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Prof. Dr. Franco Cotana
Department of Engineering, University of Perugia, 06123 Perugia, Italy

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0 Life Cycle Assessment
0 Renewable Energy Technologies
0 Energy Efficiency in Buildings
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Journal article
Published: 28 July 2021 in Energies
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The brick industry is currently facing a shortage of natural resources. Despite this, the demand for construction bricks is progressively increasing. Alternative materials, such as dredged sediments and solid organic waste, have been recently proposed as options to replace natural clay in brick manufacturing. Potential exploitation of dredged sediments in clay bricks is evaluated in this study. The chemical composition of the mixtures and the opto-thermal properties of brick samples, which differed for the dredged sediment content (from 10% to 50% of the clay weight), were investigated. Chemical analyses detected lower concentrations of heavy metals in bricks incorporating dredged sediments (DS). Negligible variations in thermal conductivity, thermal diffusivity, and specific heat were observed by increasing the amount of DS in the mixture. In particular, the thermal conductivity values ranged between 0.45 ± 0.03 W m−1 K−1 (DS-50) and 0.50 ± 0.03 W m−1 K−1 (DS-30). Conversely, the color shift value and spectral reflectance in the infrared field were found directly proportional to the concentration of DS. Using dredged sediments as building material demonstrated to be a solution to the problem of their disposal and the scarcity of raw materials, reducing the global warming score by up to 2.8%.

ACS Style

Mattia Manni; Fabiana Frota De Albuquerque Landi; Tommaso Giannoni; Alessandro Petrozzi; Andrea Nicolini; Franco Cotana. A Comparative Study on Opto-Thermal Properties of Natural Clay Bricks Incorporating Dredged Sediments. Energies 2021, 14, 4575 .

AMA Style

Mattia Manni, Fabiana Frota De Albuquerque Landi, Tommaso Giannoni, Alessandro Petrozzi, Andrea Nicolini, Franco Cotana. A Comparative Study on Opto-Thermal Properties of Natural Clay Bricks Incorporating Dredged Sediments. Energies. 2021; 14 (15):4575.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Mattia Manni; Fabiana Frota De Albuquerque Landi; Tommaso Giannoni; Alessandro Petrozzi; Andrea Nicolini; Franco Cotana. 2021. "A Comparative Study on Opto-Thermal Properties of Natural Clay Bricks Incorporating Dredged Sediments." Energies 14, no. 15: 4575.

Journal article
Published: 27 May 2021 in Sustainability
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A multi-methodic analysis was performed on five samples of fly ashes coming from different biomasses. The aim of the study was to evaluate their possible re-use and their dangerousness to people and the environment. Optical granulometric analyses indicated that the average diameter of the studied fly ashes was around 20 µm, whereas only ~1 vol% had diameters lower that 2.5 µm. The chemical composition, investigated with electron probe microanalysis, indicated that all the samples had a composition in which Ca was prevalent, followed by Si and Al. Large contents of K and P were observed in some samples, whereas the amount of potentially toxic elements was always below the Italian law thresholds. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons were completely absent in all the samples coming from combustion plants, whereas they were present in the fly ashes from the gasification center. Quantitative mineralogical content, determined by Rietveld analysis of X-ray powder diffraction data, indicated that all the samples had high amorphous content, likely enriched in Ca, and several K and P minerals, such as sylvite and apatite. The results obtained from the chemo-mineralogical study performed make it possible to point out that biomass fly ashes could be interesting materials (1) for amendments in clayey soils, as a substitution for lime, to stimulate pozzolanic reactions and improve their geotechnical properties, thus, on the one hand, avoiding the need to mine raw materials and, on the other hand, re-cycling waste; and (2) as agricultural fertilizers made by a new and ecological source of K and P.

ACS Style

Paola Comodi; Azzurra Zucchini; Umberto Susta; Costanza Cambi; Riccardo Vivani; Gianluca Cavalaglio; Franco Cotana. Multi-Scale Minero-Chemical Analysis of Biomass Ashes: A Key to Evaluating Their Dangers vs. Benefits. Sustainability 2021, 13, 6052 .

AMA Style

Paola Comodi, Azzurra Zucchini, Umberto Susta, Costanza Cambi, Riccardo Vivani, Gianluca Cavalaglio, Franco Cotana. Multi-Scale Minero-Chemical Analysis of Biomass Ashes: A Key to Evaluating Their Dangers vs. Benefits. Sustainability. 2021; 13 (11):6052.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Paola Comodi; Azzurra Zucchini; Umberto Susta; Costanza Cambi; Riccardo Vivani; Gianluca Cavalaglio; Franco Cotana. 2021. "Multi-Scale Minero-Chemical Analysis of Biomass Ashes: A Key to Evaluating Their Dangers vs. Benefits." Sustainability 13, no. 11: 6052.

Journal article
Published: 06 May 2021 in Energy
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Different passive strategies are investigated with the aim of reducing the overwhelming problem of energy consumption and greenhouse gases emissions in the built environment. A careful selection of the urban skin can mitigate the Urban Heat Island (UHI) phenomenon and, consequently, improve comfort conditions and reduce the ever-increasing energy consumption. In this context, the present study aims at investigating innovative cool materials with photoluminescent properties that may be exploited to increase energy saving thanks to the provided cost-free lighting. A new methodology for the analysis of their thermo-optical and photometric behavior is proposed, combining existing techniques dedicated to both photoluminescence and traditional building materials. The luminous samples’ performance is experimentally evaluated during both their charging and discharging phase. Furthermore, analyses of covariance are carried out in order to quantitatively assess the impact of samples’ composition on their luminous and optical performances. Results demonstrate how the latter are mainly influenced by the time of excitation and the mixture chemical compounds and testify their promising potential as cool materials for UHI mitigation and energy saving strategies. Both these outcomes pave the way for integration possibilities of photoluminescence in highly reflective urban skins, with the ability to emit light as passive lighting sources.

ACS Style

Chiara Chiatti; Claudia Fabiani; Franco Cotana; Anna Laura Pisello. Exploring the potential of photoluminescence for urban passive cooling and lighting applications: A new approach towards materials’ optimization. Energy 2021, 231, 120815 .

AMA Style

Chiara Chiatti, Claudia Fabiani, Franco Cotana, Anna Laura Pisello. Exploring the potential of photoluminescence for urban passive cooling and lighting applications: A new approach towards materials’ optimization. Energy. 2021; 231 ():120815.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Chiara Chiatti; Claudia Fabiani; Franco Cotana; Anna Laura Pisello. 2021. "Exploring the potential of photoluminescence for urban passive cooling and lighting applications: A new approach towards materials’ optimization." Energy 231, no. : 120815.

Journal article
Published: 01 December 2020 in Energies
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The highest challenge of energy efficiency of building stock is achieving improved performance in existing buildings and, especially, in heritage buildings which per se are characterized by massive limitations against the implementation of the most sophisticated solutions for energy saving. In Italy, historical buildings represent more than 30% of the building stock and the vast majority require energy retrofit, while ensuring the preservation of the heritage value and acceptable comfort conditions. In this context, historical buildings must be retrofitted and re-functioned by introducing innovative technologies aimed at reducing energy consumption and improving human comfort, health, and safety. To this aim, this study implements the Historic Building Information Modeling (HBIM) approach for the integrated modeling, monitoring, management, and maintenance of a novel geothermal system involving horizontal ground source heat exchangers (GHEXs) coupled to an adsorption heat pump for the energy refurbishment of historical buildings. In detail, a rural building part of a medieval complex in Perugia, Central Italy, is considered as a pilot case study. The analysis stresses the potential of the Facility Management (FM) applications of HBIM to provide a tool for the human-centric operational management control of the building energy performance and indoor comfort when combined with the building monitoring and supervision system. Therefore, this integrated HBIM approach may drive the path towards the user-centric re-functioning of heritage buildings.

ACS Style

Cristina Piselli; Alessio Guastaveglia; Jessica Romanelli; Franco Cotana; Anna Laura Pisello. Facility Energy Management Application of HBIM for Historical Low-Carbon Communities: Design, Modelling and Operation Control of Geothermal Energy Retrofit in a Real Italian Case Study. Energies 2020, 13, 6338 .

AMA Style

Cristina Piselli, Alessio Guastaveglia, Jessica Romanelli, Franco Cotana, Anna Laura Pisello. Facility Energy Management Application of HBIM for Historical Low-Carbon Communities: Design, Modelling and Operation Control of Geothermal Energy Retrofit in a Real Italian Case Study. Energies. 2020; 13 (23):6338.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Cristina Piselli; Alessio Guastaveglia; Jessica Romanelli; Franco Cotana; Anna Laura Pisello. 2020. "Facility Energy Management Application of HBIM for Historical Low-Carbon Communities: Design, Modelling and Operation Control of Geothermal Energy Retrofit in a Real Italian Case Study." Energies 13, no. 23: 6338.

Journal article
Published: 23 November 2020 in Sustainability
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The focus of this study is to analyze the energy flows related to cardoon oil processing based on the estimated electricity consumption. It was carried out in a prototype oilseed extraction plant located in Umbria Region, Italy. This installation consists of the following processes: seed weight-storage, transportation, sifting, milling, filtering, and oil storage. Approximately 49,000 kg dry basis (DB) of cardoon seeds (Cynara cardunculus) were processed. Cardoon seeds were chosen as a feedstock due to their sustainability characteristics. Before processing, samples of raw material were analyzed in terms of moisture, oil content, impurity, density, and lower heating value. The input–output flows were measured in terms of weight and energy consumption. Its data were used to perform the mass-energy balance and estimate the efficiency of processes. About 8505 kg of filtered oil was obtained from raw material. The efficiency of the process chain was 84.42% concerning the oil content in the seeds. For the same period, the plant required a total of 17,556 MJ of electric energy from the grid for its operation. 321,507 MJ were obtained from oil and 688,875 MJ from oilcake. About 5.48% of the energy produced by oil extraction was virtually used in the process.

ACS Style

Ramoon Temporim; Alessandro Petrozzi; Valentina Coccia; Franco Cotana; Gianluca Cavalaglio. A Prototype Plant for Oilseed Extraction: Analysis of Mass and Energy Flows. Sustainability 2020, 12, 9786 .

AMA Style

Ramoon Temporim, Alessandro Petrozzi, Valentina Coccia, Franco Cotana, Gianluca Cavalaglio. A Prototype Plant for Oilseed Extraction: Analysis of Mass and Energy Flows. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (22):9786.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Ramoon Temporim; Alessandro Petrozzi; Valentina Coccia; Franco Cotana; Gianluca Cavalaglio. 2020. "A Prototype Plant for Oilseed Extraction: Analysis of Mass and Energy Flows." Sustainability 12, no. 22: 9786.

Review
Published: 17 November 2020 in Sustainability
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At the dawn of a new European Green Deal (EGD), it is necessary to reconsider the plans and actions that have characterized the European energy policies during recent decades by tuning and updating the priorities and targets. The present work moves from the systematic review of the documents, laws, and scientific studies concerning energy and climate initiatives to the analysis of the role of the Strategic Energy and Technology Plan (SET Plan) in the energy transition. Thus, the principal research question addresses the influence of the SET Plan on multi-level energy policies. To answer this, firstly, the juridical framework in which the SET Plan was instituted is provided; secondly, its correlation to the upcoming EDG is described and the targets identified by each Implementation Working Group (IWG) are discussed. Such a dissertation is followed by the investigation of the activities at various levels from the IWG on Renewable Fuels and Bioenergy. The study has confirmed that the SET Plan contributed to shaping the energy and climate policy at European, national, and regional levels by implementing synergies among different levels of governance, different sectors, and various stakeholders (both public and private). Furthermore, it eased the sharing of data on flagship projects by periodically monitoring the achieved results.

ACS Style

Mattia Manni; Valentina Coccia; Diletta Paoletti; Fabio Raspadori; Timo Ritonummi; Franco Cotana. Shaping Multi-Level Energy and Climate Policy within the SET Plan Framework. Sustainability 2020, 12, 9545 .

AMA Style

Mattia Manni, Valentina Coccia, Diletta Paoletti, Fabio Raspadori, Timo Ritonummi, Franco Cotana. Shaping Multi-Level Energy and Climate Policy within the SET Plan Framework. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (22):9545.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Mattia Manni; Valentina Coccia; Diletta Paoletti; Fabio Raspadori; Timo Ritonummi; Franco Cotana. 2020. "Shaping Multi-Level Energy and Climate Policy within the SET Plan Framework." Sustainability 12, no. 22: 9545.

Journal article
Published: 18 August 2020 in Sustainability
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The PRIN (Research Project with Relevant National Interest) project “Biocheaper—biomasses circular holistic economy approach to energy equipments” started in September 2019 and involves several universities: Palermo as the university coordinator, Perugia, Cassino, Enna, Pavia and Bolzano. The main goal of the project is to increase the energy efficiency and reduce the pollutants emissions in small-scale biomass plant for energy (heat and power) production. The project focuses on residual lignocellulosic feedstocks from the agriculture and forestry sector, from energy crops in marginal lands and residues from rivers maintenance. Starting from the selection and characterization of potential feedstocks, the project aims at developing some prototypes for retrofit applications in existing biomass boilers, like a mini-cyclone for the reduction of particulate emissions and an exhaust air-water condensing system for the recovery of water and the reuse in agriculture. This work presents the first results of the project, in particular regarding the selection and the chemical–physical characterization of different biomass, available in different zones of Italy; in particular the authors investigated cardoon chips, carthamus chips, olive and wine pruning, residues from rivers maintenance. Each biomass sample was characterized in terms of moisture content, ashes content, volatile substances, fixed carbon, low and high heating value, content of carbon, nitrogen, hydrogen and main metals.

ACS Style

Gianluca Cavalaglio; Franco Cotana; Andrea Nicolini; Valentina Coccia; Alessandro Petrozzi; Alessandro Formica; Alessandro Bertini. Characterization of Various Biomass Feedstock Suitable for Small-Scale Energy Plants as Preliminary Activity of Biocheaper Project. Sustainability 2020, 12, 6678 .

AMA Style

Gianluca Cavalaglio, Franco Cotana, Andrea Nicolini, Valentina Coccia, Alessandro Petrozzi, Alessandro Formica, Alessandro Bertini. Characterization of Various Biomass Feedstock Suitable for Small-Scale Energy Plants as Preliminary Activity of Biocheaper Project. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (16):6678.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Gianluca Cavalaglio; Franco Cotana; Andrea Nicolini; Valentina Coccia; Alessandro Petrozzi; Alessandro Formica; Alessandro Bertini. 2020. "Characterization of Various Biomass Feedstock Suitable for Small-Scale Energy Plants as Preliminary Activity of Biocheaper Project." Sustainability 12, no. 16: 6678.

Journal article
Published: 13 August 2020 in Energies
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Lignocellulosic biomass is a non-edible feedstock that can be used in integrated biorefinery for the production of biochemicals and biofuel. Among lignocellulosic biomass, Cynara cardunculus L. (cardoon) is a promising crop thanks to its low water and fertilizer demand. Organosolv is a chemical treatment that uses numerous organic or aqueous solvent mixtures, and a small amount of acid catalyst, in order to solubilize the lignin and hemicellulose fractions, making the cellulose accessible to hydrolytic enzymes. Lignocellulosic residues of cardoon underwent a two-step treatment process to obtain fermentable glucose. In the first step, the milled biomass was subjected to microwave-assisted extraction using an acidified γ-valerolactone (GVL)/water mixture, yielding a solid cellulose pulp. In the second step, the pre-treated material was hydrolyzed by cellulolytic enzymes to glucose. The first step was optimized by means of a two-level full factorial design. The investigated factors were process temperature, acid catalyst concentration, and GVL/water ratio. A glucose production equal to 30.17 g per 100 g of raw material (89% of the maximum theoretical yield) was achieved after conducting the first step at 150 °C using an acidified water solution (1.96% H2SO4w/w).

ACS Style

Mattia Gelosia; Alessandro Bertini; Marco Barbanera; Tommaso Giannoni; Andrea Nicolini; Franco Cotana; Gianluca Cavalaglio. Acid-Assisted Organosolv Pre-Treatment and Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Cynara cardunculus L. for Glucose Production. Energies 2020, 13, 4195 .

AMA Style

Mattia Gelosia, Alessandro Bertini, Marco Barbanera, Tommaso Giannoni, Andrea Nicolini, Franco Cotana, Gianluca Cavalaglio. Acid-Assisted Organosolv Pre-Treatment and Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Cynara cardunculus L. for Glucose Production. Energies. 2020; 13 (16):4195.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Mattia Gelosia; Alessandro Bertini; Marco Barbanera; Tommaso Giannoni; Andrea Nicolini; Franco Cotana; Gianluca Cavalaglio. 2020. "Acid-Assisted Organosolv Pre-Treatment and Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Cynara cardunculus L. for Glucose Production." Energies 13, no. 16: 4195.

Journal article
Published: 20 May 2020 in Energies
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The Italian building stock consists of buildings mainly constructed until the mid-20th century using pre-industrial construction techniques. These buildings require energy refurbishment that takes into account the preservation of their architectural heritage. In this view, this work studies an innovative integrated modelling and simulation framework consisting of the implementation of Historical Building Information Modeling (HBIM) for the energy retrofit of historical buildings with renewable geothermal HVAC system. To this aim, the field case study is part of a medieval complex in Central Italy (Perugia), as representative ancient rural offshore architecture in the European countryside. The system involves of a ground source heat pump, a water tank for thermal-energy storage connected to a low-temperature radiant system, and an air-handling unit. The building heating energy performance, typically influenced by thermal inertia in historical buildings, when coupled to the novel HVAC system, is comparatively assessed against a traditional scenario implementing a natural-gas boiler, and made inter-operative within the HBIM ad hoc platform. Results show that the innovative renewable energy system provides relevant benefits while preserving minor visual and architectural impact within the historical complex, and also in terms of both energy saving, CO2 emissions offset, and operation costs compared to the traditional existing system. The integrated HBIM approach may effectively drive the path toward regeneration and re-functioning of heritage in Europe.

ACS Style

Cristina Piselli; Jessica Romanelli; Matteo Di Grazia; Augusto Gavagni; Elisa Moretti; Andrea Nicolini; Franco Cotana; Francesco Strangis; Henk J. L. Witte; Anna Laura Pisello. An Integrated HBIM Simulation Approach for Energy Retrofit of Historical Buildings Implemented in a Case Study of a Medieval Fortress in Italy. Energies 2020, 13, 2601 .

AMA Style

Cristina Piselli, Jessica Romanelli, Matteo Di Grazia, Augusto Gavagni, Elisa Moretti, Andrea Nicolini, Franco Cotana, Francesco Strangis, Henk J. L. Witte, Anna Laura Pisello. An Integrated HBIM Simulation Approach for Energy Retrofit of Historical Buildings Implemented in a Case Study of a Medieval Fortress in Italy. Energies. 2020; 13 (10):2601.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Cristina Piselli; Jessica Romanelli; Matteo Di Grazia; Augusto Gavagni; Elisa Moretti; Andrea Nicolini; Franco Cotana; Francesco Strangis; Henk J. L. Witte; Anna Laura Pisello. 2020. "An Integrated HBIM Simulation Approach for Energy Retrofit of Historical Buildings Implemented in a Case Study of a Medieval Fortress in Italy." Energies 13, no. 10: 2601.

Journal article
Published: 01 December 2019 in Biotechnology Reports
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Stranded driftwood feedstocks may represent, after pretreatment with steam explosion and enzymatic hydrolysis, a cheap C-source for producing biochemicals and biofuels using oleaginous yeasts. The hydrolysis was optimized using a response surface methodology (RSM). The solid loading (SL) and the dosage of enzyme cocktail (ED) were variated following a central composite design (CCD) aimed at optimizing the conversion of carbohydrates into lipids (YL) by the yeast Solicoccozyma terricola DBVPG 5870. A second-order polynomial equation was computed for describing the effect of ED and SL on YL. The best combination (ED = 3.10%; SL = 22.07%) for releasing the optimal concentration of carbohydrates which gave the highest predicted YL (27.32%) was then validated by a new hydrolysis. The resulting value of YL (25.26%) was close to the theoretical maximum value. Interestingly, fatty acid profile achieved under the optimized conditions was similar to that reported for palm oil.

ACS Style

Giorgia Tasselli; Sara Filippucci; Silvia D’Antonio; Gianluca Cavalaglio; Benedetta Turchetti; Franco Cotana; Pietro Buzzini. Optimization of enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulosic fraction obtained from stranded driftwood feedstocks for lipid production by Solicoccozyma terricola. Biotechnology Reports 2019, 24, e00367 .

AMA Style

Giorgia Tasselli, Sara Filippucci, Silvia D’Antonio, Gianluca Cavalaglio, Benedetta Turchetti, Franco Cotana, Pietro Buzzini. Optimization of enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulosic fraction obtained from stranded driftwood feedstocks for lipid production by Solicoccozyma terricola. Biotechnology Reports. 2019; 24 ():e00367.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Giorgia Tasselli; Sara Filippucci; Silvia D’Antonio; Gianluca Cavalaglio; Benedetta Turchetti; Franco Cotana; Pietro Buzzini. 2019. "Optimization of enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulosic fraction obtained from stranded driftwood feedstocks for lipid production by Solicoccozyma terricola." Biotechnology Reports 24, no. : e00367.

Journal article
Published: 11 November 2019 in Energies
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Cardoon (Cynara cardunculus) is a promising crop from which to obtain oilseeds and lignocellulosic biomass. Acid-catalyzed steam explosion is a thermochemical process that can efficiently pre-treat lignocellulosic biomass. The drawback is the production of a high number of carbohydrate degradation products in the liquid fraction that could inhibit microbial growth. In this work, the lignocellulosic biomass of cardoon, gathered from a dedicated field, were used as the raw material for the production of fermentable monosaccharides by employing acid-catalyzed steam explosion. The raw material was pre-soaked with a dilute 1% (w/w) sulfuric acid solution and then subjected to steam explosion under three different severity conditions. The recovered slurry was separated into solid and liquid fractions, which were individually characterized to determine total carbohydrate and inhibitor concentrations. The slurry and the washed solid fraction underwent enzymatic hydrolysis to release glucose and pentose monosaccharides. By conducting the pre-treatment at 175 °C for 35 min and hydrolyzing the obtained slurry, a yield of 33.17 g of monosaccharides/100 g of cardoon was achieved. At the same conditions, 4.39 g of inhibitors/100 g of cardoon were produced.

ACS Style

Alessandro Bertini; Mattia Gelosia; Gianluca Cavalaglio; Marco Barbanera; Tommaso Giannoni; Giorgia Tasselli; Andrea Nicolini; Franco Cotana. Production of Carbohydrates from Cardoon Pre-Treated by Acid-Catalyzed Steam Explosion and Enzymatic Hydrolysis. Energies 2019, 12, 4288 .

AMA Style

Alessandro Bertini, Mattia Gelosia, Gianluca Cavalaglio, Marco Barbanera, Tommaso Giannoni, Giorgia Tasselli, Andrea Nicolini, Franco Cotana. Production of Carbohydrates from Cardoon Pre-Treated by Acid-Catalyzed Steam Explosion and Enzymatic Hydrolysis. Energies. 2019; 12 (22):4288.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Alessandro Bertini; Mattia Gelosia; Gianluca Cavalaglio; Marco Barbanera; Tommaso Giannoni; Giorgia Tasselli; Andrea Nicolini; Franco Cotana. 2019. "Production of Carbohydrates from Cardoon Pre-Treated by Acid-Catalyzed Steam Explosion and Enzymatic Hydrolysis." Energies 12, no. 22: 4288.

Journal article
Published: 11 September 2019 in Atmospheric Pollution Research
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Several benefits in clean energy and pollutant emissions can be offered from biomass energy application. This research analyzes a biomass gasifier installed at the University of Perugia and presents the description of a multifuel biomass energy plant with all its components: the combustion chamber and the heat exchanger, installed to supply the thermal input to the turbine, with 100 kW electric power and 1 MW thermal power. The application of a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) prediction model can help to better understand the knowledge on chemical and thermofluidodynamic features linked to pollutant emissions. A numerical modelling based on Ansys Fluent code is realized with the aim to reproduce the behaviour of the gasifier. Two different stoichiometric woodchips:air ratios are taken into account in the numerical calculations. Experimental tests have been conducted to validate the results of the numerical analysis. The obtained results show that the experimental and the numerical analysis with the 1:5 stoichiometric ratio are comparable. The influence of the woodchips:air stoichiometric ratio on the temperature distribution that may be reached inside the gasifier is highlighted. The relationship between woodchips:air stoichiometric ratio, temperature and NOx emissions is considered. Furthermore, a comparison between the values of NOx and CO pollutants obtained with the numerical model and experimental tests has been done. The gasification process contributes to the production of renewable energy and it can be combined with other energy cycles (e.g. Organic Rankine Cycle). The novelty of the work consists in the definition and validation of a method for the analysis of the operating temperatures of the gasifier to verify how they can be combined with other heat exchange systems and in the analysis of the pollutants during the gasification process.

ACS Style

Franco Cotana; Sabrina Vittori; Guido Marseglia; Carlo Maria Medaglia; Valentina Coccia; Alessandro Petrozzi; Andrea Nicolini; Gianluca Cavalaglio. Pollutant emissions of a biomass gasifier inside a multifuel energy plant. Atmospheric Pollution Research 2019, 10, 2000 -2009.

AMA Style

Franco Cotana, Sabrina Vittori, Guido Marseglia, Carlo Maria Medaglia, Valentina Coccia, Alessandro Petrozzi, Andrea Nicolini, Gianluca Cavalaglio. Pollutant emissions of a biomass gasifier inside a multifuel energy plant. Atmospheric Pollution Research. 2019; 10 (6):2000-2009.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Franco Cotana; Sabrina Vittori; Guido Marseglia; Carlo Maria Medaglia; Valentina Coccia; Alessandro Petrozzi; Andrea Nicolini; Gianluca Cavalaglio. 2019. "Pollutant emissions of a biomass gasifier inside a multifuel energy plant." Atmospheric Pollution Research 10, no. 6: 2000-2009.

Journal article
Published: 30 August 2019 in Energies
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Cool roof effectiveness in improving building thermal-energy performance is affected by different variables. In particular, roof insulation level and climate conditions are key parameters influencing cool roofs benefits and whole building energy performance. This work aims at assessing the role of cool roof in the optimum roof configuration, i.e., combination of solar reflectance capability and thermal insulation level, in terms of building energy performance in different climate conditions worldwide. To this aim, coupled dynamic thermal-energy simulation and optimization analysis is carried out. In detail, multi-dimensional optimization of combined building roof thermal insulation and solar reflectance is developed to minimize building annual energy consumption for heating–cooling. Results highlight how a high reflectance roof minimizes annual energy need for a small standard office building in the majority of considered climates. Moreover, building energy performance is more sensitive to roof solar reflectance than thermal insulation level, except for the coldest conditions. Therefore, for the selected building, the optimum roof typology presents high solar reflectance capability (0.8) and no/low insulation level (0.00–0.03 m), except for extremely hot or cold climate zones. Accordingly, this research shows how the classic approach of super-insulated buildings should be reframed for the office case toward truly environmentally friendly buildings.

ACS Style

Cristina Piselli; Anna Laura Pisello; Mohammad Saffari; Alvaro De Gracia; Franco Cotana; Luisa F. Cabeza; Gracia. Cool Roof Impact on Building Energy Need: The Role of Thermal Insulation with Varying Climate Conditions. Energies 2019, 12, 3354 .

AMA Style

Cristina Piselli, Anna Laura Pisello, Mohammad Saffari, Alvaro De Gracia, Franco Cotana, Luisa F. Cabeza, Gracia. Cool Roof Impact on Building Energy Need: The Role of Thermal Insulation with Varying Climate Conditions. Energies. 2019; 12 (17):3354.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Cristina Piselli; Anna Laura Pisello; Mohammad Saffari; Alvaro De Gracia; Franco Cotana; Luisa F. Cabeza; Gracia. 2019. "Cool Roof Impact on Building Energy Need: The Role of Thermal Insulation with Varying Climate Conditions." Energies 12, no. 17: 3354.

Journal article
Published: 08 July 2019 in Energies
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Renewable energy sources can help the countries to achieve some of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provided from the recent 2030 Agenda, allowing for clean, secure, reliable and affordable energy. Biomass technology is a relevant renewable energy to contribute to reach a clean and affordable energy production system with important emissions reduction of greenhouse gases (GHG). An innovative technological application of biomass energy consisting of a burner coupled with an external fired gas turbine (EFGT) has been developed for the production of electricity. This paper shows the results of the plant modelling by Aspen Plus environment and preliminary experimental tests; the validation of the proposed model allows for the main parameters to be defined that regulate the energy production plant supplied by woodchips.

ACS Style

Guido Marseglia; Carlo Maria Medaglia; Alessandro Petrozzi; Andrea Nicolini; Franco Cotana; Federico Sormani. Experimental Tests and Modeling on a Combined Heat and Power Biomass Plant. Energies 2019, 12, 2615 .

AMA Style

Guido Marseglia, Carlo Maria Medaglia, Alessandro Petrozzi, Andrea Nicolini, Franco Cotana, Federico Sormani. Experimental Tests and Modeling on a Combined Heat and Power Biomass Plant. Energies. 2019; 12 (13):2615.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Guido Marseglia; Carlo Maria Medaglia; Alessandro Petrozzi; Andrea Nicolini; Franco Cotana; Federico Sormani. 2019. "Experimental Tests and Modeling on a Combined Heat and Power Biomass Plant." Energies 12, no. 13: 2615.

Journal article
Published: 21 March 2019 in Energies
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In recent years, the implementation of novel solutions aimed at improving thermal energy storage (TES) capability to both energy technologies and building-integrated systems has gained increasing attention. In particular, the application of phase change materials (PCM) is currently gathering worldwide acknowledgment. In this work, the potential of animal fat as a novel bio-based PCM having transition temperature around the ambient temperature is assessed by means of thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and extensive temperature monitoring. Results from the TGA showed the differential degradation of the main components of the animal fat during the heating phase, where three different decomposition steps could be noticed. The thermal monitoring and the DSC analysis demonstrated the promising thermal performance of the material, which showed an interesting double transition range globally associated to a melting enthalpy of about 28.94 kJ·kg - 1 . The obtained results demonstrate the promising thermophysical properties of the animal fat blend, which can be considered as a low-cost, biocompatible PCM, particularly with potential application in passive building envelope applications for a wide range of temperature boundary conditions.

ACS Style

Claudia Fabiani; Anna Laura Pisello; Marco Barbanera; Luisa F. Cabeza; Franco Cotana. Assessing the Potentiality of Animal Fat Based-Bio Phase Change Materials (PCM) for Building Applications: An Innovative Multipurpose Thermal Investigation. Energies 2019, 12, 1111 .

AMA Style

Claudia Fabiani, Anna Laura Pisello, Marco Barbanera, Luisa F. Cabeza, Franco Cotana. Assessing the Potentiality of Animal Fat Based-Bio Phase Change Materials (PCM) for Building Applications: An Innovative Multipurpose Thermal Investigation. Energies. 2019; 12 (6):1111.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Claudia Fabiani; Anna Laura Pisello; Marco Barbanera; Luisa F. Cabeza; Franco Cotana. 2019. "Assessing the Potentiality of Animal Fat Based-Bio Phase Change Materials (PCM) for Building Applications: An Innovative Multipurpose Thermal Investigation." Energies 12, no. 6: 1111.

Journal article
Published: 01 August 2018 in Renewable Energy
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M. Barbanera; E. Lascaro; D. Foschini; F. Cotana; Cinzia Buratti. Optimization of bioethanol production from steam exploded hornbeam wood ( Ostrya carpinifolia ) by enzymatic hydrolysis. Renewable Energy 2018, 124, 136 -143.

AMA Style

M. Barbanera, E. Lascaro, D. Foschini, F. Cotana, Cinzia Buratti. Optimization of bioethanol production from steam exploded hornbeam wood ( Ostrya carpinifolia ) by enzymatic hydrolysis. Renewable Energy. 2018; 124 ():136-143.

Chicago/Turabian Style

M. Barbanera; E. Lascaro; D. Foschini; F. Cotana; Cinzia Buratti. 2018. "Optimization of bioethanol production from steam exploded hornbeam wood ( Ostrya carpinifolia ) by enzymatic hydrolysis." Renewable Energy 124, no. : 136-143.

Journal article
Published: 23 May 2018 in Biotechnology for Biofuels
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Some lignocellulosic biomass feedstocks occur in Mediterranean Countries. They are still largely unexploited and cause considerable problems due to the lack of cost-effective harvesting, storage and disposal technologies. Recent studies found that some basidiomycetous yeasts are able to accumulate high amount of intracellular lipids for biorefinery processes (i.e., biofuels and biochemicals). Accordingly, the above biomass feedstocks could be used as carbon sources (after their pre-treatment and hydrolysis) for lipid accumulation by oleaginous yeasts. Cardoon stalks, stranded driftwood and olive tree pruning residues were pre-treated with steam-explosion and enzymatic hydrolysis for releasing free mono- and oligosaccharides. Lipid accumulation tests were performed at two temperatures (20 and 25 °C) using Leucosporidium creatinivorum DBVPG 4794, Naganishia adeliensis DBVPG 5195 and Solicoccozyma terricola DBVPG 5870. S. terricola grown on cardoon stalks at 20 °C exhibited the highest lipid production (13.20 g/l), a lipid yield (28.95%) close to the maximum theoretical value and a lipid composition similar to that found in palm oil. On the contrary, N. adeliensis grown on stranded driftwood and olive tree pruning residues exhibited a lipid composition similar to those of olive and almonds oils. A predictive evaluation of the physical properties of the potential biodiesel obtainable by lipids produced by tested yeast strains has been reported and discussed. Lipids produced by some basidiomycetous yeasts grown on Mediterranean lignocellulosic biomass feedstocks could be used as supplementary sources of oils for producing biofuels and biochemicals.

ACS Style

Giorgia Tasselli; Sara Filippucci; Elisabetta Borsella; Silvia D’Antonio; Mattia Gelosia; Gianluca Cavalaglio; Benedetta Turchetti; Ciro Sannino; Andrea Onofri; Silvio Mastrolitti; Isabella De Bari; Franco Cotana; Pietro Buzzini. Yeast lipids from cardoon stalks, stranded driftwood and olive tree pruning residues as possible extra sources of oils for producing biofuels and biochemicals. Biotechnology for Biofuels 2018, 11, 147 .

AMA Style

Giorgia Tasselli, Sara Filippucci, Elisabetta Borsella, Silvia D’Antonio, Mattia Gelosia, Gianluca Cavalaglio, Benedetta Turchetti, Ciro Sannino, Andrea Onofri, Silvio Mastrolitti, Isabella De Bari, Franco Cotana, Pietro Buzzini. Yeast lipids from cardoon stalks, stranded driftwood and olive tree pruning residues as possible extra sources of oils for producing biofuels and biochemicals. Biotechnology for Biofuels. 2018; 11 (1):147.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Giorgia Tasselli; Sara Filippucci; Elisabetta Borsella; Silvia D’Antonio; Mattia Gelosia; Gianluca Cavalaglio; Benedetta Turchetti; Ciro Sannino; Andrea Onofri; Silvio Mastrolitti; Isabella De Bari; Franco Cotana; Pietro Buzzini. 2018. "Yeast lipids from cardoon stalks, stranded driftwood and olive tree pruning residues as possible extra sources of oils for producing biofuels and biochemicals." Biotechnology for Biofuels 11, no. 1: 147.

Journal article
Published: 23 May 2018 in Materials
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The use of Phase Change Material (PCM) for improving building indoor thermal comfort and energy saving has been largely investigated in the literature in recent years, thus confirming PCM’s capability to reduce indoor thermal fluctuation in both summer and winter conditions, according to their melting temperature and operation boundaries. Further to that, the present paper aims at investigating an innovative use of PCM for absorbing heat released by cement during its curing process, which typically contributes to micro-cracking of massive concrete elements, therefore compromising their mechanical performance during their service life. The experiments carried out in this work showed how PCM, even in small quantities (i.e., up to 1% in weight of cement) plays a non-negligible benefit in reducing differential thermal increases between core and surface and therefore mechanical stresses originating from differential thermal expansion, as demonstrated by thermal monitoring of cement-based cubes. Both PCM types analyzed in the study (with melting temperatures at 18 and 25 ∘ C) were properly dispersed in the mix and were shown to be able to reduce the internal temperature of the cement paste by several degrees, i.e., around 5 ∘ C. Additionally, such small amount of PCM produced a reduction of the final density of the composite and an increase of the characteristic compressive strength with respect to the plain recipe.

ACS Style

Claudia Fabiani; Anna Laura Pisello; Antonella D’Alessandro; Filippo Ubertini; Luisa F. Cabeza; Franco Cotana. Effect of PCM on the Hydration Process of Cement-Based Mixtures: A Novel Thermo-Mechanical Investigation. Materials 2018, 11, 871 .

AMA Style

Claudia Fabiani, Anna Laura Pisello, Antonella D’Alessandro, Filippo Ubertini, Luisa F. Cabeza, Franco Cotana. Effect of PCM on the Hydration Process of Cement-Based Mixtures: A Novel Thermo-Mechanical Investigation. Materials. 2018; 11 (6):871.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Claudia Fabiani; Anna Laura Pisello; Antonella D’Alessandro; Filippo Ubertini; Luisa F. Cabeza; Franco Cotana. 2018. "Effect of PCM on the Hydration Process of Cement-Based Mixtures: A Novel Thermo-Mechanical Investigation." Materials 11, no. 6: 871.

Conference paper
Published: 17 April 2018 in Proceedings of EECE 2020
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New phase change materials (PCMs) are promising fillers for the realization of multifunctional concretes, combining good mechanical properties with enhanced thermal storage capabilities within building envelope. These materials are currently receiving a growing interest in the scientific literature. Encapsulated PCMs result particularly suitable for applications in concrete. This paper presents a research on concretes doped with different contents of PCMs, up to the 5% of the total weight. Physical, mechanical and thermal experimental tests were carried out, in order to investigate the physical properties, the stress-strain behaviour, the ductility, the compressive strength, as well as the thermal conductivity, the diffusivity and the specific heat capacity of the novel concretes. The results of thermal tests demonstrated the effective enhancement of the thermal inertia of the materials, while mechanical tests showed performances compatible with structural applications. Overall, new multifunctional concretes with PCM inclusions appear promising for achieving sustainable and lightweight concrete structures.

ACS Style

A. D’Alessandro; A. L. Pisello; Claudia Fabiani; Filippo Ubertini; L. F. Cabeza; F. Cotana; A. L. Materazzi. Innovative Structural Concretes with Phase Change Materials for Sustainable Constructions: Mechanical and Thermal Characterization. Proceedings of EECE 2020 2018, 172 -183.

AMA Style

A. D’Alessandro, A. L. Pisello, Claudia Fabiani, Filippo Ubertini, L. F. Cabeza, F. Cotana, A. L. Materazzi. Innovative Structural Concretes with Phase Change Materials for Sustainable Constructions: Mechanical and Thermal Characterization. Proceedings of EECE 2020. 2018; ():172-183.

Chicago/Turabian Style

A. D’Alessandro; A. L. Pisello; Claudia Fabiani; Filippo Ubertini; L. F. Cabeza; F. Cotana; A. L. Materazzi. 2018. "Innovative Structural Concretes with Phase Change Materials for Sustainable Constructions: Mechanical and Thermal Characterization." Proceedings of EECE 2020 , no. : 172-183.

Journal article
Published: 01 March 2018 in Waste Management
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The aim of the present study is to analyze the influence of independent process variables such as temperature, residence time, and heating rate on the torrefaction process of coffee chaff (CC) and spent coffee grounds (SCGs). Response surface methodology and a three-factor and three-level Box-Behnken design were used in order to evaluate the effects of the process variables on the weight loss (W) and the Higher Heating Value (HHV) of the torrefied materials. Results showed that the effects of the three factors on both responses were sequenced as follows: temperature>residence time>heating rate. Data obtained from the experiments were analyzed by analysis of variance (ANOVA) and fitted to second-order polynomial models by using multiple regression analysis. Predictive models were determined, able to obtain satisfactory fittings of the experimental data, with coefficient of determination (R) values higher than 0.95. An optimization study using Derringer's desired function methodology was also carried out and the optimal torrefaction conditions were found: temperature 271.7°C, residence time 20min, heating rate 5°C/min for CC and 256.0°C, 20min, 25°C/min for SCGs. The experimental values closely agree with the corresponding predicted values.

ACS Style

Cinzia Buratti; M. Barbanera; E. Lascaro; F. Cotana. Optimization of torrefaction conditions of coffee industry residues using desirability function approach. Waste Management 2018, 73, 523 -534.

AMA Style

Cinzia Buratti, M. Barbanera, E. Lascaro, F. Cotana. Optimization of torrefaction conditions of coffee industry residues using desirability function approach. Waste Management. 2018; 73 ():523-534.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Cinzia Buratti; M. Barbanera; E. Lascaro; F. Cotana. 2018. "Optimization of torrefaction conditions of coffee industry residues using desirability function approach." Waste Management 73, no. : 523-534.