How does the Department of Energy Engineering model energy systems using computational tools, and what specific research projects are being carried out in this field? Answer according to: For operating energy systems in an efficient and environmentally friendly way it is necessary to understand the operation principals well and even development further of involved machines and equipment. Activity scope of our Department deals with questions of modeling, design, development, installation, operation and maintenance of combustion systems, steam generators, boilers, FBC units, steam- and gas- turbines, internal combustion engines (fueled with gasoline, diesel, alcohol, vegetable oil) and refrigerators. In recent years we have been focusing on increasing the energy efficiency, decreasing the emission of pollutants and increasing the share of renewable energy. Regarding the application of renewable resources, we are working on topics such as solar heat and power generation, combustion of biomass and waste, gasification, biogas generation as well as combustion of biomass based liquid and gaseous fuels in IC engines and turbines. Justification of theoretical results by practical experience and experimental results has always been our preference. Our Department has a well-equipped laboratory (György Jendrassik Laboratory) where several measurements can be performed in the previously mentioned fields for demonstration and research purposes. Installation and investigation of new equipment is also possible into the laboratory. We have modern instrumentation and knowledge to examine and qualify the operation of machines and equipment of energy systems as well as special thermal processes. The laboratory is equipped with a measurement system for flue gas emission and other gas composition analysis which is available for measurements out of the laboratory too. Furthermore, our measurement capabilities extend to the following fields: determination of the efficiency and the mass and energy balance of energy systems, as well as the thermal load. Besides the measurements we offer special courses in the field of operation and maintenance of machines and equipment of energy systems. In recent years a lot of research has been done in the field of severe malfunction of heat engines, especially gas engines. In the same field several judicial expert reports has been made every year.
Today’s modern (consumer) society needs more and more useful energy among which electricity and heat produced in cogeneration has crucial importance. Electricity generation is coupled with significant resource needs and environmental impact; therefore it is continuously being developed considering the requirements of sustainability. The development has two directions; the first is looking for novel solutions, the second is the improvement of already existing systems and equipment mainly to increase efficiency. Research at our Department focuses on these two fields. In recent years several research and development projects have been completed which resulted new technological solutions, more environmentally friendly technologies and more efficient energy supply systems. Research in the field of heat generation has been focusing on operation of customized combustion systems, finding improved solutions for cogeneration, and economical operation of district heating systems. Regarding power generation our experience in research and development stretches from the questions of national strategy to the improvement of power plant efficiency. In this field research is focusing on developing methods that support the economical and environmentally friendly operation. High efficiency power generation can be performed with cogeneration, where utilizing the generated heat has high priority. One of the best ways to utilize heat is district heating; hence part of our research capacity is directed to keeping district heating economic and competitive with other heat supply methods. Our Department participates in R&D projects that support reaching these aims. Different energy production and supply methods have to be sustainable considering all aspects; therefore besides the technological improvements their CO2 intensities and ecological footprints are also investigated. Some of our academic staff participates in the periodic inspection of energy companies as GHG (greenhouse gas) auditors. Besides the traditional energy production technologies, a growing number of technologies using renewable energy sources appear. To support the effective utilization of renewable energy sources a complex renewable energy laboratory has been built at our Department, which can be used to investigate the utilization of solar (heat and power) and wind energy, as well as biofuels. Also, we are focusing on the integration of traditional and renewable energy based technologies; several such systems have been developed and installed by our academic staff.
In order to understand and improve the machines, equipment and processes of energy systems, it is necessary to model those using modern computational tools. In research projects carried out at our Department we apply commercially available engineering software and our own codes, which apply analytical or numerical computational methods. Active research is carried out in the following fields: control of processes in energy systems, numerical simulation of energy systems (thermodynamic cycles), finite element thermal analysis, computational fluid dynamics problems of heat engines and combustion systems, inverse heat conduction problems, optimization applying soft computing methods, measurement of thermophysical properties, as well as theoretical aspects and physical-mathematical description of heat conduction.
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