ORCID Profile
0000-0003-0829-7526
Current Organisations
The University of Newcastle - Ourimbah Campus
,
German Jordanian University
,
UNSW Sydney
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Publisher: American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
Date: 17-04-2020
Abstract: Coral reefs are among the most bio erse systems in the ocean, and they provide both food and ecological services. They are also highly threatened by climate change and human pressure. Cinner et al. looked at how best to maximize three key components of reef use and health: fish biomass, parrotfish grazing, and fish trait ersity. They found that when human pressure is low, all three traits can be maximized at high conservation levels. However, as human use and pressure increase, it becomes increasingly difficult to promote bio ersity conservation. At some levels of human impact, even the highest amount of protection is not able to maximize bio ersity conservation. Science , this issue p. 307
Publisher: Walter de Gruyter GmbH
Date: 05-2017
Abstract: The design of low energy buildings requires accurate thermal simulation software to assess the heating and cooling loads. Such designs should sustain thermal comfort for occupants and promote less energy usage over the life time of any building. One of the house energy rating used in Australia is AccuRate, star rating tool to assess and compare the thermal performance of various buildings where the heating and cooling loads are calculated based on fixed operational temperatures between 20 °C to 25 °C to sustain thermal comfort for the occupants. However, these fixed settings for the time and temperatures considerably increase the heating and cooling loads. On the other hand the adaptive thermal model applies a broader range of weather conditions, interacts with the occupants and promotes low energy solutions to maintain thermal comfort. This can be achieved by natural ventilation (opening window/doors), suitable clothes, shading and low energy heating/cooling solutions for the occupied spaces (rooms). These activities will save significant amount of operating energy what can to be taken into account to predict energy consumption for a building. Most of the buildings thermal assessment tools depend on energy-based approaches to predict the thermal performance of any building e.g. AccuRate in Australia. This approach encourages the use of energy to maintain thermal comfort. This paper describes the advantages of a temperature-based approach to assess the building’s thermal performance (using an adaptive thermal comfort model) over energy based approach (AccuRate Software used in Australia). The temperature-based approach was validated and compared with the energy-based approach using four full scale housing test modules located in Newcastle, Australia (Cavity Brick (CB), Insulated Cavity Brick (InsCB), Insulated Brick Veneer (InsBV) and Insulated Reverse Brick Veneer (InsRBV)) subjected to a range of seasonal conditions in a moderate climate. The time required for heating and/or cooling using the adaptive thermal comfort approach and AccuRate predictions were estimated. Significant savings (of about 50 %) in energy consumption in minimising the time required for heating and cooling were achieved by using the adaptive thermal comfort model.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2018
Publisher: Natural Science Simulations and Engineering Laboratory
Date: 27-02-2018
DOI: 10.29167/A1I1P35-44
Abstract: The new method described in this paper incorporates the wind effect surrounding the buildings into the external air temperature by the use of an equivalent temperature (called here Tnatural) which produces the same rate of convection heat loss like that with the wind effects included. The internal air temperature of the building can be then calculated using this new external air temperature Tnatural.. Simulations using this approach were compared with the real data from four existing housing test modules incorporating a range of walling systems, resulted in an accurate, representative analysis as well as a significantly reducing simulation time.
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 13-09-2021
DOI: 10.3390/EN14185748
Abstract: The rising usage of carbon and glass fibers has raised awareness of scrap management options. Every year, tons of composite scrap containing precious carbon and glass fibers accumulate from numerous sectors. It is necessary to recycle them efficiently, without harming the environment. Pyrolysis seems to be a realistic and promising approach, not only for efficient recovery, but also for high-quality fiber production. In this paper, the essential characteristics of the pyrolysis process, their influence on fiber characteristics, and the use of recovered fibers in the creation of a new composite are highlighted. Pyrolysis, like any other recycling process, has several drawbacks, the most problematic of which is the probability of char development on the resultant fiber surface. Due to the char, the mechanical characteristics of the recovered fibers may decrease substantially. Chemically treating and post-heating the fibers both help to reduce char formation, but only to a limited degree. Thus, it was important to identify the material cost reductions that may be achieved using recovered carbon fibers as structural reinforcement, as well as the manufacture of high-value products using recycled carbon fibers on a large scale. Recycled fibers are cheaper than virgin fibers, but they inherently vary from them as well. This has h ered the entry of recycled fiber into the virgin fiber industry. Based on cost and performance, the task of the current study was to modify the material in such a way that virgin fiber was replaced with recycled fiber. In order to successfully modify the recycling process, a regulated optimum temperature and residence duration in post-pyrolysis were advantageous.
Publisher: Acavent
Date: 18-10-2019
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2022
Publisher: International Experts for Research Enrichment and Knowledge Exchange (IEREK)
Date: 31-07-2018
Abstract: Containing and then reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions require designing energy efficient buildings which save energy and emit less GHG. Orientation has an impact on the building’s overall thermal performance and designing heating and cooling to reach occupants’ thermal comfort. Correct orientation is a low cost option to improve occupant's thermal comfort and decrease cooling and heating energy. An appropriate building orientation will allow the desirable winter sun to enter the building and allow ventilation in the summer by facing the summer wind stream. In this paper, a building module in Jordan will be assessed using Design Builder Simulation packages to find the effect of the building orientation on the overall thermal performance. It was found that the larger windows should be in the southern walls in the northern hemisphere to provide the most heat to the building through the window which allows the sun in winter to enter the building and heat it up. This will reduce the amount required for heating by approximately 35% per annum.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2019
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 26-05-2021
DOI: 10.1177/01445987211020432
Abstract: The primary goal of this research was to minimise the energy consumed by heating and cooling loads in residential buildings in a sub-humid Mediterranean climate zone. This was achieved by optimising the design variables of various building envelopes using DesignBuilder software to compare the thermal performance of a baseline building model located in Ajlun (city in northern Jordan mountainous area) with the performance of other buildings with various design configurations. A sensitivity analysis (SA) was then conducted for twelve design variables to evaluate their influence on both cooling and heating loads using a regression method. The variables were ided into two groups according to their importance: a high importance design variables (window to wall ratio, local shading type, round floor construction, natural ventilation rate, infiltration rate (ac/h), glazing type, flat roof construction) and a low importance design variables (partition construction, site orientation, external wall construction, window blind type, window shading control schedule).The final results show significant reduction in the total energy consumption.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2022
DOI: 10.2139/SSRN.4144365
Publisher: Hindawi Limited
Date: 25-05-2021
DOI: 10.1155/2021/6672260
Abstract: This research contributes to making residential buildings more efficient in the city of Azraq, Jordan, which is located in a warm climate zone in the Saharan Mediterranean region (classified as a hot desert climate according to the Köppen climate classification). It involved the optimisation of several envelope parameters with the aim of reducing the usage of energy within a normal structure occupying an area of 186 m2 without the occupants’ involvement in saving energy in the building to solely measure the building envelope’s thermal performance. The DesignBuilder software was used for the sensitivity analysis using 12 design variables, which enabled their significance for both cooling and heating loads. The selected variables were separated into two categories based on their level of significance: a group with higher importance (window to wall %, local type of shading, ground floor building, natural rate of ventilation, rate of infiltration, kind of glazing, and flat roof structure) as well as a group with lower importance (partition construction, site position, construction of outside walls, kind of window blinds, and window shade control timetable) these variables will save a significant amount of heating and cooling energy.
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 24-06-2021
DOI: 10.3390/APP11135888
Abstract: Energy savings gained through natural lighting could be offset by the loss of energy through windows therefore, the target of this study is to examine the effects of enhancing the efficiency of lighting systems on the optimum window-to-wall ratio (WWR) of Jordanian residential structures. This research proposes the hypothesis that the WWR of residential structures that contain artificial lighting systems with increased efficiency will be lower than buildings in which solar lighting is provided. The energy simulation tool, DesignBuilder (DesignBuilder Software Ltd, Stroud, UK) was used to simulate an intricate model showing a standard Jordanian residential building with a size of 130 m2. The study offers useful guidance regarding the optimum WWR for key decisionmakers when designing energy-efficient residential structures in the context of Jordan. By considering the balance between gains and losses in solar heat and light gain to exploit energy from solar sources with no reverse effects, while making comparisons between different WWR situations, the findings indicate that the typical WWR for residential structures in Jordan that have efficient Light Emitting Diode (LED) systems of lighting installed could be between 25% and 30%, which is lower than the highest WWR stipulated by the ASHRAE standards.
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 19-10-2022
DOI: 10.3390/SU142013504
Abstract: Due to its excessive energy consumption, the building sector contributes significantly to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The type of thermal comfort models used to maintain the comfort of occupants has a direct influence on forecasting heating and cooling demands and plays a critical role in reducing actual energy usage in the buildings. In this research, a typical residential building was simulated to compare the heating and cooling loads in four different Jordanian climates when using an adaptive thermal model versus the constant setting of temperature limits for air-conditioning systems (19–24 °C). The air-conditioning system with constant temperature settings worked to sustain thermal comfort inside the building, resulting in a significantly increased cooling and heating load. By contrast, significant energy savings were achieved using the temperature limits of an adaptive thermal model. These energy savings equated to 1533, 6276, 3951, and 3353 kWh, which represented 29.3%, 80.5%, 48.5%, and 67.5% of the total energy used for heating and cooling for zones one, two, three, and four, respectively.
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 10-01-2019
DOI: 10.3390/SU11020328
Abstract: The building industry is regarded a major contributor to climate change as energy consumption from buildings accounts for 40% of the total energy. The types of thermal comfort models used to predict the heating and cooling loads are critical to save energy in operative buildings and reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). In this research, the internal air temperatures were recorded for over one year under the free floating mode with no heating or cooling, then the number of hours required for heating or cooling were calculated based on fixed sets of operative temperatures (18 °C–24 °C) and the adaptive thermal comfort model to estimate the number of hours per year required for cooling and heating to sustain the occupants’ thermal comfort for four full-scale housing test modules at the c us of the University of Newcastle, Australia. The adaptive thermal comfort model significantly reduced the time necessary for mechanical cooling and heating by more than half when compared with the constant thermostat setting used by the air-conditioning systems installed on the site. It was found that the air-conditioning system with operational temperature setups using the adaptive thermal comfort model at 80% acceptability limits required almost half the operating energy when compared with fixed sets of operating temperatures. This can be achieved by applying a broader range of acceptable temperature limits and using techniques that require minimal energy to sustain the occupants’ thermal comfort.
Publisher: International Experts for Research Enrichment and Knowledge Exchange (IEREK)
Date: 31-07-2018
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 28-12-2019
Abstract: Desert coolers have attracted much attention as an alternative to mechanical air conditioning systems, as they are proving to be of lower initial cost and significantly lower operating cost. However, the uncontrolled increase in the moisture content of the supply air is still a great issue for indoor air quality and human thermal comfort concerns. This paper represents an experimental and numerical investigation of a modified desert air cooler into a liquid desiccant air conditioner (LDAC). An experimental setup was established to explore the supply air properties for an adapted commercial desert cooler. Several experiments were performed for air–water and air–desiccant as flow media, at several solutions to air mass ratios. Furthermore, the experimental results were compared with the result of a numerical simplified effectiveness model. The outcomes indicate a sharp reduction in the air humidity ratio by applying the desiccant solutions up to 5.57 g/kg and up to 4.15 g/kg, corresponding to dew point temperatures of 9.5 °C and 12.4 °C for LiCl and CaCl2, respectively. Additionally, the experimental and the numerical results concurred having shown the same pattern, with a maximal deviation of about 18% within the experimental uncertainties.
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 28-06-2021
DOI: 10.3390/EN14133876
Abstract: Since buildings are one of the major contributors to global warming, efforts should be intensified to make them more energy-efficient, particularly existing buildings. This research intends to analyze the energy savings from a suggested retrofitting program using energy simulation for typical existing residential buildings. For the assessment of the energy retrofitting program using computer simulation, the most commonly utilized residential building types were selected. The energy consumption of those selected residential buildings was assessed, and a baseline for evaluating energy retrofitting was established. Three levels of retrofitting programs were implemented. These levels were ordered by cost, with the first level being the least costly and the third level is the most expensive. The simulation models were created for two different types of buildings in three different climatic zones in Palestine. The findings suggest that water heating, space heating, space cooling, and electric lighting are the highest energy consumers in ordinary houses. Level one measures resulted in a 19–24 percent decrease in energy consumption due to reduced heating and cooling loads. The use of a combination of levels one and two resulted in a decrease of energy consumption for heating, cooling, and lighting by 50–57%. The use of the three levels resulted in a decrease of 71–80% in total energy usage for heating, cooling, lighting, water heating, and air conditioning.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2017
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2017
Publisher: IEEE
Date: 05-12-2022
Publisher: Sciencedomain International
Date: 10-01-2015
Publisher: Walter de Gruyter GmbH
Date: 31-12-2018
Abstract: Building design is important for saving energy and reducing GHG emissions by applying passive solar heating and cooling design principles and using the right materials and appropriate design tools. This will make the home healthier and more comfortable. The design of energy efficient and sustainable buildings is critical for the future. A key aspect of any design is the realistic and accurate prediction of the performance of the building under a wide range of weather conditions. This paper examines the effect of different climate zones in Australia (which are comparable to the world's major climates) on the thermal performance of a complete building and recommended design techniques to suit each climate zone to enhance the overall thermal performance. To examine the effect of the location (different climates) on the overall thermal performance and how a good design in one location may not be suitable at another location, AccuRate will be used to assess the thermal performance for the exact module in different climates zones to allow a fair comparison to find the appropriate design for the climate where the building is located. Also, in this research, each climate zone design requirements and techniques were addressed for various climate variables (including: solar radiation, rainfall, wind speed and direction and humidity) to design sustainable building which save great amount of energy while sustaining occupants thermal comfort.
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 04-2020
DOI: 10.3390/APP10072418
Abstract: Air conditioning is becoming increasingly important in the energy supply of buildings worldwide. There has been a dramatic increase in energy requirements for cooling buildings in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. This is before taking the effects of climate change into account, which will also entail a sharp increase in cooling requirements. This paper presents the potential of using a solar thermal absorption cooling system in Sub-Mediterranean Climate. Four sites in Jordan are now equipped with water-lithium bromide (H₂O-LiBr) absorption chillers with a total nominal capacity of 530 kW. The focus of the paper was on the pilot system at the German Jordanian University (GJU) c us with a cooling capacity of 160 kW. The system was designed and integrated in order to support two existing conventional compression chillers with a nominal cooling capacity of 700 kW. The system was economically evaluated based on the observed cooling capacity results with a Coefficient of Performance (COP) equals 0.32, and compared with the values observed for a COP of 0.79 which is claimed by the manufacturer. Several techniques were implemented to evaluate the overall economic viability in-depth such as present worth value, internal rate of return, payback period, and levelized cost of electricity. The aforementioned economic studies showed that the absorption cooling system is deemed not feasible for the observed COP of 0.32 over a lifespan of 25 years. The net present value was equal to −137,684 JD and a payback period of 44 years which exceeds the expected lifespan of the project. Even for an optimal operation of COP = 0.79, the discounted payback period was equal to 23 years and the Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE) was equal to 0.65 JD/kWh. The survey shows that there are several weaknesses for applying solar thermal cooling in developing countries such as the high cost of these systems and, more significantly, the lack of experience for such systems.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2007
DOI: 10.1016/J.JENVMAN.2006.06.017
Abstract: In this study, several bio-source-fuels like fresh and waste vegetable oil and waste animal fat were tested at different injector pressures (120, 140, 190, 210 bar) in a direct-injection, naturally aspirated, single-cylinder diesel engine with a design injection pressure of 190 bar. Using 2k factorial analysis, the effect of injection pressure (Pi) and fuel type on three engine parameters, namely, combustion efficiency (etac), mass fuel consumption (mf), and engine speed (N) was examined. It was found that Pi and fuel type significantly affected both etac and mf while they had a slight effect on engine speed. Moreover, with diesel and biodiesels, the etac increased to a maximum at 190 bar but declined at the higher Pi value. In contrast, higher Pi had a favorable effect on etac over the whole Pi range with all the other more viscous fuels tested. In addition, the mass fuel consumption consistently decreased with an increase in Pi for all the fuels including the baseline diesel fuel, with which the engine consistently attained higher etac and higher rpm compared to all the other fuels tested.
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 18-11-2019
DOI: 10.1093/IJLCT/CTZ062
Abstract: To tackle climate change and secure energy supplies, many countries invest heavily on wind energy as it is a clean source and is becoming more cost effective with the technological advancement and increased capacity per unit installed. The investigation of the availability of wind resources is an essential step of any feasibility study of a wind farm project and is vital for securing financial resources. With this intent, the main aspects for designing a wind farm at Ajloun (north of Jordan) is investigated and wind energy potential is determined based on available wind data. Based on the site characteristic, the required infrastructure is highlighted, including the turbine array layout and the pattern of connections with the external transmission lines. The investigation of the feasibility of the project includes an appraisal of social and environmental consequences of constructing the wind farm project. The results show that the selected location for the wind farm is encouraging and has a promising profit potential. The findings estimate the annual electricity generation of the wind farm at 379659.51 MWh, with a breakeven selling point of around $30.03/MWh, at a highly competitive price. However, with an estimated selling price of $36.65/MWh on average, it will settle the interest rate demanded by the banks that have an internal rate of return of 7%. No major issues with geotechnical and environmental issues were identified with respect to the project.
Publisher: IEEE
Date: 06-05-2022
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 17-10-2022
DOI: 10.3390/EN15207645
Abstract: The journal retracts the article “A Critical Review on Recycling Composite Waste Using Pyrolysis for Sustainable Development” Energies 2021, 14(18), 5748 [...]
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 06-2022
Publisher: Walter de Gruyter GmbH
Date: 2021
Abstract: Just over half of the energy consumed in Jordan is consumed by transportation, of which passenger cars account for 57 %. This has increased fuel bills and elevated CO 2 emissions, creating social and economic pressures. However, these can be ameliorated by enhancing the efficiency with which energy in the transportation sector is utilised. In Jordan, most of the passenger cars in 2017 ran on diesel and gasoline fuel, with only a small percentage (0.23 %, equivalent to 3586 cars) running on electricity. The aim of this paper was to assess the possible advantages of replacing passenger cars that run on fossil fuel with electrically powered vehicles. This was achieved through an examination of six scenarios where the key variable was the type of fuel needed to produce the electricity required to charge the cars. Different replacement percentages were also tested. Detailed analysis and calculations of CO2e emissions and the electricity needed were then performed. The results indicated that replacing fossil fuel passenger cars with electric cars is an effective option for reducing the amount of CO2e emissions and can decelerate the rate at which energy is consumed in the transportation sector, dramatically reducing the national fuel bill. If the running costs of car fuel are reduced, the use of renewable energy technologies based on solar and wind will also reduce the level of GHG emissions.
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
Date: 26-04-2022
DOI: 10.3389/FBUIL.2022.884656
Abstract: In order to get on the path of sustainable development as a society as a whole, a great transformation is required. Universities are embedded in society and networked with it through various forms of interaction they influence social discourses and often have a decisive influence on them. As educational institutions, universities have to take a critical stance on the state of our earth and actively fulfill their responsibility. The German Jordanian University (GJU), like any other university, produces solid and hazardous waste. A waste audit was done to identify the waste streams and the opportunities for reinforcing waste reduction, recycling, and composition while enhancing the comprehensive sustainability of a waste management program. The results showed that an average of 2,500 kg of waste was produced per week. The composition of the waste generated at the GJU main c us was 1,051 kg (41%) for paper and cardboard, 875 kg (35%) for plastics, 325 kg (13%) for biowaste, and 275 kg for other wastes. The performed UI GreenMetric showed high potential in the programs to reduce the use of paper and plastic on c us and the treatment of toxic waste with a score of 75 points. The results of this study indicate high potential in the recycling program for university waste, organic and inorganic waste treatment, and sewage disposal. The results for these indicators were moderate, a score of 75 points out of 300 points. Thus, more focus and actions should be placed on these indicators to enhance a sustainable green c us.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2021
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 08-06-2022
DOI: 10.3390/EN15124232
Abstract: The performance of photovoltaic (PV) solar panels is dependent on certain factors, such as dust effects. Even though Palestine’s energy issues are well-known, no research has been undertaken on the soiling effect on solar energy generation in Palestine’s climatic circumstances. The study’s findings can aid Palestine’s efforts to achieve long-term energy sustainability and solar energy use. Outdoor research was conducted in Tulkarm, Palestine, to explore the impact of dust on PV systems. The current study examined the impact of dust accumulation based on the Mediterranean climate. To accomplish this, a one-year experiment was conducted from 1 January to 31 December 2021. An 85-kW PV power plant at Tulkarm was utilized in the study. Knowing the efficiency reduction over time will aid in minimizing cleaning expenses by selecting the most appropriate cleaning interval. The results concluded that in January, February, November, and December, there will be a two-month cleaning period, monthly cleaning in March and October, as well as two weeks of cleaning in April and May. It may also be concluded that the plant should be cleaned weekly throughout the months of June, July, August, and September. This recommendation is necessary to maintain the PV panel plant operating at peak efficiency.
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 16-05-2023
DOI: 10.1177/01445987231174770
Abstract: Installing photovoltaic (PV) panels on the roofs of homes may reduce dependence on the electrical grid and lead to net-zero energy production. Climate patterns and a building’s structural system can significantly affect how much energy the structure uses. This investigation is aimed to focus on the shading effect of solar panels on the uninsulated roof of a residential building to investigate the output of combining architectural buildings with renewable energy systems. The PV system was modelled as a shading device using building simulation software (Design Builder) to calculate the monthly reduction and increase in heating and cooling loads for the rooftop in a humid subtropical climate zone. The results showed that the cooling loads were decreased by 290 kWh/year (almost 5%) and heating by almost 30 kWh/year. The findings showed the importance of renewable energy in tackling climate change and reducing the housing energy requirements for sustainable development.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2022
DOI: 10.2139/SSRN.4126119
Publisher: Intellect
Date: 06-2022
DOI: 10.1386/AJR_00090_7
Abstract: There is much to learn about the news habits of Australian teens and this study contributes to the small body of current research through an exploration of the news-consumption practices of 13–17-year-olds at a Victorian independent school. In doing so, it explores the complex behaviours of younger people who are immersed in a physical and digital environment where, in their own words, news and information ‘is always there’. Through an analysis of focus-group data, informed by Potter’s theory of media literacy, this study supports international research findings that teens are aware of a range of daily news sources but mostly experience them incidentally. They purposefully seek news when it is a topic that holds their interest or is somehow personally relevant to them. Other significant findings suggest that Australian teens rely heavily on the search engine Google for news and information and have little to no allegiance to specific news providers. Teens believe ‘knowing’ the news will become more relevant to them as they get older and take on adult responsibilities.
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 25-08-2021
DOI: 10.3390/SU13179552
Abstract: This work suggests a solution for preventing/eliminating the predicted Sea Level Rise (SLR) by seawater desalination and storage through a large number of desalination plants distributed worldwide it also comprises that the desalinated seawater can resolve the global water scarcity by complete coverage for global water demand. Sea level rise can be prevented by desalinating the additional water accumulated into oceans annually for human consumption, while the excess amount of water can be stored in dams and lakes. It is predicted that SLR can be prevented by desalination plants. The chosen desalination plants for the study were Multi-Effect Desalination (MED) and Reverse Osmosis (RO) plants that are powered by renewable energy using wind and solar technologies. It is observed that the two main goals of the study are fulfilled when preventing an SLR between 1.0 m and 1.3 m by 2100 through seawater desalination, as the amount of desalinated water within that range can cover the global water demand while being economically viable.
Publisher: Walter de Gruyter GmbH
Date: 2020
Abstract: The tremendous growth in the transportation sector as a result of changes in our ways of transport and a rise in the level of prosperity was reflected directly by the intensification of energy needs. Thus, electric vehicles (EV) have been produced to minimise the energy consumption of conventional vehicles. Although the EV motor is more efficient than the internal combustion engine, the well to wheel (WTW) efficiency should be investigated in terms of determining the overall energy efficiency. In simple words, this study will try to answer the basic question – is the electric car really energy efficient compared with ICE-powered vehicles? This study investigates the WTW efficiency of conventional internal combustion engine vehicles ICEVs (gasoline, diesel), compressed natural gas vehicles (CNGV) and EVs. The results show that power plant efficiency has a significant consequence on WTW efficiency. The total WTW efficiency of gasoline ICEV ranges between 11–27 %, diesel ICEV ranges from 25 % to 37 % and CNGV ranges from 12 % to 22 %. The EV fed by a natural gas power plant shows the highest WTW efficiency which ranges from 13 % to 31 %. While the EV supplied by coal-fired and diesel power plants have approximately the same WTW efficiency ranging between 13 % to 27 % and 12 % to 25 %, respectively. If renewable energy is used, the losses will drop significantly and the overall efficiency for electric cars will be around 40–70% depending on the source and the location of the renewable energy systems.
Publisher: College Publishing
Date: 03-2016
Abstract: The determination of internal building air temperature has an impact on the design and performance of a building in measuring thermal comfort and heating and cooling loads. There is software to assist with measuring internal building air temperature such as Autodesk CFD simulation. However, the use of Autodesk CFD simulation for the analysis appears to have an issue with simulations extending over a long term (i.e. months or years) as the internal air temperature in a building keeps rising with time. This paper addresses the challenges encountered using CFD simulation in the modelling of a building for long term performance. A new method to overcome the issue of the progressive rising of internal air temperature using two external air boundaries, one for the external volume (sky boundary) and the other surrounding the building, is suggested in the paper.
Publisher: ACM
Date: 04-01-2018
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 11-01-2022
DOI: 10.3390/EN15020496
Abstract: Countries with limited natural resources and high energy prices, such as Jordan, face significant challenges concerning energy consumption and energy efficiency, particularly in the context of climate change. Residential buildings are the most energy-consuming sector in Jordan. Photovoltaic (PV) systems on the rooftops of residential buildings can solve the problem of increasing electricity demands and address the need for more sustainable energy systems. This study calculated the potential electricity production from PV systems installed on the available rooftops of residential buildings and compared this production with current and future electricity consumption for residential households. A simulation tool using PV*SOL 2021 was used to estimate electricity production and a comparative method was used to compare electricity production and consumption. The results indicated that electricity production from PV systems installed on single houses and villas can cover, depending on the tilt angle and location of the properties, three to eight times their estimated future and current electricity use. PV installation on apartment buildings can cover 0.65 to 1.3 times their future and current electricity use. The surplus electricity produced can be used to mitigate urban energy demands and achieve energy sustainability.
Publisher: Walter de Gruyter GmbH
Date: 2022
Abstract: This research comprised an evaluation study for a charging station based on waste vegetable oil or biodiesel fuel. The biodiesel was produced from waste vegetable oil (WVO) and will be used (or the WVO) to charge electric cars for restaurant’s customers in their car park. The main concept behind the charging station is to be part of a restaurant that serves its customers and then uses its WVO or biodiesel to fuel a diesel engine that generates electricity to charge their electric vehicles (EV). The economic and environmental impacts of the direct use of WVO-EV charging station are promising because the costs associated with purchasing WVO are lower than those of purchasing crude oil or gas. There are several options and scenarios when selecting the perfect sized generator using charging up to a maximum rated power of 6.6 kW is more feasible despite its higher initial cost as the simple payback period will be less than 3 years and the internal rate of return of the project is 44 %. The total saving at the end of the project for a generator with maximum rated power of 10 kW (option B) is $ 58 000. Conversely, for a generator with maximum rated power of 6.6 kW (option A) the project will cover its initial cost in around 4 years and the internal rate of return is 26 %. The total saving at the end of the project is $ 52 000. Furthermore, lower amount of greenhouse gases is produced from the burning of WVO directly. The final results showed that WVO is more feasible as it is available for free and could be burnt directly in the diesel engine. In economic terms, the project is feasible for both WVO and biodiesel as it has a high net present value and short payback period. A WVO-EV charging station can also improve the national economy by preparing it for the electric car era and, if applied to a large number of restaurants, will save a significant amount of electricity and reduce the expected strain on the electricity grid caused by the increasing number of electric cars.
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 13-11-2020
DOI: 10.3390/APP10228057
Abstract: Energy-efficient building design needs an accurate way to estimate temperature inside the building which facilitates the calculation of heating and cooling energy requirements in order to achieve appropriate thermal comfort for occupants. Sky temperature is an important factor for any building assessment tool which needs to be precisely determined for accurate estimation of the energy requirement. Many building simulation tools have been used to calculate building thermal performance such as Autodesk Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software, which can be used to calculate building internal air temperature but requires sky temperature as a key input factor for the simulation. Real data obtained from real-sized house modules located at University of Newcastle, Australia (southern hemisphere), were used to find the impact of different sky temperatures on the building’s thermal performance using CFD simulation. Various sky temperatures were considered to determine the accurate response which aligns with a real trend of buildings’ internal air temperature. It was found that the internal air temperature in a building keeps either rising or decreasing if higher or lower sky temperature is chosen. This significantly decreases the accuracy of the simulation. It was found that using the right sky temperature values for each module, Cavity Brick Module (CB) Insulated Cavity Brick Module (InsCB), Insulated Brick Veneer Module (InsBV) and Insulated Reverse Brick Veneer Module (InsRBV), will result in 6.5%, 7.1%, 6.2% and 6.4% error correspondingly compared with the real data. These errors mainly refer to the simulation error. On the other hand using higher sky temperatures by +10 °C will significantly increase the simulation error to 16.5%, 17.5%, 17.1% and 16.8% and lower sky temperature by +10 °C will also increase the error to 19.3%, 22.6%, 21.9% and 19.1% for CB, InsCB, InsBV and InsRBV modules, respectively.
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 30-12-2020
Abstract: People with mental illness may be vulnerable to decline in mental health and reduced physical activity because of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated restrictions. The aim of this study was to inform the design of physical activity interventions for implementation under these conditions to improve/maintain well-being and physical activity in this population. People with mental illness who had participated in a physical activity program prior to the pandemic were invited to complete a survey about the impact of COVID-19 on mental health and physical activity and their preferences for engaging in a physical activity program under pandemic-related restrictions. More than half the 59 respondents reported worse mental health and lower physical activity during the pandemic. The preferred format for a physical activity program was one-on-one exercise instruction in-person in a park. Program components endorsed as helpful included incentivization, provision of exercise equipment and fitness devices, and daily exercise programs. About a third of the participants reported limitations in using technology for a physical activity program. In-person exercise support is preferred by people with mental illnesses during pandemic-related restrictions. Enablement strategies such as providing equipment and self-monitoring devices should be utilized assistance may be needed to incorporate the use of technology in exercise programs.
Publisher: International Experts for Research Enrichment and Knowledge Exchange (IEREK)
Date: 07-05-2018
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2022
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2017
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 06-12-2022
DOI: 10.3390/SU142316264
Abstract: Cities on the east Mediterranean coast, especially in Palestine, are struggling to move towards sustainability as they are vulnerable to climate change and lack natural resources, especially energy resources, and this situation is further aggravated by high energy prices. The problem is the building sector, which is the most challenging sector when it comes to cities’ sustainability and, specifically, energy sustainability. In Palestine, this sector is the main consumer of energy but it lacks energy efficiency measures, such as up-to-date building energy codes. This study analyzed building thermal performance under different scenarios with a focus on building envelopes. We aimed to evaluate the benefits of introducing an updated building energy code—mainly addressing U-values for building envelopes—on future reductions in energy demand. We used a simulation tool (DesignBuilder) to evaluate typical existing building-envelope thermal and energy performances. Then, we undertook a comparison between the existing conditions and the proposed application of different scenarios, including the existing Palestinian building energy code and green building guidelines, the ASHRAE code for building envelopes, and the Jordanian building energy code, in order to introduce an updated building envelope energy code. The results showed that the current situation—building without applying any energy code or applying the existing Palestinian building energy code—is far from the high-energy performance that could be achieved by applying international or local green building codes. The use of thermal insulation could reduce the energy demand for heating by 83 to 43%, depending on the building type, climatic zone, and U-value. We recommend utilizing different U-values for building envelopes in different climatic zones to achieve high thermal performance. The results from this study have implications for construction industry professionals, local governments, and researchers seeking to establish high-energy-performance building envelopes.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 05-2021
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2018
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 28-04-2015
DOI: 10.1038/NCOMMS7857
Abstract: While Amazonian forests are extraordinarily erse, the abundance of trees is skewed strongly towards relatively few ‘hyperdominant’ species. In addition to their ersity, Amazonian trees are a key component of the global carbon cycle, assimilating and storing more carbon than any other ecosystem on Earth. Here we ask, using a unique data set of 530 forest plots, if the functions of storing and producing woody carbon are concentrated in a small number of tree species, whether the most abundant species also dominate carbon cycling, and whether dominant species are characterized by specific functional traits. We find that dominance of forest function is even more concentrated in a few species than is dominance of tree abundance, with only ≈1% of Amazon tree species responsible for 50% of carbon storage and productivity. Although those species that contribute most to biomass and productivity are often abundant, species maximum size is also influential, while the identity and ranking of dominant species varies by function and by region.
Publisher: Walter de Gruyter GmbH
Date: 11-2020
Abstract: Energy efficiency is one of the most widely used tools for both energy saving and environmental protection against greenhouse gases. Some energy efficiency techniques are being used to reduce energy consumption. This research focuses on optimising the relation of time and energy, where the best scenario of energy-saving for specified applications will be considered with the time required in achieving these scenarios. To implement this, we adopt two engineering applications (car and water pumps) on each application, with specific constraints and parameters to test the time energy relation. It was being found that for both applications, there is an optimum engineering scenario where the least amount of energy (using the extra time to minimise energy consumption) can be achieved while the remaining cases will consume higher energy. For instance, for a specific type of car used in this study, the optimum car speed was found to be between 65–70 km h– 1 at this speed, the car consumes the least amount of energy (around 137 MJ when travelling a distance of 100 km). All the speeds less than the optimum speed will consume more energy the same is true when the speed is increased over the optimum. For the second application using water pumps, it was found that a 1.1 kW pump is the most efficient at pumping a specific amount of water, and using higher or lower rated pumps will consume higher energy levels but correspondingly will reduce the time required to perform the same application. This research emphasised the concept that time can save energy, which is not yet covered in the literature as time value of energy when time is not an essential aspect and can be delayed without affecting the main tasks.
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 09-2021
DOI: 10.3390/EN14175446
Abstract: Based on recent developments and the predicted future advancement of lighting technologies, researchers are now questioning the extent to which daylight is effective in lowering the overall energy consumption of buildings. As light-emitting diode (LED) luminaires are highly energy efficient, the amount of power consumed for lighting purposes can be reduced, even in situations where the lighting system is at its full power. It has already been demonstrated that LED-lighting technologies can facilitate significant energy savings through minimizing window size (the main source of heat loss in buildings), and there is considerable potential for developing the LEDs’ source efficacy and lighting-product efficiency to ultimately achieve levels of efficacy of approximately 350 lumens per Watt (lm/W). For building designs to be sustainable in the future, it is critical that the windows-to-wall ratio (WWR) is optimized to minimize both heating and cooling loads, as well as the total energy consumed by the building for lighting, according to the efficiency of the LED, while still maintaining a suitable lighting level for occupants. This research examines the influence of the WWR on the total amount of energy consumed by standard buildings in Jordan using various LED luminaires (existing and projected efficiencies). DesignBuilder software was utilized to analyze the effect of LED-technology development on optimizing the WWR for a typical residential structure in Jordan. The research presents beneficial recommendations with respect to optimizing the WWR for primary decision-makers in the design of residential buildings with enhanced energy efficiency, considering the losses and gains associated with solar heat and light to capitalize on solar energy with no adverse impacts by windows size. The outcomes suggest a WWR of 17% could be achieved by typical residential buildings in Jordan that have extremely efficient LED lighting systems (350 lm/W), which is more than 50% less than the existing level of 40% recommended by multiple standards. Additionally, this study highlighted that when the efficiency of LED technologies increases, the energy demand of the building will be reduced because of lower energy usage combined with heat gain resulting from the LED efficiency.
Publisher: Walter de Gruyter GmbH
Date: 2022
Abstract: Jordan and many countries unfortunately have no up-to-date reliable data on the share of electrical energy consumption by end-use in its residential buildings. Therefore, to determine the share in Jordan’s middle district, detailed data was completed for around 350 buildings. The participants in this survey were engineering students in their final year of an energy auditing course in the German Jordanian University. The data were used to determine the primary share of electrical energy end-use in residential buildings. These data, the first of their kind in Jordan, were recorded by trained participants and are essential for the adoption of appropriate future energy efficiency programs in Jordan. These shares of electrical energy consumption by end use in residential buildings in Jordan are the first of their kind it is necessary to ensure adequate planning for future energy efficiency programs in Jordan and this will enable policymakers to support certain technologies and implement large-scale energy efficiency programs in the residential sector.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2023
Publisher: Walter de Gruyter GmbH
Date: 11-2020
Abstract: Building energy demand for heating and cooling has a complicated relationship with different environmental conditions surrounding the building sector. Many projects aiming to improve thermal performance in existing buildings in Jordan suggest that roof insulation will improve thermal performance. In this study we try to prove that minimizing building infiltration is more effective and provides a lower cost solution in low-income houses in Jordan. This work introduces a comparative analysis of the infiltration rate and insulation techniques applied to standalone low-income houses in Jordan to identify the energy efficiency of those techniques for different climate zones in the country. A building simulation presenting the common building configuration used in was developed to test the effectiveness of various insulation scenarios (Roof, Wall, Roof and wall together) and infiltration rate scenarios. The results show that in different climates the reduction of infiltration to half (0.75 air changes per hour (ACH)) shows a similar potential to reduce energy demand as 10 or 12.5 cm roof or wall insulation. Also, the reduction of infiltration rate to a low level (0.25 ACH) can decrease energy demand more effectively than 12.5 cm insulation in the roof or walls.
Publisher: Elsevier
Date: 2024
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 19-12-2022
DOI: 10.3390/SU142417040
Abstract: Solar energy is one of the most abundant and available forms of renewable energy. Reliance on the electricity network can be decreased and net-zero energy achieved by mounting photovoltaic power on the tops of houses. Photovoltaic arrays can also change how the roof’s surface reacts to its environment. The influence of the structural system of a roof and weather on the energy consumption of a building is important. This research is concerned with focusing on the indirect effect of solar photovoltaic rooftop panels (shading effect) on the roof surface to see whether this effect is worth studying and calculating the total electrical load in the residential sector. Photovoltaic panels were modeled as a shading device, and the Integrated Environmental Solution-Virtual Environment Software was used to anticipate the monthly decline and growth in heating and cooling loads associated with the roof level. The influence of a photovoltaic system on a building’s roof-related energy load was measured concerning low-rise residential buildings in Mafraq city, which belongs to a mild dry-warm temperature zone. The findings indicated that a solar roof structure decreased heat loss by 4.85% in the summer and boosted heat transfer by 5.54% in the winter. The results highlight that renewable energy is very important in our times due to climate change and the increased demand for electricity by the residential sector, which is stimulated to find multiple ways to decrease and adapt to this change, and the aim of this paper helps to encourage to use solar energy by identifying the indirect effect of solar panels on building’s rooftops. This investigation also focuses on the value of offering essential instructions to who is concerned to the utilization of alternative energy to heat and cool structures, also will educate the public on a building’s total energy requirements, which is critical for future green structure design.
Publisher: IEEE
Date: 09-06-2023
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 19-05-2021
DOI: 10.3390/EN14102946
Abstract: Any building’s design should sustain thermal comfort for occupants and promote less energy usage during its lifetime using accurate building retrofits to convert existing buildings into low-energy buildings so that the heating and cooling loads can be minimized. Regarding the methodology adopted in this research, an energy model of an educational building located at the German Jordanian University in Jordan was constructed utilizing DesignBuilder computer software. In addition, it was calibrated utilizing real energy consumption data for a 12-month simulation of energy performance. Subsequently, a computerized evaluation of the roles of building envelope retrofits or the adaptive thermal comfort limits in the reduction of the overall building energy consumption was analyzed. The results of the study show that the current building’s external wall insulation, roof insulation, glazing, windows, and external shading devices are relatively energy-efficient but with high cost, resulting in significant financial losses, even though they achieved noticeable energy savings. For instance, equipping the building’s ventilation system with an economizer culminated in the highest financial profit, contributing to an annual energy savings of 155 MWh. On the other hand, in an occupant-centered approach, applying the adaptive thermal comfort model in wider ranges by adding 1 °C, 2 °C, and 3 °C to the existing operating temperatures would save a significant amount of energy with the least cost (while maintaining indoor thermal comfort), taking over any retrofit option. Using different adaptive thermal comfort scenarios (1 °C, 2 °C, and 3 °C) led to significant savings of around 5%, 12%, and 21%, respectively. However, using different retrofits techniques proved to be costly, with minimum energy savings compared to the adaptive approach.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2016
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2022
DOI: 10.2139/SSRN.4067127
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 10-10-2018
DOI: 10.3390/SU10103609
Abstract: Building energy assessment software rograms use various assumptions and types of thermal comfort models to forecast energy consumption. This paper compares the results of using two major thermal comfort models (adaptive thermal comfort and the predicted mean vote (PMV) adjusted by the expectancy factor) to examine their influence on the prediction of the energy consumption for several full-scale housing experimental modules constructed on the c us of the University of Newcastle, Australia. Four test modules integrating a variety of walling types (insulated cavity brick (InsCB), cavity brick (CB), insulated reverse brick veneer (InsRBV), and insulated brick veneer (InsBV)) were used for comparing the time necessary for cooling and heating to maintain internal thermal comfort for both models. This research paper exhibits the benefits of adopting the adaptive thermal model for building structures. It shows the effectiveness of this model in helping to reduce energy consumption, increasing the thermal comfort level for the buildings, and therefore reducing greenhouse emissions.
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 15-10-2021
DOI: 10.3390/W13202887
Abstract: Terrorism is a crucial danger to the world, especially the Middle East. As Jordan is amidst countries with armed conflicts, its natural resources (in particularly, water resources) are vulnerable to terrorist attacks. In this paper, possible biological and chemical weapons that can be used as intimidation, along with their threats, vulnerabilities, and inactivation methods, concerning water treatment processes in the municipality of Irbid, are studied. Irbid is the second largest city in terms of population in Jordan, after the capital city of Amman, and it is the nearest governorate to Syria borders that is considered a war zone. After conducting risk assessment that takes into consideration criticality, threats, and vulnerability, it appears that only one of the eight units, which is the Makhraba pumping station, along with the Bushra water tank, were identified as medium risk. The other units have treatment processes and proper precautions that are able to inactivate or prevent any possible contamination. A response plan should be set by developing a telemetry system with specific sensors that can detect any sudden and unacceptable threats to the water quality and that has the ability to shut down the concerned units automatically.
Publisher: IEEE
Date: 22-03-2021
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 31-08-2023
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 23-08-2021
Abstract: Global endeavors to respond to the problems caused by climate change and are leading to higher temperatures inside homes, which can cause skin conditions (such as eczema), lethargy, and poor concentration disturbed sleep and fatigue are also rising. The energy performance of buildings is influenced by interactions and associations of numerous different variables, such as the envelope specifications as well as the design, technologies, apparatuses, and occupant behaviours. This paper introduces simple and sustainable strategies that are not dependent on expensive or sophisticated technologies, as they rely only on the actions practiced by the building’s occupants (movable window shading, and nighttime natural ventilation) instead of completely relying on high-cost mechanical cooling systems in buildings located in the main Eastern Mediterranean climates represented in the country of Jordan. These low-energy solutions could be applied to low-income houses in hot areas to avoid health problems, such as dermatological diseases, and save a significant amount of energy. The final results indicate that window shading has significant potential in reducing the cooling load in different climate zones. Natural ventilation exhibits high energy-saving abilities in climates that have cool nights, whereas its abilities in hot climates where nights are moderate is limited.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2022
Publisher: Springer International Publishing
Date: 2019
Publisher: Springer International Publishing
Date: 2019
Publisher: Walter de Gruyter GmbH
Date: 2023
Publisher: Springer International Publishing
Date: 2019
Publisher: International Experts for Research Enrichment and Knowledge Exchange (IEREK)
Date: 07-05-2018
Publisher: Springer International Publishing
Date: 2019
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 03-04-2023
DOI: 10.3390/EN16073230
Abstract: The negative consequences of toxic emissions from internal combustion engines, energy security, climate change, and energy costs have led to a growing demand for clean power sources in the automotive industry. The development of eco-friendly vehicle technologies, such as electric and hydrogen vehicles, has increased. This article investigates whether hydrogen vehicles will replace electric vehicles in the future. The results showed that fuel-cell cars are unlikely to compete with electric cars. This is due to the advancements in electric vehicles and charging infrastructure, which are becoming more cost-effective and efficient. Additionally, the technical progress in battery electric vehicles (BEVs) is expected to reduce the market share of fuel-cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) in passenger vehicles. However, significant investments have been made in hydrogen cars. Many ongoing investments seem to follow the sunk cost fallacy, where decision-makers continue to invest in an unprofitable project due to their already invested resources. Furthermore, even with megawatt charging, fuel-cell trucks cost more than battery-powered electric trucks. The use cases for fuel-cell electric trucks are also much more limited, as their running expenses are higher compared to electric cars. Hydrogen vehicles may be beneficial for heavy transport in remote areas. However, it remains to be seen if niche markets are large enough to support fuel-cell electric truck commercialization and economies of scale. In summary, we believe that hydrogen vehicles will not replace electric cars and trucks, at least before 2050.
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 29-11-2022
DOI: 10.3390/EN15239039
Abstract: Green hydrogen is becoming an increasingly important energy supply source worldwide. The great potential for the use of hydrogen as a sustainable energy source makes it an attractive energy carrier. In this paper, we discuss the potential of producing green hydrogen in Jordan. Aqaba, located in the south of Jordan, was selected to study the potential for producing green hydrogen, due to its proximity to a water source (i.e., the Red Sea). Two models were created for two electrolyzer types using MATLAB. The investigated electrolyzers were alkaline water (ALK) and polymeric electrolyte membrane (PEM) electrolyzers. The first model was used to compare the required capacity of the PV solar system using ALK and PEM from 2022 to 2025, depending on the learning curves for the development of these technologies. In addition, this model was used to predict the total investment costs for the investigated electrolyzers. Then, a techno-economic model was constructed to predict the feasibility of using this technology, by comparing the use of a PV system and grid electricity as sources for the production of hydrogen. The net present value (NPV) and levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH) were used as indicators for both models. The environmental effect, according to the reduction of CO2 emissions, was also taken into account. The annual production of hydrogen was 70.956 million kg. The rate of hydrogen production was 19.3 kg/s and 1783 kg/s for ALK and PEM electrolyzers, respectively. The LCOH was 4.42 USD/kg and 3.13 USD/kg when applying electricity from the grid and generated by the PV system, respectively. The payback period to cover the capital cost of the PV system was 11 years of the project life, with a NPV of USD 441.95 million. Moreover, CO2 emissions can be reduced by 3042 tons/year by using the PV as a generation source, instead of fossil fuels to generate electricity. The annual savings, with respect to the reduction of CO2 emissions, was USD 120,135.
Publisher: Springer International Publishing
Date: 2021
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2022
Publisher: Hindawi Limited
Date: 22-08-2022
DOI: 10.1155/2022/7273469
Abstract: The sensor units are considered one of the significant technologies that use solar energy as an assistant power source to the batteries. Despite their advantages over the other forms of renewables, solar energy has an intermittent nature which negatively affects the operation of these units. Reaching an effective operation ensuring sustainable units requires a prior prediction of the harvested solar energy. Artificial neural networks (ANNs) appeared recently as a promising prediction approach with those units. This is attributed to the high accuracy compared to the conventional stochastic and statistical ones. Till now, the optimal neural network that fits with sensor units has not been precisely determined. This paper is aimed at finding the optimal neural network that would be applied with solar-supplied sensor units. This is performed by applying a cascaded input/structure direct optimization. The optimization process handles the aspects of accuracy, computational efforts, and complexity. It mainly identifies the type and number of parameters that would be utilized as inputs in the first stage. Then, it optimizes the structure by addressing the number of hidden layers and hidden neurons. The corresponding analysis has been implemented for premeasured real data over five-year time period. The results showed that the optimal neural network can be achieved by using three input parameters which are the air temperature (AT), the relative humidity (RH), and the zenith angle ( θ z ). For the structure, it has been concluded that the proposed optimal ANN should have two hidden layers with ten neurons in each of them. Lastly, the proposed optimal ANN was verified against the associated prediction error which is minimized to less than 2%.
Publisher: International Experts for Research Enrichment and Knowledge Exchange (IEREK)
Date: 07-02-2019
DOI: 10.21625/ARCHIVE.V3I1.446
Abstract: This paper discusses and presents the implementation of a boost converter as power electronic interface to be used with the thermoelectric generator (TEG). The common application for such system is the battery charger. The boundary conditions for battery chargers include the charging current and battery voltage limits which have to be respected throughout the charging process, while the maximization of the power generated from the TEG is a global target that is desired to be met as much as possible. Coordinated control algorithm that collectively combines these constraints is the main focus of this work. Novel global control algorithm is proposed and verified in this paper with detailed analysis that shows the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm. Dual control loops for the voltage and current of the boost converter will be designed and analyzed to satisfy the source and load demands. Maximum power point tracking (MPPT) mode, power matching mode and voltage stabilization mode will be integrated in the control algorithm of the battery charger. This paper puts a schematic design for a system that harvests energy from a thermoelectric generator bank of a TEG1-12611-6.0 TEG modules in order to charge a battery bank of Samsung ICR18650 Batteries using constant current (CC) and constant voltage (CV) charging profiles.
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 2023
DOI: 10.1177/11786221231160906
Abstract: Several Arab countries face numerous environmental problems in addition to climate change, desertification, and water crisis. Multiple issues related to water and energy need to be resolved. In this paper, we examine the most important topics to be studied, and the research conducted to elucidate the importance of the water problem in the Arab region, including the gap between increased demand and a lack of resources. Water problems include leakage, pollution, and depletion of water resources. We also focus on climate change and the role of young people, software, educational institutions, and training centers in achieving water security and sustainable development objectives. The paper also investigates the idea of water harvesting, the relationship between water, food security, and energy, the role of stakeholders, and good governance in solving the water crisis by understanding the problems and framing research within a multi-year work program with financial, legislative, and scientific support. Providing incentives and the necessary research structure to coordinate all sectors and organizations concerned with water is also essential.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 12-05-2022
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 15-01-2023
DOI: 10.3390/EN16020981
Abstract: Many developing countries subsidise energy (petroleum fuel products, natural gas and electricity), which was reflected in an extra pressure on the national budget, and this will support inefficient use of energy. In this study, the effects of electrical energy subsidies on the total electrical energy consumption in the residential sector were examined. Data on more than 260,000 Jordanian ordinary customers were collected, and the energy consumption of more than 1000 energy-extra subsidised Irbid District Electricity Distribution Company (IDECO) staff members was recorded over a 2-year period (2017 and 2018). These two groups were compared to examine the consequences of subsidising energy on the energy consumption and the consumption behaviour in the residential sector. The analysis revealed that ordinary householders consume around 296 kWh/month, while for the subsidised group 615 kWh/month was noted. Energy consumption increased during the summer and winter months, especially in the subsidised group, due to the heavy reliance on mechanical systems for cooling and heating. Electricity full price (without any subsidies) can be a very effective way to control the demand profile. It can be structured to encourage customers (generally those that have significant electricity demand) to reduce their total usage as well as peak demand (thus reducing the pressure on the grid and the power plant) by charging them full electricity prices.
Publisher: Walter de Gruyter GmbH
Date: 30-03-2023
Abstract: Using the Neural Networks to predict solar harvestable energy would contribute to prolonging the duration of the effective operation and thus less consumption in solar-harvesting sensor nodes. The NNs with higher prediction accuracy have the longest effective operation. Till now, the NNs that use the zenith angle function as input have been utilized with only two terms. This paper shows the advantages of using a multi-term zenith angle function on the energy management in the nodes. To this end, this paper considers two, three, and four terms for the function of the zenith angle. The results showed that the case of four terms has the lowest prediction mistakes on average (0.83%) compared to (2.13% and 1.75%) for the cases of two and three terms, respectively. This is followed by a reduction in energy consumption in favor of four terms case. For one month simulation period with hourly prediction, the sensor node worked at the higher consumption mode (M2) in the case of four terms 4 hours less than three terms and 7 hours less than two terms case. Thus, increasing the number of terms in the zenith angle function leads to higher accuracy and less energy consumption.
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 20-01-2020
Abstract: Securing energy supply and ersifying the energy sources is one of the main goals of energy strategy for most countries. Due to climate change, wind energy is becoming increasingly important as a method of CO2-free energy generation. In this paper, a wind farm with five turbines located in Jerash, a city in northern Jordan, has been designed and analyzed. Optimization of wind farms is an important factor in the design stage to minimize the cost of wind energy to become more competitive and economically attractive. The analyses have been carried out using the WindFarm software to examine the significance of wind turbines’ layouts (M, straight and arch shapes) and spacing on the final energy yield. In this research, arranging the turbines facing the main wind direction with five times rotor diameter distance between each turbine has been simulated, and has resulted in 22.75, 22.87 and 21.997 GWh/year for the M shape, Straight line and Arch shape, respectively. Whereas, reducing the distance between turbines to 2.5 times of the rotor diameter (D) resulted in a reduction of the wind farm energy yield to 22.68, 21.498 and 21.5463 GWh/year for the M shape, Straight line and Arch shape, respectively. The energetic efficiency gain for the optimized wind turbines compared to the modeled layouts regarding the distances between the wind turbines. The energetic efficiency gain has been in the range between 8.9% for 5D (rotor diameter) straight layout to 15.9% for 2.5D straight layout.
Publisher: International Experts for Research Enrichment and Knowledge Exchange (IEREK)
Date: 07-02-2019
DOI: 10.21625/ARCHIVE.V3I1.441
Abstract: In this manuscript, a model for approximating the electrical power efficiency of the solar cells in relation with the air mass effect has been presented based on simple physical assumptions and in accordance with the solar radiation distribution. The model has been developed in correspondence with the air mass effect on the radiation intensity and wavelength and taking into account the energy gap effect of the silicon material.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 12-2022
Publisher: International Experts for Research Enrichment and Knowledge Exchange (IEREK)
Date: 31-07-2018
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 06-01-2021
DOI: 10.3390/APP11020511
Abstract: When they were first conceived, solar cooling systems were designed to be cost-effective and environmentally safe alternatives for the majority of the developing nations that are characterised by their hot climates in contrast with the traditional air conditioning systems powered by electricity that is produced from fossil fuel resources. Nevertheless, developments in photovoltaic (PV) and air-conditioning technologies have impacted on the prospects of solar cooling systems. This study examined two different options: a coupled PV and air conditioner system and a solar cooling system (absorption chillers where thermal energy is provided by solar collectors) for a specific developing country located in the Eastern Mediterranean region whose climate is hot and dry (Jordan). The cooling system comprised a pair of cooled multistage compression, both of which were 700 kW, while the PV system’s size was 2.1 MWp, the utility grid connection was a 0.4 kV 50 Hz net meter (2 m) and it was anticipated that 3300 MWh/year would be generated. The solar cooling system operated at a maximum coefficient of performance (COP) of 0.79 and had an actual recorded COP of 0.32 on the site when the electricity tariff of $0.1/kWh was considered, the respective levelised cost of energy (LCOE) values were $0.9/kWh and $2.35/kWh respectively. The findings indicate that the initial costs for the solar thermal cooling system and the PV system were approximately $3.150M and $3M, respectively. The current value of future cash payments when discounts of 6% per year were applied to the payments for the combination of PV and air conditioning was about $9,745,000, whereas the solar thermal cooling system will not reach the breakeven point at negative $1,730,000. It is clear the absorption chiller did not display economic feasibility, whereas the value for the coupled PV and air-conditioning systems was under $0.05/kWh. In addition to the extensive maintenance needs, the reduced COP and the practicality and feasibility of the solar thermal cooling systems mean these kinds of technologies are under significant pressure to remain competitive when faced with the development of new air conditioning and PV technologies.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2023
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 2023
DOI: 10.1177/11786221231170222
Abstract: Integrating water, energy, and food (WEF) systems can generate synergies and help Eastern Mediterranean countries solve climate change-related concerns. The WEF nexus strategy provides a comprehensive and integrated approach to solving the issues faced by climate change and a roadmap toward sustainable water, energy, and food systems. The significance of understanding the WEF nexus in the context of climate change cannot be emphasized, and further study and implementation are required to reach its full potential. In this study, we investigated the available options for decision-makers to combat climate change for ex le, renewable energy is seen as a critical component for assisting the water, energy, and food sectors in addressing the issues faced by climate change. Renewable energy may supply clean, dependable, and sustainable electricity for water treatment and distribution systems, agricultural and food processing enterprises, and energy-intensive businesses. In addition, for the region’s sustainable development, cooperation between Eastern Mediterranean countries in addressing the issues of climate change and the WEF nexus is crucial. Promoting cross-border commerce and establishing regional frameworks and initiatives can play a vital role in tackling these difficulties and assuring the region’s sustainable future.
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 11-12-2020
DOI: 10.3390/BUILDINGS10120237
Abstract: To design energy-efficient buildings, energy assessment programs need to be developed for determining the inside air temperature, so that thermal comfort of the occupant can be sustained. The internal temperatures could be calculated through computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis however, miniscule time steps (seconds and milliseconds) are used by a long-term simulation (i.e., weeks, months) that require excessive time for computing wind effects results even for high-performance personal computers. This paper examines a new method, wherein the wind effect surrounding the buildings is integrated with the external air temperature to facilitate wind simulation in building analysis over long periods. This was done with the help of an equivalent temperature (known as Tnatural), where the convection heat loss is produced in an equal capacity by this air temperature and by the built-in wind effects. Subsequently, this new external air temperature Tnatural can be used to calculate the internal air temperature. Upon inclusion of wind effects, above 90% of the results were found to be within 0–3 °C of the perceived temperatures compared to the real data (99% for insulated cavity brick (InsCB), 91% for cavity brick (CB), 93% for insulated reverse brick veneer (InsRBV) and 94% for insulated brick veneer (InsBV) modules). However, a decline of 83–88% was observed in the results after ignoring the wind effects. Hence, the presence of wind effects holds greater importance in correct simulation of the thermal performance of the modules. Moreover, the simulation time will expectedly reduce to below 1% of the original simulation time.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2022
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 10-11-2019
Abstract: Energy supply, the increasing demands for energy, climate change, and the imperative to reduce greenhouse gas emissions must be considered in designing buildings. In order to design energy-efficient buildings, there should be accurate information about the thermal performance of the building. The thermal simulation readings should be precise. Its precision will also have a definite indication of the operational energy costs enabling the likelihood of conserving more energy used in building operations and reducing the greenhouse effect that is a result of emissions of greenhouse gases. Energy-efficient buildings are vital as they reduce the consumption of energy in and allow sustainable development. Erecting such buildings will require correct and realistic prediction of the buildings performance when subjected to a wide variety of harsh weather conditions in order to have a view of the impact of all the physical elements that influence the thermal performance. The behavior of the occupants also influences the thermal performance of a building. To achieve this, energy assessment instruments are used to accurately forecast the buildings thermal performance. This paper critically reviews energy rating methods for housing and the limitations of assessment systems.
No related grants have been discovered for Aiman Albatayneh.