Achieving European climate neutrality by 2050 requires further efforts not only from the industry and society, but also from policymakers. The use of high-efficiency cogeneration facilities will help to reduce both primary energy consumption and CO2 emissions because of the increase in overall efficiency. Fuel cell-based cogeneration technologies are relevant solutions to these points for small- and microscale units. In this research, an innovative and new fuel cell-based cogeneration plant is studied, and its performance is compared with other cogeneration technologies to evaluate the potential reduction degree in energy consumption and CO2 emissions. Four energy consumption profile datasets have been generated from real consumption data of different dwellings located in the Mediterranean coast of Spain to perform numerical simulations in different energy scenarios according to the fuel used in the cogeneration. Results show that the fuel cell-based cogeneration systems reduce primary energy consumption and CO2 emissions in buildings, to a degree that depends on the heat-to-power ratio of the consumer. Primary energy consumption varies from 40% to 90% of the original primary energy consumption, when hydrogen is produced from natural gas reforming process, and from 5% to 40% of the original primary energy consumption if the cogeneration is fueled with hydrogen obtained from renewable energy sources. Similar reduction degrees are achieved in CO2 emissions.
Phase change materials (PCMs) can be used in refrigeration systems to redistribute the thermal load. The main advantages of the overall system are a more stable energy performance, energy savings, and the use of the off-peak electric tariff. This paper proposes, models, tests, and analyzes an experimental water vapor compression chiller connected to a PCM thermal energy storage (TES) tank that acts as an alternative heat sink. First, the transient model of the chiller-PCM system is proposed and validated through experimental data directly measured from a test bench where the PCM TES tank is connected to a vapor compression-based chiller. A maximum deviation of 1.2 °C has been obtained between the numerical and experimental values of the PCM tank water outlet temperature. Then, the validated chiller-PCM system model is used to quantify (using the coefficient of performance, COP) and to analyze its energy performance and its dependence on the ambient temperature. Moreover, electrical energy saving curves are calculated for different ambient temperature profiles, reaching values between 5% and 15% taking the experimental system without PCM as a baseline. Finally, the COP of the chiller-PCM system is calculated for different temperatures and use scenarios, and it is compared with the COP of a conventional aerothermal chiller to determine the switch ambient temperature values for which the former provides energy savings over the latter.
(1) Background: Elite sport can increase vulnerability to developing mental health pathologies. The purpose of the study is to determine the frequency at which these behavioural disorders appear in elite footballers and evaluate their relationship with other addictions. (2) Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between November 2020 and January 2022 on 306 participants. The variables of gambling and gaming were studied. The different groups were compared using Chi-squared tests. Probabilities exceeding 95% (p-values < 0.05) and residuals results greater than 2 or less than −2 were considered significant. (3) Results: There were significant differences between the two groups in terms of alcohol (p < 0.001), tobacco (p < 0.001), and cannabis (p = 0.016) consumption. We also found differences between those who had a history of a nervous disease (p = 0.015). 6.6% of the of football players had a probable diagnosis of a gambling disorder compared to 1% in the general population (p = 0.011). Among the pathological and non-pathological cases of gambling in the football population, significant differences were found between those with a salary of EUR 900–1500/month (p = 0.027) or a history of a nervous pathology (p = 0.021). (4) Conclusions: This study showed that professional football players were vulnerable to mental health pathologies related to gambling.