Methods for the calculation of the undisturbed ground temperature (UGT) are presented. Heat fluxes occurring on the surface of the ground and their influence on the UGT are described. Correlation equations for the calculation of the undisturbed ground temperature based on the meteorological data averaged in the yearly cycle are proposed. These equations are of a semi-empirical character and they are based on the heat flux balance. The determined coefficients of these equations, particularly the convection heat transfer coefficient, are consistent with the values specified by other methods.

A theoretical analysis and the results of the experimental verification of the adsorption–desorption process for ethanol dehydration are presented. This adsorption–desorption process is applied in industrial installations for the production of dehydrated ethanol as a fuel additive. In the present work, the experiments were performed using a small-scale experimental setup. The sequence of operations consisted of adsorption, vacuum desorption and purge. The adsorption column, filled with zeolite 3A pellets, was fed with a vapour-phase ethanol/water mixture containing 25 mol% water. The water vapour content at the column outlet was determined using gas chromatography. During the vacuum desorption step, the upper outlet of the column was connected to a vacuum pump. During the purge step, the lower outlet of the column was connected to a vessel containing pure ethanol while the upper outlet was connected to the vacuum pump. The process simulation results using the developed model have been compared with the experimental results in order to verify accuracy of the model. The agreement between the experimental and theoretical results demonstrated that the mathematical model adequately described the process.

The performance of solar thermal systems for space heating and domestic hot water (DHW) production depends on the tilt angle of solar collectors, which governs the amount and seasonal distribution of captured solar radiation. This study evaluates the impact of fixed collector tilt angles on the annual solar fraction (SF) of a solar heating system designed for a typical single-family house located in Kraków, Poland (50° N latitude). A numerical model based on the f-Chart method was employed to simulate system performance under varying collector areas, storage tank volumes, heat exchanger characteristics, and DHW proportions. The analysis revealed that although total annual irradiation decreases with increasing tilt angle, the SF reaches a maximum at a tilt angle of approximately 60°, which is about 10° higher than the local geographic latitude. This configuration offers a favorable balance between winter energy gain and summer overheating mitigation. The results align with empirical recommendations in the literature and offer practical guidance for optimizing fixed-tilt solar heating systems in temperate climates.

In order to predict long-term changes in the temperature of the ground in which a horizontal ground heat exchanger has been installed, it is beneficial to implement simplified mathematical models of heat transfer. The possibility of using a one-dimensional equation of heat conduction while modelling heat transfer in a ground heat exchanger with horizontal pipes has been demonstrated in the work. A theoretical analysis based on the linear heat source model as well as experimental research works have been carried out. It has been concluded that the temperature profiles of the ground in which parallel pipes of the heat exchanger are placed do not significantly differ from the profiles for the heat exchanger in the form of a plate; in particular, this refers to large distances from the level in which the pipes are positioned, small distances between pipes axes and the long duration of the process. Discrepancies between the calculated temperature increases for pipe and plate exchangers varied significantly in the individual time intervals, and were approx. 20–30%. The conducted experiments have demonstrated that the temperature field around parallel pipes of the heat exchanger may be described by the linear heat source model. The compatibility of temperature maps that were determined theoretically and experimentally was satisfactory with a good degree of accuracy.