Grup de Recerca en Energia i Intel·ligència Artificial (GREiA) (INSPIRES)
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The GREiA research group (Research group in energy and artificial intelligence) is born from the union of the research group in energy GREA and the research group in artificial intelligence IA. The collaboration of these two groups begins in 2014.
The general line of research that defines the activity of the group is to provide answers and solutions related to the fields of energy engineering, industrial and construction design, sustainability and intelligence artificial. [Més informació]
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Recent Submissions
- ItemEmbargoFailure analysis of the leakage and ignition of heat transfer fluid in a concentrating solar power (CSP) pilot plant(Elsevier, 2024) Prieto, Cristina; López-Román, Antón; Cabeza, Luisa F.Concentrating solar power (CSP) is a technology seen key to achieve the worldwide energy transition targets. Although it is a mature robust technology, different failures in CSP plant have been reported in the literature to visualize potential point of maintenance interest. Following the same philosophy, this paper reports a failure occurred at a CSP storage pilot plant, where leakage and ignition of different joint balls suddenly occurred after several hours of testing. The experimental assessment carried out confirmed spontaneous ignition of the heat transfer fluid-soaked insulation material of the piping after leakage. The results of this study emphasize the significance of proactive maintenance and daily inspections in solar fields.
- ItemOpen AccessTransient performance modelling of solar tower power plants with molten salt thermal energy storage systems(Elsevier, 2024) Tagle-Salazar, Pablo D.; Cabeza, Luisa F.; Prieto, CristinaConcentrating solar power (CSP) has emerged as a dynamic and promising technology, demonstrating a burgeoning market potential for power generation through the utilization of solar thermal resources. Notably, global installed capacity has witnessed a substantial uptick in recent years, indicative that this technology is increasing traction worldwide. To optimize the utilization of CSP systems, particularly during periods of low or absent solar radiation, the integration of thermal energy storage (TES) systems using molten salts has become a prevailing strategy. This research introduces an innovative transient modelling tailored for the comprehensive annual performance analysis of a solar tower power plant coupled to a two-tank TES system, incorporating molten salts as the storage medium. The modelling of the power plant is conducted using OpenModelica, a versatile software platform renowned for its capability in system-level modelling and simulation. The simulation outcomes encompass a power plant configuration boasting a turbine gross output of 110 MWe. The results of performance parameters are subsequently contrasted with those generated by commercially available software tool, effectively corroborating the accuracy and effectiveness of the proposed simulation approach. The obtained results demonstrate a favourable concurrence in the transient behaviour of performance parameters, considering heat flows, state of charge, net power, and others, with a discrepancy of less than 1 % in annual production when benchmarked against a commercial software reference. Particularly, the incorporation of the local heat loss due to assembly defects within the thermal modelling of the TES system exerts a discernible albeit relatively minor influence on the overall performance of the power plant. The occurrence of local heat loss primarily stems from distortions or imperfections within the construction, including the structure, insulation layers, or foundation, thereby creating thermal bridges between the storage fluid and the external ambient environment. This impact, while small, is not negligible, as it introduces the potential for the power block to unexpectedly shut down owing to TES system depletion, a behaviour that is challenging to simulate when neglecting local heat loss.
- ItemOpen AccessFormulation and development of composite materials for thermally driven and storage‑integrated cooling technologies: a review(Springer, 2024) Borri, Emiliano; Ushak, Svetlana; Li, Yongliang; Frazzica, Andrea; Zhang, Yannan; Milian, Yanio; Grageda, Mario; Li, Dacheng; Cabeza, Luisa F.; Brancato, VincenzaThe energy consumption for cooling takes up 50% of all the consumed final energy in Europe, which still highly depends on the utilization of fossil fuels. Thus, it is required to propose and develop new technologies for cooling driven by renewable energy. Also, thermal energy storage is an emerging technology to relocate intermittent low-grade heat source, like solar thermal energy and industrial waste heat as well as to exploit off-peak electricity, for cooling applications. This review aims to summarize the recent advances in thermally driven cooling and cold storage technologies, focusing on the formation and fabrication of adopted composites materials, including sorption materials, phase change materials, and slurries. Herein, first the classifications, selection criteria, and properties for these three types of materials is discussed. Then, the application potentials of all the materials are prospected in terms of economic analysis and sustainability.
- ItemOpen AccessThermal energy storage in energy communities: A perspective overview through a bibliometric analysis(MDPI, 2024) Brunelli, Luca; Borri, Emiliano; Pisello, Anna Laura; Nicolini, Andrea; Mateu Piñol, Carles; Cabeza, Luisa F.The climate and energy crisis requires immediate countermeasures. Renewable energy communities (RECs) are capable of enhancing the consumption of renewable energy, involving citizens with a leading role in the energy transition process. The main objective of a REC is to maximize the consumption of renewable energy by reducing the mismatch between energy supply and demand. This is possible through the use of strategies and technologies including energy storage systems. Among these, the use of thermal energy storage (TES) is an efficient strategy due to the lower investment required compared to other storage technologies, like electric batteries. This study aims to define the role of TES in RECs, through a bibliometric analysis, in order to highlight research trends and possible gaps. This study shows that the existing literature on TES does not present terms related to RECs, thus presenting a research gap. On the other hand, RESs address the topic of energy storage in the literature, without focusing on TES in particular but considering the general aspect of the topic. Therefore, this leaves open a possibility for the development of research on TES as a possible technology applied to a REC to maximize the renewable energy sharing.
- ItemOpen AccessAnalysis on integration of heat pumps and thermal energy storage in current energy system: From research outputs to energy policies(Elsevier, 2024) Rehman, Omais Abdur; Borri, Emiliano; Palomba, Valeria; Frazzica, Andrea; Brancato, Vincenza; Botargues, Teresa; Cabeza, Luisa F.This paper presents a comprehensive examination of the integration of heat pumps and thermal energy storage (TES) within the current energy system. Utilizing bibliometric analysis, recent research trends and gaps are identified, shedding light on the evolving landscape of this dynamic field. The study delves into the research outputs since 1969, offering insights into the global scholarly contributions shaping the discourse. Furthermore, an extensive policy analysis is conducted, focusing on seven countries with the highest research output. The interplay between research advancements and energy policies is explored, providing an understanding of the practical implications of the integration of heat pumps and TES. An understanding is tried to reach as how research and policy sector influence each other. This analysis contributes not only to the academic understanding of the subject but also informs policymakers about potential pathways for enhancing energy efficiency and sustainability in heating and cooling sector.