Selecting the best design options for turbo-expanders to be used in Organic Rankine Power Cycle applications is a difficult task, with special reference to the low-temperature applications (T150°C) which are relevant for specific fields in rapid development (geothermal binary plants, solar...

Micro combined heat and power (CHP) plants operating through an organic Rankine cycle (ORC) using renewable energy are analyzed. The reference system is designed to produce 50kWe. The heat sources of the system are geothermal energy at low temperature (80–100°C) and solar energy. Two...

Glass heat pipe solar collectors are becoming very popular for heating/sanitary water production. The use of a double glass system, with vacuum in between (Dewar scheme), allows to minimize heat dispersion to the environment, and to reach potentially temperature levels in competition with much...

The guiding idea behind oxy-fuel combustion power cycles is guaranteeing a high level of performance as can be obtained by today's advanced power plants, together with CO2 separation in conditions ready for transport and final disposal. In order to achieve all these goals, oxy-combustion –...

This manuscript summarises the results of a project concerning the energy consumption of public buildings and utilities and the evaluation of the most effective and feasible ways to save energy in Certaldo, a small township in Tuscany with approximately 16,000 inhabitants. The energy analysis...

Application of a pipeline at the lower side of copper roofs to use them as solar collectors was investigated. An optimized module capable of converting a wide fraction of solar radiation into heat, and at the same time preserving the esthetic quality of the roof, was designed. Exergy analysis,...

Carbon dioxide separation by means of membranes from methane reformed synthesis gas and from semi-closed cycle flue gases has been studied. In the first case, removing carbon dioxide using membrane is more energy consuming than removing it, from the same synthesis gas, using chemical absorption,...