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Developing an accurate concentrated solar power (CSP) performance model requires significant effort and time. The power block (PB) is the most complex system, and its modeling is clearly the most complicated and time-demanding part. Nonetheless, PB layouts are quite similar throughout CSP plants, meaning that there are enough historical process data available from commercial plants to use machine learning techniques. These algorithms allowed the development of a very accurate black-box PB model in a very short amount of time. This PB model could be easily integrated as a block into the PM. The machine learning technique selected was SVR (support vector regression). The PB model was trained using a complete year of data from a commercial CSP plant situated in southern Spain. With a very limited set of inputs, the PB model results were very accurate, according to their validation against a new complete year of data. The model not only fit well on an aggregate basis, but also in the transients between operation modes. To validate applicability, the same model methodology is used with a data from a very different CSP Plant, located in the MENA region and with more than double nominal electric power, obtaining an excellent fitting in the validation.
Adrian Gonzalez Gonzalez; Jose Valeriano Alvarez Cabal; Miguel Angel Vigil Berrocal; Rogelio Peón Menéndez; Adrian Riesgo Fernández. Simulation of a CSP Solar Steam Generator, Using Machine Learning. Energies 2021, 14, 3613 .
AMA StyleAdrian Gonzalez Gonzalez, Jose Valeriano Alvarez Cabal, Miguel Angel Vigil Berrocal, Rogelio Peón Menéndez, Adrian Riesgo Fernández. Simulation of a CSP Solar Steam Generator, Using Machine Learning. Energies. 2021; 14 (12):3613.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAdrian Gonzalez Gonzalez; Jose Valeriano Alvarez Cabal; Miguel Angel Vigil Berrocal; Rogelio Peón Menéndez; Adrian Riesgo Fernández. 2021. "Simulation of a CSP Solar Steam Generator, Using Machine Learning." Energies 14, no. 12: 3613.
In order to enlarge the shelf life and avoid the waste of fresh-cut (FC) products, novel packaging techniques with antimicrobial properties have been proposed. In this work, we analyzed the potential environmental benefits of using films reinforced with bactericidal ZnO nanoparticles (NP) for FC produce packaging, when compared to the traditional polypropylene (PP) films. A biodegradable, polylactic acid (PLA) package and a non-biodegradable, polypropylene package, both coated with ZnO NP, were considered as novel technologies. The eco-profile of the considered alternatives was assessed via two life cycle assessments (LCAs). Firstly, an attributional LCA was performed in order to compare the materials in terms of their production and end of life (EOL) processes, allowing us to extend the conclusions to different food products. Secondly, a consequential LCA was performed taking into account the whole life cycle of the fresh vegetable, with special attention to the environmental implications of the produce losses among the chain. The uncertainties of the models were assessed via Monte Carlo approach. In both cases, the scenarios concerning the PLA and PP active packages with ZnO NP showed a better profile than the traditional techniques, specifically when considering the full supply chain of the FC vegetables in the consequential LCA. As agricultural production is the main contributor to the environmental impact of the cycle, the avoidance of wastes by extending the shelf life through the novel packages leads to the impact reduction of FC products.
Miguel Vigil; Maria Pedrosa-Laza; Jv Alvarez Cabal; Francisco Ortega-Fernández. Sustainability Analysis of Active Packaging for the Fresh Cut Vegetable Industry by Means of Attributional & Consequential Life Cycle Assessment. Sustainability 2020, 12, 7207 .
AMA StyleMiguel Vigil, Maria Pedrosa-Laza, Jv Alvarez Cabal, Francisco Ortega-Fernández. Sustainability Analysis of Active Packaging for the Fresh Cut Vegetable Industry by Means of Attributional & Consequential Life Cycle Assessment. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (17):7207.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMiguel Vigil; Maria Pedrosa-Laza; Jv Alvarez Cabal; Francisco Ortega-Fernández. 2020. "Sustainability Analysis of Active Packaging for the Fresh Cut Vegetable Industry by Means of Attributional & Consequential Life Cycle Assessment." Sustainability 12, no. 17: 7207.
La reparación in-situ de los carriles de tranvía mediante soldeo por arco eléctrico es un proceso ampliamente extendido que se utilizar para incrementar la vida útil en servicio de los carriles. Sin embargo, las nuevas resinas poliméricas empleadas en los embebidos de estas vías limitan las temperaturas que se pueden alcanzar en la reparación, ya que por encima de 170 ºC, la mayoría de estos polímeros se degradan. Por esta razón, es necesario desarrollar un proceso de soldeo rápido, seguro y económicamente viable, que al mismo tiempo garantice que los carriles no superan dicha temperatura en la superficie de contacto citada. En este estudio, se realizó la reparación de un acero de carril R290V (aleado con vanadio) mediante la deposición de un metal de aporte inoxidable mayoritariamente austenítico a través de un proceso de soldeo por arco eléctrico e hilo tubular (FCAW). El procedimiento de soldeo aplicado se ha diseñado y validado mediante simulación numérica por elementos finitos, habiéndose demostrado la posibilidad de realizar el recargue “in situ” del carril de tranvía sin que en la región del embebido se superen 140 ºC y sin que se forme martensita en ningún punto de la Zona Afectada Térmicamente (ZAT).
Daniel R. Galán-Rivera; Manuel J. Orviz-Theodosius; Miguel Vigil; Daniel Miranda; Francisco J. Belzunce-Varela. Proceso de reparación de carriles de tranvía de acero aleado con vanadio y su validación mediante modelado por elementos finitos (MEF). Revista de Metalurgia 2020, 56, 168 .
AMA StyleDaniel R. Galán-Rivera, Manuel J. Orviz-Theodosius, Miguel Vigil, Daniel Miranda, Francisco J. Belzunce-Varela. Proceso de reparación de carriles de tranvía de acero aleado con vanadio y su validación mediante modelado por elementos finitos (MEF). Revista de Metalurgia. 2020; 56 (2):168.
Chicago/Turabian StyleDaniel R. Galán-Rivera; Manuel J. Orviz-Theodosius; Miguel Vigil; Daniel Miranda; Francisco J. Belzunce-Varela. 2020. "Proceso de reparación de carriles de tranvía de acero aleado con vanadio y su validación mediante modelado por elementos finitos (MEF)." Revista de Metalurgia 56, no. 2: 168.
Fresh-cut vegetables, namely those that undergo processes such as washing, sorting, or chopping while keeping their fresh state, constitute an important market element nowadays. Among those operations, the washing step becomes really important due both to the extensive use of water resources and to the utilization of controversial water sanitizing agents, such as chlorine. To ideally eliminate those chlorinated compounds while decreasing water consumption, four novel filtrating technologies (pulsed corona discharge combined with nanofiltration, NF-PCD; classical ultrafiltration, UF; nanofiltration membranes integrating silver nanoparticles, NF-AgNP; and microfiltration with cellulose acetate membranes containing chitin nanocrystals, ChCA) have been proposed to eliminate any contaminating agent in recirculated water. Here, we performed a life cycle assessment (LCA) to assess the environmental effects of introducing these new solutions and to compare those impacts with the burden derived from the current strategy. The novel technologies showed a decreased environmental burden, mainly due to the enhanced water recirculation and the subsequent decrease in energy consumption for pumping and cooling the water stream. The environmental gain would be maintained even if a certain amount of chlorine was still needed. This analysis could serve as an aid to decision-making while evaluating the introduction of new sanitizing techniques.
Miguel Vigil; Maria Pedrosa Laza; Henar Moran-Palacios; Jv Alvarez Cabal. Optimizing the Environmental Profile of Fresh-Cut Produce: Life Cycle Assessment of Novel Decontamination and Sanitation Techniques. Sustainability 2020, 12, 3674 .
AMA StyleMiguel Vigil, Maria Pedrosa Laza, Henar Moran-Palacios, Jv Alvarez Cabal. Optimizing the Environmental Profile of Fresh-Cut Produce: Life Cycle Assessment of Novel Decontamination and Sanitation Techniques. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (9):3674.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMiguel Vigil; Maria Pedrosa Laza; Henar Moran-Palacios; Jv Alvarez Cabal. 2020. "Optimizing the Environmental Profile of Fresh-Cut Produce: Life Cycle Assessment of Novel Decontamination and Sanitation Techniques." Sustainability 12, no. 9: 3674.