The Experts below are selected from a list of 3510 Experts worldwide ranked by ideXlab platform
Ibrahim Dincer - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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thermodynamic analysis of an integrated transcritical carbon dioxide power cycle for concentrated solar power systems
Solar Energy, 2018Co-Authors: Abdullah A Alzahrani, Ibrahim DincerAbstract:Abstract This paper investigates the thermodynamic performance, through energy and exergy efficiencies, of a conceptual design of a reheat transcritical carbon dioxide (T-CO2) power cycle for concentrated solar power (CSP) plants. Herein, a parabolic trough collector (PTC) solar field is used to harvest solar energy and provide the thermal energy to the T-CO2 power cycle. Thermal energy storage (TES) is also integrated to overcome the intermittent nature of solar energy and maintain stable thermal energy supply to the power cycle. Furthermore, the T-CO2 power cycle is integrated with an absorption refrigeration system (ARS) to enhance the cycle efficiency and production stability by sustaining low condensation temperature at various weather conditions. A parametric study through energy and exergy analyses is conducted considering the performance of each subsystem independently, and that of the overall integrated CSP. The energy and exergy efficiencies, thermal losses, and exergy destruction rates are evaluated under the different design and operating conditions for the T-CO2 power cycle and the ARS. For example, the effects of variations in the maximum cycle temperature and pressure on both the power cycle’s energy and exergy efficiencies and integrated system efficiencies are investigated. In addition, the impacts of variations in these parameters on the integrated CSP energy and exergy efficiencies are examined. The T-CO2 power cycle achieved energy and exergy efficiencies of 34% and 82%, respectively. The integrated CSP (solar-to-electric) energy and exergy efficiencies are about 20% and 55%, respectively.
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Energy and exergy analyses of an industrial wood chips drying process
2016Co-Authors: C. Coskun, Murad Bayraktar, Zuhal Oktay, Ibrahim DincerAbstract:In this study, a comprehensive thermodynamic investigation through energy and exergy analyses is conducted to assess the performance of an industrial chips drying process and study how its operating conditions and efficiency can be improved further. In this regard, energy and exergy efficiencies are evaluated with the actual thermodynamic data available, as obtained from the factory, in Turkey. Energy and exergy efficiencies of the drum drying system (DDS) are found as 34.07 % and 4.39%, respectively. The analysis results show that exergy efficiency is less than energy efficiency. The main reason of this low exergy efficiency for this drying process is high exergy destruction, as 41.5 % of input exergy value. Energy can be recovered via an economizer from hot moist air leaving from the system. If stack gas temperature decreases from 130 to 908C, regain energy and exergy values are to be 51 976 and 8162 kW, respectively. These recovered potentials can be used for district heating system in winter season and fo
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energy and exergy analyses of a new geothermal solar energy based system
Solar Energy, 2016Co-Authors: Muhammad F. Ezzat, Ibrahim DincerAbstract:Abstract This paper deals with a new multigeneration system which is primarily powered by renewable energy, geothermal energy and assisted with solar energy. This multigeneration system consists of a single flash geothermal cycle, heat pump system, single-effect absorption cooling system, thermal energy storage connected with auxiliary steam turbine, hot water system and drying system. The aim of this system is to produce five output commodities; refrigeration for industry, heating air for residential application, hot water for domestic use, drying food and finally electricity. The system is assessed both energetically and exergetically. The overall energy and exergy efficiencies are found to be 69.6% and 42.8% respectively. The effects of changing various system parameters on energy and exergy efficiencies of the overall system and its subsystems are examined accordingly.
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Performance evaluations of a geothermal power plant
Applied Thermal Engineering, 2011Co-Authors: C. Coskun, Zuhal Oktay, Ibrahim DincerAbstract:Abstract Thermodynamic analysis of an operational 7.5 MWe binary geothermal power plant in Tuzla-Turkey is performed, through energy and exergy, using actual plant data to assess its energetic and exergetic performances. Eight performance-related parameters, namely total exergy destruction ratio, component exergy destruction ratio, dimensionless exergy destruction, energetic renewability ratio, exergetic renewability ratio, energetic reinjection ratio, exergetic reinjection ratio and improvement potential are investigated. Energy and exergy losses/destructions for the plant and its units are determined and illustrated using energy and exergy flow diagrams. The largest energy and exergy losses occur in brine reinjection unit. The variation of the plant energy efficiency is found between 6% and 12%. Exergy efficiency values change between 35 and 49%. The annual average energy and exergy efficiencies are found as 9.47% and 45.2%, respectively.
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role of exergy in increasing efficiency and sustainability and reducing environmental impact
Energy Policy, 2008Co-Authors: Marc A. Rosen, Ibrahim Dincer, Mehmet KanogluAbstract:The use of exergy is described as a measure for identifying and explaining the benefits of sustainable energy and technologies, so the benefits can be clearly understood and appreciated by experts and non-experts alike, and the utilization of sustainable energy and technologies can be increased. Exergy can be used to assess and improve energy systems, and can help better understand the benefits of utilizing green energy by providing more useful and meaningful information than energy provides. Exergy clearly identifies efficiency improvements and reductions in thermodynamic losses attributable to more sustainable technologies. A new sustainability index is developed as a measure of how exergy efficiency affects sustainable development. Exergy can also identify better than energy the environmental benefits and economics of energy technologies. The results suggest that exergy should be utilized by engineers and scientists, as well as decision and policy makers, involved in green energy and technologies in tandem with other objectives and constraints.
Sergio Ulgiati - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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the geobiosphere Emergy baseline a synthesis
Ecological Modelling, 2016Co-Authors: Mark T Brown, Daniel E Campbell, Christopher De Vilbiss, Sergio UlgiatiAbstract:Abstract The concept of Emergy defined as the available energy (or exergy) of one form used up directly and indirectly to produce an item or action (Odum, Environmental Accounting Emergy and Environmental Decision Making, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1996) requires the specification of a uniform solar equivalent exergy reference, or geobiosphere Emergy baseline (GEB). Three primary exergy sources of different origins interact to drive processes within the geobiosphere. Each of these sources are expressed in solar equivalent exergy from which, all other forms of energy can be computed, so that they may be expressed as Emergy in units of solar emjoules. If Emergy practitioners reference their work to a single agreed-upon baseline, then all research products resulting from the application of the Emergy approach will be inherently consistent and valid comparisons can then be made easily. In this paper, we synthesize information from three new calculation procedures of the Emergy baseline for the geobiosphere and propose a unified solution.
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Emergy assessment of global renewable sources
Ecological Modelling, 2016Co-Authors: Mark T Brown, Sergio UlgiatiAbstract:Abstract The empower that is derived from solar, geothermal and tidal sources drives the productive processes of the geobiosphere and is responsible for developing exergy gradients (work potential) to be transformed into secondary exergy sources (wind, and chemical potential of rain water) and tertiary sources (chemical and geopotential energy of river discharges and the available energy of breaking waves). In this paper we use the geobiosphere Emergy baseline (GEB) to compute transformities for secondary and tertiary renewable exergy sources. We also refine methods used to compute secondary and tertiary sources. In particular, we develop an Emergy accounting procedure for landscape systems that prevents double counting. We suggest that when evaluating landscape systems, the geobiosphere tripartite (solar, tide, geothermal) solar equivalent inflows be summed, and compared to the largest of the secondary and tertiary flows. The driving energy for the landscape system is then the larger of these two values. Additionally, we suggest that defining spatial and temporal boundaries is critical to Emergy evaluations. Spatial boundaries should be three dimensional and include a depth below the land surface, in order to compute geothermal exergy inflows, and a height above the land surface, to include adsorption of geostrophic winds and other atmospheric phenomena. Moreover, specifying the temporal boundaries of an analysis helps to allocate driving Emergy sources properly, especially related to landscape scale analyses.
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assessing the global environmental sources driving the geobiosphere a revised Emergy baseline
Ecological Modelling, 2016Co-Authors: Mark T Brown, Sergio UlgiatiAbstract:Abstract The empower that is derived from solar radiation, tidal momentum and geothermal sources drives the productive processes of the geobiosphere and is responsible for developing gradients of potential energy transformed into secondary energy and tertiary sources. In this paper we establish the geobiosphere Emergy baseline (GEB) based on earlier methods proposed by Odum (2000) and refinements by Brown and Ulgiati (2010) . After revising the solar exergy input and our previous interpretation of the sources and magnitudes of geothermal exergy, we compute a revised solar equivalent exergy and solar equivalence ratios (SERs) of geothermal and tidal inputs to the geobiosphere dynamic. A Monte Carlo simulation that includes the revised solar exergy flow of geothermal inputs and uncertainty in the flows yields SERs of 26,300 seJ J−1 and 5500 seJ J−1 for tidal and geothermal sources respectively. The solar exergy remains 3.6 E+24 sej y−1, while the solar equivalent exergy of tidal and geothermal sources were 3.1 E+24 seJ y−1, and 5.4 E+24 seJ y−1 respectively, resulting in a GEB of 12.1 E+24 seJ y−1.
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Emergy analysis of an industrial park the case of dalian china
Science of The Total Environment, 2010Co-Authors: Yong Geng, Sergio Ulgiati, Pan Zhang, Joseph SarkisAbstract:With the rapid development of eco-industrial park projects in China, evaluating their overall eco-efficiency is becoming an important need and a big challenge academically. Developing ecologically conscious industrial park management requires analysis of both industrial and ecological systems. Traditional evaluation methods based on neoclassical economics and embodied energy and exergy analyses have certain limitations due to their focus with environmental issues considered secondary to the maximization of economic and technical objectives. Such methods focus primarily on the environmental impact of emissions and their economic consequences. These approaches ignore the contribution of ecological products and services as well as the load placed on environmental systems and related problems of carrying capacity of economic and industrial development. This paper presents a new method, based upon Emergy analysis and synthesis. Such a method links economic and ecological systems together, highlighting the internal relations among the different subsystems and components. The Emergy-based method provides insight into the environmental performance and sustainability of an industrial park. This paper depicts the methodology of Emergy analysis at the industrial park level and provides a series of Emergy-based indices. A case study is investigated and discussed in order to show the Emergy method's practical potential. Results from DEDZ (Dalian Economic Development Zone) case show us the potential of Emergy synthesis method at the industrial park level for environmental policy making. Its advantages and limitations are also discussed with avenues for future research identified.
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updated evaluation of exergy and Emergy driving the geobiosphere a review and refinement of the Emergy baseline
Ecological Modelling, 2010Co-Authors: Mark T Brown, Sergio UlgiatiAbstract:Crucial to the method of Emergy synthesis are the main driving Emergy flows of the geobiosphere to which all other flows are referenced. They form the baseline for the construction of tables of Unit Emergy Values (UEVs) to be used in Emergy evaluations. We provide here an updated calculation of the geobiosphere Emergy baseline and UEVs for tidal and geothermal flows. First, we recalculate the flows using more recent values that have resulted from satellite measurements and generally better measurement techniques. Second, we have recalculated these global flows according to their available energy content (exergy) in order to be consistent with Odum's (1996) definition of Emergy. Finally, we have reinterpreted the interaction of geothermal energy with biosphere processes thus changing the relationship between geothermal energy and the Emergy baseline. In this analysis we also acknowledge the significant uncertainties related to most estimates of global data. In all, these modifications to the methodology have resulted in changes in the transformities for tidal momentum and geothermal energy and a minor change in the Emergy baseline from 15.8E24 seJ/J to 15.2E24 seJ/J. As in all fields of science basic constants and standards are not really constant but change according to new knowledge. This is especially true of earth and ecological sciences where a large uncertainty is also to be found. As a consequence, while these are the most updated values today, they may change as better understanding is gained and uncertainties are reduced.
Marc A. Rosen - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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consolidating exergoeconomic and exergoenvironmental analyses using the Emergy concept for better understanding energy conversion systems
Journal of Cleaner Production, 2018Co-Authors: Mortaza Aghbashlo, Marc A. RosenAbstract:Abstract This paper aims at reformulating exergoeconomic and exergoenvironmental analyses using the Emergy concept for a better understanding of the sustainable level of energy systems in the biophysical context. The proposed approaches substitute the solar Emergy joule (sej) for the monetary term and the environmental impact score in the conventional exergoeconomic and exergoenvironmental analyses, respectively, to harmonize the dimension and scale of their outputs. This improves understanding and interpretations of the results obtained from these analyses. In both approaches, the Emergy value is interfaced with exergy analysis in order to establish Emergy-based exergoeconomic and exergoenvironmental balances for components of a given energy conversion system. The specific exergy costing (SPECO) methodology is then used to determine the solar Emergy joule for each stream of the system. As a case study, a gas turbine-based cogeneration system is analyzed using the proposed methodologies. The results show that Emergy-based exergoeconomic and exergoenvironmental analyses can be practical and powerful tools for appraising the long-term sustainability of energy systems compared with monetary- and life cycle assessment (LCA)-based exergetic approaches. Overall, the proposed Emergy-based exergetic approaches are suggested as complements to available exergy-based techniques to help understand better and link thermodynamic, financial, and ecological aspects of energy systems.
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closed and open thermochemical energy storage energy and exergy based comparisons
Energy, 2012Co-Authors: Ali Haji Abedin, Marc A. RosenAbstract:TES (Thermal energy storage) can enhance energy systems by reducing environmental impact and increasing efficiency. Thermochemical TES is a promising new type of TES, which permits more compactness storage through greater energy storage densities. In this article, closed and open thermochemical TES is investigated using energy and exergy methods. The latter method enhances assessments of made using the former. Efficiencies based on energy and exergy are determined for the overall storage cycle and its charging, storing and discharging processes. Examples using experimental data are presented to illustrate the analyses of closed and open thermochemical TES. The overall system energy and exergy efficiencies, respectively, are determined to be 50% and 9% for the closed storage, and 69% and 23% for the open storage. The results suggest that there is a significant margin for loss reduction and efficiency improvement for closed and open thermochemical storages, since the exergy efficiencies of both are significantly lower than the energy efficiencies.
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assessment of a closed thermochemical energy storage using energy and exergy methods
Applied Energy, 2012Co-Authors: Ali Haji Abedin, Marc A. RosenAbstract:Thermal energy storage (TES) is an important technology for achieving more efficient and environmentally benign energy systems. Thermochemical TES is a type of TES with the potential for high energy density and is only recently being considered intensively. To improve understanding of thermochemical TES systems and their implementation, energy and exergy analyses are beneficial. Here, thermodynamics assessments are presented for a general closed thermochemical TES system, including assessments and comparisons of the efficiencies of the overall thermochemical TES cycle and its charging, storing and discharging processes. Locations and causes of thermodynamic losses in thermochemical TES systems are being specified using exergy analysis. The analytical methodology applied in this study identifies that energy and exergy efficiencies differ for thermochemical TESs, e.g. the energy efficiency for a case study is approximately 50% while the exergy efficiency is about 10%. Although the focus is to evaluate thermodynamic efficiencies, other design parameters such as cost, and environmental impact also need to be examined in assessing thermochemical storage. The efficiencies for thermochemical TES provided here should be helpful for designing these energy systems and enhancing their future prospects.
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role of exergy in increasing efficiency and sustainability and reducing environmental impact
Energy Policy, 2008Co-Authors: Marc A. Rosen, Ibrahim Dincer, Mehmet KanogluAbstract:The use of exergy is described as a measure for identifying and explaining the benefits of sustainable energy and technologies, so the benefits can be clearly understood and appreciated by experts and non-experts alike, and the utilization of sustainable energy and technologies can be increased. Exergy can be used to assess and improve energy systems, and can help better understand the benefits of utilizing green energy by providing more useful and meaningful information than energy provides. Exergy clearly identifies efficiency improvements and reductions in thermodynamic losses attributable to more sustainable technologies. A new sustainability index is developed as a measure of how exergy efficiency affects sustainable development. Exergy can also identify better than energy the environmental benefits and economics of energy technologies. The results suggest that exergy should be utilized by engineers and scientists, as well as decision and policy makers, involved in green energy and technologies in tandem with other objectives and constraints.
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understanding energy and exergy efficiencies for improved energy management in power plants
Energy Policy, 2007Co-Authors: Mehmet Kanoglu, Ibrahim Dincer, Marc A. RosenAbstract:An extensive overview is provided of various energy- and exergy-based efficiencies used in the analysis of power cycles. Vapor and gas power cycles, cogeneration cycles and geothermal power cycles are examined, and consideration is given to different cycle designs. The many approaches that can be used to define efficiencies are provided and their implications discussed. Improvements of the management of energy in power plants that stem from understanding the efficiencies better are described. Examples are given to illustrate the efficiencies and their differences, with the results presented using combined energy and exergy diagrams. It is anticipated that the results will provide a convenient and practical tool for engineers and researchers dealing with the analysis, design, optimization and improvement of power cycles.
Mark T Brown - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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the geobiosphere Emergy baseline a synthesis
Ecological Modelling, 2016Co-Authors: Mark T Brown, Daniel E Campbell, Christopher De Vilbiss, Sergio UlgiatiAbstract:Abstract The concept of Emergy defined as the available energy (or exergy) of one form used up directly and indirectly to produce an item or action (Odum, Environmental Accounting Emergy and Environmental Decision Making, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1996) requires the specification of a uniform solar equivalent exergy reference, or geobiosphere Emergy baseline (GEB). Three primary exergy sources of different origins interact to drive processes within the geobiosphere. Each of these sources are expressed in solar equivalent exergy from which, all other forms of energy can be computed, so that they may be expressed as Emergy in units of solar emjoules. If Emergy practitioners reference their work to a single agreed-upon baseline, then all research products resulting from the application of the Emergy approach will be inherently consistent and valid comparisons can then be made easily. In this paper, we synthesize information from three new calculation procedures of the Emergy baseline for the geobiosphere and propose a unified solution.
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Emergy assessment of global renewable sources
Ecological Modelling, 2016Co-Authors: Mark T Brown, Sergio UlgiatiAbstract:Abstract The empower that is derived from solar, geothermal and tidal sources drives the productive processes of the geobiosphere and is responsible for developing exergy gradients (work potential) to be transformed into secondary exergy sources (wind, and chemical potential of rain water) and tertiary sources (chemical and geopotential energy of river discharges and the available energy of breaking waves). In this paper we use the geobiosphere Emergy baseline (GEB) to compute transformities for secondary and tertiary renewable exergy sources. We also refine methods used to compute secondary and tertiary sources. In particular, we develop an Emergy accounting procedure for landscape systems that prevents double counting. We suggest that when evaluating landscape systems, the geobiosphere tripartite (solar, tide, geothermal) solar equivalent inflows be summed, and compared to the largest of the secondary and tertiary flows. The driving energy for the landscape system is then the larger of these two values. Additionally, we suggest that defining spatial and temporal boundaries is critical to Emergy evaluations. Spatial boundaries should be three dimensional and include a depth below the land surface, in order to compute geothermal exergy inflows, and a height above the land surface, to include adsorption of geostrophic winds and other atmospheric phenomena. Moreover, specifying the temporal boundaries of an analysis helps to allocate driving Emergy sources properly, especially related to landscape scale analyses.
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assessing the global environmental sources driving the geobiosphere a revised Emergy baseline
Ecological Modelling, 2016Co-Authors: Mark T Brown, Sergio UlgiatiAbstract:Abstract The empower that is derived from solar radiation, tidal momentum and geothermal sources drives the productive processes of the geobiosphere and is responsible for developing gradients of potential energy transformed into secondary energy and tertiary sources. In this paper we establish the geobiosphere Emergy baseline (GEB) based on earlier methods proposed by Odum (2000) and refinements by Brown and Ulgiati (2010) . After revising the solar exergy input and our previous interpretation of the sources and magnitudes of geothermal exergy, we compute a revised solar equivalent exergy and solar equivalence ratios (SERs) of geothermal and tidal inputs to the geobiosphere dynamic. A Monte Carlo simulation that includes the revised solar exergy flow of geothermal inputs and uncertainty in the flows yields SERs of 26,300 seJ J−1 and 5500 seJ J−1 for tidal and geothermal sources respectively. The solar exergy remains 3.6 E+24 sej y−1, while the solar equivalent exergy of tidal and geothermal sources were 3.1 E+24 seJ y−1, and 5.4 E+24 seJ y−1 respectively, resulting in a GEB of 12.1 E+24 seJ y−1.
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updated evaluation of exergy and Emergy driving the geobiosphere a review and refinement of the Emergy baseline
Ecological Modelling, 2010Co-Authors: Mark T Brown, Sergio UlgiatiAbstract:Crucial to the method of Emergy synthesis are the main driving Emergy flows of the geobiosphere to which all other flows are referenced. They form the baseline for the construction of tables of Unit Emergy Values (UEVs) to be used in Emergy evaluations. We provide here an updated calculation of the geobiosphere Emergy baseline and UEVs for tidal and geothermal flows. First, we recalculate the flows using more recent values that have resulted from satellite measurements and generally better measurement techniques. Second, we have recalculated these global flows according to their available energy content (exergy) in order to be consistent with Odum's (1996) definition of Emergy. Finally, we have reinterpreted the interaction of geothermal energy with biosphere processes thus changing the relationship between geothermal energy and the Emergy baseline. In this analysis we also acknowledge the significant uncertainties related to most estimates of global data. In all, these modifications to the methodology have resulted in changes in the transformities for tidal momentum and geothermal energy and a minor change in the Emergy baseline from 15.8E24 seJ/J to 15.2E24 seJ/J. As in all fields of science basic constants and standards are not really constant but change according to new knowledge. This is especially true of earth and ecological sciences where a large uncertainty is also to be found. As a consequence, while these are the most updated values today, they may change as better understanding is gained and uncertainties are reduced.
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evaluation of a building using the Emergy method
Solar Energy, 2005Co-Authors: F Meillaud, Mark T BrownAbstract:Emergy (spelled with an m) is the energy of one kind, usually solar energy, which is required to make a service or product. The yearly Emergy consumption/production of a building is evaluated considering the Solar Energy Laboratory (LESO) building on the campus of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology of Lausanne (Switzerland). This experimental building was constructed according to special environmental considerations, such as important the use of passive gains (heat emitted from solar radiations, electric appliances and building users). It is therefore characterized by a very low energy consumption, equal to 232 MJ/m2 year. The LESO building is occupied by faculty and students. Undergraduate and graduate students as well as faculty represent information inputs to the system with their Emergy accounting for 94.6% of the Emergy inputs to the building, equal to 3.3E18 sej/year (solar emjoules per year). "Educated students" (students who have completed a semester project, master's or PhD research in the laboratory), publications, courses and services are the main outputs of the system. The four outputs are considered as co-outputs, as such the total Emergy associated to the operation of the building as a structure is entirely assigned to each of them. The evaluation established that a student leaving the LESO building has a transformity (Emergy per unit energy) equal to 2.4E8 sej/J, which is about three times higher than the one which he/she had upon arrival, representing the knowledge gained through conferences and interactions with other students and professors. Considering only energy and materials inputs, electricity was established to be the largest input to the system (2.7E16 sej/year). The total Emergy of the material inflows was determined to equal 1.7E16 sej/year, paper being the largest material input (5.7E15 sej/year). The specific Emergy (per mass) of some common building materials was also evaluated and compared to NRE (non-renewable energy). Finally, the question of uncertainties related to the determination and use of average transformities and Emergy per mass values is addressed, and advantages and drawbacks of the Emergy method are discussed in relation to other common evaluation methodology (exergy, embodied energy, life-cycle analysis). © 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
G Q Chen - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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greenhouse gas emissions and natural resources use by the world economy ecological input output modeling
Ecological Modelling, 2011Co-Authors: G Q Chen, Zhanming ChenAbstract:Abstract For the world economy as a biophysical network associated with financial links, an ecological endowment inventory and corresponding ecological input–output modeling are presented to investigate the greenhouse gas emissions and natural resources use in 2000. A forty-sector global economic input–output table is constructed through an integration and extension of existing statistics which covers thirty-four countries accounting for about 80% of the world economy. Global inventories for ecological endowments of six categories, i.e., greenhouse gas emissions, energy sources, water resources, exergy resources, solar Emergy resources, and cosmic Emergy resources, are accounted in detail. As a result of the modeling, embodied intensities of different ecological endowments are obtained for all forty sectors, based on which the sectoral embodiments for consumptive and productive uses are presented separately. Results of this study provide a sound scientific database for policy making on global climate change mitigation as well as on global resources management.
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ecological input output modeling for embodied resources and emissions in chinese economy 2005
Communications in Nonlinear Science and Numerical Simulation, 2010Co-Authors: Zhanming Chen, G Q Chen, M M Jiang, J B Zhou, Bin ChenAbstract:Abstract For the embodiment of natural resources and environmental emissions in Chinese economy 2005, a biophysical balance modeling is carried out based on an extension of the economic input–output table into an ecological one integrating the economy with its various environmental driving forces. Included resource flows into the primary resource sectors and environmental emission flows from the primary emission sectors belong to seven categories as energy resources in terms of fossil fuels, hydropower and nuclear energy, biomass, and other sources; freshwater resources; greenhouse gas emissions in terms of CO 2 , CH 4 , and N 2 O ; industrial wastes in terms of waste water, waste gas, and waste solid; exergy in terms of fossil fuel resources, biological resources, mineral resources, and environmental resources; solar Emergy and cosmic Emergy in terms of climate resources, soil, fossil fuels, and minerals. The resulted database for embodiment intensity and sectoral embodiment of natural resources and environmental emissions is of essential implications in context of systems ecology and ecological economics in general and of global climate change in particular.
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Emergy based energy and material metabolism of the yellow river basin
Communications in Nonlinear Science and Numerical Simulation, 2009Co-Authors: Bin Chen, G Q ChenAbstract:Abstract The Yellow River basin is an opening ecosystem exchanging energy and materials with the surrounding environment. Based on Emergy as embodied solar energy, the social energy and materials metabolism of the Yellow River basin is aggregated into emergetic equivalent to assess the level of resource depletion, environmental impact and local sustainability. A set of Emergy indices are also established to manifest the ecological status of the total river basin ecosystem.
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Emergy as embodied energy based assessment for local sustainability of a constructed wetland in beijing
Communications in Nonlinear Science and Numerical Simulation, 2009Co-Authors: Bin Chen, Youhe Zhou, Zhanming Chen, Jing Zhou, G Q ChenAbstract:Abstract Ecological treatment engineering has been widely accepted as an artificially designed work to deal with the deteriorating ecological environment with low energy and resource consumption. To measure the energy and resource consumption and environmental support contained in the constructed wetland as a kind of ecological treatment engineering, Emergy as embodied solar energy based assessment is performed and relative Emergy-based indices including Emergy yield ratio (EYR), Emergy load ratio (ELR), Emergy sustainability index (ESI), net economic benefit index (Np), and renewable percentage index (Pr), are also modified to evaluate the local sustainability of the constructed wetland in this paper. A case study on Longdao River constructed wetland compared with those of some earlier conventional treatment systems indicate that more local renewable resources and less ecological cost are involved, thus promoting the economic benefit due to less energy and resource consumption and simultaneously lowering the environmental stress of the treatment system on the local areas.