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Germán Ferreira
Instituto Universitario de Investigación Mixto CIRCE—(Fundacion CIRCE—Universidad de Zaragoza), Parque Empresarial Dinamiza, Avenida Ranillas 3D, 50018 Zaragoza, Spain

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Journal article
Published: 11 January 2021 in Energies
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Reductions in energy consumption, carbon footprint, equipment size, and cost are key objectives for the forthcoming energy-intensive industries roadmaps. In this sense, solutions such as waste heat recovery, which can be replicated into different sectors (e.g., ceramics, concrete, glass, steel, aluminium, pulp, and paper) are highly promoted. In this line, latent heat thermal energy storage (TES) contributes as an innovative technology solution to improve the overall system efficiency by recovering and storing industrial waste heat. To this end, phase-change material (PCM) selection is assisted through a decision-support system (DSS). A simplified tool based on the MATLAB® model, based on correlations among the most relevant system parameters, was developed to prove the feasibility of a cross-sectorial approach. The research work conducted a parametric analysis to assess the techno-economic performance of the PCM-TES solution under different working conditions and sectors. Additionally, a multicriteria assessment was performed comparing the tool outputs from metal alloys and inorganic hydrated PCM salts. Overall, the inorganic PCMs presented higher net economic and energy savings (up to 25,000 €/yr; 480 MWh/yr), while metal alloys involved promising results, shorter cycles, and competitive economic ratios; its commercial development is still limited.

ACS Style

Patricia Royo; Luis Acevedo; Álvaro J. Arnal; Maryori Diaz-Ramírez; Tatiana García-Armingol; Victor J. Ferreira; Germán Ferreira; Ana M. López-Sabirón. Decision Support System of Innovative High-Temperature Latent Heat Storage for Waste Heat Recovery in the Energy-Intensive Industry. Energies 2021, 14, 365 .

AMA Style

Patricia Royo, Luis Acevedo, Álvaro J. Arnal, Maryori Diaz-Ramírez, Tatiana García-Armingol, Victor J. Ferreira, Germán Ferreira, Ana M. López-Sabirón. Decision Support System of Innovative High-Temperature Latent Heat Storage for Waste Heat Recovery in the Energy-Intensive Industry. Energies. 2021; 14 (2):365.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Patricia Royo; Luis Acevedo; Álvaro J. Arnal; Maryori Diaz-Ramírez; Tatiana García-Armingol; Victor J. Ferreira; Germán Ferreira; Ana M. López-Sabirón. 2021. "Decision Support System of Innovative High-Temperature Latent Heat Storage for Waste Heat Recovery in the Energy-Intensive Industry." Energies 14, no. 2: 365.

Journal article
Published: 01 January 2020 in Sustainability
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Electricity from the combination of photovoltaic panels and wind turbines exhibits potential benefits towards the sustainable cities transition. Nevertheless, the highly fluctuating and intermittent character limits an extended applicability in the energy market. Particularly, batteries represent a challenging approach to overcome the existing constraints and to achieve sustainable urban energy development. On the basis of the market roll-out and level of technological maturity, five commercially available battery technologies are assessed in this work, namely, lead–acid, lithium manganese oxide, nickel–cadmium, nickel–metal hydride, and vanadium redox flow. When considering sustainable development, environmental assessments provide valuable information. In this vein, an environmental analysis of the technologies is conducted using a life cycle assessment methodology from a cradle-to-gate perspective. A comparison of the environmental burden of battery components identified vanadium redox flow battery as the lowest environmental damage battery. In terms of components, electrodes; the electrolyte; and the set of pumps, motors, racks, and bolts exhibited the greatest environmental impact related to manufacturing. In terms of materials, copper, steel, sulphuric acid, and vanadium were identified as the main contributors to the midpoint impact categories. The results have highlighted that challenging materials 4.0 are still needed in battery manufacturing to provide sustainable technology designs required to the future urban planning based on circular economy demands.

ACS Style

Maryori Díaz-Ramírez; Victor José Ferreira; Tatiana García-Armingol; Ana M. López-Sabirón; Germán Ferreira. Environmental Assessment of Electrochemical Energy Storage Device Manufacturing to Identify Drivers for Attaining Goals of Sustainable Materials 4.0. Sustainability 2020, 12, 342 .

AMA Style

Maryori Díaz-Ramírez, Victor José Ferreira, Tatiana García-Armingol, Ana M. López-Sabirón, Germán Ferreira. Environmental Assessment of Electrochemical Energy Storage Device Manufacturing to Identify Drivers for Attaining Goals of Sustainable Materials 4.0. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (1):342.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Maryori Díaz-Ramírez; Victor José Ferreira; Tatiana García-Armingol; Ana M. López-Sabirón; Germán Ferreira. 2020. "Environmental Assessment of Electrochemical Energy Storage Device Manufacturing to Identify Drivers for Attaining Goals of Sustainable Materials 4.0." Sustainability 12, no. 1: 342.

Journal article
Published: 24 October 2019 in Materials & Design
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A latent heat storage system based on Phase Change Materials (PCMs) is proposed to increase the energy and environmental efficiency by recovering and storing waste heat from combustion gases or other surplus sources at in the energy-intensive industries (EII), currently unused. The final configuration design is specifically adapted to the plant operational requirements, by means of a methodology combining the search of the best conceptual design and a proper selection of core PCMs. To that end, a selection of suitable PCM is carried out by using characterisation techniques and thermal stability testing. Furthermore, relevant key factors are weighted by an in-house Multiple-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) to define the most promising design options to be implemented in two plants belonging to the EII sector. For the ceramic sector, the design resulted in a shell-and-tube system with 1188 kg of a PCM melting at 885 °C and encapsulated in double concentric tubes, involving a storage capacity of 227 MJ. Similarly, 1606 kg of PCM, whose phase-change temperature is 509 °C, is selected for the steel sector providing a PCM-TES system capable to store 420 MJ.

ACS Style

Patricia Royo; Victor J. Ferreira; Zafer Ure; Sam Gledhill; Ana M. López-Sabirón; Germán Ferreira. Multiple-Criteria Decision Analysis and characterisation of phase change materials for waste heat recovery at high temperature for sustainable energy-intensive industry. Materials & Design 2019, 186, 108215 .

AMA Style

Patricia Royo, Victor J. Ferreira, Zafer Ure, Sam Gledhill, Ana M. López-Sabirón, Germán Ferreira. Multiple-Criteria Decision Analysis and characterisation of phase change materials for waste heat recovery at high temperature for sustainable energy-intensive industry. Materials & Design. 2019; 186 ():108215.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Patricia Royo; Victor J. Ferreira; Zafer Ure; Sam Gledhill; Ana M. López-Sabirón; Germán Ferreira. 2019. "Multiple-Criteria Decision Analysis and characterisation of phase change materials for waste heat recovery at high temperature for sustainable energy-intensive industry." Materials & Design 186, no. : 108215.

Journal article
Published: 11 October 2019 in Journal of Energy Resources Technology
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Different retrofitting measures can be implemented at different levels of the industrial furnace, such as refractory layers, energy recovery solutions, new burners and fuel types, and monitoring and control systems. However, there is a high level of uncertainty about the possible implications of integrating new technologies, not only in the furnace but also on the upstream and downstream processes. In this regard, there is a lack of holistic approaches to design the optimal system configurations under a multicriteria perspective, especially when innovative technologies and multi-sectorial processes are involved. The present work proposes a holistic approach to natural gas melting and heating furnaces in energy-intensive industries. A multicriteria analysis, based on criteria and subcriteria, is applied to select the most profitable retrofitting solution using the analytic hierarchy process and stakeholder expertise. The methodology is based on technical indicators, i.e., life cycle assessment, life cycle cost, and thermoeconomic analysis, for evaluating the current state of existing natural gas furnaces. Once the current state is characterized, the methodology determines the potential of efficiency improvement, environmental impact reduction, and cost-savings caused mainly by the implementation of new retrofitting solutions including new refractories, new burner concepts (co-firing), and innovative energy recovery solutions based on phase change materials. Therefore, this methodology can be considered as the first stage that guarantees technical, environmental, and economic feasibility in evaluating the effects of new technologies on the overall system performance.

ACS Style

Álvaro J. Arnal; Maryori Díaz-Ramírez; Luis Acevedo; Víctor J. Ferreira; Tatiana García-Armingol; Ana M. López-Sabirón; Germán Ferreira. Multicriteria Analysis for Retrofitting of Natural Gas Melting and Heating Furnaces for Sustainable Manufacturing and Industry 4.0. Journal of Energy Resources Technology 2019, 142, 1 -48.

AMA Style

Álvaro J. Arnal, Maryori Díaz-Ramírez, Luis Acevedo, Víctor J. Ferreira, Tatiana García-Armingol, Ana M. López-Sabirón, Germán Ferreira. Multicriteria Analysis for Retrofitting of Natural Gas Melting and Heating Furnaces for Sustainable Manufacturing and Industry 4.0. Journal of Energy Resources Technology. 2019; 142 (2):1-48.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Álvaro J. Arnal; Maryori Díaz-Ramírez; Luis Acevedo; Víctor J. Ferreira; Tatiana García-Armingol; Ana M. López-Sabirón; Germán Ferreira. 2019. "Multicriteria Analysis for Retrofitting of Natural Gas Melting and Heating Furnaces for Sustainable Manufacturing and Industry 4.0." Journal of Energy Resources Technology 142, no. 2: 1-48.

Journal article
Published: 04 June 2019 in Journal of Cleaner Production
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The European Union is the largest producer of wine and olive oil worldwide, accounting for 65 and 75 % of the global production, respectively. In 2017, Spain produced around 32.5 million hectolitres of wine (approximately 13.5 % of the global production) and approximately 67 % of the European olive oil (50 % of the global production). In this context, the sustainability in these sectors is a matter of concern to both Spain and Europe. This study aims to evaluate electroporation-assisted extraction as an emerging technology towards a sustainable bio-economy. This technology should enhance energy and resource efficiency, food quality, and environmental performance under a life cycle approach. The pulsed electric field technique is used to improve the extraction yield of olives, and to decrease the maceration time in winemaking. Thereby, it is expected to increase productivity and processing capacity without affecting the nutritional and sensorial characteristics of the food products. The results revealed that the maceration time decreased for both studied cases (8 and 5 days) during winemaking, for which all selected environmental impact categories were reduced by 2 - 38 %. Regarding the olive oil processing, an average improvement of 5 % in the olive extraction yield reduced the environmental impact indicators approximately 5 %.

ACS Style

Víctor J. Ferreira; Álvaro J. Arnal; Patricia Royo; Tatiana García-Armingol; Ana M. López-Sabirón; Germán Ferreira. Energy and resource efficiency of electroporation-assisted extraction as an emerging technology towards a sustainable bio-economy in the agri-food sector. Journal of Cleaner Production 2019, 233, 1123 -1132.

AMA Style

Víctor J. Ferreira, Álvaro J. Arnal, Patricia Royo, Tatiana García-Armingol, Ana M. López-Sabirón, Germán Ferreira. Energy and resource efficiency of electroporation-assisted extraction as an emerging technology towards a sustainable bio-economy in the agri-food sector. Journal of Cleaner Production. 2019; 233 ():1123-1132.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Víctor J. Ferreira; Álvaro J. Arnal; Patricia Royo; Tatiana García-Armingol; Ana M. López-Sabirón; Germán Ferreira. 2019. "Energy and resource efficiency of electroporation-assisted extraction as an emerging technology towards a sustainable bio-economy in the agri-food sector." Journal of Cleaner Production 233, no. : 1123-1132.

Journal article
Published: 29 May 2019 in Journal of Materials Research and Technology
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This study evaluated the use of submicrometre-sized particles based on titanium carbide from both technical and environmental points of view. The objective was to improve the mechanical properties of the magnesium alloy intended for use in the automotive component industry. To this end, an Al/TiC master compound containing 60 wt.% of TiC was produced through a self-propagating, high-temperature synthesis process and embedded in a magnesium alloy by a mechanical stirring method. The life cycle assessment methodology was then used to evaluate the environmental impact of the manufacturing of the magnesium alloy reinforced with submicrometre-sized particles. X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy techniques revealed the nature and purity of the TiC present in the material and revealed particle sizes below submicrometre range (300–500 nm). The incorporation of TiC particles into the magnesium alloy resulted in improvements in yield stress and ultimate tensile strength of more than 10% and 18%, respectively, and increases in ductility values by 30%. Finally, the results indicated that the submicrometre particle production had a low environmental impact compared with the total impact associated with manufacturing the magnesium alloy reinforced with submicrometre-sized particles; the greatest environmental burden was attributed to the magnesium production stage. However, this impact is offset in the use phase of the vehicle, providing approximately 28,000 km of mileage for a car.

ACS Style

Victor Ferreira; Mikel Merchán; Pedro Egizabal; Maider García de Cortázar; Ane Irazustabarrena; Ana M. López-Sabirón; German Ferreira. Technical and environmental evaluation of a new high performance material based on magnesium alloy reinforced with submicrometre-sized TiC particles to develop automotive lightweight components and make transport sector more sustainable. Journal of Materials Research and Technology 2019, 8, 2549 -2564.

AMA Style

Victor Ferreira, Mikel Merchán, Pedro Egizabal, Maider García de Cortázar, Ane Irazustabarrena, Ana M. López-Sabirón, German Ferreira. Technical and environmental evaluation of a new high performance material based on magnesium alloy reinforced with submicrometre-sized TiC particles to develop automotive lightweight components and make transport sector more sustainable. Journal of Materials Research and Technology. 2019; 8 (3):2549-2564.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Victor Ferreira; Mikel Merchán; Pedro Egizabal; Maider García de Cortázar; Ane Irazustabarrena; Ana M. López-Sabirón; German Ferreira. 2019. "Technical and environmental evaluation of a new high performance material based on magnesium alloy reinforced with submicrometre-sized TiC particles to develop automotive lightweight components and make transport sector more sustainable." Journal of Materials Research and Technology 8, no. 3: 2549-2564.

Journal article
Published: 18 February 2019 in Energy
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The energy considered as waste heat in industrial furnaces owing to inefficiencies represents a substantial opportunity for recovery by means of thermal energy storage (TES) implementation. Although conventional systems based on sensible heat are used extensively, these systems involve technical limitations. Latent heat storage based on phase change materials (PCMs) results in a promising alternative for storing and recovering waste heat. Within this scope, the proposed PCM-TES allows for demonstrating its implementation feasibility in energy-intensive industries at high temperature range. The stored energy is meant to preheat the air temperature entering the furnace by using a PCM whose melting point is 885°C. In this sense, a heat transfer model simulation is established to determine an appropriate design based on mass and energy conservation equations. The thermal performance is analysed for the melting and solidification processes, the phase transition and its influence on heat transference. Moreover, the temperature profile is illustrated for the PCM and combustion air stream. The obtained results prove the achievability of very high temperature levels (from 700 to 865°C) in the combustion air preheating in a ceramic furnace; so corroborating an energy and environmental efficiency enhancement, compared to the initial condition presenting an air outlet at 650°C.

ACS Style

Patricia Royo; Luis Acevedo; Victor J. Ferreira; Tatiana García-Armingol; Ana M. López-Sabirón; Germán A Ferreira Ferreira. High-temperature PCM-based thermal energy storage for industrial furnaces installed in energy-intensive industries. Energy 2019, 173, 1030 -1040.

AMA Style

Patricia Royo, Luis Acevedo, Victor J. Ferreira, Tatiana García-Armingol, Ana M. López-Sabirón, Germán A Ferreira Ferreira. High-temperature PCM-based thermal energy storage for industrial furnaces installed in energy-intensive industries. Energy. 2019; 173 ():1030-1040.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Patricia Royo; Luis Acevedo; Victor J. Ferreira; Tatiana García-Armingol; Ana M. López-Sabirón; Germán A Ferreira Ferreira. 2019. "High-temperature PCM-based thermal energy storage for industrial furnaces installed in energy-intensive industries." Energy 173, no. : 1030-1040.

Journal article
Published: 19 December 2018 in Diamond and Related Materials
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This study aims to evaluate the use of nanodiamonds (ND) as potential reinforcements to improve the mechanical properties of aluminium for use in high-quality automotive components. Additionally, the use of components manufactured from reinforced aluminium is assessed regarding environmental effects considering the life cycle of the component. To do this, a master alloy of aluminium/20 vol% ND was developed using mechanical alloying, which embedded and uniformly distributed non-agglomerated ND particles inside the aluminium matrix. Then, specimens of reinforced aluminium alloys containing 0.5 wt% ND were produced using a mixing system to manufacture the final automotive components. SEM images revealed even distributions of nanoparticles of <10 nm in size within the aluminium; synchrotron investigation revealed the diamond structures of the nanoparticles. The incorporation of the nanoparticles induced improvements in the yield stress and ultimate tensile strength, and a dramatic improvement of the ductility. Finally, the holistic life cycle analysis was conducted by the accepted Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology. The results showed an environmental net balance of CO2 emissions after the automobile using ND-reinforced aluminium alloy components had reached ~33% of its useful lifetime, indicating a significant reduction in the environmental impact in the value chain of the component, especially considering 50% recyclability, as this provides environmental benefits compared to the life cycles of equivalent components produced from weightier materials like steel.

ACS Style

Victor José Ferreira; Pedro Egizabal; Vladimir Popov; Maider García de Cortázar; Ane Irazustabarrena; Ana M. López-Sabirón; Germán A Ferreira Ferreira. Lightweight automotive components based on nanodiamond-reinforced aluminium alloy: A technical and environmental evaluation. Diamond and Related Materials 2018, 92, 174 -186.

AMA Style

Victor José Ferreira, Pedro Egizabal, Vladimir Popov, Maider García de Cortázar, Ane Irazustabarrena, Ana M. López-Sabirón, Germán A Ferreira Ferreira. Lightweight automotive components based on nanodiamond-reinforced aluminium alloy: A technical and environmental evaluation. Diamond and Related Materials. 2018; 92 ():174-186.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Victor José Ferreira; Pedro Egizabal; Vladimir Popov; Maider García de Cortázar; Ane Irazustabarrena; Ana M. López-Sabirón; Germán A Ferreira Ferreira. 2018. "Lightweight automotive components based on nanodiamond-reinforced aluminium alloy: A technical and environmental evaluation." Diamond and Related Materials 92, no. : 174-186.

Journal article
Published: 27 March 2018 in Sustainability
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In Europe, science and innovation are boosting the agri-food sector and, in parallel, are helping to decrease greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and European dependency on non-renewable resources. Currently, it is well-known that this sector contributes to the consumption of energy and material resources, causing significant environmental impacts that require a complex and comprehensive environmental evaluation in order to manage them effectively. This becomes even more complicated when new technologies are reaching the level of technological maturity needed to be installed in the production lines. To address this scientific challenge, the life cycle assessment (LCA) has been used in this paper to evaluate the potential of pulsed electric fields (PEF) technology at an industrial scale to facilitate the steam peeling of tomato fruits. Considering the thermo-physical peeling stage, the LCA has shown that PEF technology is environmentally friendly, because when PEF technology is applied, all the considered environmental indicators improve between 17% and 20%.

ACS Style

Álvaro J. Arnal; Patricia Royo; Gianpiero Pataro; Giovanna Ferrari; Víctor J. Ferreira; Ana M. López-Sabirón; Germán A. Ferreira. Implementation of PEF Treatment at Real-Scale Tomatoes Processing Considering LCA Methodology as an Innovation Strategy in the Agri-Food Sector. Sustainability 2018, 10, 979 .

AMA Style

Álvaro J. Arnal, Patricia Royo, Gianpiero Pataro, Giovanna Ferrari, Víctor J. Ferreira, Ana M. López-Sabirón, Germán A. Ferreira. Implementation of PEF Treatment at Real-Scale Tomatoes Processing Considering LCA Methodology as an Innovation Strategy in the Agri-Food Sector. Sustainability. 2018; 10 (4):979.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Álvaro J. Arnal; Patricia Royo; Gianpiero Pataro; Giovanna Ferrari; Víctor J. Ferreira; Ana M. López-Sabirón; Germán A. Ferreira. 2018. "Implementation of PEF Treatment at Real-Scale Tomatoes Processing Considering LCA Methodology as an Innovation Strategy in the Agri-Food Sector." Sustainability 10, no. 4: 979.

Journal article
Published: 02 December 2017 in International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
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The environmental implications of soil salinity caused by accumulation of de-icing salt and leaching in soils of northeastern Spain were examined. For this purpose, the concentrations of ions associated with diagnosing and managing this problem were evaluated from several measurements performed over one year along a road. This analysis demonstrated a higher concentration of soluble Na+ in the soil 3 m from a road in the northernmost part of the study area in February, which made the soil saline-sodic. Data from the rest of the study period (during the spring and summer) demonstrated that the de-icing salt moved to areas farther south by runoff water, which caused environmental impacts by modifying soil characteristics. These results suggest that leaching of Ca2+ and Mg2+ cations occurred faster in the studied systems in sodic soils. Leaching of these cations may affect plant yield, and results in environmental impacts within 3–30 m from the road. Awareness of this impact will be useful for developing future strategies for evaluating and reporting these complex relationships within Spain’s transport system and environment.

ACS Style

Esther Asensio; Víctor J. Ferreira; Gonzalo Gil; Tatiana García-Armingol; Ana M. López-Sabirón; Germán Ferreira. Accumulation of De-Icing Salt and Leaching in Spanish Soils Surrounding Roadways. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 2017, 14, 1498 .

AMA Style

Esther Asensio, Víctor J. Ferreira, Gonzalo Gil, Tatiana García-Armingol, Ana M. López-Sabirón, Germán Ferreira. Accumulation of De-Icing Salt and Leaching in Spanish Soils Surrounding Roadways. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2017; 14 (12):1498.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Esther Asensio; Víctor J. Ferreira; Gonzalo Gil; Tatiana García-Armingol; Ana M. López-Sabirón; Germán Ferreira. 2017. "Accumulation of De-Icing Salt and Leaching in Spanish Soils Surrounding Roadways." International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 14, no. 12: 1498.

Journal article
Published: 05 October 2017 in Sustainability
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The environmental performance of industrial anaerobic digestion (AD), pyrolysis, and integrated system (AD sequence with pyrolysis) on food waste treatment were evaluated using life cycle assessment. The integrated treatment system indicated similar environmental benefits to AD with the highest benefits in climate change and water depletion in addition to the increased energy generation potential and the production of valuable products (biochar and bio-oil). Pyrolysis results illustrated higher impact across water, fossil fuel, and mineral depletion, although still providing a better option than conventional landfilling of food waste. The dewatering phase in the AD process accounted for 70% of the treatment impact while the pre-treatment of the food waste was responsible for the main burden in the pyrolysis process. The study indicated that the three treatment options of food waste management are environmentally more favorable than the conventional landfilling of the wastes.

ACS Style

Suraj Adebayo Opatokun; Ana Lopez-Sabiron; German Ferreira; Vladimir Strezov. Life Cycle Analysis of Energy Production from Food Waste through Anaerobic Digestion, Pyrolysis and Integrated Energy System. Sustainability 2017, 9, 1804 .

AMA Style

Suraj Adebayo Opatokun, Ana Lopez-Sabiron, German Ferreira, Vladimir Strezov. Life Cycle Analysis of Energy Production from Food Waste through Anaerobic Digestion, Pyrolysis and Integrated Energy System. Sustainability. 2017; 9 (10):1804.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Suraj Adebayo Opatokun; Ana Lopez-Sabiron; German Ferreira; Vladimir Strezov. 2017. "Life Cycle Analysis of Energy Production from Food Waste through Anaerobic Digestion, Pyrolysis and Integrated Energy System." Sustainability 9, no. 10: 1804.

Review article
Published: 05 July 2017 in Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews
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This study aims to analyse some of the most relevant issues that the energy intensive industry needs to face in order to improve its energy and environmental performance based on innovative retrofitting strategies. To this end, a case study based on the aluminium industry, as one of the most relevant within the European energy intensive industry has been thoroughly discussed. In particular, great efforts must be addressed to reduce its environmental impact; specifically focusing on the main stages concerning the manufacturing of an aluminium billet, namely alloy production, heating, extrusion and finishing. Hence, an innovative DC (direct current) induction technology with an expected 50% energy efficiency increase is used for retrofitting conventional techniques traditionally based on natural gas and AC (alternating current) induction. A life cycle assessment was applied to analyse three different scenarios within four representative European electricity mixes. The results reported reductions up to 8% of Green House Gases emissions in every country. France presented the best-case scenario applying only DC induction; unlike Greece, which showed around 150% increment. However, the suitability of the new DC induction technology depends on the electricity mix, the technological scenario and the environmental impact indicators. Finally, environmental external costs were assessed with comparison purposes to evaluate the increase of energy and environmental efficiency in existing preheating and melting industrial furnaces currently fed with natural gas.

ACS Style

Patricia Royo; Víctor José Ferreira; Ana M. López-Sabirón; Tatiana García-Armingol; Germán Ferreira. Retrofitting strategies for improving the energy and environmental efficiency in industrial furnaces: A case study in the aluminium sector. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 2017, 82, 1813 -1822.

AMA Style

Patricia Royo, Víctor José Ferreira, Ana M. López-Sabirón, Tatiana García-Armingol, Germán Ferreira. Retrofitting strategies for improving the energy and environmental efficiency in industrial furnaces: A case study in the aluminium sector. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews. 2017; 82 ():1813-1822.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Patricia Royo; Víctor José Ferreira; Ana M. López-Sabirón; Tatiana García-Armingol; Germán Ferreira. 2017. "Retrofitting strategies for improving the energy and environmental efficiency in industrial furnaces: A case study in the aluminium sector." Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 82, no. : 1813-1822.

Journal article
Published: 01 September 2016 in Journal of Cleaner Production
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ACS Style

Victor José Ferreira; Aitana Sáez-De-Guinoa Vilaplana; Tatiana Garcia Armingol; Alfonso Aranda-Usón; Cristina Lausín-González; Ana M. López-Sabirón; Germán A Ferreira Ferreira. Evaluation of the steel slag incorporation as coarse aggregate for road construction: technical requirements and environmental impact assessment. Journal of Cleaner Production 2016, 130, 175 -186.

AMA Style

Victor José Ferreira, Aitana Sáez-De-Guinoa Vilaplana, Tatiana Garcia Armingol, Alfonso Aranda-Usón, Cristina Lausín-González, Ana M. López-Sabirón, Germán A Ferreira Ferreira. Evaluation of the steel slag incorporation as coarse aggregate for road construction: technical requirements and environmental impact assessment. Journal of Cleaner Production. 2016; 130 ():175-186.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Victor José Ferreira; Aitana Sáez-De-Guinoa Vilaplana; Tatiana Garcia Armingol; Alfonso Aranda-Usón; Cristina Lausín-González; Ana M. López-Sabirón; Germán A Ferreira Ferreira. 2016. "Evaluation of the steel slag incorporation as coarse aggregate for road construction: technical requirements and environmental impact assessment." Journal of Cleaner Production 130, no. : 175-186.

Journal article
Published: 01 April 2016 in Energy
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Growing demands for energy, gradual depletion of fossil resources and high environmental impacts require that current energy production models be replaced by more sustainable technology. Thus, research efforts focused on improving energy efficiency and material efficiency are considered extremely relevant. In the following work, the influence of incorporating PCMs (phase change materials) on electricity conversion efficiency discussed along with hot spot prevention and lifetime increases in BIPV (building-integrated photovoltaics). The main goal is to evaluate the operational temperature control in a BIPV with or without PCMs considering different climatic severities. A design parameter analysis was conducted, and the importance of suitable PCMs and proper system designs are revealed. Also, this study indicates that areas with different climatic severities must be considered for widespread evaluations of this technology application to impact diverse regions. Additionally, an environmental analysis based on the LCA (life cycle assessment) methodology was performed using the SimaPro software. The results show that a positive environmental impact is generated by PCM applications because of the decreased amount of consumed resources in BIPV manufacturing, which is related to the lifetime extension resulting from the ability of PCMs to store latent heat and prevent premature physical damage to the BIPV.

ACS Style

Patricia Royo; Víctor J. Ferreira; Ana M. López-Sabirón; Germán Ferreira. Hybrid diagnosis to characterise the energy and environmental enhancement of photovoltaic modules using smart materials. Energy 2016, 101, 174 -189.

AMA Style

Patricia Royo, Víctor J. Ferreira, Ana M. López-Sabirón, Germán Ferreira. Hybrid diagnosis to characterise the energy and environmental enhancement of photovoltaic modules using smart materials. Energy. 2016; 101 ():174-189.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Patricia Royo; Víctor J. Ferreira; Ana M. López-Sabirón; Germán Ferreira. 2016. "Hybrid diagnosis to characterise the energy and environmental enhancement of photovoltaic modules using smart materials." Energy 101, no. : 174-189.

Journal article
Published: 01 November 2015 in Energy Conversion and Management
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ACS Style

Victor José Ferreira; Ana M. López-Sabirón; Patricia Royo; Alfonso Aranda-Usón; German Ferreira. Integration of environmental indicators in the optimization of industrial energy management using phase change materials. Energy Conversion and Management 2015, 104, 67 -77.

AMA Style

Victor José Ferreira, Ana M. López-Sabirón, Patricia Royo, Alfonso Aranda-Usón, German Ferreira. Integration of environmental indicators in the optimization of industrial energy management using phase change materials. Energy Conversion and Management. 2015; 104 ():67-77.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Victor José Ferreira; Ana M. López-Sabirón; Patricia Royo; Alfonso Aranda-Usón; German Ferreira. 2015. "Integration of environmental indicators in the optimization of industrial energy management using phase change materials." Energy Conversion and Management 104, no. : 67-77.

Journal article
Published: 01 September 2015 in Construction and Building Materials
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ACS Style

Aitana Sáez-De-Guinoa Vilaplana; Víctor J. Ferreira; Ana M. López-Sabirón; Alfonso Aranda-Usón; Cristina Lausín-González; Cecilia Berganza-Conde; Germán Ferreira. Utilization of Ladle Furnace slag from a steelwork for laboratory scale production of Portland cement. Construction and Building Materials 2015, 94, 837 -843.

AMA Style

Aitana Sáez-De-Guinoa Vilaplana, Víctor J. Ferreira, Ana M. López-Sabirón, Alfonso Aranda-Usón, Cristina Lausín-González, Cecilia Berganza-Conde, Germán Ferreira. Utilization of Ladle Furnace slag from a steelwork for laboratory scale production of Portland cement. Construction and Building Materials. 2015; 94 ():837-843.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Aitana Sáez-De-Guinoa Vilaplana; Víctor J. Ferreira; Ana M. López-Sabirón; Alfonso Aranda-Usón; Cristina Lausín-González; Cecilia Berganza-Conde; Germán Ferreira. 2015. "Utilization of Ladle Furnace slag from a steelwork for laboratory scale production of Portland cement." Construction and Building Materials 94, no. : 837-843.

Research article
Published: 16 June 2015 in Waste Management & Research: The Journal for a Sustainable Circular Economy
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Plasma torch gasification (PTG) is currently researched as a technology for solid waste recovery. However, scientific studies based on evaluating its environmental implications considering the life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology are lacking. Therefore, this work is focused on comparing the environmental effect of the emissions of syngas combustion produced by refuse derived fuel (RDF) and PTG as alternative fuels, with that related to fossil fuel combustion in the cement industry. To obtain real data, a semi-industrial scale pilot plant was used to perform experimental trials on RDF-PTG. The results highlight that PTG for waste to energy recovery in the cement industry is environmentally feasible considering its current state of development. A reduction in every impact category was found when a total or partial substitution of alternative fuel for conventional fuel in the calciner firing (60 % of total thermal energy input) was performed. Furthermore, the results revealed that electrical energy consumption in PTG is also an important parameter from the LCA approach.

ACS Style

Ana M López-Sabirón; Kristina Fleiger; Stefan Schäfer; Javier Antoñanzas; Ane Irazustabarrena; Alfonso Aranda-Usón; Germán A Ferreira. Refuse derived fuel (RDF) plasma torch gasification as a feasible route to produce low environmental impact syngas for the cement industry. Waste Management & Research: The Journal for a Sustainable Circular Economy 2015, 33, 715 -722.

AMA Style

Ana M López-Sabirón, Kristina Fleiger, Stefan Schäfer, Javier Antoñanzas, Ane Irazustabarrena, Alfonso Aranda-Usón, Germán A Ferreira. Refuse derived fuel (RDF) plasma torch gasification as a feasible route to produce low environmental impact syngas for the cement industry. Waste Management & Research: The Journal for a Sustainable Circular Economy. 2015; 33 (8):715-722.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Ana M López-Sabirón; Kristina Fleiger; Stefan Schäfer; Javier Antoñanzas; Ane Irazustabarrena; Alfonso Aranda-Usón; Germán A Ferreira. 2015. "Refuse derived fuel (RDF) plasma torch gasification as a feasible route to produce low environmental impact syngas for the cement industry." Waste Management & Research: The Journal for a Sustainable Circular Economy 33, no. 8: 715-722.

Journal article
Published: 01 February 2015 in Journal of Cleaner Production
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ACS Style

Germán A Ferreira Ferreira; Ana M. López-Sabirón; Juan Aranda; María Dolores Mainar Toledo; Alfonso Aranda-Usón. Environmental analysis for identifying challenges to recover used reinforced refractories in industrial furnaces. Journal of Cleaner Production 2015, 88, 242 -253.

AMA Style

Germán A Ferreira Ferreira, Ana M. López-Sabirón, Juan Aranda, María Dolores Mainar Toledo, Alfonso Aranda-Usón. Environmental analysis for identifying challenges to recover used reinforced refractories in industrial furnaces. Journal of Cleaner Production. 2015; 88 ():242-253.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Germán A Ferreira Ferreira; Ana M. López-Sabirón; Juan Aranda; María Dolores Mainar Toledo; Alfonso Aranda-Usón. 2015. "Environmental analysis for identifying challenges to recover used reinforced refractories in industrial furnaces." Journal of Cleaner Production 88, no. : 242-253.

Journal article
Published: 01 December 2014 in Applied Energy
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Ana M. López-Sabirón; Patricia Royo; Victor J. Ferreira; Alfonso Aranda-Usón; Germán Ferreira. Carbon footprint of a thermal energy storage system using phase change materials for industrial energy recovery to reduce the fossil fuel consumption. Applied Energy 2014, 135, 616 -624.

AMA Style

Ana M. López-Sabirón, Patricia Royo, Victor J. Ferreira, Alfonso Aranda-Usón, Germán Ferreira. Carbon footprint of a thermal energy storage system using phase change materials for industrial energy recovery to reduce the fossil fuel consumption. Applied Energy. 2014; 135 ():616-624.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Ana M. López-Sabirón; Patricia Royo; Victor J. Ferreira; Alfonso Aranda-Usón; Germán Ferreira. 2014. "Carbon footprint of a thermal energy storage system using phase change materials for industrial energy recovery to reduce the fossil fuel consumption." Applied Energy 135, no. : 616-624.

Evaluation study
Published: 01 March 2014 in Science of The Total Environment
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Industry sector is an intensive-energy consumer and approximately 20-50% of industrial energy consumption is lost as waste heat. Therefore, there is a great potential for reducing energy consumption and, subsequently, decreasing the fossil fuels used if this lost energy can be recovered. Thermal Energy Storage (TES) based on Latent Heat Storage systems (LHS) using Phase Change Materials (PCMs) has become one of the most feasible solutions in achieving energy savings through waste heat recovery, especially when there is a mismatch between the supply and consumption of energy processes. In this paper, a shell and tube heat exchanger incorporating PCMs has been considered to store the excess energy available in an industrial process. Several attempts have been made to design the most appropriate system considering many cost-benefit and technical criteria to maximise the heat recovery. However, the environmental criterion also is an important factor when determining whether this technology is not only energy and cost-efficient but also environmentally friendly, considering the whole life of the system from its manufacture to its disposal. To this end, this research includes a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to determine whether the energy savings of conventional fuels during the operation stage are large enough to balance the environmental impact originated in an industrial TES system including the manufacture, use and disposal phases. Inputs and outputs of each management stage have been defined, and the inventory emissions calculated by SIMAPRO v7.3.2. A midpoint and endpoint approaches have been carried out using two methods, CML 2001 and Eco-indicator 99, respectively. As a preliminary result, a promising reduction in the overall impacts was obtained by the use of this technology. From the environmental impact results, a matrix of possible technical solutions is displayed, to improve the environmental performance.

ACS Style

Ana M. López-Sabirón; Alfonso Aranda-Usón; María Dolores Mainar Toledo; Victor José Ferreira; Germán Ferreira. Environmental profile of latent energy storage materials applied to industrial systems. Science of The Total Environment 2014, 473-474, 565 -575.

AMA Style

Ana M. López-Sabirón, Alfonso Aranda-Usón, María Dolores Mainar Toledo, Victor José Ferreira, Germán Ferreira. Environmental profile of latent energy storage materials applied to industrial systems. Science of The Total Environment. 2014; 473-474 ():565-575.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Ana M. López-Sabirón; Alfonso Aranda-Usón; María Dolores Mainar Toledo; Victor José Ferreira; Germán Ferreira. 2014. "Environmental profile of latent energy storage materials applied to industrial systems." Science of The Total Environment 473-474, no. : 565-575.