http://bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/25444 The Institute of Energy Futures (IEF) – led by Prof Savvas Tassou, Director – has a holistic approach to the energy costs of food distribution, bringing together researchers from a range of disciplines, as well as mainstream engineering research. We have particular strengths in refrigeration, heating and cooling and in environmental design. Wed, 08 Apr 2026 04:27:50 GMT 2026-04-08T04:27:50Z http://bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/32722 Title: Numerical Analysis of the Structural Parameters on the Performance of Oil-Injected Rotary Vane Compressors Authors: Ye, F; Zhu, H; Peng, Y; Bianchi, G; Rane, S; Dai, Y Abstract: The performance improvement potential with the optimisation of vane geometry and port timing angle in oil-injected Rotary Vane Compressors (RVCs) is not yet fully understood. Commonly, studies have used single-phase CFD models without consideration of lubricating oil. However, the presented analysis uses a more complex oil–gas two-phase CFD model. A fully analytical grid generation method was used for discretisation of the rotor domain, and the numerical method was validated against the experimental results. Coupled with the analysis of the flow field, the effects of five vane parameters and four configurations of port timing angles on the compressor performance were studied. The results show that the baseline case of the RVC achieved the volumetric and adiabatic efficiencies of 95.4% and 62.3%, respectively, while the specific power was 9.47 kW/(m3·min−1), which is consistent with typical industrial RVCs. The RVC as a high-efficiency compressor highly relies on the vane tip clearance size. The baseline parameters of the vane geometry and the port timing angles are relatively reasonable, and further optimisation of vane thickness, vane tip radius, vane eccentric angle, vane tip eccentric angle, intake port closing angle and exhaust port closing angle contributes to 1.7% decrease in the specific power. Overall, the structural parameter optimisation carried out in this paper, combined with the operational parameter optimisation conducted in previous studies, leads to a power reduction of 5.6%. Description: Data Availability Statement: The raw data supporting the conclusions of this article will be made available by the authors upon request. Mon, 26 May 2025 00:00:00 GMT http://bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/32722 2025-05-26T00:00:00Z http://bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/31968 Title: The Use of Machine Learning In Assessing Future Sustainability of Newly Developed Solar Thermal Systems Authors: Gobio-Thomas, LB; Papananias, M; Darwish, M; Stojceska, V Abstract: An artificial neural network (ANN) model developed in MATLAB was used to predict the environmental performance of an innovative solar thermal system, ASTEP (Application of Solar Energy to Industrial Processes) over a 30-year period. The system was applied to the industrial processes of two end-users, Mandrekas (MAND) and Arcelor Mittal (AMTP). The ASTEP system was designed to supply thermal energy up to 400°C and consist of three main components: a novel rotary Fresnel Sundial, thermal energy storage (TES) and a control system. The actual GHG emissions of the ASTEP system and a solar thermal plant as presented in the literature were used to evaluate the ability of the ANN model to predict GHG emissions. The actual and predicted emissions were compared to assess the accuracy of the model. Validation results showed a difference of 2.13 kgCO2eq/kWh for AMTP’s ASTEP system, 2.43 kgCO2eq/kWh for MAND’s ASTEP system and 0.32 kgCO2eq/kWh for a third solar thermal plant. These findings indicate that the ANN model could be considered as an effective tool in predicting GHG emissions for solar thermal plants allowing the industry to evaluate their environmental performance and adopt measures to reduce their impact. Wed, 30 Oct 2024 00:00:00 GMT http://bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/31968 2024-10-30T00:00:00Z http://bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/31617 Title: The Water-Energy-Materials nexus in an industrial setting: legal and practical peripheries Authors: Malinauskaite, J; Delpech, B; Jouhara, H Abstract: Due to the climate change emergency, there is an existential need to transit to a more sustainable and circular economy. Building on the European Green Deal, using quantitative and qualitative historical and doctrinal analyses, this study reviews the newest EU legislation related to water (predominantly wastewater), energy, materials and industries in search for impetuses for circular solutions and environmental sustainability. While employing the Water-Energy-Materials nexus, the paper also illustrates through a practical example, an integrated circular solution enabling to close the loop in industrial processes, aiming to significantly reduce resource waste, particularly in terms of energy and water consumption. The iWAYs project, depending on the type of industry, has demonstrated the potential to reduce waste heat and energy consumption by 10%-80% by recovering sensible and latent heat from challenging exhaust stream as well as the recovering up to 90% of discarded water from condensate stream. Additionally, the proposed solutions allow the use of 30%-60% less freshwater. Description: Data availability: No data was used for the research described in the article. Sun, 20 Jul 2025 00:00:00 GMT http://bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/31617 2025-07-20T00:00:00Z http://bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/31563 Title: Experimental Characterization of a Commercial Photovoltaic Thermal (PVT) Hybrid Panel Under Variable Hydrodynamic and Thermal Conditions Authors: Aguilar, J; Pavon, W; Dehouche, Z Abstract: Photovoltaic thermal (PVT) hybrid systems offer a promising approach to maximizing solar energy utilization by combining electricity generation with thermal energy recovery. This study presents an experimental evaluation of a commercially available PVT panel, focusing on its thermal performance under varying inlet temperatures and flow rates. The work addresses a gap in the literature regarding the real-world behavior of integrated systems, particularly in residential settings where space constraints and energy efficiency are crucial. Experimental tests were conducted at three mass flow rates and five inlet water temperatures, demonstrating that lower inlet temperatures and higher flow rates consistently improve thermal efficiency. The best-performing condition was achieved at 0.012 kg/s and 10 °C. These findings deepen our understanding of the panel’s thermal behavior and confirm its suitability for practical applications. The experimental platform developed in this study also enables standardized PVT testing under controlled conditions, supporting consistent evaluation across different settings and contributing to global optimization efforts for hybrid solar technologies. Description: Data Availability Statement: Data are contained within the article. Thu, 26 Jun 2025 00:00:00 GMT http://bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/31563 2025-06-26T00:00:00Z