This document presents a comprehensive review of research works, regulatory frameworks, technical solutions, and commercial trends related to the integration of shallow geothermal energy (SGE) technologies in modern 5th-generation district heating and cooling (5GDHC) networks. This literature and market analysis is contextualized by the present geopolitical, environmental, and societal scenario in Europe. In this sense, decarbonization of the heating and cooling sector is a crucial piece in the energy transition puzzle to keep global warming below the critical threshold of 1.5 °C by the next century. Moreover, Ukraine war has added urgency to end up with fossil fuel dependency. The most relevant outcome of this literature review is the synergistic relationship between SGE, 5GDHC networks, and urban environments. SGE is most efficiently deployed in urban environments when it is part of a district heating and cooling network, and the modern concept of 5GDHC is the most suitable scenario for it. Since the potential contribution of SGE to the decarbonization of the heating and cooling supply is mostly untapped across Europe, this synergistic effect represents a possible boost. Hybridization with solar photovoltaics and/or storage makes it even more attractive. Outstanding cases are reviewed, challenges for the future are presented, and tools to overcome social reluctance and/or lack of awareness are described, along with a discussion of the stimuli for the deployment of SGE and 5GDHC networks. A particular focus on Mediterranean countries is presented, where SGE systems and DHC networks of any kind show a particularly low deployment compared to the rest of Europe. To this end, the second part of this work evaluates, justifies, and analyzes the possibilities and potentialities of their application in this zone.

The modelling of high pressure grinding rolls is described by the population balance model, a mass balance which includes several functions that are related to the mineral characteristics, material kinetics and operative conditions of the device. The breakage distribution function is one of these functions and refers to the way in which the daughter particles are generated by the process of comminution. The piston-die press is presented as a methodology to determine the breakage distribution function of two different materials, from the mechanical response point of view: altered granite and a cal-silicate material. The aim is to determine the relation between the operative conditions and the mineral characteristics in order to explain and predict the breakage function parameters. The materials were characterised using XRD and single compression strength tests. The altered granite is a brittle material, which generates more fines under single compression conditions compared to bed compression conditions, mainly due to the mineral composition and the response of the material to the breakage action. The cal-silicate material shows a normal trend in its breakage behaviour. As is expected, the mineralogical characterisation is a useful tool to predict the values of the parameters of the breakage distribution function.

An improved approach is presented to model the product particle size distribution resulting from grinding in high-pressure roll crusher with the aim to be used in standard high-pressure grinding rolls (HPGR). This approach uses different breakage distribution function parameter values for a single particle compression condition and a bed compression condition. Two materials were used for the experiments; altered Ta-bearing granite and a calc-silicate tungsten ore. A set of experiments was performed with constant operative conditions, while varying a selected condition to study the influence of the equipment set-up on the model. The material was comminuted using a previously determined specific pressing force, varying the feed particle size, roll speed and the static gap. A fourth group of experiments were performed varying the specific pressing force. Experimental results show the high performance of the comminution in a high-pressure environment. The static gap was the key in order to control the product particle size. A mathematical approach to predict the product particle size distribution is presented and it showed a good fit when compared to experimental data. This is the case when a narrow particle size fraction feed is used, but the fit became remarkably good with a multi-size feed distribution. However, when varying the specific pressing force in the case of the calc-silicate material, the results were not completely accurate. The hypothesis of simultaneous single particle compression and bed compression for different size ranges and with different parameters of the distribution function was probed and reinforced by various simulations that exchanged bed compression parameters over the single particle compression distribution function, and vice versa.

Four different scenarios have been studied in an underground mine, validating the results by actual data. Finding the best ventilation conditions in terms of air velocity and heat load removal. The conditions worsen as the duct is placed further from the face. While the position of the duct regarding cross-section, lower or upper side of the drift, does not give a clear conclusion about the best option, but it depends on the variable used in the analysis, either temperature, air velocity or the specific area in the working face. The findings of this study can be used to implement the most efficient auxiliary ventilation system in the mine considering the potential main issue, whether it is the working face or the place of the equipment. Besides, future scenarios can be also analysed with the model created, providing a good tool to select the auxiliary ventilation layout in each case.

This paper presents a new energy efficiency-based classification approach for street lighting. This approach considers the improvement of visual performance by correcting the standard photometry system (photopic) by the mesopic system, recommended within the CIE 191:2010 and the operational hours of the lighting system, aspects that are usually disregarded by the most-used energy classifications. The method proposed here is based on the value function concept, which allows standardizing an energy performance indicator, representing a satisfaction degree. To validate the approach proposed, a case study in 13 representative streets of the Eixample District of Barcelona is carried out, comparing results with those obtained by other three energy efficiency classifications used in Spain, Netherlands, and Italy. These results derived from the application of the method supports decision-making when using different energy classifications and straightforward to quantify potential energy savings.