300-ML von M&P Motion Control and Power Electronics GmbH (M&P) verwendet. Beim 3-Level-Stromrichter werden mehr Spannungsebenen geschaltet als beim 2-Level-Stromrichter. Dies führt zu einer geringeren Stromwelligkeit und u. a. zu geringeren Verlusten in der Maschine. Die Messergebnisse zeigen, dass die Maschinenverluste im Vergleich zum Einsatz eines 2-Level-Stromrichters um 20 ... 30 % reduziert werden können. Für die Untersuchung wird der M&P-Maschinen-Prüfstand verwendet. / This paper deals with the losses of electrical machines depending on the converter topology used and with different switching frequency’s. A permanent magnet synchronous machine (PMSM) with a rated output power of 18 kW is investigated. As power converter the LT300-ML (3-level converter) from M&P Motion Control and Power Electronics GmbH (M&P) is used. By using a 3-level topology, more voltage levels are switched than with a 2-level topology. This, among other things, results in a lower current ripple and lower losses in the machine. The measurement results show that the machine losses can be reduced by 20 ... 30 % compared to the use of a 2-level converter. The M&P machine test bench is used for the investigation.

In this thesis, we have developed a reproducible, safe, and scalable sequential thermal vapour deposition (STVD) method for the growth of quality 3D halide perovskite (HaP) thin films. High-quality methylammonium lead tri-bromide (MAPbBr3), methylammonium lead tri-iodide (MAPbI3), and methylammonium lead bromide-iodide (MAPb(I1-xBrx)3) thin films have been optimised using the STVD technique. The structural, optical, morphological, and electrical properties were tuned by varying the thicknesses of the organic (MAI, MABr) and inorganic (PbI2, PbBr2) precursor thin films and post-annealing times of the HaP. X-ray diffractograms confirmed the cubic MAPbBr3 structure with the Pm¯3 m space group, tetragonal MAPbI3 crystal structure with I4/mcm space group, and the tetragonal MAPbI3 structure being transformed to cubic MAPbBr3 system as MAPb(I1-xBrx)3 (x=0.89-0.95) forms. UV-Vis spectra revealed broad absorption bands with a redshift in absorption onset from 540 to 550 nm for MAPbBr3 and 750 to 780 nm for MAPbI3 as the thickness of respective organic precursors increased from 300 to 500 nm. The bandgap of MAPb(I1-xBrx)3 decreased from 2.21 to 2.14 eV as the thicknesses of MABr precursors increased from 300 to 500 nm. The crystallisation of the HaP started within the chamber, and prolonged post-annealing times exceeding 10 min caused the transformation of MAPbI3 to PbI2. Scanning Electron Micrographs show pin-hole-free and densely packed grains with an average size that increases as thicknesses increase. The charge carrier mobility increases while trap density decreases as the thickness of organic precursors increased. Besides, the thesis investigated the growth and stability of thin MAPbBr3 films at metal/MAPbBr3 interfaces. We studied the structure, morphology, and stability of the optimised MAPbBr3 perovskite on aluminium (Al), tin (Sn), silver (Ag), gold-zinc (Au-Zn) and gold (Au) electrodes, immediately and 60 days later. FE-SEM images show an average grain size that increased linearly with the work function from 294 nm for Al to 850 nm for Au. The MAPbBr3 grains remain glued to Sn, Ag, Au-Zn but delaminate quickly on Al. X-ray analysis of MAPbBr3 reveals variable crystallographic texturing for various metals and loss in intensity of prominent peaks at different rates over time. We found that the best thicknesses of 100 nm PbI2 and 500 nm MAI, and 100 nm PbBr2 and 500 nm MABr are needed for the preparation of quality MAPbI3 and MAPbBr3 thin films for solar cells, respectively. Quality thin MAPb(I0.11Br0.89)3 film is formed by inter-diffusion and halide exchange processes when optimised MAPbBr3 is grown on optimised MAPbI3 as a bottom layer. Al speeds up the degradation of MAPbBr3 at Al/MAPbBr3 while MAPbBr3 is relatively stable at Au-Zn/MAPbBr3 interfaces. / Thesis (PhD (Physics))--University of Pretoria, 2020. / University of Pretoria, the National Research Foundation/The World Academy of Sciences (NRF-TWAS), and NRF grant no N0115/115463 of the SARChI / Physics / PhD (Physics) / Restricted